 Book 1, Chapter 19 of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1. Concerning Jacob's flight into Mesopotamia by reason of the fear he was in of his brother. Now Jacob was sent by his mother to Mesopotamia in order to marry Laban, her brother's daughter, which marriage was permitted by Isaac on account of his upsequiousness to the desires of his wife, and he accordingly journeyed through the land of Canaan, and because he hated the people of that country he would not lodge with any of them but took up his lodging in the open air and laid his head on a heap of stones that he had gathered together, at which time he saw in his sleep such a vision standing by him. He seemed to see a ladder that reached from the earth unto heaven and persons descending upon the ladder that seemed more excellent than human, and at last God himself stood above it and was plainly visible to him, who, calling him by his name, speak to him in these words. O Jacob, it is not fit for thee who are the son of a good father and grandson of one who had obtained a great reputation for his eminent virtue to be dejected at thy present circumstances, but to hope for better times, for thou shalt have great abundance of all good things by my assistance, for I brought Abraham hither out of Mesopotamia when he was driven away by his kinsmen, and I made thy father a happy man, nor will I bestow a lesser degree of happiness on thyself. Be of good courage, therefore, and under my conduct proceed on this thy journey, for the marriage thou goest so zealously about shall be consummated, and thou shalt have children of good characters, but their multitude shall be innumerable, and they shall leave what they have to a still more numerous posterity, to whom and to whose posterity I give the dominion of all the land, and their posterity shall fill the entire earth and sea so far as the sun beholds them. But do not thou fear any longer, nor be afraid of the many labors thou must undergo, for by my providence I will direct thee what thou art to do in the time present, and still much more in the time to come. Such were the predictions which God made to Jacob, whereupon he became very joyful at what he had seen and heard, and he poured oil on the stones, because on them the prediction of such great benefits was made. He also vowed of vow that he would offer sacrifices upon them if he lived in return safe, and if he came again in such a condition he would give the tithe of what he had gotten to God. He also judged the place to be honorable and gave it the name of Bethel, which in the Greek is interpreted the house of God. So he proceeded on his journey to Mesopotamia, and at length came to Heron, and meeting with shepherds in the suburbs with boys grown up, and maidens sitting about a certain well, he stayed with them as wanting water to drink, and beginning to discourse with them, he asked them whether they knew such a one as Laban, and whether he was still alive. Now they all said they knew him, for he was not so inconsiderable a person as to be unknown to any of them, and that his daughter fed her father's flock together with them, and that indeed they wondered that she was not yet come, for by her means thou mightest learn more exactly whatever thou desirest to know about that family. While they were saying this, the damsel came, and the other shepherds that came down along with her. Then they showed her Jacob, and told her that he was a stranger, who came to inquire about her father's affairs. But she, as pleased after the custom of children with Jacob's coming, asked him who he was, and whence he came to them, and what it was he lacked that he came thither. She also wished it might be in their power to supply the wants he came about. But Jacob was quite overcome, not so much by their kindred, nor by that affection which might arise thence, as by his love to the damsel, and his surprise at her beauty which was so flourishing as few of the women of that age could buy with. He said then, There is a relation between thee and me, elder than either thy or my birth, if thou be the daughter of Laban. For Abraham was the son of Thera, as well as Heron and Nahor. Of the last of whom, Nahor, Bethel, thy grandfather, was the son. Isaac, my father, was the son of Abraham and of Thera, who was the daughter of Heron. But there is a nearer and later cement of mutual kindred, which we bear to one another, for my mother Rebekah was sister to Laban thy father, both by the same father and mother. I, therefore, and thou, are cousin Germans, and I am now come to salute you and to renew that affinity which is proper between us. Upon this the damsel, at the mention of Rebekah, as usually happens to young persons, wept, and that out of the kindness she had for her father, and embraced Jacob, she having learned an account of Rebekah from her father, and knew that her parents loved to hear her named. And when she had saluted him, she said that, he brought the most desirable and greatest pleasures to her father, with all their family, who was always mentioning his mother, and always thinking of her and her alone, and that this will make thee equal in his eyes to any advantageous circumstances whatsoever. Then she bid him go to her father, and follow her while she conducted him to him, and not to deprive him of such a pleasure by staying any longer away from him. When she had said thus, she brought him to Laban, and being owned by his uncle, he was secure himself as being among his friends, and he brought a great deal of pleasure to them by his unexpected coming. But a little while afterward Laban told him that he could not express in words the joy he had at his coming, but still he inquired of him the occasion of his coming, and why he left his aged mother and father when they wanted to be taken care of by him, and that he would afford him all the assistance he wanted. Then Jacob gave him an account of the whole occasion of his journey, and told him that Isaac had two sons that were twins, himself and Esau, who, because he failed of his father's prayers, which by his mother's wisdom were put up for him, sought to kill him, as deprived of the kingdom which was to be given him of God, and of the blessings for which their father prayed, and that this was the occasion of his coming hither, as his mother had commanded him to do. For we are all, says he, brethren, one to another. But our mother esteems an alliance with your family more than she does one with the families of the country. So I look upon yourself in God to be the supporters of my travels, and to think myself safe in my present circumstances. Now Laban promised to treat him with great humanity, both on account of his ancestors, and particularly for the sake of his mother, towards whom he said he would show his kindness, even though she were absent, by taking care of him. For he assured him he would make him the head shepherd of his flock, and give him authority sufficient for that purpose. And when he should have a mind to return to his parents, he would send him back with presence, and this in as honorable a manner as the nearness of their relation should require. This Jacob heard gladly, and said he would willingly and with pleasure undergo any sort of pains while he tarried with him, but desired Rachel to wife as the reward of those pains, who was not only on other accounts esteemed by him, but also because she was the means of his coming to him, for he said he was forced by the love of the damsel to make this proposal. Laban was well pleased with this agreement, and consented to give the damsel to him, as not desirous to meet with any better son-in-law, and said he would do this if he would stay with him some time, for he was not willing to send his daughter to be among the Canaanites, for he repented of the alliance he had made already by marrying his sister there. And when Jacob had given his consent to this, he agreed to stay seven years. For so many years he had resolved to serve his father-in-law, that, having given a specimen of his virtue, it might be better known what sort of a man he was. And Jacob, accepting of his terms, after the time was over, he made the wedding feast, and when it was night, without Jacob's perceiving it, he put his other daughter into bed to him, who was both elder than Rachel and of no comely countenance. Jacob lay with her that night as being both in drink and in the dark. However, when it was day, he knew what had been done to him. And he reproached Laban for his unfair proceeding with him, who asked pardon for that necessity, which forced him to do what he did, for he did not give him lia out of any ill-design, but as overcome by another greater necessity. That, notwithstanding this, nothing should hinder him from marrying Rachel, but that when he had served another seven years, he would give him her whom he loved. Jacob submitted to this condition, for his love to the damsel did not permit him to do otherwise. And when another seven years were gone, he took Rachel to wife. Now each of these had handmaids by their father's donation. Zilpha was handmade to Leah and Bilhah to Rachel, by no means slaves, but however subject to their mistresses. Now Leah was sorely troubled at her husband's love to her sister, and she expected she should be better esteemed if she bear him children. So she entreated God perpetually, and when she had borne a son, and her husband was on that account better reconciled to her, she named her son Rubel, because God had had mercy upon her in giving her a son, for that is the signification of this name. After some time she bore three more sons, Simeon, which name signifies that God had harkened to her prayer. Then she bear Levi, the confirmer of their friendship. After him was born Judah, which denotes Thanksgiving. But Rachel, fearing lest the fruitfulness of her sister should make herself enjoy a lesser share of Jacob's affections, put to bed to him her handmaid Bilhah, by whom Jacob had Dan. One may interpret that name into the Greek tongue, a divine judgment. And after him, Nephthilim, as it were, unconquerable in stratagems, since Rachel tried to conquer the fruitfulness of her sister by this stratagem. Accordingly, Leah took the same method, and used a counter stratagem to that of her sister, for she put to bed to him her own handmaid. Jacob therefore had by Zilpha a son, whose name was Gad, which may be interpreted Fortune. And after him, Asher, which may be called a happy man, because he added glory to Leah. Now Rubel, the eldest son of Leah, brought apples of mandrakes to his mother. When Rachel saw them, she desired that she would give her the apples, for she longed to eat them. But when she refused and bid her be content that she had deprived her of the benevolence she ought to have had from her husband, Rachel, in order to mitigate her sister's anger, said she would yield her husband to her. And he should lie with her that evening. She accepted of the favor, and Jacob slept with Leah by the favor of Rachel. She bear then these sons, Izakar, denoting one born by hire, and Zebulon, one born as a pledge of benevolence towards her, and a daughter, Dinah. After some time, Rachel had a son named Joseph, which signified there should be another added to him. Now Jacob fed the flocks of Laban his father-in-law all this time, being twenty years after which he desired leave of his father-in-law to take his wives and go home. But when his father-in-law would not give him leave, he contrived to do it secretly. He made trial therefore of the disposition of his wives what they thought of this journey, when they appeared glad and approved of it. Rachel took along with her the images of the gods, which according to their laws they used to worship in their own country, and ran away together with her sister. The children also of them both and the handmaids and what possessions they had went along with them. Jacob also drove away half the cattle, without letting Laban know of it beforehand. But the reason why Rachel took the images of the gods, although Jacob had taught her to despise such worship of those gods, was this, that in case they were pursued and taken by her father, she might have recourse to these images in order to obtain his pardon. But Laban, after one day's time, being acquainted with Jacob's and his daughter's departure, was much troubled and pursued after them, leading a band of men with him, and on the seventh day overtook them, and found them resting on a certain hill. And then indeed he did not meddle with them, for it was even tied. But God stood by him in a dream, and warned him to receive his son-in-law and his daughters in a peaceable manner. And not to venture upon anything rashly or in wrath, but to make a league with Jacob. And he told him that if he despised their small number and attacked them in a hostile manner, he would himself assist them. When Laban had been thus forewarned by God, he called Jacob to him the next day, in order to treat with him, and showed him what dream he had. Independence whereupon he came confidently to him, and began to accuse him, alleging that he had entertained him when he was poor, and in want of all things, and had given him plenty of all things which he had. For, said he, I have joined my daughters to thee in marriage, and supposed that thy kindness to me be greater than before. But thou hast had no regard to either thy mother's relations to me, nor to the affinity now newly contracted between us, nor to those wives whom thou hast married, nor to those children of whom I am the grandfather. Thou hast treated me as an enemy, driving away my cattle, and by persuading my daughters to run away from their father, and by carrying home those sacred paternal images which were worshipped by my forefathers, and have been honoured with the light worship which they paid them by myself. In short, thou hast done this whilst thou art my kinsman, and my sister's son, and the husband of my daughters, and was hospitably treated by me, and didst eat at my table. When Laban had said this, Jacob made his defense, that he was not the only person in whom God had implanted the love of his native country, but that he had made it natural to all men, and that therefore it was but reasonable that, after so long time, he should go back to it. But as to the prey of whose driving away thou accusest me, if any other person were the arbitrator, thou wouldst be found in the wrong, for instead of those thanks I ought to have had from thee, for both keeping thy cattle and increasing them, how is it that thou art unjustly angry at me, because I have taken, and have with me, a small portion of them? But then, as to thy daughters, take notice that it is not through any evil practices of mine that they follow me in my return home, but from that just affection which wives naturally have to their husbands. They follow therefore not so properly myself as their own children. And thus far of his apology was made in order to clear himself of having acted unjustly, to which he added his own complaint and accusation of Laban, saying, While I was thy sister's son, and thou hadst given me thy daughters in marriage, thou hast worn me out with thy harsh commands, and detained me twenty years under them. That indeed which was required in order to my marrying thy daughters, hard as it was, I owned to have been tolerable. But as to those that were put upon me after those marriages, they were worse, and such indeed as an enemy would have avoided. For certainly Laban had used Jacob very ill, for when he saw that God was assisting to Jacob in all that he desired, he promised him that of the young cattle which should be born, he should have sometimes what was of a white color, and sometimes what should be of a black color. But when those that came to Jacob's share proved numerous, he did not keep his faith with him, but said he would give them to him the next year, because of his envying him the multitude of his possessions. He promised him as before, because he thought such an increase was not to be expected, but when it appeared to be fact, he deceived him. But then as to the sacred images, he bid him search for them, and when Laban accepted of the offer, Rachel, being informed of it, put those images into that camel saddle on which she rode, and sat upon it, and said that her natural purgation hindered her rising up. So Laban left off searching any further, not supposing that his daughter in such circumstances would approach to those images. So he made a league with Jacob and bound it by oaths, that he would not bear him any malice on account of what had happened, and Jacob made the like league, and promised to love Laban's daughters. And these leagues they confirmed with oaths also, which they made upon certain mountains whereupon they erected a pillar in the form of an altar, whence that hill is called Gilead, and from thence they call that land the land of Gilead at this day. Now when they had feasted after the making of the league, Laban returned home. End of Book 1, Chapter 19 Book 1, Chapters 20-22 of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1 by Flavius Josephus, translated by William Whiston, Book 1, Chapters 20-22 Chapter 20 Concerning the Meeting of Jacob and Esau Now as Jacob was proceeding on his journey to the land of Canaan, angels appeared to him and suggested to him good hope of his future condition, and that place he named the camp of God. And being desirous of knowing what his brother's intentions were to him, he sent messengers to give him an exact account of everything, as being afraid on account of the enmities between them. He charged those that were sent to say to Esau, Jacob had thought it wrong to live together with him while he was in anger against him, and so had gone out of the country, and that he now, thinking the length of time of his absence must have made up their differences, was returning, that he brought with him his wives and his children and what possessions he had gotten, and delivered himself with what was most dear to him into his hands, and should think at his greatest happiness to partake together with his brother of what God had bestowed upon him. So these messengers told him this message, upon which Esau was very glad and met his brother with four hundred men, and Jacob, when he heard that he was coming to meet him with such a number of men, was greatly afraid. However, he committed his hope of deliverance to God, and considered how, in his present circumstances, he might preserve himself and those that were with him, and overcome his enemies if they attacked him injuriously. He therefore distributed his company into parts, some he sent before the rest, and the others he ordered to come close behind. That so, if the first were overpowered when his brother attacked them, they might have those that followed as a refuge to fly unto. And when he had put his company into this order, he sent some of them to carry presents to his brother. The presents were made up of cattle and a great number of four-footed beasts of many kinds, such as would be very acceptable to those that received them on account of their rarity. Those who were sent went at certain intervals of space asunder, that by following thick one after another they might appear to be more numerous, that Esau might remit of his anger on account of these presents if he were still in a passion. Instructions were also given to those that were sent to speak gently to him. When Jacob had made these appointments all the day and night came on, he moved on with his company, and as they were gone over a certain river called Jabbaq Jacob was left behind, and meeting with an angel he wrestled with him, the angel beginning the struggle. But he prevailed over the angel who used a voice and spake to him in words, exhorting him to be pleased with what had happened to him, and not to suppose that his victory was a small one, but that he had overcome a divine angel, and to esteem the victory as a sign of great blessings that should come to him, and that his offspring should never fall, and that no man should be too hard for his power. He also commanded him to be called Israel, which in the Hebrew tongue signifies one that struggled with the divine angel. These promises were made at the prayer of Jacob, for when he perceived him to be the angel of God, he desired he would signify to him what should befall him hereafter. And when the angel had said what is before related, he disappeared, but Jacob was pleased with these things, and named the place Vanuil, which signifies the face of God. Now when he felt pain by the struggling upon his broad sinew, he abstained from eating that sinew himself afterward, and for his sake it is still not eaten by us. When Jacob understood that his brother was near, he ordered his wives to go before, each by herself, with the handmaids, that they might see the actions of the men as they were fighting, if Esau were so disposed. He then went up to his brother Esau, and bowed down to him, who had no evil design upon him but saluted him, and asked him about the company of the children and of the women, and desired, when he had understood all he wanted to know about them, that he would go along with them to their father. But Jacob, pretending that the cattle were reary, Esau returned to Seyr, for there was his place of habitation, he having named the place Ruffness from his own hairy Ruffness. Chapter 21 Concerning the Violation of Dinah's Chastity Hereupon Jacob came to the place till this day called Tense Sucketh, from whence he went to Shechem, which is the city of the Canaanites. Now as the Shechemites were keeping a festival, Dinah, who was the only daughter of Jacob, went into the city to see the finery of the women of that country. But when Shechem, the son of Hymor the King, saw her, he defiled her by violence, and being greatly in love with her, desired his father that he should procure the damsel to him for a wife, to which desire he condescended, and came to Jacob, desiring him to give leave that his son Shechem might, according to law, marry Dinah. But Jacob, not knowing how to deny the desire of one of such great dignity, and yet not thinking it lawful to marry his daughter to a stranger, entreated him to give him leave to have a consultation about what he desired him to do. So the King went away in hopes that Jacob would grant him this marriage. But Jacob informed his sons of the defilement of their sister, and of the address of Hymor, and desired them to give their advice what they should do. Upon this the greatest part said nothing, not knowing what advice to give. But Zimeon and Levi, the brethren of the damsel by the same mother, agreed between themselves upon the action following. It being now the time of a festival, when the Shechemites were employed in ease and feasting, they fell upon the watch when they were asleep, and, coming into the city, slew all the males as also the King and his son with them, but spared the women. And when they had done this without their father's consent, they brought away their sister. Now, while Jacob was astonished at the greatness of this act, and was severely blaming his sons for it, God stood by him and bid him be of good courage, but to purify his tents, and to offer those sacrifices which he vowed to offer when he went first into Mesopotamia and saw his vision. As he was therefore purifying his followers, he lighted upon the gods of Laban, for he did not before know they were stolen by Rachel, and he hid them in the earth under an oak in Shechem. And departing thence, he offered sacrifice at Bethel, the place where he saw his dream when he went first into Mesopotamia. And when he was gone thence, and was come over against Afrata, he there buried Rachel, who died in child-bed. She was the only one of Jacob's kindred that had not the honor of burial at Hebron. And when he had mourned for her a great while, he called the son that was born of her Benjamin, because of the sorrow the mother had with him. These are all the children of Jacob, twelve males and one female. Of them eight were legitimate, that is, six of Leah and two of Rachel, and four were of the handmaids, two of each, all whose names have been set down already. Chapter 22 How Isaac died and was buried in Hebron From thence Jacob came to Hebron, a city-situate among the Canaanites, and there it was that Isaac lived, and so they lived together for a little while, for as to Rebekah, Jacob did not find her alive. Isaac also died not long after the coming of his son, and was buried by his sons with his wife in Hebron, where they had a monument belonging to them from their forefathers. Now Isaac was a man who was beloved of God, and was vouchsafed great instances of providence by God after Abraham his father, and lived to be exceeding old, for when he had lived virtuously one hundred and eighty-five years, he then died. Chapter 1 of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1 Book 2 containing the interval of two hundred and twenty years from the death of Isaac to the exodus out of Egypt Chapter 1 How Esau and Jacob Isaac's sons divided their habitation, and Esau possessed Idumea and Jacob Canaan. After the death of Isaac his sons divided their habitations respectively, nor did they retain what they had before, but Esau departed from the city of Hebron and left it to his brother, and Wilton Sayir, and ruled over Idumea. He called the country by that name from himself, for he was named Adon, which appellation he got on the following occasion. One day returning from the toil of hunting very hungry, it was when he was a child in age, he lighted on his brother when he was getting ready lentil potage for his dinner, which was of a very red color, on which account he the more earnestly longed for it, and desired him to give him some of it to eat. But he made advantage of his brother's hunger, and forced him to resign up to him his birthright, and he, being pinched with famine, resigned it up to him under an oath. Whence it came, that on account of the redness of this potage, he was in way of jest by his contemporaries, called Edom, for the Hebrews call what is read Edom, and this was the name given to the country. But the Greeks gave it a more agreeable pronunciation, and named it Idumea. He became the father of five sons, of whom Jaius, and Jalamus, and Chorius, were by one wife, whose name was Alibama. But of the rest, Eliphaz was born to him by Eda, and Raguel by Bessemyth. And these were the sons of Esau. Eliphaz had five legitimate sons, Thimen, Omer, Cephas, Gotham, and Canaz. For Amalek was not legitimate, but by a concubine, whose name was Thamna. These dwelt in that part of Idumea which is called Gebolitis, and that denominated from Amalek, Amalekitis. For Idumea was a large country, and it then preserved the name of the whole, while in its several parts it kept the names of its peculiar inhabitants. Chapter 2 How Joseph, the youngest of Jacob's sons, was envied by his brethren, when certain dreams had foreshown his future happiness. It happened that Jacob came to sow great happiness as rarely any other person had arrived at. He was richer than the rest of the inhabitants of that country, and was at once envied and admired for such virtuous sons, for they were deficient in nothing but were of great souls, both for laboring with their hands and enduring of toil, and shrewd also in understanding. And God exercised such a providence over him, and such a care of his happiness, as to bring him the greatest blessings even out of what appeared to be the most sorrowful condition, and to make him the cause of our forefathers departure out of Egypt, him and his posterity. The occasion was this. When Jacob had his son Joseph born to him by Rachel, his father loved him above the rest of his sons, both because of the beauty of his body, and the virtues of his mind, for he excelled the rest in prudence. This affection of his father excited the envy and the hatred of his brethren, as did also his dreams which he saw and related to his father, and to them, which foretold his future happiness, it being usual with mankind to envy their very nearest relations such their prosperity. Now the visions which Joseph saw in his sleep were these. When they were in the middle of harvest, and Joseph was sent by his father with his brethren to gather the fruits of the earth, he saw a vision in a dream, but greatly exceeding the customary appearances that come when we are asleep, which when he was got up he told his brethren that they might judge what it portended. He said, he saw the last night, that his wheat sheaf stood still in the place where he said it, but that their sheaves ran to bow down to it, as servants bow down to their masters. But as soon as they perceived the vision foretold that he should obtain power and great wealth, and that his power should be in opposition to them, they gave no interpretation of it to Joseph, as if the dream were not by them understood. But they prayed that no part of what they suspected to be its meaning might come to pass, and they bear a still greater hatred to him on that account. But God, in opposition to their envy, sent a second vision to Joseph, which was much more wonderful than the former, for it seemed to him that the sun took with him the moon, and the rest of the stars, and came down to the earth, and bowed down to him. He told the vision to his father, and that, as suspecting nothing of ill will from his brethren, when they were there also, and desired him to interpret what it should signify. Now Jacob was pleased with the dream, for, considering the prediction in his mind, and shrewdly and wisely guessing at its meaning, he rejoiced at the great things thereby signified, because it declared the future happiness of his son, and that, by the blessing of God, the time would come when he should be honoured, and thought worthy of worship by his parents and brethren, as guessing that the moon and sun were like his mother and father, the former as she that gave increase and nourishment to all things, and the latter he that gave form and other powers to them, and that the stars were like his brethren, since they were eleven in number, as were the stars that received their power from the sun and moon. And thus did Jacob make a judgment of this vision, and that a shrewd one also. But these interpretations caused very great grief to Joseph's brethren, and they were affected to him hereupon, as if he were a certain stranger, that was to those good things which were signified by the dreams and not as one that was a brother, with whom it was probable they should be joint partakers. And as they had been partners in the same parentage, so should they be of the same happiness. They also resolved to kill the lad, and having fully ratified that intention of theirs, as soon as their collection of the fruits was over, they went to Shechem, which is a country good for feeding of cattle, and for pastureage. There they fed their flocks, without acquainting their father with their removal, thither, whereupon he had melancholy suspicions about them as being ignorant of his son's condition, and receiving no messenger from the flocks that could inform him of the true state they were in, so, because he was in great fear about them, he sent Joseph to the flocks to learn the circumstances his brethren were in, and to bring him word how they did. Chapter 3 How Joseph was thus sold by his brethren into Egypt, by reason of their hatred to him, and how he there grew famous and illustrious, and had his brethren under his power. Now these brethren rejoiced as soon as they saw their brother coming to them, not indeed as at the presence of a near relation, or as at the presence of one sent by their father, but as at the presence of an enemy, and one that by divine providence was delivered into their hands, and they already resolved to kill him, and not let slip the opportunity that lay before them. But when Rehobel, the eldest of them, saw them thus disposed, and that they had agreed together to execute their purpose, he tried to restrain them, showing them the heinous enterprise they were going about, and the horrid nature of it, that this action would appear wicked in the sight of God, and impious before men, even though they should kill one not related to them, but much more flagitious and detestable to appear to have slain their own brother, by which act the father must be treated unjustly in the son's slaughter, and the mother also be in perplexity while she laments that her son is taken away from her, and this not in a natural way neither. So he entreated them to have a regard to their own consciences, and wisely to consider what mischief would be tied them upon the death of so good a child, and their youngest brother, that they would also fear God, who was already both a spectator and a witness of the designs they had against their brother, that he would love them if they abstained from this act, and yielded to repentance and amendment, but in case they proceeded to do the fact all sorts of punishments would overtake them from God for this murder of their brother, since they polluted his providence, which was everywhere present, and which did not overlook what was done, either in deserts or in cities, for wheresoever a man is, there ought he to suppose that God is also. He told them further that their consciences would be their enemies if they attempted to go through so wicked an enterprise, which they can never avoid, whether it be a good conscience, or whether it be such a one as they will have within them when once they have killed their brother. He also added this besides to what he had before said, that it was not a righteous thing to kill a brother, though he had injured them, that it is a good thing to forget the actions of such near friends, even in things wherein they might seem to have offended, but that they were going to kill Joseph, who had been guilty of nothing that was ill towards them, in whose case the infirmity of his small age should rather procure him mercy and move them to unite together in the care of his preservation, that the cause of killing him made the act itself much worse, while they determined to take him off out of envy at his future prosperity, an equal share of which they would naturally partake while he enjoyed it, since they were to him not strangers but the nearest relations, for they might reckon upon what God bestowed upon Joseph as their own, and that it was fit for them to believe that the anger of God would for this cause be more severe upon them, if they slew him who was judged by God to be worthy of that prosperity which was to be hoped for, and while, by murdering him, they made it impossible for God to bestow it upon him. Raubel said these and many other things, and used entreaties to them, and thereby endeavored to divert them from the murder of their brother, but when he saw that his discourse had not molified them at all, and that they made haste to do the fact, he advised them to alleviate the wickedness they were going about, in the manner of taking Joseph off, for as he had exhorted them first, when they were going to avenge themselves, to be dissuaded from doing it, so, since the sentence for killing their brother had prevailed, he said that they would not, however, be so grossly guilty if they would be persuaded to follow his present advice, which would include what they were so eager about, but was not so very bad, but in the distress they were in of a lighter nature. He begged of them, therefore, not to kill their brother with their own hands, but to cast him into the pit that was hard by, and so to let him die, by which they would gain so much that they would not defile their own hands with his blood. To this the young man readily agreed, so Raubel took the lad, and tied him to a cord, and let him down gently into the pit, for it had no water at all in it, who, when he had done this, went his way to seek for such pasteurage as was fit for feeding his flocks, but Judas, being one of Jacob's sons also, seeing some Arabians of the posterity of Ishmael, carrying spices and syrian wares out of the land of Gilead to the Egyptians. After Raubel was gone, advised his brethren to draw Joseph out of the pit, and sell him to the Arabians, for if he should die amongst rangers a great way off, they should be freed from this barbarous action. This, therefore, was resolved on, so they drew Joseph up out of the pit, and sold him to the merchants for twenty pounds. He was now seventeen years old, but Raubel, coming in the night time to the pit, resolved to save Joseph, without the privity of his brethren, and when upon his calling to him, he made no answer, he was afraid that they had destroyed him after he was gone, of which he complained to his brethren, but when they had told him what they had done, Raubel left off his mourning. When Joseph's brethren had done thus to him, they considered what they should do to escape the suspicions of their father. Now they had taken away from Joseph the coat which he had on when he came to see them at the time they let him down into the pit, so they thought proper to tear that coat to pieces, and to dip it into goat's blood, and then to carry it and show it to their father that he might believe he was destroyed by wild beasts. And when they had so done, they came to the old man, but this not till what had happened to his son had already come to his knowledge. Then they said that they had not seen Joseph nor knew what mishap had befallen him, but that they had found his coat bloody and torn to pieces, whence they had a suspicion that he had fallen among wild beasts, and so perished. If that was the coat he had on when he came from home, now Jacob had before some better hopes that his son was only made a captive, but now he laid aside that notion, and supposed that this coat was an evident argument that he was dead, for he well remembered that this was the coat he had on when he sent him to his brethren, so he hereafter lamented the lad as now dead, and as if he had been the father of no more than one, without taking any comfort in the rest, and so he was also affected with his misfortune before he met with Joseph's brethren, when he also conjectured that Joseph was destroyed by wild beasts. He sat down also clothed in sackcloth and in heavy affliction, in so much that he found no ease when his sons comforted him, neither did his pains remit by length of time. Chapter 4 Concerning the Signal Chastity of Joseph Now Potiphar, an Egyptian who was chief cook to King Pharaoh, bought Joseph of the merchants who sold him to him. He had him in the greatest honor, and taught him the learning that became a free man, and gave him leave to make use of a diet better than was allotted to slaves. He entrusted also the care of his house to him, so he enjoyed these advantages, yet did not he leave that virtue which he had before upon such a change of his condition, but he demonstrated that wisdom was able to govern the uneasy passions of life in such as habit in reality, and do not only put it on for a show under a present state of prosperity, for when his master's wife was fallen in love with him, both on account of his beauty of body and his dexterous management of affairs, and supposed that if she should make it known to him, she could easily persuade him to come and lie with her, and that he would look upon it as a piece of happy fortune that his mistress should entreat him as regarding that state of slavery he was in, and not his moral character, which continued after his condition was changed. So she made known her naughty inclinations and spake to him about lying with her. However, he rejected her in treaties, not thinking it agreeable to religion to yield so far to her as to do what would tend to the affront and injury of him that purchased him, and had vouchsafed him so great honors. He, on the contrary, exhorted her to govern that passion, and laid before her the impossibility of her obtaining her desires, which he thought might be conquered if she had no hope of succeeding, and he said that as to himself he would endure anything whatever before he would be persuaded to it. For although it was fit for a slave as he was to do nothing contrary to his mistress, he might well be excused in a case where the contradiction was to such sort of commands only. But this opposition of Joseph, when she did not expect it, made her still more violent in her love to him, and as she was surely beset with this naughty passion, so she resolved to compass her design by a second attempt. When, therefore, there was a public festival coming on, in which it was the custom for women to come to the public solemnity, she pretended to her husband that she was sick, as contriving an opportunity for solitude and leisure that she might entreat Joseph again. Which opportunity, being obtained, she used more kind words to him than before, and said that it had been good for him to have yielded to her first solicitation, and to have given her no repulse, both because of the reverence he ought to bear to her dignity who solicited him, and because of the vehemence of her passion, by which she was forced, though she were his mistress, to condescend beneath her dignity, but that he may now, by taking more prudent advice, wipe off the imputation of his former folly, for whether it were that he expected the repetition of her solicitations she had now made, and that with greater earnestness than before, for that she had pretended sickness on this very account, and had preferred his conversation before the festival and its solemnity, or whether he opposed her former discourses, as not believing she could be an earnest. She now gave him sufficient security, by thus repeating her application, that she meant not in the least by fraud to impose upon him, and assured him that if he complied with her affections, he might expect the enjoyment of the advantages he already had, and if he were submissive to her he should have still greater advantages, but that he must look for revenge and hatred from her in case he rejected her desires, and preferred the reputation of chastity before his mistress, for that he would gain nothing by such procedure because she would then become his accuser, and would falsely pretend to her husband that he had attempted her chastity, and that Potiphar would hearken to her words rather than to his, let his be ever so agreeable to the truth. When the woman had said thus, and even with tears in her eyes, neither did Pity dissuade Joseph from his chastity, nor did fear compel him to a compliance with her, but he opposed her solicitations, and did not yield to her threatenings, and was afraid to do a nil thing, and chose to undergo the sharpest punishment rather than to enjoy his present advantages by doing what his own conscience knew would justly deserve that he should die for it. He also put her in mind that she was a married woman, and that she ought to cohabit with her husband only, and desired her to suffer these considerations to have more weight with her than the short pleasure of lustful dalliance, which would bring her to repentance afterwards, would cause trouble to her, and yet would not amend what had been done amiss. He also suggested to her the fear she would be in, lest they should be caught, and that the advantage of concealment was uncertain, and that only while the wickedness was not known would there be any quiet for them, but that she might have the enjoyment of her husband's company without any danger, and he told her that in the company of her husband she might have great boldness from a good conscience, both before God and before men, nay, that she would act better like his mistress, and make use of her authority over him better while she persisted in her chastity than when they were both ashamed for what wickedness they had been guilty of, and that it is much better to a life, well and known to have been so, than upon the hopes of the concealment of evil practices. Joseph, by saying this and more, tried to restrain the violent passion of the woman, and to reduce her affections within the rules of reason, but she grew more ungovernable and earnest in the matter, and since she disparate of persuading him she laid her hands upon him and had a mind to force him, but as soon as Joseph had got away from her anger, leaving also his garment with her, for he left that to her, and leaped out of her chamber, she was greatly afraid lest he should discover her lewdness to her husband, and greatly troubled at the affront he had offered her, so she resolved to be beforehand with him, and to accuse Joseph falsely to Potiphar, and by that means to revenge herself on him for his pride and contempt of her, and she thought at a wise thing in itself and also becoming a woman, thus to prevent his accusation. Accordingly she set sorrowful and in confusion, framing herself so hypocritically and angrily that the sorrow, which was really for her being disappointed of her lust, might appear to be for the attempt upon her chastity, so that when her husband came home and was disturbed at the sight of her and inquired what was the cause of the disorder she was in, she began to accuse Joseph and, O husband, said she, Maced thou not live a day longer if thou dost not punish the wicked slave who has desired to defile thy bed, who has neither minded who he was when he came to our house, so as to behave himself with modesty, nor has he been mindful of what favors he had received from thy bounty, as he must be an ungrateful man indeed, unless he, in every respect, carry himself in a manner agreeable to us. This man, I say, laid a private design to abuse thy wife, and this at the time of a festival, observing when thou wouldst be absent, so that it is now clear that his modesty, as it appeared to be formerly, was only because of the restraint he was in out of fear of thee, but that he was not really of a good disposition. This has been occasioned by his being advanced to honour beyond what he deserved, and what he hoped for, in so much that he concluded that he who was deemed fit to be trusted with thy estate and the government of thy family, and was preferred above thy eldest servants, might be allowed to touch thy wife also. Thus when she had ended her discourse, she showed him his garment, as if he then left it with her when he attempted to force her. But Potiphar not being able to disbelieve what his wife's tears showed, and what his wife said, and what he saw himself, and being seduced by his love to his wife, did not set himself about the examination of the truth, but taking it for granted that his wife was a modest woman, and condemning Joseph as a wicked man, he threw him into the malefactor's prison, and had a still higher opinion of his wife, and bear her witness that she was a woman of a becoming modesty and chastity. Chapter 5 What Things Befell Joseph in Prison Now Joseph, commending all his affairs to God, did not be take himself to make his defense, nor to give an account of the exact circumstances of the fact, but silently underwent the bonds and the distress he was in, firmly believing that God, who knew the cause of his affliction, and the truth of the fact, would be more powerful than those that inflicted the punishments upon him, a proof of whose providence he quickly received, for the keeper of the prison taking notice of his care and fidelity in the affairs he had set him about, and the dignity of his countenance relaxed his bonds, and thereby made his heavy calamity lighter, and more supportable to him. He also permitted him to make use of a diet better than that of the rest of the prisoners. Now, as his fellow prisoners, when their hard labors were over, fell to discoursing one among another, as is usual in such as are equal sufferers, and to inquire one of another what were the occasions of their being condemned to a prison, among them the king's cup-bearer, and one that had been respected by him, was put in bonds upon the king's anger at him. This man was under the same bonds with Joseph, and grew more familiar with him, and upon his observing that Joseph had a better understanding than the rest had, he told him of a dream he had, and desired he would interpret its meaning, complaining that, besides the afflictions he underwent from the king, God did also add to him trouble from his dreams. He therefore said that in his sleep he saw three clusters of grapes hanging upon three branches of a vine, large already, and ripe for gathering, and that he squeezed them into a cup which the king held in his hand, and when he had strained the wine, he gave it to the king to drink, and that he received it from him with a pleasant countenance. This, he said, was what he saw, and he desired, Joseph, that if he had any portion of understanding in such matters, he would tell him what this vision foretold, who bid him be of good cheer, and expect to be loosed from his bonds in three days' time, because the king desired his service, and was about to restore him to it again, for he let him know that God bestows the fruit of the vine upon men for good, which wine is poured out to him, and is the pledge of fidelity and mutual confidence among men, and puts an end to their quarrels, takes away passion and grief out of the minds of them that use it, and makes them cheerful. Thou sayest that thou didst squeeze this wine from three clusters of grapes with thine hands, and that the king received it. Know, therefore, that this vision is for thy good, and foretells a release from thy present distress within the same number of days as the branches had whence thou gatherest thy grapes in thy sleep. However, remember what prosperity I have foretold thee, when thou hast found it true by experience, and when thou art in authority, do not overlook us in this prison, wherein thou wilt leave us when thou art gone to the place we have foretold, for we are not in prison for any crime, but for the sake of our virtue and sobriety are we condemned to suffer the penalty of malefactors, and because we are not willing to injure him that has thus distressed us, though it were for our own pleasure. The cupbearer, therefore, as was natural to do, rejoiced to hear such an interpretation of his dream, and waited the completion of what had been thus shown him beforehand, but another servant there was of the king, who had been chief baker, and was now in prison with the cupbearer. He also was in good hope upon Joseph's interpretation of the other's vision, for he had seen a dream also, so he desired that Joseph would tell him what visions he had seen the night before might mean. They were these that follow. Me thought, says he, I carried three baskets upon my head, two were full of loaves, and the third full of sweetmeats and other eatables, such as are prepared for kings, but that the follows came flying, and eat them all up, and had no regard to my attempt to drive them away, and he expected a prediction like to that of the cupbearer. But Joseph, considering and reasoning about the dream, said to him that he would willingly be an interpreter of good events to him, and not of such as his dream denounced to him, but he told him that he had only three days and all to live, for that the three baskets signify that on the third day he should be crucified and devoured by fouls, while he was not able to help himself. Now both these dreams had the same several events that Joseph foretold they should have, and this to both the parties. For on the third day before mentioned, when the king solemnized his birthday, he crucified the chief baker, but set the butler free from his bonds, and restored him to his former ministration. But God freed Joseph from his confinement after he had endured his bonds two years, and had received no assistance from the cupbearer, who did not remember what he had said to him formerly, and God contrived this method of deliverance for him. Pharaoh the king had seen in his sleep the same evening two visions, and after them had the interpretations of them both given him. He had forgotten the latter, but retained the dreams themselves. Being therefore troubled at what he had seen, first seemed to him to be all of a melancholy nature. The next day he called together the wisest men among the Egyptians, desiring to learn from them the interpretation of his dreams, but when they hesitated about them the king was so much the more disturbed, and now it was that the memory of Joseph and his skill and dreams came into the mind of the king's cupbearer when he saw the confusion that Pharaoh was in. So he came and mentioned Joseph to him, as also the vision he had seen in prison, and how the event proved as he had said, as also that the chief baker was crucified on the very same day, and that this also happened to him according to the interpretation of Joseph, that Joseph himself was laid in bonds by Portafar, who was his head cook, as a slave, but he said he was one of the noblest of the stock of the Hebrews, and said further, his father lived in great splendor, if therefore thou wilt send for him, and not despise him on the score of his misfortunes, thou wilt learn what thy dreams signify. So the king commanded that they should bring Joseph into his presence, and those who received the command came and brought him with them, having taken care of his habit, that it might be decent, as the king had enjoined them to do. But the king took him by the hand, and, O young man, says he, for my servant bears witness that thou art at present the best and most skillful person I can consult with, vouchsafe me the same favors which thou bestow itst on this servant of mine, and tell me what events they are which the visions of my dreams foreshow. And I desire thee to suppress nothing out of fear, nor to flatter me with lying words, or with what may please me, although the truth should be of a melancholy nature. For it seemed to me that, as I walked by the river, I saw kind fat in very large, seven in number, going from the river to the marshes, and other kind of the same number like them met them out of the marshes, exceeding lean and ill-favored, which ate up the fat and the large kind, and yet were no better than before, and not less miserably pinched with famine. After I had seen this vision, I awaked out of my sleep, and, being in disorder, and considering with myself what this appearance should be, I fell asleep again, and saw another dream much more wonderful than the foregoing, which still did more afright and disturbed me. I saw seven years of corn growing out of one root, having their heads borne down by the weight of the grains, and bending down with the fruit, which was now ripe and fit for reaping, and near these I saw seven other years of corn, meager and weak, for want of rain, which fell to eating and consuming those that were fit for reaping, and put me into great astonishment. To which Joseph replied, this dream said he, O King, although seen under two forms, signifies one and the same event of things, for when thou sawest the fat kind, which is an animal made for the plow and for labor, devoured by the worser kind, and at the ears of corn eaten up by the smaller ears, they foretell a famine, and want of the fruits of the earth for the same number of years, and equal with those when Egypt was in a happy state, and this so far, that the plenty of these years will be spent in the same number of years of scarcity, and that scarcity of necessary provisions will be very difficult to be corrected. As a sign were of, the ill-favored kind, when they had devoured the better sort, could not be satisfied, but still God foreshows what is to come upon men, not to grieve them, but that when they know it beforehand, they may by prudence make the actual experience of what is foretold the more tolerable. If thou therefore carefully dispose of the plentiful crops which will come in the former years, thou wilt procure that the future calamity will not be felt by the Egyptians. Hereupon the king wondered at the discretion and wisdom of Joseph, and asked him by what means he might so dispense the foregoing plentiful crops in the happy years as to make the miserable crops more tolerable. Joseph then added this his advice, to spare the good crops, and not permit the Egyptians to spend them luxuriously, but to reserve what they would have spent in luxury beyond their necessity against the time of want. He also exhorted him to take the corn of the husband men, and give them only so much as will be sufficient for their food. Accordingly, Pharaoh being surprised at Joseph not only for his interpretation of the dream, but for the counsel he had given him entrusted him with dispensing the corn, with power to do what he thought would be for the benefit of the people of Egypt, and for the benefit of the king, as believing that he who first discovered this method of acting would prove the best overseer of it. But Joseph having this power given him by the king, with leave to make use of his seal, and to wear purple, drove in his chariot through all the land of Egypt, and took the corn of the husband men, allotting as much to everyone as would be sufficient for seed, and for food, but without discovering to anyone the reason why he did so. Chapter 6 How Joseph, when he was become famous in Egypt, had his brethren in subjection. Joseph was now grown up to thirty years of age, and enjoyed great honors from the king, who called him Sothomphanic, out of regard to his prodigious degree of wisdom, for that name denotes the revealer of secrets. He also married a wife of very high quality, for he married the daughter of Petafris, one of the priests of Heliopolis. She was a virgin, and her name was Asanoth. By her he had children before the scarcity came on, Manasseh, the elder, which signifies forgetful, because his present happiness made him forget his former misfortunes, and Ephraim, the younger, which signifies restored, because he was restored to the freedom of his forefathers. Now after Egypt had happily passed over seven years, according to Joseph's interpretation of the dreams, the famine came upon them in the eighth year, and because this misfortune fell upon them, when they had no sense of it beforehand, they were all sorely afflicted by it, and came running to the king's gates. And he called upon Joseph, who sold the corn to them, being become confessedly a savior to the whole multitude of the Egyptians. Nor did he open this market of corn for the people of that country only, but strangers had liberty to buy also. Joseph being willing that all men, who are naturally akin to one another, should have assistance from those that lived in happiness. Now Jacob also, when he understood that foreigners might come, sent all his sons into Egypt to buy corn, for the land of Canaan was grievously afflicted with the famine, and this great misery touched the whole continent. He only retained Benjamin, who was born to him by Rachel, and was of the same mother with Joseph. These sons of Jacob then came into Egypt and applied themselves to Joseph wanting to buy corn, for nothing of this kind was done without his approbation, since even then only was the honor that was paid to the king himself advantageous to the persons that paid it, when they took care to honor Joseph also. Now when he well knew his brethren, they thought nothing of him, for he was but a youth when he left them, and was now come to an age so much greater, that the linements of his face were changed, and he was not known by them. Besides this, the greatness of his dignity, wherein he appeared, suffered them not so much as to suspect it was he. He now made trial what sentiments they had about affairs of the greatest consequence, for he refused to sell them corn, and said they were come as spies of the kings affairs, and that they came from several countries and joined themselves together, and pretended that they were of kin, it not being possible that a private man should breed up so many sons, and those of so great beauty of countenance as they were, such an education of so many children being not easily obtained by kings themselves. Now this he did in order to discover what concerned his father, and what happened to him after his own departure from him, and as desiring to know what was become of Benjamin his brother, for he was afraid that they had ventured on the like wicked enterprise against him, that they had done to himself, and had taken him off also. Now these brethren of his were under distraction and terror, and thought that very great danger hung over them, yet not at all reflecting upon their brother Joseph, and standing firm under the accusations laid against them, they made their defense by ruble the eldest of them, who now became their spokesman. We came not hither, said he, with any unjust design, nor in order to bring any harm to the kings affairs. We only want to be preserved, as supposing your humanity might be a refuge for us from the miseries which our country labors under. We having heard that you proposed to sell corn, not only to your own countrymen, but to strangers also, and that you determined to allow that corn in order to preserve all that want it. But that we are brethren, and of the same common blood, the peculiar linements of our faces, and those not so much different from one another plainly show. Our father's name is Jacob, and Hebrew man, who had twelve of us for his sons by four wives, which twelve of us, while we were all alive, were a happy family. But when one of our brethren, whose name was Joseph, died, our affairs changed for the worse, for our father could not forbear to make a long lamentation for him. And we were in affliction, both by the calamity of the death of our brother, and the miserable state of our aged father. We are now therefore come to buy corn, having entrusted the care of our father and the provision for our family to Benjamin, our youngest brother. And if thou sendest to our house, thou mayest learn whether we are guilty of the least falsehood in what we say. And thus did Rubel endeavor to persuade Joseph to have a better opinion of them. But when he had learned from them that Jacob was alive, and that his brother was not destroyed by them, he for the present put them in prison, as intending to examine more into their affairs when he should be at leisure. But on the third day he brought them out, and said to them, Since you constantly affirm that you are not come to do any harm to the king's affairs, that you are brethren and the sons of the father whom you named, you will satisfy me of the truth of what you say, if you leave one of your company with me, who shall suffer no injury here. And if, when ye have carried corn to your father, you will come to me again and bring your brother, whom you say you left there, along with you, for this shall be by me esteemed an assurance of the truth of what you have told me. Hereupon they were in greater grief than before. They wept and perpetually deplored one among another the calamity of Joseph, and said, They were fallen into this misery as a punishment inflicted by God for what evil contrivances they had against him. And Rubel was large in his reproaches of them for their too late repentance, whence no prophet arose to Joseph, and earnestly exhorted them to bear with patience whatever they suffered, since it was done by God in way of punishment on his account. Thus they spake to one another, not imagining that Joseph understood their language. A general sadness also seized on them at Rubel's words, and a repentance for what they had done, and they condemned the wickedness they had perpetrated for which they judged they were justly punished by God. Now when Joseph saw that they were in this distress, he was so affected at it that he fell into tears, and not being willing that they should take notice of him, he retired. And after a while came to them again, and taking Simeon in order to his being a pledge for his brethren's return, he bid them take the corn they had bought and go their way. He also commanded his steward prively to put the money which they had brought with them for the purchase of corn into their sacks, and to dismiss them their width, who did what he was commanded to do. Now when Jacob's sons were come into the land of Canaan, they told their father what had happened to them in Egypt, and that they were taken to have come thither as spies upon the king, and how they had said they were brethren and had left their eleventh brother with their father, but were not believed, and how they had left Simeon with the governor until Benjamin should go thither, and be a testimonial of the truth of what they had said, and they begged of their father to fear nothing but to send the lad along with them. But Jacob was not pleased with anything his sons had done, and he took the detention of Simeon heinously, and then thought it a foolish thing to give up Benjamin also. Neither did he yield to Rubel's persuasion, though he begged it of him, and gave leave that the grandfather might, in way of requital, kill his own sons, in case any harm come to Benjamin in the journey. So they were distressed, and knew not what to do. Nay, there was another accident that still disturbed them more, the money that was found hidden in their sacks of corn. Yet when the corn they had brought failed them, and when the famine still afflicted them, and necessity forced them, Jacob did not still resolve to put Benjamin with his brethren, although there was no returning into Egypt unless they came with what they had promised. Now the misery growing every day worse, and his sons begging it of him, he had no other course to take in his present circumstances, and Judas, who was of a bold temper on other occasions, spake his mind very freely to him. That it did not become him to be afraid on account of his son, nor to suspect the worst as he did. For nothing could be done to his son but by the appointment of God, which must also for certain come to pass, though he were at home with him. That he ought not to condemn them to such manifest destruction, nor deprive them of that plenty of food they might have from Pharaoh by his unreasonable fear about his son Benjamin, but ought to take care of the preservation of Simeon lest by attempting to hinder Benjamin's journey Simeon should perish. He exhorted him to trust God for him, and said he would either bring his son back to him safe, or together with his lose his own life. So that Jacob was at length persuaded and delivered Benjamin to them with the price of the corn doubled. He also sent presents to Joseph of the fruits of the land of Canaan, balsam and rosin, as also turpentine and honey. Now their father shed many tears at the departure of his sons as well as themselves. His concern was that he might receive them back again safe after their journey, and their concern was that they might find their father well and no way afflicted with grief for them. And this lamentation lasted a whole day, so that the old man was at last tired with grief and stayed behind. But they went on their way for Egypt, endeavoring to mitigate their grief for their present misfortunes with the hopes of better success hereafter. As soon as they came into Egypt they were brought down to Joseph, but here no small fear disturbed them lest they should be accused about the price of the corn as if they had cheated Joseph. They then made a long apology to Joseph's steward and told him that when they came home they found the money in their sacks and that they had now brought it along with them. He said he did not know what they meant, so they were delivered from that fear. And when he had loosed Simeon and put him into a handsome habit he suffered him to be with his brethren, at which time Joseph came from his attendance on the king. So they offered him their presence and upon his putting the question to them about their father, they answered that they found him well. He also, upon his discovery that Benjamin was alive, asked whether this was their younger brother, for he had seen him. Whereupon they said he was, he replied that the god over all was his protector. But when his affection to him made him shed tears, he retired, desiring he might not be seen in that plight by his brethren. Then Joseph took them to supper, and they were set down in the same order as they used to sit at their father's table. And although Joseph treated them all kindly, yet did he send a mess to Benjamin that was doubled to what the rest of the guests had for their shares. Now when after supper they had composed themselves to sleep, Joseph commanded his steward both to give them their measures of corn and to hide its price again in their sacks, and that with all they should put into Benjamin's sack the golden cup out of which he loved himself to drink, which things he did in order to make trial of his brethren, whether they would stand by Benjamin when he should be accused of having stolen the cup and should appear to be in danger, or whether they would leave him and, depending on their own innocencey, go to their father without him. When the servant had done as he was bitten, the sons of Jacob, knowing nothing of all this, went their way and took Simeon along with them and had a double cause of joy both because they had received him again and because they took back Benjamin to their father as they had promised. But presently a troop of horsemen encompassed them and brought with them Joseph's servant who had put the cup into Benjamin's sack, upon which unexpected attack of the horsemen they were much disturbed, and asked what the reason was that they came thus upon men who a little before had been by their Lord thought worthy of an honorable and hospitable reception. They replied by calling them wicked wretches who had forgot that very hospitable and kind treatment which Joseph had given them and did not scruple to be injurious to him and to carry off that cup out of which he had and so friendly a manner drank to them, and not regarding their friendship with Joseph, no more than the danger they should be in if they were taken in comparison of the unjust gain. Hereupon he threatened that they should be punished, for though they had escaped the knowledge of him who was but a servant, yet had they not escaped the knowledge of God, nor had gone off with what they had stolen, and after all asked why we come upon them as if they knew nothing of the matter, and he told them that they should immediately know it by their punishment. This and more of the same nature did the servant say in way of reproach to them, but they, being wholly ignorant of anything here that concerned them, laughed at what he said, and wondered at the abusive language which the servant gave them, when he was so hardy as to accuse those who did not before so much as retain the price of their corn which was found in their sacks, but brought it again though nobody else knew of any such thing. So far were they from offering any injury to Joseph voluntarily. But still, supposing that a search would be a more sure justification of themselves than their own denial of the fact, they bid him search them, and that if any of them had been guilty of the theft, to punish them all. For, being in no way conscious to themselves of any crime, they spake with assurance, and as they thought, without any danger to themselves also. The servants desired there might be a search made, but they said the punishment should extend to him alone who should be found guilty of the theft. So they made the search, and, having searched all the rest, they came last of all to Benjamin, as knowing it was Benjamin's sack in which they had hidden the cup, they having indeed searched the rest only for a show of accuracy. So the rest were out of fear for themselves, and were now only concerned about Benjamin, but were still well assured that he would also be found innocent, and they reproached those that came after them for their hindering them, while they might in the meanwhile have gotten a good way on their journey. But as soon as they had searched Benjamin's sack, they found the cup and took it from him, and all was changed into mourning and lamentation. They rent their garments and wept for the punishment which their brother was to undergo for his theft, and for the delusion they had put on their father when they promised they would bring Benjamin safe to him. What added to their misery was that this melancholy accident came, unfortunately, at a time when they thought they had gotten off clear. But they confessed that this misfortune of their brother, as well as the grief of their father for him, was owing to themselves, since it was they that forced their father to send him with them when he was averse to it. The horseman therefore took Benjamin and brought him to Joseph, his brethren also following him, who, when he saw him in custody, and them in the habit of mourners, said, How came you, vile wretches, as you are, to have such a strange notion of my kindness to you and of God's providence, as impudently to do thus to your benefactor, who in such a hospitable manner had entertained you, whereupon they gave up themselves to be punished in order to save Benjamin, and called to mind what a wicked enterprise they had been guilty of against Joseph. They also pronounced him more happy than themselves if he were dead, in being freed from the miseries of this life, and if he were alive that he enjoyed the pleasure of seeing God's vengeance upon them. They said further that they were the plague of their father, since they should now add to his former affliction for Joseph this other affliction for Benjamin. Rubel also was large in cutting them upon this occasion. But Joseph dismissed them, for he said they had been guilty of no offense, and that he would content himself with the lad's punishment, for he said it was not a fit thing to let him go free for the sake of those who had not offended, nor was it a fit thing to punish them together with him who had been guilty of stealing. And when he promised to give them leave to go away in safety, the rest of them were under great consternation, and were able to say nothing on this sad occasion. But Judas, who had persuaded their father to send the lad from him, being otherwise also a very bold and active man, determined to hazard himself for the preservation of his brother. It is true, said he, O Governor, that we have been very wicked with regard to thee, and on that account deserved punishment. Even all of us justly may be punished, although the theft were not committed by all but only by one of us, and he the youngest also. But yet there remains some hope for us, who otherwise must be under despair on his account, and this from thy goodness, which promises us a deliverance out of our present danger. And now I beg thou wilt not look at us, or that great crime which we have been guilty of, but at thy own excellent nature, and take advice of thine own virtue, instead of that wrath thou hast against us, which passion those that otherwise are of lower character indulge as they do their strength, and that not only on great, but also on very trifling occasions. Overcome, sir, that passion, and be not subdued by it, nor suffer it to slay those that do not otherwise presume upon their own safety, but are desirous to accept of it from thee. For this is not the first time that thou wilt bestow it on us, but before, when we came to buy corn, thou affordest us great plenty of food, and gavest us leave to carry so much home to our family as has preserved them from perishing by famine. Nor is there any difference between not overlooking men that were perishing for want of necessaries, and not punishing those that seem to be offenders, and have been so unfortunate as to lose the advantage of that glorious benefaction which they received from thee. This will be an instance of equal favor, though bestowed after a different manner. For thou wilt save those this way whom thou didst feed the other, and thou wilt hereby preserve alive, by thy own bounty, those souls which thou didst not suffer to be distressed by famine, it being indeed at once a wonderful and a great thing to sustain our lives by corn, and to bestow on us that pardon whereby now we are distressed we may continue those lives. And I am ready to suppose that God is willing to afford thee this opportunity of showing thy virtuous disposition by bringing us into this calamity that it may appear thou canst forgive the injuries that are done to thyself, and mayest be esteemed kind to others, besides those who on other accounts stand in need of thy assistance, since it is indeed a right thing to do well to those who are in distress for want of food, but still a more glorious thing to save those who deserve to be punished when it is on account of heinous offenses against thyself. For if it be a thing deserving commendation to forgive such as have been guilty of small offenses that tend to a person's loss, and this be praiseworthy in him that overlooks such offenses, to restrain a man's passion as to crimes which are capital to the guilty is to be like the most excellent nature of God himself, and truly as for myself had it not been that we had a father who had discovered on occasion of the death of Joseph how miserably he is always afflicted at the loss of his sons, I had not made any words on account of the saving of our own lives. I mean any further than as that would be an excellent character for thyself to preserve even those that would have nobody to lament them when they were dead, but we would have yielded ourselves up to suffer whatsoever thou pleasest. But now, for we do not plead for mercy to ourselves, though indeed if we die it will be while we are young, and before we have had the enjoyment of life, have regard to our father and take pity of his old age on whose account it is that we make these supplications to thee. We beg thou wilt give us those lives which this wickedness of ours has rendered obnoxious to thy punishment, and this for his sake who is not himself wicked nor does his being our father make us wicked. He is a good man and not worthy to have such trials of his patience, and now we are absent he is afflicted with care for us, but if he hear of our deaths and what was the cause of it he will on that account die an immature death, and the reproachful manner of our ruin will hasten his end and will directly kill him. Nay will bring him to a miserable death while he will make haste to rid himself out of the world and bring himself to a state of insensibility before the sad story of our end come abroad into the rest of the world. Consider these things in this manner, although our wickedness does now provoke thee with a just desire of punishing that wickedness and forgive it for our father's sake, and let thy commiseration of him weigh more with thee than our wickedness. Have regard to the old age of our father, who if we perish will be very lonely while he lives and will soon die himself also. Grant this boon to the name of fathers, for thereby thou wilt honor him that begat thee, and will grant it to thyself also, who enjoyest already that denomination. Thou wilt then by that denomination be preserved of God the father of all. By showing a pious regard to which, in the case of our father, thou wilt appear to honor him who is styled by the same name. I mean, if thou wilt have this pity on our father upon this consideration, how miserable he will be if he be deprived of his sons. It is thy part, therefore, to bestow on us what God has given us, when it is in thy power to take it away, and so to resemble him entirely in charity, for it is good to use that power which can either give or take away on the merciful side. And when it is in thy power to destroy, to forget that thou ever hadst that power, and to look on thyself as only a loud power for preservation, and that the more anyone extends this power, the greater reputation does he gain to himself. Now, by forgiving our brother what he has unhappily committed, thou wilt preserve us all, for we cannot think of living if he be put to death, since we dare not show ourselves alive to our father without our brother, but here must we partake of one in the same catastrophe of his life. And so far we beg of thee, O governor, that if thou condemnest our brother to die, thou wilt punish us together with him as partners of his crime. For we shall not think it reasonable to be reserved to kill ourselves for grief of our brother's death, but so to die rather as equally guilty with him of this crime. I will only leave with thee this one consideration, and then we'll say no more, that is, that our brother committed this fault when he was young, and not yet have confirmed wisdom in his conduct, and that men naturally forgive such young persons. I end here without adding what more I have to say, that in case thou condemnest us, that omission may be supposed to have heard us and permitted thee to take the severer side. But in case thou setest us free, that this may be ascribed to thy own goodness, of which thou art inwardly conscious, that thou freest us from condemnation, and that not by barely preserving us, but by granting us such a favor as will make us appear more righteous than we really are, and by representing to thyself more motives for our deliverance than we are able to produce ourselves. If, therefore, thou resolvest to slay him, I desire thou wilt slay me in his stead, and send him back to his father, or if thou pleasest to retain him with thee as a slave, I am fitter to labor for thy advantage in that capacity, and as thou seeest, and better prepared for either of these sufferings. So Judas, being very willing to undergo anything whatever for the deliverance of his brother, cast himself down at Joseph's feet, and earnestly labored to assuage and pacify his anger. All his brethren also fell down before him, weeping and delivering themselves up to destruction for the preservation of the life of Benjamin. But Joseph, as overcome now with his affections, and no longer able to personate an angry man, commanded all that were present to depart, that he might make himself known to his brethren when they were alone, and when the rest were gone out, he made himself known to his brethren, and said, I commend you for your virtue and your kindness to our brother. I find you better men than I could have expected from what you contrived about me. Indeed, I did all this to try your love to your brother, so I believe you were not wicked by nature in what you did in my case, but that all has happened according to God's will, who has thereby procured our enjoyment of what good things we have, and, if he continue in a favorable disposition, of what we hope for hereafter. Since, therefore, I know that our father is safe and well beyond expectation, and I see you so well disposed to your brother, I will no longer remember what guilt you seem to have had about me, but will leave off to hate you for that your wickedness, and do rather return you my thanks, that you have concurred with the intentions of God to bring things to their present state. I would have you also rather to forget the same, since that imprudence of yours is come to such a happy conclusion than to be uneasy and blush at those your offenses. Do not, therefore, let your evil intentions when you condemned me, and that bitter remorse which might follow, be a grief to you now, because those intentions were frustrated. Go, therefore, your way, rejoicing in what has happened by the divine providence, and inform your father of it, lest he should be spent with cares for you, and deprive me of the most agreeable part of my felicity. I mean, lest he should die before he comes into my sight, and enjoys the good things that we now have. Bring, therefore, with you our father, and your wives and children, and all your kindred, and remove your habitations hither. For it is not proper that the persons dearest to me should live remote from me, now my affairs are so prosperous, especially when they must endure five more years of famine. When Joseph had said this, he embraced his brethren who were in tears and sorrow, but the generous kindness of their brother seemed to leave among them no room for fear, lest they should be punished on account of what they had consulted and acted against him, and they were then feasting. Now the king, as soon as he heard that Joseph's brethren were come to him, was exceeding glad of it, as if it had been a part of his own good fortune, and gave them wagons full of corn and gold and silver to be conveyed to his father. Now when they had received more of their brother, part to be carried to their father, and part as free gifts to every one of themselves, Benjamin having still more than the rest, they departed. Chapter 7 The Removal of Joseph's father with all his family to him on account of the famine As soon as Jacob came to know, by his son's returning home, in what state Joseph was, that he not only escaped death, for which yet he lived all along in mourning, but that he lived in splendor and happiness, and ruled over Egypt jointly with the king, and had entrusted to his care almost all his affairs, he did not think anything he was told to be incredible, considering the greatness of the works of God, and his kindness to him, although that kindness had, for some late times, been intermitted, so he immediately and zealously set out upon his journey to him. When he came to the well of the oath, Bershiba, he offered sacrifice to God, and being afraid that the happiness there was in Egypt might tempt his posterity to fall in love with it and settle in it, and no more think of removing into the land of Canaan and possessing it, as God had promised them, as also being afraid, lest if this descent into Egypt were made without the will of God, his family might be destroyed there, out of fear with all, lest he should depart this life, before he came to the sight of Joseph, he fell asleep, revolving these doubts in his mind. But God stood by him and called him twice by his name, and when he asked who he was, God said, No sure it is not just that thou, Jacob, shouldst be unacquainted with that God who has been ever a protector and a helper to thy forefathers and after them to thyself, for when thy father would have deprived thee of the dominion, I gave it thee. And by my kindness it was that, when thou wast sent into Mesopotamia all alone, thou obtainedest good wives and returnedest with many children and much wealth. Thy whole family also has been preserved by my providence, and it is I who conducted Joseph thy son, whom thou gaveest up for lost, to the enjoyment of great prosperity. I also made him Lord of Egypt, so that he differs but little from a king. Accordingly I come now as a guide to thee in this journey, and foretell to thee that thou shalt die in the arms of Joseph, and I inform thee that thy posterity shall be many ages in authority and glory, and that I will settle them in the land which I have promised them. Jacob, encouraged by this dream, went on more cheerfully for Egypt with his sons, and all belonging to them. Now they were in all seventy. I once indeed thought it best not to set down the names of this family, especially because of their difficult pronunciation by the Greeks. But upon the whole I think it necessary to mention those names, that I may disprove such as believe that we came not originally from Mesopotamia, but our Egyptians. Now Jacob had twelve sons, of these Joseph was come thither before. We will therefore set down the names of Joseph's children and grandchildren. Rubin had four sons, Enoch, Falu, Asaron, Charmy. Zimeon had six, Jamwell, Jamon, Avod, Jacob, Soar, Saul. Levi had three sons, Gersum, Kaoth, Marari. Judas had three sons, Sala, Farris, Zera, and by Farris two grandchildren, Esram and Amar. Isacar had four sons, Thola, Fua, Jasob, Samaran. Zabulan had with him three sons, Zered, Helan, Jallel. So far is the posterity of Leah, with whom went her daughter Dinah. These are thirty-three. Rachel had two sons, the one of whom Joseph had two sons also, Manassas and Ephraim. The other Benjamin had ten sons, Bolaou, Bakar, Asabel, Geras, Naaman, Jess, Rose, Momfis, Ophis, Herad. These fourteen added to the thirty-three before enumerated, amount to the number forty-seven. And this was the legitimate posterity of Jacob. He had besides by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel, Dan and Nephthali, which last had four sons that followed him, Jacell, Gooney, Isarai, and Selim. Dan had an only begotten son, Usi. If these be added to those before mentioned, they complete the number fifty-four. Gad and Assar were the sons of Zilpha, who was the handmaid of Leah. These had with them, Gad seven, Saphoniah, August, Soonus, Azabon, Aaron, Eroct, Ariel. Assar had a daughter, Sarah, and six male children, whose names were Jomne, Issus, Issaoui, Boris, Abar, and Melchial. If we add these, which are sixteen, to the fifty-four, the four mentioned number seventy is completed, Jacob not being himself included in that number. When Joseph understood that his father was coming, for Judas his brother was come before him and informed him of his approach, he went out to meet him, and they met together at Heropilus. But Jacob almost fainted away at this unexpected and great joy. However, Joseph revived him, being yet not himself able to contain from being affected in the same manner at the pleasure he now had, yet he was not wholly overcome with his passion as his father was. After this he desired Jacob to travel on slowly, but he himself took five of his brethren with him and made haste to the king to tell him that Jacob and his family were come, which was a joyful hearing to him. He also bid Jacob tell him what sort of life his brethren loved to lead, that he might give them leave to follow the same who told him they were good shepherds and had been used to follow no other employment but this alone, whereby he provided for them that they should not be separated but live in the same place and take care of their father, as also hereby he provided that they might be acceptable to the Egyptians by doing nothing that would be common to them with the Egyptians, for the Egyptians were prohibited to meddle with feeding of sheep. When Jacob was come to the king and saluted him and wished all prosperity to his government, Pharaoh asked him how old he now was, upon whose answer that he was 130 years old, he admired Jacob on account of the length of his life, and when he had added that still he had not lived so long as his forefathers, he gave him leave to live with his children in Heliopolis, for in that city the king's shepherds had their pastureage. However, the famine increased among the Egyptians, and this heavy judgment grew more oppressive to them because neither did the river overflow the ground, for it did not rise to its former height, nor did God send rain upon it, nor did they indeed make the least provision for themselves so ignorant were they what was to be done, but Joseph sold them corn for their money, but when their money failed them, they bought corn with their cattle and their slaves, and if any of them had a small piece of land, they gave up that to purchase them food, by which means the king became the owner of all their substance, and they were removed some to one place and some to another, that so the possession of their country might be firmly assured to the king, accepting the lands of the priests, for their country continued still in their own possession. And indeed this sore famine made their minds as well as their bodies, slaves, and at length compelled them to procure a sufficiency of food by such dishonorable means. But when this misery ceased and the river overflowed the ground, and the ground brought forth its fruits plentifully, Joseph came to every city and gathered the people there too belonging to gather, and gave them back entirely the land which, by their own consent, the king might have possessed alone and alone enjoyed the fruits of it. He also exhorted them to look on it as every one's own possession, and to fall to their husbandry with cheerfulness, and to pay as a tribute to the king the fifth part of the fruits for the land which the king, when it was his own, restored to them. These men rejoiced upon their becoming unexpectedly owners of their lands, and diligently observed what was enjoined them, and by this means Joseph procured to himself a greater authority among the Egyptians and greater love to the king from them. Now this law that they should pay the fifth part of their fruits as tribute continued until their later kings. Chapter 8 Of the Death of Jacob and Joseph Now when Jacob had lived seventeen years in Egypt he fell into a disease and died in the presence of his sons, but not till he made his prayers for their enjoying prosperity, and till he had foretold them prophetically how every one of them was to dwell in the land of Canaan. But this happened many years afterward. He also enlarged upon the praises of Joseph how he had not remembered the evil doings of his brethren to their disadvantage. Nay, on the contrary, was kind to them, bestowing upon them so many benefits as seldom are bestowed on men's own benefactors. He then commanded his own sons that they should admit Joseph's sons, Ephraim and the Nassus, into their number, and divide the land of Canaan in common with them, concerning whom we shall treat hereafter. However, he made it his request that he might be buried at Hebron. So he died when he had lived full a hundred and fifty years, three only abated, having not been behind any of his ancestors in piety towards God, and having such a recompense for it, as it was fit those should have who were so good as these were. But Joseph, by the king's permission, carried his father's dead body to Hebron, and there buried it at a great expense. Now his brethren were at first unwilling to turn back with him, because they were afraid lest, now their father was dead, he should punish them for their secret practices against him, since he was now gone, for whose sake he had been so gracious to them. But he persuaded them to fear no harm, and to entertain no suspicions of him. So he brought them along with him, and gave them great possessions, and never left off his particular concern for them. Joseph also died when he had lived a hundred and ten years, having been a man of admirable virtue, and conducting all his affairs by the rules of reason, and used his authority with moderation, which was the cause of his so great felicity among the Egyptians, even when he came from another country, and that in such ill circumstances also as we have already described. At length his brethren died after they had lived happily in Egypt. Now the posterity and sons of these men, after some time, carried their bodies and buried them at Hebron. But as to the bones of Joseph, they carried them into the land of Canaan afterward, when the Hebrews went out of Egypt, for so had Joseph made them promise him upon oath. But what became of every one of these men, and by what toils they got the possession of the land of Canaan, shall be shown hereafter, when I have first explained upon what account it was that they left Egypt. Chapter 9 Concerning the afflictions that befell the Hebrews in Egypt during four hundred years Now it happened that the Egyptians grew delicate and lazy as to pains taking, and gave themselves up to other pleasures, and in particular to the love of gain. They also became very ill affected towards the Hebrews as touched with envy at their prosperity. For when they saw how the nation of the Israelites flourished, and were become eminent already in plenty of wealth which they had acquired by their virtue and natural love of labor, they thought their increase was to their own detriment. And, having in length of time forgotten the benefits they had received from Joseph, particularly the crown being now come into another family, they became very abusive to the Israelites and contrived many ways of afflicting them, for they enjoined them to cut a great number of channels for the river, and to build walls for their cities and ramparts that they might restrain the river, and hinder its waters from stagnating upon its running over its own banks. They set them also to build pyramids, and by all this wore them out, and forced them to learn all sorts of mechanical arts, and to accustom themselves to hard labor. And four hundred years did they spend under these afflictions, for they strove one against the other which should get the mastery, the Egyptians desiring to destroy the Israelites by these labors, and the Israelites desiring to hold out to the end under them. While the affairs of the Hebrews were in this condition, there was this occasion offered itself to the Egyptians which made them more solicitous for the extinction of our nation. One of those sacred scribes, who are very sagacious in foretelling future events truly, told the king that about this time there would a child be born to the Israelites, who, if he were reared, would bring the Egyptian dominion low, and would raise the Israelites, that he would excel all men in virtue and obtain a glory that would be remembered through all ages. Which thing was so feared by the king, that, according to this man's opinion, he commanded that they should cast every male child which was born to the Israelites into the river and destroy it. That besides this, the Egyptian midwives should watch the labors of the Hebrew women, and observe what is born. For those were the women who were enjoined to do the office of midwives to them, and by reason of their relation to the king, would not transgress his commands. He enjoined also that if any parents should disobey him and venture to save their male children alive, they and their families should be destroyed. This was a severe affliction indeed to those that suffered it. Not only as they were deprived of their sons, and while they were the parents themselves, they were obliged to be subservient to the destruction of their own children, but as it was to be supposed to tend to the extirpation of their nation, while upon the destruction of their children and their own gradual dissolution, the calamity would become very hard and inconsolable to them. And this was the ill state they were in. But no one can be too hard for the purpose of God, though he contrived ten thousand subtle devices for that end. For this child, whom the sacred scribe foretold, was brought up and concealed from the observers appointed by the king, and he that foretold him did not mistake in the consequences of his preservation, which were brought to pass after the manner following. A man whose name was Amram, one of the nobler sort of the Hebrews, was afraid for his whole nation, lest it should fail, by the want of young men to be brought up hereafter, and was very uneasy at it, his wife being then with child, and he knew not what to do. Hereupon he betook himself to prayer to God, and entreated him to have compassion on those men who had no wise transgressed the laws of his worship, and to afford them deliverance from the miseries they at that time endured, and to render abortive their enemies hopes of the destruction of their nation. Accordingly God had mercy on him, and was moved by his supplication. He stood by him in his sleep, and exhorted him not to despair of his future favors. He said further that he did not forget their piety towards him, and would always reward them for it, as he had formerly granted his favor to their forefathers, and made them increase from a few to so great a multitude. He put him in mind that when Abraham was come alone out of Mesopotamia into Canaan, he had been made happy, not only in other respects, but that when his wife was at first barren, she was afterwards by him enabled to conceive seed and bear him sons. That he left to Ismail and to his posterity the country of Arabia, as also to his sons by Ketura, Trogolditis, and to Isaac, Canaan. That by my assistance said he, he did great exploits in war, which, unless you be yourselves impious, you must still remember. As for Jacob, he became well known to strangers also by the greatness of that prosperity in which he lived, and left to his sons, who came into Egypt with no more than seventy souls, while you are now become above six hundred thousand. Know therefore that I shall provide for you all in common what is for your good, and particularly for thyself what shall make thee famous, for that child out of dread of whose nativity the Egyptians have doomed the Israelite children to destruction shall be this child of thine, and shall be concealed from those who watch to destroy him, and when he is brought up in a surprising way, he shall deliver the Hebrew nation from the distress they are under from the Egyptians. His memory shall be famous while the world lasts, and this not only among the Hebrews, but foreigners also, all which shall be the effect of my favor to thee and to thy posterity. He shall also have such a brother that he shall himself obtain my priesthood, and his posterity shall have it after him to the end of the world. When the vision had informed him of these things, Amram awaked and told it to Jacobed, who was his wife, and now the fear increased upon them on account of the prediction in Amram's dream, for they were under concern not only for the child, but on account of the great happiness that was to come to him also. However the mother's labor was such as afforded a confirmation to what was foretold by God, for it was not known to those that watched her by the easiness of her pains, and because the throes of her delivery did not fall upon her with violence. And now they nourished the child at home privately for three months, but after that time Amram, fearing he should be discovered, and by falling under the king's displeasure, both he and his child should perish, and so he should make the promise of God of none effect, he determined rather to trust the safety and care of the child to God, than to depend on his own concealment of him, which he looked upon as a thing uncertain, and whereby both the child, so privately to be nourished, and himself should be in imminent danger, but he believed that God would some way for certain procure the safety of the child in order to secure the truth of his own predictions. When they had thus determined, they made an arc of bullrushes after the manner of a cradle, and of a bigness sufficient for an infant to be laid in without being too straightened. They then dobbled it over with slime, which would naturally keep out the water from entering between the bullrushes, and put the infant into it, and setting it afloat upon the river, they left its preservation to God, so the river received the child and carried him along. But Miriam, the child's sister, passed along upon the bank over against him, as her mother had bid her, to see whether the arc would be carried, where God demonstrated that human wisdom was nothing but that the supreme being is able to do whatsoever he pleases, that those who, in order to their own security, condemn others to destruction and use great endeavors about it, fail of their purpose, but that others are in a surprising manner preserved and obtain a prosperous condition almost from the very midst of their calamities. Those I mean whose dangers arise by the appointment of God, and indeed such a providence was exercised in the case of this child as showed the power of God. Fair Muthis was the king's daughter. She was now diverting herself by the banks of the river, and seeing a cradle borne along by the current, she sent some that could swim, and bid them bring the cradle to her. When those that were sent on this errand came to her with the cradle, and she saw the little child, she was greatly in love with it, on account of its largeness and beauty. For God had taken such great care in the formation of Moses that he caused him to be thought worthy of bringing up and providing for, by all those that had taken the most fatal resolutions on account of the dread of his nativity for the destruction of the rest of the Hebrew nation. Fair Muthis bid them bring her a woman that might afford her breast to the child, yet would not the child admit of her breast but turned away from it, and did the like to many other women. Now Miriam was by when this happened, not to appear to be there on purpose, but only a staying to see the child, and she said, It is in vain that thou, O queen, callest for these women for the nourishing of the child, who are in no way of kin to it. But still, if thou wilt order one of the Hebrew women to be brought, perhaps it may admit the breast of one of its own nation. Now since she seemed to speak well, Fair Muthis bid her procure such a one, and to bring one of those Hebrew women that gave suck. So when she had such authority given her, she came back and brought the mother, who was known to nobody there. And now the child gladly admitted the breast, and seemed to stick close to it, and so it was that, at the queen's desire, the nursing of the child was entirely entrusted to the mother. Hereupon it was that Fair Muthis imposed this name Moses upon him, from what had happened when he was put into the river, for the Egyptians call water by the name of Moe, and such as are saved out of it by the name of Usis. So by putting these two words together, they imposed this name upon him, and he was, by the confession of all, according to God's prediction, as well for his greatness of mind as for his contempt of difficulties, the best of all the Hebrews, for Abraham was his ancestor of the seventh generation. For Moses was the son of Amram, who was the son of K'ath, whose father Levi was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. Now Moses's understanding became superior to his age, nay far beyond that standard, and when he was taught he discovered greater quickness of apprehension than was usual at his age, and his actions at that time promised greater when he should come to the age of a man. God did also give him that tallness when he was but three years old, as was wonderful, and as for his beauty there was nobody so unpalite as, when they saw Moses, they were not greatly surprised at the beauty of his countenance. Nay, it happened frequently that those that met him as he was carried along the road were obliged to turn again upon seeing the child, that they left what they were about, and stood still a great while to look on him, for the beauty of the child was so remarkable and natural to him on many accounts, that it detains the spectators, and made them stay longer to look upon him. Thermithus therefore perceiving him to be so remarkable a child, adopted him for her son, having no child of her own, and when one time had carried Moses to her father, she showed him to him, and said she thought to make him her successor, if it should please God she should have no legitimate child of her own, and to him I have brought up a child who was of a divine form and of a generous mind, and I have received him from the bounty of the river, in I thought proper to adopt him my son and the heir of thy kingdom. As she had said this, she put the infant into her father's hands, so he took him and hugged him to his breast, and on his daughter's account, in a pleasant way, put his diadem upon his head. But Moses threw it down to the ground, and in a puerral mood, he wreathed it round and trod upon his feet, which seemed to bring along with evil presage concerning the kingdom of Egypt. But when the sacred scribe saw this, he was the person who foretold that his nativity would the dominion of that kingdom low, he made a violent attempt to kill him, and, crying out in a frightful manner, he said, This, O king, this child is he of whom God foretold, that if we kill him we shall be in no danger. He himself affords an attestation to the prediction of the same thing, by his trampling upon thy government, and treading upon thy diadem. Take him, therefore, out of the way, and deliver the Egyptians from the fear they are in about him, and deprive the Hebrews of the hope they have of being encouraged by him. But Theormithus prevented him and snatched the child away, and the king was not hasty to slay him, God himself, whose providence protected Moses, inclining the king to spare him. He was, therefore, educated with great care. So the Hebrews depended on him, and were of good hopes great things would be done by him. But the Egyptians were suspicious of what would follow such his education. Yet because, if Moses had been slain, there was no one, either a kin or adopted, that had any oracle on his side for pretending to the crown of Egypt, and likely to be of greater advantage to them, they abstained from killing him.