Then Isaac called Iacob his son and blessed him, and charged him and

said unto him: see thou take not a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but

arise and get thee to Mesopotamia to the house of Bethuel thy mother's

father: and there take thee a wife of the daughters of Laban thy

mother's brother. And God almighty bless thee, increase thee, and

multiply thee that thou mayest be a number of people, and give thee the

blessing of Abraham: both to thee and to thy seed with thee, that thou

mayest possess the land (wherein thou art a stranger) which God gave

unto Abraham. Thus Isaac sent forth Iacob, to go to Mesopotamia unto

Laban, son of Bethuel the Sirien, and brother to Rebecca Iacob's and

Esau's mother. When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Iacob, and sent him

to Mesopotamia, to fetch him a wife thence, and that, as he blessed him

he gave him a charge saying: see thou take not a wife of the daughters

of Canaan: and that Iacob had obeyed his father and mother, and was

gone unto Mesopotamia: and seeing also that the daughters of Canaan

pleased not Isaac his father: Then went he unto Ismael, and took unto

the wives which he had, Mahala the daughter of Ismael Abraham's son,

the sister of Nabaioth to be his wife. Iacob departed from Berseba and

went toward Haran, and came unto a place and tarried there all night,

because the son was down. And took a stone of the place, and put it

under his head, and laid him down in the same place to sleep. And he

dreamed: and behold there stood a ladder upon the earth, and the top of

it reached up to heaven. And see, the angels of God went up and down

upon it, yea and the LORD stood upon it and said: I am the LORD God of

Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac: The land which thou sleepest

upon will I give thee and thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust

of the earth: And thou shalt spread abroad: west, east, north and

south. And thorow thee and thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth

be blessed. And see I am with thee, and will be thy keeper in all

places whother thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land:

Neither will I leave thee until I have made good, all that I have

promised thee. When Iacob was awaked out of his sleep, he said: surely

the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware. And he was afraid and

said how fearful is this place? it is none other, but even the house of

God and the gate of heaven. And Iacob stood up early in the morning and

took the stone that he had laid under his head, and pitched it up on

end, and poured oil on the top of it. And he called the name of the

place Bethel, for indeed the name of the city was called Lus before

time. And Iacob vowed a vow, saying: If God will be with me and will

keep me in this journey which I go and will give me bread to eat, and

clothes to put on, so that I come again unto my father's house in

safety: then shall the LORD be my God, and this stone which I have set

up an end, shall be God's {godes} house. And of all that thou shalt

give me, will I give the tenth unto thee.

Chapter .xxix.

Then Iacob lift up his feet, and went toward the east country. And as

he looked about, behold there was a well in the field, and three flocks

of sheep lay thereby (for at that well were the flocks watered) and

there lay a great stone at the well mouth. And the manner was to bring

the flocks thither, and to roll the stone from the well's mouth and to

water the sheep, and to put the stone again upon the well's mouth unto

his place. And Iacob said unto them: brethren, whence be ye? And they

said: of Haran are we. And he said unto them: Know ye Laban the son of

Nahor. And they said: We know him. And he said unto them: is he in good

health? And they said: he is in good health: and behold, his daughter

Rahel cometh with the sheep. And he said: lo, it is yet a great while

to night, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered

together: water the sheep and go and feed them. And they said: we may

not, until all the flocks be brought together, and the stone be rolled

from the well's mouth, and so we water our sheep. While he yet talked

with them, Rahel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them. As

soon as Iacob saw Rahel, the daughter of Laban his mother's brother,

and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, he went and rolled the

stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep of Laban his

mother's brother. And Iacob kissed Rahel, and lift up his voice and

wept: and told her also that he was her father's brother and Rebecca's

son. Then Rahel ran and told her father. When Laban heard tell of Iacob

his sister's son, he ran against him, and embraced him and kissed him

and brought him into his house. And then Iacob told Laban all the

matter. And then Laban said: well, thou art my bone and my flesh. Abide

with me the space of a month. And afterward Laban said unto Iacob:

though thou be my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for

nought? tell me what shall thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters,

the eldest called Lea and the youngest Rahel. Lea was tender eyed, but

Rahel was beautiful and well favored. And Iacob loved her well, and

said: I will serve thee seven years for Rahel thy youngest daughter.

And Laban answered: it is better that I give her thee, than to another

man: bide therefore with me. And Iacob served seven years for Rahel,

and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

And Iacob said unto Laban: give me my wife, that I may lie with her.

For the time appointed me is come. Then Laban bade all the men of that

place, and made a feast. And when even was come, he took Lea his

daughter and brought her to him and he went in unto her. And Laban gave

unto his daughter Lea, Zilpha his maid, to be her servant. And when the

morning was come, behold it was Lea. Than said he to Laban: wherefore

hast thou played thus with me? did not I serve thee for Rahel,

wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? Laban answered: it is not the

manner of this place, to marry the youngest before the eldest. Pass out

this week, and then shall this also be given thee for the service which

thou shalt serve me yet seven years more. And Iacob did even so, and

passed out that week, and then he gave him Rahel his daughter to wife

also. And Laban gave to Rahel his daughter, Bilha his handmaid to be

her servant. So lay he by Rahel also, and loved Rahel more than Lea,

and served him yet seven years more. When the LORD saw that Lea was

despised, he made her fruitful: but Rahel was barren. And Lea conceived

and bare a son, and called his name Ruben, for she said: the LORD hath

looked upon my tribulation. And now my husband will love me. And she

conceived again and bare a son, and said: the LORD hath heard that I am

despised, and hath therefore given me this son also, and she called him

Simeon. And she conceived yet and bare a son, and said: now this once

will my husband keep me company, because I have borne him three sons:

and therefore she called his name Levi. And she conceived yet again,

and bare a son saying: Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called

his name Iuda, and left bearing.

Chapter .xxx.

When Rahel saw that she bare Iacob no children, she envied her sister

and said unto Iacob: give me children, or else I am but dead. Then was

Iacob wroth with Rahel saying: Am I in God's {godes} stead which

keepeth from thee the fruit of thy womb? Then she said: here is my maid

Bilha: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my lap, that I may be

increased by her. And she gave him Bilha her handmaid to wife. And

Iacob went in unto her: And Bilha conceived and bare Iacob a son. Then

said Rahel: God hath given sentence on my side, and hath also heard my

voice, and hath given me a son. Therefore called she him Dan. And Bilha

Rahel's maid conceived again, and bare Iacob another son. And Rahel

said. God is turned, and I have made a change with my sister, and have

gotten the upper hand. And she called his name Naphtali. When Lea saw

that she had left bearing, she took Silpha her maid, and gave her Iacob

to wife. And Silpha Lea's maid bare Iacob a son. Then said Lea: Good

luck: and called his name Gad. And Silpha Lea's maid bare Iacob another

son. Then said Lea: happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed.

And called his name Asser. And Ruben went out in the wheat harvest and

found mandragoras in the fields, and brought them unto his mother Lea.

Then said Rahel to Lea give me of thy son's mandragoras. And Lea

answered: Is it not enough, that thou hast taken away my husband, but

wouldest take away my son's mandragoras also? Then said Rahel well, let

him sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandragoras. And when

Iacob came from the fields at even, Lea went out to meet him, and said:

come in to me, for I have bought thee with my son's mandragoras. And he

slept with her that night. And God heard Lea, that she conceived and

bare unto Iacob the fifth son. Then said Lea: God hath given me my

reward, because I gave my maiden to my husband, and she called him

Isachar. And Lea conceived yet again and bare Iacob the sixth son. Then

said she: God hath endued me with a good dowry. Now will my husband

dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons: and called his name

Zabulon. After that she bare a daughter, and called her Dina. And God

remembered Rahel, heard her, and made her fruitful: so that she

conceived and bare a son, and said God hath taken away my rebuke. And

she called his name Ioseph saying: The LORD {lorde} give me yet another

son. As soon as Rahel had borne Ioseph, Iacob said to Laban: Send me

away that I may go unto mine own place and country, give me my wives

and my children for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou

knowest what service I have done thee. Then said Laban unto him: If I

have found favour in thy sight (for I suppose that the LORD {|God|}

hath blessed me for thy sake) appoint what thy reward shall be, and I

will give it thee. But he said unto him, thou knowest what service I

have done thee, and in what taking thy cattle have been under me: For

it was but little that thou hadst before I came, and now it is

increased into a multitude, and the LORD hath blessed thee for my sake.

But now when shall I make provision for mine own house also? And he

said: what shall I give thee? And Iacob answered: thou shalt give me

nothing at all, if thou wilt do this one thing for me: And then will I

turn again and feed thy sheep and keep them. I will go about all thy

sheep this day, and separate from them all the sheep that are spotted

and of divers colours, and all black sheep among the lambs and the

party and spotted among the kids: And then such shall be my reward. So

shall my righteousness answer for me: when the time cometh that I shall

receive my reward of thee: So that whatsoever is not speckled and party

among the goats and black among the lambs, let that be theft with me.

Then said Laban: Lo, I am content, that it be according as thou hast

said. And he took out that same day the he goats that were party and of

divers colours, and all the goats that were spotted and party coloured,

and all that had white in them, and all the black among the lambs: and

put them in the keeping of his sons, and set three days' journey

betwixt himself and Iacob. And so Iacob kept the rest of Laban's sheep.

Iacob took rods of green poplar, hazel, and of chestnut trees, and

pilled white streaks in them and made the white appear in the staves:

And he put the staves which he had pilled, even before the sheep, in

the gutters and watering troughs, when the sheep came to drink: that

they should conceive when they came to drink. And the sheep conceived

before the staves, and brought forth streaked, spotted and party. Then

Iacob parted the lambs, and turned the faces of the sheep toward

spotted things, and toward all manner of black things thorow out the

flocks of Laban. And he made him flocks of his own by them self, which

he put not unto the flocks of Laban. And alway in the first bucking

time of the sheep, Iacob put the staves before the sheep in the

gutters, that they might conceive before the staves: But in the latter

bucking time, he put them not there: so the last brood was Laban's and

the first Iacob's. And the man became exceeding rich and had many

sheep, maidservants, menservants, camels and asses.

Chapter .xxxj.

And Iacob heard the words of Laban's sons how they said: Iacob hath

taken away all that was our father's, and of our father's goods, hath

he gotten all this honour. And Iacob beheld the countenance of Laban,

that it was not toward him as it was in times past. And the LORD said

unto Iacob: turn again into the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred,

and I will be with thee. Then Iacob sent and called Rahel and Lea to

the field unto his sheep, and said unto them: I see your father's

countenance, that it is not toward me as in times past. Moreover the

God of my father hath been with me. And ye know how that I have served

your father with all my might. And your father hath deceived

{disceaved} me and changed my wages ten times: But God suffered him not

to hurt me. When he said the spotted shall be thy wages, then all the

sheep bare spotted. If he said, the streaked shall be thy reward, then

bare all the sheep streaked: thus hath God taken away your father's

cattle and given them me. For in bucking time, I lifted up mine eyes

and saw in a dream: and behold, the rams that bucked the sheep were

streaked, spotted and party. And the angel of God spake unto me in a

dream saying: Iacob?. And I answered: here am I. And he said: lift up

thine eyes and see how all the rams that leap upon the sheep are

streaked, spotted and party: for I have seen all that Laban doth unto

thee. I am the God of Bethel where thou anointedest the stone and where

thou vowdest a vow unto me. Now arise and get thee out of this country,

and return unto the land where thou wast born. Then answered Rahel and

Lea and said unto him: we have no part nor inheritance in our father's

house: he counteth us even as strangers, for he hath sold us, and hath

even eaten up the price of us. Moreover all the riches which God hath

taken from our father, that is ours and our children's. Now therefore

whatsoever God hath said unto thee, that do. Then Iacob rose up and set

his sons and wives up upon camels, and carried away all his cattle and

all his substance which he had gotten in Mesopotamia, for to go to

Isaac his father unto the land of Canaan Laban was gone to shear his

sheep, and Rahel had stolen her father's images. And Iacob went away

unknowing to {Iacob stale away the heart of} Laban the Sirian, and told

him not that he fled. So fled he and all that he had, and made himself

ready, and passed over the rivers, and set his face straight toward the

mount Gilead. Upon the third day after, was it told Laban that Iacob

was fled. Then he took his brethren with him and followed after him

seven days' journey, and overtook him at the mount Gilead. And God came

to Laban the Sirian in a dream by night, and said unto him: take heed

to thyself, that thou speak not to Iacob ought save good. And Laban

overtook Iacob: and Iacob had pitched his tent in that mount. And Laban

with his brethren pitched their tent also upon the mount Gilead. Then

said Laban to Iacob: why hast thou this done unknowing to me, {done to

steal away my heart} and hast carried away my daughters as though they

had been taken captive with sword? Wherefore wentest thou away secretly

unknown to me and didst not tell me, that I might have brought thee on

the way with mirth, singing, timbrels and harps, and hast not suffered

me to kiss my children and my daughters?. Thou wast a fool to do it,

for I am able to do you evil. But the God of your father spake unto me

yesterday saying take heed that thou speak not to Iacob ought save

good. And now though thou wentest thy way because thou longest after

thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? Iacob

answered and said to Laba: because I was afraid, and thought that thou

wouldest have taken away thy daughters from me. But with whomsoever

thou findest thy gods, let him die here before our brethren. Seek that

thine is by me, and take it to thee: for Iacob wist not that Rahel had

stolen them. Then went Laban into Iacob's tent, and into Lea's tent,

and into two maidens' tents: but found them not. Then went he out of

Lea's tent, and entered into Rahel's tent. And Rahel took the images,

and put them in the camel's straw, and sat down upon them. And Laban

searched all the tent: but found them not. Then said she to her father:

my lord, be not angry that I can not rise up before thee, for the

disease of women is come upon me. So searched he, but found them not.

Iacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: Iacob also answered and said to

him: what have I trespassed or what have I offended, that thou

followedest after me? Thou hast searched all my stuff, and what hast

thou found of all thy household stuff? put it here before thy brethren

and mine, and let them judge betwixt us both. This twenty years that I

have been with thee, thy sheep and thy goats have not been barren, and

the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. Whatsoever was torn of beasts I

brought it not unto thee, but made it good myself: of my hand didst

thou require it, whether it was stolen by day or night. Moreover by day

the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep departed from

mine eyes. Thus have I been twenty years in thy house, and served thee

fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy sheep, and

thou hast changed my reward ten times. And except the God of my father,

the God of Abraham, and the God whom Isaac feareth, had been with me:

surely thou hadst sent me away now all empty. But God beheld my

tribulation, and the labour of my, hands: and rebuked thee yesterday.

Laban answered and said unto Iacob: the daughters are my daughters, and

the children are my children, and the sheep are my sheep, and all that

thou seest is mine. And what can I do this day unto these my daughters,

or unto their children which they have born? Now therefore come on, let

us make a bond, I and thou together, and let it be a witness between

thee and me. Then took Iacob a stone and set it up on end, and said

unto his brethren, gather stones. And they took stones, and made an

heap, and they ate there, upon the heap. And Laban called it Zegar

Sahadutha, but Iacob called Gilead. Then said Laban: this heap be

witness between thee and me this day (therefore is it called Gilead)

and this toot hill which the LORD {lorde} seeth (said he) be witness

between me and thee when we are departed one from another: that thou

shalt not vex my daughters neither shalt take other wives unto them.

Here is no man with us: behold, God is witness betwixt thee and me. And

Laban said moreover to Iacob: behold, this heap and this mark which I

have set here, betwixt me and thee: this heap be witness and also this

mark, that I will not come over this heap to thee, and thou shalt not

come over this heap and this mark, to do any harm. The God of Abraham,

the God of Nahor and the God of their fathers, be judge betwixt us. And

Iacob sware by him that his father Isaac feared. Then Iacob did

sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread. And

they ate bread and tarried all night in the hill. And early in the

morning Laban rose up and kissed his children and his daughters, and

blessed them and departed and went unto his place again.

Chapter .xxxij.

But Iacob went forth on his journey. And the angels of God came and met

him. And when Iacob saw them, he said: this is God's {godes} host: and

called the name of that same place Mahanaim. Iacob sent messengers

before him to Esau his brother, unto the land of Seir and the field of

Edom. And he commanded them saying: see that ye speak after this manner

to my lord Esau: thy servant, Iacob sayeth thus; I have sojourned and

been a stranger with Laban unto this time: and have gotten oxen, asses

and sheep, menservants and womenservants, and have sent to shew it my

lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. And the messengers came again

to Iacob saying: we came unto thy brother Esau, and he cometh against

thee and four hundred men with him. Then was Iacob greatly afraid, and

wist not which way to turn himself, and divided the people that was

with him and the sheep, oxen and camels, into two companies, and said:

If Esau come to the one part and smite it, the other may save itself.

And Iacob said: O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac:

LORD, which saidest unto me, return unto thy country and to thy

kindred, and I will deal well with thee. I am not worthy of the least

of all the mercies and truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant.

For with my staff came I over this Iordan, and now have I gotten two

droves. Deliver me from the hands of my brother Esau, for I fear him:

lest he will come and smite the mother with the children. Thou saidest

that thou wouldest surely do me good, and wouldest make my seed as the

sand of the sea which can not be numbered for multitude. And he tarried

there that same night, and took of that which came to hand, a present,

unto Esau his brother: Two hundred she goats and twenty he goats: two

hundred sheep and twenty rams: thirty milch camels with their colts:

forty kine and ten bulls: twenty she asses and ten foals and delivered

them unto his servants, every drove by them selves, and said unto them:

go forth before me and put a space betwixt every drove. And he

commanded the foremost, saying: When Esau my brother meeteth thee and

asketh thee saying: whose servant art thou and whither goest thou, and

whose are these that go before thee: thou shalt say, they be thy

servant Iacob's, and are a present sent unto my lord Esau, and behold,

he himself cometh after us. And so commanded he the second, and even so

the third, and likewise all that followed the droves saying, of this

manner see that ye speak unto Esau when ye meet him, and say moreover.

Behold thy servant Iacob cometh after us, for he said. I will pease his

wrath with the present that goeth before me and afterward I will see

him myself, so peradventure he will receive me to grace. So went the

present before him and he tarried all that night in the tent, and rose

up the same night and took his two wives and his two maidens and his

eleven sons, and went over the ford Iabok. And he took them and sent

them over the river, and sent over that he had and tarried behind

himself alone. And there wrestled a man with him unto the breaking of

the day. And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he

smote him under the thigh, and the sinew of Iacob's thigh shrank as he

wrestled with him. And he said: let me go, for the day breaketh. And he

said: I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto

him: what is thy name? He answered: Iacob. And he said: thou shalt be

called Iacob no more, but Israel. For thou hast wrestled with God and

with men and hast prevailed. And Iacob asked him saying, tell me thy

name. And he said, wherefore dost thou ask after my name? and he

blessed him there. And Iacob called the name of the place Pheniel, for

I have seen God face to face, and yet is my life reserved. And as he

went over Peniel, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh:

wherefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew that shrank under

the thigh, unto this day: because that he smote Iacob under the thigh

in the sinew that shrank.

Chapter .xxxiij.

Iacob lift up his eyes and saw his brother Esau come, and with him four

hundred men. And he divided the children unto Lea and unto Rahel and

unto the two maidens. And he put the maidens and their children

foremost, and Lea and her children after, and Rahel and Ioseph

hindermost. And he went before them and fell on the ground seven times,

until he came unto his brother. Esau ran against {to meet} him and

embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And he

lift up his eyes and saw the wives and their children, and said: what

are these which thou there hast? And he said: they are the children

which God hath given thy servant. Then came the maidens forth, and did

their obeisance. Lea also and her children came and did their

obeisance. And last of all came Ioseph and Rahel and did their

obeisance. And he said: what meanest thou with all the droves which I

met? And he answered: to find grace in the sight of my lord. And Esau

said: I have enough my brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself. Iacob

answered: oh nay but if I have found grace in thy sight, receive my

present of my hand: for I have seen thy face as though I had seen the

face of God: wherefore receive me to grace and take my blessing that I

have brought thee, for God hath given it me freely. And I have enough

of all things. And so he compelled him to take it. And he said: let us

take our journey and go, and I will go in thy company. And he said unto

him: my lord knoweth that I have tender children, ewes and kine with

young, under mine hand, which if men should overdrive but even one day,

the whole flock would die. Let my lord therefore go before his servant

and I will drive fair and softly, according as the cattle that goeth

before me and the children, be able to endure: until I come to my lord

unto Seir. And Esau said: let me yet leave some of my folk with thee.

And he said: what needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my

lord. So Esau went his way again that same day unto Seir. And Iacob

took his journey toward Sucoth, and built him an house, and made booths

for his cattle: whereof the name of the place is called Sucoth. And

Iacob went to Salem {came peaceably in} to the city of Sichem in the

land of Canaan, after that he was come from Mesopotamia, and pitched

before the city, and bought a parcel of ground where he pitched his

tent, of the children of Hemor Sichem's father, for an hundred lambs;

And he made there an altar, and there called upon the mighty God of

Israel.

Chapter .xxxiiij.

Dina the daughter of Lea which she bare unto Iacob, went out to see the

daughters of the land. And Sichem the son of Hemor the Hevite lord of

the country, saw her, and took her, and lay with her, and forced her:

and his heart lay unto Dina the daughter of Iacob. And he loved the

damsel and spake kindly unto her, and spake unto his father Hemor

saying, get me this maiden unto my wife. And Iacob heard that he had

defiled Dina his daughter, but his sons were with the cattle in the

field, and therefore he held his peace, until they were come. Then

Hemor the father of Sichem went out unto Iacob, to commune with him.

And the sons of Iacob came out of the field as soon as they heard it,

for it grieved them, and they were not a little wroth, because he had

wrought folly in Israel, in that he had lain with Iacob's daughter,

which thing ought not to be done. And Hemor communed with them saying:

the soul of my son Sichem longeth for your daughter: give her him to

wife, and make marriages with us: give your daughters unto us, and take

our daughters unto you, and dwell with us, and the land shall be at

your pleasure, dwell and do your business, and have your possessions

therein. And Sichem said unto her father and her brethren: let me find

grace in your eyes, and whatsoever ye appoint me, that will I give. Ask

freely of me both the dowry and gifts, and I will give according as ye

say unto me, and give me the damsel to wife. Then the sons of Iacob

answered to Sichem and Hemor his father deceitfully, because he had

defiled Dina their sister. And they said unto them, we can not do this

thing, that we should give our sister to one that is uncircumcised, for

that were a shame unto us. Only in this will we consent unto you: If ye

will be as we be, that all the men children among you be circumcised,

then will we give our daughter to you and take yours to us, and will

dwell with you and be one people. But and if ye will not hearken unto

us to be circumcised, than will we take our daughter and go our ways.

And their words pleased Hemor and Sichem his son. And the young man

deferred not for to do the thing, because he had a lust to Iacob's

daughter: he was also most set by of all that were in his father's

house. Then Hemor and Sichem went unto the gate of their city, and

communed with the men of their city saying: These men are peaceable

with us, and will dwell in the land and do their occupation therein;

And in the land is room enough for them, let us take their daughters to

wives and give them ours: only herein will they consent unto us for to

dwell with us and to be one people: if all the men children that are

among us be circumcised as they are. Their goods and their substance

and all their cattle are ours, only let us consent unto them, that they

may dwell with us. And unto Hemor and Sichem his son hearkened all that

went out at the gate of his city. And all the men children were

circumcised whatsoever went out at the gates of his city. And the third

day when it was painful to them, two of the sons of Iacob, Simeon and

Levi Dina's brethren, took either of them his sword and went into the

city boldly, and slew all that was male, and slew also Hemor and Sichem

his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dina their sister out of

Sichem's house, and went their way. Then came the sons of Iacob upon

the deed, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister:

and took their sheep, oxen, asses and whatsoever was in the city and

also in the fields. And all their goods, all their children and their

wives took they captive, and made havoc of all that was in the houses.

And Iacob said to Simeon and Levi: ye have troubled me and made me

stink unto the inhabiters of the land, both to the Cananites and also

unto the Pherezites. And I am few in number. Wherefore they shall

gather them selves together against me and slay me, and so shall I and

my house be destroyed. And they answered: should they deal with our

sister as with an whore?

Chapter .xxxv.

And God said unto Iacob, arise and get thee up to Bethel, and dwell

there. And make there an altar unto God that appeared unto thee, when

thou fleddest from Esau thy brother. Then said Iacob unto his household

and to all that were with him, put away the strange gods that are among

you and make your selves clean, and change your garments, and let us

arise and go up to Bethel, that I may make an altar there, unto God

which heard me in the day of my tribulation and was with me in the way

which I went. And they gave unto Iacob all the strange gods which were

under their hands, and all their earings which were in their ears, and

Iacob hid them under an oak at Sichem. And they departed. And the fear

of God fell upon the cities that were round about them, that they durst

not follow after the sons of Iacob. So came Iacob to Lus in the land of

Canaan, otherwise called Bethel, with all the people that was with him.

And he builded there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because

that God {|the LORDe|} appeared unto him there, when he fled from his

brother. Then died Debora Rebecca's nurse, and was buried beneath

Bethel under an oak. And the name of it was called the oak of

lamentation. And God appeared unto Iacob again after he came out of

Mesopotamia, and blessed him and said unto him: Thy name is Iacob.

Notwithstanding thou shalt be no more called Iacob, but Israel shall be

thy name. And so was his name called Israel. And God said unto him: I

am God allmighty, grow and multiply: for people and a multitude of

people shall spring of thee, yea and kings shall come out of thy loins.

And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, will I give unto thee, and

unto thy seed after thee will I give it also. And God departed from him

in the place where he talked with him. And Iacob set up a mark in the

place where he talked with him: even a pillar of stone, and poured

drink offering thereon and poured also oil thereon, and called the name

of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. And they departed from

Bethel, and when he was but a field brede from Ephrath, Rahel began to

travail. And in travailing she was in peril. And as she was in pains of

her labour, the midwife said unto her: fear not, for thou shalt have

this son also. Then as her soul was departing, that she must die: she

called his name Ben Oni. But his father called him Ben Iamin. and thus

died Rahel and was buried in the way to Ephrath which now is called

Bethlehem. And Iacob set up a pillar upon her grave, which is called

Rahel's grave pillar unto this day. And Israel went thence and pitched

up his tent beyond the tower of Eder. And it chanced as Israel dwelt in

that land, that Ruben went and lay with Bilha his father's concubine,

and it came to Israel's ear. The sons of Iacob were twelve in number.

The sons of Lea: Ruben, Iacob's eldest son, and Simeon, Levi, Iuda,

Isachar, and Zabulon. The sons of Rahel: Ioseph and Ben Iamin. The sons

of Bilha Rahel's maid: Dan and Nephtali. The sons of Zilpha Lea's maid

Gad and Asser. These are the sons which were born him in Mesopotamia.

Then Iacob went unto Isaac his father to Mamre a principal city,

otherwise called Hebron: where Abraham and Isaac sojourned as

strangers. And the days of Isaac were an hundred and eighty years: and

then fell he sick and died, and was put unto his people being old and

full of days. And his sons Esau and Iacob buried him.

Chapter .xxxvi.

These are the generations of Esau which is called Edom. Esau took his

wives of the daughters of Canaan Ada the daughter of Elon an Hethite,

and Ahalibama the daughter of Ana, which Ana was the son of Zibeon an

Hevite; And Basmath Ismael's daughter and sister of Nebaioth. And Ada

bare unto Esau, Eliphas: and Basmath bare Reguel: And Ahalibama bare

Ieus, Iaelam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau which were born him

in the land of Canaan. And Esau took his wives, his sons and daughters

and all the souls of his house: his goods and all his cattle and all

his substance which he had got in the land of Canaan, and went into a

country away from his brother Iacob: for their riches was so much, that

they could not dwell together, and that the land wherein they were

strangers, could not receive them: because of their cattle. Thus dwelt

Esau in mount Seir, which Esau is called Edom. These are the

generations of Esau father of the Edomites in mount Seir, and these are

the names of Esau's sons: Eliphas the son of Ada the wife of Esau, and

Reguel the son of Basmath the wife of Esau also. And the sons of

Eliphas were: Theman, Omar, Zepho, Gaetham and Kenas. And Thimna was

concubine to Eliphas Esau's son, and bare unto Eliphas, Amalek. And

these, be the sons of Ada Esau's wife. And these are the sons of

Reguel: Nahath, Serah, Samma and Misa: these were the sons of Basmath

Esau's wife. And these were the sons of Ahalibama Esau's wife the

daughter of Ana son of Zebeon, which she bare unto Esau: Ieus, Iaelam

and Korah. These were dukes of the sons of Esau. The children of

Eliphas the first son of Esau were these: duke Theman, duke Omar, duke

Zepho, duke Kenas, duke Korah, duke Gaetham and duke Amaleck: these are

the dukes that came of Eliphas in the land of Edom, and these were the

sons of Ada. These were the children of Reguel Esau's sonne: duke

Nahath, duke Serah, duke Samma, duke Misa. These are the dukes that

came of Reguel in the land of Edom, and these were the sons of Basmath

Esau's wife. These were the children of Ahalibama Esau's wife: duke

Ieus, duke Gaelam, duke Korah these dukes came of Ahalibama the

daughter of Ana Esau's wife. These are the children of Esau, and these

are the dukes of them: which Esau is called Edom: These are the

children of Seir the Horite, the inhabiter of the land: Lothan, Sobal,

Zibeon, Ana, Dison, Eser and Disan. These are the dukes of the Horites

the children of Seir in the land of Edom. And the children of Lothan

were: Hori and Hemam. And Lothan's sister was called Thimna. The

children of Sobal were these: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Sepho and Onam.

These were the children of Zibeon. Aia and Ana, this was that Ana that

found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed his father Zibeon's asses.

The children of Ana were these. Dison and Ahalibama the daughter of

Ana. These are the children of Dison. Hemdan, Esban, Iethran, and

Cheran. The children of Ezer were these, Bilhan, Seavan and Akan. The

children of Disan were: Ur and Aran. These are the dukes that came of

Hori: duke Lothan, duke Sobal, duke Zibeon, duke Ana, duke Dison, duke

Ezer, duke Disan. These be the dukes that came of Hori in their

dukedoms in the land of Seir. These are the kings that reigned in the

land of Edom before there reigned any king among the children of

Israel. Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edomea, and the name of his

city was Dinhaba. And when Bela died, Iobab the son of Serah out of

Bezara, reigned in his stead. When Iobab was dead, Husam of the land of

Themany reigned in his stead. And after the death of Husam, Hadad the

son of Bedad which slew the Madianites in the field of the Moabites,

reigned in his stead, and the name of his city was Avith. When Hadad

was dead, Samla of Masreka reigned in his stead. When Samla was dead,

Saul of the river Rehoboth reigned in his stead. When Saul was dead,

Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. And after the death

of Baal Hanan the son of Achbor, Hadad reigned in his stead, and the

name of his city was Pagu. And his wife's name Mehetabeel the daughter

of Matred the daughter of Mesaab. These are the names of the dukes that

came of Esau, in their kindreds, places and names: Duke Thimma, duke

Alua, duke Ietheth, duke Ahalibama, duke Ela, duke Pinon, duke Kenas,

duke Theman, duke Mibzar, duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These be the dukes

of Edomea in their habitations, in the land of their possessions. This

Esau is the father of the Edomites.

Chapter .xxxvij.

And Iacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, that is

to say in the land of Canaan. And these are the generations of Iacob:

when Ioseph was seventeen years old, he kept sheep with his brethren,

and the lad was with the sons of Bilha and of Zilpha his father's

wives. And he brought unto their father an evil saying that was of

them. And Israel loved Ioseph more than all his children, because he

begat him in his old age, and he made him a coat of many colours. When

his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his

brethren, they hated him and could not speak one kind word unto him.

Moreover Ioseph dreamed a dream and told it his brethren: wherefore

they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them hear I pray yow this

dream which I have dreamed: Behold we were making sheaves in the field:

and lo, my sheaf arose and stood upright, and yours stood round about

and made obeisance to my sheaf. Then said his brethren unto him: what,

shalt thou be our king or shalt thou reign over us? And they hated him

yet the more, because of his dream and of his words. And he dreamed yet

another dream and told it his brethren saying: behold, I have had one

dream more: me thought the sonne and the moon and eleven stars made

obeisance to me. And when he had told it unto his father and his

brethren, his father rebuked him and said unto him: what meaneth this

dream which thou hast dreamed: shall I and thy mother and thy brethren

come and fall on the ground before thee? And his brethren hated him,

but his father noted the saying. His brethren went to keep their

father's sheep in Sichem, and Israel said unto Ioseph: do not thy

brethren keep in Sichem? come that I may send thee to them. And he

answered here am I. And he said unto him: go and see whether it be well

with thy brethren and the sheep, and bring me word again: And sent him

out of the vale of Hebron, for to go to Sichem. And a certain man found

him wandering out of his way in the field, and asked him what he

sought. And he answered: I seek my brethren, tell me I pray thee where

they keep sheep. And the man said, they are departed hence, for I heard

them say, let us go unto Dothan. Thus went Ioseph after his brethren,

and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off before he came

at them, they took counsel {councell} against him, for to slay him, and

said one to another: Behold this dreamer cometh, come now and let us

slay him and cast him into some pit, and let us say that sonne wicked

beast hath devoured him, and let us see what his dreams will come to.

When Ruben heard that, he went about to rid him out of their hands and

said, let us not kill him. And Ruben said moreover unto them, shed not

his blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and

lay no hands upon him: for he would have rid him out of their hands and

delivered him to his father again. And as soon as Ioseph was come unto

his brethren, they stripped him out, of his gay coat that was upon him,

and they took him and cast him into a pit. But the pit was empty and

had no water therein. And they sat them down to eat bread. And as they

lift up their eyes and looked about, there came a company of Ismaelites

from Gilead, and their camels laden with spicery, balm, and myrrh, and

were going down into Egypt. Then said Iuda to his brethren, what

availeth it that we slay our brother, and keep his blood secret? come

on, let us sell him to the Ismaelites, and let not our hands be defiled

upon him: for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were

content. Then as the Madianites merchant men passed by, they drew

Ioseph out of the pit and sold him unto the Ismaelites for twenty

pieces of silver. And they brought him into Egypt. And when Ruben came

again unto the pit and found not Ioseph there, he rent his clothes and

went again unto his brethren saying: the lad is not yonder, and whither

shall I go? And they took Ioseph's coat and killed a goat, and dipped

the coat in the blood. And they sent that gay coat and caused it to be

brought unto their father and said: This have we found: see, whether it

be thy son's coat or no. And he knew it saying: it is my son's coat: a

wicked beast hath devoured him, and Ioseph is rent in pieces. And Iacob

rent his clothes, and put sack cloth about his loins, and sorrowed for

his son a long season. Then came all his sons and all his daughters to

comfort him. And he would not be comforted, but said: I will go down

into the grave unto my son, mourning. And thus his father wept for him.

And the Madianites sold him in Egypt unto Putiphar a lord of Pharao's:

and his chief marshal.

Chapter .xxxviij.

And it fortuned at that time that Iudas went from his brethren and gat

him to a man called Hira of Odollam, and there he saw the daughter of a

man called Sua a Cananite. And he took her and went in unto her. And

she conceived and bare a son and called his name Er. And she conceived

again and bare a son and called him Onan. And she conceived the third

time and bare a son, whom she called Sela: and he was at Chesib when

she bare him. And Iudas gave Er his eldest son, a wife whose name was

Thamar. But this Er Iuda's eldest son was wicked in the sight of the

LORD, wherefore the LORD slew him. Then said Iudas unto Onan: go in to

thy brother's wife and marry her, and stir up seed unto thy brother.

And when Onan perceived that the seed should not be his: therefore when

he went in to his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground, because

he would not give seed unto his brother. And the thing which he did,

displeased the LORD, wherefore he slew him also. Then said Iuda to

Thamar his daughter-in-law: remain a widow at thy father's house, till

Sela my son be grown: for he feared lest he should have died also, as

his brethren did. Thus went Thamar and dwelt in her father's house. And

in process of time, the daughter of Sua Iuda's wife died. Then Iudas

when he had left mourning, went unto his sheep shearers to Thimnath

with his friend Hira of Odollam. And one told Thamar saying: behold,

thy father-in-law goeth up to Thimnath, to shear his sheep. And she put

her widow's garments off from her and covered her with a cloak, and

disguised herself: And sat her down at the entering of Enaim which is

by the high way's side to Thimnath, for because she saw that Sela was

grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Iuda saw her he

thought it had been an whore, because she had covered her face. And

turned to her unto the way and said, come I pray thee, let me lie with

thee, for he knew not that it was his daughter-in-law. And she said

what wilt thou give me, for to lie with me? Then said he, I will send

thee a kid from the flock. She answered: Then give me a pledge till

thou send it. Then said he, what pledge shall I give thee? And she

said: thy signet, thy necklace, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And

he gave it her and lay by her, and she was with child by him. And she

gat her up and went and put her mantle from her, and put on her widow's

raiment again. And Iudas sent the kid by his neighbour of Odollam, for

to fetch out his pledge again from the wife's hand. But he found her

not. Then asked he the men of the same place saying: where is the whore

that sat at Enaim in the way? And they said: there was no whore here.

And he came to Iuda again saying: I can not find her, and also the men

of the place said: that there was no whore there. And Iuda said: let

her take it to her, lest we be shamed: for I sent the kid and thou

couldest not find her. And it came to pass that after three months, one

told Iuda saying: Thamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the whore, and

with playing the whore is become great with child. And Iuda said: bring

her forth and let her be brent. And when they brought her forth, she

sent to her father-in-law saying: by the man unto whom these things

pertain, am I with child. And said also: look whose are this seal,

necklace, and staff. And Iuda knew them saying: she is more righteous

than I, because I gave her not to Sela my son. But he lay with her no

more. When time was come that she should be delivered, behold there was

two twins in her womb. And as she travailed, the one put out his hand

and the midwife took and bound a red thread about it saying: this will

come out first. But he plucked his hand back again, and his brother

came out. And she said: wherefore hast thou rent a rent upon thee? and

called him Pharez. And afterward came out his brother that had the red

thread about his hand, which was called Zarah.

Chapter .xxxix.

Ioseph was brought unto Egypt, and Putiphar a lord of Pharao's: and his

chief marshal an Egyptian, bought him of the Ismaelites which brought

him thither. And the LORD was with Ioseph, and he was a lucky fellow

and continued in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master

saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all that he did

prosper in his hand: Wherefore he found grace in his master's sight,

and served him. And his master made him ruler of his house, and put all

that he had in his hand. And as soon as he had made him ruler over his

house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed this Egyptian's house

for Ioseph's sake, and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he

had: both in the house and also in the fields. And therefore he left

all that he had in Ioseph's hand, and looked upon nothing that was with

him, save only on the bread which he ate. And Ioseph was a goodly

person and a well favored. And it fortuned after this, that his

master's wife cast her eyes upon Ioseph and said come lie with me. But

he denied and said to her: Behold, my master woteth not what he hath in

the house with me, but hath committed all that he hath to my hand. He

himself is not greater in the house than I, and hath kept nothing from

me, but only thee because thou art his wife. How then can I do this

great wickedness, for to sin against God? And after this manner spake

she to Ioseph day by day: but he hearkened not unto her, to sleep near

her or to be in her company. And it fortuned about the same season,

that Ioseph entered into the house, to do his business: and there was

none of the household by, in the house. And she caught him by the

garment saying: come sleep with me. And he left his garment in her hand

and fled and got him out. When she saw that he had left his garment in

her hand, and was fled out, she called unto the men of the house, and

told them saying: See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to do us

shame: for he came in to me, for to have slept with me. But I cried

with a loud voice. And when he heard, that I lift up my voice and

cried, he left his garment with me and fled away and got him out. And

she laid up his garment by her, until her lord came home. And she told

him according to these words saying. This Hebrews' servant which thou

hast brought unto us came in to me to do me shame. But as soon as I

lift up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me and fled out.

When his master heard the words of his wife which she told him saying:

after this manner did thy servant to me, he waxed wroth. And he took

Ioseph and put him in prison: even in the place where the king's

prisoners lay bound. And there continued he in prison, but the LORD was

with Ioseph and shewed him mercy, and got him favour in the sight of

the keeper of the prison which committed to Ioseph's hand all the

prisoners that were in the prison house. And whatsoever was done there,

that did he. And the keeper of the prison looked unto nothing that was

under his hand, because the LORD was with him, and because that

whatsoever he did, the LORD made it come luckily to pass.

Chapter .xl.

And it chanced after this, that the chief butler of the king of Egypt

and his chief baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And

Pharao was angry with them and put them in ward in his chief marshal's

house: even in the prison where Ioseph was bound. And the chief marshal

gave Ioseph a charge with them, and he served them. And they continued

a season in ward. And they dreamed either of them in one night: both

the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt which were bound in the

prison house, either of them his dream, and each man's dream of a

sundry interpretation. When Ioseph came in unto them in the morning,

and looked upon them: behold, they were sad. And he asked them saying,

wherefore look ye so sadly today? They answered him, we have dreamed a

dream, and have no man to declare it. And Ioseph said unto them.

Interpreting belongeth to God, but tell me yet. And the chief butler

told his dream to Ioseph and said unto him: In my dream me thought

there stood a vine before me, and in the vine were three branches, and

it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth: and the grapes

thereof waxed ripe. And I had Pharao's cup in my hand, and took of the

grapes and wrung them into Pharao's cup, and delivered Pharao's cup

into his hand. And Ioseph said unto him, this is the interpretation of

it. The three branches are three days: for within three days shall

Pharao lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thine office again,

and thou shalt deliver Pharao's cup into his hand, after the old

manner, even as thou didst when thou wast his butler. But think on me

with thee, when thou art in good case, and shew mercy unto me. And make

mention of me to Pharao, and help to bring me out of this house: for I

was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done

nothing at all wherefore they should have put me into this dungeon.

When the chief baker saw that he had well interpreted it, he said unto

Ioseph, me thought also in my dream, that I had three wicker baskets on

my head? And in the uppermost basket, of all manner bakemeats for

Pharao. And the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head. Ioseph

answered and said: this is the interpretation thereof. The three

baskets are three days, for this day three days shall Pharao take thy

head from thee, and shall hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat

thy flesh from off thee. And it came to pass the third day which was

Pharao's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants. And he

lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his

servants. And restored the chief butler unto his butlership again, and

he reached the cup into Pharao's hand, and hanged the chief baker: even

as Ioseph had interpreted unto them. Notwithstanding the chief butler

remembered not Ioseph, but forgot him.

Chapter .xlj.

And it fortuned at two years' end, that Pharao dreamed, and thought

that he stood by a river's side, and that there came out of the river

seven goodly kine and fat fleshed, and fed in a meadow. And him thought

that seven other kine came up after them out of the river evil favored

and lean fleshed and stood by the other upon the brink of the river.

And the evil favored and lean fleshed kine: ate up the seven well

favored and fat kine: and he awoke therewith. And he slept again and

dreamed the second time, that seven ears of corn grew upon one stalk

rank and goodly. And that seven thin ears blasted with the wind, sprang

up after them: and that the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and

full ears. And then Pharao awaked: and see, here is his dream. When the

morning came, his spirit was troubled; And he sent and called for all

the soothsayers of Egypt and all the wise men thereof, and told them

his dream: but there was none of them that could interpret it unto

Pharao. Then spake the chief butler unto Pharao saying. I do remember

my fault this day. Pharao was angry with his servants, and put in ward

in the chief marshal's house both me and the chief baker. And we

dreamed both of us in one night and each man's dream of a sundry

interpretation. And there was with us a young man, an Hebrew born,

servant unto the chief marshal. And we told him, and he declared our

dreams to us according to either of our dreams. And as he declared them

unto us, even so it came to pass. I was restored to mine office again,

and he was hanged. Then Pharao sent and called Ioseph. And they made

him haste out of prison. And he shaved himself and changed his raiment,

and went in to Pharao. And Pharao said unto Ioseph: I have dreamed a

dream and no man can interpretate it, but I have heard say of thee that

as soon as thou hearest a dream, thou dost interpretate it. And Ioseph

answered Pharao saying: God shall give Pharao an answer of peace

without me. Pharao said unto Ioseph: in my dream me thought I stood by

a river's side, and there came out of the river seven fat fleshed and

well favored kine, and fed in the meadow. And then seven other kine

came up after them, poor and very evil favored and lean fleshed: so

that I never saw their like in all the land of Egypt in evil

favoredness. And the seven lean and evil favored kine ate up the first

seven fat kine. And when they had eaten them up, a man could not

perceive that they had eaten them: for they were still as evil favored

as they were at the beginning. And I awoke. And I saw again in my dream

seven ears spring out of one stalk full and good, and seven other ears

withered, thin and blasted with wind, spring up after them. And the

thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I have told it unto the

soothsayers, but no man can tell me what it meaneth. Then Ioseph said

unto Pharao: both Pharao's dreams are one. And God doth shew Pharao

what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years: and the

seven good ears are seven years also, and is but one dream. Likewise,

the seven thin and evil favored kine that came out after them, are

seven years: and the seven empty and blasted ears shall be seven years

of hunger. This is that which I said unto Pharao, that God doth shew

Pharao what he is about to do. Behold there shall come seven year of

great plenteousness throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall

arise after them seven years of hunger. So that all the plenteousness

shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt. And the hunger shall consume

the land: so that the plenteousness shall not be once a seen in the

land by reason of that hunger that shall come after, for it shall be

exceeding great. And as concerning that the dream was doubled unto

Pharao the second time, it betokeneth that the thing is certainly

prepared of God, and that God will shortly bring it to pass. Now

therefore let Pharao provide for a man of understanding and wisdom, and

set him over the land of Egypt. And let Pharao make officers over the

land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven

plenteous years and let them gather all the food of these good years

that come, and lay up corn under the power of Pharao: that there may be

food in the cities, and there let them keep it: that there may be food

in store in the land, against the seven years of hunger which shall

come in the land of Egypt, and that the land perish not thorow hunger.

And the saying pleased Pharao and all his servants. Then said Pharao

unto his servants: where shall we find such a man as this is, that hath

the spirit of God in him? wherefore Pharao said unto Ioseph: forasmuch

as God hath shewed thee all this, there is no man of understanding nor

of wisdom like unto thee. Thou therefore shalt be over my house, and

according to thy word shall all my people obey: only in the king's seat

will I be above thee. And he said unto Ioseph: behold, I have set thee

over all the land of Egypt. And he took off his ring from his finger,

and put it upon Ioseph's finger, and arrayed him in raiment of byss,

and put a golden chain about his neck and set him upon the best chariot

that he had save one. And they cried before him Abrech, and that Pharao

had made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharao said unto

Ioseph: I am Pharao, without thy will, shall no man lift up either his

hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And he called Ioseph's name

Zaphnath Paenea. And he gave him to wife Asnath the daughter of

Potiphar priest of On. Then went Ioseph abroad in the land of Egypt.

And he was thirty years old when he stood before Pharao king of Egypt.

And then Ioseph departed from Pharao, and went thorow out all the land

of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years they made sheaves and

gathered up all the food of the seven plenteous years which were in the

land of Egypt and put it into the cities. And he put the food of the

fields that grew round about every city: even in the same. And Ioseph

laid up corn in store, like unto the sand of the sea in multitude out

of measure, until he left numbering: For it was without number. And

unto Ioseph were born two sons before the years of hunger came, which

Asnath the daughter of Potiphar priest of On, bare unto him. And he

called the name of the first son Manasse, for God (said he) hath made

me forget all my labour and all my father's household. The second

called he Ephraim, for God (said he) hath caused me to grow in the land

of my trouble. And when the seven years of plenteousness that was in

the land of Egypt were ended, then came the seven years of dearth,

according as Ioseph had said. And the dearth was in all lands: but in

the land of Egypt was there yet food. When now all the land of Egypt

began to hunger, then cried the people to Pharao for bread. And Pharao

said unto all Egypt: go unto Ioseph, and what he saith to you that do.

And when the dearth was thorow out all the land, Ioseph opened all that

was in the cities, and sold unto the Egyptians. And hunger waxed sore

in the land of Egypt. And all countries came to Egypt to Ioseph for to

buy corn: because that the hunger was so sore in all lands.

Chapter .xlij.

When Iacob saw that there was corn to be sold in Egypt, he said unto

his sons: why are ye negligent? behold, I have heard that there is corn

to be sold in Egypt. Get you thither and buy us corn from thence, that

we may live and not die. So went Ioseph's ten brethren down to buy corn

in Egypt, for Ben Iamin Ioseph's brother would not Iacob send with his

other brethren: for he said: some misfortune might happen him. And the

sons of Israel came to buy corn among other that came, for there was

dearth also in the land of Canaan. And Ioseph was governor in the land,

and sold corn to all the people of the land. And his brethren came, and

fell flat on the ground before him. When Ioseph saw his brethren, he

knew them: But made strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them

saying: Whence come ye? and they said: out of the land of Canaan, to

buy vitaille. Ioseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And

Ioseph remembered his dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto

them: ye are spies, and to see where the land is weak is your coming.

And they said unto him: nay, my lord: but to buy vitaille thy servants

are come. We are all one man's sons, and mean truly, and thy servants

are no spies. And he said unto them: nay verily, but even to see where

the land is weak is your coming. And they said: we thy servants are

twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The

youngest is yet with our father, and one no man woteth where he is.

Ioseph said unto them, that is it that I said unto you, that ye are

surely spies. Here by ye shall be proved. For by the life of Pharao, ye

shall not go hence, until your youngest brother be come hither. Send

therefore one of you and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be in

prison in the mean season. And thereby shall your words be proved,

whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharao, ye

are but spies. And he put them in ward three days. And Ioseph said unto

the third day: This do and live, for I fear God. {Gode} If ye mean no

hurt, let one of your brethren be bound in the prison, and go ye and

bring the necessary food unto your households, and bring your youngest

brother unto me: that your words may be believed, and that ye die not;

And they did so. Then they said one to another: we have verily sinned

against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he

besought us, and would not hear him: therefore is this trouble come

upon us. Ruben answered them saying: said I not unto you that ye should

not sin against the lad? but ye would not hear; And now verily see, his

blood is required. They were not aware that Ioseph understood them, for

he spake unto them by an interpreter. And he turned from them and wept,

and then turned to them again and communed with them, and took out

Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes, and commanded

to fill their sacks with corn, and to put every man's money in his

sack, and to give them vitaille to spend by the way. And so it was done

to them. And they laded their asses with the corn and departed thence.

And as one of them opened his sack, for to give his ass provender in

the Inn, he spied his money in his sack's mouth. And he said unto his

brethren: my money is restored me again, and is even in my sack's

mouth. Then their hearts failed them, and were astonied and said one to

another: how cometh it that God dealeth thus with us? And they came

unto Iacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that

had happened them saying: The lord of the land spake roughly to us, and

took us for spies to search the country. And we said unto him: we mean

truly and are no spies. We be twelve brethren sons of our father, one

is away, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.

And the lord of the country said unto us: hereby shall I know if ye

mean truly: leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food

necessary for your households and get you away, and bring your youngest

brother unto me; And thereby shall I know that ye are no spies, but

mean truly: So will I deliver you your brother again, and ye shall

occupy in the land. And as they emptied their sacks, behold: every

man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when both they and their

father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. And Iacob their

father said unto them: Me have ye robbed of my children: Ioseph is

away, and Simeon is away, and ye will take Ben Iamin away. All these

things fall upon me. Ruben answered his father saying: Slay my two

sons, if I bring him not to thee again. Deliver him therefore to my

hand, and I will bring him to thee again: And he said: my son shall not

go down with you. For his brother is dead, and he is left alone.

Moreover some misfortune might happen upon him by the way which ye go.

And so should ye bring my gray head with sorrow unto the grave.

Chapter .xliij.

And the dearth waxed sore in the land. And when they had eaten up that

corn which they brought out of the land of Egypt, their father said

unto them: go again and buy us a little food. Then said Iuda unto him:

the man did testify unto us saying: look that ye see not my face except

your brother be with you. Therefore if thou wilt send our brother with

us, we will go and buy the food. But if thou wilt not send him, we will

not go: for the man said unto us: look that ye see not my face, except

your brother be with you. And Israel said: wherefore dealt ye so

cruelly with me, as to tell the man that ye had yet another brother?

And they said: The man asked us of our kindred saying: is your father

yet alive? have ye not another brother? And we told him according to

these words. How could we know that he would bid us bring our brother

down with us? Then said Iuda unto Israel his father: Send the lad with

me, and we will rise and go, that we may live and not die: both we,

thou and also our children. I will be surety for him, and of my hands

require him. If I bring him not to thee and set him before thine eyes,

then let me bear the blame for ever. For except we had made this

tarrying: by this we had been there twice and come again. Then their

father Israel said unto them: if it must needs be so now: then do thus,

take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and bring the man

a present, a courtesy balm, and a courtesy of honey, spices and myrrh,

dates and almonds. And take as much money more with you. And the money

that was brought again in your sacks, take it again with you in your

hands, peradventure it was some oversight. Take also your brother with

you, and arise and go again to the man. And God almighty give you mercy

in the sight of the man and send you your other brother and also Ben

Iamin, and I will be as a man robbed of his children. Thus took they

the present and twice so much more money with them, and Ben Iamin. And

rose up, went down to Egypt, and presented themself to Ioseph. When

Ioseph saw Ben Iamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house:

bring these men home, and slay and make ready: for they shall dine with

me at noon. And the man did as Ioseph bade, and brought them in to

Ioseph's house. When they were brought to Ioseph's house, they were

afraid, and said: because of the money that came in our sacks' mouths

at the first time, are we brought, to pick a quarrel with us and to lay

some thing to our charge: to bring us in bondage and our asses also.

Therefore came they to the man that was the ruler over Ioseph's house,

and communed with him at the door and said: Sir, we came hither at the

first time to buy food, and as we came to an inn and opened our sacks:

behold, every man's money was in his sack with full weight: But we have

brought it again with us, and other money have we brought also in our

hands, to buy food, but we can not tell who put our money in our sacks.

And he said: be of good cheer, fear not: Your God and the God of your

fathers hath put you that treasure in your sacks, for I had your money.

And he brought Simeon out to them and led them into Ioseph's house, and

gave them water to wash their feet, and gave their asses provender: And

they made ready their present against Ioseph came at noon, for they

heard say that they should dine there. When Ioseph came home, they

brought the present into the house to him, which they had in their

hands, and fell flat on the ground before him. And he welcomed them

courteously saying: is your father that old man which ye told me of, in

good health? and is he yet alive? they answered: thy servant our father

is in good health, and is yet alive. And they bowed them selves and

fell to the ground. And he lift up his eyes and beheld his brother Ben

Iamin his mother's son, and said: is this your youngest brother of whom

ye said unto me? And said: God be merciful unto thee my son. And Ioseph

made haste (for his heart did melt upon his brother) and sought for to

weep, and entered into his chamber, for to weep there. And he washed

his face and came out and refrained himself, and bade set bread on the

table. And they prepared for him by himself, and for them by them

selves, and for the Egyptians which ate with him by them selves,

because the Egyptians may not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is

an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat before him: the eldest

according unto his age, and the youngest according unto his youth. And

the men marvelled among them selves. And they brought rewards unto them

from before him: but Ben Iamin's part was five times so much as any of

theirs. And they ate and they drank, and were drunk with him.

Chapter .xliiij.

And he commanded the ruler of his house saying: fill the men's sacks

with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his

bag mouth, and put my silver cup in the sack's mouth of the youngest

and his corn money also. And he did as Ioseph had said. And in the

morning as soon as it was light, the men were let go with their asses.

And when they were out of the city and not yet far away, Ioseph said

unto the ruler of his house: up and follow after the men and overtake

them, and say unto them: wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? is

that not the cup of which my lord drinketh, and doth he not prophesy

therein? ye have evil done that ye have done. And he overtook them and

said the same words unto them. And they answered him: wherefore saith

my lord such words? God forbid that thy servants should do so. Behold,

the money which we found in our sack's mouths, we brought again unto

thee, out of the land of Canaa: how then should we steal out of my

lord's house, either silver or gold? with whosoever of thy servants it

be found let him die, and let us also be my lord's bondmen. And he

said: Now therefore according unto your words, he with whom it is

found, shall be my servant: but ye, shall be harmless. And at once

every man took down his sack to the ground, and every man opened his

sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the

youngest. And the cup was found in Ben Iamin's sack. Then they rent

their clothes, and laded every man his ass and went again unto the

city. And Iuda and his brethren came to Ioseph's house, for he was yet

there, and they fell before him on the ground. And Ioseph said unto

them: what deed is this which ye have done? wist ye not that such a man

as I can prophesy? Then said Iuda: what shall we say unto my lord, what

shall we speak or what excuse can we make? God hath found out the

wickedness of thy servants. Behold, both we and he with whom the cup is

found, are thy servants. And he answered: God forbid that I should do

so, the man with whom the cup is found, he shall be my servant: but go

ye in peace unto your father. Then Iuda went unto him and said: oh my

lord, let thy servant speak a word in my lord's audience, {ear} and be

not wroth with thy servant: for thou art even as Pharao. My lord asked

his servant saying: have ye a father or a brother? And we answered my

lord, we have a father that is old, and a young lad which he begat in

his age: and the brother of the said lad is dead, and he is all that is

left of that mother. And his father loveth him. Then said my lord unto

his servants bring him unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And

we answered my lord, that the lad could not go from his father, for if

he should leave his father, he were but a dead man. Then saidest thou

unto thy servants: except your youngest brother come with you, look

that ye see my face no more. And when we came unto thy servant our

father, we shewed him what my lord had said. And when our father said

unto us, go again and buy us a little food: we said, that we could not

go. Nevertheless if our youngest brother go with us then will we go,

for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with

us. Then said thy servant our father unto us. Ye know that my wife bare

me two sons. And the one went out from me and it is said of a surety

that he is torn in pieces of wild beasts, and I saw him not since. If

ye shall take this also away from me and some misfortune happen upon

him, then shall ye bring my gray head with sorrow unto the grave. Now

therefore when I come to thy servant my father, if the lad be not with

me: seeing that his life hangeth by the lad's life, then as soon as he

seeth that the lad is not come, he will die. So shall we thy servants

bring the gray head of thy servant our father with sorrow unto the

grave. For I thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father and

said: if I bring him not unto thee again. I will bear the blame all my

life long. Now therefore let me thy servant bide here for the lad, and

be my lord's bondman: and let the lad go home with his brethren. For

how can I go unto my father, and the lad not with me: lest I should see

the wretchedness that shall come on my father.

Chapter .xlv.

And Ioseph could no longer refrain before all them that stood about

him, but commanded that they should go all out from him, and that there

should be no man with him, while he uttered himself unto his brethren.

And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians and the house of Pharao heard

it. And he said unto his brethren: I am Ioseph: doth my father yet

live? But his brethren could not answer him, for they were abashed at

his presence. And Ioseph said unto his brethren: come near to me, and

they came near. And he said: I am Ioseph your brother whom ye sold into

Egypt. And now be not grieved therewith, neither let it seem a cruel

thing in your eyes, that ye sold me hither. For God did send me before

you to save life. For this is the second year of dearth in the land,

and five more are behind in which there shall neither be earing nor

harvest. Wherefore God sent me before you to make provision, that ye

might continue in the earth and to save your lives by a great

deliverance. So now it was not ye that sent me hither, but God: and he

hath made me father unto Pharao and lord over all his house, and ruler

in all the land of Egypt. Haste you and go to my father and tell him,

this sayeth thy son Ioseph: God hath made me lord over all Egypt. Come

down unto me and tarry not. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gosan

and be by me: both thou and thy children, and thy children's children:

and thy sheep, and beasts and all that thou hast. There will I make

provision for thee: for there remain yet five years of dearth, lest

thou and thy household and all that thou hast perish. Behold, your eyes

do see, and the eyes also of my brother Ben Iamin, that I speak to you

by mouth. Therefore tell my father of all my honour which I have in

Egypt and of all that ye have seen, and make haste and bring in father

hither. And he fell on his brother Ben Iamin's neck and wept, and Ben

Iamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept

upon them. And after that, his brethren talked with him. And when the

tidings was come unto Pharao's house that Ioseph's brethren were come,

it pleased Pharao well and all his servants. And Pharao spake unto

Ioseph: say unto thy brethren, this do ye: lade your beasts and get you

hence. And when ye be come unto the land of Canaan, take your father

and your households and come unto me, and I will give you the best of

the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. And commanded

also. This do ye: take chariots with you out of the land of Egypt, for

your children and for your wives: and bring your father and come. Also,

regard not your stuff, for the goods of all the land of Egypt shall be

yours. And the children of Israel did even so. And Ioseph gave them

chariots at the commandment of Pharao, and gave them vitaille also to

spend by the way. And he gave unto each of them change of raiment: but

unto Ben Iamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes

of raiment. And unto his father he sent after the same manner: ten he

asses laden with goods out of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn,

bread and meat: to serve his father by the way. So sent he his brethren

away, and they departed. And he said unto them: see that ye fall not

out by the way. And they departed from Egypt and came into the land of

Canaan unto Iacob their father, and told him saying. Ioseph is yet

alive and is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Iacob's heart

wavered, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of

Ioseph which he had said unto them. But when he saw the chariots which

Ioseph had sent to carry him, then his spirits revived. And Israel

said: I have enough, if Ioseph my son be yet alive: I will go and see

him, yer that I die.

Chapter .xlvi.

Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came unto Berseba and

offered offerings unto the God of his father Isaac. And God said unto

Israel in a vision by night, and called unto him: Iacob, Iacob. And he

answered: here am I. And he said: I am that mighty God of thy father,

fear not to go down into Egypt. For I will make of thee there a great

people. I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will also bring thee

up again, and Ioseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. And Iacob rose

up from Berseba. And the sons of Israel carried Iacob their father, and

their children and their wives in the chariots which Pharao had sent to

carry him. And they took their cattle and the goods which they had

gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt: both Iacob and all

his seed with him, his sons and his sons' sons with him: his daughters

and his sons daughters and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

These are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt,

both Iacob and his sons: Ruben Iacob's first son. The children of

Ruben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Charmi. The children of Simeon:

Iemuel, Iami, Ohad, Iachin, Zohar and Saul the son of a Cananitish

woman. The children of Levi: Gerson, Kahath and Merari. The children of

Iuda: Er, Onan, Sela, Pharez and Zerah, but Er and Onan died in the

land of Canaan. The children of Pharez, Hezron, and Hamul. The children

of Isachar: Tola, Phua, Iob and Semnon. The children of Zabulon: Sered,

Elon and Iaheleel. These be the children of Lea which she bare unto

Iacob in Mesopotamia with his daughter Dina. All these souls of his

sons and daughters make thirty and six. {.xxx. and .iij.} The children

of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Suni, Ezbon, Eri Arodi and Areli. The children

of Asser: Iemna, Iesua, Iesui, Bria and Serah their sister. And the

children of Bria were Heber and Malchiel. These are the children of

Silpha whom Laban gave to Lea his daughter. And these she bare unto

Iacob in number sixteen souls. The children of Rahel Iacob's wife:

Ioseph and Ben Iamin. And unto Ioseph in the land of Egypt were borne:

Manasses and Ephraim which Asnath the daughter of Putiphar priest of On

bare unto him. The children of Ben Iamin: Bela, Becher, Asbel, Gera,

Naeman, Ehi, Ros, Mupim, Hupim and Ard. These are the children of Rahel

which were born unto Iacob: fourteen souls altogether. The children of

Dan: Husim. The children Nepthali: Iahezeel, Guni, Iezer and Sillem.

These are the sons of Bilha which Laban gave unto Rahel his daughter,

and she bare these unto Iacob, altogether seven souls. All the souls

that came with Iacob into Egypt which came out of his loins (beside his

son's wives) were all together sixty and six souls. And the sons of

Ioseph, which were born him in Egypt were: two souls. So that all the

souls of the house of Iacob which came into Egypt are seventy. And he

sent Iuda before him unto Ioseph that the way might be shewed him unto

Gosan, and they came into the land of Gosan. And Ioseph made ready his

chariot and went against {to meet} Israel his father unto Gosan, and

presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck and wept upon his neck

a good while. And Israel said unto Ioseph: Now I am content to die,

insomuch I have seen thee, that thou art yet alive. And Ioseph said

unto his brethren and unto his father's house: I will go and shew

Pharao and tell him: that my brethren and my father's house which were

in the land of Canaan are come unto me, and how they are shepherds (for

they were men of cattle) and they have brought their sheep and their

oxen and all that they have with them. If Pharao call you and ask you

what your occupation is, say: thy servants have been occupied about

cattle, from our childhood unto this time: both we and our fathers,

that ye may dwell in the land of Gosan. For an abomination unto the

Egyptians are all that feed sheep. {For the Egyptians abhor all

shepherds.}

Chapter .xlvij.

And Ioseph went and told Pharao and said: my father and my brethren

their sheep and their beasts and all that they have, are come out of

the land of Canaan and are in the land of Gosan. And Ioseph took a part

of his brethren: even five of them, and presented them unto Pharao. And

Pharao said unto his brethren: what is your occupation? And they said

unto Pharao: feeders of sheep {shepherds} are thy servants, both we and

also our fathers. They said moreover unto Pharao: for to sojourn in the

land are we come, for thy servants have no pasture for their sheep so

sore is the famishment in the land of Canaan. Now therefore let thy

servants dwell in the land of Gosan. And Pharao said unto Ioseph: thy

father and thy brethren are come unto thee. The land of Egypt is open

before thee: In the best place of the land make both thy father and thy

brethren dwell: And even in the land of Gosan let them dwell. Moreover

if thou know any men of activity among them, make them rulers over my

cattle. And Ioseph brought in Iacob his father and set him before

Pharao. And Iacob blessed Pharao. And Pharao asked Iacob, how old art

thou? And Iacob said unto Pharao: the days of my pilgrimage are an

hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have the days of my life been,

and have not attained unto the years of the life of my fathers in the

days of their pilgrimages. And Iacob blessed Pharao and went out from

him. And Ioseph prepared dwellings for his father and his brethren, and

gave them possessions in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land:

even in the land of Rameses, as Pharao commanded. And Ioseph made

provision for his father, his brethren and all his father's household,

as young children are fed with bread. There was no bread in all the

land, for the dearth was exceeding sore: so that the land of Egypt and

the land of Canaan, were famished by the reason of the dearth. And

Ioseph brought together all the money that was found in the land of

Egypt and of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and he laid up the

money in Pharao's house. When money failed in the land of Egypt and of

Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Ioseph and said: give us

sustenance: wherefore sufferest thou us to die before thee: for our

money is spent. Then said Ioseph: bring your cattle, and I will give

yow for your cattle, if ye be without money. And they brought their

cattle unto Ioseph. And he gave them bread for horses and sheep, and

oxen and asses: so he fed them with bread for all their cattle that

year. When that year was ended, they came unto him the next year and

said unto him: we will not hide it from my lord, how that we have

neither money nor cattle for my lord: there is no more left for my

lord, but even our bodies and our lands. Wherefore lettest thou us die

before thine eyes, and the land to go to nought? buy us and our lands

for bread: and let both us and our lands be bond to Pharao. Give us

seed, that we may live and not die, and that the land go not to waste.

And Ioseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharao. For the Egyptians

sold every man his land because the dearth was sore upon them: and so

the land became Pharao's. And he appointed the people unto the cities,

from one side of Egypt unto the other: only the land of the Priests

bought he not. For there was an ordinance made by Pharao for the

priests, that they should eat that which was appointed unto them: which

Pharao had given them wherefore they sold not their lands. Then Ioseph

said unto the folk: behold I have bought you this day and your lands

for Pharao. Take there seed and go sow the land. And of the increase,

ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharao, and four parts shall be your

own, for seed to sow the field: and for you, and them of your

households, and for your children, to eat. And they answered: Thou hast

saved our lives. Let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and let us

be Pharao's servants. And Ioseph made it a law over the land of Egypt

unto this day: that men must give Pharao the fifth part, except the

land of the priests only, which was not bond unto Pharao. And Israel

dwelt in Egypt: even in the country of Gosan. And they had their

possessions therein, and they grew and multiplied exceedingly. Moreover

Iacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, so that the hole age

of Iacob was an hundred and forty seven years. When the time drew nye,

that Israel must die: he sent for his son Ioseph and said unto him: If

I have found grace in thy sight, put thy hand under my thigh and deal

mercifully and truly with me, that thou bury me not in Egypt: but let

me lie by my fathers, and carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their

burial. And he answered: I will do as thou hast said. And he said:

swear unto me: and he sware unto him. And then Israel bowed him unto

the bed's head.

Chapter .xlviij.

After these deeds, tidings were brought unto Ioseph, that his father

was sick. And he took with him his two sons, Manasse and Ephraim. Then

was it said unto Iacob: behold, thy son Ioseph cometh unto thee. And

Israel took his strength unto him, and sat up on the bed, and said unto

Ioseph: God all mighty appeared unto me at Lus in the land of Canaan,

and blessed me, and said unto me: behold, I will make thee grow and

will multiply thee, and will make a great number of people of thee, and

will give this land unto thee and unto thy seed after thee unto an

everlasting possession. Now therefore thy two sons Manasse and Ephraim

which were born unto thee before I came to thee, into Egypt, shall be

mine: even as Ruben and Simeon shall they be unto me. And the children

which thou gettest after them, shall be thine own: but shall be called

with the names of their brethren in their inheritances. And after I

came from Mesopotamia, Rahel died upon my hand in the land of Canaan,

by the way: when I had but a field's brede to go unto Ephrat. And I

buried her there in the way to Ephrat which is now called Bethlehem.

And Israel beheld Ioseph's sons and said: what are these? And Ioseph

said unto his father: they are my sons, which God hath given me here.

And he said: bring them to me, and let me bless them. And the eyes of

Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them

to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said unto

Ioseph: I had not thought to have seen thy face, and yet lo, God hath

shewed it me and also thy seed. And Ioseph took them away from his lap,

and they fell on the ground before him. Then took Ioseph them both:

Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand and Manasse in his

left hand, toward Israel's right hand, and brought them unto him. And

Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head

which was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasse's head, crossing

his hands, for Manasse was the elder. And he blessed Ioseph saying: God

before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, and the God which

hath fed me all my life long unto this day; And the angel which hath

delivered me from all evil, bless these lads: that they may be called

after my name, and after my father Abraham and Isaac, and that they may

grow and multiply upon the earth. When Ioseph saw that his father laid

his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. And he lift

up his father's hand, to have removed it from Ephraim's head unto

Manasse's head, and said unto his father: Not so my father, for this is

the eldest. Put thy right hand upon his head. And his father would not,

but said: I know it well my son, I know it well. He shall be also a

people and shall be great. But of a troth his younger brother shall be

greater than he, and his seed shall be full of people. And he blessed

them saying: At the example of these, the Israelites shall bless and

say: God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasse. Thus set he Ephraim

before Manasse. And Israel said unto Ioseph: behold, I die. And God

shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

Moreover I give unto thee, a portion of land above thy brethren which I

gat out of the hands of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.

Chapter .xlix.

And Iacob called for his sons and said: come together, that I may tell

you what shall happen you in the last days. Gather you together and

hear ye sons of Iacob, and hearken unto Israel your father. Ruben, thou

art mine eldest son, my might and the beginning of my strength, chief

in receiving and chief in power. As unstable as water wast thou: thou

shalt therefore not be the chiefest, for thou wentest up upon thy

father's bed, and then defiledest thou my couch with going up. The

brethren Simeon and Levi, wicked instruments are their weapons. Into

their secrets come not my soul, and unto their congregation be my

honour not coupled: for in their wrath they slew a man, and in their

self will they houghed an ox. Cursed be their wrath for it was strong,

and their fierceness for it was cruel. I will therefore divide them in

Iacob, and scatter them in Israel. Iuda, thy brethren shall praise

thee, and thine hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies, and thy

father's children shall stoop unto thee. Iuda is a lion's whelp. From

spoil my son thou art come on high: {an hye} he laid him down and

couched himself as a lion, and as a lioness. Who dare stir him up? The

sceptre shall not depart from Iuda, nor a ruler from between his legs,

until Silo come, unto whom the people shall hearken. He shall bind his

foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the vine branch, and shall

wash his garment in wine and his mantle in the blood of grapes: his

eyes are roudier than wine, and his teeth whiter then milk. Zabulon

shall dwell in the haven of the sea and in the port of ships, and shall

reach unto Sidon. Isachar is a strong ass, he couched him down between

two borders, and saw that rest was good and the land that it was

pleasant, and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto

tribute. Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

Dan shall be a serpent in the way, and an adder in the path, and bite

the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. After thy

saving look I, LORD. Gad, men of war shall invade him. And he shall

turn them to flight. Of Asser cometh fat bread, and he shall give

pleasures for a king. Nephtali is a swift hind, and giveth goodly

words. That flourishing child Ioseph, that flourishing child and goodly

unto the eye: the daughters come forth to bear rule. {ran upon the

wall.} The shooters have envied him and chide with him and hated him,

and yet his bow bode fast, and his arms and his hands were strong, by

the hands of the mighty God of Iacob: out of him shall come an herdman,

a stone in Israel. Thy father's God shall help thee, and the almighty

shall bless thee with blessings from heaven above, and with blessings

of the water that lieth under, and with blessings of the breasts and of

the womb. The blessings of thy father were strong: even as the

blessings of my elders, after the desire of the highest {hiest} in the

world, and these blessings shall fall on the head of Ioseph, and on the

top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. Ben Iamin

is a ravishing wolf. In the morning he shall devour his prey, and at

night he shall divide his spoil. All these are the twelve tribes of

Israel, and this is that which their father spake unto them when he

blessed them, every man with a several blessing. And he charged them

and said unto them. I shall be put unto my people: see that ye bury me

with my fathers, in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the

Hethite, in the double cave that is in the field before Mamre in the

land of Canaan. Which field Abraham bought of Ephron the Hethite for a

possession to bury in. There they buried Abraham and Sara his wife,

there they buried Isaac and Rebecca his wife. And there I buried Lea:

which field and the cave that is therein, was bought of the children of

Heth. When Iacob had commanded all that he would unto his sons, he

plucked up his feet upon the bed and died, and was put unto his people;

Chapter .l.

And Ioseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed

him. And Ioseph commanded his servants that were Physicians, to embalm

his father, and the Physicians embalmed Israel forty days long, for so

long doth the embalming last, and the Egyptians bewept him seventy

days. And when the days of weeping were ended, Ioseph spake unto the

house of Pharao saying: If I have found favour in your eyes, speak unto

Pharao and tell him, how that my father made me swear and said: lo, I

die, see that thou bury me in my grave which I have made me in the land

of Canaan. Now therefore let me go and bury my father, and then will I

come again. And Pharao said, go and bury thy father, according as he

made thee swear. And Ioseph went up to bury his father, and with him

went all the servants of Pharao that were the elders of his house, and

all the elders of Egypt, and all the house of Ioseph and his brethren

and his father's house: only their children and their sheep and their

cattle left they behind them in the land of Gosan. And there went with

him also Chariots and horsemen: so that they were an exceeding great

company. And when they came to the field of Atad beyond Iordan, there

they made great and exceeding sore lamentation. And he mourned for his

father seven days. When the inhabiters of the land the Cananites saw

the mourning in the field of Atad, they said: this is a great mourning

which the Egyptians make. Wherefore the name of the place is called

Abel mizraim, which place lieth beyond Iordan. And his sons did unto

him according as he had commanded them. And his sons carried him into

the land of Canaan and buried him in the double cave which Abraham had

bought with the field to be a place to bury in, of Ephron the Hethite

before Mamre. And Ioseph returned to Egypt again and his brethren, and

all that went up with him to bury his father, as soon as he had buried

him. When Ioseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said:

Ioseph might fortune to hate us and reward us again all the evil which

we did unto him. They did therefore a commandment unto Ioseph saying:

thy father charged before his death saying: This wise say unto Ioseph,

forgive I pray thee the trespass of thy brethren and their sin, for

they rewarded thee evil. Now therefore we pray thee, forgive the

trespass of the servants of thy father's God. And Ioseph wept when they

spake unto him. And his brethren came and fell before him and said:

behold we be thy servants. And Ioseph said unto them: fear not, for am

not I under God? Ye thought evil unto me: but God turned it unto good

to bring to pass, as it is this day, even to save much people alive.

Fear not therefore, for I will care for you and for your children, and

he spake kindly unto them. Ioseph dwelt in Egypt and his father's house

also, and lived an hundred and ten years. And Ioseph saw Ephraim's

children, even unto the third generation. And unto Machir the son of

Manasse were children born, and sat on Ioseph's knees. And Ioseph said

unto his brethren: I die; And God will surely visit you and bring you

out of this land, unto the land which he sware unto Abraham, Isaac and

Iacob. And Ioseph took an oath of the children of Israel and said: God

will not fail but visit you: see therefore that ye carry my bones

hence. And so Ioseph died, when he was an hundred and ten years old.

And they embalmed him and put him in a chest in Egypt.

The end of the first book of Moses.