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CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS.
FROM THE DEATH OF ISAAC TO THE EXODUS
OUT OF EGYPT.
Chapter 1
2 3
4 5
6 7
8 9
10 11
12 13
14 15
16 Endnotes
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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.
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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 undestood: 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. 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. (10) 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.
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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.
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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.
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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 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.
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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
subtility 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
prevalency 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.
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HOW MOSES FLED OUT OF EGYPT INTO
MIDIAN.
1. Now the Egyptians, after they had been preserved by Moses,
entertained a hatred to him, and were very eager in compassing their
designs against him, as suspecting that he would take occasion, from
his good success, to raise a sedition, and bring innovations into
Egypt; and told the king he ought to be slain. The king had also some
intentions of himself to the same purpose, and this as well out of
envy at his glorious expedition at the head of his army, as out of
fear of being brought low by him and being instigated by the sacred
scribes, he was ready to undertake to kill Moses: but when he had
learned beforehand what plots there were against him, he went away
privately; and because the public roads were watched, he took his
flight through the deserts, and where his enemies could not suspect he
would travel; and, though he was destitute of food, he went on, and
despised that difficulty courageously; and when he came to the city
Midian, which lay upon the Red Sea, and was so denominated from one of
Abraham's sons by Keturah, he sat upon a certain well, and rested
himself there after his laborious journey, and the affliction he had
been in. It was not far from the city, and the time of the day was
noon, where he had an occasion offered him by the custom of the
country of doing what recommended his virtue, and afforded him an
opportunity of bettering his circumstances.
2. For that country having but little water, the shepherds used to
seize on the wells before others came, lest their flocks should want
water, and lest it should be spent by others before they came. There
were now come, therefore, to this well seven sisters that were
virgins, the daughters of Raguel, a priest, and one thought worthy by
the people of the country of great honor. These virgins, who took care
of their father's flocks, which sort of work it was customary and very
familiar for women to do in the country of the Troglodytes, they came
first of all, and drew water out of the well in a quantity sufficient
for their flocks, into troughs, which were made for the reception of
that water; but when the shepherds came upon the maidens, and drove
them away, that they might have the command of the water themselves,
Moses, thinking it would be a terrible reproach upon him if he
overlooked the young women under unjust oppression, and should
suffer the violence of the men to prevail over the right of the
maidens, he drove away the men, who had a mind to more than their
share, and afforded a proper assistance to the women; who, when
they had received such a benefit from him, came to their father, and
told him how they had been affronted by the shepherds, and assisted by
a stranger, and entreated that he would not let this generous action
be done in vain, nor go without a reward. Now the father took it well
from his daughters that they were so desirous to reward their
benefactor; and bid them bring Moses into his presence, that he might
be rewarded as he deserved. And when Moses came, he told him what
testimony his daughters bare to him, that he had assisted them; and
that, as he admired him for his virtue, he said that Moses had
bestowed such his assistance on persons not insensible of benefits,
but where they were both able and willing to return the kindness, and
even to exceed the measure of his generosity. So he made him his son,
and gave him one of his daughters in marriage; and appointed him to be
the guardian and superintendent over his cattle; for of old, all the
wealth of the barbarians was in those cattle.
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CONCERNING THE BURNING BUSH AND THE
ROD OF MOSES.
1. NOW Moses, when he had obtained the favor of Jethro, for that was
one of the names of Raguel, staid there and fed his flock; but some
time afterward, taking his station at the mountain called Sinai, he
drove his flocks thither to feed them. Now this is the highest of all
the mountains thereabout, and the best for pasturage, the herbage
being there good; and it had not been before fed upon, because of the
opinion men had that God dwelt there, the shepherds not daring to
ascend up to it; and here it was that a wonderful prodigy happened to
Moses; for a fire fed upon a thorn bush, yet did the green leaves and
the flowers continue untouched, and the fire did not at all consume
the fruit branches, although the flame was great and fierce.
Moses was aftrighted at this strange sight, as it was to him; but he
was still more astonished when the fire uttered a voice, and called to
him by name, and spake words to him, by which it signified how bold he
had been in venturing to come into a place whither no man had
ever come before, because the place was divine; and advised him to
remove a great way off from the flame, and to be contented with what
he had seen; and though he were himself a good man, and the offspring
of great men, yet that he should not pry any further; and he foretold
to him, that he should have glory and honor among men, by the blessing
of God upon him. He also commanded him to go away thence with
confidence to Egypt, in order to his being the commander and conductor
of the body of the Hebrews, and to his delivering his own people from
the injuries they suffered there: "For," said God, "they shall inhabit
this happy land which your forefather Abraham inhabited, and shall
have the enjoyment of all good things."
But still he enjoined them, when he brought the Hebrews out of the
land of Egypt, to come to that place, and to offer sacrifices of
thanksgiving there, Such were the divine oracles which were delivered
out of the fire.
2. But Moses was astonished at what he saw, and much more at
what he heard; and he said, "I think it would be an instance of too
great madness, O Lord, for one of that regard I bear to thee, to
distrust thy power, since I myself adore it, and know that it has been
made manifest to my progenitors: but I am still in doubt how I, who am
a private man, and one of no abilities, should either persuade my own
countrymen to leave the country they now inhabit, and to follow me to
a land whither I lead them; or, if they should be persuaded, how can I
force Pharaoh to permit them to depart, since they augment their own
wealth and prosperity by the labors and works they put upon them ?"
3. But God persuaded him to be courageous on all occasions, and
promised to be with him, and to assist him in his words, when he was
to persuade men; and in his deeds, when he was to perform wonders. He
bid him also to take a signal of the truth of what he said, by
throwing his rod upon the ground, which, when he had done, it crept
along, and was become a serpent, and rolled itself round in its folds,
and erected its head, as ready to revenge itself on such as should
assault it; after which it become a rod again as it was before. After
this God bid Moses to put his right hand into his bosom: he obeyed,
and when he took it out it was white, and in color like to chalk, but
afterward it returned to its wonted color again. He also, upon God's
command, took some of the water that was near him, and poured it upon
the ground, and saw the color was that of blood. Upon the wonder that
Moses showed at these signs, God exhorted him to be of good courage,
and to be assured that he would be the greatest support to him; and
bid him make use of those signs, in order to obtain belief among all
men, that "thou art sent by me, and dost all things according to my
commands.
Accordingly I enjoin thee to make no more delays, but to make haste to
Egypt, and to travel night and day, and not to draw out the time, and
so make the slavery of the Hebrews and their sufferings to last the
longer."
4. Moses having now seen and heard these wonders that assured him of
the truth of these promises of God, had no room left him to disbelieve
them: he entreated him to grant him that power when he should be in
Egypt; and besought him to vouchsafe him the knowledge of his own
name; and since he had heard and seen him, that he would also tell him
his name, that when he offered sacrifice he might invoke him by such
his name in his oblations. Whereupon God declared to him his holy
name, which had never been discovered to men before; concerning which
it is not lawful for me to say any more (24) Now these signs accompanied Moses, not then only, but always
when he prayed for them: of all which signs he attributed the firmest
assent to the fire in the bush; and believing that God would be a
gracious supporter to him, he hoped he should be able to deliver his
own nation, and bring calamities on the Egyptians.
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HOW MOSES AND AARON RETURNED INTO
EGYPT TO PHARAOH.
1. SO Moses, when he understood that the Pharaoh, in whose reign he
fled away, was dead, asked leave of Raguel to go to Egypt, for the
benefit of his own people. And he took with him Zipporah, the daughter
of Raguel, whom he had married, and the children he had by her, Gersom
and Eleazer, and made haste into Egypt. Now the former of those names,
Gersom, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies that he was in a strange
land; and Eleazer, that, by the assistance of the God of his
fathers, he had escaped from the Egyptians. Now when they were
near the borders, Aaron his brother, by the command of God, met him,
to whom he declared what had befallen him at the mountain, and the
commands that God had given him. But as they were going forward, the
chief men among the Hebrews, having learned that they were coming, met
them: to whom Moses declared the signs he had seen; and while they
could not believe them, he made them see them, So they took courage at
these surprising and unexpected sights, and hoped well of their entire
deliverance, as believing now that God took care of their
preservation.
2. Since then Moses found that the Hebrews would be obedient to
whatsoever he should direct, as they promised to be, and were in love
with liberty, he came to the king, who had indeed but lately received
the government, and told him how much he had done for the good of the
Egyptians, when they were despised by the Ethiopians, and their
country laid waste by them; and how he had been the commander of their
forces, and had labored for them, as if they had been his own people
and he informed him in what danger he had been during that expedition,
without having any proper returns made him as he had deserved. He also
informed him distinctly what things happened to him at Mount Sinai;
and what God said to him; and the signs that were done by God, in
order to assure him of the authority of those commands which he had
given him. He also exhorted him not to disbelieve what he told him,
nor to oppose the will of God.
3. But when the king derided Moses; he made him in earnest see the
signs that were done at Mount Sinai. Yet was the king very angry with
him and called him an ill man, who had formerly run away from his
Egyptian slavery, and came now back with deceitful tricks, and
wonders, and magical arts, to astonish him. And when he had said this,
he commanded the priests to let him see the same wonderful sights; as
knowing that the Egyptians were skillful in this kind of learning, and
that he was not the only person who knew them, and pretended them to
be divine; as also he told him, that when he brought such wonderful
sights before him, he would only be believed by the unlearned. Now
when the priests threw down their rods, they became serpents. But
Moses was not daunted at it; and said, "O king, I do not myself
despise the wisdom of the Egyptians, but I say that what I do is so
much superior to what these do by magic arts and tricks, as Divine
power exceeds the power of man: but I will demonstrate that what I do
is not done by craft, or counterfeiting what is not really true, but
that they appear by the providence and power of God." And when he had
said this, he cast his rod down upon the ground, and commanded it to
turn itself into a serpent. It obeyed him, and went all round, and
devoured the rods of the Egyptians, which seemed to be dragons, until
it had consumed them all. It then returned to its own form, and Moses
took it into his hand again.
4. However, the king was no more moved when was done than before; and
being very angry, he said that he should gain nothing by this his
cunning and shrewdness against the Egyptians; - and he commanded him
that was the chief taskmaster over the Hebrews, to give them no
relaxation from their labors, but to compel them to submit to greater
oppressions than before; and though he allowed them chaff before for
making their bricks, he would allow it them no longer, but he made
them to work hard at brick-making in the day-time, and to gather chaff
in the night. Now when their labor was thus doubled upon them, they
laid the blame upon Moses, because their labor and their misery were
on his account become more severe to them. But Moses did not let his
courage sink for the king's threatenings; nor did he abate of his zeal
on account of the Hebrews' complaints; but he supported himself, and
set his soul resolutely against them both, and used his own utmost
diligence to procure liberty to his countrymen. So he went to the
king, and persuaded him to let the Hebrews go to Mount Sinai, and
there to sacrifice to God, because God had enjoined them so to do. He
persuaded him also not to counterwork the designs of God, but to
esteem his favor above all things, and to permit them to depart, lest,
before he be aware, he lay an obstruction in the way of the Divine
commands, and so occasion his own suffering such punishments as it was
probable any one that counterworked the Divine commands should
undergo, since the severest afflictions arise from every object to
those that provoke the Divine wrath against them; for such as these
have neither the earth nor the air for their friends; nor are the
fruits of the womb according to nature, but every thing is unfriendly
and adverse towards them. He said further, that the Egyptians should
know this by sad experience; and that besides, the Hebrew people
should go out of their country without their consent.
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CONCERNING THE TEN PLAGUES WHICH
CAME UPON THE EGYPTIANS.
1. BUT when the king despised the words of Moses, and had no
regard at all to them, grievous plagues seized the Egyptians; every
one of which I will describe, both because no such plagues did ever
happen to any other nation as the Egyptians now felt, and because I
would demonstrate that Moses did not fail in any one thing that he
foretold them; and because it is for the good of mankind, that they
may learn this caution - Not to do anything that may displease God,
lest he be provoked to wrath, and avenge their iniquities upon them.
For the Egyptian river ran with bloody water at the command of God,
insomuch that it could not be drunk, and they had no other spring of
water neither; for the water was not only of the color of blood, but
it brought upon those that ventured to drink of it, great pains and
bitter torment. Such was the river to the Egyptians; but it was sweet
and fit for drinking to the Hebrews, and no way different from what it
naturally used to be. As the king therefore knew not what to do in
these surprising circumstances, and was in fear for the Egyptians, he
gave the Hebrews leave to go away; but when the plague ceased, he
changed his mind again, end would not suffer them to go.
2. But when God saw that he was ungrateful, and upon the ceasing of
this calamity would not grow wiser, he sent another plague upon the
Egyptians: - An innumerable multitude of frogs consumed the fruit of
the ground; the river was also full of them, insomuch that those who
drew water had it spoiled by the blood of these animals, as they died
in, and were destroyed by, the water; and the country was full of
filthy slime, as they were born, and as they died: they also spoiled
their vessels in their houses which they used, and were found among
what they eat and what they drank, and came in great numbers upon
their beds. There was also an ungrateful smell, and a stink arose from
them, as they were born, and as they died therein. Now, when the
Egyptians were under the oppression of these miseries, the king
ordered Moses to take the Hebrews with him, and be gone. Upon which
the whole multitude of the frogs vanished away; and both the land and
the river returned to their former natures. But as soon as Pharaoh saw
the land freed from this plague, he forgot the cause of it, and
retained the Hebrews; and, as though he had a mind to try the nature
of more such judgments, he would not yet suffer Moses and his people
to depart, having granted that liberty rather out of fear than out of
any good consideration. (25)
3. Accordingly, God punished his falseness with another plague, added
to the former; for there arose out of the bodies of the Egyptians an
innumerable quantity of lice, by which, wicked as they were, they
miserably perished, as not able to destroy this sort of vermin either
with washes or with ointments. At which terrible judgment the king of
Egypt was in disorder, upon the fear into which he reasoned himself,
lest his people should be destroyed, and that the manner of this death
was also reproachful, so that he was forced in part to recover himself
from his wicked temper to a sounder mind, for he gave leave for the
Hebrews themselves to depart. But when the plague thereupon ceased, he
thought it proper to require that they should leave their children and
wives behind them, as pledges of their return; whereby he provoked God
to be more vehemently angry at him, as if he thought to impose on his
providence, and as if it were only Moses, and not God, who punished
the Egyptians for the sake of the Hebrews: for he filled that country
full of various sorts of pestilential creatures, with their
various properties, such indeed as had never come into the sight of
men before, by whose means the men perished themselves, and the land
was destitute of husbandmen for its cultivation; but if any thing
escaped destruction from them, it was killed by a distemper which the
men underwent also.
4. But when Pharaoh did not even then yield to the will of God, but,
while he gave leave to the husbands to take their wives with them, yet
insisted that the children should be left behind, God presently
resolved to punish his wickedness with several sorts of calamities,
and those worse than the foregoing, which yet had so generally
afflicted them; for their bodies had terrible boils, breaking forth
with blains, while they were already inwardly consumed; and a great
part of the Egyptians perished in this manner. But when the king was
not brought to reason by this plague, hail was sent down from heaven;
and such hail it was, as the climate of Egypt had never
suffered before, nor was it like to that which falls in other climates
in winter time, (26) but was larger
than that which falls in the middle of spring to those that dwell in
the northern and north-western regions. This hail broke down their
boughs laden with fruit. After this a tribe of locusts consumed the
seed which was not hurt by the hail; so that to the Egyptians all
hopes of the future fruits of the ground were entirely lost.
5. One would think the forementioned calamities might have been
sufficient for one that was only foolish, without wickedness, to make
him wise, and to make him Sensible what was for his advantage. But
Pharaoh, led not so much by his folly as by his wickedness, even when
he saw the cause of his miseries, he still contested with God, and
willfully deserted the cause of virtue; so he bid Moses take the
Hebrews away, with their wives and children, to leave their cattle
behind, since their own cattle were destroyed. But when Moses said
that what he desired was unjust, since they were obliged to offer
sacrifices to God of those cattle, and the time being prolonged on
this account, a thick darkness, without the least light, spread itself
over the Egyptians, whereby their sight being obstructed, and their
breathing hindered by the thickness of the air, they died miserably,
and under a terror lest they should be swallowed up by the dark cloud.
Besides this, when the darkness, after three days and as many nights,
was dissipated, and when Pharaoh did not still repent and let the
Hebrews go, Moses came to him and said, "How long wilt thou be
disobedient to the command of God? for he enjoins thee to let the
Hebrews go; nor is there any other way of being freed from the
calamities are under, unless you do so." But the king angry at what he
said, and threatened to cut off his head if he came any more to
trouble him these matters. Hereupon Moses said he not speak to him any
more about them, for he himself, together with the principal men among
the Egyptians, should desire the Hebrews away. So when Moses had said
this, he his way.
6. But when God had signified, that with one plague he would compel
the Egyptians to let Hebrews go, he commanded Moses to tell the people
that they should have a sacrifice ready, and they should prepare
themselves on the tenth day of the month Xanthicus, against the
fourteenth, (which month is called by the Egyptians Pharmuth, Nisan by
the Hebrews; but the Macedonians call it Xanthicus,) and that he
should carry the Hebrews with all they had. Accordingly, he having got
the Hebrews ready for their departure, and having sorted the people
into tribes, he kept them together in one place: but when the
fourteenth day was come, and all were ready to depart they offered the
sacrifice, and purified their houses with the blood, using bunches of
hyssop for that purpose; and when they had supped, they burnt the
remainder of the flesh, as just ready to depart. Whence it is that we
do still offer this sacrifice in like manner to this day, and call
this festival Pascha which signifies the feast of the
passover; because on that day God passed us over, and sent the
plague upon the Egyptians; for the destruction of the first-born came
upon the Egyptians that night, so that many of the Egyptians who lived
near the king's palace, persuaded Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go.
Accordingly he called for Moses, and bid them be gone; as supposing,
that if once the Hebrews were gone out of the country, Egypt should be freed from its miseries.
They also honored the Hebrews with gifts; (27) some, in order to get them to depart quickly, and others on
account of their neighborhood, and the friendship they had with them.
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HOW THE HEBREWS UNDER THE CONDUCT
OF MOSES LEFT EGYPT.
1. So the Hebrews went out of Egypt, while the Egyptians wept, and
repented that they had treated them so hardly. - Now they took their
journey by Letopolis, a place at that time deserted, but where Babylon
was built afterwards, when Cambyses laid Egypt waste: but as they went
away hastily, on the third day they came to a place called Beelzephon,
on the Red Sea; and when they had no food out of the land, because it
was a desert, they eat of loaves kneaded of flour, only warmed by a
gentle heat; and this food they made use of for thirty days; for what
they brought with them out of Egypt would not suffice them any longer
time; and this only while they dispensed it to each person, to use so
much only as would serve for necessity, but not for satiety. Whence it
is that, in memory of the want we were then in, we keep a feast for
eight days, which is called the feast of unleavened bread. Now
the entire multitude of those that went out, including the women and
children, was not easy to be numbered, but those that were of an age
fit for war, were six hundred thousand.
2. They left Egypt in the month Xanthicus, on the fifteenth day of the
lunar month; four hundred and thirty years after our forefather
Abraham came into Canaan, but two hundred and fifteen years only after
Jacob removed into Egypt. (28) It was
the eightieth year of the age of Moses, and of that of Aaron three
more. They also carried out the bones of Joesph with them, as he had
charged his sons to do.
3. But the Egyptians soon repented that the Hebrews were gone; and the
king also was mightily concerned that this had been procured by the
magic arts of Moses; so they resolved to go after them. Accordingly
they took their weapons, and other warlike furniture, and pursued
after them, in order to bring them back, if once they overtook them,
because they would now have no pretense to pray to God against them,
since they had already been permitted to go out; and they thought they
should easily overcome them, as they had no armor, and would be weary
with their journey; so they made haste in their pursuit, and asked of
every one they met which way they were gone. And indeed that land was
difficult to be traveled over, not only by armies, but by single
persons. Now Moses led the Hebrews this way, that in case the
Egyptians should repent and be desirous to pursue after them, they
might undergo the punishment of their wickedness, and of the breach of
those promises they had made to them. As also he led them this way on
account of the Philistines, who had quarreled with them, and hated
them of old, that by all means they might not know of their departure,
for their country is near to that of Egypt; and thence it was that
Moses led them not along the road that tended to the land of the
Philistines, but he was desirous that they should go through the
desert, that so after a long journey, and after many afflictions, they
might enter upon the land of Canaan. Another reason of this was, that
God commanded him to bring the people to Mount Sinai, that there they
might offer him sacrifices. Now when the Egyptians had overtaken the
Hebrews, they prepared to fight them, and by their multitude they
drove them into a narrow place; for the number that pursued after them
was six hundred chariots, with fifty thousand horsemen, and two
hundred thousand foot-men, all armed. They also seized on the passages
by which they imagined the Hebrews might fly, shutting them up
(29) between inaccessible precipices
and the sea; for there was [on each side] a [ridge of] mountains that
terminated at the sea, which were impassable by reason of their
roughness, and obstructed their flight; wherefore they there pressed
upon the Hebrews with their army, where [the ridges of] the mountains
were closed with the sea; which army they placed at the chops of the
mountains, that so they might deprive them of any passage into the
plain.
4. When the Hebrews, therefore, were neither able to bear up, being
thus, as it were, besieged, because they wanted provisions, nor saw
any possible way of escaping; and if they should have thought of
fighting, they had no weapons; they expected a universal destruction,
unless they delivered themselves up to the Egyptians. So they laid the
blame on Moses, and forgot all the signs that had been wrought by God
for the recovery of their freedom; and this so far, that their
incredulity prompted them to throw stones at the prophet, while he
encouraged them and promised them deliverance; and they resolved that
they would deliver themselves up to the Egyptians. So there was sorrow
and lamentation among the women and children, who had nothing but
destruction before their eyes, while they were encompassed with
mountains, the sea, and their enemies, and discerned no way of flying
from them.
5. But Moses, though the multitude looked fiercely at him, did not,
however, give over the care of them, but despised all dangers, out of
his trust in God, who, as he had afforded them the several steps
already taken for the recovery of their liberty, which he had foretold
them, would not now suffer them to be subdued by their enemies, to be
either made slaves or be slain by them; and, standing in midst of
them, he said, "It is not just of us to distrust even men, when they
have hitherto well managed our affairs, as if they would not be the
same hereafter; but it is no better than madness, at this time to
despair of the providence of God, by whose power all those things have
been performed he promised, when you expected no such things: I mean
all that I have been concerned in for deliverance and escape from
slavery. Nay, when we are in the utmost distress, as you see we ought
rather to hope that God will succor us, by whose operation it is that
we are now this narrow place, that he may out of such difficulties as
are otherwise insurmountable and out of which neither you nor your
enemies expect you can be delivered, and may at once demonstrate his
own power and his providence over us. Nor does God use to give his
help in small difficulties to those whom he favors, but in such cases
where no one can see how any hope in man can better their condition.
Depend, therefore, upon such a Protector as is able to make small
things great, and to show that this mighty force against you is
nothing but weakness, and be not affrighted at the Egyptian army, nor
do you despair of being preserved, because the sea before, and the
mountains behind, afford you no opportunity for flying, for even these
mountains, if God so please, may be made plain ground for you, and the
sea become dry land."
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HOW THE SEA WAS DIVIDED ASUNDER FOR
THE HEBREWS, WHEN THEY WERE PURSUED BY THE EGYPTIANS, AND SO GAVE
THEM AN OPPORTUNITY OF ESCAPING FROM THEM.
1. WHEN Moses had said this, he led them to the sea, while the
Egyptians looked on; for they were within sight. Now these were so
distressed by the toil of their pursuit, that they thought proper to
put off fighting till the next day. But when Moses was come to the
sea-shore, he took his rod, and made supplication to God, and called
upon him to be their helper and assistant; and said "Thou art not
ignorant, O Lord, that it is beyond human strength and human
contrivance to avoid the difficulties we are now under; but it must be
thy work altogether to procure deliverance to this army, which has
left Egypt at thy appointment. We despair of any other assistance or
contrivance, and have recourse only to that hope we have in thee; and
if there be any method that can promise us an escape by thy
providence, we look up to thee for it. And let it come quickly, and
manifest thy power to us; and do thou raise up this people unto good
courage and hope of deliverance, who are deeply sunk into a
disconsolate state of mind. We are in a helpless place, but still it
is a place that thou possessest; still the sea is thine, the mountains
also that enclose us are thine; so that these mountains will open
themselves if thou commandest them, and the sea also, if thou
commandest it, will become dry land. Nay, we might escape by a flight
through the air, if thou shouldst determine we should have that way of
salvation."
2. When Moses had thus addressed himself to God, he smote the sea with
his rod, which parted asunder at the stroke, and receiving those
waters into itself, left the ground dry, as a road and a place of
flight for the Hebrews. Now when Moses saw this appearance of God, and
that the sea went out of its own place, and left dry land, he went
first of all into it, and bid the Hebrews to follow him along that
divine road, and to rejoice at the danger their enemies that followed
them were in; and gave thanks to God for this so surprising a
deliverance which appeared from him.
3. Now, while these Hebrews made no stay, but went on earnestly, as
led by God's presence with them, the Egyptians supposed first that
they were distracted, and were going rashly upon manifest destruction.
But when they saw that they were going a great way without any harm,
and that no obstacle or difficulty fell in their journey, they made
haste to pursue them, hoping that the sea would be calm for them also.
They put their horse foremost, and went down themselves into the sea.
Now the Hebrews, while these were putting on their armor, and therein
spending their time, were beforehand with them, and escaped them, and
got first over to the land on the other side without any hurt. Whence
the others were encouraged, and more courageously pursued them, as
hoping no harm would come to them neither: but the Egyptians were not
aware that they went into a road made for the Hebrews, and not for
others; that this road was made for the deliverance of those in
danger, but not for those that were earnest to make use of it for the
others' destruction. As soon, therefore, as ever the whole Egyptian
army was within it, the sea flowed to its own place, and came down
with a torrent raised by storms of wind, (30) and encompassed the Egyptians. Showers of rain also came down
from the sky, and dreadful thunders and lightning, with flashes of
fire. Thunderbolts also were darted upon them. Nor was there any thing
which used to be sent by God upon men, as indications of his wrath,
which did not happen at this time, for a dark and dismal night
oppressed them. And thus did all these men perish, so that there was
not one man left to be a messenger of this calamity to the rest of the
Egyptians.
4. But the Hebrews were not able to contain themselves for joy at
their wonderful deliverance, and destruction of their enemies; now
indeed supposing themselves firmly delivered, when those that would
have forced them into slavery were destroyed, and when they found they
had God so evidently for their protector. And now these Hebrews having
escaped the danger they were in, after this manner, and besides that,
seeing their enemies punished in such a way as is never recorded of
any other men whomsoever, were all the night employed in singing of
hymns, and in mirth. (31) Moses also
composed a song unto God, containing his praises, and a thanksgiving
for his kindness, in hexameter verse. (32)
5. As for myself, I have delivered every part of this history as I
found it in the sacred books; nor let any one wonder at the
strangeness of the narration if a way were discovered to those
men of old time, who were free from the wickedness of the modern ages,
whether it happened by the will of God or whether it happened of its
own accord; - while, for the sake of those that accompanied Alexander,
king of Macedonia, who yet lived, comparatively but a little while
ago, the Pamphylian Sea retired and afforded them a passage
(33) through itself, had no other way
to go; I mean, when it was the will of God to destroy the monarchy of
the Persians: and this is confessed to be true by all that have
written about the actions of Alexander. But as to these events, let
every one determine as he pleases.
6. On the next day Moses gathered together the weapons of the
Egyptians, which were brought to the camp of the Hebrews by the
current of the sea, and the force of the winds resisting it; and he
conjectured that this also happened by Divine Providence, that so they
might not be destitute of weapons. So when he had ordered the Hebrews
to arm themselves with them, he led them to Mount Sinai, in order to
offer sacrifice to God, and to render oblations for the salvation of
the multitude, as he was charged to do beforehand.
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(1) We
may here observe, that in correspondence to Joseph's second dream,
which implied that his mother, who was then alive, as well as his
father, should come and bow down to him, Josephus represents her here
as still alive after she was dead, for the decorum of the dream that
foretold it, as the interpretation of the dream does also in all our
copies, Genesis 37:10.
(2) The
Septuagint have twenty pieces of gold; the Testament of Gad thirty;
the Hebrew and Samaritan twenty of silver; and the vulgar Latin
thirty. What was the true number and true sum cannot therefore now be
known.
(3) That is, bought it for Pharaoh at a very low price.
(4) This Potiphar, or, as Josephus, Petephres, who was now a priest of
On, or Heliopolis, is the same name in Josephus, and perhaps in Moses
also, with him who is before called head cook or captain of the guard,
and to whom Joseph was sold. See Genesis 37:36; 39:1, with 41:50. They
are also affirmed to be one and the same person in the Testament of
Joseph, sect. 18, for he is there said to have married the daughter of
his master and mistress. Nor is this a notion peculiar to that
Testament, but, as Dr. Bernard confesses, note on Antiq. B. II. ch. 4.
sect. 1, common to Josephus, to the Septuagint interpreters, and to
other learned Jews of old time.
(5) This entire ignorance of the Egyptians of these years of famine
before they came, told us before, as well as here, ch. 5. sect. 7, by
Josephus, seems to me almost incredible. It is in no other copy that I
know of.
(6) The reason why Symeon might be selected out of the rest for
Joseph's prisoner, is plain in the Testament of Symeon, viz. that he
was one of the bitterest of all Joseph's brethren against him, sect.
2; which appears also in part by the Testament of Zabulon, sect. 3.
(7) The coherence seems to me to show that the negative particle is
here wanting, which I have supplied in brackets, and I wonder none
have hitherto suspected that it ought to be supplied.
(8) Of the precious balsam of Judea, and the turpentine, see the note
on Antiq. B. VIII. ch. 6. sect. 6.
(9) This oration seems to me too large, and too unusual a digression,
to have been composed by Judas on this occasion. It seems to me a
speech or declamation composed formerly, in the person of Judas, and
in the way of oratory, that lay by him. and which he thought fit to
insert on this occasion. See two more such speeches or declamations, Antiq. B. VI. ch. 14. sect. 4
(10) In all this speech of Judas we may observe, that Josephus still
supposed that death was the punishment of theft in Egypt, in the days
of Joseph, though it never was so among the Jews, by the law of Moses.
(11) All the Greek copies of Josephus have the negative particle here,
that Jacob himself was not reckoned one of the 70 souls that came into
Egypt; but the old Latin copies want it, and directly assure us he was
one of them. It is therefore hardly certain which of these was
Josephus's true reading, since the number 70 is made up without him,
if we reckon Leah for one; but if she be not reckoned, Jacob must
himself be one, to complete the number.
(12) Josephus thought that the Egyptians hated or despised the
employment of a shepherd in the days of Joseph; whereas Bishop
Cumberland has shown that they rather hated such Poehnician or
Canaanite shepherds that had long enslaved the Egyptians of old time.
See his Sanchoniatho, p. 361, 362.
(13) Reland here puts the question, how Josephus could complain of its
not raining in Egypt during this famine, while the ancients affirm
that it never does naturally rain there. His answer is, that when the
ancients deny that it rains in Egypt, they only mean the Upper Egypt
above the Delta, which is called Egypt in the strictest sense; but
that in the Delta [and by consequence in the Lower Egypt adjoining to
it] it did of old, and still does, rain sometimes. See the note on
Antiq. B. III. ch. 1. sect. 6.
(14) Josephus supposes that Joseph now restored the Egyptians their
lands again. upon the payment of a fifth part as tribute. It seems to
me rather that the land was now considered as Pharaoh's land, and this
fifth part as its rent, to be paid to him, as he was their landlord,
and they his tenants; and that the lands were not properly restored,
and this fifth part reserved as tribute only, till the days of Sesostris. See Essay on the Old Testament, Append. 148, 149.
(15) As to this encomium upon Joseph, as preparatory to Jacob's
adopting Ephraim and Manasses into his own family, and to be admitted
for two tribes, which Josephus here mentions, all our copies of
Genesis omit it, ch. 48.; nor do we know whence he took it, or whether
it be not his own embellishment only.
(16) As to the affliction of Abraham's posterity for 400 years, see Antiq. B. I. ch. 10. sect. 3; and as to what cities they built in
Egypt, under Pharaoh Sesostris. and of Pharaoh Sesostris's drowning in
the Red Sea, see Essay on the Old Testament, Append. p. 132-162.
(17) Of this building of the pyramids of Egypt by the Israelites, see Perizonius Orig. Aegyptiac, ch. 21. It is not impossible they might
build one or more of the small ones; but the larger ones seem much
later. Only, if they be all built of stone, this does not so well
agree with the Israelites' labors, which are said to have been in
brick, and not in stone, as Mr. Sandys observes in his Travels. p.
127, 128.
(18) Dr. Bernard informs us here, that instead of this single priest
or prophet of the Egyptians, without a name in Josephus, the Targum of
Jonathan names the two famous antagonists of Moses, Jannes and Jambres.
Nor is it at all unlikely that it might be one of these who foreboded
so much misery to the Egyptians, and so much happiness to the
Israelites, from the rearing of Moses.
(19) Josephus is clear that these midwives were Egyptians, and not
Israelites, as in our other copies: which is very probable, it being
not easily to be supposed that Pharaoh could trust the Israelite
midwives to execute so barbarous a command against their own nation.
(Consult, therefore, and correct hence our ordinary copies, Exodus
1:15, 22. And, indeed, Josephus seems to have had much completer
copies of the Pentateuch, or other authentic records now lost, about
the birth and actions of Moses, than either our Hebrew, Samaritan, or
Greek Bibles afford us, which enabled him to be so large and
particular about him.
(20) Of this grandfather of Sesostris, Ramestes the Great, who slew
the Israelite infants, and of the inscription on his obelisk,
containing, in my opinion, one of the oldest records of mankind, see
Essay on the Old Test. Append. p. 139, 145, 147, 217-220.
(21) What Josephus here says of the beauty of Moses, that he was of a
divine form, is very like what St. Stephen says of the same beauty;
that Moses was beautiful in the sight of Acts 7:20.
(22) This history of Moses, as general of the Egyptians against the
Ethiopians, is wholly omitted in our Bibles; but is thus by Irenaeus,
from Josephus, and that soon after his own age: -- "Josephus says, that
when Moses was nourished in the palace, he was appointed general of
the army against the Ethiopians, and conquered them, when he married
that king's daughter; because, out of her affection for him, she
delivered the city up to him." See the Fragments of Irenaeus. ap.
edit. Grab. p. 472. Nor perhaps did St. Stephen refer to any thing
else when he said of Moses, before he was sent by God to the
Israelites, that he was not only learned in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians, but was also mighty in words and in deeds, Acts 7:22.
(23) Pliny speaks of these birds called ibes; and says, "The Egyptians
invoked them against the serpents," Hist. Nat. B. X. ch. 28. Strabo
speaks of this island Meroe, and these rivers Astapus and Astaboras,
B. XVI. p. 771, 786; and B XVII. p. 82].
(24) This superstitious fear of discovering the name with four
letters, which of late we have been used falsely to pronounce Jehovah,
but seems to have been originally pronounced Jahoh, or Jao, is never,
I think, heard of till this passage of Josephus; and this
superstition, in not pronouncing that name, has continued among the
Rabbinical Jews to this day (though whether the Samaritans and
Caraites observed it so early, does not appear). Josephus also durst
not set down the very words of the ten commandments, as we shall see
hereafter, Antiq. B. III. ch. 5. sect. 4, which superstitious silence
I think has yet not been continued even by the Rabbins. It is,
however, no doubt but both these cautious concealments were taught
Josephus by the Pharisees, a body of men at once very wicked and very
superstitious.
(25) Of this judicial hardening the hearts and blinding the eyes of
wicked men, or infatuating them, as a just punishment for their other
willful sins, to their own destruction, see the note on Antiq. B. VII.
ch. 9. sect. 6.
(26) As to this winter or spring hail near Egypt and Judea, see the
like on thunder and lightning there, in the note on Antiq. B. VI. ch.
5. sect. 6.
(27) These large presents made to the Israelites, of vessels of and
vessels of gold, and raiment, were, as Josephus truly calls them,
gifts really given them; not lent them, as our English falsely renders
them. They were spoils required, not of them, Genesis 15:14; Exodus
3:22; 11:2; Psalm 105:37,) as the same version falsely renders the
Hebrew word Exodus 12:35, 36. God had ordered the Jews to demand these
as their pay and reward, during their long and bitter slavery in
Egypt, as atonements for the lives of the Egyptians, and as the
condition of the Jews' departure, and of the Egyptians' deliverance
from these terrible judgments, which, had they not now ceased, they
had soon been all dead men, as they themselves confess, ch. 12. 33.
Nor was there any sense in borrowing or lending, when the Israelites
were finally departing out of the land for ever.
(28) Why our Masorete copy so groundlessly abridges this account in
Exodus 12:40, as to ascribe 430 years to the sole peregrination of the
Israelites in Egypt, when it is clear even by that Masorete chronology
elsewhere, as well as from the express text itself, in the Samaritan,
Septuagint, and Josephus, that they sojourned in Egypt but half that
time, -- and that by consequence, the other half of their peregrination
was in the land of Canaan, before they came into Egypt, -- is hard to
say. See Essay on the Old Testament, p. 62, 63.
(29) Take the main part of Reland's excellent note here, which greatly
illustrates Josephus, and the Scripture, in this history, as follows:
"[A traveller, says Reland, whose name was] Eneman, when he returned
out of Egypt, told me that he went the same way from Egypt to Mount
Sinai, which he supposed the Israelites of old traveled; and that he
found several mountainous tracts, that ran down towards the Red Sea.
He thought the Israelites had proceeded as far as the desert of Etham,
Exodus 13:20, when they were commanded by God to return back, Exodus
14:2, and to pitch their camp between Migdol and the sea; and that
when they were not able to fly, unless by sea, they were shut in on
each side by mountains. He also thought we might evidently learn
hence, how it might be said that the Israelites were in Etham before
they went over the sea, and yet might be said to have come into Etham
after they had passed over the sea also. Besides, he gave me an
account how he passed over a river in a boat near the city Suez, which
he says must needs be the Heroopolia of the ancients, since that city
could not be situate any where else in that neighborhood."
As to the famous passage produced here by Dr. Bernard, out of
Herodotus, as the most ancient heathen testimony of the Israelites
coming from the Red Sea into Palestine, Bishop Cumberland has shown
that it belongs to the old Canaanite or Phoenician shepherds, and
their retiring out of Egypt into Canaan or Phoenicia, long before the
days of Moses. Sanchoniatho, p. 374, &c.
(30) Of these storms of wind, thunder, and lightning, at this drowning
of Pharaoh's army, almost wanting in our copies of Exodus, but fully
extant in that of David, Psalm 77:16-18, and in that of Josephus here,
see Essay on the Old Test. Append. p. 15,1, 155.
(31) What some have here objected against this passage of the
Israelites over the Red Sea, in this one night, from the common maps,
viz. that this sea being here about thirty miles broad, so great an
army conld not pass over it in so short a time, is a great mistake.
Mons. Thevenot, an authentic eye-witness, informs us, that this sea,
for about five days' journey, is no where more than about eight or
nine miles over-cross, and in one place but four or five miles,
according to De Lisle's map, which is made from the best travelers
themselves, and not copied from others. What has been further objected
against this passage of the Israelites, and drowning of the Egyptians,
being miraculous also, viz. that Moses might carry the Israelites over
at a low tide without any miracle, while yet the Egyptians, not
knowing the tide so well as he, might be drowned upon the return of
the tide, is a strange story indeed ! That Moses, who never had lived
here, should know the quantity and time of the flux and reflux of the
Red Sea better than the Egyptians themselves in its neighborhood! Yet
does Artapanus, an ancient heathen historian, inform us, that this was
what the more ignorant Memphites, who lived at a great distance,
pretended, though he confesses, that the more learned Heliopolitans,
who lived much nearer, owned the destruction of the Egyptians, and the
deliverance of the Israelites, to have been miraculous: and De Castro,
a mathematician, who surveyed this sea with great exactness, informs
us, that there is no great flux or reflux in this part of the Red Sea,
to give a color to this hypothesis; nay, that at the elevation of the
tide there is little above half the height of a man. See Essay on the
Old Test. Append. p. 239, 240. So vain and groundless are these and
the like evasions and subterfuges of our modern sceptics and
unbelievers, and so certainly do thorough inquiries and authentic
evidence disprove and confute such evasions and subterfuges upon all
occasions.
(32) What that hexameter verse, in which Moses's triumphant song is
here said to be written, distinctly means, our present ignorance of
the old Hebrew metre or measure will not let us determine. Nor does it
appear to me certain that even Josephus himself had a distinct notion
of it, though he speaks of several sort of that metre or measure, both
here and elsewhere. Antiq. B. IV. ch. 8. sect. 44; and B. VII. ch. 12.
sect. 3.
(33) Take here the original passages of the four old authors that
still remain, as to this transit of Alexander the Great over the Pamphylian Sea: I mean, of Callisthenes, Strabu, Arrian, and Appian.
As to Callisthenes, who himself accompanied Alexander in this
expedition, Eustathius, in his Notes on the third Iliad of Homer, (as
Dr. Bernard here informs us,) says, That "this Callisthenes wrote how
the Pamphylian Sea did not only open a passage for Alexander, but, by
rising and did pay him homage as its king."
Strabo's is this (Geog. B. XIV. p. 666): "Now about Phaselis is that
narrow passage, by the sea-side, through which his army. There is a
mountain called Climax, adjoins to the Sea of Pamphylia, leaving a
narrow passage on the shore, which, in calm weather, is bare, so as to
be passable by travelers, but when the sea overflows, it is covered to
a great degree by the waves. Now then, the ascent by the mountains
being round about and steep, in still weather they make use of the
road along the coast. But Alexander fell into the winter season, and
committing himself chiefly to fortune, he marched on before the waves
retired; and so it happened that were a whole day in journeying over
it, and were under water up to the navel." Arrian's account is this
(B. I. p. 72, 73): Alexander removed from Phaselis, he sent some part
his army over the mountains to Perga; which road the Thracians showed
him. A difficult way it was, but short. he himself conducted those
that were with him by the sea-shore. This road is impassable at any
other time than when the north wind blows; but if the south wind
prevail, there is no passing by the shore. Now at this time, after
strong south winds, a north wind blew, and that not without the Divine
Providence, (as both he and they that were with him supposed,) and
afforded him an easy and quick passage." Appian, when he compares
Caesar and Alexander together, (De Bel. Civil. B. II. p. 522,) says,
"That they both depended on their boldness and fortune, as much as on
their skill in war. As an instance of which, Alexander journeyed over
a country without water, in the heat of summer, to the oracle of
[Jupiter] Hammon, and quickly passed over the Bay of Pamphylia, when,
by Divine Providence, the sea was cut off -- thus Providence
restraining the sea on his account, as it had sent him rain when he
traveled [over the desert]."
N. B. -- Since, in the days of Josephus, as he assures us, all the
more numerous original historians of Alexander gave the account he has
here set down, as to the providential going back of the waters of the
Pamphylian Sea, when he was going with his army to destroy the Persian
monarchy, which the fore-named authors now remaining fully confirm, it
is without all just foundation that Josephus is here blamed by some
late writers for quoting those ancient authors upon the present
occasion; nor can the reflections of Plutarch, or any other author
later than Josephus, be in the least here alleged to contradict him.
Josephus went by all the evidence he then had, and that evidence of
the most authentic sort also. So that whatever the moderns may think
of the thing itself, there is hence not the least color for finding
fault with Josephus: he would rather have been much to blame had he
omitted these quotations.
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