CHAPTER 22. How Isaac Died, And Was Buried In Hebron.

From thence Jacob came to Hebron, a city situate among the Canaanites;

and there it was that Isaac lived: and so they lived together for a

little while; for as to Rebeka, Jacob did not find her alive. Isaac also

died not long after the coming of his son; and was buried by his sons,

with his wife, in Hebron, where they had a monument belonging to them

from their forefathers. Now Isaac was a man who was beloved of God, and

was vouchsafed great instances of providence by God, after Abraham his

father, and lived to be exceeding old; for when he had lived virtuously

one hundred and eighty-five years, he then died.

FOOTNOTES:

1 (return) [ Since Josephus, in his Preface, sect. 4, says that Moses

wrote some things enigmatically, some allegorically, and the rest in

plain words, since in his account of the first chapter of Genesis, and

the first three verses of the second, he gives us no hints of any

mystery at all; but when he here comes to ver. 4, etc., he says that

Moses, after the seventh day was over, began to talk philosophically; it

is not very improbable that he understood the rest of the second and the

third chapters in some enigmatical, or allegorical, or philosophical

sense. The change of the name of God just at this place, from Elohim to

Jehovah Elohim, from God to Lord God, in the Hebrew, Samaritan, and

Septuagint, does also not a little favor some such change in the

narration or construction.]

2 (return) [ We may observe here, that Josephus supposed man to be

compounded of spirit, soul, and body, with St. Paul, 1 Thessalonians

5:23, and the rest of the ancients: he elsewhere says also, that the

blood of animals was forbidden to be eaten, as having in it soul and

spirit, Antiq. B. III. ch. 11. sect. 2.]

3 (return) [ Whence this strange notion came, which yet is not peculiar

to Joseph, but, as Dr. Hudson says here, is derived from older authors,

as if four of the greatest rivers in the world, running two of them at

vast distances from the other two, by some means or other watered

paradise, is hard to say. Only since Josephus has already appeared to

allegorize this history, and take notice that these four names had a

particular signification; Phison for Ganges, a multitude; Phrath for

Euphrates, either a dispersion or a flower; Diglath for Tigris, what is

swift, with narrowness; and Geon for Nile, what arises from the east,—we

perhaps mistake him when we suppose he literally means those four

rivers; especially as to Geon or Nile, which arises from the east, while

he very well knew the literal Nile arises from the south; though what

further allegorical sense he had in view, is now, I fear, impossible to

be determined.]

4 (return) [ By the Red Sea is not here meant the Arabian Gulf, which

alone we now call by that name, but all that South Sea, which included

the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf, as far as the East Indies; as Reland

and Hudson here truly note, from the old geographers.]

5 (return) [ Hence it appears, that Josephus thought several, at least,

of the brute animals, particularly the serpent, could speak before the

fall. And I think few of the more perfect kinds of those animals want

the organs of speech at this day. Many inducements there are also to a

notion, that the present state they are in, is not their original state;

and that their capacities have been once much greater than we now see

them, and are capable of being restored to their former condition. But

as to this most ancient, and authentic, and probably allegorical account

of that grand affair of the fall of our first parents, I have somewhat

more to say in way of conjecture, but being only a conjecture, I omit

it: only thus far, that the imputation of the sin of our first parents

to their posterity, any further than as some way the cause or occasion

of man's mortality, seems almost entirely groundless; and that both man,

and the other subordinate creatures, are hereafter to be delivered from

the curse then brought upon them, and at last to be delivered from that

bondage of corruption, Romans 8:19-22.]

6 (return) [ St. John's account of the reason why God accepted the

sacrifice of Abel, and rejected that of Cain; as also why Cain slew

Abel, on account of that his acceptance with God, is much better than

this of Josephus: I mean, because "Cain was of the evil one, and slew

his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil,

and his brother's righteous," 1 John 3:12. Josephus's reason seems to be

no better than a pharisaical notion or tradition.]

7 (return) [ From this Jubal, not improbably, came Jobel, the trumpet of

jobel or jubilee; that large and loud musical instrument, used in

proclaiming the liberty at the year of jubilee.]

8 (return) [ The number of Adam's children, as says the old tradition

was thirty-three sons, and twenty-three daughters.]

9 (return) [ What is here said of Seth and his posterity, that they were

very good and virtuous, and at the same time very happy, without any

considerable misfortunes, for seven generations, [see ch. 2. sect. 1,

before; and ch. 3. sect. 1, hereafter,] is exactly agreeable to the

state of the world and the conduct of Providence in all the first ages.]

10 (return) [ Of Josephus's mistake here, when he took Seth the son of

Adam, for Seth or Sesostris, king of Egypt, the erector of this pillar

in the land of Siriad, see Essay on the Old Testament, Appendix, p. 159,

160. Although the main of this relation might be true, and Adam might

foretell a conflagration and a deluge, which all antiquity witnesses to

be an ancient tradition; nay, Seth's posterity might engrave their

inventions in astronomy on two such pillars; yet it is no way credible

that they could survive the deluge, which has buried all such pillars

and edifices far under ground in the sediment of its waters, especially

since the like pillars of the Egyptian Seth or Sesostris were extant

after the flood, in the land of Siriad, and perhaps in the days of

Josephus also, as is shown in the place here referred to.]

11 (return) [ This notion, that the fallen angels were, in some sense,

the fathers of the old giants, was the constant opinion of antiquity.]

12 (return) [ Josephus here supposes that the life of these giants, for

of them only do I understand him, was now reduced to 120 years; which is

confirmed by the fragment of Enoch, sect. 10, in Authent. Rec. Part I.

p. 268. For as to the rest of mankind, Josephus himself confesses their

lives were much longer than 120 years, for many generations after the

flood, as we shall see presently; and he says they were gradually

shortened till the days of Moses, and then fixed [for some time] at 120,

ch. 6. sect. 5. Nor indeed need we suppose that either Enoch or Josephus

meant to interpret these 120 years for the life of men before the flood,

to be different from the 120 years of God's patience [perhaps while the

ark was preparing] till the deluge; which I take to be the meaning of

God when he threatened this wicked world, that if they so long continued

impenitent, their days should be no more than 120 years.]

13 (return) [ A cubit is about 21 English inches.]

14 (return) [ Josephus here truly determines, that the year at the Flood

began about the autumnal equinox. As to what day of the month the Flood

began, our Hebrew and Samaritan, and perhaps Josephus's own copy, more

rightly placed it on the 17th day, instead of the 27th, as here; for

Josephus agrees with them, as to the distance of 150 days to the 17th

day of the 7th month, as Genesis 7. ult. with 8:3.]

15 (return) [ Josephus here takes notice, that these ancient genealogies

were first set down by those that then lived, and from them were

transmitted down to posterity; which I suppose to be the true account of

that matter. For there is no reason to imagine that men were not taught

to read and write soon after they were taught to speak; and perhaps all

by the Messiah himself, who, under the Father, was the Creator or

Governor of mankind, and who frequently in those early days appeared to

them.]

16 (return) [ This [GREEK], or Place of Descent, is the proper rendering

of the Armenian name of this very city. It is called in Ptolemy Naxuana,

and by Moses Chorenensis, the Armenian historian, Idsheuan; but at the

place itself Nachidsheuan, which signifies The first place of descent,

and is a lasting monument of the preservation of Noah in the ark, upon

the top of that mountain, at whose foot it was built, as the first city

or town after the flood. See Antiq. B. XX. ch. 2. sect. 3; and Moses

Chorenensis, who also says elsewhere, that another town was related by

tradition to have been called Seron, or, The Place of Dispersion, on

account of the dispersion of Xisuthrus's or Noah's sons, from thence

first made. Whether any remains of this ark be still preserved, as the

people of the country suppose, I cannot certainly tell. Mons. Tournefort

had, not very long since, a mind to see the place himself, but met with

too great dangers and difficulties to venture through them.]

17 (return) [ One observation ought not here to be neglected, with

regard to that Ethiopic war which Moses, as general of the Egyptians,

put an end to, Antiq. B. II. ch. 10., and about which our late writers

seem very much unconcerned; viz. that it was a war of that consequence,

as to occasion the removal or destruction of six or seven nations of the

posterity of Mitzraim, with their cities; which Josephus would not have

said, if he had not had ancient records to justify those his assertions,

though those records be now all lost.]

18 (return) [ That the Jews were called Hebrews from this their

progenitor Heber, our author Josephus here rightly affirms; and not from

Abram the Hebrew, or passenger over Euphrates, as many of the moderns

suppose. Shem is also called the father of all the children of Heber, or

of all the Hebrews, in a history long before Abram passed over

Euphrates, Genesis 10:21, though it must be confessed that, Genesis

14:13, where the original says they told Abram the Hebrew, the

Septuagint renders it the passenger, [GREEK]: but this is spoken only of

Abram himself, who had then lately passed over Euphrates, and is another

signification of the Hebrew word, taken as an appellative, and not as a

proper name.]

19 (return) [ It is worth noting here, that God required no other

sacrifices under the law of Moses, than what were taken from these five

kinds of animals which he here required of Abram. Nor did the Jews feed

upon any other domestic animals than the three here named, as Reland

observes on Antiq. B. IV. ch. 4. sect. 4.]

20 (return) [ As to this affliction of Abram's posterity for 400 years,

see Antiq. B. II. ch. 9. sect. 1.]

21 (return) [ These sons-in-law to Lot, as they are called, Genesis

19:12-14, might be so styled, because they were betrothed to Lot's

daughters, though not yet married to them. See the note on Antiq. B.

XIV. ch. 13. sect. 1.]

22 (return) [ Of the War, B. IV. ch. 8. sect. 4.]

23 (return) [ This pillar of salt was, we see here, standing in the days

of Josephus, and he had seen it. That it was standing then is also

attested by Clement of Rome, contemporary with Josephus; as also that it

was so in the next century, is attested by Irenaeus, with the addition

of an hypothesis, how it came to last so long, with all its members

entire.—Whether the account that some modern travelers give be true,

that it is still standing, I do not know. Its remote situation, at the

most southern point of the Sea of Sodom, in the wild and dangerous

deserts of Arabia, makes it exceeding difficult for inquisitive

travelers to examine the place; and for common reports of country

people, at a distance, they are not very satisfactory. In the mean time,

I have no opinion of Le Clerc's dissertation or hypothesis about this

question, which can only be determined by eye-witnesses. When Christian

princes, so called, lay aside their foolish and unchristian wars and

quarrels, and send a body of fit persons to travel over the east, and

bring us faithful accounts of all ancient monuments, and procure us

copies of all ancient records, at present lost among us, we may hope for

full satisfaction in such inquiries; but hardly before.]

24 (return) [ I see no proper wicked intention in these daughters of

Lot, when in a case which appeared to them of unavoidable necessity,

they procured themselves to be with child by their father. Without such

an unavoidable necessity, incest is a horrid crime; but whether in such

a case of necessity, as they apprehended this to be, according to

Josephus, it was any such crime, I am not satisfied. In the mean time,

their making their father drunk, and their solicitous concealment of

what they did from him, shows that they despaired of persuading him to

an action which, at the best, could not but be very suspicious and

shocking to so good a man.]

25 (return) [ It is well worth observation, that Josephus here calls

that principal Angel, who appeared to Abraham and foretold the birth of

Isaac, directly God; which language of Josephus here, prepares us to

believe those other expressions of his, that Jesus was a wise man, if it

be lawful to call him a man, Antiq. B. XVIII. ch. 3. sect. 3, and of God

the Word, in his homily concerning Hades, may be both genuine. Nor is

the other expression of Divine Angel, used presently, and before, also

of any other signification.]

26 (return) [ Josephus here calls Ismael a young child or infant, though

he was about 13 years of age; as Judas calls himself and his brethren

young men, when he was 47, and had two children, Antiq. B. II. ch. 6.

sect. 8, and they were of much the same age; as is a damsel of 12 years

old called a little child, Mark 5:39-42, five several times. Herod is

also said by Josephus to be a very young man at 25. See the note on

Antiq. B. XIV. ch. 9. sect 2, and of the War, B. I. ch. 10. And

Aristobulus is styled a very little child at 16 years of age, Antiq. B.

XV. ch. 2. sect. 6, 7. Domitian also is called by him a very young

child, when he went on his German expedition at about 18 years of age,

of the War, B. VII. ch. 4. sect. 2. Samson's wife, and Ruth, when they

were widows, are called children, Antiq. B. V. ch. 8. sect. 6, and ch.

9. sect. 2 3.]

27 (return) [ Note, that both here and Hebrews 11:17, Isaac is called

Abraham's only begotten son, though he at the same time had another son,

Ismael. The Septuagint expresses the true meaning, by rendering the text

the beloved son.]

28 (return) [ Here is a plain error in the copies which say that king

David afterwards built the temple on this Mount Moriah, while it was

certainly no other than king Solomon who built that temple, as indeed

Procopius cites it from Josephus. For it was for certain David, and not

Solomon, who built the first altar there, as we learn, 2 Samuel 24:18,

etc.; 1 Chronicles 21:22, etc.; and Antiq. B. VII. ch. 13. sect. 4.]

29 (return) [ It seems both here, and in God's parallel blessing to

Jacob, ch. 19. sect. 1, that Josephus had yet no notion of the hidden

meaning of that most important and most eminent promise, "In thy seed

shall all the families of the earth be blessed. He saith not, and of

seeds, as of many, but as of one; and to thy seed, which is Christ,"

Galatians 3:16. Nor is it any wonder, he being, I think, as yet not a

Christian. And had he been a Christian, yet since he was, to be sure,

till the latter part of his life, no more than an Ebionite Christian,

who, above all the apostles, rejected and despised St. Paul, it would be

no great wonder if he did not now follow his interpretation. In the mean

time, we have in effect St. Paul's exposition in the Testament of

Reuben, sect. 6, in Authent. Rec. Part I. p. 302, who charges his sons

"to worship the seed of Judah, who should die for them in visible and

invisible wars; and should be among them an eternal king." Nor is that

observation of a learned foreigner of my acquaintance to be despised,

who takes notice, that as seeds in the plural, must signify posterity,

so seed in the singular may signify either posterity, or a single

person; and that in this promise of all nations being happy in the seed

of Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob, etc., it is always used in the singular.

To which I shall add, that it is sometimes, as it were, paraphrased by

the son of Abraham, the son of David, etc., which is capable of no such

ambiguity.]

30 (return) [ The birth of Jacob and Esau is here said to be after

Abraham's death: it should have been after Sarah's death. The order of

the narration in Genesis, not always exactly according to the order of

time, seems to have led Josephus into this error, as Dr. Bernard

observes here.]

31 (return) [ For Seir in Josephus, the coherence requires that we read

Esau or Seir, which signify the same thing.]

32 (return) [ The supper of savory meat, as we call it, Genesis 27:4, to

be caught by hunting, was intended plainly for a festival or a

sacrifice; and upon the prayers that were frequent at sacrifices, Isaac

expected, as was then usual in such eminent cases, that a divine impulse

would come upon him, in order to the blessing of his son there present,

and his foretelling his future behavior and fortune. Whence it must be,

that when Isaac had unwittingly blessed Jacob, and was afterwards made

sensible of his mistake, yet did he not attempt to alter it, how

earnestly soever his affection for Esau might incline him to wish it

might be altered, because he knew that this blessing came not from

himself, but from God, and that an alteration was out of his power. A

second afflatus then came upon him, and enabled him to foretell Esau's

future behavior and foretell Esau's future behavior and fortune also.]

33 (return) [ Whether Jacob or his mother Rebeka were most blameable in

this imposition upon Isaac in his old age, I cannot determine. However

the blessing being delivered as a prediction of future events, by a

Divine impulse, and foretelling things to befall to the posterity of

Jacob and Esau in future ages, was for certain providential; and

according to what Rebeka knew to be the purpose of God, when he answered

her inquiry, "before the children were born," Genesis 25:23, "that one

people should be stronger than the other people; and the elder, Esau,

should serve the younger, Jacob." Whether Isaac knew or remembered this

old oracle, delivered in our copies only to Rebeka; or whether, if he

knew and remembered it, he did not endeavor to alter the Divine

determination, out of his fondness for his elder and worser son Esau, to

the damage of his younger and better son Jacob, as Josephus elsewhere

supposes, Antiq. B. II. ch. 7. sect. 3; I cannot certainly say. If so,

this might tempt Rebeka to contrive, and Jacob to put this imposition

upon him. However, Josephus says here, that it was Isaac, and not

Rebeka, who inquired of God at first, and received the forementioned

oracle, sect. 1; which, if it be the true reading, renders Isaac's

procedure more inexcusable. Nor was it probably any thing else that so

much encouraged Esau formerly to marry two Canaanitish wives, without

his parents' consent, as Isaac's unhappy fondness for him.]

34 (return) [ By this "deprivation of the kingdom that was to be given

Esau of God," as the first-born, it appears that Josephus thought that a

"kingdom to be derived from God" was due to him whom Isaac should bless

as his first-born, which I take to be that kingdom which was expected

under the Messiah, who therefore was to be born of his posterity whom

Isaac should so bless. Jacob therefore by obtaining this blessing of the

first-born, became the genuine heir of that kingdom, in opposition to

Esau.]

35 (return) [ Here we have the difference between slaves for life and

servants, such as we now hire for a time agreed upon on both sides, and

dismiss again after he time contracted for is over, which are no slaves,

but free men and free women. Accordingly, when the Apostolical

Constitutions forbid a clergyman to marry perpetual servants or slaves,

B. VI. ch. 17., it is meant only of the former sort; as we learn

elsewhere from the same Constitutions, ch. 47. Can. LXXXII. But

concerning these twelve sons of Jacob, the reasons of their several

names, and the times of their several births in the intervals here

assigned, their several excellent characters, their several faults and

repentance, the several accidents of their lives, with their several

prophecies at their deaths, see the Testaments of these twelve

patriarchs, still preserved at large in the Authent. Rec. Part I. p.

294-443.]

36 (return) [ I formerly explained these mandrakes, as we, with the

Septuagint, and Josephus, render the Hebrew word Dudaim, of the Syrian

Maux, with Ludolphus, Antbent. Rec. Part I. p. 420; but have since seen

such a very probable account in M. S. of my learned friend Mr. Samuel

Barker, of what we still call mandrakes, and their description by the

ancient naturalists and physicians, as inclines me to think these here

mentioned were really mandrakes, and no other.]

37 (return) [ Perhaps this may be the proper meaning of the word Israel,

by the present and the old Jerusalem analogy of the Hebrew tongue. In

the mean time, it is certain that the Hellenists of the first century,

in Egypt and elsewhere, interpreted Israel to be a man seeing God, as is

evident from the argument fore-cited.]

38 (return) [ Of this slaughter of the Shechemites by Simeon and Levi,

see Authent. Rec. Part I. p. 309, 418, 432-439. But why Josephus has

omitted the circumcision of these Shechemites, as the occasion of their

death; and of Jacob's great grief, as in the Testament of Levi, sect. 5;

I cannot tell.]

39 (return) [ Since Benoni signifies the son of my sorrow, and Benjamin

the son of days, or one born in the father's old age, Genesis 44:20, I

suspect Josephus's present copies to be here imperfect, and suppose

that, in correspondence to other copies, he wrote that Rachel called her

son's name Benoni, but his father called him Benjamin, Genesis 35:18. As

for Benjamin, as commonly explained, the son of the right hand, it makes

no sense at all, and seems to be a gross modern error only. The

Samaritan always writes this name truly Benjamin, which probably is here

of the same signification, only with the Chaldee termination in, instead

of im in the Hebrew; as we pronounce cherubin or cherubim indifferently.

Accordingly, both the Testament of Benjamin, sect. 2, p. 401, and Philo

de Nominum Mutatione, p. 1059, write the name Benjamin, but explain it

not the son of the right hand, but the son of days.]

BOOK II. Containing The Interval Of Two Hundred And Twenty Years.—From

The Death Of Isaac To The Exodus Out Of Egypt.

CHAPTER 1. How Esau And Jacob, Isaac's Sons Divided Their Habitation;

And Esau Possessed Idumea And Jacob Canaan.

1. After the death of Isaac, his sons divided their habitations

respectively; nor did they retain what they had before; but Esau

departed from the city of Hebron, and left it to his brother, and dwelt

in Seir, and ruled over Idumea. He called the country by that name from

himself, for he was named Adom; which appellation he got on the

following occasion:—One day returning from the toil of hunting very

hungry, [it was when he was a child in age,] he lighted on his brother

when he was getting ready lentile-pottage for his dinner, which was of a

very red color; on which account he the more earnestly longed for it,

and desired him to give him some of it to eat: but he made advantage of

his brother's hunger, and forced him to resign up to him his birthright;

and he, being pinched with famine, resigned it up to him, under an oath.

Whence it came, that, on account of the redness of this pottage, he was,

in way of jest, by his contemporaries, called Adom, for the Hebrews call

what is red Adom; and this was the name given to the country; but the

Greeks gave it a more agreeable pronunciation, and named it Idumea.

2. He became the father of five sons; of whom Jaus, and Jalomus, and

Coreus, were by one wife, whose name was Alibama; but of the rest,

Aliphaz was born to him by Ada, and Raguel by Basemmath: and these were

the sons of Esau. Aliphaz had five legitimate sons; Theman, Omer,

Saphus, Gotham, and Kanaz; for Amalek was not legitimate, but by a

concubine, whose name was Thamna. These dwelt in that part of Idumea

which is called Gebalitis, and that denominated from Amalek, Amalekitis;

for Idumea was a large country, and did then preserve the name of the

whole, while in its several parts it kept the names of its peculiar

inhabitants.

CHAPTER 2. How Joseph, The Youngest Of Jacob's Sons, Was Envied By His

Brethren, When Certain Dreams Had Foreshown His Future Happiness.

1. It happened that Jacob came to so great happiness as rarely any other

person had arrived at. He was richer than the rest of the inhabitants of

that country; and was at once envied and admired for such virtuous sons,

for they were deficient in nothing, but were of great souls, both for

laboring with their hands and enduring of toil; and shrewd also in

understanding. And God exercised such a providence over him, and such a

care of his happiness, as to bring him the greatest blessings, even out

of what appeared to be the most sorrowful condition; and to make him the

cause of our forefathers' departure out of Egypt, him and his posterity.

The occasion was this:—When Jacob had his son Joseph born to him by

Rachel, his father loved him above the rest of his sons, both because of

the beauty of his body, and the virtues of his mind, for he excelled the

rest in prudence. This affection of his father excited the envy and the

hatred of his brethren; as did also his dreams which he saw, and related

to his father, and to them, which foretold his future happiness, it

being usual with mankind to envy their very nearest relations such their

prosperity. Now the visions which Joseph saw in his sleep were these:—

2. When they were in the middle of harvest, and Joseph was sent by his

father, with his brethren, to gather the fruits of the earth, he saw a

vision in a dream, but greatly exceeding the customary appearances that

come when we are asleep; which, when he was got up, he told his

brethren, that they might judge what it portended. He said, he saw the

last night, that his wheat-sheaf stood still in the place where he set

it, but that their sheaves ran to bow down to it, as servants bow down

to their masters. But as soon as they perceived the vision foretold that

he should obtain power and great wealth, and that his power should be in

opposition to them, they gave no interpretation of it to Joseph, as if

the dream were not by them understood: but they prayed that no part of

what they suspected to be its meaning might come to pass; and they bare

a still greater hatred to him on that account.

3. But God, in opposition to their envy, sent a second vision to Joseph,

which was much more wonderful than the former; for it seemed to him that

the sun took with him the moon, and the rest of the stars, and came down

to the earth, and bowed down to him. He told the vision to his father,

and that, as suspecting nothing of ill-will from his brethren, when they

were there also, and desired him to interpret what it should signify.

Now Jacob was pleased with the dream: for, considering the prediction in

his mind, and shrewdly and wisely guessing at its meaning, he rejoiced

at the great things thereby signified, because it declared the future

happiness of his son; and that, by the blessing of God, the time would

come when he should be honored, and thought worthy of worship by his

parents and brethren, as guessing that the moon and sun were like his

mother and father; the former, as she that gave increase and nourishment

to all things; and the latter, he that gave form and other powers to

them; and that the stars were like his brethren, since they were eleven

in number, as were the stars that receive their power from the sun and

moon.

4. And thus did Jacob make a judgment of this vision, and that a shrewd

one also. But these interpretations caused very great grief to Joseph's

brethren; and they were affected to him hereupon as if he were a certain

stranger, that was to those good things which were signified by the

dreams and not as one that was a brother, with whom it was probable they

should be joint-partakers; and as they had been partners in the same

parentage, so should they be of the same happiness. They also resolved

to kill the lad; and having fully ratified that intention of theirs, as

soon as their collection of the fruits was over, they went to Shechem,

which is a country good for feeding of cattle, and for pasturage; there

they fed their flocks, without acquainting their father with their

removal thither; whereupon he had melancholy suspicions about them, as

being ignorant of his sons' condition, and receiving no messenger from

the flocks that could inform him of the true state they were in; so,

because he was in great fear about them, he sent Joseph to the flocks,

to learn the circumstances his brethren were in, and to bring him word

how they did.

CHAPTER 3. How Joseph Was Thus Sold By His Brethren Into Egypt, By

Reason Of Their Hatred To Him; And How He There Grew Famous And

Illustrious And Had His Brethren Under His Power.

1. Now these brethren rejoiced as soon as they saw their brother coming

to them, not indeed as at the presence of a near relation, or as at the

presence of one sent by their father, but as at the presence of an

enemy, and one that by Divine Providence was delivered into their hands;

and they already resolved to kill him, and not let slip the opportunity

that lay before them. But when Reubel, the eldest of them, saw them thus

disposed, and that they had agreed together to execute their purpose, he

tried to restrain them, showing them the heinous enterprise they were

going about, and the horrid nature of it; that this action would appear

wicked in the sight of God, and impious before men, even though they

should kill one not related to them; but much more flagitious and

detestable to appear to have slain their own brother, by which act the

father must be treated unjustly in the son's slaughter, and the mother 1

also be in perplexity while she laments that her son is taken away from

her, and this not in a natural way neither. So he entreated them to have

a regard to their own consciences, and wisely to consider what mischief

would betide them upon the death of so good a child, and their youngest

brother; that they would also fear God, who was already both a spectator

and a witness of the designs they had against their brother; that he

would love them if they abstained from this act, and yielded to

repentance and amendment; but in case they proceeded to do the fact, all

sorts of punishments would overtake them from God for this murder of

their brother, since they polluted his providence, which was every where

present, and which did not overlook what was done, either in deserts or

in cities; for wheresoever a man is, there ought he to suppose that God

is also. He told them further, that their consciences would be their

enemies, if they attempted to go through so wicked an enterprise, which

they can never avoid, whether it be a good conscience; or whether it be

such a one as they will have within them when once they have killed

their brother. He also added this besides to what he had before said,

that it was not a righteous thing to kill a brother, though he had

injured them; that it is a good thing to forget the actions of such near

friends, even in things wherein they might seem to have offended; but

that they were going to kill Joseph, who had been guilty of nothing that

was ill towards them, in whose case the infirmity of his small age

should rather procure him mercy, and move them to unite together in the

care of his preservation. That the cause of killing him made the act

itself much worse, while they determined to take him off out of envy at

his future prosperity, an equal share of which they would naturally

partake while he enjoyed it, since they were to him not strangers, but

the nearest relations, for they might reckon upon what God bestowed upon

Joseph as their own; and that it was fit for them to believe, that the

anger of God would for this cause be more severe upon them, if they slew

him who was judged by God to be worthy of that prosperity which was to

be hoped for; and while, by murdering him, they made it impossible for

God to bestow it upon him.

2. Reubel said these and many other things, and used entreaties to them,

and thereby endeavored to divert them from the murder of their brother.

But when he saw that his discourse had not mollified them at all, and

that they made haste to do the fact, he advised them to alleviate the

wickedness they were going about, in the manner of taking Joseph off;

for as he had exhorted them first, when they were going to revenge

themselves, to be dissuaded from doing it; so, since the sentence for

killing their brother had prevailed, he said that they would not,

however, be so grossly guilty, if they would be persuaded to follow his

present advice, which would include what they were so eager about, but

was not so very bad, but, in the distress they were in, of a lighter

nature. He begged of them, therefore, not to kill their brother with

their own hands, but to cast him into the pit that was hard by, and so

to let him die; by which they would gain so much, that they would not

defile their own hands with his blood. To this the young men readily

agreed; so Reubel took the lad and tied him to a cord, and let him down

gently into the pit, for it had no water at all in it; who, when he had

done this, went his way to seek for such pasturage as was fit for

feeding his flocks.

3. But Judas, being one of Jacob's sons also, seeing some Arabians, of

the posterity of Ismael, carrying spices and Syrian wares out of the

land of Gilead to the Egyptians, after Rubel was gone, advised his

brethren to draw Joseph out of the pit, and sell him to the Arabians;

for if he should die among strangers a great way off, they should be

freed from this barbarous action. This, therefore, was resolved on; so

they drew Joseph up out of the pit, and sold him to the merchants for

twenty pounds 2 He was now seventeen years old. But Reubel, coming in

the night-time to the pit, resolved to save Joseph, without the privity

of his brethren; and when, upon his calling to him, he made no answer,

he was afraid that they had destroyed him after he was gone; of which he

complained to his brethren; but when they had told him what they had

done, Reubel left off his mourning.

4. When Joseph's brethren had done thus to him, they considered what

they should do to escape the suspicions of their father. Now they had

taken away from Joseph the coat which he had on when he came to them at

the time they let him down into the pit; so they thought proper to tear

that coat to pieces, and to dip it into goats' blood, and then to carry

it and show it to their father, that he might believe he was destroyed

by wild beasts. And when they had so done, they came to the old man, but

this not till what had happened to his son had already come to his

knowledge. Then they said that they had not seen Joseph, nor knew what

mishap had befallen him; but that they had found his coat bloody and

torn to pieces, whence they had a suspicion that he had fallen among

wild beasts, and so perished, if that was the coat he had on when he

came from home. Now Jacob had before some better hopes that his son was

only made a captive; but now he laid aside that notion, and supposed

that this coat was an evident argument that he was dead, for he well

remembered that this was the coat he had on when he sent him to his

brethren; so he hereafter lamented the lad as now dead, and as if he had

been the father of no more than one, without taking any comfort in the

rest; and so he was also affected with his misfortune before he met with

Joseph's brethren, when he also conjectured that Joseph was destroyed by

wild beasts. He sat down also clothed in sackcloth and in heavy

affliction, insomuch that he found no ease when his sons comforted him,

neither did his pains remit by length of time.

CHAPTER 4. Concerning The Signal Chastity Of Joseph.

1. Now Potiphar, an Egyptian, who was chief cook to king Pharaoh, bought

Joseph of the merchants, who sold him to him. He had him in the greatest

honor, and taught him the learning that became a free man, and gave him

leave to make use of a diet better than was allotted to slaves. He

intrusted also the care of his house to him. So he enjoyed these

advantages, yet did not he leave that virtue which he had before, upon

such a change of his condition; but he demonstrated that wisdom was able

to govern the uneasy passions of life, in such as have it in reality,

and do not only put it on for a show, under a present state of

prosperity.

2. For when his master's wife was fallen in love with him, both on

account of his beauty of body, and his dexterous management of affairs;

and supposed, that if she should make it known to him, she could easily

persuade him to come and lie with her, and that he would look upon it as

a piece of happy fortune that his mistress should entreat him, as

regarding that state of slavery he was in, and not his moral character,

which continued after his condition was changed. So she made known her

naughty inclinations, and spake to him about lying with her. However, he

rejected her entreaties, not thinking it agreeable to religion to yield

so far to her, as to do what would tend to the affront and injury of him

that purchased him, and had vouchsafed him so great honors. He, on the

contrary, exhorted her to govern that passion; and laid before her the

impossibility of her obtaining her desires, which he thought might be

conquered, if she had no hope of succeeding; and he said, that as to

himself, he would endure any thing whatever before he would be persuaded

to it; for although it was fit for a slave, as he was, to do nothing

contrary to his mistress, he might well be excused in a case where the

contradiction was to such sort of commands only. But this opposition of

Joseph, when she did not expect it, made her still more violent in her

love to him; and as she was sorely beset with this naughty passion, so

she resolved to compass her design by a second attempt.

3. When, therefore, there was a public festival coming on, in which it

was the custom for women to come to the public solemnity; she pretended

to her husband that she was sick, as contriving an opportunity for

solitude and leisure, that she might entreat Joseph again. Which

opportunity being obtained, she used more kind words to him than before;

and said that it had been good for him to have yielded to her first

solicitation, and to have given her no repulse, both because of the

reverence he ought to bear to her dignity who solicited him, and because

of the vehemence of her passion, by which she was forced though she were

his mistress to condescend beneath her dignity; but that he may now, by

taking more prudent advice, wipe off the imputation of his former folly;

for whether it were that he expected the repetition of her solicitations

she had now made, and that with greater earnestness than before, for

that she had pretended sickness on this very account, and had preferred

his conversation before the festival and its solemnity; or whether he

opposed her former discourses, as not believing she could be in earnest;

she now gave him sufficient security, by thus repeating her application,

that she meant not in the least by fraud to impose upon him; and assured

him, that if he complied with her affections, he might expect the

enjoyment of the advantages he already had; and if he were submissive to

her, he should have still greater advantages; but that he must look for

revenge and hatred from her, in case he rejected her desires, and

preferred the reputation of chastity before his mistress; for that he

would gain nothing by such procedure, because she would then become his

accuser, and would falsely pretend to her husband, that he had attempted

her chastity; and that Potiphar would hearken to her words rather than

to his, let his be ever so agreeable to the truth.

4. When the woman had said thus, and even with tears in her eyes,

neither did pity dissuade Joseph from his chastity, nor did fear compel

him to a compliance with her; but he opposed her solicitations, and did

not yield to her threatenings, and was afraid to do an ill thing, and

chose to undergo the sharpest punishment rather than to enjoy his

present advantages, by doing what his own conscience knew would justly

deserve that he should die for it. He also put her in mind that she was

a married woman, and that she ought to cohabit with her husband only;

and desired her to suffer these considerations to have more weight with

her than the short pleasure of lustful dalliance, which would bring her

to repentance afterwards, would cause trouble to her, and yet would not

amend what had been done amiss. He also suggested to her the fear she

would be in lest they should be caught; and that the advantage of

concealment was uncertain, and that only while the wickedness was not

known [would there be any quiet for them]; but that she might have the

enjoyment of her husband's company without any danger. And he told her,

that in the company of her husband she might have great boldness from a

good conscience, both before God and before men. Nay, that she would act

better like his mistress, and make use of her authority over him better

while she persisted in her chastity, than when they were both ashamed

for what wickedness they had been guilty of; and that it is much better

to a life, well and known to have been so, than upon the hopes of the

concealment of evil practices.

5. Joseph, by saying this, and more, tried to restrain the violent

passion of the woman, and to reduce her affections within the rules of

reason; but she grew more ungovernable and earnest in the matter; and

since she despaired of persuading him, she laid her hands upon him, and

had a mind to force him. But as soon as Joseph had got away from her

anger, leaving also his garment with her, for he left that to her, and

leaped out of her chamber, she was greatly afraid lest he should

discover her lewdness to her husband, and greatly troubled at the

affront he had offered her; so she resolved to be beforehand with him,

and to accuse Joseph falsely to Potiphar, and by that means to revenge

herself on him for his pride and contempt of her; and she thought it a

wise thing in itself, and also becoming a woman, thus to prevent his

accusation. Accordingly she sat sorrowful and in confusion, framing

herself so hypocritically and angrily, that the sorrow, which was really

for her being disappointed of her lust, might appear to be for the

attempt upon her chastity; so that when her husband came home, and was

disturbed at the sight of her and inquired what was the cause of the

disorder she was in, she began to accuse Joseph: and, "O husband," said

she, "mayst thou not live a day longer if thou dost not punish the

wicked slave who has desired to defile thy bed; who has neither minded

who he was when he came to our house, so as to behave himself with

modesty; nor has he been mindful of what favors he had received from thy

bounty [as he must be an ungrateful man indeed, unless he, in every

respect, carry himself in a manner agreeable to us]: this man, I say,

laid a private design to abuse thy wife, and this at the time of a

festival, observing when thou wouldst be absent. So that it now is clear

that his modesty, as it appeared to be formerly, was only because of the

restraint he was in out of fear of thee, but that he was not really of a

good disposition. This has been occasioned by his being advanced to

honor beyond what he deserved, and what he hoped for; insomuch that he

concluded, that he who was deemed fit to be trusted with thy estate and

the government of thy family, and was preferred above thy eldest

servants, might be allowed to touch thy wife also." Thus when she had

ended her discourse, she showed him his garment, as if he then left it

with her when he attempted to force her. But Potiphar not being able to

disbelieve what his wife's tears showed, and what his wife said, and

what he saw himself, and being seduced by his love to his wife, did not

set himself about the examination of the truth; but taking it for

granted that his wife was a modest woman, and condemning Joseph as a

wicked man, he threw him into the malefactors' prison; and had a still

higher opinion of his wife, and bare her witness that she was a woman of

a becoming modesty and chastity.

CHAPTER 5. What Things Befell Joseph In Prison.

1. Now Joseph, commending all his affairs to God, did not betake himself

to make his defense, nor to give an account of the exact circumstances

of the fact, but silently underwent the bonds and the distress he was

in, firmly believing that God, who knew the cause of his affliction, and

the truth of the fact, would be more powerful than those that inflicted

the punishments upon him:—a proof of whose providence he quickly

received; for the keeper of the prison taking notice of his care and

fidelity in the affairs he had set him about, and the dignity of his

countenance, relaxed his bonds, and thereby made his heavy calamity

lighter, and more supportable to him. He also permitted him to make use

of a diet better than that of the rest of the prisoners. Now, as his

fellow prisoners, when their hard labors were over, fell to discoursing

one among another, as is usual in such as are equal sufferers, and to

inquire one of another what were the occasions of their being condemned

to a prison: among them the king's cupbearer, and one that had been

respected by him, was put in bonds, upon the king's anger at him. This

man was under the same bonds with Joseph, and grew more familiar with

him; and upon his observing that Joseph had a better understanding than

the rest had, he told him of a dream he had, and desired he would

interpret its meaning, complaining that, besides the afflictions he

underwent from the king, God did also add to him trouble from his

dreams.

2. He therefore said, that in his sleep he saw three clusters of grapes

hanging upon three branches of a vine, large already, and ripe for

gathering; and that he squeezed them into a cup which the king held in

his hand; and when he had strained the wine, he gave it to the king to

drink, and that he received it from him with a pleasant countenance.

This, he said, was what he saw; and he desired Joseph, that if he had

any portion of understanding in such matters, he would tell him what

this vision foretold. Who bid him be of good cheer, and expect to be

loosed from his bonds in three days' time, because the king desired his

service, and was about to restore him to it again; for he let him know

that God bestows the fruit of the vine upon men for good; which wine is

poured out to him, and is the pledge of fidelity and mutual confidence

among men; and puts an end to their quarrels, takes away passion and

grief out of the minds of them that use it, and makes them cheerful.

"Thou sayest that thou didst squeeze this wine from three clusters of

grapes with thine hands, and that the king received it: know, therefore,

that this vision is for thy good, and foretells a release from thy

present distress within the same number of days as the branches had

whence thou gatheredst thy grapes in thy sleep. However, remember what

prosperity I have foretold thee when thou hast found it true by

experience; and when thou art in authority, do not overlook us in this

prison, wherein thou wilt leave us when thou art gone to the place we

have foretold; for we are not in prison for any crime; but for the sake

of our virtue and sobriety are we condemned to suffer the penalty of

malefactors, and because we are not willing to injure him that has thus

distressed us, though it were for our own pleasure." The cupbearer,

therefore, as was natural to do, rejoiced to hear such an interpretation

of his dream, and waited the completion of what had been thus shown him

beforehand.

3. But another servant there was of the king, who had been chief baker,

and was now bound in prison with the cupbearer; he also was in good

hope, upon Joseph's interpretation of the other's vision, for he had

seen a dream also; so he desired that Joseph would tell him what the

visions he had seen the night before might mean. They were these that

follow:—"Methought," says he, "I carried three baskets upon my head; two

were full of loaves, and the third full of sweetmeats and other

eatables, such as are prepared for kings; but that the fowls came

flying, and eat them all up, and had no regard to my attempt to drive

them away." And he expected a prediction like to that of the cupbearer.

But Joseph, considering and reasoning about the dream, said to him, that

he would willingly be an interpreter of good events to him, and not of

such as his dream denounced to him; but he told him that he had only

three days in all to live, for that the [three] baskets signify, that on

the third day he should be crucified, and devoured by fowls, while he

was not able to help himself. Now both these dreams had the same several

events that Joseph foretold they should have, and this to both the

parties; for on the third day before mentioned, when the king solemnized

his birth-day, he crucified the chief baker, but set the butler free

from his bonds, and restored him to his former ministration.

4. But God freed Joseph from his confinement, after he had endured his

bonds two years, and had received no assistance from the cupbearer, who

did not remember what he had said to him formerly; and God contrived

this method of deliverance for him. Pharaoh the king had seen in his

sleep the same evening two visions; and after them had the

interpretations of them both given him. He had forgotten the latter, but

retained the dreams themselves. Being therefore troubled at what he had

seen, for it seemed to him to be all of a melancholy nature, the next

day he called together the wisest men among the Egyptians, desiring to

learn from them the interpretation of his dreams. But when they

hesitated about them, the king was so much the more disturbed. And now

it was that the memory of Joseph, and his skill in dreams, came into the

mind of the king's cupbearer, when he saw the confusion that Pharaoh was

in; so he came and mentioned Joseph to him, as also the vision he had

seen in prison, and how the event proved as he had said; as also that

the chief baker was crucified on the very same day; and that this also

happened to him according to the interpretation of Joseph. That Joseph

himself was laid in bonds by Potiphar, who was his head cook, as a

slave; but, he said, he was one of the noblest of the stock of the

Hebrews; and said further, his father lived in great splendor. "If,

therefore, thou wilt send for him, and not despise him on the score of

his misfortunes, thou wilt learn what thy dreams signify." So the king

commanded that they should bring Joseph into his presence; and those who

received the command came and brought him with them, having taken care

of his habit, that it might be decent, as the king had enjoined them to

do.

5. But the king took him by the hand; and, "O young man," says he, "for

my servant bears witness that thou art at present the best and most

skillful person I can consult with; vouchsafe me the same favors which

thou bestowedst on this servant of mine, and tell me what events they

are which the visions of my dreams foreshow; and I desire thee to

suppress nothing out of fear, nor to flatter me with lying words, or

with what may please me, although the truth should be of a melancholy

nature. For it seemed to me that, as I walked by the river, I saw kine

fat and very large, seven in number, going from the river to the

marshes; and other kine of the same number like them, met them out of

the marshes, exceeding lean and ill-favored, which ate up the fat and

the large kine, and yet were no better than before, and not less

miserably pinched with famine. After I had seen this vision, I awaked

out of my sleep; and being in disorder, and considering with myself what

this appearance should be, I fell asleep again, and saw another dream,

much more wonderful than the foregoing, which still did more affright

and disturb me:—I saw seven ears of corn growing out of one root, having

their heads borne down by the weight of the grains, and bending down

with the fruit, which was now ripe and fit for reaping; and near these I

saw seven other ears of corn, meager and weak, for want of rain, which

fell to eating and consuming those that were fit for reaping, and put me

into great astonishment."

6. To which Joseph replied:—"This dream," said he, "O king, although

seen under two forms, signifies one and the same event of things; for

when thou sawest the fat kine, which is an animal made for the plough

and for labor, devoured by the worser kine, and the ears of corn eaten

up by the smaller ears, they foretell a famine, and want of the fruits

of the earth for the same number of years, and equal with those when

Egypt was in a happy state; and this so far, that the plenty of these

years will be spent in the same number of years of scarcity, and that

scarcity of necessary provisions will be very difficult to be corrected;

as a sign whereof, the ill-favored kine, when they had devoured the

better sort, could not be satisfied. But still God foreshows what is to

come upon men, not to grieve them, but that, when they know it

beforehand, they may by prudence make the actual experience of what is

foretold the more tolerable. If thou, therefore, carefully dispose of

the plentiful crops which will come in the former years, thou wilt

procure that the future calamity will not be felt by the Egyptians."

7. Hereupon the king wondered at the discretion and wisdom of Joseph;

and asked him by what means he might so dispense the foregoing plentiful

crops in the happy years, as to make the miserable crops more tolerable.

Joseph then added this his advice: To spare the good crops, and not

permit the Egyptians to spend them luxuriously, but to reserve what they

would have spent in luxury beyond their necessity against the time of

want. He also exhorted him to take the corn of the husbandmen, and give

them only so much as will be sufficient for their food. Accordingly

Pharaoh being surprised at Joseph, not only for his interpretation of

the dream, but for the counsel he had given him, intrusted him with

dispensing the corn; with power to do what he thought would be for the

benefit of the people of Egypt, and for the benefit of the king, as

believing that he who first discovered this method of acting, would

prove the best overseer of it. But Joseph having this power given him by

the king, with leave to make use of his seal, and to wear purple, drove

in his chariot through all the land of Egypt, and took the corn of the

husbandmen, 3 allotting as much to every one as would be sufficient for

seed, and for food, but without discovering to any one the reason why he

did so.

CHAPTER 6. How Joseph When He Was Become Famous In Egypt, Had His

Brethren In Subjection.

1. Joseph was now grown up to thirty years of age, and enjoyed great

honors from the king, who called him Psothom Phanech, out of regard to

his prodigious degree of wisdom; for that name denotes the revealer of

secrets. He also married a wife of very high quality; for he married the

daughter of Petephres, 4 one of the priests of Heliopolis; she was a

virgin, and her name was Asenath. By her he had children before the

scarcity came on; Manasseh, the elder, which signifies forgetful,

because his present happiness made him forget his former misfortunes;

and Ephraim, the younger, which signifies restored, because he was

restored to the freedom of his forefathers. Now after Egypt had happily

passed over seven years, according to Joseph's interpretation of the

dreams, the famine came upon them in the eighth year; and because this

misfortune fell upon them when they had no sense of it beforehand, 5

they were all sorely afflicted by it, and came running to the king's

gates; and he called upon Joseph, who sold the corn to them, being

become confessedly a savior to the whole multitude of the Egyptians. Nor

did he open this market of corn for the people of that country only, but

strangers had liberty to buy also; Joseph being willing that all men,

who are naturally akin to one another, should have assistance from those

that lived in happiness.

2. Now Jacob also, when he understood that foreigners might come, sent

all his sons into Egypt to buy corn, for the land of Canaan was

grievously afflicted with the famine; and this great misery touched the

whole continent. He only retained Benjamin, who was born to him by

Rachel, and was of the same mother with Joseph. These sons of Jacob then

came into Egypt, and applied themselves to Joseph, wanting to buy corn;

for nothing of this kind was done without his approbation, since even

then only was the honor that was paid the king himself advantageous to

the persons that paid it, when they took care to honor Joseph also. Now

when he well knew his brethren, they thought nothing of him; for he was

but a youth when he left them, and was now come to an age so much

greater, that the lineaments of his face were changed, and he was not

known by them: besides this, the greatness of the dignity wherein he

appeared, suffered them not so much as to suspect it was he. He now made

trial what sentiments they had about affairs of the greatest

consequence; for he refused to sell them corn, and said they were come

as spies of the king's affairs; and that they came from several

countries, and joined themselves together, and pretended that they were

of kin, it not being possible that a private man should breed up so many

sons, and those of so great beauty of countenance as they were, such an

education of so many children being not easily obtained by kings

themselves. Now this he did in order to discover what concerned his

father, and what happened to him after his own departure from him, and

as desiring to know what was become of Benjamin his brother; for he was

afraid that they had ventured on the like wicked enterprise against him

that they had done to himself, and had taken him off also.

3. Now these brethren of his were under distraction and terror, and

thought that very great danger hung over them; yet not at all reflecting

upon their brother Joseph, and standing firm under the accusations laid

against them, they made their defense by Reubel, the eldest of them, who

now became their spokesman: "We come not hither," said he, "with any

unjust design, nor in order to bring any harm to the king's affairs; we

only want to be preserved, as supposing your humanity might be a refuge

for us from the miseries which our country labors under, we having heard

that you proposed to sell corn, not only to your own countrymen, but to

strangers also, and that you determined to allow that corn, in order to

preserve all that want it; but that we are brethren, and of the same

common blood, the peculiar lineaments of our faces, and those not so

much different from one another, plainly show. Our father's name is

Jacob, an Hebrew man, who had twelve of us for his sons by four wives;

which twelve of us, while we were all alive, were a happy family; but

when one of our brethren, whose name was Joseph, died, our affairs

changed for the worse, for our father could not forbear to make a long

lamentation for him; and we are in affliction, both by the calamity of

the death of our brother, and the miserable state of our aged father. We

are now, therefore, come to buy corn, having intrusted the care of our

father, and the provision for our family, to Benjamin, our youngest

brother; and if thou sendest to our house, thou mayst learn whether we

are guilty of the least falsehood in what we say."

4. And thus did Reubel endeavor to persuade Joseph to have a better

opinion of them. But when he had learned from them that Jacob was alive,

and that his brother was not destroyed by them, he for the present put

them in prison, as intending to examine more into their affairs when he

should be at leisure. But on the third day he brought them out, and said

to them, "Since you constantly affirm that you are not come to do any

harm to the king's affairs; that you are brethren, and the sons of the

father whom you named; you will satisfy me of the truth of what you say,

if you leave one of your company with me, who shall suffer no injury

here; and if, when ye have carried corn to your father, you will come to

me again, and bring your brother, whom you say you left there, along

with you, for this shall be by me esteemed an assurance of the truth of

what you have told me." Hereupon they were in greater grief than before;

they wept, and perpetually deplored one among another the calamity of

Joseph; and said, "They were fallen into this misery as a punishment

inflicted by God for what evil contrivances they had against him." And

Reubel was large in his reproaches of them for their too late

repentance, whence no profit arose to Joseph; and earnestly exhorted

them to bear with patience whatever they suffered, since it was done by

God in way of punishment, on his account. Thus they spake to one

another, not imagining that Joseph understood their language. A general

sadness also seized on them at Reubel's words, and a repentance for what

they had done; and they condemned the wickedness they had perpetrated,

for which they judged they were justly punished by God. Now when Joseph

saw that they were in this distress, he was so affected at it that he

fell into tears, and not being willing that they should take notice of

him, he retired; and after a while came to them again, and taking Symeon

6 in order to his being a pledge for his brethren's return, he bid them

take the corn they had bought, and go their way. He also commanded his

steward privily to put the money which they had brought with them for

the purchase of corn into their sacks, and to dismiss them therewith;

who did what he was commanded to do.

5. Now when Jacob's sons were come into the land of Canaan, they told

their father what had happened to them in Egypt, and that they were

taken to have come thither as spies upon the king; and how they said

they were brethren, and had left their eleventh brother with their

father, but were not believed; and how they had left Symeon with the

governor, until Benjamin should go thither, and be a testimonial of the

truth of what they had said: and they begged of their father to fear

nothing, but to send the lad along with them. But Jacob was not pleased

with any thing his sons had done; and he took the detention of Symeon

heinously, and thence thought it a foolish thing to give up Benjamin

also. Neither did he yield to Reubel's persuasion, though he begged it

of him, and gave leave that the grandfather might, in way of requital,

kill his own sons, in case any harm came to Benjamin in the journey. So

they were distressed, and knew not what to do; nay, there was another

accident that still disturbed them more,—the money that was found hidden

in their sacks of corn. Yet when the corn they had brought failed them,

and when the famine still afflicted them, and necessity forced them,

Jacob did 7 [not] still resolve to send Benjamin with his brethren,

although there was no returning into Egypt unless they came with what

they had promised. Now the misery growing every day worse, and his sons

begging it of him, he had no other course to take in his present

circumstances. And Judas, who was of a bold temper on other occasions,

spake his mind very freely to him: "That it did not become him to be

afraid on account of his son, nor to suspect the worst, as he did; for

nothing could be done to his son but by the appointment of God, which

must also for certain come to pass, though he were at home with him;

that he ought not to condemn them to such manifest destruction; nor

deprive them of that plenty of food they might have from Pharaoh, by his

unreasonable fear about his son Benjamin, but ought to take care of the

preservation of Symeon, lest, by attempting to hinder Benjamin's

journey, Symeon should perish. He exhorted him to trust God for him; and

said he would either bring his son back to him safe, or, together with

his, lose his own life." So that Jacob was at length persuaded, and

delivered Benjamin to them, with the price of the corn doubled; he also

sent presents to Joseph of the fruits of the land of Canaan, balsam and

rosin, as also turpentine and honey. 8 Now their father shed many tears

at the departure of his sons, as well as themselves. His concern was,

that he might receive them back again safe after their journey; and

their concern was, that they might find their father well, and no way

afflicted with grief for them. And this lamentation lasted a whole day;

so that the old man was at last tired with grief, and staid behind; but

they went on their way for Egypt, endeavoring to mitigate their grief

for their present misfortunes, with the hopes of better success

hereafter.

6. As soon as they came into Egypt, they were brought down to Joseph:

but here no small fear disturbed them, lest they should be accused about

the price of the corn, as if they had cheated Joseph. They then made a

long apology to Joseph's steward; and told him, that when they came home

they found the money in their sacks, and that they had now brought it

along with them. He said he did not know what they meant: so they were

delivered from that fear. And when he had loosed Symeon, and put him

into a handsome habit, he suffered him to be with his brethren; at which

time Joseph came from his attendance on the king. So they offered him

their presents; and upon his putting the question to them about their

father, they answered that they found him well. He also, upon his

discovery that Benjamin was alive, asked whether this was their younger

brother; for he had seen him. Whereupon they said he was: he replied,

that the God over all was his protector. But when his affection to him

made him shed tears, he retired, desiring he might not be seen in that

plight by his brethren. Then Joseph took them to supper, and they were

set down in the same order as they used to sit at their father's table.

And although Joseph treated them all kindly, yet did he send a mess to

Benjamin that was double to what the rest of the guests had for their

shares.

7. Now when after supper they had composed themselves to sleep, Joseph

commanded his steward both to give them their measures of corn, and to

hide its price again in their sacks; and that withal they should put

into Benjamin's sack the golden cup, out of which he loved himself to

drink.—which things he did, in order to make trial of his brethren,

whether they would stand by Benjamin when he should be accused of having

stolen the cup, and should appear to be in danger; or whether they would

leave him, and, depending on their own innocency, go to their father

without him. When the servant had done as he was bidden, the sons of

Jacob, knowing nothing of all this, went their way, and took Symeon

along with them, and had a double cause of joy, both because they had

received him again, and because they took back Benjamin to their father,

as they had promised. But presently a troop of horsemen encompassed

them, and brought with them Joseph's servant, who had put the cup into

Benjamin's sack. Upon which unexpected attack of the horsemen they were

much disturbed, and asked what the reason was that they came thus upon

men, who a little before had been by their lord thought worthy of an

honorable and hospitable reception? They replied, by calling them wicked

wretches, who had forgot that very hospitable and kind treatment which

Joseph had given them, and did not scruple to be injurious to him, and

to carry off that cup out of which he had, in so friendly a manner,

drank to them, and not regarding their friendship with Joseph, no more

than the danger they should be in if they were taken, in comparison of

the unjust gain. Hereupon he threatened that they should be punished;

for though they had escaped the knowledge of him who was but a servant,

yet had they not escaped the knowledge of God, nor had gone off with

what they had stolen; and, after all, asked why we come upon them, as if

they knew nothing of the matter: and he told them that they should

immediately know it by their punishment. This, and more of the same

nature, did the servant say, in way of reproach to them: but they being

wholly ignorant of any thing here that concerned them, laughed at what

he said, and wondered at the abusive language which the servant gave

them, when he was so hardy as to accuse those who did not before so much

as retain the price of their corn, which was found in their sacks, but

brought it again, though nobody else knew of any such thing,—so far were

they from offering any injury to Joseph voluntarily. But still,

supposing that a search would be a more sure justification of themselves

than their own denial of the fact, they bid him search them, and that if

any of them had been guilty of the theft, to punish them all; for being

no way conscious to themselves of any crime, they spake with assurance,

and, as they thought, without any danger to themselves also. The

servants desired there might be a search made; but they said the

punishment should extend to him alone who should be found guilty of the

theft. So they made the search; and, having searched all the rest, they

came last of all to Benjamin, as knowing it was Benjamin's sack in which

they had hidden the cup, they having indeed searched the rest only for a

show of accuracy: so the rest were out of fear for themselves, and were

now only concerned about Benjamin, but still were well assured that he

would also be found innocent; and they reproached those that came after

them for their hindering them, while they might, in the mean while, have

gotten a good way on their journey. But as soon as they had searched

Benjamin's sack, they found the cup, and took it from him; and all was

changed into mourning and lamentation. They rent their garments, and

wept for the punishment which their brother was to undergo for his

theft, and for the delusion they had put on their father, when they

promised they would bring Benjamin safe to him. What added to their

misery was, that this melancholy accident came unfortunately at a time

when they thought they had been gotten off clear; but they confessed

that this misfortune of their brother, as well as the grief of their

father for him, was owing to themselves, since it was they that forced

their father to send him with them, when he was averse to it.

8. The horsemen therefore took Benjamin and brought him to Joseph, his

brethren also following him; who, when he saw him in custody, and them

in the habit of mourners, said, "How came you, vile wretches as you are,

to have such a strange notion of my kindness to you, and of God's

providence, as impudently to do thus to your benefactor, who in such an

hospitable manner had entertained you?" Whereupon they gave up

themselves to be punished, in order to save Benjamin; and called to mind

what a wicked enterprise they had been guilty of against Joseph. They

also pronounced him more happy than themselves, if he were dead, in

being freed from the miseries of this life; and if he were alive, that

he enjoyed the pleasure of seeing God's vengeance upon them. They said

further; that they were the plague of their father, since they should

now add to his former affliction for Joseph, this other affliction for

Benjamin. Reubel also was large in cutting them upon this occasion. But

Joseph dismissed them; for he said they had been guilty of no offense,

and that he would content himself with the lad's punishment; for he said

it was not a fit thing to let him go free, for the sake of those who had

not offended; nor was it a fit thing to punish them together with him

who had been guilty of stealing. And when he promised to give them leave

to go away in safety, the rest of them were under great consternation,

and were able to say nothing on this sad occasion. But Judas, who had

persuaded their father to send the lad from him, being otherwise also a

very bold and active man, determined to hazard himself for the

preservation of his brother. "It is true," 9 said he, "O governor, that

we have been very wicked with regard to thee, and on that account

deserved punishment; even all of us may justly be punished, although the

theft were not committed by all, but only by one of us, and he the

youngest also; but yet there remains some hope for us, who otherwise

must be under despair on his account, and this from thy goodness, which

promises us a deliverance out of our present danger. And now I beg thou

wilt not look at us, or at that great crime we have been guilty of, but

at thy own excellent nature, and take advice of thine own virtue,

instead of that wrath thou hast against us; which passion those that

otherwise are of lower character indulge, as they do their strength, and

that not only on great, but also on very trifling occasions. Overcome,

sir, that passion, and be not subdued by it, nor suffer it to slay those

that do not otherwise presume upon their own safety, but are desirous to

accept of it from thee; for this is not the first time that thou wilt

bestow it on us, but before, when we came to buy corn, thou affordedst

us great plenty of food, and gavest us leave to carry so much home to

our family as has preserved them from perishing by famine. Nor is there

any difference between not overlooking men that were perishing for want

of necessaries, and not punishing those that seem to be offenders, and

have been so unfortunate as to lose the advantage of that glorious

benefaction which they received from thee. This will be an instance of

equal favor, though bestowed after a different manner; for thou wilt

save those this way whom thou didst feed the other; and thou wilt hereby

preserve alive, by thy own bounty, those souls which thou didst not

suffer to be distressed by famine, it being indeed at once a wonderful

and a great thing to sustain our lives by corn, and to bestow on us that

pardon, whereby, now we are distressed, we may continue those lives. And

I am ready to suppose that God is willing to afford thee this

opportunity of showing thy virtuous disposition, by bringing us into

this calamity, that it may appear thou canst forgive the injuries that

are done to thyself, and mayst be esteemed kind to others, besides those

who, on other accounts, stand in need of thy assistance; since it is

indeed a right thing to do well to those who are in distress for want of

food, but still a more glorious thing to save those who deserve to be

punished, when it is on account of heinous offenses against thyself; for

if it be a thing deserving commendation to forgive such as have been

guilty of small offenses, that tend to a person's loss, and this be

praiseworthy in him that overlooks such offenses, to restrain a man's

passion as to crimes which are capital to the guilty, is to be like the

most excellent nature of God himself. And truly, as for myself, had it

not been that we had a father, who had discovered, on occasion of the

death of Joseph, how miserably he is always afflicted at the loss of his

sons, I had not made any words on account of the saving of our own

lives; I mean, any further than as that would be an excellent character

for thyself, to preserve even those that would have nobody to lament

them when they were dead, but we would have yielded ourselves up to

suffer whatsoever thou pleasedst; but now [for we do not plead for mercy

to ourselves, though indeed, if we die, it will be while we are young,

and before we have had the enjoyment of life] have regard to our father,

and take pity of his old age, on whose account it is that we make these

supplications to thee. We beg thou wilt give us those lives which this

wickedness of ours has rendered obnoxious to thy punishment; and this

for his sake who is not himself wicked, nor does his being our father

make us wicked. He is a good man, and not worthy to have such trials of

his patience; and now, we are absent, he is afflicted with care for us.

But if he hear of our deaths, and what was the cause of it, he will on

that account die an immature death; and the reproachful manner of our

ruin will hasten his end, and will directly kill him; nay, will bring

him to a miserable death, while he will make haste to rid himself out of

the world, and bring himself to a state of insensibility, before the sad

story of our end come abroad into the rest of the world. Consider these

things in this manner, although our wickedness does now provoke thee

with a just desire of punishing that wickedness, and forgive it for our

father's sake; and let thy commiseration of him weigh more with thee

than our wickedness. Have regard to the old age of our father, who, if

we perish, will be very lonely while he lives, and will soon die himself

also. 10 Grant this boon to the name of fathers, for thereby thou wilt

honor him that begat thee, and will grant it to thyself also, who

enjoyest already that denomination; thou wilt then, by that

denomination, be preserved of God, the Father of all,—by showing a pious

regard to which, in the case of our father, thou wilt appear to honor

him who is styled by the same name; I mean, if thou wilt have this pity

on our father, upon this consideration, how miserable he will be if he

be deprived of his sons! It is thy part therefore to bestow on us what

God has given us, when it is in thy power to take it away, and so to

resemble him entirely in charity; for it is good to use that power,

which can either give or take away, on the merciful side; and when it is

in thy power to destroy, to forget that thou ever hadst that power, and

to look on thyself as only allowed power for preservation; and that the

more any one extends this power, the greater reputation does he gain to

himself. Now, by forgiving our brother what he has unhappily committed,

thou wilt preserve us all; for we cannot think of living if he be put to

death, since we dare not show ourselves alive to our father without our

brother, but here must we partake of one and the same catastrophe of his

life. And so far we beg of thee, O governor, that if thou condemnest our

brother to die, thou wilt punish us together with him, as partners of

his crime,—for we shall not think it reasonable to be reserved to kill

ourselves for grief of our brother's death, but so to die rather as

equally guilty with him of this crime. I will only leave with thee this

one consideration, and then will say no more, viz. that our brother

committed this fault when he was young, and not yet of confirmed wisdom

in his conduct; and that men naturally forgive such young persons. I end

here, without adding what more I have to say, that in case thou

condemnest us, that omission may be supposed to have hurt us, and

permitted thee to take the severer side. But in case thou settest us

free, that this may be ascribed to thy own goodness, of which thou art

inwardly conscious, that thou freest us from condemnation; and that not

by barely preserving us, but by granting us such a favor as will make us

appear more righteous than we really are, and by representing to thyself

more motives for our deliverance than we are able to produce ourselves.

If, therefore, thou resolvest to slay him, I desire thou wilt slay me in

his stead, and send him back to his father; or if thou pleasest to

retain him with thee as a slave, I am fitter to labor for thy advantage

in that capacity, and, as thou seest, am better prepared for either of

those sufferings." So Judas, being very willing to undergo any thing

whatever for the deliverance of his brother, cast himself down at

Joseph's feet, and earnestly labored to assuage and pacify his anger.

All his brethren also fell down before him, weeping and delivering

themselves up to destruction for the preservation of the life of

Benjamin.

10. But Joseph, as overcome now with his affections, and no longer able

to personate an angry man, commanded all that were present to depart,

that he might make himself known to his brethren when they were alone;

and when the rest were gone out, he made himself known to his brethren;

and said, "I commend you for your virtue, and your kindness to our

brother: I find you better men than I could have expected from what you

contrived about me. Indeed, I did all this to try your love to your

brother; so I believe you were not wicked by nature in what you did in

my case, but that all has happened according to God's will, who has

hereby procured our enjoyment of what good things we have; and, if he

continue in a favorable disposition, of what we hope for hereafter.

Since, therefore, I know that our father is safe and well, beyond

expectation, and I see you so well disposed to your brother, I will no

longer remember what guilt you seem to have had about me, but will leave

off to hate you for that your wickedness; and do rather return you my

thanks, that you have concurred with the intentions of God to bring

things to their present state. I would have you also rather to forget

the same, since that imprudence of yours is come to such a happy

conclusion, than to be uneasy and blush at those your offenses. Do not,

therefore, let your evil intentions, when you condemned me, and that

bitter remorse which might follow, be a grief to you now, because those

intentions were frustrated. Go, therefore, your way, rejoicing in what

has happened by the Divine Providence, and inform your father of it,

lest he should be spent with cares for you, and deprive me of the most

agreeable part of my felicity; I mean, lest he should die before he

comes into my sight, and enjoys the good things that we now have. Bring,

therefore, with you our father, and your wives and children, and all

your kindred, and remove your habitations hither; for it is not proper

that the persons dearest to me should live remote from me, now my

affairs are so prosperous, especially when they must endure five more

years of famine." When Joseph had said this, he embraced his brethren,

who were in tears and sorrow; but the generous kindness of their brother

seemed to leave among them no room for fear, lest they should be

punished on account of what they had consulted and acted against him;

and they were then feasting. Now the king, as soon as he heard that

Joseph's brethren were come to him, was exceeding glad of it, as if it

had been a part of his own good fortune; and gave them wagons full of

corn and gold and silver, to be conveyed to his father. Now when they

had received more of their brother part to be carried to their father,

and part as free gifts to every one of themselves, Benjamin having still

more than the rest, they departed.

CHAPTER 7. The Removal Of Joseph's Father With All His Family, To Him,

On Account Of The Famine.

1. As soon as Jacob came to know, by his sons returning home, in what

state Joseph was, that he had not only escaped death, for which yet he

lived all along in mourning, but that he lived in splendor and

happiness, and ruled over Egypt, jointly with the king, and had

intrusted to his care almost all his affairs, he did not think any thing

he was told to be incredible, considering the greatness of the works of

God, and his kindness to him, although that kindness had, for some late

times, been intermitted; so he immediately and zealously set out upon

his journey to him.

2. When he came to the Well of the Oath, [Beersheba,] he offered

sacrifice to God; and being afraid that the happiness there was in Egypt

might tempt his posterity to fall in love with it, and settle in it, and

no more think of removing into the land of Canaan, and possessing it, as

God had promised them; as also being afraid, lest, if this descent into

Egypt were made without the will of God, his family might be destroyed

there; out of fear, withal, lest he should depart this life before he

came to the sight of Joseph; he fell asleep, revolving these doubts in

his mind.

3. But God stood by him, and called him twice by his name; and when he

asked who he was, God said, "No, sure; it is not just that thou, Jacob,

shouldst be unacquainted with that God who has been ever a protector and

a helper to thy forefathers, and after them to thyself: for when thy

father would have deprived thee of the dominion, I gave it thee; and by

my kindness it was that, when thou wast sent into Mesopotamia all alone,

thou obtainedst good wives, and returnedst with many children, and much

wealth. Thy whole family also has been preserved by my providence; and

it was I who conducted Joseph, thy son, whom thou gavest up for lost, to

the enjoyment of great prosperity. I also made him lord of Egypt, so

that he differs but little from a king. Accordingly, I come now as a

guide to thee in this journey; and foretell to thee, that thou shalt die

in the arms of Joseph: and I inform thee, that thy posterity shall be

many ages in authority and glory, and that I will settle them in the

land which I have promised them."

4. Jacob, encouraged by this dream, went on more cheerfully for Egypt

with his sons, and all belonging to them. Now they were in all seventy.

I once, indeed, thought it best not to set down the names of this

family, especially because of their difficult pronunciation [by the

Greeks]; but, upon the whole, I think it necessary to mention those

names, that I may disprove such as believe that we came not originally

from Mesopotamia, but are Egyptians. Now Jacob had twelve sons; of these

Joseph was come thither before. We will therefore set down the names of

Jacob's children and grandchildren. Reuben had four sons--Anoch, Phallu,

Assaron, Charmi. Simeon had six--Jamuel, Jamin, Avod, Jachin, Soar,

Saul. Levi had three sons--Gersom, Caath, Merari. Judas had three sons--

Sala, Phares, Zerah; and by Phares two grandchildren, Esrom and Amar.

Issachar had four sons--Thola, Phua, Jasob, Samaron. Zabulon had with

him three sons--Sarad, Helon, Jalel. So far is the posterity of Lea;

with whom went her daughter Dinah. These are thirty-three. Rachel had

two sons, the one of whom, Joseph, had two sons also, Manasses and

Ephraim. The other, Benjamin, had ten sons—Bolau, Bacchar, Asabel,

Geras, Naaman, Jes, Ros, Momphis, Opphis, Arad. These fourteen added to

the thirty-three before enumerated, amount to the number forty-seven.

And this was the legitimate posterity of Jacob. He had besides by

Bilhah, the handmaid of Rachel, Dan and Nephtliali; which last had four

sons that followed him— Jesel, Guni, Issari, and Sellim. Dan had an only

begotten son, Usi. If these be added to those before mentioned, they

complete the number fifty-four. Gad and Aser were the sons of Zilpha,

who was the handmaid of Lea. These had with them, Gad seven— Saphoniah,

Augis, Sunis, Azabon, Aerin, Erocd, Ariel. Aser had a daughter, Sarah,

and six male children, whose names were Jomne, Isus, Isoui, Baris, Abar

and Melchiel. If we add these, which are sixteen, to the fifty-four, the

forementioned number 70 is completed 11 Jacob not being himself included

in that number.

5. When Joseph understood that his father was coming, for Judas his

brother was come before him, and informed him of his approach, he went

out to meet him; and they met together at Heroopolis. But Jacob almost

fainted away at this unexpected and great joy; however, Joseph revived

him, being yet not himself able to contain from being affected in the

same manner, at the pleasure he now had; yet was he not wholly overcome

with his passion, as his father was. After this, he desired Jacob to

travel on slowly; but he himself took five of his brethren with him, and

made haste to the king, to tell him that Jacob and his family were come;

which was a joyful hearing to him. He also bid Joseph tell him what sort

of life his brethren loved to lead, that he might give them leave to

follow the same, who told him they were good shepherds, and had been

used to follow no other employment but this alone. Whereby he provided

for them, that they should not be separated, but live in the same place,

and take care of their father; as also hereby he provided, that they

might be acceptable to the Egyptians, by doing nothing that would be

common to them with the Egyptians; for the Egyptians are prohibited to

meddle with feeding of sheep. 12

6. When Jacob was come to the king, and saluted him, and wished all

prosperity to his government, Pharaoh asked him how old he now was; upon

whose answer, that he was a hundred and thirty years old, he admired

Jacob on account of the length of his life. And when he had added, that

still he had not lived so long as his forefathers, he gave him leave to

live with his children in Heliopolis; for in that city the king's

shepherds had their pasturage.

7. However, the famine increased among the Egyptians, and this heavy

judgment grew more oppressive to them, because neither did the river

overflow the ground, for it did not rise to its former height, nor did

God send rain upon it; 13 nor did they indeed make the least provision

for themselves, so ignorant were they what was to be done; but Joseph

sold them corn for their money. But when their money failed them, they

bought corn with their cattle and their slaves; and if any of them had a

small piece of land, they gave up that to purchase them food, by which

means the king became the owner of all their substance; and they were

removed, some to one place, and some to another, that so the possession

of their country might be firmly assured to the king, excepting the

lands of the priests, for their country continued still in their own

possession. And indeed this sore famine made their minds, as well as

their bodies, slaves; and at length compelled them to procure a

sufficiency of food by such dishonorable means. But when this misery

ceased, and the river overflowed the ground, and the ground brought

forth its fruits plentifully, Joseph came to every city, and gathered

the people thereto belonging together, and gave them back entirely the

land which, by their own consent, the king might have possessed alone,

and alone enjoyed the fruits of it. He also exhorted them to look on it

as every one's own possession, and to fall to their husbandry with

cheerfulness, and to pay as a tribute to the king, the fifth part 14 of

the fruits for the land which the king, when it was his own, restored to

them. These men rejoiced upon their becoming unexpectedly owners of

their lands, and diligently observed what was enjoined them; and by this

means Joseph procured to himself a greater authority among the

Egyptians, and greater love to the king from them. Now this law, that

they should pay the fifth part of their fruits as tribute, continued

until their later kings.

CHAPTER 8. Of The Death Of Jacob And Joseph.

1. Now when Jacob had lived seventeen years in Egypt, he fell into a

disease, and died in the presence of his sons; but not till he made his

prayers for their enjoying prosperity, and till he had foretold to them

prophetically how every one of them was to dwell in the land of Canaan.

But this happened many years afterward. He also enlarged upon the

praises of Joseph 15 how he had not remembered the evil doings of his

brethren to their disadvantage; nay, on the contrary, was kind to them,

bestowing upon them so many benefits, as seldom are bestowed on men's

own benefactors. He then commanded his own sons that they should admit

Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasses, into their number, and divide the

land of Canaan in common with them; concerning whom we shall treat

hereafter. However, he made it his request that he might be buried at

Hebron. So he died, when he had lived full a hundred and fifty years,

three only abated, having not been behind any of his ancestors in piety

towards God, and having such a recompense for it, as it was fit those

should have who were so good as these were. But Joseph, by the king's

permission, carried his father's dead body to Hebron, and there buried

it, at a great expense. Now his brethren were at first unwilling to

return back with him, because they were afraid lest, now their father

was dead, he should punish them for their secret practices against him;

since he was now gone, for whose sake he had been so gracious to them.

But he persuaded them to fear no harm, and to entertain no suspicions of

him: so he brought them along with him, and gave them great possessions,

and never left off his particular concern for them.

2. Joseph also died when he had lived a hundred and ten years; having

been a man of admirable virtue, and conducting all his affairs by the

rules of reason; and used his authority with moderation, which was the

cause of his so great felicity among the Egyptians, even when he came

from another country, and that in such ill circumstances also, as we

have already described. At length his brethren died, after they had

lived happily in Egypt. Now the posterity and sons of these men, after

some time, carried their bodies, and buried them at Hebron: but as to

the bones of Joseph, they carried them into the land of Canaan

afterward, when the Hebrews went out of Egypt, for so had Joseph made

them promise him upon oath. But what became of every one of these men,

and by what toils they got the possession of the land of Canaan, shall

be shown hereafter, when I have first explained upon what account it was

that they left Egypt.

CHAPTER 9. Concerning The Afflictions That Befell The Hebrews In Egypt,

During Four Hundred Years. 16

1. Now it happened that the Egyptians grew delicate and lazy, as to

pains-taking, and gave themselves up to other pleasures, and in

particular to the love of gain. They also became very ill-affected

towards the Hebrews, as touched with envy at their prosperity; for when

they saw how the nation of the Israelites flourished, and were become

eminent already in plenty of wealth, which they had acquired by their

virtue and natural love of labor, they thought their increase was to

their own detriment. And having, in length of time, forgotten the

benefits they had received from Joseph, particularly the crown being now

come into another family, they became very abusive to the Israelites,

and contrived many ways of afflicting them; for they enjoined them to

cut a great number of channels for the river, and to build walls for

their cities and ramparts, that they might restrain the river, and

hinder its waters from stagnating, upon its running over its own banks:

they set them also to build pyramids, 17 and by all this wore them out;

and forced them to learn all sorts of mechanical arts, and to accustom

themselves to hard labor. And four hundred years did they spend under

these afflictions; for they strove one against the other which should

get the mastery, the Egyptians desiring to destroy the Israelites by

these labors, and the Israelites desiring to hold out to the end under

them.

2. While the affairs of the Hebrews were in this condition, there was

this occasion offered itself to the Egyptians, which made them more

solicitous for the extinction of our nation. One of those sacred

scribes, 18 who are very sagacious in foretelling future events truly,

told the king, that about this time there would a child be born to the

Israelites, who, if he were reared, would bring the Egyptian dominion

low, and would raise the Israelites; that he would excel all men in

virtue, and obtain a glory that would be remembered through all ages.

Which thing was so feared by the king, that, according to this man's

opinion, he commanded that they should cast every male child, which was

born to the Israelites, into the river, and destroy it; that besides

this, the Egyptian midwives 19 should watch the labors of the Hebrew

women, and observe what is born, for those were the women who were

enjoined to do the office of midwives to them; and by reason of their

relation to the king, would not transgress his commands. He enjoined

also, that if any parents should disobey him, and venture to save their

male children alive, 20 they and their families should be destroyed.

This was a severe affliction indeed to those that suffered it, not only

as they were deprived of their sons, and while they were the parents

themselves, they were obliged to be subservient to the destruction of

their own children, but as it was to be supposed to tend to the

extirpation of their nation, while upon the destruction of their

children, and their own gradual dissolution, the calamity would become

very hard and inconsolable to them. And this was the ill state they were

in. But no one can be too hard for the purpose of God, though he

contrive ten thousand subtle devices for that end; for this child, whom

the sacred scribe foretold, was brought up and concealed from the

observers appointed by the king; and he that foretold him did not

mistake in the consequences of his preservation, which were brought to

pass after the manner following:—

3. A man whose name was Amram, one of the nobler sort of the Hebrews,

was afraid for his whole nation, lest it should fail, by the want of

young men to be brought up hereafter, and was very uneasy at it, his

wife being then with child, and he knew not what to do. Hereupon he

betook himself to prayer to God; and entreated him to have compassion on

those men who had nowise transgressed the laws of his worship, and to

afford them deliverance from the miseries they at that time endured, and

to render abortive their enemies' hopes of the destruction of their

nation. Accordingly God had mercy on him, and was moved by his

supplication. He stood by him in his sleep, and exhorted him not to

despair of his future favors. He said further, that he did not forget

their piety towards him, and would always reward them for it, as he had

formerly granted his favor to their forefathers, and made them increase

from a few to so great a multitude. He put him in mind, that when

Abraham was come alone out of Mesopotamia into Canaan, he had been made

happy, not only in other respects, but that when his wife was at first

barren, she was afterwards by him enabled to conceive seed, and bare him

sons. That he left to Ismael and to his posterity the country of Arabia;

as also to his sons by Ketura, Troglodytis; and to Isaac, Canaan. That

by my assistance, said he, he did great exploits in war, which, unless

you be yourselves impious, you must still remember. As for Jacob, he

became well known to strangers also, by the greatness of that prosperity

in which he lived, and left to his sons, who came into Egypt with no

more than seventy souls, while you are now become above six hundred

thousand. Know therefore that I shall provide for you all in common what

is for your good, and particularly for thyself what shall make thee

famous; for that child, out of dread of whose nativity the Egyptians

have doomed the Israelite children to destruction, shall be this child

of thine, and shall be concealed from those who watch to destroy him:

and when he is brought up in a surprising way, he shall deliver the

Hebrew nation from the distress they are under from the Egyptians. His

memory shall be famous while the world lasts; and this not only among

the Hebrews, but foreigners also:—all which shall be the effect of my

favor to thee, and to thy posterity. He shall also have such a brother,

that he shall himself obtain my priesthood, and his posterity shall have

it after him to the end of the world.

4. When the vision had informed him of these things, Amram awaked and

told it to Jochebed who was his wife. And now the fear increased upon

them on account of the prediction in Amram's dream; for they were under

concern, not only for the child, but on account of the great happiness

that was to come to him also. However, the mother's labor was such as

afforded a confirmation to what was foretold by God; for it was not

known to those that watched her, by the easiness of her pains, and

because the throes of her delivery did not fall upon her with violence.

And now they nourished the child at home privately for three months; but

after that time Amram, fearing he should be discovered, and, by falling

under the king's displeasure, both he and his child should perish, and

so he should make the promise of God of none effect, he determined

rather to trust the safety and care of the child to God, than to depend

on his own concealment of him, which he looked upon as a thing

uncertain, and whereby both the child, so privately to be nourished, and

himself should be in imminent danger; but he believed that God would

some way for certain procure the safety of the child, in order to secure

the truth of his own predictions. When they had thus determined, they

made an ark of bulrushes, after the manner of a cradle, and of a bigness

sufficient for an infant to be laid in, without being too straitened:

they then daubed it over with slime, which would naturally keep out the

water from entering between the bulrushes, and put the infant into it,

and setting it afloat upon the river, they left its preservation to God;

so the river received the child, and carried him along. But Miriam, the

child's sister, passed along upon the bank over against him, as her

mother had bid her, to see whither the ark would be carried, where God

demonstrated that human wisdom was nothing, but that the Supreme Being

is able to do whatsoever he pleases: that those who, in order to their

own security, condemn others to destruction, and use great endeavors

about it, fail of their purpose; but that others are in a surprising

manner preserved, and obtain a prosperous condition almost from the very

midst of their calamities; those, I mean, whose dangers arise by the

appointment of God. And, indeed, such a providence was exercised in the

case of this child, as showed the power of God.

5. Thermuthis was the king's daughter. She was now diverting herself by

the banks of the river; and seeing a cradle borne along by the current,

she sent some that could swim, and bid them bring the cradle to her.

When those that were sent on this errand came to her with the cradle,

and she saw the little child, she was greatly in love with it, on

account of its largeness and beauty; for God had taken such great care

in the formation of Moses, that he caused him to be thought worthy of

bringing up, and providing for, by all those that had taken the most

fatal resolutions, on account of the dread of his nativity, for the

destruction of the rest of the Hebrew nation. Thermuthis bid them bring

her a woman that might afford her breast to the child; yet would not the

child admit of her breast, but turned away from it, and did the like to

many other women. Now Miriam was by when this happened, not to appear to

be there on purpose, but only as staying to see the child; and she said,

"It is in vain that thou, O queen, callest for these women for the

nourishing of the child, who are no way of kin to it; but still, if thou

wilt order one of the Hebrew women to be brought, perhaps it may admit

the breast of one of its own nation." Now since she seemed to speak

well, Thermuthis bid her procure such a one, and to bring one of those

Hebrew women that gave suck. So when she had such authority given her,

she came back and brought the mother, who was known to nobody there. And

now the child gladly admitted the breast, and seemed to stick close to

it; and so it was, that, at the queen's desire, the nursing of the child

was entirely intrusted to the mother.

6. Hereupon it was that Thermuthis imposed this name Mouses upon him,

from what had happened when he was put into the river; for the Egyptians

call water by the name of Mo, and such as are saved out of it, by the

name of Uses: so by putting these two words together, they imposed this

name upon him. And he was, by the confession of all, according to God's

prediction, as well for his greatness of mind as for his contempt of

difficulties, the best of all the Hebrews, for Abraham was his ancestor

of the seventh generation. For Moses was the son of Amram, who was the

son of Caath, whose father Levi was the son of Jacob, who was the son of

Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. Now Moses's understanding became

superior to his age, nay, far beyond that standard; and when he was

taught, he discovered greater quickness of apprehension than was usual

at his age, and his actions at that time promised greater, when he

should come to the age of a man. God did also give him that tallness,

when he was but three years old, as was wonderful. And as for his

beauty, there was nobody so unpolite as, when they saw Moses, they were

not greatly surprised at the beauty of his countenance; nay, it happened

frequently, that those that met him as he was carried along the road,

were obliged to turn again upon seeing the child; that they left what

they were about, and stood still a great while to look on him; for the

beauty of the child was so remarkable and natural to him on many

accounts, that it detained the spectators, and made them stay longer to

look upon him.

7. Thermuthis therefore perceiving him to be so remarkable a child,

adopted him for her son, having no child of her own. And when one time

had carried Moses to her father, she showed him to him, and said she

thought to make him her successor, if it should please God she should

have no legitimate child of her own; and to him, "I have brought up a

child who is of a divine form, 21 and of a generous mind; and as I have

received him from the bounty of the river, in, I thought proper to adopt

him my son, and the heir of thy kingdom." And she had said this, she put

the infant into her father's hands: so he took him, and hugged him to

his breast; and on his daughter's account, in a pleasant way, put his

diadem upon his head; but Moses threw it down to the ground, and, in a

puerile mood, he wreathed it round, and trod upon his feet, which seemed

to bring along with evil presage concerning the kingdom of Egypt. But

when the sacred scribe saw this, [he was the person who foretold that

his nativity would lay the dominion of that kingdom low,] he made a

violent attempt to kill him; and crying out in a frightful manner, he

said, "This, O king! this child is he of whom God foretold, that if we

kill him we shall be in no danger; he himself affords an attestation to

the prediction of the same thing, by his trampling upon thy government,

and treading upon thy diadem. Take him, therefore, out of the way, and

deliver the Egyptians from the fear they are in about him; and deprive

the Hebrews of the hope they have of being encouraged by him." But

Thermuthis prevented him, and snatched the child away. And the king was

not hasty to slay him, God himself, whose providence protected Moses,

inclining the king to spare him. He was, therefore, educated with great

care. So the Hebrews depended on him, and were of good hopes great

things would be done by him; but the Egyptians were suspicious of what

would follow such his education. Yet because, if Moses had been slain,

there was no one, either akin or adopted, that had any oracle on his

side for pretending to the crown of Egypt, and likely to be of greater

advantage to them, they abstained from killing him.

CHAPTER 10. How Moses Made War With The Ethiopians.

1. Moses, therefore, when he was born, and brought up in the foregoing

manner, and came to the age of maturity, made his virtue manifest to the

Egyptians; and showed that he was born for the bringing them down, and

raising the Israelites. And the occasion he laid hold of was this:—The

Ethiopians, who are next neighbors to the Egyptians, made an inroad into

their country, which they seized upon, and carried off the effects of

the Egyptians, who, in their rage, fought against them, and revenged the

affronts they had received from them; but being overcome in battle, some

of them were slain, and the rest ran away in a shameful manner, and by

that means saved themselves; whereupon the Ethiopians followed after

them in the pursuit, and thinking that it would be a mark of cowardice

if they did not subdue all Egypt, they went on to subdue the rest with

greater vehemence; and when they had tasted the sweets of the country,

they never left off the prosecution of the war: and as the nearest parts

had not courage enough at first to fight with them, they proceeded as

far as Memphis, and the sea itself, while not one of the cities was able

to oppose them. The Egyptians, under this sad oppression, betook

themselves to their oracles and prophecies; and when God had given them

this counsel, to make use of Moses the Hebrew, and take his assistance,

the king commanded his daughter to produce him, that he might be the

general 22 of their army. Upon which, when she had made him swear he

would do him no harm, she delivered him to the king, and supposed his

assistance would be of great advantage to them. She withal reproached

the priest, who, when they had before admonished the Egyptians to kill

him, was not ashamed now to own their want of his help.

2. So Moses, at the persuasion both of Thermuthis and the king himself,

cheerfully undertook the business: and the sacred scribes of both

nations were glad; those of the Egyptians, that they should at once

overcome their enemies by his valor, and that by the same piece of

management Moses would be slain; but those of the Hebrews, that they

should escape from the Egyptians, because Moses was to be their general.

But Moses prevented the enemies, and took and led his army before those

enemies were apprized of his attacking them; for he did not march by the

river, but by land, where he gave a wonderful demonstration of his

sagacity; for when the ground was difficult to be passed over, because

of the multitude of serpents, [which it produces in vast numbers, and,

indeed, is singular in some of those productions, which other countries

do not breed, and yet such as are worse than others in power and

mischief, and an unusual fierceness of sight, some of which ascend out

of the ground unseen, and also fly in the air, and so come upon men at

unawares, and do them a mischief,] Moses invented a wonderful stratagem

to preserve the army safe, and without hurt; for he made baskets, like

unto arks, of sedge, and filled them with ibes, 23 and carried them

along with them; which animal is the greatest enemy to serpents

imaginable, for they fly from them when they come near them; and as they

fly they are caught and devoured by them, as if it were done by the

harts; but the ibes are tame creatures, and only enemies to the

serpentine kind: but about these ibes I say no more at present, since

the Greeks themselves are not unacquainted with this sort of bird. As

soon, therefore, as Moses was come to the land which was the breeder of

these serpents, he let loose the ibes, and by their means repelled the

serpentine kind, and used them for his assistants before the army came

upon that ground. When he had therefore proceeded thus on his journey,

he came upon the Ethiopians before they expected him; and, joining

battle with them, he beat them, and deprived them of the hopes they had

of success against the Egyptians, and went on in overthrowing their

cities, and indeed made a great slaughter of these Ethiopians. Now when

the Egyptian army had once tasted of this prosperous success, by the

means of Moses, they did not slacken their diligence, insomuch that the

Ethiopians were in danger of being reduced to slavery, and all sorts of

destruction; and at length they retired to Saba, which was a royal city

of Ethiopia, which Cambyses afterwards named Mero, after the name of his

own sister. The place was to be besieged with very great difficulty,

since it was both encompassed by the Nile quite round, and the other

rivers, Astapus and Astaboras, made it a very difficult thing for such

as attempted to pass over them; for the city was situate in a retired

place, and was inhabited after the manner of an island, being

encompassed with a strong wall, and having the rivers to guard them from

their enemies, and having great ramparts between the wall and the

rivers, insomuch, that when the waters come with the greatest violence,

it can never be drowned; which ramparts make it next to impossible for

even such as are gotten over the rivers to take the city. However, while

Moses was uneasy at the army's lying idle, [for the enemies durst not

come to a battle,] this accident happened:—Tharbis was the daughter of

the king of the Ethiopians: she happened to see Moses as he led the army

near the walls, and fought with great courage; and admiring the subtilty

of his undertakings, and believing him to be the author of the

Egyptians' success, when they had before despaired of recovering their

liberty, and to be the occasion of the great danger the Ethiopians were

in, when they had before boasted of their great achievements, she fell

deeply in love with him; and upon the prevalancy of that passion, sent

to him the most faithful of all her servants to discourse with him about

their marriage. He thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would

procure the delivering up of the city; and gave her the assurance of an

oath to take her to his wife; and that when he had once taken possession

of the city, he would not break his oath to her. No sooner was the

agreement made, but it took effect immediately; and when Moses had cut

off the Ethiopians, he gave thanks to God, and consummated his marriage,

and led the Egyptians back to their own land.

CHAPTER 11. How Moses Fled Out Of Egypt Into Midian.