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diff --git a/old/1494.txt b/old/1494.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..53791e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1494.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12538 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Legends of the Jews Volume 2 +by Louis Ginzberg + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software + + + + + +The Legends of the Jews Volume 2, by Louis Ginzberg + + + + + +This book contains the markers for endnotes but the notes were +too small to scan. If you have a typed copy, please send the +etext to Project Gutenberg. + + + + + +THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS + +BY +LOUIS GINZBERG + +TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN MANUSCRIPT BY +HENRIETTA SZOLD + + +II + +BIBLE TIMES AND CHARACTERS FROM JOSEPH TO THE EXODUS + + + + +PREFACE + +The arrangement and presentation of the material in this +volume are the same as in Volume I. In both my efforts +have been directed to bringing together as full as possible +a collection of Jewish legends that deal with Biblical personages +and events. The sources of those legends and explanations +of some of them will be given in the last volume +of the entire work, and the numbers throughout the work +refer to the notes in the concluding volume. + +My original intention was to continue Volume II up to the +death of Moses, but the legendary material clustering around +the life and death of Moses is so abundant that practical +considerations demanded the division of this material, in order +not to make the second volume too bulky. The division +chosen is a natural one. This volume closes with the Exodus, +and contains the deeds of Moses in Egypt, while the following +volume will deal with Moses in the desert. + +The fact that Job is placed between Jacob's sons and +Moses may appear strange to some readers, since in the +Bible Job is one of the last books; but "legend is above time +and space," and I have, therefore, given Job the place which +legend has ascribed to him. + LOUIS GINZBERG. + +NEW YORK, March 28, 1910. + + + +CONTENTS + +PREFACE +JOSEPH +The Favorite Son-Joseph Hated by His Brethren-- +Joseph Cast into the Pit-The Sale-Joseph's Three +Masters-Joseph's Coat Brought to His Father-Judah +and His Sons-The Wives of the Sons of Jacob-- +Joseph the Slave of Potiphar-Joseph and Zuleika-- +Joseph Resists Temptation-Joseph in Prison-Pharaoh's +Dreams-Joseph before Pharaoh-The Ruler of +Egypt-Joseph's Brethren in Egypt-Joseph Meets His +Brethren-The Second journey to Egypt-Joseph and +Benjamin-The Thief Caught-Judah Pleads and +Threatens-Joseph Makes Himself Known-Jacob +Receives the Glad Tidings-Jacob Arrives in Egypt-- +Joseph's Kindness and Generosity~Jacob's Last Wish-- +The Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh-The Blessing +of the Twelve Tribes-The Death of Jacob-The Sons +of Jacob at War with the Sons of Esau-Zepho King +of Kittim-The Nations at War-Joseph's Magnanimity +-Asenath-The Marriage of Joseph-Kind and Unkind +Brethren-Treachery Punished-The Death and Burial +of Joseph. + +II. THE SONS OF JACOB +Significant Names-Reuben's Testament-Simon's +Admonition against Envy~The Ascension of Levi-Judah +Warns against Greed and Unchastity-Issachar's Singleness +of Heart-Zebulon Exhorts unto Compassion- +Dan's Confession-Naphtali's Dreams of the Division +of the Tribes-Gad's Hatred-Asher's Last Words- +Benjamin Extols Joseph. + +III. JOB +Job and the Patriarchs-Job's Wealth and +Benefactions-Satan and Job--Job's Suffering-The Four +Friends-Job Restored. + +IV. MOSES IN EGYPT +The Beginning of the Egyptian Bondage-Pharaoh's +Cunning-The Pious Midwives-The Three Counsellors- +The Slaughter of the Innocents-The Parents of +Moses-The Birth of Moses-Moses Rescued from the +Water-The Infancy of Moses-Moses Rescued by +Gabriel-The Youth of Moses-The Flight-The King +of Ethiopia-Jethro-Moses Marries Zipporah-A +Bloody Remedy-The Faithful Shepherd-The Burning +Thorn-bush-The Ascension of Moses-Moses Visits +Paradise and Hell-Moses Declines the Mission-Moses +Punished for His Stubbornness-The Return to Egypt- +Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh-The Suffering In- +creases-Measure for Measure-The Plagues Brought +through Aaron-The Plagues Brought through Moses- +The First Passover-The Smiting of the First-born- +The Redemption of Israel from Egyptian Bondage- +The Exodus. + + + +I +JOSEPH + +THE FAVORITE SON +JOSEPH HATED By His BRETHREN +JOSEPH CAST INTO THE PIT +THE SALE +JOSEPH'S THREE MASTERS +JOSEPH'S COAT BROUGHT TO HIS FATHER +JUDAH AND HIS SONS +THE WIVES OF THE SONS OF JACOB +JOSEPH THE SLAVE OF POTIPHAR +JOSEPH AND ZULEIKA +JOSEPH RESISTS TEMPTATION +JOSEPH IN PRISON +PHARAOH'S DREAMS +JOSEPH BEFORE PHARAOH +THE RULER OF EGYPT +JOSEPH'S BRETHREN IN EGYPT +JOSEPH MEETS HIS BRETHREN +THE SECOND JOURNEY TO EGYPT +JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN +THE THIEF CAUGHT +JUDAH PLEADS AND THREATENS +JOSEPH MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN +JACOB RECEIVES THE GLAD TIDINGS +JACOB ARRIVES IN EGYPT +JOSEPH's KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY +JACOB'S LAST WISH +THE BLESSING OF EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH +THE BLESSING OF THE TWELVE TRIBES +THE DEATH OF JACOB +THE SONS OF JACOB AT WAR WITH THE SONS OF ESAU +ZEPHO KING OF KITTIM +THE NATIONS AT WAR +JOSEPH'S MAGNANIMITY +ASENATH +THE MARRIAGE OF JOSEPH +KIND AND UNKIND BRETHREN +TREACHERY PUNISHED +THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF JOSEPH + + +I + +JOSEPH + +THE FAVORITE SON + +Jacob was not exempt from the lot that falls to the share +of all the pious. Whenever they expect to enjoy life in +tranquillity, Satan hinders them. He appears before God, +and says: "Is it not enough that the future world is set +apart for the pious? What right have they to enjoy this +world, besides?" After the many hardships and conflicts +that had beset the path of Jacob, he thought he would be at +rest at last, and then came the loss of Joseph and inflicted the +keenest suffering. Verily, few and evil had been the days +of the years of Jacob's pilgrimage, for the time spent outside +of the Holy Land had seemed joyless to him. Only the +portion of his life passed in the land of his fathers, during +which he was occupied with making proselytes, in accordance +with the example set him by Abraham and Isaac, did +he consider worth while having lived,[1] and this happy time +was of short duration. When Joseph was snatched away, +but eight years had elapsed since his return to his father's +house.[2] + +And yet it was only for the sake of Joseph that Jacob had +been willing to undergo all the troubles and the adversity +connected with his sojourn in the house of Laban. Indeed, +Jacob's blessing in having his quiver full of children was due +to the merits of Joseph, and likewise the dividing of the +Red Sea and of the Jordan for the Israelites was the reward for +his son's piety. For among the sons of Jacob +Joseph was the one that resembled his father most closely in +appearance, and, also, he was the one to whom Jacob transmitted +the instruction and knowledge he had received from +his teachers Shem and Eber.[3] The whole course of the son's +life is but a repetition of the father's. As the mother of +Jacob remained childless for a long time after her marriage, +so also the mother of Joseph. As Rebekah had undergone +severe suffering in giving birth to Jacob, so Rachel in giving +birth to Joseph. As Jacob's mother bore two sons, so also +Joseph's mother. Like Jacob, Joseph was born circumcised. +As the father was a shepherd, so the son. As the father +served for the sake of a woman, so the son served under a +woman. Like the father, the son appropriated his older +brother's birthright. The father was hated by his brother, +and the son was hated by his brethren. The father was the +favorite son as compared with his brother, so was the son +as compared with his brethren. Both the father and the son +lived in the land of the stranger. The father became a servant +to a master, also the son. The master whom the father +served was blessed by God, so was the master whom the son +served. The father and the son were both accompanied by +angels, and both married their wives outside of the Holy +Land. The father and the son were both blessed with +wealth. Great things were announced to the father in a +dream, so also to the son. As the father went to Egypt and +put an end to famine, so the son. As the father exacted the +promise from his sons to bury him in the Holy Land, so +also the son. The father died in Egypt, there died also the +son. The body of the father was embalmed, also the body +of the son. As the father's remains were carried to the +Holy Land for interment, so also the remains of the son. +Jacob the father provided for the sustenance of his son +Joseph during a period of seventeen years, so Joseph the +son provided for his father Jacob during a period of seventeen +years.[4] + +Until he was seventeen years old, Joseph frequented the +Bet ha-Midrash,[5] and he became so learned that he could +impart to his brethren the Halakot he had heard from his +father, and in this way he may be regarded as their teacher.[6] +He did not stop at formal instruction, he also tried to give +them good counsel, and he became the favorite of the sons +of the handmaids, who would kiss and embrace him.[7] + +In spite of his scholarship there was something boyish +about Joseph. He painted his eyes, dressed his hair carefully, +and walked with a mincing step. These foibles of +youth were not so deplorable as his habit of bringing evil +reports of his brethren to his father. He accused them of +treating the beasts under their care with cruelty--he said +that they ate flesh torn from a living animal--and he charged +them with casting their eyes upon the daughters of the +Canaanites, and giving contemptuous treatment to the sons +of the handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah, whom they called +slaves. + +For these groundless accusations Joseph had to pay +dearly. He was himself sold as a slave, because he had +charged his brethren with having called the sons of the +handmaids slaves, and Potiphar's wife cast her eyes upon +Joseph, because he threw the suspicion upon his brethren +that they had cast their eyes upon the Canaanitish women. +And how little it was true that they were guilty of cruelty +to animals, appears from the fact that at the very time when +they were contemplating their crime against Joseph, they +yet observed all the rules and prescriptions of the ritual in +slaughtering the kid of the goats with the blood of which +they besmeared his coat of many colors.[8] + + +JOSEPH HATED BY HIS BRETHREN + +Joseph's talebearing against his brethren made them hate +him. Among all of them Gad was particularly wrathful, +and for good reason. Gad was a very brave man, and when +a beast of prey attacked the herd, over which he kept guard +at night, he would seize it by one of its legs, and whirl it +around until it was stunned, and then he would fling it away +to a distance of two stadia, and kill it thus. Once Jacob +sent Joseph to tend the flock, but he remained away only +thirty days, for he was a delicate lad and fell sick with the +heat, and he hastened back to his father. On his return he +told Jacob that the sons of the handmaids were in the habit +of slaughtering the choice cattle of the herd and eating it, +without obtaining permission from Judah and Reuben. But +his report was not accurate. What he had seen was Gad +slaughtering one lamb, which he had snatched from the very +jaws of a bear, and he killed it because it could not be kept +alive after its fright. Joseph's account sounded as though +the sons of the handmaids were habitually inconsiderate and +careless in wasting their father's substance.[9] + +To the resentment of the brethren was added their envy +of Joseph, because their father loved him more than all of +them. Joseph's beauty of person was equal to that of his +mother Rachel, and Jacob had but to look at him to be consoled +for the death of his beloved wife. Reason enough for +distinguishing him among his children.[10] As a token of his +great love for him, Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors, +so light and delicate that it could be crushed and concealed +in the closed palm of one hand. The Hebrew name of the +garment, Passim, conveys the story of the sale of Joseph. +The first letter, Pe, stands for Potiphar, his Egyptian master; +Samek stands for Soharim, the merchantmen that +bought Joseph from the company of Ishmaelites to whom his +brethren had sold him; Yod stands for these same Ishmaelites; +and Mem, for the Midianites that obtained him from +the merchantmen, and then disposed of him to Potiphar. +But Passim. has yet another meaning, "clefts." His brethren +knew that the Red Sea would be cleft in twain in days to +come for Joseph's sake, and they were jealous of the glory +to be conferred upon him. Although they were filled with +hatred of him, it must be said in their favor that they were +not of a sullen, spiteful nature. They did not hide their +feelings, +they proclaimed their enmity openly. + +Once Joseph dreamed a dream, and he could not refrain +from telling it to his brethren. He spoke, and said: "Hear, +I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed. Behold, you +gathered fruit, and so did I. Your fruit rotted, but mine +remained sound. Your seed will set up dumb images of +idols, but they will vanish at the appearance of my descendant, +the Messiah of Joseph. You will keep the truth as to +my fate from the knowledge of my father, but I will stand +fast as a reward for the self-denial of my mother, and you +will prostrate yourselves five times before me."[11] + +The brethren refused at first to listen to the dream, but +when Joseph urged them again and again, they gave heed +to him, and they said, "Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or +shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?"[12] God put an +interpretation into their mouths that was to be verified in +the posterity of Joseph. Jeroboam and Jehu, two kings, +and Joshua and Gideon, two judges, have been among his +descendants, corresponding to the double and emphatic expressions +used by his brethren in interpreting the dream.[13] + +Then Joseph dreamed another dream, how the sun, the +moon, and eleven stars bowed down before him, and Jacob, +to whom he told it first, was rejoiced over it, for he understood +its meaning properly.[14] He knew that he himself was +designated by the sun, the name by which God had called +him when he lodged overnight on the holy site of the +Temple. He had heard God say to the angels at that time, +"The sun has come."[15] The moon stood for Joseph's +mother, and the stars for his brethren, for the righteous are +as the stars.[16] Jacob was so convinced of the truth of +the dream that he was encouraged to believe that he +would live to see the resurrection of the dead, for Rachel +was dead, and her return to earth was clearly indicated by +the dream. He went astray there, for not Joseph's own +mother was referred to, but his foster-mother Bilhah, who +had raised him. + +Jacob wrote the dream in a book, recording all the circumstances, +the day, the hour, and the place, for the holy spirit +cautioned him, "Take heed, these things will surely come +to pass."[17] But when Joseph repeated his dream to his +brethren, in the presence of his father, Jacob rebuked him, +saying, "I and thy brethren, that has some sense, but I and +thy mother, that is inconceivable, for thy mother is dead."[18] +These words of Jacob called forth a reproof from God. He +said, "Thus thy descendants will in time to come seek to +hinder Jeremiah in delivering his prophecies."[19] Jacob may +be excused, he had spoken in this way only in order to avert +the envy and hate of his brethren from Joseph, but they +envied and hated him because they knew that the interpretation +put upon the dream by Jacob would be realized.[20] + + +JOSEPH CAST INTO THE PIT + +Once the brethren of Joseph led their father's flocks to +the pastures of Shechem, and they intended to take their +ease and pleasure there.[21] They stayed away a long time, and +no tidings of them were heard. Jacob began to be anxious +about the fate of his sons. He feared that a war had broken +out between them and the people of Shechem, and he resolved +to send Joseph to them and have him bring word +again, whether it was well with his brethren.[22] Jacob desired +to know also about the flocks, for it is a duty to concern +oneself about the welfare of anything from which one derives +profit. Though he knew that the hatred of his brethren +might bring on unpleasant adventures, yet Joseph, in +filial reverence, declared himself ready to go on his father's +errand. Later, whenever Jacob remembered his dear son's +willing spirit, the recollection stabbed him to the heart. He +would say to himself, "Thou didst know the hatred of thy +brethren, and yet thou didst say, Here am I."[23] + +Jacob dismissed Joseph, with the injunction that he journey +only by daylight,[24] saying furthermore, "Go now, see +whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flock; +and send me word"--an unconscious prophecy. He did not +say that he expected to see Joseph again, but only to have +word from him.[25] Since the covenant of the pieces, God +had resolved, on account of Abraham's doubting question, +that Jacob and his family should go down into Egypt to +dwell there. The preference shown to Joseph by his father, +and the envy it aroused, leading finally to the sale of Joseph +and his establishment in Egypt, were but disguised means +created by God, instead of executing His counsel directly +by carrying Jacob down into Egypt as a captive.[26] + +Joseph reached Shechem, where he expected to find his +brethren. Shechem was always a place of ill omen for +Jacob and his seed--there Dinah was dishonored, there the +Ten Tribes of Israel rebelled against the house of David +while Rehoboam ruled in Jerusalem, and there Jeroboam +was installed as king.[27] Not finding his brethren and the +herd in Shechem, Joseph continued his journey in the direction +of the next pasturing place, not far from Shechem, but +he lost his way in the wilderness.[28] Gabriel in human shape +appeared before him, and asked him, saying, "What seekest +thou?"[29] And he answered, "I seek my brethren." +Whereto the angel replied, "Thy brethren have given up +the Divine qualities of love and mercy.[30] Through a prophetic +revelation they learned that the Hivites were preparing +to make war upon them, and therefore they departed +hence to go to Dothan. And they had to leave this place for +other reasons, too. I heard, while I was still standing behind +the curtain that veils the Divine throne, that this day +the Egyptian bondage would begin, and thou wouldst be +the first to be subjected to it."[31] Then Gabriel led Joseph to +Dothan.[32] + +When his brethren saw him afar off, they conspired +against him, to slay him. Their first plan was to set dogs +on him. Simon then spoke to Levi, "Behold, the master of +dreams cometh with a new dream, he whose descendant +Jeroboam will introduce the worship of Baal. Come now, +therefore, and let us slay him, that we may see what will +become of his dreams." But God spoke: "Ye say, We shall +see what will become of his dreams, and I say likewise, We +shall see, and the future shall show whose word will stand, +yours or Mine."[33] + +Simon and Gad set about slaying Joseph, and he fell upon +his face, and entreated them: "Have mercy with me, my +brethren, have pity on the heart of my father Jacob. Lay +not your hands upon me, to spill innocent blood, for I have +done no evil unto you. But if I have done evil unto you, +then chastise me with a chastisement, but your hands lay +not upon me, for the sake of our father Jacob." These +words touched Zebulon, and he began to lament and weep, +and the wailing of Joseph rose up together with his brother's, +and when Simon and Gad raised their hands against +him to execute their evil design, Joseph took refuge behind +Zebulon, and supplicated his other brethren to have mercy +upon him. Then Reuben arose, and he said, "Brethren, let +us not slay him, but let us cast him into one of the dry pits, +which our fathers dug without finding water." That was +due to the providence of God; He had hindered the water +from rising in them in order that Joseph's rescue might be +accomplished, and the pits remained dry until Joseph was +safe in the hands of the Ishmaelites.[34] + +Reuben had several reasons for interceding in behalf of +Joseph. He knew that he as the oldest of the brethren would +be held responsible by their father, if any evil befell him. +Besides, Reuben was grateful to Joseph for having reckoned +him among the eleven sons of Jacob in narrating his +dream of the sun, moon, and stars. Since his disrespectful +bearing toward Jacob, he had not thought himself worthy +of being considered one of his sons.[35] First Reuben tried +to restrain his brethren from their purpose, and he addressed +them in words full of love and compassion. But when he +saw that neither words nor entreaties would change their +intention, he begged them, saying: "My brethren, at least +hearken unto me in respect of this, that ye be not so wicked +and cruel as to slay him. Lay no hand upon your brother, +shed no blood, cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, +and let him perish thus.[36] + +Then Reuben went away from his brethren, and he hid +in the mountains, so that he might be able to hasten back +in a favorable moment and draw Joseph forth from the pit +and restore him to his father. He hoped his reward would +be pardon for the transgression he had committed against +Jacob.[37] His good intention was frustrated, yet Reuben was +rewarded by God, for God gives a recompense not only for +good deeds, but for good intentions as well.[38] As he was +the first of the brethren of Joseph to make an attempt to +save him, so the city of Bezer in the tribe of Reuben was +the first of the cities of refuge appointed to safeguard the +life of the innocent that seek help.[39] Furthermore God +spake to Reuben, saying: "As thou wast the first to endeavor +to restore a child unto his father, so Hosea, one of +thy descendants, shall be the first to endeavor to lead Israel +back to his heavenly Father."[40] + +The brethren accepted Reuben's proposition, and Simon +seized Joseph, and cast him into a pit swarming with snakes +and scorpions, beside which was another unused pit, filled +with offal.[41] As though this were not enough torture, Simon +bade his brethren fling great stones at Joseph. In his later +dealings with this brother Simon, Joseph showed all the +forgiving charitableness of his nature. When Simon was +held in durance in Egypt as a hostage, Joseph, so far from +bearing him a grudge, ordered crammed poultry to be set +before him at all his meals.[42] + +Not satisfied with exposing Joseph to the snakes and +scorpions, his brethren had stripped him bare before they +flung him into the pit. They took off his coat of many +colors, his upper garment, his breeches, and his shirt.[43] +However, the reptiles could do him no harm. God heard +his cry of distress, and kept them in hiding in the clefts +and the holes, and they could not come near him. From the +depths of the pit Joseph appealed to his brethren, saying: +"O my brethren, what have I done unto you, and what is +my transgression? Why are you not afraid before God on +account of your treatment of me? Am I not flesh of your +flesh, and bone of your bone? Jacob your father, is he not +also my father? Why do you act thus toward me? And +how will you be able to lift up your countenance before +Jacob? O Judah, Reuben, Simon, Levi, my brethren, deliver +me, I pray you, from the dark place into which you +have cast me. Though I committed a trespass against you, +yet are ye children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were +compassionate with the orphan, gave food to the hungry, +and clothed the naked. How, then, can ye withhold your +pity from your own brother, your own flesh and bone? And +though I sinned against you, yet you will hearken unto my +petition for the sake of my father. O that my father knew +what my brethren are doing unto me, and what they spake +unto me!" + +To avoid hearing Joseph's weeping and cries of distress, +his brethren passed on from the pit, and stood at a bow- +shot's distance.[44] The only one among them that manifested +pity was Zebulon. For two days and two nights no food +passed his lips on account of his grief over the fate of +Joseph, who had to spend three days and three nights in the +pit before he was sold. During this period Zebulon was +charged by his brethren to keep watch at the pit. He was +chosen to stand guard because he took no part in the meals. +Part of the time Judah also refrained from eating with +the rest, and took turns at watching, because he feared +Simon and Gad might jump down into the pit and put an +end to Joseph's life.[45] + +While Joseph was languishing thus, his brethren determined +to kill him. They would finish their meal first, they +said, and then they would fetch him forth and slay him. +When they had done eating, they attempted to say grace, but +Judah remonstrated with them: "We are about to take the +life of a human being, and yet would bless God? That is +not a blessing, that is contemning the Lord.[46] What profit +is it if we slay our brother? Rather will the punishment of +God descend upon us. I have good counsel to give you. +Yonder passeth by a travelling company of Ishmaelites on +their way to Egypt. Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, +and let not our hand be upon him. The Ishmaelites +will take him with them upon their journeyings, and he +will be lost among the peoples of the earth.[47] Let us follow +the custom of former days, for Canaan, too, the son of Ham, +was made a slave for his evil deeds, and so will we do with +our brother Joseph."[48] + + +THE SALE + +While the brethren of Joseph were deliberating upon his +fate, seven Midianitish merchantmen passed near the pit +in which he lay. They noticed that many birds were circling +above it, whence they assumed that there must be water +therein, and, being thirsty, they made a halt in order to refresh +themselves. When they came close, they heard Joseph +screaming and wailing, and they looked down into the pit +and saw a youth of beautiful figure and comely appearance. +They called to him, saying: "Who art thou? Who brought +thee hither, and who cast thee into this pit in the wilderness?" +They all joined together and dragged him up, and +took him along with them when they continued on their +journey. They had to pass his brethren, who called out to +the Midianites: "Why have you done such a thing, to steal +our slave and carry him away with you? We threw the +lad into the pit, because he was disobedient. Now, then, return +our slave to us." The Midianites replied: "What, +this lad, you say, is your slave, your servant? More likely +is it that you all are slaves unto him, for in beauty of form, +in pleasant looks, and fair appearance, he excelleth you all. +Why, then, will you speak lies unto us? We will not give +ear unto your words, nor believe you, for we found the lad +in the wilderness, in a pit, and we took him out, and we will +carry him away with us on our journey." But the sons of +Jacob insisted, "Restore our slave to us, lest you meet death +at the edge of the sword." + +Unaffrighted, the Midianites drew their weapons, and, +amid war whoops, they prepared to enter into a combat with +the sons of Jacob. Then Simon rose up, and with bared +sword he sprang upon the Midianites, at the same time +uttering a cry that made the earth reverberate. The Midianites +fell down in great consternation, and he said: "I am +Simon, the son of the Hebrew Jacob, who destroyed the city +of Shechem alone and unaided, and together with my brethren +I destroyed the cities of the Amorites. God do so and +more also, if it be not true that all the Midianites, your +brethren, united with all the Canaanite kings to fight with +me, cannot hold out against me. Now restore the boy you +took from us, else will I give your flesh unto the fowls of +the air and to the beasts of the field." + +The Midianites were greatly afraid of Simon, and, terrified +and abashed, they spake to the sons of Jacob with little +courage: "Said ye not that ye cast this lad into the pit because +he was of a rebellious spirit? What, now, will ye do +with an insubordinate slave? Rather sell him to us, we are +ready to pay any price you desire." This speech was part +of the purpose of God. He had put it into the heart of +the Midianites to insist upon possessing Joseph, that he +might not remain with his brethren, and be slain by them.[49] +The brethren assented, and Joseph was sold as a slave while +they sat over their meal. God spake, saying: "Over a meal +did ye sell your brother, and thus shall Ahasuerus sell your +descendants to Haman over a meal, and because ye have +sold Joseph to be a slave, therefore shall ye say year after +year, Slaves were we unto Pharaoh in Egypt."[50] + +The price paid for Joseph by the Midianites was twenty +pieces of silver, enough for a pair of shoes for each of his +brethren. Thus "they sold the righteous for silver, and the +needy for a pair of shoes." For so handsome a youth as +Joseph the sum paid was too low by far, but his appearance +had been greatly changed by the horrible anguish he bad +endured in the pit with the snakes and the scorpions. He +had lost his ruddy complexion, and he looked sallow and +sickly, and the Midianites were justified in paying a small +sum for him.[51] + +The merchantmen had come upon Joseph naked in the +pit, for his brethren had stripped him of all his clothes. +That he might not appear before men in an unseemly condition, +God sent Gabriel down to him, and the angel enlarged +the amulet banging from Joseph's neck until it was +a garment that covered him entirely. Joseph's brethren +were looking after him as he departed with the Midianites, +and when they saw him with clothes upon him, they cried +after them, "Give us his raiment! We sold him naked, +without clothes." His owners refused to yield to their demand, +but they agreed to reimburse the brethren with four +pairs of shoes, and Joseph kept his garment, the same in +which he was arrayed when he arrived in Egypt and was +sold to Potiphar, the same in which he was locked up in +prison and appeared before Pharaoh, and the same he wore +when he was ruler over Egypt.[52] + +As an atonement for the twenty pieces of silver taken by +his brethren in exchange for Joseph, God commanded that +every first-born son shall be redeemed by the priest with an +equal amount, and, also, every Israelite must pay annually +to the sanctuary as much as fell to each of the brethren as +his share of the price.[53] + +The brethren of Joseph bought shoes for the money, for +they said: "We will not eat it, because it is the price for +the blood of our brother, but we will tread upon him, for +that he spake, he would have dominion over us, and we will +see what will become of his dreams." And for this reason +the ordinance has been commanded, that he who refuseth to +raise up a name in Israel unto his brother that hath died +without having a son, shall have his shoe loosed from off his +foot, and his face shall be spat upon. Joseph's brethren refused +to do aught to preserve his life, and therefore the Lord +loosed their shoes from off their feet, for, when they went +down to Egypt, the slaves of Joseph took their shoes off +their feet as they entered the gates, and they prostrated +themselves before Joseph as before a Pharaoh, and, as they +lay prostrate, they were spat upon, and put to shame before +the Egyptians.[54] + +The Midianites pursued their journey to Gilead, but they +soon regretted the purchase they had made. They feared +that Joseph had been stolen in the land of the Hebrews, +though sold to them as a slave, and if his kinsmen should +find him with them, death would be inflicted upon them for +the abduction of a free man. The high-handed manner of +the sons of Jacob confirmed their suspicion, that they might +be capable of man theft. Their wicked deed would explain, +too, why they had accepted so small a sum in exchange for +Joseph. While discussing these points, they saw, coming +their way, the travelling company of Ishmaelites that had +been observed earlier by the sons of Jacob, and they determined +to dispose of Joseph to them, that they might at least +not lose the price they had paid, and might escape the danger +at the same time of being made captives for the crime of +kidnapping a man. And the Ishmaelites bought Joseph from +the Midianites, and they paid the same price as his former +owners had given for him.[55] + + +JOSEPH'S THREE MASTERS + +As a rule the only merchandise with which the Ishmaelites +loaded their camels was pitch and the skins of beasts. By +a providential dispensation they carried bags of perfumery +this time, instead of their usual ill-smelling freight, that +sweet fragrance might be wafted to Joseph on his journey +to Egypt.[56] These aromatic substances were well suited to +Joseph, whose body emitted a pleasant smell, so agreeable +and pervasive that the road along which he travelled was +redolent thereof, and on his arrival in Egypt the perfume +from his body spread over the whole land, and the royal +princesses, following the sweet scent to trace its source, +reached the place in which Joseph was.[57] Even after his +death the same fragrance was spread abroad by his bones, +enabling Moses to distinguish Joseph's remains from all +others, and keep the oath of the children of Israel, to inter +them in the Holy Land.[58] + +When Joseph learned that the Ishmaelites were carrying +him to Egypt, he began to weep bitterly at the thought of +being removed so far from Canaan and from his father. +One of the Ishmaelites noticed Joseph's weeping and crying, +and thinking that he found riding uncomfortable, he lifted +him from the back of the camel, and permitted him to +walk on foot. But Joseph continued to weep and sob, +crying incessantly, "O father, father!" Another one of the +caravan, tired of his lamentations, beat him, causing only +the more tears and wails, until the youth, exhausted by his +grief, was unable to move on. Now all the Ishmaelites in +the company dealt out blows to him. They treated him with +relentless cruelty, and tried to silence him by threats. God +saw Joseph's distress, and He sent darkness and terror upon +the Ishmaelites, and their hands grew rigid when they +raised them to inflict a blow. Astonished, they asked themselves +why God did thus unto them upon the road. They +did not know that it was for the sake of Joseph. + +The journey was continued until they came to Ephrath, +the place of Rachel's sepulchre. Joseph hastened to his +mother's grave, and throwing himself across it, he groaned +and cried, saying: "O mother, mother, that didst bear me, +arise, come forth and see how thy son hath been sold into +slavery, with none to take pity upon him. Arise, see thy +son, and weep with me over my misfortune, and observe the +heartlessness of my brethren. Awake, O mother, rouse thyself +from thy sleep, rise up and prepare for the conflict with +my brethren, who stripped me even of my shirt, and sold me +as a slave to merchantmen, who in turn sold me to others, +and without mercy they tore me away from my father. +Arise, accuse my brethren before God, and see whom He +will justify in the judgment, and whom He will find guilty. +Arise, O mother, awake from thy sleep, see how my father +is with me in his soul and in his spirit, and comfort him and +ease his heavy heart." + +Joseph wept and cried upon the grave of his mother, until, +weary from grief, he lay immovable as a stone. Then +he heard a voice heavy with tears speak to him from +the depths, saying: "My son Joseph, my son, I heard thy +complaints and thy groans, I saw thy tears, and I knew thy +misery, my son. I am grieved for thy sake, and thy affliction +is added to the burden of my affliction. But, my son +Joseph, put thy trust in God, and wait upon Him. Fear not, +for the Lord is with thee, and He will deliver thee from all +evil. Go down into Egypt with thy masters, my son; fear +naught, for the Lord is with thee, O my son." This and +much more like unto it did the voice utter, and then it was +silent. Joseph listened in great amazement at first, and then +he broke out in renewed tears. Angered thereby, one of +the Ishmaelites drove him from his mother's grave with +kicks and curses. Then Joseph entreated his masters to take +him back to his father, who would give them great riches as +a reward. But they said, "Why, thou art a slave! How +canst thou know where thy father is? If thou hadst had a +free man as father, thou wouldst not have been sold twice +for a petty sum." And then their fury against him increased, +they beat him and maltreated him, and he wept +bitter tears. + +Now God looked upon the distress of Joseph, and He sent +darkness to enshroud the land once more. A storm raged, +the lightning flashed, and from the thunderbolts the whole +earth trembled, and the Ishmaelites lost their way in their +terror. The beasts and the camels stood still, and, beat them +as their drivers would, they refused to budge from the spot, +but crouched down upon the ground. Then the Ishmaelites +spake to one another, and said: "Why hath God brought +this upon us? What are our sins, what our trespasses, that +such things befall us?" One of them said to the others: +"Peradventure this hath come upon us by reason of the sin +which we have committed against this slave. Let us beg him +earnestly to grant us forgiveness, and if then God will take +pity, and let these storms pass away from us, we shall know +that we suffered harm on account of the injury we inflicted +upon this slave." + +The Ishmaelites did according to these words, and they +said unto Joseph: "We have sinned against God and +against thee. Pray to thy God, and entreat Him to take +this death plague from us, for we acknowledge that we have +sinned against Him." Joseph fulfilled their wish, and God +hearkened to his petition, and the storm was assuaged. All +around became calm, the beasts arose from their recumbent +position, and the caravan could proceed upon its way. Now +the Ishmaelites saw plainly that all their trouble had come +upon them for the sake of Joseph, and they spoke one to +another, saying: "We know now that all this evil hath happened +to us on account of this poor fellow, and wherefore +should we bring death upon ourselves by our own doings? +Let us take counsel together, what is to be done with the +slave." One of them advised that Joseph's wish be fulfilled, +and he be taken back to his father. Then they would be +sure of receiving the money they had paid out for him. +This plan was rejected, because they had accomplished a +great part of their journey, and they were not inclined to +retrace their steps. They therefore resolved upon carrying +Joseph to Egypt and selling him there. They would rid +themselves of him in this way, and also receive a great price +for him. + +They continued their journey as far as the borders of +Egypt, and there they met four men, descendants of Medan, +the son of Abraham, and to these they sold Joseph for +five shekels. The two companies, the Ishmaelites and the +Medanites, arrived in Egypt upon the same day. The latter, +hearing that Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of +the guard, was seeking a good slave, repaired to him at once, +to try to dispose of Joseph to him. Potiphar was willing to +pay as much as four hundred pieces of silver, for, high as +the price was, it did not seem too great for a slave that +pleased him as much as Joseph. However, he made a +condition. He said to the Medanites: "I will pay you the +price demanded, but you must bring me the person that +sold the slave to you, that I may be in a position to find out +all about him, for the youth seems to me to be neither a +slave nor the son of a slave. He appears to be of noble +blood. I must convince myself that he was not stolen." The +Medanites brought the Ishmaelites to Potiphar, and they +testified that Joseph was a slave, that they had owned him, +and had sold him to the Medanites. Potiphar rested satisfied +with this report, paid the price asked for Joseph, and the +Medanites and the Ishmaelites went their way. + + +JOSEPH'S COAT BROUGHT TO HIS FATHER + +No sooner was the sale of Joseph an accomplished fact +than the sons of Jacob repented of their deed. They even +hastened after the Midianites to ransom Joseph, but their +efforts to overtake them were vain, and they had to accept +the inevitable. Meantime Reuben had rejoined his brethren.[59] +He had been so deeply absorbed in penances, in praying +and studying the Torah, in expiation of his sin against +his father, that he had not been able to remain with his +brethren and tend the flocks, and thus it happened that he +was not on the spot when Joseph was sold.[60] His first errand +was to go to the pit, in the hope of finding Joseph there. In +that case he would have carried him off and restored him +to his father clandestinely, without the knowledge of his +brethren. He stood at the opening and called again and +again, "Joseph, Joseph!" As he received no answer, he +concluded that Joseph had perished, either by reason of +terror or as the result of a snake bite, and he descended into +the pit, only to find that he was not there, either living or +dead. He mounted to the top again, and rent his clothes, +and cried out, "The lad is not there, and what answer shall +I give to my father, if he be dead?" Then Reuben returned +unto his brethren, and told them that Joseph bad vanished +from the pit, whereat he was deeply grieved, because he, +being the oldest of the sons, was responsible to their father +Jacob. The brethren made a clean breast of what they had +done with Joseph, and they related to him how they had +tried to make good their evil deed, and how their efforts had +been vain. + +Now there remained nothing to do but invent a plausible +explanation for their brother's disappearance to give to +Jacob. First of all, however, they took an oath not to betray +to his father or any human being what they bad actually +done with Joseph. He who violated the oath would be put +to the sword by the rest. Then they took counsel together +about what to say to Jacob. It was Issachar's advice to tear +Joseph's coat of many colors, and dip it in the blood of a +little kid of the goats, to make Jacob believe that his son had +been torn by a wild beast.[61] The reason he suggested a kid +was because its blood looks like human blood. In expiation +of this act of deception, it was ordained that a kid be used +as an atonement sacrifice when the Tabernacle was +dedicated.[62] + +Simon opposed this suggestion. He did not want to relinquish +Joseph's coat, and he threatened to hew down any +one that should attempt to wrest it from him by force. The +reason for his vehemence was that he was very much enraged +against his brethren for not having slain Joseph. But +they threatened him in turn, saying, "If thou wilt not give +up the coat, we shall say that thou didst execute the evil deed +thyself." At that Simon surrendered it,[63] and Naphtali +brought it to Jacob, handing it to him with the words: +"When we were driving our herds homeward, we found +this garment covered with blood and dust on the highway, +a little beyond Shechem. Know now whether it be thy son's +coat or not." Jacob recognized Joseph's coat, and, overwhelmed +by grief, he fell prostrate, and long lay on the +ground motionless, like a stone. Then he arose, and set up +a loud cry, and wept, saying, "It is my son's coat." + +In great haste Jacob dispatched a slave to his sons, to bid +them come to him, that he might learn more about what had +happened. In the evening they all came, their garments +rent, and dust strewn upon their heads. When they confirmed +all that Naphtali had told him, Jacob broke out in +mourning and lamentation: "It is my son's coat; an evil +beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in +pieces. I sent him to you to see whether it was well with +you, and well with the flock. He went to do my errand, and +while I thought him to be with you, the misfortune befell." +Thereto the sons of Jacob made reply: "He came to us not +at all. Since we left thee, we have not set eyes on him." + +After these words, Jacob could doubt no longer that +Joseph bad been torn by wild beasts, and he mourned for +his son, saying: "O my son Joseph, my son, I sent thee to +inquire after the welfare of thy brethren, and now thou art +torn by wild beasts. It is my fault that this evil chance +hath come upon thee. I am distressed for thee, my son, I +am sorely distressed. How sweet was thy life to me, and +how bitter is thy death! Would God I had died for thee, O +Joseph, my son, for now I am distressed on thy account. +O my son Joseph, where art thou, and where is thy soul? +Arise, arise from thy place, and look upon my grief for +thee. Come and count the tears that roll down my cheeks, +and bring the tale of them before God, that His wrath be +turned away from me. O Joseph, my son, how painful and +appalling was thy death! None hath died a death like thine +since the world doth stand. I know well that it came to +pass by reason of my sins. O that thou wouldst return and +see the bitter sorrow thy misfortune hath brought upon me! +But it is true, it was not I that created thee, and formed +thee. I gave thee neither spirit nor soul, but God created +thee. He formed thy bones, covered them with flesh, +breathed the breath of life into thy nostrils, and then gave +thee unto me. And God who gave thee unto me, He hath +taken thee from me, and from Him hath this dispensation +come upon me. What the Lord doeth is well done!" In +these words and many others like them Jacob mourned and +bewailed his son, until he fell to the ground prostrate and +immovable. + +When the sons of Jacob saw the vehemence of their +father's grief, they repented of their deed, and wept bitterly. +Especially Judah was grief-stricken. He laid his father's +head upon his knees, and wiped his tears away as they +flowed from his eyes, while he himself broke out in violent +weeping. The sons of Jacob and their wives all sought to +comfort their father. They arranged a great memorial service, +and they wept and mourned over Joseph's death and +over their father's sorrow.[64] But Jacob refused to be +comforted. + +The tidings of his son's death caused the loss of two +members of Jacob's family. Bilhah and Dinah could not +survive their grief. Bilhah passed away the very day +whereon the report reached Jacob, and Dinah died soon +after, and so he had three losses to mourn in one month. + +He received the tidings of Joseph's death in the seventh +month, Tishri, and on the tenth day of the month, and therefore +the children of Israel are bidden to weep and afflict +their souls on this day. Furthermore, on this day the sin +offering of atonement shall be a kid of the goats, because the +sons of Jacob transgressed with a kid, in the blood of which +they dipped Joseph's coat, and thus they brought sorrow +upon Jacob.[65] + +When he had recovered somewhat from the stunning blow +which the tidings of his favorite son's death had dealt him, +Jacob rose up from the ground and addressed his sons, tears +streaming down his cheeks all the while. "Up," he said, +"take your swords and your bows, go out in the field, and +make search, perhaps you will find the body of my son, and +you will bring it to me, so that I may bury it. Keep a lookout, +too, for beasts of prey, and catch the first you meet. +Seize it and bring it to me. It may be that God will have +pity upon my sorrow, and put the beast between your hands +that hath torn my child in pieces, and I will take my revenge +upon it." + +The sons of Jacob set out on the morrow to do the bidding +of their father, while he remained at home and wept and +lamented for Joseph. In the wilderness they found a wolf, +which they caught and brought to Jacob alive, saying: +"Here is the first wild beast we encountered, and we have +brought it to thee. But of thy son's corpse we saw not a +trace." Jacob seized the wolf, and, amid loud weeping, he +addressed these words to him: "Why didst thou devour my +son Joseph, without any fear of the God of the earth, and +without taking any thought of the grief thou wouldst bring +down upon me? Thou didst devour my son without reason, +he was guilty of no manner of transgression, and thou didst +roll the responsibility for his death upon me. But God +avengeth him that is persecuted." + +To grant consolation to Jacob, God opened the mouth of +the beast, and he spake: "As the Lord liveth, who hath +created me, and as thy soul liveth, my lord, I have not seen +thy son, and I did not rend him in pieces. From a land afar +off I came to seek mine own son, who suffered a like fate +with thine. He hath disappeared, and I know not whether +he be dead or alive, and therefore I came hither ten days ago +to find him. This day, while I was searching for him, thy +sons met me, and they seized me, and, adding more grief to +my grief over my lost son, they brought me hither to thee. +This is my story, and now, O son of man, I am in thy hands, +thou canst dispose of me this day as seemeth well in thy +sight, but I swear unto thee by the God that bath created me, +I have not seen thy son, nor have I torn him in pieces, never +hath the flesh of man come into my mouth." Astonished +at the speech of the wolf, Jacob let him go, unhindered, +whithersoever he would, but he mourned his son Joseph as +before.[66] + +It is a law of nature that however much one may grieve +over the death of a dear one, at the end of a year consolation +finds its way to the heart of the mourner. But the disappearance +of a living man can never be wiped out of one's +memory. Therefore the fact that he was inconsolable made +Jacob suspect that Joseph was alive, and he did not give +entire credence to the report of his sons. His vague suspicion +was strengthened by something that happened to him. +He went up into the mountains, hewed twelve stones out of +the quarry, and wrote the names of his sons thereon, their +constellations, and the months corresponding to the +constellations, +a stone for a son, thus, "Reuben, Ram, Nisan," and +so for each of his twelve sons. Then he addressed the +stones and bade them bow down before the one marked with +Reuben's name, constellation, and month, and they did not +move. He gave the same order regarding the stone marked +for Simon, and again the stones stood still. And so he did +respecting all his sons, until he reached the stone for Joseph. +When he spoke concerning this one, "I command you to fall +down before Joseph," they all prostrated themselves. He +tried the same test with other things, with trees and sheaves, +and always the result was the same, and Jacob could not but +feel that his suspicion was true, Joseph was alive.[67] + +There was a reason why God did not reveal the real fate +of Joseph to Jacob. When his brethren sold Joseph, their +fear that the report of their iniquity might reach the ears of +Jacob led them to pronounce the ban upon any that should +betray the truth without the consent of all the others. Judah +advanced the objection that a ban is invalid unless it is decreed +in the presence of ten persons, and there were but nine +of them, for Reuben and Benjamin were not there when the +sale of Joseph was concluded. To evade the difficulty, the +brothers counted God as the tenth person, and therefore God +felt bound to refrain from revealing the true state of things +to Jacob. He had regard, as it were, for the ban pronounced +by the brethren of Joseph.[68] And as God kept the truth a +secret from Jacob, Isaac did not feel justified in acquainting +him with his grandson's fate, which was well known to him, +for he was a prophet. Whenever he was in the company of +Jacob, he mourned with him, but as soon as he quitted him, +he left off from manifesting grief, because he knew that +Joseph lived.[69] + +Jacob was thus the only one among Joseph's closest kinsmen +that remained in ignorance of his son's real fortunes, +and he was the one of them all that had the greatest reason +for regretting his death. He spoke: "The covenant that +God made with me regarding the twelve tribes is null and +void now. I did strive in vain to establish the twelve tribes, +seeing that now the death of Joseph hath destroyed the covenant. +All the works of God were made to correspond to the +number of the tribes--twelve are the signs of the zodiac, +twelve the months, twelve hours hath the day, twelve the +night, and twelve stones are set in Aaron's breastplate--and now +that Joseph hath departed, the covenant of the +tribes is set at naught." + +He could not replace the lost son by entering into a new +marriage, for he had made the promise to his father-in-law +to take none beside his daughters to wife, and this promise, +as he interpreted it, held good after the death of Laban's +daughters as well as while they were alive.[70] + +Beside grief over his loss and regret at the breaking of +the covenant of the tribes, Jacob had still another reason for +mourning the death of Joseph. God had said to Jacob, "If +none of thy sons dies during thy lifetime, thou mayest look +upon it as a token that thou wilt not be put in Gehenna after +thy death." Thinking Joseph to be dead, Jacob had his own +fate to bewail, too, for he now believed that he was doomed +to Gehenna.[71] His mourning lasted all of twenty-two years, +corresponding to the number of the years he had dwelt +apart from his parents, and had not fulfilled the duty of a +son toward them.[72] + +In his mourning Jacob put sackcloth upon his loins, and +therein be became a model for the kings and princes in +Israel, for David, Ahab, Joram, and Mordecai did likewise +when a great misfortune befell the nation.[73] + + +JUDAH AND HIS SONS + +When the sons of Jacob saw how inconsolable their father +was, they went to Judah, and said to him, "This great misfortune +is thy fault." Judah replied: "It was I that asked +you, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his +blood? and now you say the sin lies at my door." The +brethren continued to argue: "But it was thou that didst +say, Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and we followed +thy advice. Hadst thou said, Let us restore him to +his father, we had heeded these words of thine as well." + +The brethren hereupon deprived Judah of his dignity, for +hitherto he had been their king, and they also excluded him +from their fellowship, and he had to seek his fortune alone.[74] +Through the mediation of his chief shepherd Hirah, he became +acquainted with the Canaanitish king of Adullam, +Barsan by name. Though he was well aware of the corruption +of the generations of Canaan, he permitted passion to +get the better of him, and took a Canaanite to wife. The +Adullamite king gave a banquet in his honor, at which his +daughter Bath-shua poured the wine, and intoxicated by +wine and passion Judah took her and married her.[75] Judah's +action may be compared to that of the lion who passes a carrion +and eats of it, though a cur preceding him on the way +had refused to touch it. Even Esau came in time to acknowledge +that the daughters of Canaan were wicked, and +the lion Judah must needs take one of them to wife.[76] The +holy spirit cried out against Judah when he married the +Canaanite woman of Adullam, saying, "The glory of Israel +went down in Adullam."[77] + +The first-born son of Judah from this marriage was +named Er, "the childless," a suitable name for him that +died without begetting any issue.[78] At Judah's desire, Er +married Tamar, a daughter of Aram, the son of Shem, but +because she was not a Canaanitish woman, his mother used +artifices against her, and he did not know her, and an angel +of the Lord killed him on the third day after his wedding. +Then Judah gave Tamar to his second son Onan, the marriage +taking place before the week of the wedding festivities +for Er had elapsed. A whole year Onan lived with Tamar +without knowing her, and when, finally, Judah uttered +threats against him on that account, he did, indeed, have +intercourse with her, but, giving heed to the injunctions of +his mother, he took care not to beget any children with her.[79] +He, too, died on account of his iniquity, and his name Onan +"mourning," was well chosen, for very soon was his father +called upon to mourn for him.[80] Now Judah conceived the +plan of marrying Tamar to his youngest son Shelah, but his +wife would not permit it. She hated Tamar because she +was not of the daughters of Canaan like herself, and while +Judah was away from home, Bath-shua chose a wife for her +son Shelah from the daughters of Canaan. Judah was very +angry at Bath-shua for what she had done, and also God +poured out His wrath upon her, for on account of her wickedness +she had to die,[81] and her death happened a year after +that of her two sons. + +Now that Bath-shua was dead, Judah might have carried +out his wish and married Tamar to his youngest son. But +he waited for Shelah to grow up, because he feared for his +life, seeing that Tamar had brought death to two husbands +before him. So she remained a widow in her father's house +for two years. Endowed with the gift of prophecy, Tamar +knew that she was appointed to be the ancestress of David +and of the Messiah, and she determined to venture upon an +extreme measure in order to make sure of fulfilling her +destiny.[82] Accordingly, when the holy spirit revealed to her +that Judah was going up to Timnah,[83] she put off from her +the garments of her widowhood, and sat in the gate of Abraham's +tent, and there she encountered Judah.[84] All the time +she lived in the house of her father-in-law, he had never +seen her face, for in her virtue and chastity she had always +kept it covered, and now when Judah met her, he did not +recognize her. It was as a reward for her modesty that God +made her to become the mother of the royal line of David, +and the ancestress of Isaiah, and his father Amoz as well, +both of whom were prophets and of royal blood.[85] + +Judah passed Tamar by without paying any attention to +her, and she raised her eyes heavenward, and said, "O Lord +of the world, shall I go forth empty from the house of this +pious man?" Then God sent the angel that is appointed +over the passion of love, and he compelled Judah to turn +back.[86] With prophetic caution, Tamar demanded that, as a +pledge for the reward he promised her, he leave with her +his signet, his mantle, and his staff, the symbols of royalty, +judgeship, and Messiahship, the three distinctions of the +descendants of Tamar from her union with Judah. When +Judah sent her the promised reward, a kid of the goats, by +the hand of his friend, in order to receive the pledges from +her hand, Tamar could not be found, and he feared to make +further search for her, lest he be put to shame. But Tamar, +who soon discerned that she was with child, felt very happy +and proud, for she knew that she would be the mother of +kings and redeemers.[87] + +When her state became known, she was forcibly dragged +before the court, in which Isaac, Jacob, and Judah sat as +judges. Judah, being the youngest of the judges and the +least considerable in dignity, was the first to give a decision, +for thus it is prescribed in criminal cases, that the prominent +judges overawe not the lesser and influence their decisions +unduly. It was the opinion of Judah that the woman was +liable to the penalty of death by burning, for she was the +daughter of the high priest Shem, and death by fire is the +punishment ordained by the law for a high priest's daughter +that leads an unchaste life.[88] + +The preparations for her execution were begun. In vain +Tamar searched for the three pledges she had received from +Judah, she could not find them, and almost she lost hope +that she would be able to wring a confession from her +father-in-law. She raised her eyes to God, and prayed: +"I supplicate Thy grace, O God, Thou who givest ear to +the cry of the distressed in the hour of his need, answer me, +that I may be spared to bring forth the three holy children, +who will be ready to suffer death by fire, for the sake of the +glory of Thy Name." And God granted her petition, and +sent the angel Michael down to succor her. He put the +pledges in a place in which Tamar could not fail to see them, +and she took them, and threw them before the feet of the +judges, with the words: "By the man whose these are am +I with child, but though I perish in the flames, I will not +betray him. I hope in the Lord of the world, that He will +turn the heart of the man, so that he will make confession +thereof." Then Judah rose up, and said: "With your permission, +my brethren, and ye men of my father's house, I +make it known that with what measure a man metes, it shall +be measured unto him, be it for good or for evil, but happy +the man that acknowledgeth his sins. Because I took the +coat of Joseph, and colored it with the blood of a kid, and +then laid it at the feet of my father, saying, Know now +whether it be thy son's coat or not, therefore must I now +confess, before the court, unto whom belongeth this signet, +this mantle, and this staff. But it is better that I be put to +shame in this world than I should be put to shame in the +other world, before the face of my pious father. It is better +that I should perish in a fire that can be extinguished than +I should be cast into hell fire, which devoureth other fires. +Now, then, I acknowledge that Tamar is innocent. By me +is she with child, not because she indulged in illicit passion, +but because I held back her marriage with my son Shelah." +Then a heavenly voice was heard to say: "Ye are both +innocent! It was the will of God that it should happen!"[89] + +The open confession of Judah induced his oldest brother +Reuben to make public acknowledgment of the sin he had +committed against his father, for he had kept it a secret until +then.[90] + +Tamar gave birth to twin sons, Perez and Zerah, both +resembling their father in bravery and piety.[91] She called +the first Perez, "mighty," because she said, "Thou didst +show thyself of great power, and it is meet and proper that +thou shouldst be strong, for thou art destined to possess the +kingdom."[92] The second son was called Zerah, because he +appeared from out of the womb before his brother, but he +was forced back again to make way for Perez.[93] These two, +Perez and Zerah. were sent out as spies by Joshua, and the +line that Rahab bound in the window of her house as a +token to the army of the Israelites, she received from Zerah. +It was the scarlet thread that the midwife had bound upon +his hand, to mark him as the child that appeared first and +withdrew.[94] + + +THE WIVES OF THE SONS OF JACOB + +Judah was the first of the sons of Jacob to enter wedlock. +After the sale of Joseph to the Midianites, his brethren had +said to Judah, "If conditions were as before, our father +would provide wives for us now. As it is, he is entirely absorbed +by his grief for Joseph, and we must look about for +wives ourselves. Thou art our chief, and thou shouldst +marry first." + +Judah's marriage with Alit the daughter of the noble +merchant Shua, which was consummated at Adullam, the +residence of his friend Hirah, or, as he was called later, +Hiram, king of Tyre, was not happy. His two oldest sons +died, and shortly thereafter his wife also. It was Judah's +punishment for having begun a good deed and left it unfinished, +for "he who begins a good deed, and does not execute +it to the end, brings down misfortune upon his own head." +Judah had rescued Joseph from death, but it was his suggestion +to sell him into slavery. Had he urged them to +restore the lad to his father, his brethren would have obeyed +his words. He was lacking in constancy to persist until he +had completed the work of Joseph's deliverance, which he +had begun.[95] + +In the same year, the year of Joseph's misfortune, all his +other brethren married, too. Reuben's wife was named +Elyoram, the daughter of the Canaanite Uzzi of Timnah. +Simon married his sister Dinah first, and then a second wife. +When Simon and Levi massacred the men of Shechem, Dinah +refused to leave the city and follow her brethren, saying, +"Whither shall I carry my shame?" But Simon swore he +would marry her, as he did later, and when she died in +Egypt, he took her body to the Holy Land and buried it +there. Dinah bore her brother a son,[96] and from her union +with Shechem, the son of Hamor, sprang a daughter, Asenath +by name, afterward the wife of Joseph. When this daughter +was born to Dinah, her brethren, the sons of Jacob, +wanted to kill her, that the finger of men might not point at +the fruit of sin in their father's house. But Jacob took a +piece of tin, inscribed the Holy Name upon it, and bound it +about the neck of the girl, and he put her under a thornbush, +and abandoned her there. An angel carried the babe +down to Egypt, where Potiphar adopted her as his child, +for his wife was barren. Years thereafter, when Joseph +travelled through the land as viceroy, the maidens threw +gifts at him, to make him turn his eyes in their direction +and give them the opportunity of gazing upon his beauty. +Asenath possessed nothing that would do as a present, therefore +she took off the amulet suspended from her neck, and +gave it to him. Thus Joseph became acquainted with her +lineage, and he married her, seeing that she was not an +Egyptian, but one connected with the house of Jacob +through her mother.[97] + +Beside the son of Dinah, Simon had another son, whose +name was Saul, by Bunah, the damsel he had taken captive +in the campaign against Shechem. + +Levi and Issachar married two daughters of Jobab, the +grandson of Eber; the wife of the former was named +Adinah, the wife of the latter, Aridah. Dan's wife was +Elflalet, a daughter of the Moabite Hamudan. For a long +time their marriage remained childless, finally they had a +son, whom they called Hushim. Gad and Naphtali married +women from Haran, two sisters, daughters of Amoram, a +grandson of Nahor. Naphtali's wife, Merimit, was the +older of the two, and the younger, the wife of Gad, was +named Uzit. + +Asher's first wife was Adon, the daughter of Ephlal, a +grandson of Ishmael. She died childless, and he married a +second wife, Hadorah, a daughter of Abimael, the grandson +of Shem. She had been married before, her first husband +having been Malchiel, also a grandson of Shem, and the +issue of this first marriage was a daughter, Serah by +name. When Asher brought his wife to Canaan, the three +year old orphan Serah came with them. She was raised in +the house of Jacob, and she walked in the way of pious +children, and God gave her beauty, wisdom, and sagacity. + +Zebulon's wife was Maroshah, the daughter of Molad, a +grandson of Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah. + +For Benjamin, when he was but ten years old, Jacob took +Mahlia to wife, the daughter of Aram, the grandson of +Terah, and she bore him five sons. At the age of eighteen +he married a second wife, Arbat, the daughter of Zimran, +a son of Abraham by Keturah, and by her also he had five +sons.[98] + + +JOSEPH THE SLAVE OF POTIPHAR + +When Joseph was sold as a slave to the Ishmaelites, he +kept silent out of respect for his brethren, and did not tell +his masters that he was a son of Jacob, a great and powerful +man. Even when he came to the Midianites with the Ishmaelites, +and the former asked after his parentage, he still +said he was a slave, only in order not to put his brethren to +shame. But the most distinguished of the Midianites rebuked +Joseph, saying, "Thou art no slave, thy appearance +betrayeth thee," and he threatened him with death unless he +acknowledged the truth. Joseph, however, was steadfast, +he would not act treacherously toward his brethren. + +Arrived in Egypt, the owners of Joseph could come to no +agreement regarding him. Each desired to have sole and +exclusive possession of him. They therefore decided to +leave him with a shopkeeper until they should come back to +Egypt again with their merchandise. And God let Joseph +find grace in the sight of the shopkeeper. All that he had, +his whole house, he put into Joseph's hand, and therefore +the Lord blessed him with much silver and gold, and Joseph +remained with him for three months and five days. + +At that time there came from Memphis the wife of Potiphar, +and she cast her eyes upon Joseph, of whose comeliness +of person she had heard from the eunuchs. She +told her husband how that a certain shopkeeper had grown +rich through a young Hebrew, and she added: "But it is +said that the youth was stolen away out of the land of +Canaan. Go, therefore, and sit in judgment upon his owner, +and take the youth unto thy house, that the God of the +Hebrews may bless thee, for the grace of heaven rests upon +the youth." + +Potiphar summoned the shopkeeper, and when he appeared +before him, he spoke harshly to him, saying: "What +is this I hear? that thou stealest souls from the land of +Canaan, and dost carry on traffic with them?" The shop-keeper +protested his innocence, and he could not be made to +recede from his assertion, that a company of Ishmaelites +had left Joseph in his charge temporarily, until they should +return. Potiphar had him stripped naked and beaten, but +he continued to reiterate the same statement. + +Then Potiphar summoned Joseph. The youth prostrated +himself before this chief of the eunuchs, for he was third in +rank of the officers of Pharaoh. And he addressed Joseph, +and said, "Art thou a slave or a free-born man?" and Joseph +replied, "A slave." Potiphar continued to question +him, "Whose slave art thou?" Joseph: "I belong to the +Ishmaelites." Potiphar: "How wast thou made a slave?" +Joseph: "They bought me in the land of Canaan." + +But Potiphar refused to give credence to what he said, +and he had also him stripped and beaten. The wife of Potiphar, +standing by the door, saw how Joseph was abused, and +she sent word to her husband, "Thy verdict is unjust, for +thou punishest the free-born youth that was stolen away +from his place as though he were the one that had committed +a crime." As Joseph held firmly to what he had said, +Potiphar ordered him to prison, until his masters should return. +In her sinful longing for him, his wife wanted to +have Joseph in her own house, and she remonstrated with +her husband in these words: "Wherefore dost thou keep +the captive, nobly-born slave a prisoner? Thou shouldst +rather set him at liberty and have him serve thee." He +answered, "The law of the Egyptians does not permit us to +take what belongs to another before all titles are made +clear," and Joseph stayed in prison for twenty-four days, +until the return of the Ishmaelites to Egypt. + +Meanwhile they had heard somewhere that Joseph was +the son of Jacob, and they therefore said to him: "Why +didst thou pretend that thou wast a slave? See, we have +information that thou art the son of a powerful man in +Canaan, and thy father mourns for thee in sackcloth." +Joseph was on the point of divulging his secret, but he kept +a check upon himself for the sake of his brethren, and he +repeated that he was a slave. + +Nevertheless the Ishmaelites decided to sell him, that he +be not found in their hands, for they feared the revenge of +Jacob, who, they knew, was in high favor with the Lord +and with men. The shopkeeper begged the Ishmaelites to +rescue him from the legal prosecution of Potiphar, and clear +him of the suspicion of man theft. The Ishmaelites in turn +had a conference with Joseph, and bade him testify before +Potiphar that they had bought him for money. He did so, +and then the chief of the eunuchs liberated him from prison, +and dismissed all parties concerned. + +With the permission of her husband, Potiphar's wife sent +a eunuch to the Ishmaelites, bidding him to buy Joseph, but +he returned and reported that they demanded an exorbitant +price for the slave. She dispatched a second eunuch, charging +him to conclude the bargain, and though they asked +one mina of gold, or even two, he was not to be sparing of +money, he was to be sure to buy the slave and bring him to +her. The eunuch gave the Ishmaelites eighty pieces of gold +for Joseph, telling his mistress, however, that he had paid +out a hundred pieces. Joseph noticed the deception, but he +kept silent, that the eunuch might not be put to shame.[99] + +Thus Joseph became the slave of the idolatrous priest +Potiphar, or Poti-phera, as he was sometimes called.[100] He +had secured possession of the handsome youth for a lewd +purpose, but the angel Gabriel mutilated him in such manner +that he could not accomplish it.[101] His master soon had +occasion to notice that Joseph was as pious as he was beautiful, +for whenever he was occupied with his ministrations, +he would whisper a prayer: "O Lord of the world, Thou +art my trust, Thou art my protection. Let me find grace +and favor in Thy sight and in the sight of all that see me, +and in the sight of my master Potiphar." When Potiphar +noticed the movement of his lips, he said to Joseph, "Dost +thou purpose to cast a spell upon me?" "Nay," replied +the youth, "I am beseeching God to let me find favor in +thine eyes." + +His prayer was heard. Potiphar convinced himself that +God was with Joseph. Sometimes he would make a test of +Joseph's miraculous powers. If he brought him a glass of +hippocras, he would say, "I would rather have wine mixed +with absinthe," and straightway the spiced wine was +changed into bitter wine. Whatever he desired, he could be +sure to get from Joseph, and he saw clearly that God fulfilled +the wishes of his slave. Therefore he put all the keys of +his house into his hand, and he knew not aught that was +with him,[102] keeping back nothing from Joseph but his +wife.[103] +Seeing that the Shekinah rested upon him, Potiphar treated +Joseph not as a slave, but as a member of his family, for he +said, "This youth is not cut out for a slave's work, he is +worthy of a prince's place."[104] Accordingly, he provided +instruction for him in the arts, and ordered him to have +better fare than the other slaves.[105] + +Joseph thanked God for his new and happy state. He +prayed, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, that Thou hast caused +me to forget my father's house." What made his present +fortunes so agreeable was that he was removed from the +envy and jealousy of his brethren. He said: "When I was +in my father's house, and he gave me something pretty, my +brethren begrudged me the present, and now, O Lord, I +thank Thee that I live amid plenty." Free from anxieties, +he turned his attention to his external appearance. He +painted his eyes, dressed his hair, and aimed to be elegant +in his walk. But God spake to him, saying, "Thy father +is mourning in sackcloth and ashes, while thou dost eat, +drink, and dress thy hair. Therefore I will stir up thy mistress +against thee, and thou shalt be embarrassed."[106] Thus +Joseph's secret wish was fulfilled, that he might be permitted +to prove his piety under temptation, as the piety of his +fathers had been tested.[107] + + +JOSEPH AND ZULEIKA + +"Throw the stick up in the air, it will always return to its +original place." Like Rachel his mother, Joseph was of +ravishing beauty, and the wife of his master was filled with +invincible passion for him."[108] Her feeling was heightened by +the astrologic forecast that she was destined to have descendants +through Joseph. This was true, but not in the sense in +which she understood the prophecy. Joseph married her +daughter Asenath later on, and she bore him children, thus +fulfilling what had been read in the stars."[109] + +In the beginning she did not confess her love to Joseph. +She tried first to seduce him by artifice. On the pretext of +visiting him, she would go to him at night, and, as she had +no sons, she would pretend a desire to adopt him. Joseph +then prayed to God in her behalf, and she bore a son. However, +she continued to embrace him as though he were her +own child, yet he did not notice her evil designs. Finally, +when he recognized her wanton trickery, he mourned many +days, and endeavored to turn her away from her sinful passion +by the word of God. She, on her side, often threatened +him with death, and surrendered him to castigations in order +to make him amenable to her will, and when these means +had no effect upon Joseph, she sought to seduce him with +enticements. She would say, "I promise thee, thou shalt rule +over me and all I have, if thou wilt but give thyself up to +me. and thou shalt be to me the same as my lawful husband." +But Joseph was mindful of the words of his fathers, and he +went into his chamber, and fasted, and prayed to God, that +He would deliver him from the toils of the Egyptian woman. + +In spite of the mortifications he practiced, and though he +gave the poor and the sick the food apportioned to him, his +master thought he lived a luxurious life, for those that fast +for the glory of God are made beautiful of countenance. + +The wife of Potiphar would frequently speak to her husband +in praise of Joseph's chastity in order that he might +conceive no suspicion of the state of her feelings. And, +again, she would encourage Joseph secretly, telling him not +to fear her husband, that he was convinced of his purity of +life, and though one should carry tales to him about +Joseph and herself, Potiphar would lend them no credence. +And when she saw that all this was ineffectual , she approached +him with the request that he teach her the word +of God, saying, "If it be thy wish that I forsake idol worship, +then fulfil my desire, and I will persuade that Egyptian +husband of mine to abjure the idols, and we shall walk in the +law of thy God." Joseph replied, "The Lord desireth not +that those who fear Him shall walk in impurity, nor hath He +pleasure in the adulterer." + +Another time she came to him, and said, "If thou wilt not +do my desire, I will murder the Egyptian and wed with thee +according to the law." Whereat Joseph rent his garment, +and he said, "O woman, fear the Lord, and do not execute +this evil deed, that thou mayest not bring destruction down +upon thyself, for I will proclaim thy impious purposes to all +in public." + +Again, she sent him a dish prepared with magic spells, by +means of which she hoped to get him into her power. But +when the eunuch set it before him, he saw the image of a +man handing him a sword together with the dish, and, +warned by the vision, he took good care not to taste of the +food. A few days later his mistress came to him, and asked +him why he had not eaten of what she had sent him. He reproached +her, saying, "How couldst thou tell me, I do not +come nigh unto the idols, but only unto the Lord? The God +of my fathers hath revealed thy iniquity to me through an +angel, but that thou mayest know that the malice of the +wicked has no power over those who fear God in purity, I +shall eat thy food before thine eyes, and the God of my +fathers and the angel of Abraham will be with me." The +wife of Potiphar fell upon her face at the feet of Joseph, and +amid tears she promised not to commit this sin again. + +But her unholy passion for Joseph did not depart from +her, and her distress over her unfulfilled wish made her look +so ill that her husband said to her, "Why is thy countenance +fallen?" And she replied, "I have a pain at my heart, and +the groanings of my spirit oppress me." + +Once when she was alone with Joseph, she rushed toward +him, crying, "I will throttle myself, or I will jump into a well +or a pit, if thou wilt not yield thyself to me." Noticing her +extreme agitation, Joseph endeavored to calm her with these +words, "Remember, if thou makest away with thyself, thy +husband's concubine, Asteho, thy rival, will maltreat thy +children, and extirpate thy memory from the earth." These +words, gently spoken, had the opposite effect from that intended. +They only inflamed her passion the more by feeding +her hopes. She said: "There, seest thou, thou dost love me +now! It sufficeth for me that thou takest thought for me +and for the safety of my children. I expect now that my +desire will be fulfilled." She did not know that Joseph spoke +as he did for the sake of God, and not for her sake.[110] + +His mistress, or, as she was called, Zuleika, pursued him +day after day with her amorous talk and her flattery, saying: +"How fair is thy appearance, how comely thy form! Never +have I seen so well-favored a slave as thou art." Joseph +would reply: "God, who formed me in my mother's womb, +hath created all men." + +Zuleika: "How beautiful are thine eyes, with which thou +hast charmed all Egyptians, both men and women!" + +Joseph: "Beautiful as they may be while I am alive, so +ghastly they will be to look upon in the grave." + +Zuleika: "How lovely and pleasant are thy words! I +pray thee, take thy harp, play and also sing, that I may hear +thy words." + +Joseph: "Lovely and pleasant are my words when I proclaim +the praise of my God." + +Zuleika: "How beautiful is thy hair! Take my golden +comb, and comb it." + +Joseph: "How long wilt thou continue to speak thus to +me? Leave off! It were better for thee to care for thy +household." + +Zuleika: "There is nothing in my house that I care for, +save thee alone." + +But Joseph's virtue was unshaken. While she spoke thus, +he did not so much as raise his eyes to look at his +mistress.[111] +He remained equally steadfast when she lavished gifts upon +him, for she provided him with garments of one kind for the +morning, another for noon, and a third kind for the evening. +Nor could threats move him. She would say, "I will bring +false accusations against thee before thy master," and Joseph +would reply, "The Lord executeth judgment for the oppressed." +Or, "I will deprive thee of food;" whereupon +Joseph, "The Lord giveth food to the hungry." Or, "I +will have thee thrown into prison;" whereupon Joseph, +"The Lord looseth the prisoners." Or, "I will put heavy +labor upon thee that will bend thee double;" whereupon +Joseph, "The Lord raiseth up them that are bowed down." +Or, "I will blind thine eyes;" whereupon Joseph, "The +Lord openeth the eyes of the blind."[112] + +When she began to exercise her blandishments upon him, +he rejected them with the words, "I fear my master." But +Zuleika would say, "I will kill him." Joseph replied with +indignation, "Not enough that thou wouldst make an adulterer +of me, thou wouldst have me be a murderer, besides?" +And he spoke furthermore, saying, "I fear the Lord my +God!" + +Zuleika: "Nonsense! He is not here to see thee! + +Joseph: "Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, and +His greatness is unsearchable." + +Thereupon she took Joseph into her chamber, where an +idol hung above the bed. This she covered, that it might not +be a witness of what she was about to do. Joseph said: +"Though thou coverest up the eyes of the idol, remember, +the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth. +Yes," continued Joseph, "I have many reasons not to do this +thing for the sake of God. Adam was banished from Paradise +on account of violating a light command; how much +more should I have to fear the punishment of God, were I to +commit so grave a sin as adultery! The Lord is in the habit +of choosing a favorite member of our family as a sacrifice +unto Himself. Perhaps He desireth to make choice of me, +but if I do thy will, I make myself unfit to be a sacrifice unto +God. Also the Lord is in the habit of appearing suddenly, +in visions of the night, unto those that love Him. Thus did +He appear unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I fear that +He may appear unto me at the very moment while I am defiling +myself with thee. And as I fear God, so I fear my +father, who withdrew the birthright from his first-born son +Reuben, on account of an immoral act, and gave it to me. +Were I to fulfil thy desire, I would share the fate of my +brother Reuben."[113] + +With such words, Joseph endeavored to cure the wife of +his master of the wanton passion she had conceived for him, +while he took heed to keep far from a heinous sin, not from +fear of the punishment that would follow, nor out of +consideration for the opinion of men, but because he desired to +sanctify the Name of God, blessed be He, before the whole +world.[114] It was this feeling of his that Zuleika could not +comprehend, and when, finally, carried away by passion, she +told him in unmistakable language what she desired,[115] and +he recoiled from her, she said to Joseph: "Why dost thou +refuse to fulfil my wish? Am I not a married woman? +None will find out what thou hast done." Joseph replied: +"If the unmarried women of the heathen are prohibited +unto us, how much more their married women?[116] As the +Lord liveth, I will not commit the crime thou biddest me do." +In this Joseph followed the example of many pious men, who +utter an oath at the moment when they are in danger of succumbing +to temptation, and seek thus to gather moral courage +to control their evil instincts." + +When Zuleika could not prevail upon him, to persuade +him, her desire threw her into a grievous sickness, and all +the women of Egypt came to visit her, and they said unto +her, "Why art thou so languid and wasted, thou that lackest +nothing? Is not thy husband a prince great and esteemed +in the sight of the king? Is it possible that thou canst want +aught of what thy heart desireth?" Zuleika answered them, +saying, "This day shall it be made known unto you whence +cometh the state wherein you see me." + +She commanded her maid-servants to prepare food for all +the women, and she spread a banquet before them in her +house. She placed knives upon the table to peel the oranges, +and then ordered Joseph to appear, arrayed in costly garments, +and wait upon her guests. When Joseph came in, +the women could not take their eyes off him, and they all cut +their hands with the knives, and the oranges in their hands +were covered with blood, but they, not knowing what they +were doing, continued to look upon the beauty of Joseph +without turning their eyes away from him. + +Then Zuleika said unto them: "What have ye done? +Behold, I set oranges before you to eat, and you have cut +your hands." All the women looked at their hands, and, lo, +they were full of blood, and it flowed down and stained their +garments. They said to Zuleika, "This slave in thy house +did enchant us, and we could not turn our eyes away from +him on account of his beauty." She then said: "This happened +to you that looked upon him but a moment, and you +could not refrain yourselves! How, then, can I control +myself in whose house he abideth continually, who see him +go in and out day after day? How, then, should I not waste +away, or keep from languishing on account of him!" And +the women spake, saying: "It is true, who can look upon +this beauty in the house, and refrain her feelings? But he +is thy slave! Why dost thou not disclose to him that which +is in thy heart, rather than suffer thy life to perish through +this thing?" Zuleika answered them: "Daily do I endeavor +to persuade him, but he will not consent to my +wishes. I promised him everything that is fair, yet have I +met with no return from him, and therefore I am sick, as +you may see." + +Her sickness increased upon her. Her husband and her +household suspected not the cause of her decline, but all the +women that were her friends knew that it was on account +of the love she bore Joseph, and they advised her all the time +to try to entice the youth. On a certain day, while Joseph +was doing his master's work in the house, Zuleika came and +fell suddenly upon him, but Joseph was stronger than she, +and he pressed her down to the ground. Zuleika wept, and +in a voice of supplication, and in bitterness of soul, she said +to Joseph: "Hast thou ever known, seen, or heard of a +woman my peer in beauty, let alone a woman with beauty +exceeding mine? Yet I try daily to persuade thee, I fall +into decline through love of thee, I confer all this honor +upon thee, and thou wilt not hearken unto my voice! Is it +by reason of fear of thy master, that he punish thee? As +the king liveth, no harm shall come upon thee from thy +master on account of this thing. Now, therefore, I pray +thee, listen to me, and consent unto my desire for the sake of +the honor that I have conferred upon thee, and take this +death away from me. For why should I die on account of +thee?" Joseph remained as steadfast under these importunities +as before. Zuleika, however, was not discouraged; +she continued her solicitations unremittingly, day after +day,[118] month after month, for a whole year, but always +without the least success, for Joseph in his chastity did not +permit himself even to look upon her, wherefore she resorted +to constraint. She had an iron shackle placed upon his chin, +and he was compelled to keep his head up and look her in +the face."[119] + + +JOSEPH RESISTS TEMPTATION + +Seeing that she could not attain her object by entreaties +or tears, Zuleika finally used force, when she judged that +the favorable chance had come. She did not have long to +wait. When the Nile overflowed its banks, and, according +to the annual custom of the Egyptians, all repaired to the +river, men and women, people and princes, accompanied by +music, Zuleika remained at home under pretense of being +sick. This was her long-looked-for opportunity, she +thought. She rose up and ascended to the hall of state, and +arrayed herself in princely garments. She placed precious +stones upon her head, onyx stones set in silver and gold, +she beautified her face and her body with all sorts of things +for the purifying of women, she perfumed the hall and the +whole house with cassia and frankincense, spread myrrh +and aloes all over, and afterward sat herself down at the +entrance to the hall, in the vestibule leading to the house, +through which Joseph had to pass to his work. + +And, behold, Joseph came from the field, and he was on +the point of entering the house to do his master's work, but +when he reached the place where Zuleika sat, and saw all +she had done, he turned back. His mistress, perceiving it, +called out to him, "What aileth thee, Joseph? Go to thy +work, I will make room for thee, that thou mayest pass by +to thy seat." Joseph did as she bade him, he entered the +house, took his seat, and set about his master's work as +usual. Then Zuleika stood before him suddenly in all her +beauty of person and magnificence of raiment, and repeated +the desire of her heart.[120] It was the first and the last time +that Joseph's steadfastness deserted him, but only for an +instant. When he was on the point of complying with the +wish of his mistress, the image of his mother Rachel appeared +before him, and that of his aunt Leah, and the image +of his father Jacob. The last addressed him thus: "In time +to come the names of thy brethren will be graven upon the +breastplate of the high priest. Dost thou desire to have thy +name appear with theirs? Or wilt thou forfeit this honor +through sinful conduct? For know, he that keepeth company +with harlots wasteth his substance." This vision of +the dead, and especially the image of his father, brought +Joseph to his senses, and his illicit passion departed from +him.[121] + +Astonished at the swift change in his countenance, Zuleika +said, "My friend and true-love, why art thou so affrighted +that thou art near to swooning? + +Joseph: "I see my father!" + +Zuleika: "Where is he? Why, there is none in the house." + +Joseph: "Thou belongest to a people that is like unto the +ass, it perceiveth nothing. But I belong to those who can +see things." + +Joseph fled forth, away from the house of his mistress,[122] +the same house in which aforetime wonders had been done +for Sarah kept a captive there by Pharaoh.[123] But hardly +was he outside when the sinful passion again overwhelmed +him, and he returned to Zuleika's chamber. Then the Lord +appeared unto him, holding the Eben Shetiyah[124] in His +hand, and said to him: "If thou touchest her, I will cast +away this stone upon which the earth is founded, and the +world will fall to ruin." Sobered again, Joseph started +to escape from his mistress,[125] but Zuleika caught him by his +garment, and she said: "As the king liveth, if thou wilt +not fulfil my wish, thou must die," and while she spoke thus, +she drew a sword with her free hand from under her dress, +and, pressing it against Joseph's throat, she said, "Do as I +bid thee, or thou diest." Joseph ran out, leaving a piece of +his garment in the hands of Zuleika as he wrenched himself +loose from the grasp of the woman with a quick, energetic +motion.[126] + +Zuleika's passion for Joseph was so violent that, in lieu +of its owner, whom she could not succeed in subduing to her +will, she kissed and caressed the fragment of cloth left in +her hand.[127] At the same time she was not slow to perceive +the danger into which she had put herself, for, she feared, +Joseph might possibly betray her conduct, and she considered +ways and means of obviating the consequences of +her folly.[128] + +Meanwhile her friends returned from the Nile festival, +and they came to visit her and inquire after her health. +They found her looking wretchedly ill, on account of the +excitement she had passed through and the anxiety she was +in. She confessed to the women what had happened with +Joseph, and they advised her to accuse him of immorality +before her husband, and then he would be thrown into +prison. Zuleika accepted their advice, and she begged her +visitors to support her charges by also lodging complaints +against Joseph, that he had been annoying them with improper +proposals.[129] + +But Zuleika did not depend entirely upon the assistance of +her friends. She planned a ruse, besides, to be sure of +convincing her husband of Joseph's guilt. She laid aside her +rich robes of state, put on her ordinary clothes, and took to +her sick-bed, in which she had been lying when the people +left to go to the festival. Also she took Joseph's torn garment, +and laid it out next to her. Then she sent a little boy +to summon some of the men of her house, and to them she +told the tale of Joseph's alleged outrage, saying: "See the +Hebrew slave, whom your master hath brought in unto my +house, and who attempted to do violence to me to-day! You +had scarcely gone away to the festival when be entered the +house, and making sure that no one was here he tried to +force me to yield to his lustful desire. But I grasped his +clothes, tore them, and cried with a loud voice. When he +heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he was seized with +fear, and be fled, and got him out, but he left his garment +by me." The men of her house spake not a word, but, in a +rage against Joseph, they went to their master, and reported +to him what had come to pass.[130] In the meantime the husbands +of Zuleika's friends had also spoken to Potiphar, at +the instigation of their wives, and complained of his slave, +that he molested them.[131] + +Potiphar hastened home, and he found his wife in low +spirits, and though the cause of her dejection was chagrin +at not having succeeded in winning Joseph's love, she pretended +that it was anger at the immoral conduct of the slave. +She accused him in the following words: "O husband, +mayest thou not live a day longer, if thou dost not punish +the wicked slave that hath desired to defile thy bed, that +hath not kept in mind who he was when he came to our +house, to demean himself with modesty, nor hath he been +mindful of the favors he hath received from thy bounty. +He did lay a privy design to abuse thy wife, and this at the +time of observing a festival, when thou wouldst be absent."[132] +These words she spoke at the moment of conjugal +intimacy with Potiphar, when she was certain of exerting +an influence upon her husband.[133] + +Potiphar gave credence to her words, and he had Joseph +flogged unmercifully. While the cruel blows fell upon him, +he cried to God, "O Lord, Thou knowest that I am innocent +of these things, and why should I die to-day on account of +a false accusation by the hands of these uncircumcised, +impious men?" God opened the mouth of Zuleika's child, +a babe of but eleven months, and he spoke to the men that +were beating Joseph, saying: "What is your quarrel with +this man? Why do you inflict such evil upon him? Lies +my mother doth speak, and deceit is what her mouth uttereth. +This is the true tale of that which did happen," and the +child proceeded to tell all that had passed--how Zuleika had +tried first to persuade Joseph to act wickedly, and then had +tried to force him to do her will. The people listened in +great amazement. But the report finished, the child spake +no word, as before. + +Abashed by the speech of his own infant son, Potiphar +commanded his bailiffs to leave off from chastising Joseph, +and the matter was brought into court, where priests sat as +judges. Joseph protested his innocence, and related all that +had happened according to the truth, but Potiphar repeated +the account his wife had given him. The judges ordered the +garment of Joseph to be brought which Zuleika had in her +possession, and they examined the tear therein. It turned +out to be on the front part of the mantle, and they came to +the conclusion that Zuleika had tried to hold him fast, and +had been foiled in her attempt by Joseph, against whom she +was now lodging a trumped up charge. They decided that +Joseph had not incurred the death penalty, but they condemned +him to incarceration, because he was the cause of a +stain upon Zuleika's fair name."[134] + +Potiphar himself was convinced of Joseph's innocence, +and when he cast him into prison, he said to him, "I know +that thou art not guilty of so vile a crime, but I must put +thee in durance, lest a taint cling to my children."[135] + + +JOSEPH IN PRISON + +By way of punishment for having traduced his ten brethren +before his father, Joseph had to languish for ten years +in the prison to which the wiles of traducers had in turn +condemned him.[136] But, on the other hand, as he had sanctified +the Name of God before the world by his chastity and +his steadfastness, he was rewarded. The letter He, which +occurs twice in the Name of God, was added to his name. +He had been called Joseph, but now he was called also +Jehoseph.[137] + +Though he was bound in prison, Joseph was not yet safe +from the machinations of his mistress, whose passion for +him was in no wise lessened. In truth it was she that had +induced her husband to change his intention regarding Joseph; +she urged him to imprison the slave rather than kill +him, for she hoped that as a prisoner he could be made +amenable to her wishes more easily. She spake to her husband, +saying: "Do not destroy thy property. Cast the slave +in prison and keep him there until thou canst sell him, and +receive back the money thou didst pay out for him."[138] Thus +she had the opportunity of visiting Joseph in his cell and +trying to persuade him to do her will. She would say, +"This and that outrage have I executed against thee, but, as +thou livest, I will put yet other outrages upon thee if thou +dost not obey me." But Joseph replied, "The Lord executeth +judgment for the oppressed." + +Zuleika: "I will push matters so far that all men will +hate thee." + +Joseph: "The Lord loveth the righteous." + +Zuleika: "I will sell thee into a strange land." + +Joseph: "The Lord preserveth the strangers."[139] + +Then she would resort to enticements in order to obtain +her desire. She would promise to release him from prison, +if he would but grant her wish. But he would say, "Better +it is to remain here than be with thee and commit a trespass +against God." These visits to Joseph in prison Zuleika continued +for a long time, but when, finally, she saw that all +her hopes were vain, she let him alone.[140] + +As the mistress persisted in her love for Joseph, so his +master, her husband, could not separate himself from his +favorite slave. Though a prisoner, Joseph continued to +minister to the needs of Potiphar, and he received permission +from the keeper of the prison to spend some of his time +in his master's house.[141] In many other ways the jailer showed +himself kindly disposed toward Joseph. Seeing the youth's +zeal and conscientiousness in executing the tasks laid upon +him, and under the spell of his enchanting beauty, he made +prison life as easy as possible for his charge. He even +ordered better dishes for him than the common prison fare, +and he found it superfluous caution to keep watch over +Joseph, for he could see no wrong in him, and he observed +that God was with him, in good days and in bad. +He even appointed him to be the overseer of the prison, +and as Joseph commanded, so the other prisoners were +obliged to do.[142] + +For a long time the people talked of nothing but the +accusation raised against Joseph by his mistress. In +order to divert the attention of the public from him, God +ordained that two high officers, the chief butler and the +chief baker, should offend their lord, the king of Egypt, and +they were put in ward in the house of the captain of the +guard. Now the people ceased their talk about Joseph, and +spoke only of the scandal at court. The charges laid at the +door of the noble prisoners were that they had attempted to +do violence to the daughter of Pharaoh, and they had +conspired to poison the king himself. Besides, they had +shown themselves derelict in their service. In the wine +the chief butler had handed to the king to drink, a fly +had been discovered, and the bread set upon the royal +board by the chief baker contained a little pebble."[143] On +account of all these transgressions they were condemned to +death by Pharaoh, but for the sake of Joseph it was ordained +by Divine providence that the king should first detain +them in prison before he ordered their execution. The +Lord had enkindled the wrath of the king against his +servants only that the wish of Joseph for liberty might +be fulfilled, for they were the instruments of his deliverance +from prison, and though they were doomed to death, yet in +consideration of the exalted office they had held at court, +the keeper of the prison accorded them privileges, as, for +instance, a man was detailed to wait upon them, and the one +appointed thereto was Joseph.[144] +1] + +The chief butler and the chief baker had been confined +in prison ten years,[145] when they dreamed a dream, both of +them, but as for the interpretation, each dreamed only that +of the other one's dream.[146] In the morning when Joseph +brought them the water for washing, he found them sad, +depressed in spirits, and, in the manner of the sages, he +asked them why they looked different on that day from other +days. They said unto him, "We have dreamed a dream this +night, and our two dreams resemble each other in certain +particulars, and there is none that can interpret them." And +Joseph said unto them: "God granteth understanding to +man to interpret dreams. Tell them me, I pray you."[147] It +was as a reward for ascribing greatness and credit to Him +unto whom it belongeth that Joseph later attained to his +lofty position.[148] + +The chief butler proceeded to tell his dream: "In my +dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were +three branches; and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms +shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe +grapes; and Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the +grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave +the cup into Pharaoh's hand." The chief butler was not +aware that his dream contained a prophecy regarding the +future of Israel, but Joseph discerned the recondite +meaning,[149] +and he interpreted the dream thus: The three +branches are the three Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, +whose descendants in Egypt will be redeemed by three +leaders, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; and the cup given into +the hand of Pharaoh is the cup of wrath that he will have to +drain in the end. This interpretation of the dream Joseph +kept for himself, and he told the chief butler nothing +thereof, but out of gratitude for the glad tidings of the +deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt, he gave +him a favorable interpretation of his dream, and begged +him to have him in his remembrance, when it should be well +with him, and liberate him from the dungeon in which he +was confined. + +When the chief baker heard the interpretation of the +butler's dream, he knew that Joseph had divined its meaning +correctly, for in his own he had seen the interpretation of +his friend's dream, and he proceeded to tell Joseph what +he had dreamed in the night: "I also was in my dream, +and, behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head; +and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bake- +meats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the +basket upon my head." Also this dream conveyed a prophecy +regarding the future of Israel: The three baskets are +the three kingdoms to which Israel will be made subject, +Babylon, Media, and Greece; and the uppermost basket +indicates the wicked rule of Rome, which will extend over +all the nations of the world, until the bird shall come, who is +the Messiah, and annihilate Rome. Again Joseph kept +the prophecy a secret. To the chief baker he gave only the +interpretation that had reference to his person, but it was +unfavorable to him, because through his dream Joseph had +been made acquainted with the suffering Israel would have +to undergo. + +And all came to pass, as Joseph had said, on the third +day.[150] The day whereon he explained the meaning of +their dreams to the two distinguished prisoners, a son was +born unto Pharaoh and to celebrate the joyous event, the +king arranged a feast for his princes and servants that was +to last eight days. He invited them and all the people to +his table, and he entertained them with royal splendor. The +feast had its beginning on the third day after the birth of the +child, and on that occasion the chief butler was restored in +honor to his butlership, and the chief baker was hanged,[151] +for Pharaoh's counsellors had discovered that it was not the +butler's fault that the fly had dropped into the king's wine, +but the baker had been guilty of carelessness in allowing the +pebble to get into the bread.[152] Likewise it appeared that +the butler had had no part in the conspiracy to poison the +king, while the baker was revealed as one of the plotters, +and he had to expiate his crime with his life.[153] + + +PHARAOH'S DREAMS + +Properly speaking, Joseph should have gone out free from +his dungeon on the same day as the butler. He had been +there ten years by that time, and had made amends for the +slander he had uttered against his ten brethren. However, +he remained in prison two years longer. "Blessed is the +man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord," +but Joseph had put his confidence in flesh and blood. He had +prayed the chief butler to have him in remembrance when +it should be well with him, and make mention of him unto +Pharaoh, and the butler forgot his promise, and therefore +Joseph had to stay in prison two years more than the years +originally allotted to him there.[154] The butler had not +forgotten +him intentionally, but it was ordained of God that +his memory should fail him. When he would say to himself, +If thus and so happens, I will remember the case of Joseph, +the conditions he had imagined were sure to be reversed, or +if he made a knot as a reminder, an angel came and undid +the knot, and Joseph did not enter his mind.[155] + +But "the Lord setteth an end to darkness," and Joseph's +liberation was not delayed by a single moment beyond the +time decreed for it. God said, "Thou, O butler, thou didst +forget Joseph, but I did not," and He caused Pharaoh to +dream a dream that was the occasion for Joseph's release.[156] + +In his dream Pharaoh saw seven kine, well-favored and +fat-fleshed, come up out of the Nile, and they all together +grazed peaceably on the brink of the river, In years when +the harvest is abundant, friendship reigns among men, and +love and brotherly harmony, and these seven fat kine stood +for seven such prosperous years. After the fat kine, seven +more came up out of the river, ill-favored and lean- +fleshed, and each had her back turned to the others, for +when distress prevails, one man turns away from the other. +For a brief space Pharaoh awoke, and when he went to sleep +again, he dreamed a second dream, about seven rank and +good ears of corn, and seven ears that were thin and blasted +with the east wind,[157] the withered cars swallowing the full +ears. He awoke at once, and it was morning, and dreams +dreamed in the morning are the ones that come true.[158] + +This was not the first time Pharaoh had had these dreams. +They had visited him every night during a period of two +years, and he had forgotten them invariably in the morning. +This was the first time he remembered them, for the +day had arrived for Joseph to come forth from his prison +house.[159] Pharaoh's heart beat violently when he called +his dreams to mind on awaking.[160] Especially the second +one, about the ears of corn, disquieted him. He reflected +that whatever has a mouth can eat, and therefore the dream +of the seven lean kine that ate up the seven fat kine did not +appear strange to him. But the ears of corn that swallowed +up other ears of corn troubled his spirit.[161] He therefore +called for all the wise men of his land, and they endeavored +in vain to find a satisfactory interpretation. They explained +that the seven fat kine meant seven daughters to be born +unto Pharaoh, and the seven lean kine, that he would bury +seven daughters; the rank ears of corn meant that Pharaoh +would conquer seven countries, and the blasted ears, that +seven provinces would rebel against him.[162] About the ears +of corn they did not all agree. Some thought the good ears +stood for seven cities to be built by Pharaoh, and the seven +withered ears indicated that these same cities would be +destroyed at the end of his reign. + +Sagacious as he was, Pharaoh knew that none of these +explanations hit the nail on the head. He issued a decree +summoning all interpreters of dreams to appear before him +on pain of death, and he held out great rewards and distinctions +to the one who should succeed in finding the true +meaning of his dreams. In obedience to his summons, all +the wise men appeared, the magicians and the sacred scribes +that were in Mizraim, the city of Egypt, as well as those +from Goshen, Raamses, Zoan, and the whole country of +Egypt, and with them came the princes, officers, and servants +of the king from all the cities of the land. + +To all these the king narrated his dreams, but none could +interpret them to his satisfaction. Some said that the seven +fat kine were the seven legitimate kings that would rule over +Egypt, and the seven lean kine betokened seven princes that +would rise up against these seven kings and exterminate +them. The seven good ears of corn were the seven superior +princes of Egypt that would engage in a war for their overlord, +and would be defeated by as many insignificant princes, +who were betokened by the seven blasted ears. + +Another interpretation was that the seven fat kine were +the seven fortified cities of Egypt, at some future time to fall +into the hands of seven Canaanitish nations, who were +foreshadowed +in the seven lean kine. According to this interpretation, +the second dream supplemented the first. It +meant that the descendants of Pharaoh would regain sovereign +authority over Egypt at a subsequent period, and +would subdue the seven Canaanitish nations as well. + +There was a third interpretation, given by some: The +seven fat kine are seven women whom Pharaoh would take +to wife, but they would die during his lifetime, their loss +being indicated by the seven lean kine. Furthermore, +Pharaoh would have fourteen sons, and the seven strong +ones would be conquered by the seven weaklings, as the +blasted ears of corn in his dream had swallowed up the rank +ears of corn. + +And a fourth: "Thou wilt have seven sons, O Pharaoh, +these are the seven fat kine. These sons of thine will be +killed by the seven powerful rebellious princes. But then +seven minor princes will come, and they will kill the seven +rebels, avenge thy descendants, and restore the dominion to +thy family." + +The king was as little pleased with these interpretations +as with the others, which he had heard before, and in his +wrath he ordered the wise men, the magicians and the scribes +of Egypt, to be killed, and the hangmen made ready to execute +the royal decree. + +However, Mirod, Pharaoh's chief butler,[163] took fright, +seeing that the king was so vexed at his failure to secure an +interpretation of his dreams that he was on the point of +giving up the ghost. He was alarmed about the king's death, +for it was doubtful whether the successor to the throne would +retain him in office. He resolved to do all in his power to +keep Pharaoh alive. Therefore he stepped before him, and +spake, saying, "I do remember two faults of mine this day, +I showed myself ungrateful to Joseph, in that I did not bring +his request before thee, and also I saw thee in distress by +reason of thy dream, without letting thee know that Joseph +can interpret dreams.[164] When it pleased the Lord God to +make Pharaoh wroth with his servants, the king put me in +ward in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the +chief baker.[165] And with us there was a simple young +man, one of the despised race of the Hebrews, slave to the +captain of the guard, and he interpreted our dreams to us, +and it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was. +Therefore, +O king, stay the hand of the hangmen, let them not +execute the Egyptians. The slave I speak of is still in the +dungeon, and if the king will consent to summon him +hither, he will surely interpret thy dreams."[166] + + +JOSEPH BEFORE PHARAOH + +"Accursed are the wicked that never do a wholly good +deed." The chief butler described Joseph contemptuously +as a "slave" in order that it might be impossible for him +to occupy a distinguished place at court, for it was a law +upon the statute books of Egypt that a slave could never sit +upon the throne as king, nor even put his foot in the stirrup +of a horse.[167] + +Pharaoh revoked the edict of death that he had issued +against the wise men of Egypt, and he sent and called Joseph. +He impressed care upon his messengers, they were +not to excite and confuse Joseph, and render him unfit to +interpret the king's dream correctly.[168] They brought him +hastily out of the dungeon, but first Joseph, out of respect +for the king, shaved himself, and put on fresh raiment, +which an angel brought him from Paradise, and then he +came in unto Pharaoh.[169] + +The king was sitting upon the royal throne, arrayed in +princely garments, clad with a golden ephod upon his breast, +and the fine gold of the ephod sparkled, and the carbuncle, +the ruby, and the emerald flamed like a torch, and all the +precious stones set upon the king's head flashed like a blazing +fire, and Joseph was greatly amazed at the appearance +of the king. The throne upon which he sat was covered +with gold and silver and with onyx stones, and it had +seventy steps. If a prince or other distinguished person +came to have an audience with the king, it was the custom +for him to advance and mount to the thirty-first step of the +throne, and the king would descend thirty-six steps and +speak to him. But if one of the people came to have speech +with the king, he ascended only to the third step, and the +king would come down four steps from his seat, and address +him thence. It was also the custom that one who knew all +the seventy languages ascended the seventy steps of the +throne to the top, but if a man knew only some of the +seventy languages, he was permitted to ascend as many steps +as he knew languages, whether they were many or, few. +And another custom of the Egyptians was that none could +reign over them unless he was master of all the seventy +languages. + +When Joseph came before the king, he bowed down to +the ground, and he ascended to the third step, while the +king sat upon the fourth from the top, and spake with Joseph, +saying:[170] "O young man, my servant beareth witness +concerning thee, that thou art the best and most discerning +person I can consult with. I pray thee, vouchsafe +unto me the same favors which thou didst bestow on this +servant of mine, and tell me what events they are which the +visions of my dreams foreshow. I desire thee to suppress +naught out of fear, nor shalt thou flatter me with lying +words, or with words that please me. Tell me the truth, +though it be sad and alarming."[171] + +Joseph asked the king first whence he knew that the +interpretation +given by the wise men of his country was not true, +and Pharaoh replied, "I saw the dream and its interpretation +together, and therefore they cannot make a fool of +me."[172] In his modesty Joseph denied that he was an adept +at interpreting dreams. He said, "It is not in me; it is in +the hand of God, and if it be the wish of God, He will permit +me to announce tidings of peace to Pharaoh." And for +such modesty he was rewarded by sovereignty over Egypt, +for the Lord doth honor them that honor Him. Thus was +also Daniel rewarded for his speech to Nebuchadnezzar: + +"There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, but as for +me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I +have more than any living, but to the intent that the +interpretation may be made known to the king, and that thou +mayest know the thoughts of thy heart."[173] + +Then Pharaoh began to tell his dream, only he omitted +some points and narrated others inaccurately in order that +he might test the vaunted powers of Joseph. But the youth +corrected him, and pieced the dreams together exactly as +they had visited Pharaoh in the night, and the king was +greatly amazed.[174] Joseph was able to accomplish this feat, +because he had dreamed the same dream as Pharaoh, at the +same time as he.[175] Thereupon Pharaoh retold his dreams, +with all details and circumstances, and precisely as he had +seen them in his sleep, except that he left out the word Nile +in the description of the seven lean kine, because this river +was worshipped by the Egyptians, and he hesitated to say +that aught that is evil had come from his god.[176] + +Now Joseph proceeded to give the king the true interpretation +of the two dreams. They were both a revelation concerning +the seven good years impending and the seven years +of famine to follow them. In reality, it had been the purpose +of God to bring a famine of forty-two years' duration +upon Egypt, but only two years of this distressful period +were inflicted upon the land, for the sake of the blessing of +Jacob when he came to Egypt in the second year of the +famine. The other forty years fell upon the land at the +time of the prophet Ezekiel.[177] + +Joseph did more than merely interpret the dreams. When +the king gave voice to doubts concerning the interpretation, +he told him signs and tokens. He said: "Let this be a sign +to thee that my words are true, and my advice is excellent: +Thy wife, who is sitting upon the birthstool at this moment, +will bring forth a son, and thou wilt rejoice over him, but +in the midst of thy joy the sad tidings will be told thee of +the death of thine older son, who was born unto thee but two +years ago, and thou must needs find consolation for the loss +of the one in the birth of the other." + +Scarcely had Joseph withdrawn from the presence of the +king, when the report of the birth of a son was brought to +Pharaoh, and soon after also the report of the death of his +first-born, who had suddenly dropped to the floor and passed +away. Thereupon he sent for all the grandees of his realm, +and all his servants, and he spake to them, saying: "Ye +have heard the words of the Hebrew, and ye have seen that +the signs which he foretold were accomplished, and I also +know that he hath interpreted the dream truly. Advise me +now how the land may be saved from the ravages of the +famine. Look hither and thither whether you can find a +man of wisdom and understanding, whom I may set over +the land, for I am convinced that the land can be saved only +if we heed the counsel of the Hebrew." The grandees and +the princes admitted that safety could be secured only by +adhering to the advice given by Joseph, and they proposed +that the king, in his sagacity, choose a man whom he considered +equal to the great task.[178] Thereupon Pharaoh said: +"If we traversed and searched the earth from end to end, +we could find none such as Joseph, a man in whom is the +spirit of God.[179] If ye think well thereof, I will set him over +the land which he hath saved by his wisdom."[180] + +The astrologers, who were his counsellors, demurred, saying, +"A slave, one whom his present owner hath acquired +for twenty pieces of silver, thou proposest to set over us as +master?" But Pharaoh maintained that Joseph was not +only a free-born man beyond the peradventure of a doubt, +but also the scion of a noble family.[181] However, the princes +of Pharaoh were not silenced, they continued to give utterance +to their opposition to Joseph, saying: "Dost thou not +remember the immutable law of the Egyptians, that none +may serve as king or as viceroy unless he speaks all the +languages of men? And this Hebrew knows none but his +own tongue, and how were it possible that a man should rule +over us who cannot even speak the language of our land? +Send and have him fetched hither, and examine him in +respect to all the things a ruler should know and have, and +then decide as seemeth wise in thy sight." + +Pharaoh yielded, he promised to do as they wished, and +he appointed the following day as the time for examining +Joseph, who had returned to his prison in the meantime, +for, on account of his wife, his master feared to have him +stay in his house. During the night Gabriel appeared unto +Joseph, and taught him all the seventy languages, and he +acquired them quickly after the angel had changed his name +from Joseph to Jehoseph. The next morning, when he came +into the presence of Pharaoh and the nobles of the kingdom, +inasmuch as he knew every one of the seventy languages, +he mounted all the steps of the royal throne, until he reached +the seventieth, the highest, upon which sat the king, and +Pharaoh and his princes rejoiced that Joseph fulfilled all the +requirements needed by one that was to rule over Egypt. + +The king said to Joseph: "Thou didst give me the +counsel to look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over +the land of Egypt, that he may in his wisdom save the land +from the famine. As God hath showed thee all this, and as +thou art master of all the languages of the world, there is +none so discreet and wise as thou. Thou shalt therefore be +the second in the land after Pharaoh, and according unto thy +word shall all my people go in and go out; my princes and +my servants shall receive their monthly appanage from thee; +before thee the people shall prostrate themselves, only in the +throne will I be greater than thou."[182] + + +THE RULER OF EGYPT + +Now Joseph reaped the harvest of his virtues, and according +to the measure of his merits God granted him reward. +The mouth that refused the kiss of unlawful passion and +sin received the kiss of homage from the people; the neck +that did not bow itself unto sin was adorned with the gold +chain that Pharaoh put upon it; the hands that did not +touch sin wore the signet ring that Pharaoh took from his +own hand and put upon Joseph's; the body that did not come +in contact with sin was arrayed in vestures of byssus; the +feet that made no steps in the direction of sin reposed in the +royal chariot, and the thoughts that kept themselves undefiled +by sin were proclaimed as wisdom.[183] + +Joseph was installed in his high position, and invested +with the insignia of his office, with solemn ceremony. The +king took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon +Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in princely apparel, and set +a gold crown upon his head, and laid a gold chain about his +neck. Then he commanded his servants to make Joseph to +ride in his second chariot, which went by the side of the +chariot wherein sat the king, and he also made him to ride +upon a great and strong horse of the king's horses, and his +servants conducted him through the streets of the city +of Egypt. Musicians, no less than a thousand striking +cymbals and a thousand blowing flutes, and five thousand +men with drawn swords gleaming in the air formed the vanguard. +Twenty thousand of the king's grandees girt with +gold-embroidered leather belts marched at the right of +Joseph, and as many at the left of him.[184] The women and +the maidens of the nobility looked out of the windows to +gaze upon Joseph's beauty, and they poured down chains +upon him, and rings and jewels, that he might but direct +his eyes toward them. Yet he did not look up, and as a reward +God made him proof against the evil eye, nor has it +ever had the power of inflicting harm upon any of his +descendants.[185] Servants of the king, preceding him and +following him, burnt incense upon his path, and cassia, and all +manner of sweet spices, and strewed myrrh and aloes wherever +he went. Twenty heralds walked before him, and they +proclaimed: "This is the man whom the king bath chosen +to be the second after him. All the affairs of state will be +administered by him, and whoever resisteth his commands, +or refuseth to bow down to the ground before him, he will +die the death of the rebel against the king and the king's +deputy." + +Without delay the people prostrated themselves, and they +cried, "Long live the king, and long live the deputy of the +king!" And Joseph, looking down from his horse upon +the people and their exultation, exclaimed, his eyes directed +heavenward: "The Lord raiseth up the poor out of the +dust, and lifteth up the needy from the dunghill. O Lord +of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee." + +After Joseph, accompanied by Pharaoh's officers and +princes, had journeyed through the whole city of Egypt, +and viewed all there was therein, he returned to the king on +the selfsame day, and the king gave him fields and vineyards +as a present, and also three thousand talents of silver, and +a thousand talents of gold, and onyx stones and bdellium, +and many other costly things. The king commanded, moreover, +that every Egyptian give Joseph a gift, else he would +be put to death. A platform was erected in the open street, +and there all deposited their presents, and among the things +were many of gold and silver, as well as precious stones, +carried thither by the people and also the grandees, for they +saw that Joseph enjoyed the favor of the king. Furthermore, +Joseph received one hundred slaves from Pharaoh, +and they were to do all his bidding, and he himself acquired +many more, for he resided in a spacious palace. Three years +it took to build it. Special magnificence was lavished upon +the hall of state, which was his audience chamber, and upon +the throne fashioned of gold and silver and inlaid with +precious stones, whereon there was a representation of the +whole land of Egypt and of the river Nile. And as Joseph +multiplied in riches, so he increased also in wisdom, for God +added to his wisdom that all might love and honor him.[186] +Pharaoh called him Zaphenath-paneah, he who can reveal +secret things with ease, and rejoiceth the heart of man +therewith. Each letter of the name Zaphenath-paneah has a +meaning, too. The first, Zadde, stands for Zofeh, seer; Pe +for Podeh, redeemer; Nun for Nabi, prophet; Taw for +Tomek, supporter; Pe for Poter, interpreter of dreams; Ain +for Arum, clever; Nun for Nabon, discreet; and Het for +Hakam, wise.[187] + +The name of Joseph's wife pointed to her history in the +same way. Asenath was the daughter of Dinah and Hamor, +but she was abandoned at the borders of Egypt, only, that +people might know who she was, Jacob engraved the story +of her parentage and her birth upon a gold plate fastened +around her neck. The day on which Asenath was exposed, +Potiphar went walking with his servants near the city +wall, and they heard the voice of a child. At the captain's +bidding they brought the baby to him, and when he read +her history from the gold plate, he determined to adopt her. +He took her home with him, and raised her as his daughter. +The Alef in Asenath stands for On, where Potiphar was +priest; the Samek for Setirah, Hidden, for she was kept concealed +on account of her extraordinary beauty; the Nun for +Nohemet, for she wept and entreated that she might be delivered +from the house of the heathen Potiphar; and the Taw +for Tammah, the perfect one, on account of her pious, perfect +deeds.[188] + +Asenath had saved Joseph's life while she was still an +infant in arms. When Joseph was accused of immoral conduct +by Potiphar's wife and the other women, and his master +was on the point of having him hanged, Asenath approached +her foster-father, and she assured him under oath that the +charge against Joseph was false. Then spake God, "As +thou livest, because thou didst try to defend Joseph, thou +shalt be the woman to bear the tribes that he is appointed +to beget.[189] + +Asenath bore him two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, during +the seven years of plenty, for in the time of famine +Joseph refrained from all indulgence in the pleasures of +life.[190] They were bred in chastity and fear of God by their +father, and they were wise, and well-instructed in all knowledge +and in the affairs of state, so that they became the +favorites of the court, and were educated with the royal +princes. + +Before the famine broke over the land, Joseph found an +opportunity of rendering the king a great service. He +equipped an army of four thousand six hundred men, providing +all the soldiers with shields and spears and bucklers +and helmets and slings. With this army, and aided by the +servants and officers of the king, and by the people of Egypt, +he carried on a war with Tarshish in the first year after his +appointment as viceroy. The people of Tarshish had invaded +the territory of the Ishmaelites, and the latter, few +in number at that time, were sore pressed, and applied to +the king of Egypt for help against their enemies. At the +head of his host of heroes, Joseph marched to the land of +Havilah, where he was joined by the Ishmaelites, and with +united forces they fought against the people of Tarshish, +routed them utterly, settled their land with the Ishmaelites, +while the defeated men took refuge with their brethren in +Javan. Joseph and his army returned to Egypt, and not a +man had they lost. + +In a little while Joseph's prophecy was confirmed: that +year and the six following years were years of plenty, as +he had foretold.[191] The harvest was so ample that a single +ear produced two heaps of grain,[192] and Joseph made circumspect +arrangements to provide abundantly for the years of +famine. He gathered up all the grain, and in the city situated +in the middle of each district he laid up the produce +from round about, and had ashes and earth strewn on the +garnered food from the very soil on which it had been +grown;[193] also he preserved the grain in the ear; all these +being precautions taken to guard against rot and mildew. +The inhabitants of Egypt also tried, on their own account, +to put aside a portion of the superabundant harvest of the +seven fruitful years against the need of the future, but when +the grievous time of dearth came, and they went to their +storehouses to bring forth the treasured grain, behold, it +had rotted, and become unfit for food.[194] The famine broke +in upon the people with such suddenness that the bread gave +out unexpectedly as they sat at their tables, they had not +even a bite of bran bread. + +Thus they were driven to apply to Joseph and beseech his +help, and he admonished them, saying, "Give up your allegiance +to your deceitful idols, and say, Blessed is He who +giveth bread unto all flesh." But they refused to deny their +lying gods, and they betook themselves to Pharaoh, only +to be told by him, "Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, +do!" For this Pharaoh was rewarded. God granted him +long life and a long reign, until he became arrogant, and +well-merited punishment overtook him.[195] + +When the Egyptians approached Joseph with the petition +for bread, he spoke, saying, "I give no food to the +uncircumcised. Go hence, and circumcise yourselves, and then +return hither." They entered the presence of Pharaoh, and +complained to him regarding Joseph, but he said as +before, "Go unto Joseph!" And they replied, "We come +from Joseph, and he hath spoken roughly unto us, saying, +Go hence and circumcise yourselves! We warned thee in +the beginning that he is a Hebrew, and would treat us in +such wise." Pharaoh said to them: "O ye fools, did he not +prophesy through the holy spirit and proclaim to the whole +world, that there would come seven years of plenty to be +followed by seven years of dearth? Why did you not save +the yield of one or two years against the day of your need?" + +Weeping, they made reply: "The grain that we put +aside during the good years hath rotted." + +Pharaoh: "Have ye nothing over of the flour of yesterday?" + +The Egyptians: "The very bread in the basket rotted!" + +Pharaoh: "Why?" + +The Egyptians: "Because Joseph willed thus!" + +Pharaoh: "O ye fools, if his word hath power over the +grain, making it to rot when he desireth it to rot, then also +must we die, if so be his wish concerning us. Go, therefore, +unto him, and do as he bids you."[196] + + +JOSEPH'S BRETHREN IN EGYPT + +The famine, which inflicted hardships first upon the +wealthy among the Egyptians, gradually extended its ravages +as far as Phoenicia, Arabia, and Palestine.[197] Though +the sons of Jacob, being young men, frequented the streets +and the highways, yet they were ignorant of what their old +home-keeping father Jacob knew, that corn could be procured in +Egypt. Jacob even suspected that Joseph was in +Egypt. His prophetic spirit, which forsook him during the +time of his grief for his son, yet manifested itself now and +again in dim visions, and he was resolved to send his sons +down into Egypt.[198] There was another reason. Though he +was not yet in want, he nevertheless had them go thither for +food, because he was averse from arousing the envy of the +sons of Esau and Ishmael by his comfortable state.[199] For +the same reason, to avoid friction with the surrounding +peoples, he bade his sons not appear in public with bread in +their hands, or in the accoutrements of war.[200] And as he +knew that they were likely to attract attention, on account +of their heroic stature and handsome appearance, he cautioned +them against going to the city all together through +the same gate, or, indeed, showing themselves all together +anywhere in public, that the evil eye be not cast upon them.[201] + +The famine in Canaan inspired Joseph with the hope of +seeing his brethren. To make sure of their coming, he +issued a decree concerning the purchase of corn in Egypt, +as follows: "By order of the king and his deputy, and the +princes of the realm, be it enacted that he who desireth to +buy grain in Egypt may not send his slave hither to do his +bidding, but he must charge his own sons therewith. An +Egyptian or a Canaanite that hath bought grain and then +selleth it again shall be put to death, for none may buy more +than he requireth for the needs of his household. Also, who +cometh with two or three beasts of burden, and loads them +up with grain, shall be put to death." + +At the gates of the city of Egypt, Joseph stationed guards, +whose office was to inquire and take down the name of all +that should come to buy corn, and also the name of their +father and their grandfather, and every evening the list of +names thus made was handed to Joseph. These precautions +were bound to bring Joseph's brethren down to Egypt, and +also acquaint him with their coming as soon as they entered +the land. + +On their journey his brethren thought more of Joseph +than of their errand. They said to one another: "We know +that Joseph was carried down into Egypt, and we will make +search for him there, and if we should find him, we will +ransom him from his master, and if his master should refuse +to sell him, we will use force, though we perish ourselves."[202] + +At the gates of the city of Egypt, the brethren of Joseph +were asked what their names were, and the names of their +father and grandfather. The guard on duty happened to be +Manasseh, the son of Joseph. The brethren submitted to +being questioned, saying "Let us go into the town, and we +shall see whether this taking down of our names be a matter +of taxes. If it be so, we shall not demur; but if it be something +else, we shall see to-morrow what can be done in the +case."[203] + +On the evening of the day they entered Egypt, Joseph +discovered their names in the list, which he was in the +habit of examining daily, and he commanded that all +stations for the sale of corn be closed, except one only. +Furthermore, even at this station no sales were to be negotiated +unless the name of the would-be purchaser was first +obtained. His brethren, with whose names Joseph furnished +the overseer of the place, were to be seized and brought to +him as soon as they put in appearance. + +But the first thought of the brethren was for Joseph, and +their first concern, to seek him. For three days they made +search for him everywhere, even in the most disreputable +quarters of the city. Meantime Joseph was in communication +with the overseer of the station kept open for the sale +of corn, and, hearing that his brethren had not appeared +there, he dispatched some of his servants to look for them, +but they found them neither in Mizraim, the city of Egypt, +nor in Goshen, nor in Raamses. Thereupon he sent sixteen +servants forth to make a house to house search for them in +the city, and they discovered the brethren of Joseph in a +place of ill-fame and haled them before their master. + + +JOSEPH MEETS HIS BRETHREN + +A large crown of gold on his head, apparelled in byssus +and purple, and surrounded by his valiant men, Joseph was +seated upon his throne in his palace. His brethren fell down +before him in great admiration of his beauty, his stately +appearance, and his majesty.[204] They did not know him, for +when Joseph was sold into slavery, he was a beardless youth. +But he knew his brethren, their appearance had not changed +in aught, for they were bearded men when he was separated +from them.[205] + +He was inclined to make himself known to them as their +brother, but an angel appeared unto him, the same that had +brought him from Shechem to his brethren at Dothan, and +spoke, saying, "These came hither with intent to kill thee." +Later, when the brethren returned home, and gave an account +of their adventures to Jacob, they told him that a man +had accused them falsely before the ruler of Egypt, not +knowing that he who incited Joseph against them was an +angel. It was in reference to this matter, and meaning their +accuser, that Jacob, when he dispatched his sons on their +second expedition to Egypt, prayed to God, "God Almighty +give you mercy before the man."[206] + +Joseph made himself strange unto his brethren, and he +took his cup in his hand, knocked against it, and said, "By +this magic cup I know that ye are spies." They replied, +"Thy servants came from Canaan into Egypt for to buy +corn." + +Joseph: "If it be true that ye came hither to buy corn, +why is it that each one of you entered the city by a separate +gate?"[207] + +The brethren: "We are ALL the sons of one man in the +land of Canaan, and he bade us not enter a city together by +the same gate, that we attract not the attention of the people +of the place." Unconsciously they had spoken as seers, for +the word ALL included Joseph as one of their number.[208] + +Joseph: "Verily, ye are spies! All the people that come +to buy corn return home without delay, but ye have lingered +here three days, without making any purchases, and all the +time you have been gadding about in the disreputable parts +of the city, and only spies are wont to do thus." + +The brethren: "We thy servants are twelve brethren, the +sons of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of the Hebrew Abraham. +The youngest is this day with our father in Canaan, +and one hath disappeared. Him did we look for in this land, +and we looked for him even in the disreputable houses." + +Joseph: "Have ye made search in every other place on +earth, and was Egypt the only land left? And if it be true +that he is in Egypt, what should a brother of yours be doing +in a house of ill-fame, if, indeed, ye are the descendants of +Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?" + +The brethren: "We did hear that some Ishmaelites stole +our brother, and sold him into slavery in Egypt, and as our +brother was exceeding fair in form and face, we thought he +might have been sold for illicit uses, and therefore we +searched even the disreputable houses to find him." + +Joseph: "You speak deceitful words, when you call yourselves +sons of Abraham. By the life of Pharaoh, ye are +spies, and you did go from one disreputable house to another +that none might discover you."[209] + +The expression "by the life of Pharaoh" might have betrayed +Joseph's real feeling to his brethren, had they but +known his habit of taking this oath only when he meant to +avoid keeping his word later.[210] + +Joseph continued to speak to his brethren: "Let us suppose +you should discover your brother serving as a slave, +and his master should demand a high sum for his ransom, +would you pay it?" + +The brethren: "Yes!" + +Joseph: "But suppose his master should refuse to surrender +him for any price in the world, what would you do?" + +The brethren: "If he yields not our brother to us, we +will kill the master, and carry off our brother." + +Joseph: "Now see how true my words were, that ye are +spies. By your own admission ye have come to slay the inhabitants +of the land. Report hath told us that two of you +did massacre the people of Shechem on account of the wrong +done to your sister, and now have ye come down into Egypt +to kill the Egyptians for the sake of your brother. I shall be +convinced of your innocence only if you consent to send one +of your number home and fetch your youngest brother +hither." + +His brethren refused compliance, and Joseph caused them +to be put into prison by seventy of his valiant men, and there +they remained for three days.[211] God never allows the +pious to languish in distress longer than three days, and so +it was a Divine dispensation that the brethren of Joseph +were released on the third day,[212] and were permitted by +Joseph to return home, on condition, however, that one of +them remain behind as hostage. + +The difference between Joseph and his brethren can be +seen here. Though he retained one of them to be bound in +the prison house, he still said, "I fear God," and dismissed +the others, but when he was in their power, they gave no +thought to God.[213] At this time, to be sure, their conduct +was such as is becoming to the pious, who accept their fate +with calm resignation, and acknowledge the righteousness +of God, for He metes out reward and punishment measure +for measure. They recognized that their present punishment +was in return for the heartless treatment they had dealt out +to Joseph, paying no heed to his distress, though he fell at +the feet of each of them, weeping, and entreating them not +to sell him into slavery. Reuben reminded the others that +they had two wrongs to expiate, the wrong against their +brother and the wrong against their father, who was so +grieved that he exclaimed, "I will go down to the grave to +my son mourning." + +The brethren of Joseph knew not that the viceroy of +Egypt understood Hebrew, and could follow their words, +for Manasseh stood and was an interpreter between them +and him.[214] + +Joseph decided to keep Simon as hostage in Egypt, for he +had been one of the two--Levi was the other--to advise that +Joseph be put to death, and only the intercession of Reuben +and Judah had saved him. He did not detain Levi, too, for +he feared, if both remained behind together, Egypt might +suffer the same fate at their hands as the city of Shechem.[215] +Also, he preferred Simon to Levi, because Simon was not a +favorite among the sons of Jacob, and they would not resist +his detention in Egypt too violently, while they might annihilate +Egypt, as aforetime Shechem, if they were deprived +of Levi, their wise man and high priest.[216] Besides, it was +Simon that had lowered Joseph into the pit, wherefore he +had a particular grudge against him.[217] + +When the brethren yielded to Joseph's demand, and consented +to leave their brother behind as hostage, Simon said +to them, "Ye desire to do with me as ye did with Joseph!" +But they replied, in despair: "What can we do? Our +households will perish of hunger." Simon made answer, +"Do as ye will, but as for me, let me see the man that will +venture to cast me into prison." Joseph sent word to Pharaoh +to let him have seventy of his valiant men, to aid him +in arresting robbers. But when the seventy appeared upon +the scene, and were about to lay hands on Simon, he uttered +a loud cry, and his assailants fell to the floor and knocked +out their teeth.[218] Pharaoh's valiant men, as well as all the +people that stood about Joseph, fled affrighted, only Joseph +and his son Manasseh remained calm and unmoved. Manasseh rose up, +dealt Simon a blow on the back of his neck, +put manacles upon his hands and fetters upon his feet, and +cast him into prison. Joseph's brethren were greatly amazed +at the heroic strength of the youth, and Simon said, "This +blow was not dealt by an Egyptian, but by one belonging to +our house."[219] + +He was bound and taken to prison before the eyes of the +other brethren of Joseph, but as soon as they were out of +sight, Joseph ordered good fare to be set before him, and +he treated him with great kindness.[220] + +Joseph permitted his nine other brethren to depart, carrying +corn with them in abundance, but he impressed upon +them that they must surely return and bring their youngest +brother with them. On the way, Levi, who felt lonely without +his constant companion Simon, opened his sack, and he +espied the money he had paid for the corn. They all +trembled, and their hearts failed them, and they said, +"Where, then, is the lovingkindness of God toward our +fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, seeing that He hath delivered +us into the hands of the Egyptian king, that he may +raise false accusations against us?" And Judah said, +"Verily, we are guilty concerning our brother, we have +sinned against God, in that we sold our brother, our own +flesh, and why do ye ask, Where, then, is the lovingkindness +of God toward our fathers?" + +Reuben spoke in the same way: "Spake I not unto you, +saying, Do not sin against the child, and ye would not hear? +And now the Lord doth demand him of us. How can you +say, Where, then, is the lovingkindness of God toward our +fathers, though you have sinned against Him?" + +They proceeded on their journey home, and their father +met them on the way. Jacob was astonished not to see +Simon with them, and in reply to his questions, they told +him all that had befallen them in Egypt. Then Jacob cried +out: "What have ye done? I sent Joseph to you to see +whether it be well with you, and ye said, An evil beast hath +devoured him. Simon went forth with you for to buy corn, +and you say, The king of Egypt hath cast him into prison. +And now ye will take Benjamin away and kill him, too. Ye +will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."[221] + +The words of Jacob, which he uttered, "Me have ye bereaved +of my children," were meant to intimate to his sons +that he suspected them of the death of Joseph and of +Simon's disappearance as well, and their reports concerning +both he regarded as inventions.[222] What made him inconsolable +was that now, having lost two of his sons, he could +not hope to see the Divine promise fulfilled, that he should +be the ancestor of twelve tribes.[223] He was quite resolved +in his mind, therefore, not to let Benjamin go away with his +brethren under any condition whatsoever, and he vouchsafed +Reuben no reply when he said, "Slay my two sons, if I bring +him not to thee." He considered it beneath his dignity to +give an answer to such balderdash.[224] "My first-born son," +he said to himself, "is a fool. What will it profit me, if I +slay his two sons? Does he not know that his sons are +equally mine?"[225] Judah advised his brethren to desist from +urging their father then; he would consent, he thought, to +whatever expedients were found necessary, as soon as their +bread gave out, and a second journey to Egypt became +imperative.[226] + +THE SECOND JOURNEY TO EGYPT + +When the supplies bought in Egypt were eaten up, and +the family of Jacob began to suffer with hunger, the little +children came to him, and they said, "Give us bread, that +we die not of hunger before thee." The words of the little +ones brought scorching tears to the eyes of Jacob, and he +summoned his sons and bade them go again down into Egypt +and buy food.[227] But Judah spake unto him, "The man did +solemnly protest unto us, saying that we should not see his +face, except our brother Benjamin be with us, and we cannot +appear before him with idle pretexts." And Jacob said, +"Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me as to tell the man +whether ye had yet a brother?" It was the first and only +time Jacob indulged in empty talk, and God said, "I made it +My business to raise his son to the position of ruler of +Egypt, and he complains, and says, Wherefore dealt ye so +ill with-me?" And Judah protested against the reproach, +that he had initiated the Egyptian viceroy in their family +relations, with the words: "Why, he knew the very wood +of which our baby coaches are made![228] Father," he continued, +"if Benjamin goes with us, he may, indeed, be taken +from us, but also he may not. This is a doubtful matter, +but it is certain that if he does not go with us, we shall all +die of hunger. It is better not to concern thyself about what +is doubtful, and guide thy actions by what is certain.[229] The +king of Egypt is a strong and mighty king, and if we go to +him without our brother, we shall all be put to death. Dost +thou not know, and hast thou not heard, that this king is +very powerful and wise, and there is none like unto him in all +the earth? We have seen all the kings of the earth, but none +like unto the king of Egypt. One would surely say that +among all the kings of the earth there is none greater than +Abimelech king of the Philistines, yet the king of Egypt is +greater and mightier than he, and Abimelech can hardly be +compared with one of his officers. Father, thou hast not +seen his palace and his throne, and all his servants standing +before him. Thou hast not seen that king upon his throne, +in all his magnificence and with his royal insignia, arrayed +in his royal robes, with a large golden crown upon his head. +Thou hast not seen the honor and the glory that God hath +given unto him, for there is none like unto him in all the +earth. Father, thou hast not seen the wisdom, the understanding, +and the knowledge that God has given in his +heart. We heard his sweet voice when he spake unto us. +We know not, father, who acquainted him with our names, +and all that befell us. He asked also concerning thee, saying, +Is your father still alive, and is it well with him? Thou +hast not seen the affairs of the government of Egypt regulated +by him, for none asketh his lord Pharaoh about them. +Thou hast not seen the awe and the fear that he imposes +upon all the Egyptians. Even we went out from his presence +threatening to do unto Egypt as unto the cities of the +Amorites, and exceedingly wroth by reason of all his words +that he spake concerning us as spies, yet when we came +again before him, his terror fell upon us all, and none of us +was able to speak a word to him, great or small. Now, +therefore, father, send the lad with us, and we will arise and +go down into Egypt, and buy food to eat, that we die not of +hunger."[230] + +Judah offered his portion in the world to come as surety +for Benjamin, and thus solemnly he promised to bring him +back safe and sound, and Jacob granted his request, and +permitted Benjamin to go down into Egypt with his other +sons. They also carried with them choice presents from +their father for the ruler of Egypt, things that arouse wonder +outside of Palestine, such as the murex, which is the +snail that produces the Tyrian purple, and various kinds of +balm, and almond oil, and pistachio oil, and honey as hard as +stone. Furthermore, Jacob put double money in their hand +to provide against a rise in prices in the meantime. And +after all these matters were attended to, he spake to his sons, +saying: "Here is money, and here is a present, and also your +brother. Is there aught else that you need?" And they +replied, Yes, we need this, besides, that thou shouldst +intercede for us with God." Then their father prayed:[231] +"O Lord, Thou who at the time of creation didst call +Enough! to heaven and earth when they stretched themselves +out further and further toward infinity, set a limit +to my sufferings, too, say unto them, Enough![232] God Almighty +give you mercy before the ruler of Egypt, that he +may release unto you Joseph, Simon, and Benjamin." + +This prayer was an intercession, not only for the sons of +Jacob, but also for their descendants--that God would deliver +the Ten Tribes in time to come, as He delivered the two, +Judah and Benjamin, and after He permitted the destruction +of two Temples, He would grant endless continuance to the +third.[233] + +Jacob also put a letter addressed to the viceroy of Egypt +into the hands of his son. The letter ran thus: "From thy +servant Jacob, the son of Isaac, the grandson of Abraham, +prince of God, to the mighty and wise king Zaphenathpaneah, +the ruler of Egypt, peace! I make known unto my +lord the king that the famine is sore with us in the land of +Canaan, and I have therefore sent my sons unto thee, to buy +us a little food, that we may live, and not die. My children +surrounded me, and begged for something to eat, but, alas, +I am very old, and I cannot see with mine eyes, for they are +heavy with the weight of years, and also on account of my +never-ceasing tears for my son Joseph, who hath been taken +from me. I charged my sons not to pass through the gate +all together at the same time, when they arrived in the city of +Egypt, in consideration of the inhabitants of the land, that +they might not take undue notice of them. Also I bade them +go up and down in the land of Egypt and seek my son Joseph, +mayhap they would find him there. + +"This did they do, but thou didst therefore account them +as spies. We have heard the report of thy wisdom and +sagacity. How, then, canst thou look upon their countenances, +and yet declare them to be spies? Especially as we +have heard thou didst interpret Pharaoh's dream, and didst +foretell the coming of the famine, are we amazed that thou, +in thy discernment, couldst not distinguish whether they be +spies or not. + +"And, now, O my lord king, I send unto thee my son Benjamin, +as thou didst demand of my other sons. I pray thee, +take good care of him until thou sendest him back to me in +peace with his brethren. Hast thou not heard, and dost thou +not know, what our God did unto Pharaoh when he took our +mother Sarah unto himself? Or what happened unto Abimelech +on account of her? And what our father Abraham +did unto the nine kings of Elam, how he killed them and +exterminated their armies, though he had but few men with +him? Or hast thou not heard what my two sons Simon and +Levi did to the eight cities of the Amorites, which they +destroyed +on account of their sister Dinah? Benjamin consoled +them for the loss of Joseph. What, then, will they do +unto him that stretcheth forth the hand of power to snatch +him away from them? + +"Knowest thou not, O king of Egypt, that the might of +our God is with us, and that He always hearkens unto our +prayers, and never forsakes us? Had I called upon God to +rise up against thee when my sons told me how thou didst act +toward them, thou and thy people, ye all would have been +annihilated ere Benjamin could come down to thee. But I +reflected that Simon my son was abiding in thy house, and +perhaps thou wast doing kindnesses unto him, and therefore +I invoked not the punishment of God upon thee. Now my +son Benjamin goeth down unto thee with my other sons. +Take heed unto thyself, keep thy eyes directed upon him, +and God will direct His eye upon all thy kingdom. + +"I have said all now that is in my heart. My sons take +their youngest brother down into Egypt with them, and do +thou send them all back to me in peace." + +This letter Jacob put into the keeping of Judah, charging +him to deliver it to the ruler of Egypt. His last words to +his sons were an admonition to take good care of Benjamin +and not leave him out of their sight, either on the journey +or after their arrival in Egypt. He bade farewell to them, +and then turned in prayer to God, saying: "O Lord of +heaven and earth! Remember Thy covenant with our +father Abraham. Remember also my father Isaac, and grant +grace unto my sons, and deliver them not into the hands of +the king of Egypt. O my God, do it for the sake of Thy +mercy, redeem my sons and save them from the hands of +the Egyptians, and restore their two brethren unto them." + +Also the women and the children in the house of Jacob +prayed to God amid tears, and entreated Him to redeem their +husbands and their fathers out of the hands of the king of +Egypt.[234] + + +JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN + +Great was the joy of Joseph when his brethren stood before +him and Benjamin was with them. In his youngest +brother he saw the true counterpart of his father.[235] He +ordered his son Manasseh,[236] the steward of his house, to +bring the men into the palace, and make ready a meal for +them. But he was to take care to prepare the meat dishes +in the presence of the guests, so that they might see with +their own eyes that the cattle had been slaughtered according +to the ritual prescriptions, and the sinew of the hip which is +upon the hollow of the thigh had been removed.[237] + +The dinner to which Joseph invited his brethren was a +Sabbath meal, for he observed the seventh day even before +the revelation of the law. The sons of Jacob refused the +invitation of the steward, and a scuffle ensued. While he +tried to force them into the banqueting hall, they tried to +force him out,[238] for they feared it was but a ruse to get +possession +of them and their asses, on account of the money +they had found in their sacks on their return from their first +journey to Egypt. In their modesty they put the loss of +their beasts upon the same level as the loss of their personal +liberty. To the average man property is as precious as life +itself.[239] + +Standing at the door of Joseph's house, they spake to the +steward, and said: "We are in badly reduced circumstances. +In our country we supported others, and now we depend +upon thee to support us." After these introductory words, +they offered him the money they had found in their sacks. +The steward reassured them concerning the money, saying, +"However it may be, whether for the sake of your own +merits, or for the sake of the merits of your fathers, God +hath caused you to find a treasure, for the money ye paid for +the corn came into my hand." Then he brought Simon out +to them. Their brother looked like a leather bottle, so fat +and rotund had he grown during his sojourn in Egypt.[240] +He told his brethren what kind treatment had been accorded +unto him. The very moment they left the city he had been +released from prison, and thereafter he had been entertained +with splendor in the house of the ruler of Egypt. + +When Joseph made his appearance, Judah took Benjamin +by the hand, and presented him to the viceroy, and they +all bowed down themselves to him to the earth.[241] Joseph +asked them concerning the welfare of their father and +their grandfather, and they made reply, "Thy servant +our father is well; he is yet alive," and Joseph knew from +their words that his grandfather Isaac was no more.[242] He +had died at the time when Joseph was released from prison, +and the joy of God in the liberation of Joseph was overcast +by His sorrow for Isaac.[243] Then Judah handed his father's +letter to Joseph, who was so moved at seeing the well-known +handwriting that he had to retire to his chamber and weep. +When he came back, he summoned Benjamin to approach +close to him, and he laid his hand upon his youngest +brother's head, and blessed him with the words, "God be +gracious unto thee, my son."[244] His father had once mentioned +"the children which God hath graciously given Thy +servant," and as Benjamin was not among the children thus +spoken of, for he was born later, Joseph compensated him +now by blessing him with the grace of God.[245] + +The table was set in three divisions, for Joseph, for his +brethren, and for the Egyptians. The sons of Jacob did not +venture to eat of the dishes set before them, they were afraid +they might not have been prepared according to the ritual +prescriptions--a punishment upon Joseph for having slandered +his brethren, whom he once charged with not being +punctilious in the observance of the dietary laws.[246] The +Egyptians, again, could not sit at the same table with the +sons of Jacob, because the latter ate the flesh of the animals +to which the former paid divine worship.[247] + +When all was ready, and the guests were to be seated, +Joseph raised his cup, and, pretending to inhale his knowledge +from it, he said, "Judah is king, therefore let him sit +at the head of the table, and let Reuben the first-born take +the second seat," and thus he assigned places to all his +brethren corresponding to their dignity and their age.[248] +Moreover, he seated the brothers together who were the +sons of the same mother, and when he reached Benjamin, +he said, "I know that the youngest among you has no +brother borne by his own mother, next to whom he might be +seated, and also I have none, therefore he may take his place +next to me." + +The brethren marvelled one with another at all this. During +the meal, Joseph took his portion, and gave it to Benjamin, +and his wife Asenath followed his example, and also +Ephraim and Manasseh, so that Benjamin had four portions +in addition to that which he had received like the other sons +of Jacob.[249] + +Wine was served at the meal, and it was the first time in +twenty-two years that Joseph and his brethren tasted of it, +for they had led the life of Nazarites, his brethren because +they regretted the evil they had done to Joseph, and Joseph +because he grieved over the fate of his father.[250] + +Joseph entered into conversation with his brother Benjamin. +He asked him whether he had a brother borne by his +own mother, and Benjamin answered, "I had one, but I do +not know what hath become of him." Joseph continued his +questions: "Hast thou a wife?" + +Benjamin: "Yes, I have a wife and ten sons." + +Joseph: "And what are their names? " + +Benjamin: "Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and +Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard." + +Joseph: "Why didst thou give them such peculiar +names?" + +Benjamin: "In memory of my brother and his sufferings: +Bela, because my brother disappeared among the +peoples; Becher, he was the first-born son of my mother; +Ashbel, he was taken away from my father; Gera, he dwells +a stranger in a strange land; Naaman, he was exceedingly +lovely; Ehi, he was my only brother by my father and my +mother together; Rosh, he was at the head of his brethren; +Muppim, he was beautiful in every respect; Huppim, he was +slandered; and Ard, because he was as beautiful as a rose."[251] + +Joseph ordered his magic astrolabe to be brought to +him, whereby he knew all things that happen, and he said +unto Benjamin, "I have heard that the Hebrews are acquainted +with all wisdom, but dost thou know aught of +this?" Benjamin answered, "Thy servant also is skilled +in all wisdom, which my father hath taught me." He then +looked upon the astrolabe, and to his great astonishment he +discovered by the aid of it that he who was sitting upon the +throne before him was his brother Joseph. Noticing Benjamin's +amazement, Joseph asked him, "What hast thou +seen, and why art thou astonished?" Benjamin said, "I +can see by this that Joseph my brother sitteth here before +me upon the throne." And Joseph said: "I am Joseph thy +brother! Reveal not the thing unto our brethren. I will +send thee with them when they go away, and I will command +them to be brought back again into the city, and I will +take thee away from them. If they risk their lives and fight +for thee, then shall I know that they have repented of what +they did unto me, and I will make myself known unto them. +But if they forsake thee, I will keep thee, that thou shouldst +remain with me. They shall go away, and I will not make +myself known unto them."[252] + +Then Joseph inquired of Benjamin what his brethren had +told their father after they had sold him into slavery, and +he heard the story of the coat dipped in the blood of a kid +of the goats. "Yes, brother," spoke Joseph, "when they +had stripped me of my coat, they handed me over to the +Ishmaelites, +who tied an apron around my waist, scourged me, +and bade me run off. But a lion attacked the one that beat +me, and killed him, and his companions were alarmed, and +they sold me to other people."[253] + +Dismissed by Joseph with kind words, his brethren started +on their homeward journey as soon as the morning was +light, for it is a good rule to "leave a city after sunrise, and +enter a city before sundown."[254] Besides, Joseph had a specific +reason for not letting his brethren depart from the city +during the night. He feared an encounter between them and +his servants, and that his men might get the worst of it, for +the sons of Jacob were like the wild beasts, which have the +upper hand at night. + + +THE THIEF CAUGHT + +They were not yet far beyond the city gates, when Joseph +dispatched Manasseh, the steward of his house, to follow +after them, and look for the silver cup that he had concealed +in Benjamin's sack. He knew his brethren well, he +did not venture to let them get too far from the city before +he should attempt to force their return. He hoped that the +nearness of the city would intimidate them and make them +heed his commands. Manasseh therefore received the order +to bring them to a halt, by mild speech if he could, or by +rough speech if he must, and carry them back to the city.[255] +He acted according to his instructions. When the brethren +heard the accusation of theft , they said: "With whomsoever +of thy servants the cup be found, let him die, and we +also will be my lord's bondmen." And Manasseh said, "As +you say, so were it proper to do, for if ten persons are +charged with theft, and the stolen object is found with one +of them, all are held responsible. But I will not be so hard. +He with whom the cup is found shall be the bondman, and +the rest shall be blameless." + +He searched all the sacks, and in order not to excite the +suspicion that he knew where the cup was, he began at Reuben, +the eldest, and left off at Benjamin, the youngest, and +the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. In a rage, his +brethren shouted at Benjamin, "O thou thief and son of a +thief! Thy mother brought shame upon our father by her +thievery, and now thou bringest shame upon us." But he +replied, "Is this matter as evil as the matter of the kid of +the goats--as the deed of the brethren that sold their own +brother into slavery?"[256] + +In their fury and vexation, the brethren rent their clothes. +God paid them in their own coin. They had caused Jacob +to tear his clothes in his grief over Joseph, and now they +were made to do the same on account of their own troubles. +And as they rent their clothes for the sake of their brother +Benjamin, so Mordecai, the descendant of Benjamin, was +destined to rend his on account of his brethren, the people of +Israel. But because mortification was inflicted upon the +brethren through Manasseh, the steward of Joseph, the +allotment of territory given to the tribe of Manasseh was +"torn" in two, one-half of the tribe had to live on one side +of the Jordan, the other half on the other side. And Joseph, +who had not shrunk from vexing his brethren so bitterly +that they rent their clothes in their abasement, was punished, +in that his descendant Joshua was driven to such despair +after the defeat of Ai that he, too, rent his clothes.[257] + +Convicted of theft beyond the peradventure of a doubt, +the brethren of Joseph had no choice but to comply with the +steward's command and return to the city. They accompanied +him without delay. Each of them loaded his ass himself, raising +the burden with one hand from the ground to +the back of the beast, and then they retraced their steps +cityward,[258] and as they walked, they rapped Benjamin roughly +on the shoulder, saying, "O thou thief and son of a thief, +thou hast brought the same shame upon us that thy mother +brought upon our father." Benjamin bore the blows and the +abusive words in patient silence, and he was rewarded for +his humility. For submitting to the blows upon his shoulder, +God appointed that His Shekinah should "dwell between +his shoulders," and He also called him "the beloved of the +Lord."[259] + +Joseph's brethren returned to the city without fear. +Though it was a great metropolis, in their eyes it appeared +but as a hamlet of ten persons, which they could wipe out +with a turn of the hand.[260] They were led into the presence +of Joseph, who, contrary to his usual habit, was not holding +a session of the court in the forum on that day. He remained +at home, that his brethren might not be exposed to +shame in public. They fell to the earth before him, and +thus came true his dream of the eleven stars that made +obeisance to him.[261] But even while paying homage to Joseph, +Judah was boiling inwardly with suppressed rage, and +he said to his brethren, "Verily, this man hath forced me to +come back hither only that I should destroy the city on this +day." + +Guarded by his valiant men on the right and on the left, +Joseph addressed his brethren, snarling, "What deed is this +that ye have done, to steal away my cup? I know well, ye +took it in order to discover with its help the whereabouts of +your brother that hath disappeared."[262] Judah was spokesman, +and he replied: "What shall we say unto my lord +concerning the first money that he found in the mouth of +our sacks? What shall we speak concerning the second +money that also was in our sacks? And how shall we +clear ourselves concerning the cup? We cannot acknowledge +ourselves guilty, for we know ourselves to be innocent +in all these matters. Yet we cannot avow ourselves innocent, +because God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants, +like a creditor that goes about and tries to collect a +debt owing to him.[263] Two brothers take care not to enter +a house of mirth and festivity together, that they be not +exposed to the evil eye, but we all were caught together in +one place, by reason of the sin which we committed in +company." + +Joseph: "But if your punishment is for selling Joseph, +why should this brother of yours suffer, the youngest, he +that had no part in your crime. + +Judah: "A thief and his companions are taken together." + +Joseph: "If you could prevail upon yourselves to report +to your father concerning a brother that had not stolen, and +had brought no manner of shame upon you, that a wild +beast had torn him, you will easily persuade yourselves to +say it concerning a brother that hath stolen, and hath +brought shame upon you. Go hence, and tell your father, +'The rope follows after the water bucket.'[264] But," continued +Joseph, shaking his purple mantle, "God forbid that +I should accuse you all of theft. Only the youth that stole +the cup in order to divine his brother's whereabouts shall +remain with me as my bondman; but as for you, get you up +in peace unto your father." + +The holy spirit called out, "Great peace have they which +love thy law!" + +The brethren all consented to yield Benjamin to the ruler +of Egypt, only Judah demurred, and he cried out, "Now it +is all over with peace!" and he prepared to use force, if +need be, to rescue Benjamin from slavery.[265] + + +JUDAH PLEADS AND THREATENS. + +Joseph dismissed his brethren, and carried Benjamin off +by main force, and locked him up in a chamber. But Judah +broke the door open and stood before Joseph with his +brethren.[266] He determined to use in turn the three means of +liberating Benjamin at his disposal. He was prepared to +convince Joseph by argument, or move him by entreaties, or +resort to force, in order to accomplish his end.[267] + +He spake: "Thou doest a wrong unto us. Thou who +didst say, 'I fear God,' thou showest thyself to be like unto +Pharaoh, who hath no fear of God. The judgments which +thou dost pronounce are not in accordance with our laws, nor +are they in accordance with the laws of the nations. According +to our law, a thief must pay double the value of what he +hath stolen. Only, if he hath no money, he is sold into slavery, +but if he hath the money, he maketh double restitution. +And according to the law of the nations, the thief is deprived +of all he owns. Do so, but let him go free. If a man buys +a slave, and then discovers him to be a thief, the transaction +is void. Yet thou desirest to make one a slave whom thou +chargest with being a thief. I suspect thee of wanting to +keep him in thy power for illicit purposes,[268] and in this +lustfulness thou resemblest Pharaoh. Also thou art like Pharaoh +in that thou makest a promise and keepest it not. Thou +saidst unto thy servants, Bring thy youngest brother down +unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. Dost thou call +this setting thine eyes upon him?[269] If thou didst desire +nothing beside a slave, then wouldst thou surely accept our +offer to serve thee as bondmen instead of Benjamin. Reuben +is older than he, and I exceed him in strength. It cannot +but be as I say, thou hast a lustful purpose in mind with +our brother.[270] + +"Therefore let these words of mine which I am about to +speak find entrance into thy heart: For the sake of the +grandmother of this lad were Pharaoh and his house +stricken with sore plagues, because he detained her in his +palace a single night against her will. His mother died a +premature death, by reason of a curse which his father uttered +in inconsiderate haste. Take heed, then, that this man's +curse strike thee not and slay thee. Two of us destroyed the +whole of a city on account of one woman, how much more +would we do it for the sake of a man, and that man the +beloved of the Lord, in whose allotment it is appointed that +God shall dwell! + +"If I but utter a sound, death-dealing pestilence will +stalk through the land as far as No. In this land Pharaoh +is the first, and thou art the second after him, but in our +land my father is the first, and I am the second. If thou +wilt not comply with our demand, I will draw my sword, +and hew thee down first, and then Pharaoh." + +When Judah gave utterance to this threat, Joseph made a +sign, and Manasseh stamped his foot on the ground so that +the whole palace shook. Judah said, "Only one belonging to +our family can stamp thus!" and intimidated by this display +of great strength, he moderated his tone and manner. +"From the very beginning," he continued to speak, "thou +didst resort to all sorts of pretexts in order to embarrass us. +The inhabitants of many countries came down into Egypt to +buy corn, but none of them didst thou ask questions about +their family relations. In sooth, we did not come hither to +seek thy daughter in marriage, or peradventure thou desirest +an alliance with our sister? Nevertheless we gave +thee an answer unto all thy questions." + +Joseph replied: "Verily, thou canst talk glibly! Is there +another babbler like thee among thy brethren?[271] Why dost +thou speak so much, while thy brethren that are older than +thou, Reuben, Simon, and Levi, stand by silent?" + +Judah: "None of my brethren has so much at stake as I +have, if Benjamin returns not to his father. I was a surety +to my father for him, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, +and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever, +in this world and in the world to come.[272] + +The other brethren withheld themselves intentionally from +taking part in the dispute between Judah and Joseph, saying, +"Kings are carrying on a dispute, and it is not seemly for +us to interfere between them."[273] Even the angels descended +from heaven to earth to be spectators of the combat between +Joseph the bull and Judah the lion, and they said, "It lies +in the natural course of things that the bull should fear the +lion, but here the two are engaged in equal, furious combat." + +In reply to Judah, when he explained that his great interest +in Benjamin's safety was due to the pledge he had +given to his father, Joseph spoke: "Why wast thou not a +surety for thy other brother, when ye sold him for twenty +pieces of silver? Then thou didst not regard the sorrow +thou wast inflicting upon thy father, but thou didst say, A +wild beast hath devoured Joseph. And yet Joseph had done +no evil, while this Benjamin has committed theft. Therefore, +go up and say unto thy father, The rope hath followed +after the water bucket." + +These words had such an effect upon Judah that he broke +out in sobs, and cried aloud, "How shall I go up to my +father, and the lad be not with me?"[274] His outcry reached +to a distance of four hundred parasangs, and when Hushim +the son of Dan heard it in Canaan, he jumped into Egypt +with a single leap and joined his voice with Judah's, and +the whole land was on the point of collapsing from the great +noise they produced. Joseph's valiant men lost their teeth, +and the cities of Pithom and Raamses were destroyed, and +they remained in ruins until the Israelites built them +up again under taskmasters. Also Judah's brethren, who +had kept quiet up to that moment, fell into a rage, and +stamped on the ground with their feet until it looked as +though deep furrows had been torn in it by a ploughshare.[275] +And Judah addressed his brethren, "Be brave, demean yourselves +as men, and let each one of you show his heroism, for +the circumstances demand that we do our best." + +Then they resolved to destroy Mizraim, the city of Egypt, +and Judah said, "I will raise my voice, and with it destroy +Egypt." + +Reuben: "I will raise my arm, and crush it out of +existence." + +Simon: "I will raise my hand, and lay waste its palaces." + +Levi: "I will draw my sword, and slay the inhabitants +of Egypt." + +Issachar: "I will make the land like unto Sodom." + +Zebulon: "Like unto Gomorrah will I render it." + +Dan: "I will reduce it to a desert."[276] + +Then Judah's towering rage began to show signs of breaking +out: his right eye shed tears of blood; the hair above +his heart grew so stiff that it pierced and rent the five +garments +in which he was clothed; and he took brass rods, bit +them with his teeth, and spat them out as fine powder. +When Joseph observed these signs, fear befell him, and in +order to show that he, too, was a man of extraordinary +strength, he pushed with his foot against the marble pedestal +upon which he sat, and it broke into splinters. +Judah exclaimed, "This one is a hero equal to myself!" +Then he tried to draw his sword from its scabbard in order +to slay Joseph, but the weapon could not be made to budge, +and Judah was convinced thereby that his adversary was a +God-fearing man, and he addressed himself to the task of +begging him to let Benjamin go free, but he remained +inexorable.[277] + +Judah then said: "What shall we say unto our father, +when he seeth that our brother is not with us, and he will +grieve over him?" + +Joseph: "Say that the rope hath followed after the water +bucket." + +Judah: "Thou art a king, why dost thou speak in this +wise, counselling a falsehood? Woe unto the king that is +like thee!" + +Joseph: "Is there a greater falsehood than that ye spake +concerning your brother Joseph, whom you sold to the +Midianites for twenty pieces of silver, telling your father, +An evil beast bath devoured him?" + +Judah: "The fire of Shechem burneth in my heart, now +will I burn all thy land with fire." + +Joseph: "Surely, the fire kindled to burn Tamar, thy +daughter-in-law, who did kill thy sons, will extinguish the +fire of Shechem." + +Judah: "If I pluck out a single hair from my body, I will +fill the whole of Egypt with its blood." + +Joseph: "Such is it your custom to do; thus ye did unto +your brother whom you sold, and then you dipped his coat +in blood, brought it to your father, and said, An evil beast +hath devoured him, and here is his blood." + +When Judah heard this, he was exceedingly wroth, and +he took a stone weighing four hundred shekels that was +before him, cast it toward heaven with one hand, caught it +with his left hand, then sat upon it, and the stone turned into +dust. At the command of Joseph, Manasseh did likewise +with another stone, and Joseph said to Judah: "Strength +hath not been given to you alone, we also are powerful men. +Why, then, will ye all boast before us?" Then Judah sent +Naphtali forth, saying, "Go and count all the streets of the +city of Egypt and come and tell me the number," but Simon +interposed, saying, "Let not this thing trouble you, I will +go to the mount, and take up one huge stone from the +mount, throw it over the whole of Mizraim, the city of +Egypt, and kill all therein." + +Hearing all these words, which they spake aloud, because +they did not know that he understood Hebrew, Joseph bade +his son Manasseh make haste and gather together all the +inhabitants of Egypt, and all the valiant men, and let them +come to him on horseback and afoot. Meantime Naphtali +had gone quickly to execute Judah's bidding, for he was as +swift as the nimble hart, he could run across a field of corn +without breaking an ear. And he returned and reported +that the city of Egypt was divided into twelve quarters. +Judah bade his brethren destroy the city; he himself undertook +to raze three quarters, and he assigned the nine remaining +quarters to the others, one quarter to each. + +In the meantime Manasseh had assembled a great army, +five hundred mounted men and ten thousand on foot, +among them four hundred valiant heroes, who could fight +without spear or sword, using only their strong, unarmed +hands. To inspire his brethren with more terror, Joseph +ordered them to make a loud noise with all sorts of instruments, +and their appearance and the hubbub they produced +did, indeed, cause fear to fall upon some of the brethren of +Joseph. Judah, however, called to them, "Why are you +terrified, seeing that God grants us His mercy?" He drew +his sword, and uttered a wild cry, which threw all the people +into consternation, and in their disordered flight many fell +over each other and perished, and Judah and his brethren +followed after the fleeing people as far as the house of +Pharaoh. Returning to Joseph, Judah again broke out in +loud roars, and the reverberations caused by his cries were +so mighty that all the city walls in Egypt and in Goshen fell +in ruins, the pregnant women brought forth untimely births, +and Pharaoh was flung from his throne. Judah's cries +were heard at a great distance, as far off as Succoth. + +When Pharaoh learnt the reason of the mighty uproar, he +sent word to Joseph that he would have to concede the demands +of the Hebrews, else the land would suffer destruction. +"Thou canst take thy choice," were the words of +Pharaoh, "between me and the Hebrews, between Egypt +and the land of the Hebrews. If thou wilt not heed my command, +then leave me and go with them into their land." + + +JOSEPH MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN + +Seeing that his brethren were, indeed, on the point of +destroying Egypt, Joseph resolved to make himself known +to them, and he cast around for a proper opening, which +would lead naturally to his announcement. At his behest, +Manasseh laid his hand upon Judah's shoulder, and his touch +allayed Judah's fury, for he noticed that he was in contact +with a kinsman of his, because such strength existed in no +other family. Then Joseph addressed Judah gently, saying:[278] +"I should like to know who advised him to steal the +cup. Could it have been one of you?" Benjamin replied: +"Neither did they counsel theft, nor did I touch the cup." +"Take an oath upon it," demanded Joseph, and Benjamin +complied with his brother's request: "I swear that I did not +touch the cup! As true as my brother Joseph is separated +from me; as true as I had nothing to do with the darts that +my brethren threw at him; as true as I was not one of those +to take off his coat; as true as I had no part in the transaction +by which he was given over to the Ishmaelites; as true +as I did not help the others dip his coat in blood; so true +is my oath, that they did not counsel theft, and that I did +not commit theft." + +Joseph: "How can I know that this oath of thine taken +upon thy brother's fate is true?" + +Benjamin: "From the names of my ten sons, which I +gave them in memory of my brother's life and trials, thou +canst see how dearly I loved him. I pray thee, therefore, +do not bring down my father with sorrow to the grave." + +Hearing these words of abiding love, Joseph could refrain +himself no longer. He could not but make himself known +unto his brethren.[279] He spake these words to them: "Ye +said the brother of this lad was dead. Did you yourselves +see him dead before you?" They answered, "Yes!" + +Joseph: "Did you stand beside his grave?" + +The brethren: "Yes!" + +Joseph: "Did you throw clods of earth upon his corpse?" + +The brethren: "No." + +Then Joseph reflected, saying to himself: "My brethren +are as pious as aforetime, and they speak no lies. They said +I was dead, because when they abandoned me, I was poor, +and 'a poor man is like unto a dead man;' they stood beside +my grave, that is the pit into which they cast me; but they +did not say that they had shovelled earth upon me, for that +would have been a falsehood." + +Turning to his brethren, he said: "Ye lie when ye say +that your brother is dead. He is not dead. You sold him,[280] +and I did buy him. I shall call him, and set him before your +eyes," and he began to call, "Joseph, son of Jacob, come +hither! Joseph, son of Jacob, come hither! Speak to thy +brethren who did sell thee." The others turned their eyes +hither and thither, to the four corners of the house, until +Joseph called to them: "Why look ye here and there? Behold, I am +Joseph your brother! "Their souls fled away +from them, and they could make no answer, but God permitted +a miracle to happen, and their souls came back to +them. + +Joseph continued, "Ye see it with your own eyes, and also +my brother Benjamin seeth it with his eyes, that I speak +with you in Hebrew, and I am truly your brother." But +they would not believe him. Not only had he been transformed +from a smooth-faced youth into a bearded man since +they had abandoned him, but also the forsaken youth now +stood before them the ruler of Egypt. Therefore Joseph +bared his body and showed them that he belonged to the +descendants +of Abraham. + +Abashed they stood there, and in their rage they desired +to slay Joseph as the author of their shame and their suffering. +But an angel appeared and flung them to the four +corners of the house. Judah raised so loud an outcry that +the walls of the city of Egypt tumbled down, the women +brought forth untimely births, Joseph and Pharaoh both +rolled down off their thrones, and Joseph's three hundred +heroes lost their teeth, and their heads remained forever +immobile, facing backward, as they had turned them to discover +the cause of the tumult. Yet the brethren did not venture +to approach close to Joseph, they were too greatly +ashamed of their behavior toward their brother.[281] He +sought to calm them, saying, "Now be not grieved, nor +angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither, for God did +send me before you to preserve life." + +Even such kind words of exhortation did not banish their +fear, and Joseph continued to speak, "As little as I harbor +vengeful thoughts in my heart against Benjamin, so little +do I harbor them against you."And still his brethren were +ill at case, and Joseph went on, "Think you that it is possible +for me to inflict harm upon you? If the smoke of ten +candles could not extinguish one, how can one extinguish +ten?" + +At last the brethren were soothed, and they went up to +Joseph,[282] who knew each by name, and, weeping, he embraced +and kissed them all in turn. The reason why he wept +was that his prophetic spirit showed him the descendants of +his brethren enslaved by the nations.[283] Especially did he +weep upon Benjamin's neck, because he foresaw the destruction +decreed for the two Temples to be situated in the allotment +of Benjamin. And Benjamin also wept upon Joseph's +neck, for the sanctuary at Shiloh, in the territory of Joseph +which was likewise doomed to destruction.[284] + +Pharaoh was well pleased with the report of the reconciliation +between Joseph and the Hebrews, for he had feared +that their dissensions might cause the ruin of Egypt, and he +sent his servants to Joseph, that they take part in his joy. +Also he sent word to Joseph that it would please him well if +his brethren took up their abode in Egypt, and he promised +to assign the best parts of the land to them for their +dwelling-place.[285] + +Not all the servants of Pharaoh were in agreement with +their master concerning this invitation to the Hebrews. +Many among them were disquieted, saying, "If one of the +sons of Jacob came hither, and he was advanced to a high +position over our heads, what evil will happen to us when +ten more come hither?"[286] + +Joseph gave all his brethren two changes of raiment, one +for use on the ordinary days of the week and one for use +on the Sabbath, for, when the cup was found with Benjamin, +they had rent their clothes, and Joseph would not have +his brethren go about in torn garments.[287] But to Benjamin +he gave five changes of raiment, though not in order to +distinguish him above his brethren. Joseph remembered +only too well what mischief his father had caused by giving +him the coat of many colors, thereby arousing the envy of +his brethren. He desired only to intimate that Mordecai, a +descendant of Benjamin, would once be arrayed in five royal +garments.[288] + +Joseph presented his brethren, apparelled in their gold and +silver embroidered clothes, before Pharaoh, who was well +pleased to become acquainted with them when he saw that +they were men of heroic stature and handsome appearance.[289] +He gave them wagons, to bring their families down +into Egypt, but as they were ornamented with images of +idols, Judah burnt them,[290] and Joseph replaced them with +eleven other wagons, among them the one he had ridden in +at his accession to office, to view the land of Egypt. This +was to be used by his father on his journey to Egypt. For +each of his brothers' children, he sent raiments, and also one +hundred pieces of silver for each, but for each of the children +of Benjamin he sent ten changes of raiment. And for +the wives of his brethren he gave them rich garments of +state, such as were worn by the wives of the Pharaohs, and +also ointments and aromatic spices. To his sister Dinah he +sent silver and gold embroidered clothes, and myrrh, aloes, +and other perfumes, and such presents he gave also to the +wife and the daughters-in-law of Benjamin. For themselves +and for their wives the brethren received all sorts of precious +stones and jewelled ornaments, like those that are worn by +the Egyptian nobility. + +Joseph accompanied his eleven brethren to the frontier, +and there he took leave of them with the wish that they and +all their families come down to Egypt,[291] and he enjoined +upon them, besides, three maxims to be observed by travellers: +Do not take too large steps; do not discuss Halakic +subjects, that you lose not your way; and enter the city at +the latest with the going down of the sun.[292] + + +JACOB RECEIVES THE GLAD TIDINGS + +In blithe spirits the sons of Jacob journeyed up to the +land of Canaan, but when they reached the boundary line, +they said to one another, "How shall we do? If we appear +before our father and tell him that Joseph is alive, he will be +greatly frightened, and he will not be inclined to believe +us." Besides, Joseph's last injunction to them had been to +take heed and not startle their father with the tidings of joy. + +On coming close to their habitation, they caught sight of +Serah, the daughter of Asher, a very beautiful maiden, and +very wise, who was skilled in playing upon the harp. They +summoned her unto them and gave her a harp, and bade her +play before Jacob and sing that which they should tell her. +She sat down before Jacob, and, with an agreeable melody, +she sang the following words, accompanying herself upon +the harp: "Joseph, my uncle, liveth, he ruleth over the +whole of Egypt, he is not dead!" She repeated these words +several times, and Jacob grew more and more pleasurably +excited. His joy awakened the holy spirit in him, and he +knew that she spoke the truth.[293] The spirit of prophecy +never visits a seer when he is in a state of lassitude or in a +state of grief; it comes only together with joy. All the +years of Joseph's separation from him Jacob had had no +prophetic visions, because he was always sad, and only when +Serah's words reawakened the feeling of happiness in his +heart, the prophetic spirit again took possession of him.[294] +Jacob rewarded her therefor with the words, "My daughter, +may death never have power over thee, for thou didst revive +my spirit." And so it was. Serah did not die, she entered +Paradise alive. At his bidding, she repeated the words she +had sung again and again, and they gave Jacob great joy +and delight, so that the holy spirit waxed stronger and +stronger within him. + +While he was sitting thus in converse with Serah, his sons +appeared arrayed in all their magnificence, and with all the +presents that Joseph had given them, and they spake to +Jacob, saying: "Glad tidings! Joseph our brother liveth! +He is ruler over the whole land of Egypt, and he sends thee +a message of joy." At first Jacob would not believe them, +but when they opened their packs, and showed him the presents +Joseph had sent to all, he could not doubt the truth of +their words any longer.[295] + +Joseph had had a premonition that his father would refuse +to give his brethren credence, because they had tried to deceive +him before, and "it is the punishment of the liar that +his words are not believed even when he speaks the truth." +He had therefore said to them, "If my father will not believe +your words, tell him that when I took leave of him, to see +whether it was well with you, he had been teaching me the +law of the heifer whose neck is broken in the valley." When +they repeated this, every last vestige of Jacob's doubt +disappeared, and he said: "Great is the steadfastness of my +son Joseph. In spite of all his sufferings he has remained +constant in his piety.[296] Yea, great are the benefits that +the Lord hath conferred upon me. He saved me from the +hands of Esau, and from the hands of Laban, and from the +Canaanites who pursued after me. I have tasted many joys, +and I hope to see more, but never did I hope to set eyes upon +Joseph again, and now I shall go down to him and behold +him before my death."[297] + +Then Jacob and the members of his family put on the +clothes Joseph had sent, among them a turban for Jacob, +and they made all preparations to journey down into Egypt +and dwell there with Joseph and his family. Hearing of his +good fortune, the kings and the grandees of Canaan came +to wait upon Jacob and express sympathy with him in his +joy, and he prepared a three days' banquet for them.[298] + +Jacob, however, would not go down into Egypt without +first inquiring whether it was the will of God that he should +leave the Holy Land.[299] He said, "How can I leave the land +of my fathers, the land of my birth, the land in which the +Shekinah dwells, and go into an unclean land, inhabited by +slaves of the sons of Ham, a land wherein there is no fear of +God?"[300] Then he brought sacrifices in honor of God, in +the expectation that a Divine vision would descend upon +him and instruct him whether to go down into Egypt or +have Joseph come up to Canaan. He feared the sojourn +in Egypt, for he remembered the vision he had had at +Beth-el on leaving his father's house,[301] and he said to God: +"I resemble my father. As he was greedy in filling his maw, +so am I, and therefore I would go down into Egypt in consequence +of the famine. As my father preferred one son to +the other, so had I a favorite son, and therefore I would go +down into Egypt to see Joseph. But in this I do not resemble +my father, he had only himself to provide for, and +my house consists of seventy souls, and therefore am I compelled +to go down into Egypt. The blessing which my father +gave me was not fulfilled in me, but in my son Joseph, whom +peoples serve, and before whom nations bow down."[302] + +Then the Shekinah addressed Jacob, calling his name +twice in token of love,[303] and bidding him not to fear the +Egyptian slavery foretold for the descendants of Abraham, +for God would have pity upon the suffering of his children +and deliver them from bondage.[304] God furthermore said, "I +will go down into Egypt with thee," and the Shekinah +accompanied Jacob thither, bringing the number of the company +with which he entered Egypt up to seventy.[305] But as +Jacob entertained fears that his descendants would stay +there forever, God gave him the assurance that He would +lead him forth together with all the pious that were like +unto him.[306] And God also told Jacob that Joseph had remained +steadfast in his piety even in Egypt, and he might +dismiss all doubts from his mind on this score, for it was his +anxiety on this account that had induced Jacob to consider +going down into Egypt; he wanted only to make sure of +Joseph's faithfulness, and then return home, but God +commanded him to go thither and remain there.[307] + +Before Jacob left Canaan, he went to Beer-sheba, to hew +down the cedars that Abraham had planted there, and +take them with him to Egypt. For centuries these cedar +trees remained in the possession of his descendants; they +carried them with them when they left Egypt, and they +used them in building the Tabernacle.[308] + +Although Joseph had put wagons at the disposal of his +brethren for the removal of his family from Canaan to +Egypt, they yet carried Jacob upon their arms, for which +purpose they divided themselves into three divisions, one +division after the other assuming the burden. As a reward +for their filial devotion, God redeemed their descendants +from Egypt.[309] + +Judah was sent on ahead by his father, to erect a dwelling +in Goshen, and also a Bet ha-Midrash, that Jacob might set +about instructing his sons at once after his arrival. He +charged Judah with this honorable task in order to compensate +him for a wrong he had done him. All the years +of Joseph's absence he bad suspected Judah of having made +away with Rachel's son.[310] How little the suspicion was +justified he realized now when Judah in particular had been +assiduous in securing the safety of Benjamin, the other son +of Rachel. Jacob therefore said to Judah: "Thou hast done +a pious, God-bidden deed, and hast shown thyself to be a +man capable of carrying on negotiations with Joseph. Complete +the work thou hast begun! Go to Goshen, and together +with Joseph prepare all things for our coming. Indeed," +continued Jacob, "thou wast the cause of our going down +into Egypt, for it was at thy suggestion that Joseph was sold +as a slave, and, also, through thy descendants Israel will be +led forth out of Egypt."[311] + +When Joseph was informed of the approach of his father, +he rejoiced exceedingly, chiefly because his coming would +stop the talk of the Egyptians, who were constantly referring +to him as the slave that had dominion over them. +"Now," thought Joseph, "they will see my father and my +brethren, and they will be convinced that I am a free-born +man, of noble stock." + +In his joy in anticipation of seeing his father, Joseph +made ready his chariot with his own hands, without waiting +for his servants to minister to him, and this loving action +redounded later to the benefit of the Israelites, for it rendered +of none effect Pharaoh's zeal in making ready his +chariot himself, with his own hands, to pursue after the +Israelites.[312] + + +JACOB ARRIVES IN EGYPT + + +When the Egyptian nobles observed their viceroy completing +his preparations to meet his father, they did the +same.[313] Indeed, Joseph had issued a proclamation throughout +the land, threatening with death all that did not go forth +to meet Jacob. The procession that accompanied him was +composed of countless men, arrayed in byssus and purple, +and marching to the sound of all sorts of musical instruments. +Even the women of Egypt had a part in the reception +ceremonies. They ascended to the roofs of the houses +and the walls of the cities, ready to greet Jacob with the +music of cymbals and timbrels. + +Joseph wore the royal crown upon his head, Pharaoh had +yielded it to him for the occasion. He descended from his +chariot when he was at a distance of about fifty ells from his +father, and walked the rest of the way on foot, and his example +was followed by the princes and nobles of Egypt. +When Jacob caught sight of the approaching procession, he +was rejoiced,[314] and even before he recognized Joseph, he +bowed down before him, but for permitting his father to +show him this mark of honor, punishment was visited upon +Joseph. He died an untimely death, before the years of life +assigned to him had elapsed.[315] + +That no harm befall Jacob from a too sudden meeting +with him, Joseph sent his oldest son ahead with five horses, +the second son following close after him in the same way. +As each son approached, Jacob thought he beheld Joseph, +and so he was prepared gradually to see him face to face.[316] + +Meantime Jacob had espied, from where he was seated, a +man in royal robes among the Egyptians, a crown upon +his head, and a purple mantle over his shoulders, and +he asked Judah who it might be. When he was told that it +was Joseph, his joy was great over the high dignity attained +by his son. + +By this time Joseph had come close to his father, and he +bowed himself before him down to the earth, and all the +people with him likewise prostrated themselves.[317] Then +Joseph fell upon his father's neck, and he wept bitterly. He +was particularly grieved that he had permitted his father +to bow down before him but a little while before without +hindering it.[318] At the very moment when Joseph embraced +his father, Jacob was reciting the Shema', and he did not +allow himself to be interrupted in his prayer,[319] but then he +said, "When they brought me the report of the death of +Joseph, I thought I was doomed to double death--that I +should lose this world and the world to come as well. The +Lord had promised to make me the ancestor of twelve tribes, +and as the death of my son rendered it impossible that this +promise should be realized, I feared I had incurred the doom +by my own sins, and as a sinner I could not but expect +to forfeit the future world, too. But now that I have +beheld thee alive, I know that my death will be only for the +world here below."[320] + +Such was the manner of Jacob's arrival in Egypt. He +came with his whole family, sixty-nine persons they were in +all, but the number was raised to seventy by the birth of +Jochebed, afterward the mother of Moses, which took place +when the cavalcade had advanced to the space between the +one and the other city wall.[321] All the males in his family +were married men; even Pallu and Hezron, the latter of +whom was but one year old at the time of their migration, +and the former but two years, had the wives with them that +had been chosen for them by their parents.[322] In general, +all the sons and grandsons of Jacob had married young, some +of them had been fathers at the age of seven.[323] + +Joseph took some from among his brethren, and presented +them to Pharaoh. He chose the weakest of them, +that the king might not be tempted to retain them in his +service as warriors.[324] And as he did not desire his family +to live at close quarters with the Egyptians and perhaps +amalgamate with them, he introduced them as shepherds. +The Egyptians worshipped the constellation of the rain, +and paid divine honors to animals, and they kept aloof +from shepherds. Pharaoh therefore was inclined to grant +Joseph's wish, to give them the pasture land of Goshen for +their sojourning place, the land that was theirs by right, for +the Pharaoh that took Sarah away from Abraham by force +had given it to her as her irrevocable possession.[325] + +In their conversation with Pharaoh the brethren of Joseph +made it plain to the Egyptian king that it was not their +intention to remain in Egypt forever, it was to be only a +temporary dwelling-place.[326] + +Then Joseph set Jacob his father before Pharaoh, and +when the king saw him, he said to Og, who happened to be +with him at that moment, "Seest thou! Thou wast wont +to call Abraham a sterile mule, and here is his grandson +with a family of seventy persons!" Og would not believe +his own eyes, he thought Abraham was standing before +him, so close was the resemblance between Jacob and his +progenitor. Then Pharaoh asked about Jacob's age, to find +out whether he actually was Jacob, and not Abraham. And +Jacob said unto Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my +pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years," using the +word pilgrimage in reference to life on earth, which the +pious regard as a temporary sojourn in alien lands. "Few +and evil," he continued, "have been the days of the years of +my life. In my youth I had to flee to a strange land on account +of my brother Esau, and now, in my old age, I must +again go to a strange land, and my days have not attained +unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the +days of their pilgrimage." These words sufficed to convince +Pharaoh and Og that the man standing before them +was not Abraham, but his grandson.[327] + +When Jacob uttered the words, "The days of the years +of my pilgrimage have been few and evil," God said to him: +"Jacob, I saved thee out of the hands of Esau and Laban, +I restored Joseph unto thee, and made him to be a king and +a ruler, and yet thou speakest of few and evil days. Because +of thy ingratitude, thou wilt not attain unto the days +of the years of the life of thy fathers," and Jacob died at +an age thirty-three years less than his father Isaac's.[328] + +On going out from the presence of Pharaoh, Jacob +blessed the king with the words, "May the years still in +store for me be given unto thee, and may the Nile overflow +its banks henceforth again and water the land." His words +were fulfilled. In order to show that the pious are a blessing +for the world, God caused the Nile to rise above its bed +and fructify the land of Egypt.[329] + + +JOSEPH'S KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY + +Jacob and his family now settled in the land of Goshen, +and Joseph provided them with all things needful, not only +with food and drink, but also with clothing, and in his love +and kindness he entertained his father and his brethren +daily at his own table.[330] He banished the wrong done to him +by his brethren from his mind, and he besought his father +to pray to God for them, that He should forgive their great +transgression. Touched by this noble sign of love, Jacob +cried out, "O Joseph, my child, thou hast conquered the +heart of thy father Jacob."[331] + +Joseph had other virtues, besides. The title "the God- +fearing one," borne only by him, Abraham, Job, and Obadiah, +he gained by reason of his kindness of heart and his generosity. +Whatever he gave his brethren, he gave with a +"good eye," a liberal spirit. If it was bread for food, it +was sure to be abundant enough, not only to satisfy the +hunger of all, but also for the children to crumble, as is +their habit.[332] + +But Joseph was more than a helper to his family. As a +shepherd pastures his flock, so he provided for the whole +world during the years of famine. The people cursed Pharaoh, +who kept the stores of corn in his treasure chambers +for his own use, and they blessed Joseph, who took thought +for the famishing, and sold grain to all that came.[333] The +wealth which he acquired by these sales was lawful gain, +for the prices were raised, not by him, but by the Egyptians +themselves.[334] One part of his possessions, consisting of +gold and silver and precious stones, Joseph buried in four +different places, in the desert near the Red Sea, on the banks +of the Euphrates, and in two spots in the desert in the vicinity +of Persia and Media.[335] Korah discovered one of the hiding- +places, and the Roman emperor Antoninus, the son of Severus, +another. The other two will never be found, because +God has reserved the riches they hold for the pious, to be +enjoyed by them in the latter days, the days of the Messiah.[336] +The remainder of Joseph's possessions he gave +away, partly to his brethren and their families, and partly +to Pharaoh, who put them into his treasury.[337] + +The wealth of the whole world flowed into Egypt at that +time, and it remained there until the exodus of the Israelites. +They took it along, leaving Egypt like a net without fish. +The Israelites kept the treasure until the time of Rehoboam, +who was deprived of it by the Egyptian king Shishak, and +he in turn had to yield it to Zerah, the king of Ethiopia. +Once more it came into possession of the Jews when King +Asa conquered Zerah, but this time they held it for only a +short while, for Asa surrendered it to the Aramean king +Ben-hadad, to induce him to break his league with Baasha, +the king of the Ten Tribes. The Ammonites, in turn, captured +it from Ben-hadad, only to lose it in their war with the +Jews under Jehoshaphat. Again it remained with the Jews, +until the time of King Ahaz, who sent it to Sennacherib as +tribute money. Hezekiah won it back, but Zedekiah, the last +king of the Jews, lost it to the Chaldeans, from whom it +came to Persia, thence to the Greeks, and finally to the +Romans, and with the last it remained for all time.[338] + +The people were soon left without means to purchase the +corn they needed. In a short time they had to part with +their cattle, and when the money thus secured was spent, +they sold their land to Joseph, and even their persons. +Many of them would cover themselves with clay and appear +before Joseph, and say to him, "O lord king, see me +and see my possessions!" And so Joseph bought all the +land of Egypt, and the inhabitants became his tenants, and +they gave a fifth of their ingatherings unto joseph.[339] + +The only class of the people permitted to remain in possession +of their land were the priests. Joseph owed them +gratitude, for they had made it possible for him to become +the ruler over Egypt. The Egyptians had hesitated to make +him their viceroy, because they shrank from choosing a man +accused of adultery for so high an office. It was the priests +that made the suggestion to examine Joseph's torn garment, +which his mistress had submitted as evidence of his guilt, +and see whether the rent was in front or in back. If it was +in back, it would show his innocence--he had turned to +flee, and his temptress had clutched him so that the garment +tore. But if the tear was in front, then it would be a proof +of his guilt--he had used violence with the woman, and she +had torn the mantle in her efforts to defend her honor. The +angel Gabriel came and transferred the rent from the fore +part to the back, and the Egyptians were convinced of Joseph's +innocence, and their scruples about raising him to the +kingship were removed.[340] + +As soon as the Egyptians learnt of the advantageous position +of the priests, they all tried to prove themselves members +of the caste. But Joseph investigated the lists in the +archives, and determined the estate of every citizen. + +The priests were favored in another way. Beside remaining +in possession of their land, they received daily portions +from Pharaoh, wherefore God said, "The priests that +serve idols receive all they need every day, how much more +do the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are My +priests, deserve that I should give them what they need +every day."[341] + +The rest of the inhabitants of Egypt, who had to part +with their land, were not permitted to remain in their native +provinces. Joseph removed them from their own cities, and +settled them in others. His purpose herein was to prevent +the Egyptians from speaking of his brethren derogatorily as +"exiles the sons of exiles"; he made them all equally +aliens.[342] For the same reason, God later, at the time of the +going forth of the Israelites from Egypt, caused all nations +to change their dwelling-places about, so that the Israelites +could not be reproached with having had to leave their home. +And, finally, when Sermacherib carried the Jews away from +their land into exile, it also happened that this king first +mixed up the inhabitants of all the countries of the world.[343] + +JACOB'S LAST WISH + +In return for the seventeen years that Jacob had devoted +to the bringing up of Joseph, he was granted seventeen +years of sojourn with his favorite son in peace and +happiness. The wicked experience sorrow after joy; the +pious must suffer first, and then they are happy, for all's +well that ends well, and God permits the pious to spend the +last years of their lives in felicity.[344] + +When Jacob felt his end approach, he summoned Joseph +to his bedside, and he told him all there was in his heart. +He called for Joseph rather than one of his other sons, because +he was the only one in a position to execute his wishes. + +Jacob said to Joseph: "If I have found grace in thy +sight, bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt. Only for thy +sake did I come down into Egypt, and for thy sake I spoke, +Now I can die. Do this for me as a true service of love, and +not because thou art afraid, or because decency demands it. +And when I sleep with my fathers, thou shalt bury me in +their burying-place. Carry me out of the land of idolatry, +and bury me in the land where God hath caused His Name +to dwell, and put me to rest in the place in which four husbands +and wives are to be buried, I the last of them." + +Jacob desired not to be buried in Egypt for several reasons. +He knew that the soil of Egypt would once swarm +with vermin, and it revolted him to think of his corpse exposed +to such uncleanness. He feared, moreover, that his +descendants might say, "Were Egypt not a holy land, our +father Jacob had never permitted himself to be buried +there," and they might encourage themselves with this argument +to make choice of Egypt as a permanent dwelling- +place. Also, if his grave were there, the Egyptians might +resort to it when the ten plagues came upon them, and if he +were induced to pray for them to God, he would be advocating +the cause of the Lord's enemies. If, on the other +hand, he did not intercede for them, the Name of God would +be profaned among the heathen, who would say, "Jacob is +a useless saint!" Besides, it was possible that God might +consider him, the "scattered sheep" of Israel, as a sacrifice +for the Egyptians, and remit their punishment. From his +knowledge of the people, another fear was justified, that +his grave would become an object of idolatrous veneration, +and the same punishment is appointed by God for the idols +worshipped as for the idolaters that worship them. + +If Jacob had good reasons for not wanting his body to +rest in the soil of Egypt, he had equally good reasons for +wanting it to rest in the Holy Land. In the Messianic time, +when the dead will rise, those buried in Palestine will +awaken to new life without delay, while those buried elsewhere +will first have to roll from land to land through the +earth, hollowed out for the purpose, until they reach the +Holy Land, and only then will their resurrection take place. +But over and beyond this, Jacob had an especial reason for +desiring to have his body interred in Palestine. God had +said to him at Beth-el, "The land whereon thou liest, to +thee will I give it, and to thy seed," and hence he made +every endeavor to "lie" in the Holy Land, to make sure it +would belong to him and his descendants.[345] Nevertheless he +bade Joseph strew some Egyptian earth over his dead body.[346] + +Jacob expressed these his last wishes three times. Such is +the requirement of good breeding in preferring a request. + +In the last period of Jacob's life, one can see how true it is +that "even a king depends upon favors in a strange land." +Jacob, the man for the sake of whose merits the whole world +was created, for the sake of whom Abraham was delivered +from the fiery furnace, had to ask services of others while +he was among strangers,[347] and when Joseph promised to do +his bidding, he bowed himself before his own son, for it is a +true saying, "Bow before the fox in his day," the day of his +power.[348] + +He was not satisfied with a simple promise from Joseph, +that he would do his wish; he insisted upon his taking an +oath by the sign of the covenant of Abraham, putting a hand +under his thigh in accordance with the ceremony customary +among the Patriarchs![349] But Joseph said: "Thou treatest +me like a slave. With me thou hast no need to require an +oath. Thy command sufficeth." Jacob, however, urged +him, saying: "I fear Pharaoh may command thee to bury me +in the sepulchre with the kings of Egypt. I insist that thou +takest an oath, and then I will be at peace." Joseph gave +in,[350] though he would not submit to the ceremony that +Eliezer had used to confirm the oath he took at the request +of his master Abraham. The slave acted in accordance with +the rules of slavery, the free man acted in accordance with +the dictates of freedom.[351] And in a son that thing would +have been unseemly which was becoming in a slave.[352] + +When Joseph swore to bury his father in Palestine, he +added the words, "As thou commandest me to do, so also +will I beg my brethren, on my death-bed, to fulfil my last +wish and carry my body from Egypt to Palestine."[353] + +Jacob, noticing the Shekinah over the bed's head, where +she always rests in a sick room, bowed himself upon the +bed's head,[354] saying, "I thank thee, O Lord my God, that +none who is unfit came forth from my bed, but my bed was +perfect."[355] He was particularly grateful for the revelation +God had vouchsafed him concerning his first-born son +Reuben, that he had repented of his trespass against his +father, and atoned for it by penance. He was thus assured +that all his sons were men worthy of being the progenitors +of the twelve tribes, and he was blessed with happiness such +as neither Abraham nor Isaac had known, for both of them +had had unworthy as well as worthy sons.[356] + +Until the time of Jacob death had always come upon +men suddenly, and snatched them away before they were +warned of the imminent end by sickness. Once Jacob spoke +to God, saying, "O Lord of the world, a man dies suddenly, +and he is not laid low first by sickness, and he cannot acquaint +his children with his wishes regarding all he leaves +behind. But if a man first fell sick, and felt that his end +were drawing nigh, he would have time to set his house in +order." And God said, "Verily, thy request is sensible, and +thou shalt be the first to profit by the new dispensation," and +so it happened that Jacob fell sick a little while before his +death.[357] + +His sickness troubled him grievously, for he had undergone +much during his life. He had worked day and night +while he was with Laban, and his conflicts with the angel +and with Esau, though he came off victor from both, had +weakened him, and he was not in a condition to endure the +hardships of disease.[358] + +THE BLESSING OF EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH + +All the years of Jacob's sojourn in Egypt, Asenath, the +wife of Joseph, was his constant nurse. When she saw his +end drawing nigh, she spoke to Joseph: "I have heard that +one who is blessed by a righteous man is as though he had +been blessed by the Shekinah. Therefore, bring thy sons +hither, that Jacob give them his blessing."[359] + +Though Joseph was a devoted and loving son to his +father, he was not in constant attendance upon him, because +he wanted to avoid giving him the opportunity of inquiring +into the circumstances of his coming to Egypt. He was +apprehensive that Jacob might curse his sons and bring death +upon them, if he discovered the facts connected with +their treacherous dealings with Joseph. He took good care +therefore never to be alone with his father. But as he desired +to be kept informed of his welfare, he arranged a +courier service between himself and Jacob. + +Now when Joseph received the news of his father's having +fallen sick, through his messenger, as well as through Ephraim, +whom Jacob was instructing in the Torah, he hastened +to the land of Goshen, taking his two sons with him. He +desired to have certainty upon five points: Would his father +bless his two sons, who were born in Egypt, and, if so, would +he appoint them to be heads of tribes? Would he assign +the rights of the first-born unto himself, and, if so, would +he divest Reuben of such rights altogether? And why had +his father buried his mother Rachel by the wayside, and not +carried her body to the family tomb at Machpelah?[360] + +Jacob had also entertained doubts on five points, when he +was about to emigrate from Canaan to Egypt: He did not +know whether his descendants would lose themselves among +the people of Egypt; whether he would die there and +be buried there; and whether he would be permitted to see +Joseph and see the sons of Joseph. God gave him the assurance, +saying, "I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I +will surely bring thee up again after thy death, and thy +descendants also, and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine +eyes." When the time approached for the fulfilment of the +Divine promise, God appeared unto Jacob, and He said, "I +promised to fulfil thy wish, and the time of fulfilment hath +come." + +The holy spirit made known to Jacob that Joseph was +coming to him,[361] and he strengthened himself, and sat upon +the bed in order to pay due respect to the representative of +the government. Though Joseph was his son, he was also +viceroy, and entitled to special marks of honor. Besides, +Jacob desired to make the impression of being a man +in good health. He wanted to avoid the possibility of having +his blessing of Joseph and Joseph's sons questioned as the +act of an irresponsible person.[362] + +He strengthened himself spiritually as well as physically, +by prayer to God, in which he besought Him to let the holy +spirit descend upon him at the time of his giving the blessing +to the sons of Joseph. + +When Joseph appeared in the company of his two sons, his +father said to him: "In all the seventeen years thou hast +been visiting me, thou didst never bring thy sons with thee, +but now they have come, and I know the reason. If I bless +them, I shall act in opposition to the word of God, who +promised to make me the progenitor of twelve tribes, for if +I adopt them as my sons, there will be fourteen tribes. But +if I do not bless them, it will plunge thee in sorrow. So be +it, I will bless them. But think not I do it because thou +didst support me all these years. There is quite another +reason.[363] When I left my father's house to go to Haran, I +offered up a prayer at Beth-el, and I promised to give unto +God the tenth of all I owned. So far as my material possessions +are concerned, I kept my vow, but I could not give the +tithe of my sons, because according to the law I had to withdraw +from the reckoning the four sons, Reuben, Joseph, +Dan, and Gad, that are the first-born children of their mothers. +When I returned, God again appeared unto me in +Beth-el, and He said, Be fruitful and multiply. But after +this blessing no son was born unto me except Benjamin +alone, and it cannot be but that God meant Manasseh and +Ephraim when He spoke of 'a nation and a company of +nations.' If now I have found favor in thy sight, thy two +sons Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simon, +shall be mine, and then I shall be able to give a tenth part of +my ten sons unto the Lord, and I shall leave this world free +from the sin of not keeping my vow to the Lord concerning +the tithe-giving." + +Joseph consented to do his father's will, and Jacob tithed +his sons, consecrating Levi to the Holy One, and appointing +him to be the chief of his brethren. He enjoined his sons +to have a care that there should never fail them a son of +Levi in the priestly succession. And it happened that. +of all the tribes Levi was the only one that never proved +faithless to the covenant of the fathers.[364] + +Thus Jacob adopted Manasseh and Ephraim to be his own +sons, even as Reuben and Simon were his sons. They were +entitled like the others to a portion in the Holy Land, and +like the others they were to bear standards on their journey +through the desert.[365] + +Satisfied as to Jacob's intentions concerning his sons, +Joseph asked his father about his mother's burial-place, and +Jacob spoke, saying: "As thou livest, thy wish to see thy +mother lying by my side in the grave doth not exceed mine +own. I had joy in life only as long as she was alive, and +her death was the heaviest blow that ever fell upon me." +Joseph questioned him: "Perhaps thou didst have to bury +her in the way, because she died during the rainy season, +and thou couldst not carry her body through the rain to our +family sepulchre?" "No," replied Jacob, "she died in the +spring time, when the highways are clean and firm." Joseph: +"Grant me permission to take up her body now and +place it in our family burial-place." Jacob: "No, my son, +that thou mayest not do. I was unwilling to bury her in +the way, but the Lord commanded it." The reason of the +command was that God knew that the Temple would be +destroyed, and Israel would be carried away into banishment, +and the exiles would ask the Patriarchs to intercede +for them with God, but God would not hearken unto them. +On their way to the land of the stranger they would pass +the grave of Rachel, and they would throw themselves upon +it, and beseech their mother to make intercession for them +with God. And Rachel would pray to God in their behalf: +"O Lord of the world, look upon my tears, and have compassion +upon my children. But if Thou wilt not take pity on +them, then indemnify me for the wrong done to me." Unto +her prayer God will hearken, and He will have mercy upon +Israel. Therefore was Rachel buried in the way. + +Now Jacob desired to bless the sons of Joseph, but the +holy spirit made him to see Jeroboam, the descendant of +Ephraim, and Jehu, the descendant of Manasseh, how they +would seduce Israel to idolatry, and the Shekinah forsook +him as he was about to lay his hands upon the heads of his +grandsons. He said to Joseph, "Is it possible that thou +didst not marry the mother of thy children according to the +law?" Joseph thereupon brought his wife Asenath to his +father, and pointing to her marriage contract, he said, "This +one is my wife, whom I married as is proper, with a marriage +contract and due ceremony. I pray thee, my father, +bless my sons if only for the sake of this pious woman." + +Jacob bade his grandsons approach close to him, and he +kissed and embraced them, in the hope that his joy in them +would lure back the holy spirit, but his hope was vain. Joseph +concluded that the time was not favorable for blessing, +and he decided to go away until a more propitious opportunity +presented itself, first, however, proving to his father +that his sons had been initiated in the covenant of Abraham. + +Outside of his father's chamber, alone with his sons, he +threw himself down before God and besought Him to show +him mercy, and he bade his sons do likewise, saying, "Be +not content with your high station, for worldly honors are +but for a time. Entreat God to be merciful and let the +Shekinah descend upon my father, that he bless you both." +Then spake God to the holy spirit: "How long yet shall +Joseph suffer? Reveal thyself quickly, and enter into Jacob, +that he may be able to bestow blessings." + +In the words of Jacob, "Ephraim and Manasseh, even as +Reuben and Simon, shall be mine," Joseph had noticed his +father's preference for his younger son Ephraim. It made +him very anxious about his older son's birthright, and he +was careful to put the two lads before his father in such +wise that Manasseh should stand opposite Jacob's right +hand, and Ephraim opposite his left hand.[366] But Ephraim, +on account of his modesty, was destined for greater things +than his older brother Manasseh, and God bade the +holy spirit prompt Jacob to give the birthright to Ephraim.[367] +Now when Joseph observed his father put his right +hand upon Ephraim's head, he made an attempt to remove +it unto Manasseh's head. But Jacob warded him off, saying: +"What, thou wouldst displace my hand against my will, the +hand that overcame the prince of the angel hosts, who is as +large as one-third of the world![368] I know things not known +to thee--I know what Reuben did to Bilhah, and what +Judah did to Tamar. How much more do I know things +known to thee![369] Thinkest thou I know not what thy +brethren did to thee, because thou wouldst betray nothing +whenever I asked thee?[370] I know it, Manasseh also shall +become great, the judge Gideon shall descend from him, but +his younger brother will be the ancestor of Joshua, who will +bring the sun and the moon to a standstill, though they have +dominion over the whole earth from end to end." Thus did +Jacob set Ephraim the younger above Manasseh the older, +and thus did it remain unto all times. In the list of the +generations, Manasseh comes after Ephraim, and so it was +in the allotment of the portions in the Holy Land, and so it +was in the placing of the camps and the standards of the +tribes, and in the dedication of the Tabernacle--everywhere +Ephraim preceded Manasseh.[371] + +The blessing bestowed upon his grandchildren by Jacob +was as follows: "O that it be the will of God that ye walk +in the ways of the Lord like unto my fathers Abraham and +Isaac,[372] and may the angel that hath redeemed me from all +evil give his aid unto Joshua and Gideon,[373] and reveal himself +unto them. May your names be named on Israel, and +like unto fishes may you grow into a multitude in the midst +of the earth, and as fishes are protected by the water, so +may you be protected by the merits of Joseph."[374] + +The words "like unto fishes" were used by Jacob for the +purpose of intimating the manner of death awaiting the +Ephraimites, the descendants of Joseph. As fish are caught +by their mouth, so the Ephraimites were in later days to +invite their doom by their peculiar lisp. At the same time, +Jacob's words contained the prophecy that Joshua the son +of the man Nun, the "fish," would lead Israel into the Holy +Land. And in his words lay still another prophecy, with +reference to the sixty thousand men children begot in the +same night as Moses, all cast into the river with him, and +saved for the sake of his merits. The number of boys +thrown to the fishes in the river that night was equal to the +number of men in Israel upon the earth.[375] + +Ephraim received a special and separate blessing from +his grandfather. Jacob said to him, "Ephraim, my son, +thou art the head of the Academy, and in the days to come +my most excellent and celebrated descendants will be called +Ephrati after thee."[376] + +Joseph received two gifts from his father. The first was +Shechem, the city that Jacob had defended, with sword +and bow, against the depredations of the Amorite kings +when they tried to take revenge upon his sons for the outrage +committed there. And the second gift was the garments +made by God for Adam and passed from hand to +hand, until they came into the possession of Jacob. Shechem +was his reward, because, with his chastity, he stemmed +the tide of immorality that burst loose in Shechem first of +all.[377] Besides, he had a prior claim upon the city. Shechem, +son of Hamor, the master of the city, had given it to Dinah +as a present, and the wife of Joseph, Asenath, being the +daughter of Dinah, the city belonged to him by right.[378] + +Adam's clothes Jacob had received from Esau. He had +not taken them from his brother by force, but God had +caused them to be given to him as a reward for his good +deeds. They had belonged to Nimrod. Once when the +mighty hunter caught Esau in his preserves, and forbade +him to go on the chase, they agreed to determine by combat +what their privileges were. Esau had taken counsel with +Jacob, and he had advised him never to fight with Nimrod +while he was clothed in Adam's garments. The two now +wrestled with each other, and at the time Nimrod was not +dressed in Adam's clothes. The end was that he was slain +by Esau. Thus the garments worn by Adam fell into the +hands of Esau, from him they passed into Jacob's, and he +bequeathed them to Joseph.[379] + +Jacob also taught Joseph three signs whereby to distinguish +the true redeemer, who should deliver Israel from +the bondage of Egypt. He would proclaim the Ineffable +Name, appoint elders, and use the word Pakod in addressing +the people.[380] + +THE BLESSING OF THE TWELVE TRIBES + +When Joseph and his two sons left Jacob, his brethren, +envious of the bountiful blessings bestowed upon the three, +said, "The whole world loveth a favorite of fortune, and +our father hath blessed Joseph thus because he is a ruler of +men." Then spoke Jacob: "They that seek the Lord shall +not want any good thing. I have blessings enough for +all."[381] + +Jacob summoned his sons from the land of Egypt, and +bade them come to him at Raamses, first, however, commanding +them to make themselves clean, that the blessing he was +about to bestow might attach itself to them. Another one +of his commands was that they were to establish an Academy, +by the members of which they were to be governed. + +When his sons were brought into his presence by the +angels, Jacob spoke, saying, "Take heed that no dissensions +spring up among you, for union is the first condition of +Israel's redemption," and he was on the point of revealing +the great secret to them concerning the end of time, but +while they were standing around the golden bed whereon +their father lay, the Shekinah visited him for a moment and +departed as quickly, and with her departed also all trace of +the knowledge of the great mystery from the mind of Jacob.[382] +He had the same experience as his own father Isaac, who +also had loss of memory inflicted upon him by God, to prevent +him from revealing the secret at the end of time to +Esau, when he summoned him to receive his blessing. + +The accident made Jacob apprehensive that his sons were +not pious enough to be considered worthy of the revelation +concerning the Messianic era, and he said to them, "Ishmael +and the sons of Keturah were the blemished among the issue +of my grandfather Abraham; my father Isaac begot a blemished +issue in Esau, and I fear now that among you, too, +there is one that harbors the intention to serve idols." +The twelve men spake, and said: "Hear, O Israel, our +father, the Eternal our God is the One Only God. As thy +heart is one and united in avouching the Holy One, blessed +be He, to be thy God, so also are our hearts one and united +in avouching Him." Whereto Jacob responded, "Praised +be the Name of the glory of His majesty forever and +ever!"[383] And although the whole mystery of the Messianic +time was not communicated to the sons of Jacob, yet the +blessing of each contained some reference to the events of +the future. + +These were the words addressed by Jacob to his oldest +son: "Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the +beginning of my strength! Thy portion should have been +three crowns. Thou shouldst have had the double heritage +of thy primogeniture, and the priestly dignity, and the royal +power. But by reason of thy sin, the birthright is conferred +upon Joseph, kingship upon Judah, and the priesthood upon +Levi. My son, I know no healing remedy for thee, but the +man Moses, who will ascend to God, he will make thee whole, +and God will forgive thy sin.[384] I bless thee--may thy +descendants be heroes in the Torah and heroes in war.[385] +Though thou must lose thy birthright, yet wilt thou be the +first to enter into possession of thy allotment in the Holy +Land, and in thy territory shall be the first of the cities of +refuge, and always shall thy name stand first in the list of +the families of the tribes. Yea, thou shalt also be the first +whose heritage will be seized by the enemy, and the first to +be carried away into the lands of exile."[386] + +After Reuben had had his "ears pulled" thus, he retired, +and Jacob called his sons Simon and Levi to his side, and he +addressed them in these words: "Brethren ye were of +Dinah, but not of Joseph, whom you sold into slavery. The +weapons of violence wherewith ye smote Shechem were +stolen weapons, for it was not seemly for you to draw the +sword. That was Esau's portion. To him was it said, By +thy sword shalt thou live. Into the council of the tribe of +Simon my soul will not come when they foregather at +Shittim to do vicious deeds, and my glory will not be united +unto the assembly of Korah, the descendants of Levi. In +their anger Simon and Levi slew the prince of Shechem, +and in their self-will they sold Joseph the bull into slavery. +Accursed was the city of Shechem when they entered to +destroy it. If they remain united, no ruler will be able to +stand up before them, no war will prosper against them. +Therefore will I divide and scatter their possession among +the possessions of the other tribes. The descendants of +Simon will many of them be poor men, who will wander +from tribe to tribe and beg for bread, and also Levi's tribe +will gather its tithes and gifts from all the others." + +The words of Jacob, "I will divide them in Jacob," spoken +of Simon and Levi, were fulfilled on Simon in particular. +When twenty-four thousand of Simon fell at Shittim, the +widows they left behind married husbands of all the other +tribes. Nevertheless Jacob did not dismiss Simon and Levi +without blessing them; the tribe of Simon was to bring forth +the teachers and the beadles needed by all Israel, and Levi, +the scholars that would expound the Torah and render decisions +according to its teachings.[387] + +When the remaining sons of Jacob heard the rebukes +dealt out by their father to these three, they feared to hear +like reproaches, and they tried to slip away from his presence. +Especially Judah was alarmed, that his father might +taunt him with his trespass touching Tamar. But Jacob +spoke thus to him: "Judah, thou dost deserve thy name. +Thy mother called thee Jehudah, because she gave praise to +God at thy birth, and so shall thy brethren praise thee, and +they all will call themselves by thy name. And as thou didst +confess thy sin openly, so also thy descendants, Achan, +David, and Manasseh, will make public avowal of their sins, +and the Lord will hear their prayer. Thy hands will send +darts after the fleeing foe, and thy father's sons shall pay +thee respect. Thou hast the impudence of a dog and the +bravery of a lion. Thou didst save Joseph from death, and +Tamar and her two sons from the flames. No people and no +kingdom will be able to stand up against thee. Rulers shall +not cease from the house of Judah, nor teachers of the law +from his posterity, until his descendant Messiah come, and +the obedience of all peoples be unto him. How glorious is +Messiah of the House of Judah! His loins girded, he will +go out to do battle with his enemies. No king and no ruler +will prevail against him. The mountains will be dyed red +with their blood, and the garments of Messiah will be like +the garments of him that presseth wine. The eyes of Messiah +will be clearer than pure wine, for they will never behold +unchastity and bloodshed; and his teeth will be whiter +than milk, for never will they bite aught that is taken by +violence."[388] + +Though Issachar was the older, Zebulon came next to be +blessed, as a reward for the sacrifice he had made for his +brother's sake, for when Issachar chose the study of the +Torah as his vocation, Zebulon decided to devote himself to +business and support his brother with the profits of his +trade, that he might give himself up to the law undisturbed.[389] +His blessing was that he would conquer the seacoast +as far as Zidon.[390] + +"Issachar," said Jacob, "will take upon himself the burden +of the study of the Torah, and all the other tribes will +come to him and ask him to decide their doubts on legal +questions, and his descendants will be the members of the +Sanhedrin and the scholars that will occupy themselves with +fixing the calendar." Jacob blessed Issachar also with +the blessing, that the fruits of his land should be exceedingly +large, and this brought a heavenly as well as an earthly +profit in its train, for when the heathen to whom the fruits +were sold marvelled thereat, the Jewish merchants explained +that their extraordinary size was due to the merits of the +tribe of Issachar, whom God rewarded for their devotion to +the Torah, and thus many of the heathen were induced to +convert to Judaism.[391] + +In blessing Dan, Jacob's thoughts were occupied chiefly +with his descendant Samson, who, like unto God, without +any manner of assistance, conferred victory upon his people. +Jacob even believed the strong, heroic man to be the Messiah, +but when Samson's death was revealed to him, he exclaimed, +"I wait for Thy salvation, O Lord, for Thy help +is unto all eternity, while Samson's help is only for a +time.[392] The redemption" continued Jacob, "will not be +accomplished by Samson the Danite, but by Elijah the +Gadite, who will appear at the end of time."[393] + +Asher's blessing was the beauty of his women, who would +be sought in marriage by kings and high priests.[394] + +In Naphtali's land all fruits would ripen quickly, and they +would be brought as presents to kings, and gain royal favor +for the givers. This blessing was fulfilled in the plain of +Gennesaret.[395] At the same time Naphtali's blessing was a +prophecy concerning his descendant Deborah, who was like +a hind let loose against Sisera to conquer him, and she gave +goodly words in her song of Israel's victory.[396] Naphtali +himself deserved the description applied to Deborah, for he +was swift as a hart to do the will of God, and he was a fleet +messenger unto his father and the tribes. They sent him +whithersoever they would, and he executed their errands +with dispatch.[397] He served the brethren of Joseph as herald, +to announce unto Jacob the glad tidings, "Joseph is yet +alive," and when the stricken father saw him approach, he +said, "Lo, here cometh Naphtali the lovable, who proclaimeth +peace."[398] + +Joseph's blessing exceeded the blessing of all his brethren. +Jacob spoke: "O son whom I bred up, Joseph, whom +I raised, and who wast strong to resist the enticements of +sin, thou didst conquer all the magicians and the wise men +of Egypt by thy wisdom and thy pious deeds. The daughters +of princes cast their jewels before thee, to draw thine +eyes upon them when thou didst pass through the land of +Egypt, but thou didst not look their way, and therefore wast +thou made the father of two tribes. The magicians and the +wise men of Egypt sought to defame thee before Pharaoh +and slander thee, but thou didst set thy hope in the Almighty. +Therefore may He who appeared unto me as El +Shaddai bless thee and grant thee fertile soil and much +cattle. May the blessing thy father giveth thee now, and +the blessing that his fathers Abraham and Isaac gave +him, and that called forth the envy of the great of the +world, Ishmael, Esau, and the sons of Keturah--may all +these blessings be a crown upon the head of Joseph, and a +chain upon the neck of him that was the ruler of Egypt, and +yet diminished not the honor due to his brethren."[399] + +The slander of which Jacob spoke referred to what Potiphar +had said of Joseph before Pharaoh. He had complained, +saying, "Why didst thou appoint my slave, whom I +did buy for twenty pieces of silver, to be ruler over the +Egyptians?" Joseph had then taken up his own defense, +saying: "When thou didst buy me as a slave, thou didst +commit a capital crime. Only a descendant of Canaan may +be sold as a slave, and I am a descendant of Shem, and a +prince besides. If thou wilt convince thyself of the truth of +my words, do but compare me with the likeness of my +mother Sarah that Pharaoh had made of her!" They +brought Sarah's likeness, and, verily, it appeared that +Joseph resembled his ancestress, and all were convinced of +his noble lineage.[400] + +The blessing that Jacob bestowed upon Benjamin contains +the prophecy that his tribe would provide Israel with +his first ruler and his last ruler, and so it was, for Saul and +Esther both belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. Likewise +Benjamin's heritage in the Holy Land harbors two extremes: +Jericho ripens its fruits earlier than any other region in +Palestine, while Beth-el ripens them latest. In +Benjamin's blessing, Jacob referred also to the service in the +Temple, because the Holy Place was situated in the territory +of Benjamin. And when Jacob called his youngest son a +wolf that ravineth, he was thinking of the judge Ehud, the +great scholar, a Benjamite, who conquered Eglon king of +Moab, and also he had in mind the Benjamites that captured +their wives by cunning and force.[401] + +Again, if he called Benjamin a wolf, Judah a lion, and +Joseph a bull, he wanted to point to the three kingdoms +known as wolf, lion, and bull, the doom of which was and +will be sealed by the descendants of his three sons: Babylon, +the kingdom of the lion, fell through the hands of +Daniel of the tribe of Judah; Media, the wolf, found its +master in the Benjamite Mordecai; and the bull Joseph will +subdue the horned beast, the kingdom of wickedness, before +the Messianic time.[402] + + +THE DEATH OF JACOB + +After Jacob had blessed each of his sons separately, he +addressed himself to all of them together, saying: "According +to my power did I bless you, but in future days a prophet +will arise, and this man Moses will bless you, too, and he +will continue my blessings where I left off." He added, +besides, that the blessing of each tribe should redound to the +good of all the other tribes: the tribe of Judah should have a +share in the fine wheat of the tribe of Benjamin, and Benjamin +should enjoy the goodly barley of Judah. The tribes +should be mutually helpful, one to another.[403] + +Moreover, he charged them not to be guilty of idolatry in +any form or shape and not to let blasphemous speech pass +their lips, and he taught them the order of transporting his +bier,[404] thus: "Joseph, being king, shall not help to bear it, +nor shall Levi, who is destined to carry the Ark of the Shekinah. +Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon shall grasp its front +end, Reuben, Simon, and Gad its right side, Ephraim, Manasseh, +and Benjamin the hindmost end, and Dan, Asher, +and Naphtali its left side." And this was the order in which +the tribes, bearing each its standard, were to march through +the desert, the Shekinah dwelling in the midst of them.[405] + +Jacob then spake to Joseph, saying: "And thou, my son +Joseph, forgive thy brethren for their trespass against thee, +forsake them not, and grieve them not, for the Lord hath +put them into thine hands, that thou shouldst protect them +all thy days against the Egyptians." + +Also he admonished his sons, saying that the Lord would +be with them if they walked in His ways, and He would +redeem them from the hands of the Egyptians. "I know," +he continued, "great suffering will befall your sons and +your grandsons in this land, but if you will obey God, and +teach your sons to know Him, then He will send you a +redeemer, who will bring you forth out of Egypt and lead +you into the land of your fathers."[406] + +In resignation to the will of God,[407] Jacob awaited his end, +and death enveloped him gently. Not the Angel of Death +ended his life, but the Shekinah took his soul with a kiss. +Beside the three Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, only +Moses, Aaron, and Miriam breathed their last in this manner, +through the kiss of the Shekinah. And these six, together +with Benjamin, are the only ones whose corpses are +not exposed to the ravages of the worms, and they neither +corrupt nor decay. + +Thus Jacob departed this world, and entered the world +to come, a foretaste of which he had enjoyed here below, +like the other two Patriarchs, and none beside among men. +In another respect their life in this world resembled their +life in the world to come, the evil inclination had no power +over them, either here or there, wherein David resembled +them.[408] + +Joseph ordered his father's body to be placed upon a +couch of ivory, covered with gold, studded with gems, and +hung with drapery of byssus and purple. Fragrant wine +was poured out at its side, and aromatic spices burnt next +to it. Heroes of the house of Esau, princes of the family +of Ishmael, and the lion Judah, the bravest of his sons, +surrounded the sumptuous bier of Jacob. "Come," said Judah +to his brethren, "let us plant a high cedar tree at the head +of our father's grave, its top shall reach up to the skies, its +branches shall shade all the inhabitants of the earth, and its +roots shall grow down deep into the earth, unto the abyss. +For from him are sprung twelve tribes, and from him will +arise kings and rulers, chapters of priests prepared to perform +the service of the sacrifices, and companies of Levites +ready to sing psalms and play upon sweet instruments."[409] + +The sons of Jacob tore their garments and girded their +loins with sackcloth, threw themselves upon the ground, and +strewed earth upon their heads until the dust rose in a high +cloud. And when Asenath, the wife of Joseph, heard the +tidings of Jacob's death, she came, and with her came the +women of Egypt, to weep and mourn over him. And the +men of Egypt that had known Jacob repaired thither, and +they mourned day after day, and also many journeyed down +into Egypt from Canaan, to take part in the seventy days' +mourning made for him.[410] + +The Egyptians spake to one another, saying, "Let us +lament for the pious man Jacob, because the affliction of the +famine was averted from our land on account of his merits," +for instead of ravaging the land for forty-two years according +to the decree of God, the famine had lasted but two +years, and that was due to the virtues of Jacob.[411] + +Joseph ordered the physicians to embalm the corpse. This +he should have refrained from doing, for it was displeasing +to God, who spoke, saying: "Have I not the power to preserve +the corpse of this pious man from corruption? Was it +not I that spoke the reassuring words, Fear not the worm, O +Jacob, thou dead Israel?" Joseph's punishment for this +useless precaution was that he was the first of the sons of +Jacob to suffer death.[412] The Egyptians, on the other +hand, who devoted forty days to embalming the corpse +and preparing it for burial, were rewarded for the veneration +they showed. Before He destroyed their city, God +gave the Ninevites a forty days' respite on account of +their king, who was the Pharaoh of Egypt. And for the +three score and ten days of mourning that the heathen +made for Jacob, they were recompensed at the time of +Ahasuerus. During seventy days, from the thirteenth of +Nisan, the date of Haman's edict ordering the extermination +of the Jews, until the twenty-third of Siwan, when Mordecai +recalled it, they were permitted to enjoy absolute power +over the Jews. + +When all preparations for the burial of Jacob had been +completed, Joseph asked permission of Pharaoh to carry the +body up into Canaan. But he did not himself go to put his +petition before Pharaoh, for he could not well appear before +the king in the garb of a mourner, nor was he willing to +interrupt his lamentation over his father for even a brief +space and stand before Pharaoh and prefer his petition. He +requested the family of Pharaoh to intercede for him with +the king for the additional reason that he was desirous of +enlisting the favor of the king's relations, lest they advise +Pharaoh not to fulfil his wish. He acted according to the +maxim, "Seek to win over the accuser, that he cause thee +no annoyance."[413] + +Joseph applied first to the queen's hairdresser, and she +influenced the queen to favor him, and then the queen put +in a good word for him with the king.[414] At first Pharaoh +refused the permission craved by Joseph, who, however, +urged him to consider the solemn oath he had given his +dying father, to bury him in Canaan. Pharaoh desired him +to seek absolution from the oath. But Joseph rejoined, +"Then will I apply also for absolution from the oath I gave +thee," referring to an incident in his earlier history. The +grandees of Egypt had advised Pharaoh against appointing +Joseph as viceroy, and they did not recede from this counsel +until Joseph, in his conversation with the Egyptian king, +proved himself to be master of the seventy languages of the +world, the necessary condition to be fulfilled before one +could become ruler over Egypt. But the conversation +proved something else, that Pharaoh himself was not entitled +to Egyptian kingship, because he lacked knowledge of +Hebrew. He feared, if the truth became known, Joseph +would be raised to his own place, for he knew Hebrew beside +all the other tongues. In his anxiety and distress, +Pharaoh made Joseph swear an oath never to betray the +king's ignorance of Hebrew. Now when Joseph threatened +to have himself absolved from this oath as well as the one +to his dying father, great terror overwhelmed him, and he +speedily granted Joseph permission to go up to Canaan and +bury his father there.[415] + +Moreover, Pharaoh issued a decree in all parts of the land +menacing those with death who would not accompany Joseph +and his brethren upon their journey to Canaan with +their father's remains, and accordingly the procession that +followed the bier of Jacob was made up of the princes and +nobles of Egypt as well as the common people.[416] The bier +was borne by the sons of Jacob. In obedience to his wish not +even their children were allowed to touch it.[417] It was +fashioned +of pure gold, the border thereof inlaid with onyx +stones and bdellium, and the cover was gold woven work +joined to the bier with threads that were held together with +hooks of onyx stones and bdellium. Joseph placed a large +golden crown upon the head of his father, and a golden +sceptre he put in his hand, arraying him like a living king. + +The funeral cortege was arranged in this order: First +came the valiant men of Pharaoh and the valiant men of +Joseph, and then the rest of the inhabitants of Egypt. All +were girt with swords and clothed in coats of mail, and the +trappings of war were upon them. The weepers and mourners +walked, crying and lamenting, at some distance from the +bier, and the rest of the people went behind it, while Joseph +and his household followed together after it, with bare feet +and in tears, and Joseph's servants were close to him, each +man with his accoutrements and weapons of war. Fifty of +Jacob's servants preceded the bier, strewing myrrh upon +the road in passing, and all manner of perfumes, so that the +sons of Jacob trod upon the aromatic spices as they carried +the body forward. + +Thus the procession moved on until it reached Canaan. +It halted at the threshing-floor of Atad, and there they +lamented with a very great and sore lamentation.[418] But the +greatest honor conferred upon Jacob was the presence of +the Shekinah, who accompanied the cortege.[419] + +The Canaanites had no intention at first to take part +in the mourning made for Jacob, but when they saw the +honors shown him, they joined the procession of the +Egyptians,[420] +loosing the girdles of their garments as a sign of +grief.[421] Also the sons of Esau, Ishmael, and Keturah appeared, +though their design in coming was to seize the +opportunity and make war upon the sons of Jacob, but when +they saw Joseph's crown suspended from the bier, the +Edomite and Ishmaelite kings and princes followed his example, +and attached theirs to it, too, and it was ornamented +with thirty-six crowns. + +Nevertheless the conflict was not averted; it broke out in +the end between the sons of Jacob and Esau and his followers. +When the former were about to lower the body of their +father into the Cave of Machpelah, Esau attempted to prevent +it, saying that Jacob had used his allotted portion of the +tomb for Leah, and the only space left for a grave belonged +to himself. For, continued Esau, "though I sold my birthright +unto Jacob, I yet have a portion in the tomb as a son +of Isaac." The sons of Jacob, however, were well aware of +the fact that their father had acquired Esau's share in the +Cave, and they even knew that a bill of sale existed, but +Esau, assuming properly that the document was left behind +in Egypt, denied that any such had ever been made out, and +the sons of Jacob sent Naphtali, the fleet runner, back to +Egypt to fetch the bill. Meantime, while this altercation +was going on between Esau and the others, Hushim the son +of Dan arose and inquired in astonishment why they did not +proceed with the burial of Jacob, for he was deaf and had +not understood the words that had passed between the disputants. +When he heard what it was all about, and that the +ceremonies were interrupted until Naphtali should return +from Egypt with the bill of sale, he exclaimed, with indignation, +"My grandfather shall lie here unburied until Naphtali +comes back!" and he seized a club and dealt Esau a +vigorous blow, so that he died, and his eyes fell out of their +sockets and dropped upon Jacob's knees, and Jacob opened +his own eyes and smiled. Esau being dead, his brother's +burial could proceed without hindrance, and Joseph interred +him in the Cave of Machpelah in accordance with his wish. + +His other children had left all arrangements connected +with the burial of their father's body to their brother Joseph, +for they reflected that it was a greater honor for Jacob if a +king concerned himself about his remains rather than simple +private individuals.[422] + +The head of Esau, as he lay slain by the side of Jacob's +grave, rolled down into the Cave, and fell into the lap of +Isaac, who prayed to God to have mercy upon his son, but +his supplications were in vain. God spoke, saying, "As I +live, he shall not behold the majesty of the Lord."[423] + +THE SONS OF JACOB AT WAR WITH THE SONS OF ESAU + +Jacob having been interred with royal pomp, and the +seven days' period of mourning over, the conflict between +the sons of Jacob and the sons of Esau broke out anew. In +the skirmish that had ensued when Esau advanced a claim +upon a place in the Cave of Machpelah, while his brother's +remains still lay unburied, he lost forty of his men, and after +his death fortune favored his sons as little. Eighty of their +followers were slain, while of the sons of Jacob not one was +lost. Joseph succeeded in capturing Zepho the son of +Eliphaz and fifty of his men, and he clapped them in +chains and carried them off to Egypt. Thereupon the rest +of the attacking army led by Eliphaz fled to Mount Seir, +taking with them the headless corpse of Esau, to bury it in +his own territory. The sons of Jacob pursued after them, +but they slew none, out of respect for the remains of Esau. + +On the third day a great army gathered together, consisting +of the inhabitants of Seir and the children of the East, +and they marched down into Egypt with the purpose of +making war upon Joseph and his brethren. In the battle +that came off, this army was almost totally destroyed, not +less than six hundred thousand men were mowed down by +Joseph and his warriors, and the small remnant fled +precipitately. +Returned to their own country after this fatal +campaign, the sons of Esau and the sons of Seir fell to +quarrelling among themselves, and the sons of Seir demanded +that their former allies leave the place, because it was they +that had brought misfortune upon the country. + +The sons of Esau thereupon dispatched a messenger in +secret to their friend Agnias, king of Africa, begging his aid +against the sons of Seir. He granted their request, and +sent them troops consisting of foot-soldiers and mounted +men. The sons of Seir, on their part, also sought allies, and +they secured the help of the children of the East, and of the +Midianites, who put warriors at their disposal. In the encounters +that ensued between the hostile forces, the sons of +Esau were defeated again and again, partly on account of +treachery in their own ranks, for their men sometimes deserted +to the enemy while the combat was on. At last, however, +in the battle that took place in the desert of Paran, the +sons of Esau gained a decisive victory. They massacred all +the warriors of the sons of Seir, and the Midianites and the +children of the East were put to flight. + +Thereafter the sons of Esau returned to Seir, and they +slew all the inhabitants of the place, men, women, and children, +sparing only fifty lads and maidens. The former they +used as slaves, and the latter they took to wife. They also +enriched themselves with the spoils, seizing all the possessions +of the sons of Seir, and the whole land was divided +among the five sons of Esau. Now these descendants of +Esau determined to put a king over themselves, but in consequence +of the treachery committed during the war there +prevailed such hatred and bitterness among them that they +decided never to appoint a ruler from their own people. +Their choice fell upon Bela, the son of Beor, one of the +warriors sent to them by King Agnias. His peer could +not be found among the allied troops for bravery, wisdom, +and handsome appearance. They set the royal crown upon +his head, built a palace for him, and gave him gifts of silver, +gold, and gems, until he lived in great opulence. He reigned +happily for thirty years, and met his death then in a war +against Joseph and his brethren. + +This war came about because the sons of Esau could not +banish from their memory the disgrace of the defeat inflicted +upon them by Joseph and his people. Having enlisted +the aid of Agnias, and of the Ishmaelites and other nations of +the East, they set forth on a second campaign against Egypt, +in the hope of delivering Zepho and his followers from the +hands of Joseph. In spite of their enormous host--they had +no less than eight hundred thousand men of infantry and +cavalry--they were defeated at Raamses by Joseph and his +brethren and their little company of six hundred men. Beside +their king Bela, they left one-fourth of their army upon +the field. The loss of their king discouraged them grievously, +and they took to flight, hard pressed by Joseph, who +cut down many of the fugitives. + +When he returned from the battle, Joseph ordered manacles +and fetters to be put upon Zepho and his followers, and +their captivity was made more bitter unto them than it had +been before. + +The sons of Esau appointed Jobab of Bozrah to succeed +their dead king Bela. His reign lasted ten years, but they +desisted from all further attempts at waging war with the +sons of Jacob. Their last experience with them had been +too painful, but the enmity they cherished against them was +all the fiercer, and their hatred never abated. + +Their third king was Husham, and he ruled over them +for twenty years. During his reign Zepho succeeded in +making good his escape from Egypt. He was received +kindly by Agnias, king of Africa, and appointed +commander-in-chief of his troops. He used every means of +persuasion +to induce his sovereign lord to enter into a war with Egypt, +but in vain, for Agnias was only too well acquainted with +the strength and heroism of the sons of Jacob. For many +years he resisted Zepho's arguments and blandishments. Indeed, +as it was, Agnias had his hands full with other warlike +enterprises. It had happened about this time that a man of +the land of Kittim, 'Uzi by name, whom his countrymen +venerated as a god, died in the city of Pozimana, and he left +behind a fair and clever daughter. Agnias heard of Yaniah's +beauty and wisdom, and he sued for her hand, and his request +was granted him by the people of Kittim. + +The messengers of Agnias were hastening away from +Kittim, bearing to their master the promise of the inhabitants +that Yaniah should become his wife, when Turnus, +king of Benevento, arrived on the same errand. His suit +was rejected, for the people of Kittim were afraid-to break +the promise given to Agnias. In his anger, Turnus went to +Sardinia to make war upon King Lucus, a brother of Agnias, +intending to deal with the latter as soon as the other +was rendered harmless. Hearing of the design hatched by +Turnus, Agnias hastened to Sardinia to the assistance of his +brother, and a battle took place in the Valley of Campania. +Against Turnus were arrayed Agnias, his brother Lucus, +and the son of the latter, Niblos, whom his father had appointed +commander-in-chief of the Sardinian troops. In the +first encounter, Turnus was the victor, and the Sardinians +lost their general Niblos. But in the second engagement +the army of Turnus was routed completely, and he himself +was left dead on the field. His army fled, pursued closely +by Agnias as far as the cross-road between Rome and Albano. +Niblos' body was put inside of a golden statue, and +his father erected a high tower over his grave, and another +over the grave of Turnus, and these two buildings, connected +by a marble pavement, stand opposite to each other, +on the cross-road at which Agnias left off from following +after the fugitive army. + +The king of Africa went on to the city of Benevento, but +he took no harsh measures against it and its inhabitants, because +it belonged to the land of Kittim at that time. Thenceforth, +however, bands of soldiers from Africa made incursions, +now and again, into the land of Kittim, under the lead +of Zepho, the captain of the African army. Agnias meantime +went to Pozimana, to solemnize his marriage with +Yaniah, and he returned with her to his capital in Africa.[424] + + +ZEPHO KING OF KITTIM + +All this time Zepho did not leave off urging Agnias to +invade Egypt, and he succeeded finally in persuading the +king to consider his wish, and a great army was equipped +against Egypt and the sons of Jacob. Among the shield- +bearers was Balaam, the fifteen year old son of Beor, a wise +youth and an adept in magic, and the king bade him acquaint +him with the issue of the war upon which they were entering. +Balaam took wax and moulded the figures of men, +to represent the army of Agnias and the army of the Egyptians, +and he plunged them into magic water and let them +swim, and it appeared that the African army was subdued +by the Egyptians. Agnias accordingly gave up the campaign, +and Zepho, seeing that his sovereign could not be +persuaded into war with the sons of Jacob, fled the country +and betook himself to Kittim. + +The people of Kittim received him with great honors, +and they offered him much money to stay with them and +conduct their wars. It happened once while Zepho was in +the mountains of Koptiziah, where the inhabitants of Kittim +had taken refuge before the troops of the African king, +that he had to go on a search for an ox that had strayed +away, and he discovered a cave the opening of which was +barred by a great stone. He shivered the stone in pieces, +and entering the cave he saw an animal formed like a man +above and a he-goat below, and he killed the strange beast, +which was in the very act of devouring his lost ox. There +was great rejoicing among the people of Kittim, for the +monster had long been doing havoc among their cattle, and +in gratitude they set aside one day of the year, which they +called by Zepho's name, in honor of their liberator, and all +the people brought him presents and offered sacrifices to him. + +At this time it came to pass that Yaniah, the wife of King +Agnias, fell into a grievous sickness, and the physicians +ascribed her illness to the climate, and to the water of Africa, +to which she, a native of the land of Kittim, could not get +accustomed, because she had been in the habit of using the +water of the river Forma, which her forefathers had drawn +to her house through a conduit. Agnias sent to the land of +Kittim and had some of the water of the Forma brought to +Africa. Finding it much lighter than the water of his own +country, he built a huge canal from the land of Kittim. to +Africa, and the queen henceforth had all the Forma water +she needed. Besides, he took earth and stone from Kittim, +and built a palace for Yaniah, and she recovered from her +illness. + +Meantime Zepho had won a decisive victory over the +African troops that had made an incursion into the land of +Kittim, and the people chose him as king. His first undertaking +was a campaign against the sons of Tubal and the +Islands of the Sea, and again he was successful, he subdued +them completely. On his return, the people built a great +palace for Zepho, and they renewed his kingship, and he +continued until his death to reign as king of Kittim and of +Italy. + +During the first thirteen years of his reign, the Africans +made no attempt to disturb the peace of Kittim, but then +they invaded the land, only to be severely repulsed by Zepho, +who pursued the troops up to the very borders of Africa, and +Agnias the king was in such consternation that he did not +venture to make reprisals for some time. When he finally +made a second attempt, his troops were annihilated by Zepho +down to the very last man. Now Agnias, in despair, assembled +all the inhabitants of Africa, as numerous as the +sand on the sea-shore, and he united his great host with the +army of his brother Lucus, and thus he made his third attempt +upon Zepho and the people of the land of Kittim. + +Alarmed, Zepho wrote to his brethren in Seir, and entreated +their king Hadad to send him aid. But the people +of Seir had concluded an alliance with Agnias as far back +as under their first king Bela, and they refused Zepho's +request, and the king of Kittim had to face the host of eight +hundred thousand men mustered by Agnias with his little +band of three thousand. Then the people of Kittim spake +to their king Zepho, saying: "Pray for us unto the God of +thy ancestors. Peradventure He may deliver us from the +hand of Agnias and his army, for we have heard that He is +a great God, and He delivers all that trust in Him." Zepho +prayed unto the Lord, saying: "O Lord, God of Abraham +and Isaac, my fathers, this day may it be made known that +Thou art a true God, and all the gods of the nations are vain +and useless. Remember now this day unto me Thy covenant +with Abraham our father, which our ancestors related +unto us, and do graciously with me this day for the sake of +Abraham and Isaac, our fathers, and save me and the sons +of Kittim from the hand of the king of Africa, who hath +come against us for battle." + +God gave ear unto Zepho's prayer, and in the first day's +battle one-half of the African army fell. Agnias forthwith +dispatched a decree to his country, ordering, on penalty +of death and confiscation of property, that all the males +of the land, including boys that bad passed their tenth year, +were to join the army and fight against the people of Kittim. +In spite of these new accessions, three hundred thousand +strong, Agnias was beaten again by Zepho in the second +battle. The African general Sosipater having fallen slain, +the troops broke into flight, at their head Agnias with Lucus +the brother and Asdrubal the son of Agnias. After this dire +defeat the Africans made no further attempt to disturb the +peace of Kittim, and their incursions ceased forever. + +In spite of the great victory that Zepho had won with +the help of God, the king of Kittim walked in the idolatrous +ways of the people whom he ruled, and in the ways of the +sons of Esau, for, as saith the proverb of the ancients, "Out +of the wicked cometh forth wickedness," and Zepho was not +other than the rest of the sons of Esau. + +The severe defeat inflicted upon Agnias drove Balaam +from Africa to Kittim, and he was received with great +honors by Zepho, who welcomed him on account of his deep +wisdom. + +Now Zepho thought the time had arrived for him to carry +out his plan of vengeance against the posterity of Jacob, all +the more as in the meantime Joseph had died, and also his +brethren and the valiant men of Pharaoh had passed away. +He was joined in the enterprise by Hadad, the king of Edom, +and by the nations of the East and the Ishmaelites. The +allied army was so vast that the space it covered as it stood +in rank and file was equal to a three days' journey. It +formed in battle array in the Valley of Pathros, and it was +met by three hundred thousand Egyptians and one hundred +and fifty Israelites from Goshen. But the Egyptians did +not trust the Israelites, they feared their defection to the +sons of Esau and Ishmael. They therefore made an agreement +with them that the Israelites were not to come to the +help of the Egyptians until it appeared that the enemy were +getting the upper hand + +Zepho, who had a high opinion of Balaam's ability, desired +him to use his magic arts and find out what would be +the outcome of the war, but Balaam's knowledge failed him, +he could not satisfy the king's wish. The Egyptians got +the worst of the first encounter between the two hostile +armies, but the aspect of things changed as soon as they +summoned the Israelites to aid them. The Israelites prayed +to God to support them with His help, and the Lord heard +their prayer. Then they threw themselves upon Zepho and +his allies, and after they had cut down several thousand +men, such dismay and confusion took hold of the enemy +that they fled hastily, pursued by the Israelites as far as the +boundary of the country. The Egyptians, instead of coming +to the assistance of the Israelites, had taken to flight, leaving +the small band of their allies to dispose of the huge host of +their adversaries. Embittered by such treatment, the Israelites +slew as many as two hundred Egyptians, under the pretext +that they thought they belonged to the enemy.[425] + + +THE NATIONS AT WAR + +Hadad, the king of Edom, who had failed to gain fame +and honor in the Egyptian campaign, was favored by fortune +in another war, a war against Moab. The Moabites shrank +from meeting Hadad alone, and they made an alliance with +the Midianites. In the thick of the fight the Moabites fled +from the field of battle, leaving the Midianites to their fate, +and these deserted allies of theirs were cut down to a +man by Hadad and his Edomites. The Moabites saved their +skins, and suffered only the inconvenience of having to pay +tribute. To avenge the faithlessness practiced against them, +the Midianites, supported by their kinsmen, the sons of +Keturah, gathered a mighty army, and attacked the Moabites +the following year. But Hadad came to their assistance, +and again he inflicted a severe defeat upon the Midianites, +who had to give up their plan of revenge against Moab. +This is the beginning of the inveterate enmity between the +Moabites and the Midianites. If a single Moabite is caught +in the land of Midian, he is killed without mercy, and a +Midianite in Moab fares no better. + +After the death of Hadad, the Edomites installed Samlah +of Masrekah as their king, and he reigned eighteen years. +It was his desire to take up the cause of Agnias, the old ally +of the Edomites, and chastise Zepho for having gone to war +with him, but his people, the Edomites, would not permit +him to undertake aught that was inimical to their kinsman, +and Samlah had to abandon the plan. In the fourteenth +year of Samlah's reign, Zepho died, having been king of +Kittim for fifty years. His successor was Janus, one of the +people of Kittim, who enjoyed an equally long reign. + +Balaam had made his escape to Egypt after the death of +Zepho, and he was received there with great demonstrations +of honor by the king and all the nobles, and Pharaoh appointed +him to be royal counsellor, for he had heard much +about his exceeding great wisdom. + +In the Edomite kingdom, Samlah was succeeded by Saul +of Pethor, a youth of surpassing beauty, whose reign lasted +forty years. His successor upon the throne was Baal +Hamon, king for thirty-eight years, during which period the +Moabites rose up against the Edomites, to whom they had +been paying tribute since the time of Hadad, and they succeeded +in throwing off the yoke of the stranger. + +The times were troubled everywhere. Agnias, the king of +Africa, died, and also the death of Janus occurred, the king +of Kittim. The successors to these two rulers, Asdrubal, +the son of Agnias, and Latinus, the king of Kittim, then +entered upon a long drawn out war of many years. At first +the fortune of war favored Latinus. He sailed to Africa +in ships, and inflicted one defeat after another upon Asdrubal, +and finally this king of Africa lost his life upon the +battlefield. After destroying the canal from Kittim to Africa +built many years before by Agnias, Latinus returned to +his own country, taking with him as his wife Ushpiziwnah, +the daughter of Asdrubal, who was so wondrously beautiful +that her countrymen wore her likeness upon their garments. + +Latinus did not enjoy the fruits of his victory long. +Anibal, the younger brother of Asdrubal and his successor +in the royal power, went to Kittim in ships and carried on +a series of wars lasting eighteen years, in the course of +which he killed off eighty thousand of the people of Kittim, +not sparing the princes and the nobles. At the end of this +protracted period he went back to Africa, and reigned over +his people in quiet and peace. + +The Edomites, during the forty-eight years of the reign +of Hadad, the successor of Baal Hamon, fared no better than +the people of Kittim. Hadad's first undertaking was to reduce +the Moabites again under the sovereignty of Edom, but +he had to desist, because he could not offer successful +resistance +to a newly chosen king of theirs, one of their own +people, who enlisted the aid of their kinsmen the Ammonites. +The allies commanded a great host, and Hadad was +overwhelmed. These wars were followed by others between +Hadad of Edom. and Abimenos of Kittim. The latter was +the attacking party, and he invaded Seir with a mighty army. +The sons of Seir were defeated abjectly, their king Hadad +was taken captive, and then executed by Abimenos, and +Seir was made a province subject to Kittim and ruled by a +governor. + +Thus ended the independence of the sons of Esau. +Henceforth they had to pay tribute to Kittim, over which +Abimenos ruled until his death, in the thirty-eighth year of +his reign.[426] + + +JOSEPH'S MAGNANIMITY + +As Joseph was returning from the burial of his father in +the Cave of Machpelah, he passed the pit into which his +brethren had once cast him, and he looked into it, and said, +"Blessed be God who permitted a miracle to come to pass +for me here!" The brethren inferred from these words of +gratitude, which Joseph but uttered in compliance with the +injunctions of the law, that he cherished the recollection of +the evil they had done him, and they feared, that now their +father was dead, their brother would requite them in accordance +with their deeds. They observed, moreover, that since +their father was no more, Joseph had given up the habit of +entertaining them at his table, and they interpreted this as +a sign of his hatred of them. In reality, it was due to +Joseph's respect and esteem for his brethren. "So long +as my father was alive," Joseph said to himself, "he bade +me sit at the head of the table, though Judah is king, and +Reuben is the first-born. It was my father's wish, and +I complied with it. But now it is not seemly that I should +have the first seat in their presence, and yet, being ruler of +Egypt, I cannot yield my place to any other." He thought +it best therefore not to have the company of his brethren +at his meals. + +But they, not fathoming his motives, sent Bilhah to him +with the dying message of their father, that he was to forgive +the transgression and the sin of his brethren. For the +sake of the ways of peace they had invented the message; +Jacob had said nothing like it. Joseph, on his part, realized +that his brethren spoke thus only because they feared he +might do harm unto them, and he wept that they should put +so little trust in his affection. When they appeared, and fell +down before his face, and said, "Thou didst desire to make +one of us a slave unto thyself. Behold, we all are ready to be +thy servants," he spoke to them gently, and tried to convince +them that he harbored no evil design against them. He +said: "Be not afraid, I will do you no harm, for I fear God, +and if ye think I failed to have you sit at my table because +of enmity toward you, God knows the intentions of my +heart, He knows that I acted thus out of consideration for +the respect I owe to you."[427] + +Furthermore he said: "Ye are like unto the dust of the +earth, the sand on the sea-shore, and the stars in the heavens. +Can I do aught to put these out of the world? Ten +stars could effect nothing against one star, how much less +can one star effect anything against ten? Do you believe that +I have the power of acting contrary to the laws of nature? +Twelve hours hath the day, twelve hours the night, twelve +months the year, twelve constellations are in the heavens, +and also there are twelve tribes! You are the trunk and I +am the head--of what use the head without the trunk? It +is to my own good that I should treat you with fraternal +affection. Before your advent, I was looked upon as a slave +in this country--you proved me a man of noble birth. Now, +if I should kill you, my claims upon an aristocratic lineage +would be shown to be a lie. The Egyptians would say, He +was not their brother, they were strangers to him, he but +called them his brethren to serve his purpose, and now he +hath found a pretext to put them out of the way. Or they +would hold me to be a man of no probity. Who plays false +with his own kith and kin, how can he keep faith with +others? And, in sooth, how can I venture to lay hand upon +those whom God and my father both have blessed?"[428] + +As Joseph's dealings were kind and gentle with his brethren, +so he was the helper and counsellor of the Egyptians, +and when Pharaoh departed this life, Joseph being then a +man of seventy-one years of age, the king's last wish was +that he might be a father unto his son and successor Magron, +and administer the affairs of state for him. Some of the +Egyptians desired to make Joseph king after the death of +Pharaoh, but this plan met with opposition on the part of +others. They objected to an alien on the throne, and so the +royal title was left to Magron, called Pharaoh, according to +the established custom the name given to all the Egyptian +kings. But Joseph was made the actual ruler of the land, +and though he was only viceroy in Egypt, he reigned as +king over the lands outside of Egypt as far as the Euphrates, +parts of which Joseph had acquired by conquest. +The inhabitants of these countries brought their yearly +tribute to him and other presents besides, and thus did +Joseph rule for forty years, beloved of all, and respected by +the Egyptians and the other nations, and during all that time +his brethren dwelt in Goshen, happy and blithe in the service +of God. And in his own family circle Joseph was happy +also; he lived to act as godfather at the circumcision of the +sons of his grandson Machir. + +His end was premature as compared with that of his +brethren; at his death he was younger than any of them at +their death. It is true, "Dominion buries him that exercises +it."[429] He died ten years before his allotted time, because, +without taking umbrage, he had permitted his brethren to +call his father his "servant" in his presence.[430] + + +ASENATH + +God gives every man the wife he deserves,[431] and so +Asenath was worthy of being the helpmeet of Joseph the +pious. Her father was Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's magnates, +ranking among the most distinguished of them by +reason of wisdom, wealth, and station. His daughter was +slender like unto Sarah, beautiful like Rebekah, and radiant +in appearance like Rachel. Noblemen and princes sued for +her hand when she was eighteen years of age. Even Pharaoh's +appointed successor, his first-born son, demanded her +in marriage, but his father refused to comply with his wish, +because he did not consider her a proper wife for one destined +to sit upon the throne. The daughter of the Moabite +king, he insisted, was a more suitable match for him. But +Asenath rejected every proposal of marriage, and avoided +all intercourse with men. With seven maidens born the same +day as herself, she lived in retirement in a magnificent +palace adjoining that of her parents. + +It happened in the first of the seven years of plenty that +Joseph planned to visit the place in which Potiphar resided, +and he sent word to him that he would put up with him, at +his house. Potiphar was enchanted with the honor in prospect +for him, and also with the opportunity it would afford him +of bringing about a marriage between Asenath and Joseph. +But when he disclosed his plan to his daughter, she rejected +it with indignation. "Why shouldst thou desire to see me +united with a vagabond, a slave," she cried out, "one that +does not even belong to our nation, but is the son of a +Canaanitish herdsman, a fellow that attempted to violate the +honor of his mistress, and in punishment for this misdemeanor was +thrown into prison, to be liberated thence by +Pharaoh for interpreting his dream? Nay, father, never +will I become his wife. I am willing to marry the son of +Pharaoh, the future ruler and king of Egypt." + +Potiphar promised his daughter not to speak of the plan +again. At that moment Joseph's arrival was announced, +and Asenath left the presence of her parents and withdrew +to her own apartments. Standing by the window, she saw +Joseph pass, and she was so transported with his divine +beauty and his indescribably noble carriage that she burst +into tears, and said: "Poor, foolish me, what shall I do? +I permitted myself to be misled by friends, who told me that +Joseph was the son of a Canaanitish shepherd. Now I behold +the splendor that emanates from him like unto the +splendor of the sun, illuminating our house with his rays. +In my audacity and folly I had looked down upon him, and +had spoken absurd nonsense against him. I knew not that +he was a son of God, as he must be, for among men such +beauty as his does not exist. I pray Thee, O God of Joseph, +grant me pardon! It was my ignorance that made me speak +like a fool. If my father will give me in marriage to Joseph, +I will be his forever." + +Meantime Joseph had taken his seat at Potiphar's table, +and he observed a maiden looking at him from one of the +palace windows. He commanded that she be ordered away, +for he never permitted women to gaze at him or come near +to him. His supernatural beauty always fascinated the +noble Egyptian ladies, and they were untiring in the efforts +they made to approach him. But their attempts were vain. +He cherished the words of his father Jacob, who had admonished +his son to keep aloof from the women of the Gentiles. + +Potiphar explained to Joseph that the maiden at the window +was his virgin daughter, who never permitted men to +abide near her; he was the first man she had ever looked +upon. The father continued and made the request of Joseph, +to allow his daughter to pay him her respects. Joseph +granted the favor he desired, and Asenath appeared and +greeted him with the words, "Peace be with thee, thou +blessed of God Most High," whereunto Joseph returned the +salutation, "Be thou blessed of the Lord, from whom flow +all blessings." + +Asenath desired also to kiss Joseph, but he warded off the +intimate greeting with the words: "It is not meet that a +God-fearing man, who blesses the living God, and eats the +blessed bread of life, who drinks of the blessed cup of +immortality +and incorruptibility, and anoints himself with the +fragrant oil of holiness, should kiss a woman of a strange +people, who blesses dead and unprofitable idols, and eats +the putrid bread of idolatry, which chokes the soul of man, +who drinks the libations of deceit, and anoints herself with +the oil of destruction." + +These words uttered by Joseph touched Asenath unto +tears. Out of compassion with her, he bestowed his blessing +upon her, calling upon God to pour out His spirit over +her and make her to become a member of His people and +His inheritance, and grant her a portion in the life eternal. + + +THE MARRIAGE OF JOSEPH + +The appearance and the speech of Joseph made so deep +an impression upon Asenath that no sooner had she reached +her apartment than she divested herself of her robes of state +and took off her jewels, and put on sackcloth instead, +strewed ashes upon her head, and supplicated God amid +tears to grant her pardon for her sins. In this manner she +spent seven days and seven nights in her chamber. Not +even her seven attendants were permitted to enter her presence +during the time of her penance. The morning of the +eighth day an angel appeared unto her, and bade her put +away her sackcloth and ashes and array herself in state, for +this day she had been born anew, he said, to eat the blessed +bread of life, to drink of the cup of life immortal, and anoint +herself with the oil of life eternal. Asenath was about to +set food and drink before her guest, when she perceived a +honeycomb of wondrous form and fragrance. The angel +explained to her that it had been produced by the bees of +Paradise, to serve as food for the angels and the elect of +God. He took a small portion of it for himself, and the +rest he put into Asenath's mouth, saying: "From this day +forth thy body shall bloom like the eternal flowers in Paradise, +thy bones shall wax fat like the cedars thereof, strength +inexhaustible shall be thine, thy youth shall never fade, and +thy beauty never perish, and thou shalt be like unto a metropolis +surrounded by a wall." At the request of Asenath, +the angel blessed also her seven attendants, with the words, +"May the Lord bless you and make you to be seven pillars +in the City of Refuge." + +Thereupon the angel left her, and she saw him ascend +heavenward in a chariot of fire drawn by four steeds of fire. +Now she knew that she had not been entertaining a human +being, but an angel. + +The celestial messenger had scarcely departed, when a +visit from Joseph was announced, and she hastened to array +and adorn herself for his reception. When she washed her +face, she caught sight of it in the water, and saw it to be of +such beauty as never before, so great had been the transformation +wrought by the angel. When Joseph came, he did +not recognize her. He asked her who she was, whereto she +replied, "I am thy maid-servant Asenath! I have cast away +my idols, and this day a visitant came to me from heaven. +He gave me to eat of the bread of life and to drink of the +blessed cup, and he spake these words unto me, 'I give thee +unto Joseph as his affianced wife, that he may be thy affianced +husband forever.' And furthermore he said, 'Thy +name shall not any more be called Asenath, but thy name +shall be City of Refuge, whither the nations shall flee for +safety.' And he added, 'I go to Joseph, to tell him all these +things that have reference to thee.' Now, my lord, thou +knowest whether the man was with thee and spoke to thee +in my behalf." + +Joseph confirmed all she had said, and they embraced and +kissed each other in token of their betrothal, which they +celebrated by a banquet with Potiphar and his wife. The +wedding took place later in the presence of Pharaoh, who +set a golden crown upon the head of the bridegroom and the +bride, gave them his blessing, and made a seven days' feast +in their honor, to which he invited the magnates and princes +of Egypt and of other countries. And during the seven days +of the wedding festivities the people were prohibited, under +penalty of death, from doing any manner of work; they all +were to join in the celebration of Joseph's marriage. + + +KIND AND UNKIND BRETHREN + + +On the twenty-first day of the second month in the second +of the seven years of famine, Jacob came down to Egypt, +and his daughter-in-law Asenath visited him. She marvelled +not a little at his beauty and strength. His shoulders +and his arms were like an angel's, and his loins like a giant's. +Jacob gave her his blessing, and with her husband she returned +home, accompanied by the sons of Leah, while the +sons of the handmaids, remembering the evil they had once +done unto Joseph, kept aloof. Levi in particular had conceived +a fondness for Asenath. He was especially close to +the Living God, for he was a prophet and a sage, his eyes +were open, and he knew how to read the celestial books +written by the finger of God. He revealed to Asenath that +he had seen her future resting-place in heaven, and it was +built upon a rock and encompassed by a diamond wall. + +On their journey they met the son of Pharaoh, his successor +to the throne, and he was so transported with Asenath's +beauty, that he made the plan of murdering Joseph +in order to secure possession of his wife. He summoned +Simon and Levi, and by blandishments and promises sought +to induce them to put Joseph out of the way. Simon was +so enraged that he would have felled him at once, had not +his brother Levi, who was endowed with the gift of prophecy, +divined his purpose, and frustrated it by stepping upon +his foot, while whispering: "Why art thou so angry, and +so wroth with the man? We that fear God may not repay +evil with evil." Turning to the son of Pharaoh, he told him +that nothing would induce them to execute the wickedness +he had proposed; rather he advised him not to undertake +aught against Joseph, else he would kill him with the sword +that had served him in his slaughter of the inhabitants of +Shechem. The culprit was seized with frantic alarm, and +fell down before Simon and Levi to entreat their mercy. +Levi raised him tip, saying, "Fear not, but abandon thy +wicked plan, and harbor no evil design against Joseph." + +Nevertheless the son of Pharaoh did not give up his +criminal purpose. He approached the sons of Bilhah and +Zilpah, and sought to accomplish through them what had +failed with Simon and Levi. He called them into his presence, +and told them of a conversation between Joseph and +Pharaoh that he had overheard. The former had said that +he waited but to learn of the death of his father Jacob in +order to do away with the sons of the handmaids, because +they had been the ones to sell him into slavery. Their wrath +excited against Joseph by these words, the sons of Bilhah +and Zilpah assented to the proposition of the son of Pharaoh. +It was arranged that the latter should kill Pharaoh, +the friend of Joseph, while they would fall upon their +brother, and put him out of the way. They were furnished +with six hundred able warriors and fifty spearmen for the +purpose. The first part of the plan, the murder of Pharaoh, +failed. The palace guard would not allow even the successor +to the throne to enter his father's bedchamber, and +he had to depart without having effected his object. + +Now Dan and Gad gave him the advice to take up his +station with fifty archers in a secret place that Asenath +had to pass on her homeward journey. Thence he could +make a successful attack upon her suite, and gain possession +of her. Naphtali and Asher did not care to have anything to do +with this hostile enterprise against Joseph, but +Dan and Gad forced them into it, insisting that all the sons +of the handmaids must stand together as men and repel the +danger that threatened them. + + +TREACHERY PUNISHED + +From their ambush the forces of the son of Pharaoh fell +upon Asenath and her six hundred attendants. They succeeded +in hewing down the vanguard, and Asenath had to +take to flight. To her alarm she encountered the son of +Pharaoh with fifty mounted men. Benjamin, seated in the +same chariot with her, came to her rescue, for in spite of his +youth he was exceedingly courageous. He descended from +the chariot, gathered pebbles, and, throwing them at the +son of Pharaoh, struck him on his forehead and inflicted a +severe wound. The charioteer aided him by keeping him +supplied with pebbles, which he cast at the fifty riders with +such expert skill that he slew forty-eight of them with as +many missiles. Meantime the sons of Leah arrived on the +spot and came to Asenath's aid, for Levi, with his prophetic +spirit, had seen what was happening, and summoning his +five brothers he had hastened thither. These six attacked +the troops in ambush and cut them down. But the danger +to Asenath was by no means removed. At this moment the +sons of the handmaids threw themselves upon her and Benjamin +with drawn swords. It was their intention to kill +them both, and flee to cover in the depths of the woods. +But as soon as Asenath supplicated God for aid, the swords +dropped from the hands of her assailants, and they saw that +the Lord was on the side of Asenath. They fell at her feet +and entreated her grace. She allayed their anxiety with the +words: "Be courageous and have no fear of your brethren, +the sons of Leah. They are God-fearing men. Do but keep +yourselves in hiding until their wrath is appeased." + +When the sons of Leah appeared, Asenath fell down before +them, and amid tears she adjured them to spare the +sons of the handmaids and not repay with evil the evil they +had meditated. Simon would not hear of making concessions. +He insisted that the measure of their sins was full, +and they must pay for them with their lives, for they had +been the ones that had sold Joseph into slavery, and brought +down untold misfortune upon Jacob and his sons. But Asenath +did not leave off, and her urgent petitions won the day. +She succeeded in calming the anger of Simon, and in Levi +she had a secret ally, for this prophet knew the hiding-place +of the sons of the handmaids, and he did not betray it to +Simon, lest his wrath be increased at the sight of them. It +was also Levi that restrained Benjamin from giving the +death blow to the heavily wounded son of Pharaoh. So far +from permitting harm to be done to him, he washed his +wounds, put him into a chariot, and took him to Pharaoh, +who thanked Levi from his heart for his services of loving- +kindness. Levi's efforts were vain, three days later the son +of Pharaoh died of the wounds inflicted by Benjamin, and +from grief over the loss of his first-born Pharaoh followed +him soon after, departing this life at the age of one hundred +and seventy-seven years. His crown he left to Joseph, who +ruled over Egypt for forty-eight years thereafter. He in +turn handed the crown on to the grandchild of Pharaoh, an +infant in arms at the time of his grandfather's death, toward +whom Joseph had acted in a father's stead all his life.[432] + + +THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF JOSEPH + +On his death-bed Joseph took an oath of his brethren, and +he bade them on their death-bed likewise take an oath of +their sons, to carry his bones to Palestine, when God should +visit them and bring them up out of the land of Egypt. He +said: "I that am a ruler could take my father's body up to +the Holy Land while it was still intact. Of you I do but +make the request that ye carry my bones from hence, and +you may inter them in any spot in Palestine, for I know that +the burial-place of the fathers was appointed to be the tomb +only of the three Patriarchs and their three wives." + +Joseph took the oath, to carry his remains along with them +when they left Egypt, from his brethren, and not from his +sons, to bury him at once in Palestine, for he feared the +Egyptians would not give the latter permission to transport +his bones even if they recalled what Joseph had been allowed +to do with his father's body. They would object that Joseph +had been the viceroy, and a wish preferred by one of so high +an estate could not be denied.[433] Furthermore, he adjured +his brethren not to leave Egypt until a redeemer should +appear and announce his message with the words, "Pakod-- +I have surely visited you"--a tradition which Joseph had +received from his father, who bad it from Isaac, and Isaac +in turn had beard it from Abraham.[434] And he told them that +God would redeem Israel through Moses as through the +Messiah, in this world as in the world to come, and the +Egyptian redemption would begin in Tishri, when Israel +would be freed from slave labor, and would be completed +in the following Nisan, when they would leave Egypt.[435] + +Joseph also admonished his brethren to walk in the ways +of the Lord, so that they might become worthy of His grace +and help. Especially he impressed upon his brethren and +his sons the virtue of chastity and a steadfast moral life. +He told them all that had happened to him, the hatred of +his brethren, the persecutions of the wife of Potiphar, the +slander, envy, and malice of the Egyptians, to show how that +those who fear the Lord are not forsaken by Him in darkness, +or bondage, or tribulation, or distress. "I was sold +into slavery," he said, "but the Lord delivered me; I was +thrown into prison, but His strong hand helped me. I was +tortured by hunger, but the Lord Himself gave me sustenance. +I was alone, and God comforted me. And as for +you, if ye will walk in the ways of chastity and purity in +patience and humility of heart, the Lord will dwell among +you, for He loveth a chaste life, and if you, my children, +will observe the commandments of the Lord, He will raise +you up here, in this world, and bless you there, in the world +to come. If men seek to do evil unto you, pray for them, +and you will be delivered from all evil by the Lord. On +account of my forbearing patience I received the daughter +of my master to wife, and her dowry was a hundred talents +of gold, and God gave me also beauty like the beauty of a +flower, more than all the children of Jacob, and He preserved +me unto mine old age in vigor and beauty, for in all +things did I resemble Jacob." + +Joseph continued and told them the visions he had +had, in which the future of Israel was revealed to him, +and then he closed with the words: "I know that the Egyptians +will oppress you after my death, but God will execute +vengeance for your sakes, and He will lead you to the land +of promise of your fathers. But ye shall surely carry my +bones with you from hence, for if my remains are taken to +Canaan, the Lord will be with you in the light, and Behar +will be with the Egyptians in the darkness. Also take with +you the bones of your mother Zilpah, and bury them near +the sepulchre of Bilhah and Rachel." + +These words ended, he stretched out his feet, and slept +his last eternal sleep, and the whole of Israel mourned him, +and the whole of Egypt was in great grief, for he had been +a compassionate friend to the Egyptians, too, and he had +done good unto them, and given them wise counsel and assistance +in all their undertakings.[436] + +Joseph's wish, that his bones should rest in the Holy Land, +was fulfilled when the Israelites went forth from Egypt, and +no less a personage than Moses applied himself to its execution. +Such was Joseph's reward for the devotion he had +displayed in the interment of his father's body, for he had +done all things needful himself, leaving naught to others. +Therefore so great a man as Moses busied himself with the +realization of Joseph's wish.[437] + +For three days and three nights preceding the exodus +Moses hunted up and down through the land of Egypt for +Joseph's coffin, because he knew that Israel could not leave +Egypt without heeding the oath given to Joseph. But his +trouble was in vain; the coffin was nowhere to be found. +Serah, the daughter of Asher, met Moses, tired and exhausted, +and in answer to her question about the cause of his +weariness, he told her of his fruitless search. Serah took +him to the Nile river, and told him that the leaden coffin +made for Joseph by the Egyptians had been sunk there after +having been scaled up on all sides. The Egyptians had +done this at the instigation and with the help of the magicians, +who, knowing that Israel could not leave the country +without the coffin, had used their arts to put it in a place +whence it could not be removed.[438] + +Moses now took Joseph's cup, and he cut four flat pieces +from it, and engraved a lion on one of them, an eagle on the +second, a bull on the third, and a human figure on the fourth. +He threw the first, with the lion, into the river, saying at the +same time, "Joseph, Joseph, the hour for the redemption of +Israel hath arrived, the Shekinah lingers here only for thy +sake, the clouds of glory await thy coming. If thou wilt +show thyself, well and good; if not, then we are clear from +our oath." But the coffin did not appear. + +Then Moses threw the second plate into the water, that +with the figure of the eagle, repeating the same words, but +again the coffin did not rise from the bed of the Nile, and +there it remained, too, when he threw in the third plate bearing +the figure of the bull, and called upon Joseph a third +time to come forth. But the fourth plate with the human +figure and the fourth invocation to Joseph brought the coffin +to the surface of the water. Moses seized it, and in joy he +bore it off.[439] While Israel had been busy gathering gold +and silver from the Egyptians, Moses had been thinking of +nothing but Joseph's coffin, and his happiness was great +that he had been permitted to fulfil the wish of Joseph.[440] + +During the forty years of wandering through the desert, +the coffin was in the midst of Israel, as a reward for Joseph's +promise to his brethren, "I will nourish you and take care +of you." God had said, "As thou livest, for forty years +they will take care of thy bones."[441] + +All this time in the desert Israel carried two shrines with +them, the one the coffin containing the bones of the dead +man Joseph, the other the Ark containing the covenant of +the Living God. The wayfarers who saw the two receptacles +wondered, and they would ask, "How doth the ark of the +dead come next to the ark of the Ever-living?" The +answer was, "The dead man enshrined in the one fulfilled +the commandments enshrined in the other. In the latter it +is written, I am the Lord thy God, and he said, Am I in the +place of God? Here it is written, Thou shalt have no other +gods before My face, and he said, I fear God. Here it is +written, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God +in vain, and therefore he did not swear by God, but said, +By the life of Pharaoh. Here it is written, Remember the +Sabbath day, and he said to the overseer of his palace on +Friday, Slay and make ready, meaning for the Sabbath. +Here it is written, Honor thy father and thy mother, and he +said, when his father desired to send him to his brethren, +Here am I, although he knew it was perilous for him to go. +Here it is written, Thou shalt not kill, and he refrained from +murdering Potiphar when Potiphar's wife urged him to do +it. Here it is written, Thou shalt not commit adultery, and +he scorned the adulterous proposals of Potiphar's wife. +Here it is written, Thou shalt not steal, and he stole nothing +from Pharaoh, but gathered up all the money and brought +it unto Pharaoh's house. Here it is written, Thou shalt not +bear false witness against thy neighbor, and he told his +father nothing of what his brethren had done to him, though +what he might have told was the truth. Here it is written, +Thou shalt not covet, and he did not covet Potiphar's +wife."[442] + +On their arrival in the Holy Land, the Israelites buried +the bones of Joseph in Shechem, for God spake to the tribes, +saying, "From Shechem did ye steal him, and unto Shechem, +shall ye return him."[443] + +God, who is so solicitous about the dead bodies of the +pious, is even more solicitous about their souls, which stand +before Him like angels, and do their service ministering +unto Him.[444] + + + +II + +THE SONS OF JACOB + +SIGNIFICANT NAMES +REUBEN'S TESTAMENT +SIMON'S ADMONITION AGAINST ENVY +THE ASCENSION OF LEVI +JUDAH WARNS AGAINST GREED AND UNCHASTITY +ISSACHAR'S SINGLENESS OF HEART +ZEBULON EXHORTS UNTO COMPASSION +DAN'S CONFESSION +NAPHTALI'S DREAMS OF THE DIVISION OF THE TRIBES +GAD'S HATRED +ASHER'S LAST WORDS +BENJAMIN EXTOLS JOSEPH + + + +II + +THE SONS OF JACOB + +SIGNIFICANT NAMES + +Jacob raised all his sons in the fear of God, and taught +them the ways of a pious life, using severity when there was +need to make his lessons impressive. He reaped the fruits +of his labor, for all his sons were godly men of stainless +character.[1] The ancestors of the twelve tribes resembled +their fathers in piety, and their acts were no less significant +than those of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Like these three, +they deserve to be called the Fathers of Israel.[2] God made +a covenant with them as He had made with the three Patriarchs, +and to this covenant their descendants owe their +preservation.[3] + +The very names of the tribes point to the redemption of +Israel. Reuben is so called, because God "sees" the affliction +of His people; Simon, because He "hears" its groaning; +Levi, He "joins" Himself unto His people when Israel +suffers; Judah, Israel will "thank" God for its deliverance; +Issachar, it will be "rewarded" for its suffering with a +recompense; Zebulon, God will have a "dwelling-place" in +Israel; Benjamin, He swore by His "right hand" to succor +His people; Dan, He will "judge" the nation that subjugates +Israel; Naphtali, He bestowed the Torah upon Israel, +and she drops sweetness like the "honeycomb"; Gad, the +Lord gave manna unto Israel, and it was like "coriander" +seed; Asher, all nations will call Israel "happy"; and Joseph, +because God will "add" a second redemption of Israel +to the first--redemption from the wicked kingdom at the end +as from Egypt in former times.[4] + +Not only the names of Jacob's sons are significant, but the +names of their sons as well. Thus the names of the sons of +Issachar express the activities of the tribe known for its +learning above all the others. The oldest was called Tola, +"worm"; as the silk worm is distinguished for its mouth, +with which it spins, so also the men of the tribe of Issachar +for the wise words of their mouth. The second is Puah, +"madder plant"; as this plant colors all things, so the tribe +of Issachar colors the whole world with its teachings. The +third is Jashub, "the returning one," for through the teachings +of Issachar Israel will be turned back to its Heavenly +Father; and Shimron, the fourth, is "the observing one," +to indicate that the tribe of Issachar observes the Torah.[5] + +The names of the sons of Gad likewise interpret the history +of the tribe. During Israel's sojourn in Egypt, it had +strayed from the right path, but when Aaron appeared as +prophet and monitor, and called unto the Israelites to cast +away the abominations of their eyes and forsake the idols +of Egypt, they hearkened unto his words. Hence the double +name Ozni and Ezbon borne by one of the sons of Gad, for +this tribe "hearkened" to the word of God, and fulfilled His +"will." + +The grandsons of Asher bear the names Heber and Malchiel, +because they were the "associates" of kings, and their +inheritance yielded "royal dainties." + +Partly the history of the tribe of Benjamin can be read in +the names of its chiefs. It consisted originally of ten +divisions, +descended from Benjamin's ten sons, but five of them +perished in Egypt on account of their ungodly ways, from +which no admonition availed to turn them aside. Of the five +families remaining, two, the descendants of Bela and those +of Ashbel, had always been God-fearing; the others, the +Ahiramites, the Shephuphamites, and the Huphamites, repented +of their sins, and in accordance with the change in +their conduct had been the change in their names. Ehi had +become Ahiram, because the breach with the "Exalted" +One was healed; Muppira was called Shephupham, because +they "afflicted" themselves in their penance; and Huppim +was turned into Hupham, to indicate that they had +"cleansed" themselves from sin. As a reward for their +piety, the family springing from Bela was permitted to have +two subdivisions, the Ardites and the Naamites. Their +names point them out as men that know well how the fear +of God is to be manifested, whose deeds are exceedingly +lovely. + +Naphtali was another tribe of steadfast piety, and the +names of his sons testify thereto: Jahzeel, because the tribesmen +raised a "partition wall" between God and the idols, +inasmuch as they trusted in God and contemned the idols; +Guni, because God was their "protection"; and Jezer and +Shillem designate the Naphtalites as men devoted to God +with all their hearts.[6] + + +REUBEN'S TESTAMENT + +Two years after the death of Joseph, Reuben fell sick. +Feeling that his end was nigh, he called together his sons, +his grandsons, and his brethren, to give them his last +admonitions +from out of the fulness of his experience. He +spake: "Hear, my brethren, and do ye, my children, give +ear unto Reuben your father in the commands that I enjoin +upon you. And, behold, I adjure you this day by the +God of heaven that ye walk not in the follies of youth and +the fornications to which I was addicted, and wherewith I +defiled the bed of my father Jacob. For I tell you now that +for seven months the Lord afflicted my loins with a terrible +plague, and if my father Jacob had not interceded for me, +the Lord had swept me away. I was twenty years of age +when I did what was evil before the Lord, and for seven +months I was sick unto death. Then I did penance for +seven years in the innermost depths of my soul. Wine and +strong drink I drank not, the flesh of animals passed not my +lips, dainties I tasted not, because I mourned over my sins, +for they were great." + +He admonished those gathered around him to beware of +the seven tempter spirits, which are the spirit of fornication, +gluttony, strife, love of admiration, arrogance, falsehood, +and injustice. He cautioned them especially against unchastity, +saying: "Pay no heed to the glances of a woman, +and remain not alone with a married woman, and do not occupy +yourselves with the affairs of women. Had I not seen +Bilhah bathe in a secluded spot, I had not fallen into the +great sin I committed, for after my thoughts had once +grasped the nakedness of woman, I could not sleep until I +had accomplished the abominable deed. For when our +father Jacob went to his father Isaac, while we sojourned in +Eder, not far from Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem, Bilhah +was drunken with wine, and she lay asleep, uncovered, in +her bedchamber, and I entered in and saw her nakedness +and committed the sin, and I went out again, leaving her +asleep. But an angel of God revealed my impious act to my +father Jacob at once. He came back and mourned over me, +and never again did he approach Bilhah. Unto the very last +day of his life, I had not the assurance to look my father in +the face or to speak to my brethren regarding my disgrace, +and even now my conscience tortures me on account of my +sin. Nevertheless my father spake words of comfort to me, +and prayed to God in my behalf, that the wrath of the Lord +might depart from me, as He showed me." + +Reuben admonished his children impressively to join +themselves to Levi, "because he will know the law of the +Lord," he said, "and he will give ordinances for judgment, +and bring sacrifices for all Israel, until the consummation of +the times, as the anointed high priest of whom the Lord +spake." + +After announcing his last will to his sons, Reuben departed +this life at the age of one hundred and twenty-five +years. His body was laid in a coffin until his sons bore it +away from Egypt, and carried it up to Hebron, where they +buried it in the Double Cave.[7] + + +SIMON'S ADMONITION AGAINST ENVY + +As Reuben confessed his sin upon his death-bed, and +warned his children and his family to be on their guard +against unchastity, the vice that had brought about his fall, +so Simon, when he was about to die, assembled his sons +around him, and confessed the sin he had committed. He +had been guilty of boundless envy of Joseph, and he spoke: +"I was the second son begotten by my father Jacob, and my +mother Leah called me Simon, because the Lord had heard +her prayer. I waxed strong, and shrank from no manner of +deed, and I was afraid of naught, for my heart was hard, +and my liver unyielding, and my bowels without mercy. +And in the days of my youth I was jealous of Joseph, for our +father loved him more than all the rest of us, and I resolved +to kill him. For the prince of temptation sent the spirit of +jealousy to take possession of me, and it blinded me so that +I did not consider Joseph to be my brother, and I spared +not even my father Jacob. But his God and the God of his +fathers sent His angel and saved him out of my hands. + +When I went to Shechem to fetch ointment for the herds, +and Reuben was in Dothan, where all our supplies and stores +were kept, our brother Judah sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites. +On his return, when he heard what had happened, Reuben +was very sad, for he had been desirous of saving Joseph and +bringing him back to our father. But as for me, my wrath +was enkindled against Judah, that he had let him escape +alive. My anger abode with me all of five months. But the +Lord restrained me from using the power of my hands, for +my right hand withered for the length of seven days. Then +I knew that what had happened was for the sake of Joseph. +I repented and prayed to God to restore my hand and withhold +me henceforth from all sorts of defilement, envy, and +folly. For two years I gave myself up to fasting and the +fear of God, for I perceived that redemption from jealousy +could come only through the fear of God. + +My father, seeing me downcast, asked to know the cause +of my sadness, and I replied that I was suffering with my +liver, but in truth I was mourning more than all my brethren, +seeing that I had been the cause of Joseph's sale. And +when we went down into Egypt, and Joseph bound me as a +spy, I was not grieved, for I knew in my heart that my suffering +was just retribution. But Joseph was good, the spirit +of God dwelt within him. Compassionate and merciful as +he was, he bore me no resentment for my evil deeds toward +him, but he loved me with the same love he showed the +others. He paid due honor to us all, and gave us gold, and +cattle, and produce. And now, my dear children, do ye love +one another, each one his brother, with a clean heart, and +remove the spirit of jealousy from the midst of you." + +Like Reuben, so also Simon adjured his sons to beware of +unchastity, for this vice is the mother of all evil. It separates +man from God, and abandons him to Behar. These +were the closing words of his exhortation: "In the writings +of Enoch I saw that your sons would be corrupted +through unchastity, and they would maltreat the sons of +Levi with the sword. But they will not be able to do aught +against Levi, for the war he will wage is the war of the +Lord, and he will vanquish all your armies. As a small remnant +you will be scattered among Levi and Judah, and none +among you will rise to be a judge or a king of our people, as, +my father Jacob prophesied in his blessing." + +Having completed his admonitions to his sons, Simon +passed away and was gathered to his fathers, at the age of +one hundred and twenty years. His sons placed him in a +coffin made of imperishable wood, so that they might carry +his bones to Hebron, as they did, in secret, during the war +between the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Thus did all the +tribes during the war; they took the remains each of its +founder from Egypt to Hebron. Only the bones of Joseph +remained in Egypt until the Israelites went out of the land, +for the Egyptians guarded them in their royal treasure +chambers. Their magicians had warned them that whenever +Joseph's bones should be removed from Egypt, a great darkness +would envelop the whole land, and it would be a dire +misfortune for the Egyptians, for none would be able to +recognize his neighbor even with the light of a lamp.[8] + + +THE ASCENSION OF LEVI + +When it was disclosed to Levi that he was about to die, +he gathered all his children around him, to tell them the +story of his life, and he also prophesied unto them what they +would do, and what would happen to them until the judgment +day. He spoke: "When we were pasturing the flocks +in Abel-Meholah, the spirit of understanding of the Lord +came upon me, and I saw all mankind, how they corrupt +their ways, and that injustice builds up walls for herself, +and impiety sits enthroned upon the towers. And I fell to +grieving over the generations of men, and I prayed to the +Lord to save me. Sleep enshrouded me, and I beheld a tall +mountain, and lo! the heavens opened, and an angel of God +addressed me, and said: 'Levi, enter!' + +"I entered the first heaven, and I saw a great sea hanging +there, and farther on I saw a second heaven, brighter and +more resplendent than the first. I said to the angel, 'Why +is this so?' And the angel said to me, 'Marvel not at this, +for thou shalt see another heaven, brilliant beyond compare, +and when thou hast ascended thither, thou shalt stand near +the Lord, and thou shalt be His minister, and declare His +mysteries to men; and of the Lord's portion shall be thy +life, and He shall be thy field and vineyard and fruits and +gold and silver.' + +"Then the angel explained the uses of the different heavens +to me, and all that happens in each, and he proclaimed +the judgment day. He opened the gates of the third heaven, +where I beheld the holy Temple, and God seated upon the +Throne of Glory. The Lord spake to me: 'Levi, upon +thee have I bestowed the blessing of the priesthood, until I +come and dwell in the midst of Israel.' Then the angel +carried me back to earth, and gave me a shield and a sword, +saying, 'Execute vengeance upon Shechem for Dinah, and +I will be with thee, for the Lord hath sent me.' I asked the +angel what his name was, and he replied: 'I am the angel +that intercedes for the people of Israel, that it may not be +destroyed utterly, for every evil spirit attacks it.' + +"When I awoke, I betook myself to my father, and on the +way, near Gebal, I found a brass shield, such as I had seen +in my dream. Then I advised my father and my brother +Reuben to bid the sons of Hamor circumcise themselves, for +I was quivering with rage on account of the abominable deed +they had done. I slew Shechem first of all, and then Simon +slew Hamor, and all my other brothers came out and destroyed +the whole city. Our father took this in ill part, and +in his blessing he remembered our conduct. Although we +did a wrong thing in acting thus against his wishes, yet I +recognized it to be the judgment of God upon the people of +Shechem on account of their sins, and I said to my father: +'Be not wroth, my lord, for God will exterminate the +Canaanites through this, and he will give the land to thee +and to thy seed after thee. Henceforth Shechem will be +called the city of imbeciles, for as a fool is mocked at, so +have we made a mockery of them.' + +"When we journeyed to Beth-lehem, and had been abiding +there for seventy days, another vision was vouchsafed +me, like unto the former. I saw seven men clad in white, +and they spake to me, saying: 'Rise up, and array thyself +in the priestly garments, set the crown of righteousness upon +thy head, and put on the ephod of understanding, and the +robe of truth, and the mitre-plate of faith, and the mitre of +dignity, and the shoulderpieces of prophecy.' And each of +the men brought a garment unto me and invested me therewith, +and spake: 'Henceforth be the priest of the Lord, +thou and thy seed unto eternity. And ye shall eat all that is +lovely to look upon, and the table of the Lord thy descendants +will appropriate for themselves, and from them will +come high priests, judges, and scholars, for all that is holy +will be guarded by their mouth.' + +"Two days after I was visited by this dream, Judah and +I repaired to our grandfather Isaac, who blessed me in +accordance with the words I had heard. Jacob also had a +vision, and he saw, too, that I was appointed to be the priest +of God, and through me he set apart a tenth of his possessions +unto the Lord. And when we established ourselves in +Hebron, the residence of Isaac, our grandfather taught me +the law of the priesthood, and admonished me to hold myself +aloof from unchastity. + +At the age of twenty-eight years I took Milcah to wife, +and she bore me a son, and I named him Gershom, because +we were strangers in the land. But I perceived he would +not be in the first ranks of men. My second son was born +unto me in my thirty-fifth year, and he saw the light of the +world at sunrise, and I beheld him in a vision standing +among the proud of the assembly, and therefore I gave him +the name Kohath. The third son my wife bore me in the +fortieth year of my life, and I called his name Merari, because +bitter had been her travail in bearing him. My daughter +Jochebed was born in Egypt, when I was sixty-three +years old, and I called her thus because I was known honorably +among my brethren in those days. And in my ninety- +fourth year, Amram took Jochebed to wife, he that was born +on the same day with her." + +Thereupon Levi admonished his children to walk in the +ways of the Lord, and fear Him with all their heart, and he +told them what he had learnt from the writings of Enoch, +that his descendants would sin against the Lord in times to +come, and they would suffer the Divine punishment for their +transgression, and then God would raise up a new priest, +unto whom all the words of the Lord would be revealed. +His last words were: "And now, my children, ye have +heard all I have to say. Choose, now, light or darkness, the +law of the Lord or the works of Beliar." And his sons made +answer, "Before the Lord we will walk according to His +law." Then Levi spake, "The Lord is witness and the +angels are witnesses, I am witness and ye are witnesses, +concerning the word of your mouth." And his sons replied, +"We are witnesses." + +Thus Levi ceased to admonish his sons. He stretched out +his feet, and was gathered unto his fathers, at the age of one +hundred and thirty-seven years, a greater age than any of +his brethren attained.[9] + + +JUDAH WARNS AGAINST GREED AND UNCHASTITY + +The last words addressed by Judah to his sons were the +following: "I was the fourth son begotten by my father, +and my mother called me Judah, saying, 'I thank the Lord +that He hath given me a fourth son.' I was zealous in my +youth and obedient to my father in all things. When I grew +up to manhood, he blessed me, saying, 'Thou wilt be king, +and wilt prosper in all thy ways.' The Lord granted me His +grace in whatever I undertook, in the field and in the house. +I could speed as swiftly as the hind, and overtake it, and +prepare a dish of it for my father. A deer I could catch on +the run, and all the animals of the valley. A wild mare I +could outstrip, hold it, and bridle it. A lion I slew, and +snatched a kid from its jaws. A bear I caught by the paw, +and flung it adown the cliff, and it lay beneath crushed. I +could keep pace with the wild boar, and overtake it, and as I +ran I seized it, and tore it to pieces. A leopard sprang at +my dog in Hebron, and I grasped its tail, and hurled it away +from me, and its body burst on the coast at Gaza. A wild +steer I found grazing in the field. I took it by its horns, +swung it round and round until it was stunned, and then I +cast it to the ground and killed it." + +Judah continued and told his children of his heroism in +the wars that the sons of Jacob had waged with the kings of +Canaan and with Esau and his family. In all these conflicts +he bore a distinguished part, beyond the achievements of +the others. His father Jacob was free from all anxiety when +Judah was with his brethren in their combats, because he had +had a vision showing him an angel of strength standing at +the side of Judah on all his ways. + +Judah did not conceal his shortcomings, either. He confessed +how drunkenness and passion had betrayed him first +into marriage with a Canaanitish woman, and then into improper +relations with his daughter-in-law Tamar. He said +to his children: + +"Do not walk after the desire of your hearts, and vaunt +not the valiant deeds of your youth. This, too, is evil in the +eyes of the Lord. For while I boasted that the face of a +beautiful woman had never allured me in the wars, and reviled +my brother Reuben for his transgression with Bilhah, +the spirit of passion and unchastity gained possession of me, +and I took Bath-shua to wife, and trespassed with Tamar, +though she was the affianced of my son. First I said to +Bath-shua's father, 'I will take counsel with my father Jacob, +to know whether I should marry thy daughter,' but he +was a king, and he showed me an untold heap of gold accredited +to his daughter, and he adorned her with the magnificence +of women, in gold and pearls, and he bade her pour +the wine at the meal. The wine turned my eyes awry, and +passion darkened my heart. In mad love for her, I violated +the command of the Lord and the will of my father, and I +took her to wife. The Lord gave me a recompense according +to the counsel of my heart, for I had no joy in the sons +she bore me. + +"And now, my children, I pray you, do not intoxicate yourselves +with wine, for wine twists the understanding away +from the truth, and confuses the sight of the eyes. Wine +led me astray, so that I felt no shame before the throngs of +people in the city, and I turned aside and went in to Tamar +in the presence of them, and committed a great sin. And +though a man be a king, if he leads an unchaste life, he loses +his kingship. I gave Tamar my staff, which is the stay of +my tribe, and my girdle-cord, which is power, and my signet- +diadem, which is the glory of my kingdom. I did penance +for all this, and unto old age I drank no wine, and ate no +flesh, and knew no sort of pleasure. Wine causes the secret +things of God and man to be revealed unto the stranger. +Thus did I disclose the commands of the Lord and the mysteries +of my father Jacob to the Canaanite woman Bath-shua, +though God had forbidden me to betray them. I also enjoin +you not to love gold, and not to look upon the beauty of +women, for through money and through beauty I was led +astray to Bath-shua the Canaanite. I know that my stock +will fall into misery through these two things, for even the +wise men among my sons will be changed by them, and +the consequence will be that the kingdom of Judah will +be diminished, the domain that the Lord gave me as a reward +for my obedient conduct toward my father, for never +did I speak in contradiction of him, but I did all things +according to his words. And Isaac, my father's father, +blessed me with the blessing that I should be ruler in Israel, +and I know that the kingdom will arise from me. In the +books of Enoch the just I read all the evil that ye will do +in the latter days. Only beware, my children, of unchastity +and greed, for love of gold leads to idolatry, +causing men to call them gods that are none, and dethroning the +reason of man. On account of gold I lost my +children, and had I not mortified my flesh, and humbled +my soul, and had not my father Jacob offered up prayers for +me, I had died childless. But the God of my fathers, the +merciful and gracious One, saw that I had acted unwittingly, +for the ruler of deception had blinded me, and I was +ignorant, being flesh and blood, and corrupt through sins, +and in the moment when I considered myself invincible, I +recognized my weakness." + +Then Judah revealed to his sons, in clear, brief words, the +whole history of Israel until the advent of the Messiah, and +his final speech was: "My children, observe the whole law +of the Lord; in it is hope for all that keep His ways. I die +this day at the age of one hundred and nineteen years before +your eyes. None shall bury me in a costly garment, nor +shall ye cut my body to embalm it, but ye shall carry me to +Hebron." + +Having spoken these words, Judah sank into death.[10] + + +ISSACHAR'S SINGLENESS OF HEART + +When Issachar felt his end approach, he summoned his +sons, and he said to them: "Hearken, my children, unto +your father Issachar, and listen to the words of him that is +beloved of the Lord. I was born unto Jacob as his fifth son, +as a reward for the dudaim. Reuben brought the dudaim +from the field. They were fragrant apples, which grew in +the land of Haran upon an eminence below a gully. Rachel +met Reuben, and she took the dudaim away from him. The +lad wept, and his cries brought his mother Leah to his side, +and she addressed Rachel thus: 'Is it a small matter that +thou hast taken away my husband? and wouldst thou take +away my son's dudaim also?' And Rachel said, 'See, +Jacob shall be thine to-night for thy son's dudaim.' But +Leah insisted, 'Jacob is mine, and I am the wife of his +youth,' whereupon Rachel, 'Be not boastful and overweening. +To me he was betrothed first, and for my sake he +served our father fourteen years. Thou art not his wife, +thou wast taken to him by cunning instead of me, for our +father deceived me, and put me out of the way the night of +thy nuptials, so that Jacob could not see me. Nevertheless, +give me the dudaim, and thou mayest have Jacob for a +night.' + +"Then Leah bore me, and I was called Issachar, on account +of the reward Rachel had given to my mother. At +that time an angel of the Lord appeared to Jacob, and he +spoke: 'Rachel will bear only two sons, for she rejected the +espousal of her husband, and chose continence! But Leah +bore six sons, for the Lord knew that she desired to be with +her husband, not because she was prompted by the evil +inclination, but for the sake of children. Rachel's prayer also +was fulfilled, on account of the dudaim, for although she +desired to eat of the apples, she did not touch them, but put +them in the house of the Lord, and gave them to the priest +of the Most High that was in those days. + +"When I grew up, my children, I walked in the integrity +of my heart, and I became a husbandman, cultivating the +land for my father and my brethren, and I gathered the +fruit from the fields in their due time. My father blessed +me, because he saw that I walked in singleness of heart. I +was not married to a wife until I was thirty years old, for +the hard work I did consumed my strength, and I had no +desire unto woman, but, overwhelmed by fatigue, I would +sink into sleep. My father was well pleased at all times with +my rectitude. If my work was crowned with good results, I +brought the firstfruits of my labor to the priest of the Lord, +the next harvest went to my father, and then I thought of +myself. The Lord doubled the possessions in my hand, and +Jacob knew that God aided me for the sake of my singleness +of heart, for in my sincerity I gave of the produce of the +land to the poor and the needy. + +"And now hearken unto me, my children, and walk in +singleness of heart, for upon it resteth the favor of the Lord +at all times. The simple man longeth not for gold, he doth +not defraud his neighbor, he hath no desire for meats and +dainties of many kinds, he careth not for sumptuous dress, +he hopeth not for long life, he waiteth only upon the will of +God. The spirits of deception have no power over him, for +he looketh not upon the beauty of woman, lest he defile his +understanding with corruption. Jealousy cometh not into +his thoughts, envy doth not sear his soul, and insatiable +greed doth not make him look abroad for rich gain. Now, +then, my children, observe the law of the Lord, attain to +simplicity, and walk in singleness of heart, without meddling +with the affairs of others. Love the Lord and love your +neighbors, have pity upon the poor and the feeble, bow your +backs to till the ground, occupy yourselves with work upon +the land, and bring gifts unto the Lord in gratitude. For +the Lord hath blessed you with the best of the fruits of the +field, as he hath blessed all the saints from Abel down to +our day. + +"Know, my children, that in the latter time your sons +will abandon the paths of probity, and will be ruled by greed. +They will forsake rectitude and practice craft, they will depart +from the commands of the Lord and follow after Beliar, +they will give up husbandry and pursue their evil plans, +they will be scattered among the heathen and serve their +enemies. Tell this unto your children, so that, if they sin, +they may repent speedily, and return to the Lord, for He is +merciful, and He will take them out to bring them back unto +their land. + +"I am one hundred and twenty-two years old, and I can +discern no sin in myself. Save my wife, I have known no +woman. I was guilty of no unchastity through the lifting +up of eyes. I drank no wine, that I might not be led astray, +I did not covet what belonged to my neighbor, guile had no +place in my heart, lies did not pass my lips. I sighed along +with all that were heavy-laden, and to the poor I gave my +bread. I loved the Lord with all my might, and mankind I +also loved. Do ye likewise, my children, and all the spirits +of Beliar will flee from you, no deed done by the wicked will +have power over you, and ye will vanquish all the wild +beasts, for ye have with you the Lord of heaven." + +And Issachar bade his children carry him up to Hebron, +and bury him there by his fathers in the Cave, and he +stretched out his feet, and fell into the sleep of eternity, full +of years, healthy of limb, and in the possession of all his +faculties.[11] + + +ZEBULON EXHORTS UNTO COMPASSION + +When Zebulon attained the age of one hundred and fourteen +years, which was two years after the death of Joseph, +he called his sons together, and admonished them, in these +words, to lead a life of piety: "I am Zebulon, a precious +gift for my parents, for when I was born, my father became +very rich, by means of the streaked rods, in herds of sheep +and herds of cattle. I am conscious of no sin in me, and I +remember no wrong done by me, unless it be the unwitting +sin committed against Joseph, in that I did not, out of +consideration for my brethren, disclose to my father what had +happened to his favorite son, though in secret I mourned +exceedingly. I feared my brethren, because they had agreed +that he who betrayed the secret should be slain with the +sword. When they planned to kill Joseph, I besought them +amid tears not to sin thus. + +"And now, my children, hearken unto me. I exhort you +to observe the commands of the Lord, and have mercy +upon your neighbors, and act compassionately, not only +toward men, but also toward dumb brutes. For on account +of my mercifulness the Lord blessed me; all my brethren fell +sick at one time or another, but I escaped without any illness. +Also the sons of my brethren had to endure disease, and +they were nigh unto death for the sake of Joseph, because +they had no pity in their hearts. But my sons were preserved +in perfect health, as ye well know. And when I was +in Canaan, catching fish at the shores of the sea for my +father Jacob, many were drowned in the waters of the sea, +but I came away unharmed. For ye must know that I was +the first to build a boat for rowing upon the sea, and I plied +along the coasts in it, and caught fish for my father's +household, until we went down into Egypt. Out of pity I would +share my haul with the poor stranger, and if he was sick or +well on in years, I would prepare a savory dish for him, and +I gave unto each according to his needs, sympathizing with +him in his distress and having pity upon him. Therefore +the Lord brought numerous fish to my nets, for he that gives +aught to his neighbor, receives it back from the Lord with +great increase. For five years I fished in the summer, and +in the winter I pastured the flocks with my brethren. + +"Now, my children, have pity and compassion on all men, +that the Lord may have pity and compassion on you, for +in the measure in which man has mercy with his fellow-men, +God has mercy with him. When we came down into Egypt, +Joseph did not visit upon us the wrong he had suffered. +Take him as your model, and remember not a wrong done +unto you, else unity is rent asunder, and the bonds of kinship +are torn, and the soul is disquieted. Observe the water! +If it runs on undivided, it carries down stone, wood, and +sand along with it. But if it is divided and flows through +many channels, the earth sucks it up, and it loses its force. +If you separate, one from the other, you will be like divided +waters. Be not cleft into two heads, for all that the Lord +hath made has but one head. He has given two shoulders +unto his creatures, two hands, and two feet, but all these +organs obey one head." + +Zebulon ended his exhortation unto unity with an account +of the divisions in Israel, whereof he had read in the writings +of the fathers, that they would come about in future +days, and bring sore suffering upon Israel. However, he +spoke encouraging words to his children, saying: "Be not +grieved over my death, and do not lose heart at my departure +from you, for I shall arise again in the midst of you, +and I shall live joyously among the people of my tribe, those +who observe the law of the Lord. As for the godless, the +Lord will bring everlasting fire down upon them, and exterminate +them unto all generations. Now I hasten hence unto +my eternal rest with my fathers. But ye, fear ye the Lord +your God with all your might all the days of your life." + +Having made an end of saying these words, he sank into +the sleep of death, and his sons put him into a coffin, wherein +they carried him up to Hebron later, to bury him there next +to his fathers.[12] + + +DAN'S CONFESSION + +When Dan assembled his family at the last of his life, he +spake: "I confess before you this day, my children, that I +had resolved to kill Joseph, that good and upright man, and +I rejoiced over his sale, for his father loved him more than +he loved the rest of us. The spirit of envy and boastfulness +goaded me on, saying, 'Thou, too, art the son of Jacob,' and +one of the spirits of Behar stirred me up, saying, 'Take this +sword, and slay Joseph, for once he is dead thy father will +love thee.' It was the spirit of anger that was seeking to +persuade me to crush Joseph, as a leopard crunches a kid +between its teeth. But the God of our father Jacob did not +deliver him into my hand, to let me find him alone, and He +did not permit me to execute this impious deed, that two +tribes in Israel might not be destroyed. + +"And now, my children, I am about to die, and I tell it +unto you in truth, if you take not heed against the spirit of +lies and anger, and if ye love not truth and generosity, you +will perish. The spirit of anger casts the net of error around +its victim, and it blinds his eyes, and the spirit of lies warps +his mind, and clouds his vision. Evil is anger, it is the grave +of the soul. Desist from anger and hate lies, that the Lord +may dwell among you, and Behar flee from your presence. +Speak the truth each unto his neighbor, and you will not fall +into anger and trouble, but you will be at peace, and the +Lord of peace you will have with you, and no war will vanquish +you. + +"I speak thus, for I know that in the latter days you will +fall off from God, and you will kindle the wrath of Levi, and +rise in rebellion against Judah, but you will not accomplish +aught against them, for the angel of the Lord is their guide, +and Israel will perish through them. And if you turn +recreant to the Lord, you will execute every kind of evil +thing, and do the abominations of the heathen, committing +unchastity with the wives of the godless, while the tempter +spirits are at work among you. Therefore you will be carried +away into captivity, and in the lands of exile you will suffer +all the plagues of Egypt and all the tribulations of the +heathen. But when you return to the Lord, you will find +mercy. He will take you into His sanctuary, and grant you +peace. + +"And now, my children, fear the Lord, and be on your +guard against Satan and his spirits. Keep aloof from every +evil deed, cast anger away from you and every sort of lie, +love truth and forbearance, and what ye have heard from +your father, tell unto your children. Avoid all manner of +unrighteousness, cling to the integrity of the law of the +Lord, and bury me near my fathers." + +Having spoken these words, he kissed his children, and +fell asleep.[13] + + +NAPHTALI'S DREAMS OF THE DIVISION OF THE TRIBES + +In the hundred and thirty-second year of his life, Naphtali +invited all his children to a banquet. The next morning +when he awoke, he told them that he was dying, but they +would not believe him. He, however, praised the Lord, and +assured them again that his death was due after the banquet +of the day before. Then he addressed his last words to his +children: + +"I was born of Bilhah, and because Rachel had acted with +cunning, and had given Jacob Bilhah instead of herself, I +was called Naphtali. Rachel loved me, for I was born upon +her knees, and while I was still very young, she was in the +habit of kissing me and saying, 'O that I had a brother unto +thee from mine own body, one in thine image.' Therefore +Joseph resembled me in all respects, in accordance with +Rachel's prayer. My mother Bilhah was a daughter of +Rotheus, a brother of Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, and she +was born the same day as Rachel. As for Rotheus, he was +of the family of Abraham, a Chaldean, God-fearing, and a +free man of noble birth, and when he was taken captive, he +was bought by Laban and married to his slave Aina. She +bore Rotheus a daughter, and he called her Zilpah, after the +name of the village in which he was taken captive. His +second daughter he called Bilhah, saying, 'My daughter is +impetuous,' for hardly was she born when she hastened to +suckle. + +"I was fleet of foot like a deer, and my father Jacob appointed +me to be his messenger, and in his blessing he called +me a hind let loose. As the potter knows the vessel he +fashions, how much it is to hold, and uses clay accordingly, +so the Lord makes the body in conformity with the soul, and +to agree with the capacity of the body He plans the soul. +The one corresponds to the other down to the third of a hair- +breadth, for the whole of creation was made by weight, and +measure, and rule. And as the potter knows the use of +every vessel he fashions, so the Lord knows the body of His +creature, unto what point it will be steadfast in the good, +and at what point it will fall into evil ways. Now, then, my +children, let your conduct be well-ordered unto good in the +fear of God, do naught that is ill-regulated or untimely, for +though ye tell your eye to hear, it yet cannot, and as little +can ye do deeds of light while you abide in darkness." + +Furthermore Naphtali said unto his children: "I give +you no command concerning my silver, or my gold, or any +other possession that I bequeath to you. And what I command +you is not a hard matter, which you cannot do, but I +speak unto you concerning an easy thing, which you can +execute." Then his sons answered, and said, "Speak, +father, for we are listening to thy words." Naphtali continued: +"I give you no commandment except regarding the +fear of God, that you should serve Him and follow after +Him." Then the sons of Naphtali asked: "Wherefore +does He require our service?" and he replied, saying: "He +needs no creature, but all creatures need Him. Nevertheless +He hath not created the world for naught, but that men +should fear Him, and none should do unto his neighbor what +he would not have others do unto him." His sons asked +again, "Father, hast thou observed that we strayed from +the ways of the Lord to the right or to the left?" Naphtali +replied: "God is witness, and so am I witness for you, +that it is as you say. But I fear regarding future times, that +you may depart from the ways of the Lord, and follow after +the idols of the stranger, and walk in the statutes of the +heathen peoples, and join yourselves unto the sons of Joseph +instead of the sons of Levi and Judah." The sons of Naphtali +spoke, "What reason hast thou for commanding this +thing unto us?" Naphtali: "Because I know that the sons +of Joseph will one day turn recreant to the Lord, the God of +their fathers, and it is they that will lead the sons of Israel +into sin, and cause them to be driven away from their +inheritance, their beautiful land, to a land that is not ours, +even as it was Joseph that brought the Egyptian bondage +down upon us. + +"I will tell ye, my children, the vision I had while I was +yet a shepherd of flocks. I saw my brethren pasturing the +herds with me, and our father approached, and said: 'Up, +my sons, each one take what he can in my presence!' We +answered, and said to him, 'What shall we take? We see +nothing but the sun, the moon, and the stars.' Then our +father said: 'These shall ye take!' Levi, hearing this, +snatched up an ox-goad, sprang up to the sun, sat upon him, +and rode. Judah did likewise. He jumped up to the moon, +and rode upon her. And the other nine tribes did the same, +each rode upon his star or his planet in the heavens. Joseph +remained behind alone on the earth, and our father Jacob +said to him, 'My son, why hast thou not done like thy brethren?' +Joseph answered, 'What right have men born of +woman to be in the heavens, seeing that in the end they must +stay on earth?' While Joseph was speaking thus, a tall +steer appeared before him. He had great pinions like the +wings of the stork, and his horns were as long as those of +the reem. Jacob urged his son, 'Up, Joseph, mount the +steer!' Joseph did as his father bade him, and Jacob went +his way. For the space of two hours Joseph displayed himself +upon the steer, sometimes galloping, sometimes flying, +until he reached Judah. Then Joseph unfolded the standard +in his hand, and began to rain blows down upon Judah with +it, and when his brother demanded the reason for this treatment, +he said, 'Because thou hast twelve rods in thine hand, +and I have but one. Give thine to me, and peace shall prevail +between us!' But Judah refused to do his bidding, and +Joseph beat him until he dropped ten rods, and only two remained +in his clutch. Joseph now invited his brethren to +abandon Judah and follow after him. They all did thus, +except Benjamin, who stayed true to Judah. Levi was +grieved over the desertion of Judah, and he descended from +the sun. Toward the end of the day a storm broke out, and +it scattered the brethren, so that no two were together. +When I gave an account of my vision to my father Jacob, he +said, 'It is but a dream, it can neither help nor harm.' + +"A short while thereafter another vision was revealed to +me. I saw all of us together with our father at the shores of +the sea, and a ship appeared in the midst of the sea, and it +had neither sailors nor other crew. Our father spake, 'Do +you see what I see?' And when we answered that we did, +he commanded us to follow him. He took off his clothes, +and sprang into the sea, and we sprang after him. Levi and +Judah were the first to scale the side of the ship. Our father +cried after them, 'See what is written upon the mast,' for +there is no ship that does not bear the name of the owner +upon the mast. Levi and Judah scrutinized the writing, and +what they read was this, 'This ship and all the treasures +therein belong unto the son of Barachel.' Jacob thanked +God for having blessed him, not only on land, but also upon +the sea, and he said to us, 'Stretch forth your hands, and +whatsoever each one seizes shall be his!' Levi caught hold +of the big mast, Judah of the second mast, next to Levi's, +and the other brethren, with the exception of Joseph, took +the oars, and Jacob himself seized the two rudders, wherewith +to guide the ship. He bade Joseph take an oar, too, but +he refused to do his father's bidding, and Jacob gave him one +of the rudders. After our father had instructed us each one +in what we had to do, he disappeared, whereupon Joseph +took possession of the second rudder, too. All went +smoothly for a time, as long as Judah and Joseph acted together +in harmony with each other, and Judah kept Joseph +informed in what direction to steer. But a quarrel broke +out between them, and Joseph did not guide the vessel +in the way his father had commanded him, and Judah attempted +to direct him, and the vessel was wrecked upon a +rock. Levi and Judah descended from the masts, and likewise +the other brethren left the ship and escaped to the +shore. At this moment Jacob appeared, and he found us +scattered in all directions, and we reported to him how +Joseph had caused the vessel to run aground, because he +had refused, out of jealousy of Judah and Levi, to steer it +according to their instructions. Then Jacob asked us to +show him the spot where we had lost the ship, of which only +the masts were visible above the water. He emitted a +whistle summoning us all, and he swam out into the water, +and raised the vessel as before. Turning to Joseph, he spake +thus, 'My son, never do that again, never permit jealousy of +thy brethren to master thee. Nearly it happened that all thy +brethren perished because of thee.' + +"When I told my father what I had seen in this vision, +he clasped his hands, and tears flowed from his eyes, and be +said: 'My son, for that the vision was doubled unto thee +twice, I am dismayed, and I shudder for my son Joseph. I +loved him more than all of you, but by reason of his perverseness +ye will be carried away into captivity, and scattered +among the nations. Thy first and thy second vision +had the same meaning, the vision is one.' + +"Therefore, my sons, I command you not to join yourselves +unto the sons of Joseph, but ye shall join yourselves +unto the sons of Levi and Judah. I tell you, too, that my +inheritance shall be of the best of Palestine, the middle of the +earth. You will eat, and the delectable gifts of my portion +will satisfy you. But I warn you not to kick in your prosperity +and not to become perverse, resisting the commands +of God, who satisfies you with the best of His land, and not +to forget your God, whom your father Abraham chose when +the families of the earth were divided in the days of Peleg. +The Lord descended with seventy angels, at their head +Michael, and he commanded them to teach the seventy languages +unto the seventy families of Noah. The angels did +according to the behest of God, and the holy Hebrew language +remained only in the house of Shem and Eber, and in +the house of their descendant Abraham. On this day of +teaching languages, Michael came to each nation separately, +and told it the message with which God had charged him, +saying: 'I know the rebellion and the confusion ye have +enacted against God. Now, make choice of him whom you +will serve, and whom will you have as your mediator in +heaven?' Then spake Nimrod the wicked, 'In my eyes +there is none greater than he that taught me the language of +Cush.' The other nations also answered in words like +these, each one designated its angel. But Abraham said: +'I choose none other than Him that spake and the world +was. In Him I will have faith, and my seed forever and +ever.' Thenceforth God put every nation in the care of its +angel, but Abraham and his seed He kept for Himself. + +"Therefore I adjure you not to go astray and serve other +gods beside Him whom our fathers made choice of. You +can perceive somewhat of His power in the creation of man. +From head to foot is man wonderfully made. With his ears +he hears, with his eyes he sees, with his brain he comprehends, +with his nose he smells, with the tubes of his throat +he utters sounds, with his gullet he swallows food, with his +tongue he articulates, with his mouth he forms words, with +his hands he does his work, with his heart he meditates, with +his spleen he laughs, with his liver he waxes angry, with his +stomach he crushes his food, with his feet he walks, with his +lungs he breathes, and with his kidneys he makes resolves, +and none of his organs undergoes a change in function, each +performs its own. Therefore it behooves man to take to +heart who it is that hath created him, and who hath developed +him from a foul-smelling drop in the womb of woman, who +hath brought him to the light of the world, who hath given +sight to his eyes, and who hath bestowed the power of motion +upon his feet, who maketh him to stand upright, who +hath infused the breath of life into him, and who hath imparted +of His own pure spirit unto him. Happy the man, +therefore, that polluteth not the holy spirit of God within +him by doing evil deeds, and well for him if he returns it +to his Creator as he received it." + +After Naphtali had charged his children thus, and with +many other lessons like these, he enjoined them to carry his +remains to Hebron, to be buried there near his fathers. +Then he ate and drank with rejoicing, covered his face, and +died, and his sons did according to all that their father +Naphtali had commanded them.[14] + + +GAD'S HATRED + +In the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his life Gad assembled +his sons, and he spake to them: "I am the ninth +son of Jacob, and I was a valiant shepherd of the flocks. I +guarded the herds, and when a lion or any other wild beast +approached, I pursued it, gripped it by the foot, flung it a +stone's throw from me, and killed it thus. Once, for a space +of thirty days, Joseph tended the flocks with us, and when +he returned to our father, he told him that the sons of +Zilpah and Bilhah slaughtered the best of the herds, and +used the flesh without the knowledge of Reuben and Judah. +He had seen me snatch a lamb out of the jaws of a bear, kill +the bear, and slaughter the lamb, for it was too badly injured +to live. I was wroth with Joseph for his talebearing, +until he was sold into Egypt. I would neither look upon +him nor hear aught about him, for to our very faces he, +blamed us, because we had eaten the lamb without seeking +the permission of Judah first. And whatever Joseph told +our father, he believed. + +"Now I confess my sin, that ofttimes I longed to kill him, +for I hated him from the bottom of my heart, and on account +of his dreams I hated him still more, and I desired +to destroy him from off the land of the living. But Judah +sold him by stealth to the Ishmaelites. Thus the God of our +fathers saved him out of our hands, and He did not permit +us to commit an abominable outrage in Israel. + +"Hear now, my children, the words of truth, that ye may +practice justice and the whole law of the Most High, and +permit yourselves not to be tempted by the spirit of hatred. +Evil is hatred, for it is the constant companion of deception, +it always contradicts the truth. A little thing it magnifies +into a great thing, light it takes for darkness, the sweet it +calls bitter, and it teaches slander, enkindles anger, brings +on war and violence, and fills the heart with devilish poison. +I tell you my own experience, my children, that ye may +drive hatred out of your hearts, and cleave to the love of the +Lord. Righteousness banishes hatred, and humility kills +it, for he that fears to give umbrage to the Lord, desires +not to do wrong even in his thoughts. This is what I +recognized at the last, after I had done penance on account +of Joseph, for true atonement, pleasing to God, enlightens +the eyes, illumines the soul with knowledge, and creates a +counsel of salvation. My penance came in consequence of a +sickness of the liver that God inflicted upon me. Without +the prayers of my father Jacob, my spirit would have departed +from me, for through the organ wherewith man transgresses, +he is punished. As my liver had felt no mercy for +Joseph, unmerciful suffering was caused unto me by my +liver. My judgment lasted eleven months, as long as my +enmity toward Joseph. + +"And now, my children, each of you shall love his brother, +and ye shall uproot hatred from your hearts by loving one +another in word and deed and the thoughts of the soul. For +I spake peaceably with Joseph in the presence of our father, +but when I went out from before him, the spirit of hatred +darkened my understanding, and stirred up my soul to murder +him. If you see one that hath more good fortune than +you, do not grieve, but pray for him, that his happiness may +be perfect, and if one of the wicked even should grow rich in +substance, like Esau, my father's brother, do not envy him. +Wait for the end of the Lord. + +"This also tell unto your children, that they shall honor +Judah and Levi, for from them the Lord will cause a savior +to arise unto Israel. For I know that in the end your children +will fall off from God, and they will take part in all +wickedness, malice, and corruptness, before the Lord." + +After Gad had rested a little while, he spake again, "My +children, hearken unto your father, and bury me with my +fathers." Then he drew up his feet, and slept in peace. +After five years, his sons carried his remains to Hebron unto +his fathers.[15] + + +ASHER'S LAST WORDS + +In the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his life, while be +was still robust in health, Asher summoned his children unto +him, and admonished them to walk in the ways of virtue and +the fear of God. He spake: "Hearken, ye sons of Asher, +unto your father, and I will show you all that is right before +God. Two ways hath God put before the children of men, +and two inclinations hath He bestowed upon them, two kinds +of actions and two aims. Therefore all things are in twos, +the one opposite to the other. But ye, my children, ye shall +not be double, pursuing both goodness and wickedness. Ye +shall cling only to the ways of goodness, for the Lord taketh +delight in them, and men yearn after them. And flee from +wickedness, for thus you will destroy the evil inclination. +Heed well the commands of the Lord, by following truth +with a single mind. Observe the law of the Lord, and have +not the same care for wicked things as for good things. +Rather keep your eyes upon what is truly good, and guard +it through all the commands of the Lord. The end of man, +when he meets the messengers of God and of Satan, shows +whether he was righteous or unrighteous in his life. If his +soul goes out with agitation, she will be plagued by the evil +spirit, whom she served with her lusts and her evil deeds; +but if she departs tranquilly, the angel of peace will lead +her to life eternal. + +"Be not like Sodom, my children, which recognized not +the angels of the Lord, that ye be not delivered into the +hands of your enemies, and your land be cursed, and your +sanctuary destroyed, and you be scattered to the four corners +of the earth, and scorned in the confusion like stale +water, until the Most High shall visit the earth, and break +the heads of the dragons in the waters. Tell this, my sons, +unto your children, that they be not disobedient toward God, +for I read in the tablets of the heavens that you will be +contumacious and act impiously toward Him, in that you will +have no care for the law of God, but you will heed human +laws, and they are corrupted by reason of man's godlessness. +Therefore ye will be dispersed abroad like unto Gad and +Dan, my brethren, and you will not know either your land, +or your tribe, or your tongue. Nevertheless the Lord will +gather you in His faithfulness, for the sake of His gracious +mercy, and for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." + +And when he had made an end of saying these words, he +commanded them to bury him in Hebron. And he sank +into sweet sleep, and died. His sons did as he had commanded, +and they carried him up and buried him with his +fathers.[16] + + +BENJAMIN EXTOLS JOSEPH + +Benjamin was one hundred and twenty-five years old, and +he called his children to come to him. When they appeared, +he kissed them, and spake: "As Isaac was born unto Abraham +in his old age, so was I born unto Jacob when he was +stricken in years. Therefore I was called Benjamin, 'the +son of days.' My mother Rachel died at my birth, and Bilhah +her slave suckled me. Rachel had no children for +twelve years after bearing Joseph. Therefore she prayed to +God, and fasted twelve days, and she conceived and bare me. +Our father loved Rachel fondly, and he had longed greatly +to have two sons by her. + +"When I came down to Egypt, and my brother Joseph +recognized me, he asked me, 'What said my brethren to my +father regarding me?' And I told him that they had sent +Jacob his coat stained with blood, and had said, 'Know now +whether this be thy son's coat or not.' And Joseph said: +'This is what happened to me. Canaanitish merchantmen +stole me away with violence, and on the way they wanted +to hide my coat, to make it seem as though a wild beast had +met me and slain me. But he who was about to conceal it, was torn +by a lion, whereupon his companions, in +great fear, sold me to the Ishmaelites. My brethren, thou +seest, did not deceive my father with a lie.' In this wise +Joseph tried to keep the deed of our brethren a secret from +me. He also summoned my brethren, and enjoined them not +to make known to our father what they had done to him, and +bade them repeat the tale he had told me. + +"Now, my children, love ye the Lord, the God of heaven +and earth, and observe His commandments, taking that good +and pious man Joseph as your model. Until the day of his +death he would not have divulged what his brethren had +done to him, and although God revealed their action to Jacob, +he continued to deny it. Only after many efforts, when +Jacob adjured him to confess the truth, he was induced to +speak out. Even then he besought our father Jacob to pray +for our brethren, that God account not the evil they had done +to him as a sin. And Jacob exclaimed, 'O my good child +Joseph, thou hast shown thyself more merciful than I was!' + +"My children, have you observed the mercy of the good +man? Imitate it with pure intention, that ye, too, may wear +crowns of glory. A good man has not an envious eye, he +has mercy with all, even with sinners, though their evil designs +be directed against him, and by his good deeds he conquers +the evil, since it was ordained of God. If you do good, +the unclean spirits will depart from you, and even the wild +beasts will stand in fear of you. The inclination of a good +man lies not in the power of the tempter spirit Behar, for +the angel of peace guides his soul. Flee before the malice of +Beliar, whose sword is drawn to slay all that pay him obedience, +and his sword is the mother of seven evils, bloodshed, +corruptness, error, captivity, hunger, panic, and devastation. +Therefore God surrendered Cain to seven punishments. +Once in a hundred years the Lord brought a castigation +upon him. His afflictions began when he was two hundred +years old, and in his nine hundredth year he was destroyed +by the deluge, for having slain his righteous brother Abel. +And those who are like unto Cain will be chastised forever +with the same punishments as his. + +"Know now, my children, that I am about to die. Practice +truth and righteousness, and observe the law of the Lord +and also His commandments. This I bequeath unto you as +your sole heritage, and you shall leave it to your children as +an eternal possession. Thus Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did, +they transmitted it unto us, saying, 'Observe the commands +of God, until the Lord shall reveal His salvation in the sight +of all the heathen.' Then you will see Enoch, Noah, Shem, +Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob[17] rise up with rejoicing to new +life at the right hand of God, and we brethren, the sons of +Jacob, will arise also, each of us at the head of his tribe, and +we will pay homage to the King of the heavens." + +After Benjamin had made an end of speaking thus, he +said: "I command you, my children, to carry my bones up +out of Egypt and bury me near my fathers." + +And when he had made an end of saying these things, he +fell asleep at a good old age, and they put his body into a +coffin, and in the ninety-first year of their sojourning in +Egypt, his sons and the sons of his brethren brought up the +bones of their father, in secret, and buried them in Hebron, +at the feet of their fathers. Then they returned from the +land of Canaan, and they dwelt in Egypt until the day of the +exodus from the land.[18] + + + +III + +JOB + JOB AND THE PATRIARCHS + JOB'S WEALTH AND BENEFACTIONS + SATAN AND JOB + JOB'S SUFFERING + THE FOUR FRIENDS + JOB RESTORED + + + +III + +JOB + +JOB AND THE PATRIARCHS + +Job, the most pious Gentile that ever lived,[1] one of the +few to bear the title of honor "the servant of God,"[2] was +of double kin to Jacob. He was a grandson of Jacob's +brother Esau, and at the same time the son-in-law of Jacob +himself, for lie had married Dinah as his second wife.[3] He +was entirely worthy of being a member of the Patriarch's +family, for he was perfectly upright, one that feared God, +and eschewed evil. Had he not wavered in his resignation to +the Divine will during the great trial to which he was subjected, +and murmured against God, the distinction would +have been conferred upon him of having his name joined to +the Name of God in prayer, and men would have called upon +the God of Job as they now call upon the God of Abraham, +Isaac, and Jacob. But he was not found steadfast like the +three Fathers, and he forfeited the honor God had intended +for him. + +The Lord remonstrated with him for his lack of patience, +saying: "Why didst thou murmur when suffering came +upon thee? Dost thou think thyself of greater worth than +Adam, the creation of Mine own hands, upon whom together +with his descendants I decreed death on account of a single +transgression? And yet Adam murmured not. Thou art +surely not more worthy than Abraham, whom I tempted +with many trials, and when he asked, 'Whereby shall I know +that I shall inherit the land?' and I replied, 'Know of a +surety that thy seed will be a stranger in a land that is not +theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four +hundred years,' he yet murmured not. Thou dost not esteem +thyself more worthy than Moses, dost thou? Him I would +not grant the favor of entering the promised land, because +he spake the words, 'Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring +you forth water out of this rock?' And yet he murmured +not. Art thou more worthy than Aaron, unto whom I +showed greater honor than unto any created being, for I sent +the angels themselves out of the Holy of Holies when he +entered the place? Yet when his two sons died, he murmured +not."[4] + +The contrast between Job and the Patriarchs appears from +words spoken by him and words spoken by Abraham. Addressing +God, Abraham said, "That be far from Thee to do +after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that +so the righteous should be as the wicked," and Job exclaimed +against God, "It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth +the perfect and the wicked." They both received their due +recompense, Abraham was rewarded and Job was punished.[5] + +Convinced that his suffering was undeserved and unjust, +Job had the audacity to say to God: "O Lord of the world, +Thou didst create the ox with cloven feet and the ass with +unparted hoof, Thou hast created Paradise and hell, Thou +createst the righteous and also the wicked. There is none +to hinder, Thou canst do as seemeth good in Thy sight." +The friends of Job replied: "It is true, God hath created +the evil inclination, but He hath also given man the Torah +as a remedy against it. Therefore the wicked cannot roll +their guilt from off their shoulders and put it upon God." + +The reason Job did not shrink from such extravagant utterances +was because he denied the resurrection of the dead. +He judged of the prosperity of the wicked and the woes of +the pious only by their earthly fortunes. Proceeding from +this false premise, he held it to be possible that the punishment +falling to his share was not at all intended for him. +God had slipped into an error, He imposed the suffering +upon him that had been appointed unto a sinner. But God +spake to him, saying: "Many hairs have I created upon the +head of man, yet each hair hath its own sac, for were two +hairs to draw their nourishment from the same sac, man +would lose the sight of his eyes. It hath never happened +that a sac hath been misplaced. Should I, then, have mistaken +Job for another? I let many drops of rain descend +from the heavens, and for each drop there is a mould in the +clouds, for were two drops to issue from the same mould, +the ground would be made so miry that it could not bring +forth any growth. It hath never happened that a mould hath +been misplaced. Should I, then, have mistaken Job for another? +Many thunderbolts I hurl from the skies, but each +one comes from its own path, for were two to proceed from +the same path, they would destroy the whole world. It hath +never happened that a path hath been misplaced. Should I, +then, have mistaken Job for another? The gazelle gives +birth to her young on the topmost point of a rock, and it +would fall into the abyss and be crushed to death, if I did +not send an eagle thither to catch it up and carry it to its +mother. Were the eagle to appear a minute earlier or later +than the appointed time, the little gazelle would perish. It +hath never happened that the proper minute of time was +missed. Should I, then, have mistaken Job for another? +The hind has a contracted womb, and would not be able to +bring forth her young, if I did not send a dragon to her at +the right second, to nibble at her womb and soften it, for +then she can bear. Were the dragon to come a second before +or after the right time, the hind would perish. It hath never +happened that I missed the right second. Should I, then, +have mistaken Job for another?" + +Notwithstanding Job's unpardonable words, God was displeased +with his friends for passing harsh judgment upon +him. "A man may not be held responsible for what he does +in his anguish," and Job's agony was great, indeed[6] + + +JOB'S WEALTH AND BENEFACTIONS + +Job was asked once what he considered the severest affliction +that could strike him, and he replied, "My enemies' joy +in my misfortune,[7] and when God demanded to know of +him, after the accusations made by Satan, what he preferred, +poverty or physical suffering, he chose pain, saying, "O +Lord of the whole world, chastise my body with suffering of +all kinds, only preserve me from poverty."[8] Poverty +seemed the greater scourge, because before his trials he had +occupied a brilliant position on account of his vast wealth. +God graciously granted him this foretaste of the Messianic +time. The harvest followed close upon the ploughing of his +field; no sooner were the seeds strewn in the furrows, +than they sprouted and grew and ripened produce. He was +equally successful with his cattle. His sheep killed wolves, +but were themselves never harmed by wild beasts.[9] Of +sheep he had no less than one hundred and thirty thousand, +and he required eight hundred dogs to keep guard over +them, not to mention the two hundred dogs needed to secure +the safety of his house. Besides, his herds consisted of three +hundred and forty thousand asses and thirty-five hundred +pairs of oxen. All these possessions were not used for self- +indulgent pleasures, but for the good of the poor and the +needy, whom he clothed, and fed, and provided with all +things necessary. To do all this, he even had to employ +ships that carried supplies to all the cities and the dwelling- +places of the destitute. His house was furnished with doors +on all its four sides, that the poor and the wayfarer might +enter, no matter from what direction they approached. At +all times there were thirty tables laden with viands ready in +his house, and twelve besides for widows only, so that all +who came found what they desired. Job's consideration for +the poor was so delicate that he kept servants to wait upon +them constantly. His guests, enraptured by his charitableness, +frequently offered themselves as attendants to minister +to the poor in his house, but Job always insisted upon +paying them for their services. If he was asked for a loan +of money, to be used for business purposes, and the borrower +promised to give a part of his profits to the poor, he would +demand no security beyond a mere signature. And if it +happened that by some mischance or other the debtor was +not able to discharge his obligation, Job would return the +note to him, or tear it into bits in his presence. + +He did not rest satisfied at supplying the material needs +of those who applied to him. He strove also to convey the +knowledge of God to them. After a meal he was in the +habit of having music played upon instruments, and then he +would invite those present to join him in songs of praise to +God. On such occasions he did not consider himself above +playing the cithern while the musicians rested.[10] + +Most particularly Job concerned himself about the weal +and woe of widows and orphans. He was wont to pay visits +to the sick, both rich and poor, and when it was necessary, +he would bring a physician along with him. If the case +turned out to be hopeless, he would sustain the stricken family +with advice and consolation. When the wife of the incurably +sick man began to grieve and weep, he would encourage +her with such words as these: "Trust always in +the grace and lovingkindness of God. He hath not abandoned +thee until now, and He will not forsake thee henceforth. +Thy husband will be restored to health, and will be +able to provide for his family as heretofore. But if--which +may God forefend--thy husband should die, I call Heaven +to witness that I shall provide sustenance for thee and thy +children." Having spoken thus, he would send for a notary, +and have him draw up a document, which he signed in the +presence of witnesses, binding himself to care for the family, +should it be bereaved of its head. Thus he earned for himself +the blessing of the sick man and the gratitude of the +sorrowing wife.[11] + +Sometimes, in case of necessity, Job could be severe, too, +especially when it was a question of helping a poor man obtain +his due. If one of the parties to a suit cited before his +tribunal was known to be a man of violence, he would surround +himself with his army and inspire him with fear, so +that the culprit could not but show himself amenable to his +decision.[12] + +He endeavored to inculcate his benevolent ways upon his +children, by accustoming them to wait upon the poor. On +the morrow after a feast he would sacrifice bountifully to +God, and together with the pieces upon the altar his offerings +would be divided among the needy. He would say: +"Take and help yourselves, and pray for my children. It +may be that they have sinned, and renounced God, saying in +the presumption of their hearts: 'We are the children of +this rich man. All these things are our possessions. Why +should we be servants to the poor?' " + + +SATAN AND JOB + +The happy, God-pleasing life led by Job for many years +excited the hatred of Satan, who had an old grudge against +him. Near Job's house there was an idol worshipped by the +people. Suddenly doubts assailed the heart of Job, and he +asked himself: "Is this idol really the creator of heaven and +earth? How can I find out the truth about it?" In the following +night he perceived a voice calling: "Jobab! Jobab! +Arise, and I will tell thee who he is whom thou desirest to +know. This one to whom the people offer sacrifices is not +God, he is the handiwork of the tempter, wherewith he deceives +men." When he heard the voice, Job threw himself +on the ground, and said: "O Lord, if this idol is the handiwork +of the tempter, then grant that I may destroy it. None +can hinder me, for I am the king of this land."[13] + +Job, or, as he is sometimes called, Jobab, was, indeed, king +of Edom, the land wherein wicked plans are concocted +against God, wherefore it is called also Uz, "counsel."[14] + +The voice continued to speak. It made itself known as +that of an archangel of God, and revealed to Job that he +would bring down the enmity of Satan upon himself by the +destruction of the idol, and much suffering with it. However, +if he remained steadfast under them, God would +change his troubles into joys, his name would become celebrated +throughout the generations of mankind, and he would +have a share in the resurrection to eternal life. Job replied +to the voice: "Out of love of God I am ready to endure all +things unto the day of my death. I will shrink back from +naught." Now Job arose, and accompanied by fifty men he +repaired to the idol, and destroyed it. + +Knowing that Satan would try to approach him, he ordered +his guard not to give access to any one, and then he +withdrew to his chamber. He had guessed aright. Satan +appeared at once, in the guise of a beggar, and demanded +speech with Job. The guard executed his orders, and forbade +his entering. Then the mendicant asked him to intercede +for him with Job for a piece of bread. Job knew it was +Satan, and he sent word to him as follows, "Do not expect +to eat of my bread, for it is prohibited unto thee," at the +same time putting a piece of burnt bread into the hand of +the guard for Satan. The servant was ashamed to give a +beggar burnt bread, and he substituted a good piece for it. +Satan, however, knowing that the servant had not executed +his master's errand, told him so to his face, and he fetched +the burnt bread and handed it to him, repeating the words +of Job. Thereupon Satan returned this answer, "As the +bread is burnt, so I will disfigure thy body." Job replied: +"Do as thou desirest, and execute thy plan. As for me, I +am ready to suffer whatever thou bringest down upon me." + +Now Satan betook himself to God, and prayed Him to put +Job into his power,[15] saying: "I went to and fro in the +earth, and walked up and down in it, and I saw no man as +pious as Abraham. Thou didst promise him the whole land +of Palestine, and yet he did not take it in ill part that he had +not so much as a burial-place for Sarah.[16] As for Job, it is +true, I found none that loveth Thee as he does, but if Thou +wilt put him into my hand, I shall succeed in turning his +heart away from Thee." But God spake, "Satan, Satan, +what hast thou a mind to do with my servant Job, like whom +there is none in the earth?" Satan persisted in his request +touching Job, and God granted it, He gave him full power +over Job's possessions.[17] + +This day of Job's accusation was the New Year's Day, +whereon the good and the evil deeds of man are brought +before God.[18] + + +JOB'S SUFFERING + +Equipped with unlimited power, Satan endeavored to deprive +Job of all he owned. He burnt part of his cattle, and +the other part was carried off by enemies. What pained Job +more than this was that recipients of his bounty turned +against him, and took of his belongings.[19] + +Among the adversaries that assailed him was Lilith, the +queen of Sheba.[20] She lived at a great distance from his +residence, it took her and her army three years to travel from +her home to his. She fell upon his oxen and his asses, and +took possession of them, after slaying the men to whose care +Job had entrusted them. One man escaped alone. Wounded +and bruised, he had only enough life in him to tell Job the +tale of his losses, and then he fell down dead. The sheep, +which had been left unmolested by the queen of Sheba, were +taken away by the Chaldeans. Job's first intention was to +go to war against these marauders, but when he was told +that some of his property had been consumed by fire from +heaven, he desisted, and said, "If the heavens turn against +me, I can do nothing."[21] + +Dissatisfied with the result, Satan disguised himself as the +king of Persia, besieged the city of Job's residence, took it, +and spoke to the inhabitants, saying: "This man Job hath +appropriated all the goods in the world, leaving naught for +others, and he hath also torn down the temple of our god, +and now I will pay him back for his wicked deeds. Come +with me and let us pillage his house." At first the people +refused to hearken to the words of Satan. They feared that +the sons and daughters of Job might rise up against them +later, and avenge their father's wrongs. But after Satan +had pulled down the house wherein the children of Job were +assembled, and they lay dead in the ruins, the people did as +he bade them, and sacked the house of Job. + +Seeing that neither the loss of all he had nor the death of +his children could change his pious heart, Satan appeared +before God a second time, and requested that Job himself, +his very person, be put into his hand. God granted Satan's +plea, but he limited his power to Job's body, his soul he could +not touch.[22] In a sense Satan was worse off than Job. He +was in the position of the slave that has been ordered by +his master to break the pitcher and not spill the wine.[23] + +Satan now caused a terrific storm to burst over the house +of Job. He was cast from his throne by the reverberations, +and he lay upon the floor for three hours. Then Satan smote +his body with leprosy from the sole of his foot unto his +crown. This plague forced Job to leave the city, and sit +down outside upon an ash-heap,[24] for his lower limbs were +covered with oozing boils, and the issue flowed out upon +the ashes. The upper part of his body was encrusted with +dry boils, and to ease the itching they caused him, he used +his nails, until they dropped off together with his fingertips, +and he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal.[25] His +body swarmed with vermin, but if one of the little creatures +attempted to crawl away from him, he forced it back, saying, +"Remain on the place whither thou wast sent, until God +assigns another unto thee."[26] His wife, fearful that he would +not bear his horrible suffering with steadfastness, advised +him to pray to God for death, that lie might be sure of going +hence an upright man.[27] But he rejected her counsel, saying, +"If in the days of good fortune, which usually tempts men +to deny God, I stood firm, and did not rebel against Him, +surely I shall be able to remain steadfast under misfortune, +which compels men to be obedient to God."[28] And Job stuck +to his resolve in spite of all suffering, while his wife was not +strong enough to bear her fate with resignation to the will +of God. + +Her lot was bitter, indeed, for she had had to take service +as a water-carrier with a common churl, and when her master +learnt that she shared her bread with Job, he dismissed +her. To keep her husband from starving, she cut off her +hair, and purchased bread with it. It was all she had to pay +the price charged by the bread merchant, none other than +Satan himself, who wanted to put her to the test. He said +to her, "Hadst thou not deserved this great misery of thine, +it had not come upon thee." This speech was more than +the poor woman could bear. Then it was that she came to +her husband, and amid tears and groans urged him to renounce +God and die. Job, however, was not perturbed by +her words, because he divined at once that Satan stood behind +his wife, and seduced her to speak thus. Turning to +the tempter, he said: "Why dost thou not meet me frankly? +Give up thy underhand ways, thou wretch." Thereupon +Satan appeared before Job, admitted that he had been vanquished, +and went away abashed.[29] + +THE FOUR FRIENDS + +The friends of Job lived in different places, at intervals of +three hundred miles one from the other. Nevertheless they +all were informed of their friend's misfortune at the same +time, in this way: Each one had the pictures of the others set +in his crown, and as soon as any one of them met with reverses, +it showed itself in his picture. Thus the friends of +Job learnt simultaneously of his misfortune, and they hastened +to his assistance.[30] + +The four friends were related to one another, and each one +was related to Job. Eliphaz, king of Teman, was a son of +Esau;[31] Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu were cousins, their +fathers, Shuah, Naamat, and Barachel, were the sons of Buz, +who was a brother of Job and a nephew of Abraham.[32] + +When the four friends arrived in the city in which Job +lived, the inhabitants took them outside the gates, and pointing +to a figure reclining upon an ash-heap at some distance +off, they said, "Yonder is Job." At first the friends would +not give them credence, and they decided to look more +closely at the man, to make sure of his identity. But the foul +smell emanating from Job was so strong that they could not +come near to him. They ordered their armies to scatter perfumes +and aromatic substances all around. Only after this +had been done for hours, they could approach the outcast +close enough to recognize him. + +Eliphaz was the first to address Job, "Art thou indeed +Job, a king equal in rank with ourselves?" And when Job +said Aye, they broke out into lamentations and bitter tears, +and all together they sang an elegy, the armies of the three +kings, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, joining in the choir. +Again Eliphaz began to speak, and he bemoaned Job's sad +fortune, and depicted his friend's former glory, adding the +refrain to each sentence, "Whither hath departed the splendor +of thy throne?" + +After listening long to the wailing and lamenting of Eliphaz +and his companions, Job spake, saying: "Silence, and +I will show you my throne and the splendor of its glory. +Kings will perish, rulers disappear, their pride and lustre +will pass like a shadow across a mirror, but my kingdom +will persist forever and ever, for glory and magnificence are +in the chariot of my Father." + +These words aroused the wrath of Eliphaz, and he called +upon his associates to abandon Job to his fate and go their +way. But Bildad appeased his anger, reminding him that +some allowance ought to be made for one so sorely tried as +Job. Bildad put a number of questions to the sufferer in +order to establish his sanity. He wanted to elicit from Job +how it came about that God, upon whom he continued to set +his hopes, could inflict such dire suffering. Not even a king +of flesh and blood would allow a guardsman of his that had +served him loyally to come to grief. Bildad desired to have +information from Job also concerning the movements of the +heavenly bodies. + +Job had but one answer to make to these questions: man +cannot comprehend Divine wisdom, whether it reveal itself +in inanimate and brute nature or in relation to human beings. +"But," continued Job, "to prove to you that I am in +my right mind, listen to the question I shall put to you. +Solid food and liquids combine inside of man, and they +separate again when they leave his body. Who effects the +separation?" And when Bildad conceded that he could not +answer the question, Job said, "If thou canst not comprehend +the changes in thy body, how canst thou hope to comprehend +the movements of the planets?" + +Zophar, after Job had spoken thus to Bildad, was convinced +that his suffering had had no effect upon his mind, +and he asked him whether he would permit himself to be +treated by the physicians of the three kings, his friends. But +Job rejected the offer, saying, "My healing and my restoration +come from God, the Creator of all physicians." + +While the three kings were conversing thus with Job, his +wife Zitidos made her appearance clad in rags, and she threw +herself at the feet of her husband's friends, and amid tears +she spoke, saying: "O Eliphaz, and ye other friends of +Job, remember what I was in other days, and how I am now +changed, coming before you in rags and tatters." The sight +of the unhappy woman touched them so deeply that they +could only weep, and not a word could they force out of their +mouths. Eliphaz, however, took his royal mantle of purple, +and laid it about the shoulders of the poor woman. Zitidos +asked only one favor, that the three kings should order their +soldiers to clear away the ruins of the building under which +her children lay entombed, that she might give their remains +decent burial. The command was issued to the soldiers +accordingly, but Job said, "Do not put yourselves to +trouble for naught. My children will not be found, for they +are safely bestowed with their Lord and Creator." Again +his friends were sure that Job was bereft of his senses. He +arose, however, prayed to God, and at the end of his devotions, +he bade his friends look eastward, and when they did +his bidding, they beheld his children next to the Ruler of +heaven, with crowns of glory upon their heads. Zitidos +prostrated herself, and said, "Now I know that my memorial +resides with the Lord." And she returned to the house +of her master, whence she had absented herself for some +time against his will. He had forbidden her to leave it, +because he had feared that the three kings would take her +with them. + +In the evening she lay down to sleep next to the manger +for the cattle, but she never rose again, she died there of +exhaustion. The people of the city made a great mourning +for her, and the elegy composed in her honor was set down +in writing and recorded. + + +JOB RESTORED + +More and more the friends of Job came to the conclusion +that he had incurred Divine punishment on account of his +sins, and as he asseverated his innocence again and again, +they prepared angrily to leave him to his fate. Especially +Elihu was animated by Satan to speak scurrilous words +against Job, upbraiding him for his unshakable confidence in +God. Then the Lord appeared to them, first unto Job, and +revealed to him that Elihu was in the wrong, and his words +were inspired by Satan. Next he appeared unto Eliphaz, +and to him He spake thus: "Thou and thy friends Bildad +and Zophar have committed a sin, for ye did not speak the +truth concerning my servant Job. Rise up and let him bring +a sin offering for you. Only for his sake do I refrain from +destroying you." + +The sacrifice offered by Job in behalf of his friends was +accepted graciously by God, and Eliphaz broke out into a +hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord for having pardoned the +transgression of himself and his two friends. At the same +time he announced the damnation of Elihu, the instrument +of Satan. + +God appeared to Job once more, and gave him a girdle +composed of three ribands, and he bade him tie it around his +waist. Hardly had he put it on when all his pain disappeared, +his very recollection of it vanished, and, more than +this, God made him to see all that ever was and all that shall +ever be.[33] + +After suffering sevenfold pain for seven years[34] Job was +restored to strength. With his three friends he returned to +the city, and the inhabitants made a festival in his honor +and unto the glory of God. All his former friends joined +him again, and he resumed his old occupation, the care of +the poor, for which he obtained the means from the people +around. He said to them, "Give me, each one of you, a +sheep for the clothing of the poor, and four silver or gold +drachmas for their other needs." The Lord blessed Job, +and in a few days his wealth had increased to double the +substance he had owned before misfortune overtook him. +Zitidos having died during the years of his trials, he married +a second wife, Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and she bore +him seven sons and three daughters.[35] He had never had +more than one wife at a time, for he was wont to say, "If it +had been intended that Adam should have ten wives, God +would have given them to him. Only one wife was bestowed +upon him, whereby God indicated that he was to have but +one, and therefore one wife suffices for me, too."[36] + +When Job, after a long and happy life, felt his end approaching, +he gathered his ten children around him, and told +them the tale of his days. Having finished the narrative, he +admonished them in these words: "See, I am about to die, +and you will stand in my place. Forsake not the Lord, be +generous toward the poor, treat the feeble with consideration, +and do not marry with the women of the Gentiles." + +Thereupon he divided his possessions among his sons, and +to his daughters he gave what is more precious than all +earthly goods, to each of them one riband of the celestial +girdle he had received from God. The magic virtue of these +ribands was such that no sooner did their possessors tie them +around their waists than they were transformed into higher +beings, and with seraphic voices they broke out into hymns +after the manner of the angels. + +For three days Job lay upon his bed, sick though not suffering, +for the celestial girdle made him proof against +pain. On the fourth day he saw the angels descend to fetch +his soul. He arose from his bed, handed a cithern to his +oldest daughter Jemimah, "Day," a censer to the second +one, Keziah, "Perfume," and a cymbal to the third, Amaltheas, +"Horn," and bade them welcome the angels with the +sound of music. They played and sang and praised the Lord +in the holy tongue. Then he appeared that sits in the great +chariot, kissed Job, and rode away bearing his soul with him +eastward. None saw them depart except the three daughters +of Job. + +The grief of the people, especially the poor, the widows, +and the orphans, was exceeding great. For three days they +left the corpse unburied, because they could not entertain the +thought of separating themselves from it. + +As the name of Job will remain imperishable unto all time, +by reason of the man's piety,[37] so his three friends were +recompensed by God for their sympathy with him in his distress. +Their names were preserved, the punishment of hell +was remitted unto them, and, best of all, God poured out the +holy spirit over them.[38] But Satan, the cause of Job's anguish, +the Lord cast down from heaven, for he had been +vanquished by Job, who amid his agony had thanked and +praised God for all He had done unto him.[39] + + + + +IV + +MOSES IN EGYPT + + THE BEGINNING OF THE EGYPTIAN BONDAGE + PHARAOH'S CUNNING + THE PIOUS MIDWIVES + THE THREE COUNSELLORS + THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS + THE PARENTS OF MOSES + THE BIRTH OF MOSES + MOSES RESCUED FROM THE WATER + THE INFANCY OF MOSES + MOSES RESCUED BY GABRIEL + THE YOUTH OF MOSES + THE FLIGHT + THE KING OF ETHIOPIA + JETHRO + MOSES MARRIES ZIPPORAH + A BLOODY REMEDY + THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERD + THE BURNING THORN-BUSH + THE ASCENSION OF MOSES + MOSES VISITS PARADISE AND HELL + MOSES DECLINES THE MISSION + MOSES PUNISHED FOR HIS STUBBORNNESS + THE RETURN TO EGYPT + MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH + THE SUFFERING INCREASES + MEASURE FOR MEASURE + THE PLAGUES BROUGHT THROUGH AARON + THE PLAGUES BROUGHT THROUGH MOSES + THE FIRST PASSOVER + THE SMITING OF THE FIRST-BORN + THE REDEMPTION OF ISRAEL FROM EGYPTIAN BONDAGE + THE EXODUS + + + +IV + +MOSES IN EGYPT + +THE BEGINNING OF THE EGYPTIAN BONDAGE + +As soon as Jacob was dead, the eyes of the Israelites were +closed, as well as their hearts. They began to feel the dominion +of the stranger,[1] although real bondage did not enslave +them until some time later. While a single one of the +sons of Jacob was alive, the Egyptians did not venture to +approach the Israelites with evil intent. It was only when +Levi, the last of them, had departed this life that their +suffering +commenced.[2] A change in the relation of the Egyptians +toward the Israelites had, indeed, been noticeable +immediately after the death of Joseph, but they did not +throw off their mask completely until Levi was no more. +Then the slavery of the Israelites supervened in good +earnest. + +The first hostile act on the part of the Egyptians was to +deprive the Israelites of their fields, their vineyards, and the +gifts that Joseph had sent to his brethren. Not content with +these animosities, they sought to do them harm in, other +ways.[3] The reason for the hatred of the Egyptians was envy +and fear. The Israelites had increased to a miraculous +degree. At the death of Jacob the seventy persons he had +brought down with him bad grown to the number of six +hundred thousand,[4] and their physical strength and heroism +were extraordinary and therefore alarming to the Egyptians. There +were many occasions at that time for the display +of prowess. Not long after the death of Levi occurred +that of the Egyptian king Magron, who had been bred up +by Joseph, and therefore was not wholly without grateful +recollection of what he and his family had accomplished for +the welfare of Egypt. But his son and successor Malol, +together with his whole court, knew not the sons of Jacob +and their achievements, and they did not scruple to oppress +the Hebrews. + +The final breach between them and the Egyptians took +place during the wars waged by Malol against Zepho, the +grandson of Esau. In the course of it, the Israelites had +saved the Egyptians from a crushing defeat, but instead of +being grateful they sought only the undoing of their benefactors, +from fear that the giant strength of the Hebrews +might be turned against them.[5] + + +PHARAOH'S CUNNING + +The counsellors and elders of Egypt came to Pharaoh, +and spake unto him, saying: "Behold, the people of the +children of Israel are greater and mightier than we. Thou +hast seen their strong power, which they have inherited from +their fathers, for a few of them stood up against a people +as many as the sand of the sea, and not one hath fallen. +Now, therefore, give us counsel what to do with them, until +we shall gradually destroy them from among us, lest they +become too numerous in the land, for if they multiply, and +there falleth out any war, they will also join themselves with +their great strength unto our enemies, and fight against us, +destroy us from the land, and get them up out of the land." + +The king answered the elders, saying: "This is the plan +advised by me against Israel, from which we will not depart. +Behold, Pithom and Raamses are cities not fortified against +battle. It behooves us to fortify them. Now, go ye and act +cunningly against the children of Israel, and proclaim in +Egypt and in Goshen, saying: 'All ye men of Egypt, Goshen, +and Pathros! The king has commanded us to build +Pithom and Raamses and fortify them against battle. Those +amongst you in all Egypt, of the children of Israel and of +all the inhabitants of the cities, who are willing to build with +us, shall have their wages given to them daily at the king's +order.' + +"Then go ye first, and begin to build Pithom and +Raamses, and cause the king's proclamation to be made +daily, and when some of the children of Israel come to build, +do ye give them their wages daily, and after they shall have +built with you for their daily wages, draw yourselves away +from them day by day, and one by one, in secret. Then you +shall rise up and become their taskmasters and their officers, +and you shall have them afterward to build without wages. +And should they refuse, then force them with all your might +to build. If you do this, it will go well with us, for we shall +cause our land to be fortified after this manner, and with +the children of Israel it will go ill, for they will decrease in +number on account of the work, because you will prevent +them from being with their wives." + +The elders, the counsellors, and the whole of Egypt did +according to the word of the king. For a month the servants +of Pharaoh built with Israel, then they withdrew themselves +gradually, while the children of Israel continued to work, +receiving their daily wages, for some men of Egypt were +still carrying on the work with them. After a time all the +Egyptians had withdrawn, and they had turned to become +the officers and taskmasters of the Israelites. Then they +refrained from giving them any pay, and when some of the +Hebrews refused to work without wages, their taskmasters +smote them, and made them return by force to labor with +their brethren. And the children of Israel were greatly +afraid of the Egyptians, and they came again and worked +without pay, all except the tribe of Levi, who were not +employed in the work with their brethren. The children of +Levi knew that the proclamation of the king was made to +deceive Israel, therefore they refrained from listening to it, +and the Egyptians did not molest them later, since they had +not been with their brethren at the beginning, and though +the Egyptians embittered the lives of the other Israelites +with servile labor, they did not disturb the children of Levi. +The Israelites called Malol, the king of Egypt, Maror, +"Bitterness," because in his days the Egyptians embittered +their lives with all manner of rigorous service.[6] + +But Pharaoh did not rest satisfied with his proclamation +and the affliction it imposed upon the Israelites. He suspended +a brick-press from his own neck, and himself took +part in the work at Pithom and Raamses. After this, whenever +a Hebrew refused to come and help with the building, +alleging that he was not fit for such hard service, the Egyptians +would retort, saying, "Dost thou mean to make us +believe thou art more delicate than Pharaoh?" + +The king himself urged the Israelites on with gentle +words, saying, "My children, I beg you to do this work and +erect these little buildings for me. I will give you great +reward therefor." By means of such artifices and wily +words the Egyptians succeeded in overmastering the Israelites, +and once they had them in their power, they treated +them with undisguised brutality. Women were forced to +perform men's work, and men women's work. + +The building of Pithom and Raamses turned out of no +advantage to the Egyptians, for scarcely were the structures +completed, when they collapsed, or they were swallowed by +the earth, and the Hebrew workmen, besides having to +suffer hardships during their erection, lost their lives by +being precipitated from enormous heights, when the buildings +fell in a heap.[7] + +But the Egyptians were little concerned whether or not +they derived profit from the forced labor of the children of +Israel. Their main object was to hinder their increase, and +Pharaoh therefore issued an order, that they were not to be +permitted to sleep at their own homes, that so they might be +deprived of the opportunity of having intercourse with their +wives. The officers executed the will of the king, telling +the Hebrews that the reason was the loss of too much time +in going to and fro, which would prevent them from completing +the required tale of bricks. Thus the Hebrew husbands +were kept apart from their wives, and they were compelled +to sleep on the ground, away from their habitations. + +But God spake, saying: "Unto their father Abraham I +gave the promise, that I would make his children to be as +numerous as the stars in the heavens, and you contrive plans +to prevent them from multiplying. We shall see whose +word will stand, Mine or yours." And it came to pass that +the more the Egyptians afflicted them, the more they multiplied, +and the more they spread abroad.[8] And they continued +to increase in spite of Pharaoh's command, that those +who did not complete the required tale of bricks were to be +immured in the buildings between the layers of bricks, and +great was the number of the Israelites that lost their lives +in this way.[9] Many of their children were, besides, slaughtered +as sacrifices to the idols of the Egyptians. For this +reason God visited retribution upon the idols at the time of +the going forth of the Israelites from Egypt. They had +caused the death of the Hebrew children, and in turn they +were shattered, and they crumbled into dust." + + +THE PIOUS MIDWIVES + +When now, in spite of all their tribulations, the children +of Israel continued to multiply and spread abroad, so that +the land was full of them as with thick underbrush--for the +women brought forth many children at a birth[11]--the Egyptians +appeared before Pharaoh again, and urged him to devise +some other way of ridding the land of the Hebrews, +seeing that they were increasing mightily, though they were +made to toil and labor hard. Pharaoh could invent no new +design; he asked his counsellors to give him their opinion of +the thing. Then spake one of them, Job of the land of Uz, +which is in Aram-naharaim, as follows: "The plan which +the king invented, of putting a great burden of work upon +the Israelites, was good in its time, and it should be executed +henceforth, too, but to secure us against the fear that, +if a war should come to pass, they may overwhelm us by +reason of their numbers, and chase us forth out of the land, +let the king issue a decree, that every male child of the +Israelites shall be killed at his birth. Then we need not be +afraid of them if we should be overtaken by war. Now let +the king summon the Hebrew midwives, that they come +hither, and let him command them in accordance with this +plan." + +Job's advice found favor in the eyes of Pharaoh and the +Egyptians." They preferred to have the midwives murder +the innocents, for they feared the punishment of God if they +laid hands upon them themselves. Pharaoh cited the two +midwives of the Hebrews before him, and commanded them +to slay all men children, but to save the daughters of the Hebrew +women alive," for the Egyptians were as much interested +in preserving the female children as in bringing about +the death of the male children. They were very sensual, +and were desirous of having as many women as possible at +their service." + +However, the plan, even if it had been carried into execution, +was not wise, for though a man may marry many wives, +each woman can marry but one husband. Thus a diminished +number of men and a corresponding increase in the +number of women did not constitute so serious a menace to +the continuance of the nation of the Israelites as the reverse +case would have been. + +The two Hebrew midwives were Jochebed, the mother of +Moses, and Miriam, his sister. When they appeared before +Pharaoh, Miriam exclaimed: "Woe be to this man when +God visits retribution upon him for his evil deeds." The +king would have killed her for these audacious words, had +not Jochebed allayed his wrath by saying: "Why dost thou +pay heed to her words? She is but a child, and knows not +what she speaks." Yet, although Miriam was but five years +old at the time, she nevertheless accompanied her mother, +and helped her with her offices to the Hebrew women, giving +food to the new-born babes while Jochebed washed and +bathed them. + +Pharaoh's order ran as follows: "At the birth of the +child, if it be a man child, kill it; but if it be a female +child, then you need not kill it, but you may save it alive." The +midwives returned: "How are we to know whether the +child is male or female?" for the king had bidden them kill +it while it was being born. Pharaoh replied: "If the child +issues forth from the womb with its face foremost, it is a +man child, for it looks to the earth, whence man was taken; +but if its feet appear first, it is a female, for it looks up +toward the rib of the mother, and from a rib woman was +made."[15] + +The king used all sorts of devices to render the midwives +amenable to his wishes. He approached them with amorous +proposals, which they both repelled, and then he threatened +them with death by fire.[16] But they said within themselves: +"Our father Abraham opened an inn, that he might +feed the wayfarers, though they were heathen, and we +should neglect the children, nay, kill them? No, we shall +have a care to keep them alive." Thus they failed to execute +what Pharaoh had commanded. Instead of murdering the +babes, they supplied all their needs. If a mother that had +given birth to a child lacked food and drink, the midwives +went to well-to-do women, and took up a collection, that the +infant might not suffer want. They did still more for the +little ones. They made supplication to God, praying: "Thou +knowest that we are not fulfilling the words of Pharaoh, +but it is our aim to fulfil Thy words. O that it be Thy will, +our Lord, to let the child come into the world safe and sound, +lest we fall under the suspicion that we tried to slay it, and +maimed it in the attempt." The Lord hearkened to their +prayer, and no child born under the ministrations of +Shiphrah and Puah, or Jochebed and Miriam, as the midwives +are also called, came into the world lame or blind or +afflicted with any other blemish.[17] + +Seeing that his command was ineffectual, he summoned +the midwives a second time, and called them to account for +their disobedience. They replied: "This nation is compared +unto one animal and another, and, in sooth, the Hebrews +are like the animals. As little as the animals do they need +the offices of midwives."[18] These two God-fearing women +were rewarded in many ways for their good deeds. Not +only that Pharaoh did them no harm, but they were made +the ancestors of priests and Levites, and kings and princes. +Jochebed became the mother of the priest Aaron and of the +Levite Moses, and from Miriam's union with Caleb sprang +the royal house of David. The hand of God was visible +in her married life. She contracted a grievous sickness, +and though it was thought by all that saw her that death +would certainly overtake her, she recovered, and God +restored her youth, and bestowed unusual beauty upon her, +so that renewed happiness awaited her husband, who had +been deprived of the pleasures of conjugal life during her +long illness. His unexpected joys were the reward of his +piety and trust in God.[19] And another recompense was accorded +to Miriam: she was privileged to bring forth Bezalel, +the builder of the Tabernacle, who was endowed with celestial +wisdom.[20] + + +THE THREE COUNSELLORS + +In the one hundred and thirtieth year after Israel's going +down to Egypt Pharaoh dreamed that he was sitting upon +his throne, and he lifted up his eyes, and he beheld an old +man before him with a balance in his hand, and he saw him +taking all the elders, nobles, and great men of Egypt, tying +them together, and laying them in one scale of the balance, +while he put a tender kid into the other. The kid bore +down the pan in which it lay until it hung lower than the +other with the bound Egyptians. Pharaoh arose early in +the morning, and called together all his servants and his +wise men to interpret his dream, and the men were greatly +afraid on account of his vision. Balaam the son of Beor +then spake, and said: "This means nothing but that a +great evil will spring up against Egypt, for a son will be +born unto Israel, who will destroy the whole of our land +and all its inhabitants, and he will bring forth the Israelites +from Egypt with a mighty hand. Now, therefore, O king, +take counsel as to this matter, that the hope of Israel be +frustrated before this evil arise against Egypt." + +The king said unto Balaam: "What shall we do unto +Israel? We have tried several devices against this people, +but we could not prevail over it. Now let me hear thy +opinion." + +At Balaam's instance, the king sent for his two counsellors, +Reuel the Midianite and Job the Uzite, to hear their advice. +Reuel spoke: "If it seemeth good to the king, let him desist +from the Hebrews, and let him not stretch forth his hand +against them, for the Lord chose them in days of old, and +took them as the lot of His inheritance from amongst all the +nations of the earth, and who is there that hath dared stretch +forth his hand against them with impunity, but that their +God avenged the evil done unto them?" Reuel then proceeded +to enumerate some of the mighty things God had +performed for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and he closed his +admonition with the words: "Verily, thy grandfather, the +Pharaoh of former days, raised Joseph the son of Jacob +above all the princes of Egypt, because he discerned his +wisdom, for through his wisdom he rescued all the inhabitants +of the land from the famine, after which he invited +Jacob and his sons to come down to Egypt, that the land +of Egypt and the land of Goshen be delivered from the +famine through their virtues. Now, therefore, if it seem +good in thine eyes, leave off from destroying the children of +Israel, and if it be not thy will that they dwell in Egypt, send +them forth from here, that they may go to the land of Canaan, +the land wherein their ancestors sojourned." + +When Pharaoh heard the words of Jethro-Reuel, he was +exceedingly wroth with him, and he was dismissed in disgrace +from before the king, and he went to Midian. + +The king then spoke to Job, and said: "What sayest +thou, Job, and what is thy advice respecting the Hebrews?" +Job replied: "Behold, all the inhabitants of the land are in +thy power. Let the king do as seemeth good in his eyes." + +Balaam was the last to speak at the behest of the king, and +he said: "From all that the king may devise against the +Hebrews, they will be delivered. If thou thinkest to diminish +them by the flaming fire, thou wilt not prevail over them, +for their God delivered Abraham their father from the furnace +in which the Chaldeans cast him. Perhaps thou thinkest +to destroy them with a sword, but their father Isaac was +delivered from being slaughtered by the sword. And if +thou thinkest to reduce them through hard and rigorous +labor, thou wilt also not prevail, for their father Jacob +served Laban in all manner of hard work, and yet he prospered. +If it please the king, let him order all the male +children that shall be born in Israel from this day forward +to be thrown into the water. Thereby canst thou wipe out +their name, for neither any of them nor any of their fathers +was tried in this way.[21] + + +THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS + +Balaam's advice was accepted by Pharaoh and the Egyptians. +They knew that God pays measure for measure, +therefore they believed that the drowning of the men children +would be the safest means of exterminating the Hebrews, +without incurring harm themselves, for the Lord had +sworn unto Noah never again to destroy the world by water. +Thus, they assumed, they would be exempt from punishment, +wherein they were wrong, however. In the first place, +though the Lord had sworn not to bring a flood upon men, +there was nothing in the way of bringing men into a flood. +Furthermore, the oath of God applied to the whole of mankind, +not to a single nation. The end of the Egyptians was +that they met their death in the billows of the Red Sea. +"Measure for measure"--as they had drowned the men +children of the Israelites, so they were drowned.[22] + +Pharaoh now took steps looking to the faithful execution +of his decree. He sent his bailiffs into the houses of the +Israelites, to discover all new-born children, wherever they +might be. To make sure that the Hebrews should not succeed +in keeping the children hidden, the Egyptians hatched +a devilish plan. Their women were to take their little ones +to the houses of the Israelitish women that were suspected +of having infants. When the Egyptian children began to +cry or coo, the Hebrew children that were kept in hiding +would join in, after the manner of babies, and betray their +presence, whereupon the Egyptians would seize them and +bear them off.[23] + +Furthermore, Pharaoh commanded that the Israelitish +women employ none but Egyptian midwives, who were to +secure precise information as to the time of their delivery, +and were to exercise great care, and let no male child escape +their vigilance alive. If there should be parents that evaded +the command, and preserved a new-born boy in secret, they +and all belonging to them were to be killed.[24] + +Is it to be wondered at, then, that many of the Hebrews +kept themselves away from their wives? Nevertheless those +who put trust in God were not forsaken by Him. The +women that remained united with their husbands would go +out into the field when their time of delivery arrived, and +give birth to their children and leave them there, while they +themselves returned home. The Lord, who had sworn unto +their ancestors to multiply them, sent one of His angels to +wash the babes, anoint them, stretch their limbs, and swathe +them. Then he would give them two smooth pebbles, from +one of which they sucked milk, and from the other honey. +And God caused the hair of the infants to grow down +to their knees and serve them as a protecting garment, and +then He ordered the earth to receive the babes, that they +be sheltered therein until the time of their growing up, when +it would open its mouth and vomit forth the children, and +they would sprout up like the herb of the field and the grass +of the forest. Thereafter each would return to his family +and the house of his father. + +When the Egyptians saw this, they went forth, every man +to his field, with his yoke of oxen, and they ploughed up the +earth as one ploughs it at seed time. Yet they were unable +to do harm to the infants of the children of Israel that had +been swallowed up and lay in the bosom of the earth. Thus +the people of Israel increased and waxed exceedingly. And +Pharaoh ordered his officers to go to Goshen, to look for the +male babes of the children of Israel, and when they discovered +one, they tore him from his mother's breast by force, +and thrust him into the river." But no one is so valiant +as to be able to foil God's purposes, though he contrive ten +thousand subtle devices unto that end. The child foretold +by Pharaoh's dreams and by his astrologers was brought +up and kept concealed from the king's spies. It came to +pass after the following manner.[26] + + +THE PARENTS OF MOSES + +When Pharaoh's proclamation was issued, decreeing that +the men children of the Hebrews were to be cast into the +river, Amram, who was the president of the Sanhedrin, decided +that in the circumstances it was best for husbands to +live altogether separate from their wives. He set the example. He +divorced his wife, and all the men of Israel did +likewise,[27] for he occupied a place of great consideration +among his people, one reason being that he belonged to the +tribe of Levi, the tribe that was faithful to its God even in +the land of Egypt, though the other tribes wavered in their +allegiance, and attempted to ally themselves with the Egyptians, +going so far as to give up Abraham's sign of the covenant.[28] +To chastise the Hebrews for their impiety, God +turned the love of the Egyptians for them into hatred, so +that they resolved upon their destruction. Mindful of all +that he and his people owed to Joseph's wise rule, Pharaoh +refused at first to entertain the malicious plans proposed by +the Egyptians against the Hebrews. He spoke to his people, +"You fools, we are indebted to these Hebrews for whatever +we enjoy, and you desire now to rise up against them?" But +the Egyptians could not be turned aside from their purpose +of ruining Israel. They deposed their king, and incarcerated +him for three months, until he declared himself ready to +execute with determination what they had resolved upon, +and he sought to bring about the ruin of the children of +Israel by every conceivable means. Such was the retribution +they had drawn down upon themselves by their own +acts.[29] + +As for Amram, not only did he belong to the tribe of Levi, +distinguished for its piety, but by reason of his extraordinary +piety he was prominent even among the pious of the tribe. +He was one of the four who were immaculate, untainted by +sin, over whom death would have had no power, had mortality +not been decreed against every single human being on +account of the fall of the first man and woman. The other +three that led the same sinless life were Benjamin, Jesse +the father of David, and Chileab the son of David.[30] If the +Shekinah was drawn close again to the dwelling-place of +mortals, it was due to Amram's piety. Originally the real +residence of the Shekinah was among men, but when Adam +committed his sin, she withdrew to heaven, at first to the +lowest of the seven heavens. Thence she was banished by +Cain's crime, and she retired to the second heaven. The +sins of the generation of Enoch removed her still farther +off from men, she took up her abode in the third heaven; +then, successively, in the fourth, on account of the malefactors +in the generation of the deluge; in the fifth, during the +building of the tower of Babel and the confusion of tongues; +in the sixth, by reason of the wicked Egyptians at the time +of Abraham; and, finally, in the seventh, in consequence of +the abominations of the inhabitants of Sodom. Six righteous +men, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Levi, Kohath, and Amram, +drew the Shekinah back, one by one, from the seventh +to the first heaven, and through the seventh righteous man, +Moses, she was made to descend to the earth and abide +among men as aforetime.[31] + +Amram's sagacity kept pace with his piety and his learning. +The Egyptians succeeded in enslaving the Hebrews by +seductive promises. At first they gave them a shekel for +every brick they made, tempting them to superhuman efforts +by the prospect of earning much money. Later, when the +Egyptians forced them to work without wages, they insisted +upon having as many bricks as the Hebrews had made when +their labor was paid for, but they could demand only a single +brick daily from Amram, for he had been the only one whom +they had not led astray by their artifice. He had been +satisfied with a single shekel daily, and had therefore made +only a single brick daily, which they had to accept afterward +as the measure of his day's work.[32] + +As his life partner, Amram chose his aunt Jochebed, who +was born the same day with him.[33] She was the daughter of +Levi, and she owed her name, "Divine Splendor," to the +celestial light that radiated from her countenance.[34] She was +worthy of being her husband's helpmeet, for she was one of +the midwives that had imperilled their own lives to rescue +the little Hebrew babes. Indeed, if God had not allowed a +miracle to happen, she and her daughter Miriam would have +been killed by Pharaoh for having resisted his orders and +saved the Hebrew children alive. When the king sent his +hangmen for the two women, God caused them to become +invisible, and the bailiffs bad to return without accomplishing +their errand.[35] + +The first child of the union between Amram and Jochebed, +his wife, who was one hundred and twenty-six years old at +the time of her marriage, was a girl, and the mother called +her Miriam, "Bitterness," for it was at the time of her birth +that the Egyptians began to envenom the life of the Hebrews. +The second child was a boy, called Aaron, which +means, "Woe unto this pregnancy!" because Pharaoh's instructions +to the midwives, to kill the male children of the +Hebrews, was proclaimed during the months before Aaron's +birth.[36] + +THE BIRTH OF MOSES + +When Amram separated from his wife on account of the +edict published against the male children of the Hebrews, +and his example was followed by all the Israelites, his +daughter Miriam said to him: "Father, thy decree is worse +than Pharaoh's decree. The Egyptians aim to destroy only +the male children, but thou includest the girls as well. Pharaoh +deprives his victims of life in this world, but thou preventest +children from being born, and thus thou deprivest +them of the future life, too. He resolves destruction, but +who knows whether the intention of the wicked can persist? +Thou art a righteous man, and the enactments of the righteous +are executed by God, hence thy decree will be upheld." + +Amram recognized the justice of her plea, and he repaired +to the Sanhedrin, and put the matter before this body. The +members of the court spoke, and said: "It was thou that +didst separate husbands and wives, and from thee should go +forth the permission for re-marriage." Amram then made +the proposition that each of the members of the Sanhedrin +return to his wife, and wed her clandestinely, but his colleagues +repudiated the plan, saying, "And who will make it +known unto the whole of Israel? " + +Accordingly, Amram stood publicly under the wedding +canopy with his divorced wife Jochebed, while Aaron and +Miriam danced about it, and the angels proclaimed, "Let +the mother of children be joyful!" His re-marriage was +solemnized with great ceremony, to the end that the men that +bad followed his example in divorcing their wives might +imitate him now in taking them again unto themselves. And +so it happened.[37] + +Old as Jochebed was, she regained her youth. Her skin +became soft, the wrinkles in her face disappeared, the warm +tints of maiden beauty returned, and in a short time she became +pregnant.[38] + +Amram was very uneasy about his wife's being with child; +he knew not what to do. He turned to God in prayer, and +entreated Him to have compassion upon those who had in +no wise transgressed the laws of His worship, and afford +them deliverance from the misery they endured, while He +rendered abortive the hope of their enemies, who yearned +for the destruction of their nation. God had mercy on +him, and 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, and He would always reward them +for it, as He had granted His favor in other days unto their +forefathers. "Know, therefore," the Lord continued to +speak, "that I shall provide for you all together what is for +your good, and for thee in particular that which shall make +thee celebrated; for the child out of dread of whose nativity +the Egyptians have doomed the Israelite children to destruction, +shall be this child of thine, and be shall remain concealed +from those who watch to destroy him, and when he +has been bred up, in a miraculous way, he shall deliver the +Hebrew nation from the distress they are under by reason of +the Egyptians. His memory shall be celebrated while the +world lasts, and not only among the Hebrews, but among +strangers also. And all this shall be the effect of My favor +toward thee and thy posterity. Also his brother shall be +such that he shall obtain My priesthood for himself, and for +his posterity after him, unto the end of the world." + +After he had been informed of these things by the vision, +Amram awoke, and told all unto his wife Jochebed.[39] + +His daughter Miriam likewise had a prophetic dream, and +she related it unto her parents, saying: "In this night I saw +a man clothed in fine linen. 'Tell thy father and thy mother,' +he said, 'that he who shall be born unto them, shall be cast +into the waters, and through him the waters shall become +dry, and wonders and miracles shall be performed through +him, and he shall save My people Israel, and be their leader +forever.' "[40] + +During her pregnancy, Jochebed observed that the child +in her womb was destined for great things. All the time she +suffered no pain, and also she suffered none in giving birth +to her son, for pious women are not included in the curse +pronounced upon Eve, decreeing sorrow in conception and +in childbearing.[41] + +At the moment of the child's appearance, the whole house +was filled with radiance equal to the splendor of the sun and +the moon.[42] A still greater miracle followed. The infant +was not yet a day old when he began to walk and speak with +his parents, and as though he were an adult, he refused to +drink milk from his mother's breast.[43] + +Jochebed gave birth to the child six months after conception. +The Egyptian bailiffs, who kept strict watch over all +pregnant women in order to be on the spot in time to carry +off their new-born boys, had not expected her delivery for +three months more. These three months the parents succeeded +in keeping the babe concealed, though every Israelitish +house was guarded by two Egyptian women, one stationed +within and one without.[44] At the end of this time +they determined to expose the child, for Amram was afraid +that both he and his son would be devoted to death if the +secret leaked out, and he thought it better to entrust the +child's fate to Divine Providence. He was convinced that +God would protect the boy, and fulfil His word in truth.[45] + + +MOSES RESCUED FROM THE WATER + +Jochebed accordingly took an ark fashioned of bulrushes, +daubed it with pitch on the outside, and lined it with clay +within. The reason she used bulrushes was because they +float on the surface of the water, and she put pitch only on +the outside, to protect the child as much as possible against +the annoyance of a disagreeable odor. Over the child as it +lay in the ark she spread a tiny canopy, to shade the babe, +with the words, "Perhaps I shall not live to see him under +the marriage canopy." And then she abandoned the ark on +the shores of the Red Sea. Yet it was not left unguarded. +Her daughter Miriam stayed near by, to discover whether a +prophecy she had uttered would be fulfilled. Before the +child's birth, his sister had foretold that her mother would +bring forth a son that should redeem Israel. When he was +born, and the house was filled with brilliant light, Amram +kissed her on her head, but when he was forced into the +expedient of exposing the child, he beat her on her head, +saying, "My daughter, what hath become of thy prophecy?" +Therefore Miriam stayed, and strolled along the shore, to +observe what would be the fate of the babe, and what would +come of her prophecy concerning him.[46] + +The day the child was exposed was the twenty-first of the +month of Nisan, the same on which the children of Israel +later, under the leadership of Moses, sang the song of praise +and gratitude to God for the redemption from the waters of +the sea. The angels appeared before God, and spoke: "O +Lord of the world, shall he that is appointed to sing a song +of praise unto Thee on this day of Nisan, to thank Thee for +rescuing him and his people from the sea, shall he find his +death in the sea to-day?" The Lord replied: "Ye know +well that I see all things. The contriving of man can do +naught to change what bath been resolved in My counsel. +Those do not attain their end who use cunning and malice +to secure their own safety, and endeavor to bring ruin upon +their fellow-men. But he who trusts Me in his peril will be +conveyed from profoundest distress to unlooked-for happiness. +Thus My omnipotence will reveal itself in the fortunes +of this babe.[47] + +At the time of the child's abandonment, God sent scorching +heat to plague the Egyptians, and they all suffered with +leprosy and smarting boils. Thermutis, the daughter of Pharaoh, +sought relief from the burning pain in a bath in the +waters of the Nile.[48] But physical discomfort was not her +only reason for leaving her father's palace. She was determined +to cleanse herself as well of the impurity of the idol +worship that prevailed there. + +When she saw the little ark floating among the flags on +the surface of the water, she supposed it to contain one of +the little children exposed at her father's order, and she +commanded her handmaids to fetch it. But they protested, +saying, "O our mistress, it happens sometimes that a decree +issued by a king is unheeded, yet it is observed at least +by his children and the members of his household, and dost +thou desire to transgress thy father's edict?" Forthwith the +angel Gabriel appeared, seized all the maids except one, +whom he permitted the princess to retain for her service, +and buried them in the bowels of the earth. + +Pharaoh's daughter now proceeded to do her own will. +She stretched forth her arm, and although the ark was swimming +at a distance of sixty ells, she succeeded in grasping it, +because her arm was lengthened miraculously. No sooner +had she touched it than the leprosy afflicting her departed +from her. Her sudden restoration led her to examine the +contents of the ark,[49] and when she opened it, her amazement +was great. She beheld an exquisitely beautiful boy, for +God bad fashioned the Hebrew babe's body with peculiar +care,[50] and beside it she perceived the Shekinah. Noticing +that the boy bore the sign of the Abrahamic covenant, she +knew that he was one of the Hebrew children, and mindful +of her father's decree concerning the male children of the +Israelites, she was about to abandon the babe to his fate. At +that moment the angel Gabriel came and gave the child a +vigorous blow, and he began to cry aloud, with a voice like +a young man's. His vehement weeping and the weeping of +Aaron, who was lying beside him, touched the princess, and +in her pity she resolved to save him. She ordered an Egyptian +woman to be brought, to nurse the child, but the little +one refused to take milk from her breast, as he refused to +take it from one after the other of the Egyptian women +fetched thither. Thus it had been ordained by God, that +none of them might boast later on, and say, "I suckled him +that holds converse now with the Shekinah." Nor was the +mouth destined to speak with God to draw nourishment from +the unclean body of an Egyptian woman. + +Now Miriam stepped into the presence of Thermutis, as +though she had been standing there by chance to look at the +child,[51] and she spoke to the princess, saying, "It is vain for +thee, O queen, to call for nurses that are in no wise of kin +to the child, but if thou wilt order a woman of the Hebrews +to be brought, he may accept her breast, seeing that she is of +his own nation." Thermutis therefore bade Miriam fetch a +Hebrew woman, and with winged steps, speeding like a vigorous +youth, she hastened and brought back her own mother, +the child's mother, for she knew that none present was acquainted +with her. The babe, unresisting, took his mother's +breast, and clutched it tightly.[52] The princess committed the +child to Jochebed's care, saying these words, which contained +an unconscious divination: "Here is what is thine." +Nurse the boy henceforth, and I will give thee two silver +pieces as thy wages.[54] + +The return of her son, safe and sound, after she had exposed +him, was Jochebed's reward from God for her services +as one of the midwives that had bidden defiance to Pharaoh's +command and saved the Hebrew children alive.[55] + +By exposing their son to danger, Amram and Jochebed +had effected the withdrawal of Pharaoh's command enjoining +the extermination of the Hebrew men children. The +day Moses was set adrift in the little ark, the astrologers +had come to Pharaoh and told him the glad tidings, that the +danger threatening the Egyptians on account of one boy, +whose doom lay in the water, had now been averted. Thereupon +Pharaoh cried a halt to the drowning of the boys of his +empire. The astrologers had seen something, but they knew +not what, and they announced a message, the import of +which they did not comprehend. Water was, indeed, the +doom of Moses, but that did not mean that he would perish +in the waters of the Nile. It had reference to the waters of +Meribah, the waters of strife, and how they would cause his +death in the desert, before he had completed his task of leading +the people into the promised land. Pharaoh, misled by +the obscure vision of his astrologers, thought that the future +redeemer of Israel was to lose his life by drowning, and to +make sure that the boy whose appearance was foretold by +the astrologers might not escape his fate, he had ordered all +boys, even the children of the Egyptians, born during a +period of nine months to be cast into the water. + +On account of the merits of Moses, the six hundred thousand +men children of the Hebrews begotten in the same +night with him, and thrown into the water on the same day, +were rescued miraculously together with him, and it was +therefore not an idle boast, if he said later, "The people that +went forth out of the water on account of my merits are six +hundred thousand men."[56] + + +THE INFANCY OF MOSES + +For two years the child rescued by Pharaoh's daughter +stayed with his parents and kindred. They gave him various +names. His father called him Heber, because it was for this +child's sake that he had been "reunited" with his wife. +His mother's name for him was Jekuthiel, "because," she +said, "I set my hope upon God, and He gave him back to +me." To his sister Miriam he was Jered, because she had +"descended" to the stream to ascertain his fate. His +brother Aaron called him Abi Zanoah, because his father, +who had "cast off" his mother, had taken her back for the +sake of the child to be born. His grandfather Kohath knew +him as Abi Gedor, because the Heavenly Father had "built +up" the breach in Israel, when He rescued him, and thus +restrained the Egyptians from throwing the Hebrew men +children into the water. His nurse called him Abi Soco, because +he had been kept concealed in a "tent" for three +months, escaping the pursuit of the Egyptians. And Israel +called him Shemaiah ben Nethanel, because in his day God +would "hear" the sighs of the people, and deliver them +from their oppressors, and through him would He "give" +them His own law.[57] + +His kindred and all Israel knew that the child was destined +for great things, for he was barely four months old +when he began to prophesy, saying, "In days to come I shall +receive the Torah from the flaming torch."[58] + +When Jochebed took the child to the palace at the end of +two years, Pharaoh's daughter called him Moses, because +she had "drawn" him out of the water, and because he +would "draw" the children of Israel out of the land of +Egypt in a day to come.[59] And this was the only name +whereby God called the son of Amram, the name conferred +upon him by Pharaoh's daughter. He said to the princess: +"Moses was not thy child, yet thou didst treat him as such. +For this I will call thee My daughter, though thou art not +My daughter," and therefore the princess, the daughter of +Pharaoh, bears the name Bithiah, "the daughter of God." +She married Caleb later on, and he was a suitable husband +for her. As she stood up against her father's wicked counsels, +so Caleb stood up against the counsel of his fellow-messengers +sent to spy out the land of Canaan.[60] For +rescuing Moses and for her other pious deeds, she was permitted +to enter Paradise alive.[61] + +That Moses might receive the treatment at court usually +accorded to a prince, Bithiah pretended that she was with +child for some time before she had him fetched away from +his parents' house." His royal foster-mother caressed and +kissed him constantly, and on account of his extraordinary +beauty she would not permit him ever to quit the palace. +Whoever set eyes on him, could not leave off from looking +at him, wherefore Bithiah feared to allow him out of her +sight.[63] + +Moses' understanding was far beyond his years; his instructors +observed that he disclosed keener comprehension +than is usual at his age. All his actions in his infancy promised +greater ones after he should come to man's estate, and +when he was but three years old, God granted him remarkable +size. As for his beauty, it was so attractive that frequently +those meeting him as he was carried along on the +road were obliged to turn and stare at him. They would +leave what they were about, and stand still a great while, +looking after him, for the loveliness of the child was so +wondrous that it held the gaze of the spectator. The +daughter of Pharaoh, perceiving Moses to be an extraordinary +lad, adopted him as her son, for she had no child of her +own. She informed her father of her intention concerning +him, in these words: "I have brought up a child, who is +divine in form and of an excellent mind, and as I received +him through the bounty of the river in a wonderful way, I +have thought it proper to adopt him as my son and as the +heir of thy kingdom." And when she had spoken thus, she +put the infant between her father's hands, and he took him +and hugged him close to his breast.[64] + + +MOSES RESCUED BY GABRIEL + +When Moses was in his third year, Pharaoh was dining +one day, with the queen Alfar'anit at his right hand, his +daughter Bithiah with the infant Moses upon her lap at his +left, and Balaam the son of Beor together with his two sons +and all the princes of the realm sitting at table in the king's +presence. It happened that the infant took the crown from +off the king's head, and placed it on his own. When the +king and the princes saw this, they were terrified, and each +one in turn expressed his astonishment. The king said unto +the princes, "What speak you, and what say you, O ye +princes, on this matter, and what is to be done to this Hebrew +boy on account of this act?" + +Balaam spoke, saying: "Remember now, O my lord and +king, the dream which thou didst dream many days ago, and +how thy servant interpreted it unto thee. Now this is a child +of the Hebrews in whom is the spirit of God. Let not my +lord the king imagine in his heart that being a child he did +the thing without knowledge. For he is a Hebrew boy, and +wisdom and understanding are with him, although he is yet +a child, and with wisdom has he done this, and chosen unto +himself the kingdom of Egypt. For this is the manner of +all the Hebrews, to deceive kings and their magnates, to do +all things cunningly in order to make the kings of the earth +and their men to stumble. + +"Surely thou knowest that Abraham their father acted +thus, who made the armies of Nimrod king of Babel and of +Abimelech king of Gerar to stumble, and he possessed himself +of the land of the children of Heth and the whole realm +of Canaan. Their father Abraham went down into Egypt, +and said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister, in order to +make Egypt and its king to stumble. + +"His son Isaac did likewise when he went to Gerar, and +he dwelt there, and his strength prevailed over the army of +Abimelech, and he intended to make the kingdom of the +Philistines to stumble, by saying that Rebekah his wife was +his sister. + +"Jacob also dealt treacherously with his brother, and took +his birthright and his blessing from him. Then he went to +Paddan-aram, to Laban, his mother's brother, and he obtained +his daughters from him cunningly, and also his cattle +and all his belongings, and he fled away and returned to the +land of Canaan, to his father. + +"His sons sold their brother Joseph, and he went down +into Egypt and became a slave, and he was put into prison +for twelve years, until the former Pharaoh delivered him +from the prison, and magnified him above all the princes of +Egypt on account of his interpreting the king's dreams. +When God caused a famine to descend upon the whole +world, Joseph sent for his father, and he brought him down +into Egypt his father, his brethren, and all his father's +household, and he supplied them with food without pay or +reward, while he acquired Egypt, and made slaves of all its +inhabitants. + +"Now, therefore, my lord king, behold, this child has +risen up in their stead in Egypt, to do according to their +deeds and make sport of every man, be he king, prince, +or judge. If it please the king, let us now spill his blood +upon the ground, lest he grow up and snatch the government +from thine hand, and the hope of Egypt be cut off +after he reigns. Let us, moreover, call for all the judges +and the wise men of Egypt, that we may know whether the +judgment of death be due to this child, as I have said, and +then we will slay him." + +Pharaoh sent and called for all the wise men of Egypt, +and they came, and the angel Gabriel was disguised as one +of them. When they were asked their opinion in the matter, +Gabriel spoke up, and said: "If it please the king, let him +place an onyx stone before the child, and a coal of fire, and +if he stretches out his hand and grasps the onyx stone, then +shall we know that the child hath done with wisdom all that +he bath done, and we will slay him. But if he stretches out +his hand and grasps the coal of fire, then shall we know that +it was not with consciousness that he did the thing, and he +shall live." + +The counsel seemed good in the eyes of the king, and +when they had placed the stone and the coal before the child, +Moses stretched forth his hand toward the onyx stone and +attempted to seize it, but the angel Gabriel guided his hand +away from it and placed it upon the live coal, and the coal +burnt the child's hand, and he lifted it up and touched it to +his mouth, and burnt part of his lips and part of his tongue, +and for all his life he became slow of speech and of a slow +tongue. + +Seeing this, the king and the princes knew that Moses had +not acted with knowledge in taking the crown from off the +king's head, and they refrained from slaying him.[65] God +Himself, who protected Moses, turned the king's mind to +grace, and his foster-mother snatched him away, and she +had him educated with great care, so that the Hebrews +depended upon him, and cherished the hope that great things +would be done by him. But the Egyptians were suspicious +of what would follow from such an education as his.[66] + +At great cost teachers were invited to come to Egypt from +neighboring lands, to educate the child Moses. Some came +of their own accord, to instruct him in the sciences and the +liberal arts. By reason of his admirable endowments of +mind, he soon excelled his teachers in knowledge. His +learning seemed a process of mere recollecting, and when +there was a difference of opinion among scholars, he selected +the correct one instinctively, for his mind refused to +store up anything that was false.[67] + +But he deserves more praise for his unusual strength of +will than for his natural capacity, for he succeeded in +transforming +an originally evil disposition into a noble, exalted +character, a change that was farther aided by his resolution, +as he himself acknowledged later. After the wonderful +exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, a king of Arabia sent +an artist to Moses, to paint his portrait, that he might always +have the likeness of the divine man before him. The +painter returned with his handiwork, and the king assembled +his wise men, those in particular who were conversant with +the science of physiognomy. He displayed the portrait before +them, and invited their judgment upon it. The unanimous +opinion was that it represented a man covetous, +haughty, sensual, in short, disfigured by all possible ugly +traits. The king was indignant that they should pretend to +be masters in physiognomy, seeing that they declared the +picture of Moses, the holy, divine man, to be the picture of +a villain. They defended themselves by accusing the painter +in turn of not having produced a true portrait of Moses, +else they would not have fallen into the erroneous judgment +they had expressed. But the artist insisted that his work +resembled the original closely. + +Unable to decide who was right, the Arabian king went to +see Moses, and he could not but admit that the portrait +painted for him was a masterpiece. Moses as he beheld him +in the flesh was the Moses upon the canvas. There could +be no doubt but that the highly extolled knowledge of his +physiognomy experts was empty twaddle. He told Moses +what had happened, and what he thought of it. He replied: +"Thy artist and thy experts alike are masters, each in his +line. If my fine qualities were a product of nature, I were +no better than a log of wood, which remains forever as +nature produced it at the first. Unashamed I make the confession +to thee that by nature I possessed all the reprehensible +traits thy wise men read in my picture and ascribed to +me, perhaps to a greater degree even than they think. But +I mastered my evil impulses with my strong will, and the +character I acquired through severe discipline has become +the opposite of the disposition with which I was born. +Through this change, wrought in me by my own efforts, I +have earned honor and commendation upon earth as well as +in heaven."[68] + +THE YOUTH OF MOSES + +One day--it was after he was grown up, and had passed +beyond the years of childhood--Moses went to the land of +Goshen, in which lived the children of Israel. There he saw +the burdens under which his people were groaning, and he +inquired why the heavy service had been put upon them. +The Israelites told him all that had befallen, told him of the +cruel edict Pharaoh had issued shortly before his birth, and +told him of the wicked counsels given by Balaam against +themselves as well as against his person when he was but a +little boy and had set Pharaoh's crown upon his head. The +wrath of Moses was kindled against the spiteful adviser, +and he tried to think out means of rendering him harmless. +But Balaam, getting wind of his ill-feeling, fled from Egypt +with his two sons, and betook himself to the court of Kikanos +king of Ethiopia.[69] + +The sight of his enslaved people touched Moses unto +tears, and he spoke, saying: "Woe unto me for your anguish! +Rather would I die than see you suffer so grievously." +He did not disdain to help his unfortunate brethren +at their heavy tasks as much as lay in his power. He dismissed +all thought of his high station at court, shouldered a +share of the burdens put upon the Israelites, and toiled in +their place. The result was that he not only gave relief to +the heavily-laden workmen, but he also gained the favor of +Pharaoh, who believed that Moses was taking part in the +labor in order to promote the execution of the royal order. +And God said unto Moses: "Thou didst relinquish all thy +other occupations, and didst join thyself unto the children +of Israel, whom thou dost treat as brethren; therefore will I, +too, put aside now all heavenly and earthly affairs, and hold +converse with thee."[70] + +Moses continued to do all he could to alleviate the suffering +of his brethren to the best of his ability. He addressed +encouraging words to them, saying: "My dear brethren, +bear your lot with fortitude! Do not lose courage, and let +not your spirit grow weary with the weariness of your body. +Better times will come, when tribulation shall be changed +into joy. Clouds are followed by sunshine, storms by calm, +all things in the world tend toward their opposites, and +nothing is more inconstant than the fortunes of man."[71] + +The royal favor, which the king accorded him in ever- +increasing measure, he made use of to lighten the burden +laid upon the children of Israel. One day he came into the +presence of Pharaoh, and said: "O my lord, I have a request +to make of thee, and my hope is that thou wilt not +deny it." "Speak," replied the king. "It is an admitted +fact," said Moses, "that if a slave is not afforded rest at +least one day in the week, he will die of overexertion. Thy +Hebrew slaves will surely perish, unless thou accordest them +a day of cessation from work." Pharaoh fulfilled the petition +preferred by Moses, and the king's edict was published +in the whole of Egypt and in Goshen, as follows: "To the +sons of Israel! Thus saith the king: Do your work and +perform your service for six days, but on the seventh day +you shall rest; on it ye shall do no labor. Thus shall ye do +unto all times, according to the command of the king and +the command of Moses the son of Bithiah." And the day +appointed by Moses as the day of rest was Saturday, later +given by God to the Israelites as the Sabbath day.[72] + +While Moses abode in Goshen, an incident of great importance +occurred. To superintend the service of the children +of Israel, an officer from among them was set over +every ten, and ten such officers were under the surveillance +of an Egyptian taskmaster. One of these Hebrew officers, +Dathan by name, had a wife, Shelomith, the daughter of +Dibri, of the tribe of Dan, who was of extraordinary beauty, +but inclined to be very loquacious. Whenever the Egyptian +taskmaster set over her husband came to their house on +business connected with his office, she would approach him +pleasantly and enter into conversation with him. The beautiful +Israelitish woman enkindled a mad passion in his +breast, and he sought and found a cunning way of satisfying +his lustful desire. One day he appeared at break of dawn +at the house of Dathan, roused him from his sleep, and ordered +him to hurry his detachment of men to their work. +The husband scarcely out of sight, he executed the villainy +he had planned, and dishonored the woman, and the fruit of +this illicit relation was the blasphemer of the Name whom +Moses ordered to execution on the march through the desert. + +At the moment when the Egyptian slipped out of Shelomith's +chamber, Dathan returned home. Vexed that his +crime had come to the knowledge of the injured husband, +the taskmaster goaded him on to work with excessive vigor, +and dealt him blow after blow with the intention to kill +him.[73] Young Moses happened to visit the place at which +the much-abused and tortured Hebrew was at work. Dathan +hastened toward him, and complained of all the wrong and +suffering the Egyptian had inflicted upon him.[74] Full of +wrath, Moses, whom the holy spirit had acquainted with the +injury done the Hebrew officer by the Egyptian taskmaster, +cried out to the latter, saying: "Not enough that thou hast +dishonored this man's wife, thou aimest to kill him, too?" +And turning to God, he spoke further: "What will become +of Thy promise to Abraham, that his posterity shall be as +numerous as the stars, if his children are given over to +death? And what will become of the revelation on Sinai, +if the children of Israel are exterminated?" + +Moses wanted to see if someone would step forward, and, +impelled by zeal for the cause of God and for God's law, +would declare himself ready to avenge the outrage. He +waited in vain. Then he determined to act himself. Naturally +enough he hesitated to take the life of a human being. +He did not know whether the evil-doer might not be brought +to repentance, and then lead a life of pious endeavor. He +also considered, that there would perhaps be some among +the descendants to spring from the Egyptian for whose sake +their wicked ancestor might rightfully lay claim to clemency. +The holy spirit allayed all his doubts. He was made +to see that not the slightest hope existed that good would +come either from the malefactor himself or from any of his +offspring. Then Moses was willing to requite him for his +evil deeds. Nevertheless he first consulted the angels, to +hear what they had to say, and they agreed that the Egyptian +deserved death, and Moses acted according to their +opinion. + +Neither physical strength nor a weapon was needed to +carry out his purpose. He merely pronounced the Name of +God, and the Egyptian was a corpse. To the bystanders, the +Israelites, Moses said: "The Lord compared you unto the +sand of the sea-shore, and as the sand moves noiselessly +from place to place, so I pray you to keep the knowledge of +what hath happened a secret within yourselves. Let nothing +be heard concerning it." + +The wish expressed by Moses was not honored. The slaying +of the Egyptian remained no secret, and those who betrayed +it were Israelites, Dathan and Abiram, the sons of +Pallu, of the tribe of Reuben, notorious for their effrontery +and contentiousness. The day after the thing with the +Egyptians happened, the two brothers began of malice aforethought +to scuffle with each other, only in order to draw +Moses into the quarrel and create an occasion for his betrayal. +The plan succeeded admirably. Seeing Dathan +raise his hand against Abiram, to deal him a blow, Moses +exclaimed, "O thou art a villain, to lift up thy hand against +an Israelite, even if he is no better than thou." Dathan replied: +"Young man, who hath made thee to be a judge +over us, thou that hast not yet attained to years of maturity? +We know very well that thou art the son of Jochebed, though +people call thee the son of the princess Bithiah, and if thou +shouldst attempt to play the part of our master and judge, +we will publish abroad the thing thou didst unto the Egyptian. +Or, peradventure, thou harborest the intention to +slay us as thou didst slay him, by pronouncing the Name +of God?" + +Not satisfied with these taunts, the noble pair of brothers +betook themselves to Pharaoh, and spoke before him, +"Moses dishonoreth thy royal mantle and thy crown," to +which Pharaoh returned, saying, "Much good may it do +him!" But they pursued the subject. "He helps thine +enemies, Pharaoh," they continued, whereupon he replied, as +before, "Much good may it do him!" Still they went on, +"He is not the son of thy daughter." These last words did +not fail of making an impression upon Pharaoh.[75] A royal +command was issued for the arrest of Moses, and he was +condemned to death by the sword. + +The angels came to God, and said, "Moses, the familiar +of Thine house, is held under restraint," and God replied, "I +will espouse his cause." "But," the angels urged, "his +verdict of death has been pronounced--yes, they are leading +him to execution," and again God made reply, as before, "I +will espouse his cause." + +Moses mounted the scaffold, and a sword, sharp beyond +compare, was set upon his neck ten times, but it always +slipped away, because his neck was as hard as ivory. And a +still greater miracle came to pass. God sent down the angel +Michael, in the guise of a hangman, and the human hangman +charged by Pharaoh with the execution was changed +into the form of Moses. This spurious Moses the angel +killed with the very sword with which the executioner had +purposed to slay the intended victim. Meantime Moses took +to flight. Pharaoh ordered his pursuit, but it was in vain. +The king's troops were partly stricken with blindness +partly with dumbness. The dumb could give no information +about the abiding-place of Moses, and the blind, though +they knew where it was, could not get to it.[76] + +THE FLIGHT + +An angel of God took Moses to a spot removed forty +days' journey from Egypt, so far off that all fear was banished +from his mind.[77] Indeed, his anxiety had never been +for his own person, but only on account of the future of +Israel. The subjugation of his people had always been an +unsolved enigma to him. Why should Israel, he would ask +himself, suffer more than all the other nations? But when +his personal straits initiated him in the talebearing and back- +biting that prevailed among the Israelites, then he asked +himself, Does this people deserve to be redeemed?[78] The +religious conditions among the children of Israel were of +such kind at that time as not to permit them to hope for +Divine assistance. They refused to give ear to Aaron and +the five sons of Zerah, who worked among them as prophets, +and admonished them unto the fear of God. It was on account +of their impiety that the heavy hand of Pharaoh rested +upon them more and more oppressively, until God had +mercy upon them, and sent Moses to deliver them from the +slavery of Egypt.[79] + +When he succeeded in effecting his escape from the hands +of the hangman, Moses had no idea that a royal throne +awaited him. It was nevertheless so. A war broke out at +this time between Ethiopia and the nations of the East that +had been subject to it until then. Kikanos, the king, +advanced against the enemy with a great army. He left +Balaam and Balaam's two sons, Jannes and Jambres, behind, +to keep guard over his capital and take charge of the people +remaining at home. The absence of the king gave Balaam +the opportunity of winning his subjects over to his side, and +he was put upon the throne, and his two sons were set over +the army as generals. To cut Kikanos off from his capital, +Balaam and his sons invested the city, so that none could +enter it against their will. On two sides they made the +walls higher, on the third they dug a network of canals, into +which they conducted the waters of the river girding the +whole land of Ethiopia, and on the fourth side their magic +arts collected a large swarm of snakes and scorpions. Thus +none could depart, and none could enter. + +Meantime Kikanos succeeded in subjugating the rebellious +nations. When he returned at the head of his victorious +army, and espied the high city wall from afar, he and +his men said: "The inhabitants of the city, seeing that the +war detained us abroad for a long time, have raised the +walls and fortified them, that the kings of Canaan may not +be able to enter." On approaching the city gates, which +were barred, they cried out to the guards to open them, but +by Balaam's instructions they were not permitted to pass +through. A skirmish ensued, in which Kikanos lost one +hundred and thirty men. On the morrow the combat was +continued, the king with his troops being stationed on the +thither bank of the river. This day he lost his thirty riders, +who, mounted on their steeds, had attempted to swim the +stream. Then the king ordered rafts to be constructed for +the transporting of his men. When the vessels reached the +canals, they were submerged, and the waters, swirling round +and round as though driven by mill wheels, swept away two +hundred men, twenty from each raft. On the third day they +set about assaulting the city from the side on which the +snakes and scorpions swarmed, but they failed to reach it, +and the reptiles killed one hundred and seventy men. The +king desisted from attacking the city, but for the space of +nine years he surrounded it, so that none could come out or +go in. + +While the siege was in progress, Moses appeared in the +king's camp on his flight before Pharaoh, and at once found +favor with Kikanos and his whole army. He exercised an +attraction upon all that saw him, for he was slender like a +palm-tree, his countenance shone as the morning sun, and +his strength was equal to a lion's. So deep was the king's +affection for him that he appointed him to be commander-in-chief +of his forces. + +At the end of the nine years Kikanos fell a prey to a mortal +disease, and he died on the seventh day of his illness. His +servants embalmed him, buried him opposite to the city gate +toward the land of Egypt, and over his grave they erected a +magnificent structure, strong and high, upon the walls +whereof they engraved all the mighty deeds and battles of +the dead king. + +Now, after the death of Kikanos, his men were greatly +grieved on account of the war. One said unto the other, +"Counsel us, what shall we do at this time? We have been +abiding in the wilderness, away from our homes, for nine +years. If we fight against the city, many of us will fall +dead; and if we remain here besieging it, we shall also die. +For now all the princes of Aram and of the children of the +East will hear that our king is dead, and they will attack us +suddenly, and they will fight with us until not a remnant +will be left. Now, therefore, let us go and set a king over +us, and we will remain here besieging the city until it +surrenders unto us." + +THE KING OF ETHIOPIA + +They could find none except Moses fit to be their king. +They hastened and stripped off each man his upper garment, +and cast them all in a heap upon the ground, making +a high place, on top of which they set Moses. Then they +blew with trumpets, and called out before him: "Long live +the king! Long live the king!" And all the people and +the nobles swore unto him to give him Adoniah for wife, the +Ethiopian queen, the widow of Kikanos. And they made +Moses king over them on that day. + +They also issued a proclamation, commanding every man +to give Moses of what he possessed, and upon the high +place they spread a sheet, wherein each one cast something, +this one a gold nose ring, that one a coin, and onyx stones, +bdellium, pearls, gold, and silver in great abundance. + +Moses was twenty-seven years old when he became king +over Ethiopia, and he reigned for forty years. On the +seventh day of his reign, all the people assembled and came +before him, to ask his counsel as to what was to be done to +the city they were besieging. The king answered them, and +said: "If you will hearken to my words, the city will be +delivered into our hands. Proclaim with a loud voice +throughout the whole camp, unto all the people, saying: +'Thus saith the king! Go to the forest and fetch hither of +the young of the stork, each man one fledgling in his hand. +And if there be any man that transgresseth the word of the +king, not to bring a bird, he shall die, and the king shall take +all belonging to him.' And when you have brought them, +they shall be in your keeping. You shall rear them until +they grow up, and you shall teach them to fly as the hawk +flieth." + +All the people did according to the word of Moses, and +after the young storks had grown to full size, he ordered +them to be starved for three days. On the third day the +king said unto them, "Let every man put on his armor and +gird his sword upon him. Each one shall mount his horse, +and each shall set his stork upon his hand, and we will rise +up and fight against the city opposite to the place of the +serpents." + +When they came to the appointed spot, the king said to +them, "Let each man send forth his young stork, to descend +upon the serpents." Thus they did, and the birds swooped +down and devoured all the reptiles and destroyed them. +After the serpents were removed in this way, the men fought +against the city, subdued it, and killed all its inhabitants, but +of the people besieging it there died not one. + +When Balaam saw that the city had fallen into the hands +of the besiegers, he exercised his magic arts, which enabled +him to fly through the air, and he carried with him his two +sons, Jannes and Jambres, and his eight brothers, and they +all took refuge in Egypt. + +Seeing that they had been saved by the king, and the city +had been taken by his good counsel, the people became more +than ever attached to him. They set the royal crown upon +his head, and gave him Adoniah, the widow of Kikanos to +wife. But Moses feared the stern God of his fathers, and +he went not in unto Adoniah, nor did he turn his eyes toward +her, for he remembered how Abraham had made his servant +Eliezer swear, saying unto him, "Thou shalt not take a wife +for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom +I dwell." He also remembered what Isaac did when Jacob +fled before his brother Esau, how he commanded his son, +saying, "Thou shalt not take a wife from the daughters +of Canaan, nor ally thyself by marriage with any of the children +of Ham, for the Lord our God gave Ham the son of +Noah and all his seed as slaves to the children of Shem and +Japheth forever." + +At that time Aram and the children of the East heard that +Kikanos the king of Ethiopia had died, and they rose up +against the Ethiopians, but Moses went forth with a mighty +army to fight against the rebellious nations, and he subdued +them, first the children of the East and then Aram. + +Moses continued to prosper in his kingdom. He conducted +the government in justice, righteousness, and integrity, +and his people loved and feared him. + +In the fortieth year of his reign, while he was sitting upon +his throne one day, surrounded by all the nobles, Adoniah +the queen, who was seated before him, rose up, and spake: +"What is this thing which you, the people of Ethiopia, have +done these many days? Surely you know that during the +forty years this man bath reigned over you, he hath not +approached me, nor hath he worshipped the gods of Ethiopia. +Now, therefore, let this man reign over you no more, for he +is not of our flesh. Behold, Monarchos my son is grown up, +let him reign over you. It is better for you to serve the son +of your lord than a stranger, a slave of the king of Egypt." + +A whole day the people and the nobles contended with +one another, whether to pay heed to the words of the queen. +The officers of the army remained faithful to Moses, but the +people of the cities were in favor of crowning the son of +their former lord as king. The following morning they rose +up and made Monarchos, the son of Kikanos, king over +them, but they were afraid to stretch forth their hand +against Moses, for the Lord was with him. They also remembered +the oath they had sworn unto Moses, and therefore +they did him no harm. Moreover, they gave many +presents to him, and dismissed him with great honor. + +When Moses left Ethiopia, in the sixty-seventh year of +his age, it was the time appointed by God in the days of old +to bring Israel forth from the affliction of the children of +Ham. But fearing to return to Egypt on account of Pharaoh, +Moses journeyed to Midian.[80] + + +JETHRO + +In the city of Midian, named thus for a son of Abraham +by Keturah,[81] the man Jethro had lived for many years, +doing a priest's service before the idols. As time went on, +he grew more and more convinced of the vanity of idol worship. +His priesthood became repugnant to him, and he +resolved to give up his, charge. He stood before his townsmen, +and said, "Until now I performed your service before +the idols, but I have grown too old for the duties of the +office. Choose, therefore, whomever you would choose in +my place." Speaking thus, he delivered to the people all +the paraphernalia appertaining to the idol worship, and bade +them transfer them to the one to whom in their discretion +they should entrust his position. Suspecting Jethro's hidden +motives, the people put him under the ban, and none might +venture to do him the slightest service. Not even would +the shepherds pasture his flocks, and there was nothing for +him to do but impose this work upon his seven daughters.[82] + +Jethro's transformation from an idolatrous priest into a +God-fearing man is conveyed by his seven names. He was +called Jether, because the Torah contains an "additional" +section about him; Jethro, he "overflowed" with good +deeds. Hobab, "the beloved son of God"; Reuel, "the +friend of God"; Heber, "the associate of God"; Putiel, +"he that hath renounced idolatry"; and Keni, he that was +"zealous" for God, and "acquired" the Torah.[83] + +In consequence of the hostile relation between Jethro and +the inhabitants of the city, his daughters were in the habit +of making their appearance at the watering troughs before +the other shepherds came thither. But the ruse was not +successful. The shepherds would drive them away, and +water their own flocks at the troughs that the maidens had +filled. When Moses arrived in Midian, it was at the well +that he made halt, and his experience was the same as Isaac's +and Jacob's. Like them he found his helpmeet there. +Rebekah had been selected by Eliezer as the wife of Isaac, +while she was busy drawing water for him; Jacob had seen +Rachel first, while she was watering her sheep, and at this +well in Midian Moses met his future wife Zipporah. + +The rudeness of the shepherds reached its climax the +very day of Moses' arrival. First they deprived the maidens +of the water they had drawn for themselves, and attempted +to do violence to them, and then they threw them into the +water with intent to kill them. At this moment Moses appeared, +dragged the maidens out of the water, and gave the +flocks to drink, first Jethro's and then the flocks of the shep- +herds, though the latter did not deserve his good offices. +True, he did them the service with but little trouble to himself, +for he had only to draw a bucketful, and the water +flowed so copiously that it sufficed for all the herds,[84] and +it +did not cease to flow until Moses withdrew from the well,[85] +--the same well at which Jacob had met Rachel, his future +wife, and the same well that God created at the beginning +of the world, the opening of which He made in the twilight +of the first Sabbath eve.[86] + +Jethro's daughters thanked Moses for the assistance he +had afforded them. But Moses warded off their gratitude, +saying, "Your thanks are due to the Egyptian I killed, on +account of whom I had to flee from Egypt. Had it not been +for him, I should not be here now."[87] + + +MOSES MARRIES ZIPPORAH + +One of the seven maidens whom Moses saw at the well +attracted his notice in particular on account of her modest +demeanor, and he made her a proposal of marriage. But +Zipporah repulsed him, saying, "My father has a tree in +his garden with which he tests every man that expresses a +desire to marry one of his daughters, and as soon as the +suitor touches the tree, he is devoured by it." + +Moses: "Whence has he the tree?" + +Zipporah: "It is the rod that the Holy One, blessed be +He, created in the twilight of the first Sabbath eve, and gave +to Adam. He transmitted it to Enoch, from him it descended +to Noah, then to Shem, and Abraham, and Isaac, +and finally to Jacob, who brought it with him to Egypt, and +gave it to his son Joseph. When Joseph died, the Egyptians +pillaged his house, and the rod, which was in their +booty, they brought to Pharaoh's palace. At that time my +father was one of the most prominent of the king's sacred +scribes, and as such he had the opportunity of seeing the +rod. He felt a great desire to possess it, and he stole it and +took it to his house. On this rod the Ineffable Name is +graven, and also the ten plagues that God will cause to visit +the Egyptians in a future day. For many years it lay in +my father's house. One day he was walking in his garden +carrying it, and he stuck it in the ground. When he attempted +to draw it out again, he found that it had sprouted, +and was putting forth blossoms. That is the rod with which +he tries any that desire to marry his daughters. He insists +that our suitors shall attempt to pull it out of the ground, +but as soon as they touch it, it devours them." + +Having given him this account of her father's rod, Zipporah +went home, accompanied by her sisters, and Moses +followed them.[88] + +Jethro was not a little amazed to see his daughters return +so soon from the watering troughs. As a rule, the chicanery +they had to suffer from the shepherds detained them until +late.[89] No sooner had he heard their report about the wonder- +working Egyptian than he exclaimed, "Mayhap he is +one of the descendants of Abraham, from whom issueth +blessing for the whole world."[90] He rebuked his daughters +for not having invited the stranger that had done them so +valuable a service to come into their house, and he ordered +them to fetch him, in the hope that he would take one of his +daughters to wife.[91] + +Moses had been standing without all this time, and had +allowed Jethro's daughters to describe him as an Egyptian, +without protesting and asserting his Hebrew birth. For +this God punished him by causing him to die outside of the +promised land. Joseph, who had proclaimed in public that +he was a Hebrew, found his last resting-place in the land of +the Hebrews, and Moses, who apparently had no objection +to being considered an Egyptian, had to live and die outside +of that land.[92] + +Zipporah hastened forth to execute her father's wish, and +no sooner had she ushered him in[93] than Moses requested her +hand in marriage. Jethro replied, "If thou canst bring me +the rod in my garden, I will give her to thee." Moses went +out,[94] found the sapphire rod that God had bestowed upon +Adam when he was driven forth from Paradise, the rod that +had reached Jethro after manifold vicissitudes, and which +he had planted in the garden. Moses uprooted it and carried +it to Jethro,[95] who conceived the idea at once that he was the +prophet in Israel concerning whom all the wise men of Egypt +had foretold that he would destroy their land and its +inhabitants. +As soon as this thought struck him, he seized Moses, +and threw him into a pit, in the expectation that he would +meet with death there. + +And, indeed, he would have perished, if Zipporah had +not devised a stratagem to save his life. She said to her +father: "Would it were thy will to hearken unto my counsel. +Thou hast no wife, but only seven daughters. Dost +thou desire my six sisters to preside over thy household? +Then shall I go abroad with the sheep. If not, let my sisters +tend the flocks, and I shall take care of the house." Her +father said: "Thou hast spoken well. Thy six sisters shall +go forth with the sheep, and thou shalt abide in the house +and take care of it, and all that belongeth to me therein." + +Now Zipporah could provide Moses with all sorts of +dainties as he lay in the pit, and she did it for the space of +seven years. At the expiration of this period, she said to +her father: "I recollect that once upon a time thou didst +cast into yonder pit a man that had fetched thy rod from the +garden for thee, and thou didst commit a great trespass +thereby. If it seemeth well to thee, uncover the pit and look +into it. If the man is dead, throw his corpse away, lest it +fill the house with stench. But should he be alive, then +thou oughtest to be convinced that he is one of those who +are wholly pious, else he had died of hunger." + +The reply of Jethro was: "Thou hast spoken wisely. +Dost thou remember his name?" And Zipporah rejoined, +"I remember he called himself Moses the son of Amram." +Jethro lost no time, he opened the pit, and called out, +"Moses! Moses!" Moses replied, and said: "Here am +I!" Jethro drew him up out of the pit, kissed him, and +said: "Blessed be God, who guarded thee for seven years +in the pit. I acknowledge that He slayeth and reviveth, +that thou art one of the wholly pious, that through thee God +will destroy Egypt in time to come, lead His people out of +the land, and drown Pharaoh and his whole army in the +sea."[96] + +Thereupon Jethro gave much money to Moses, and he +bestowed his daughter Zipporah upon him as wife, giving +her to him under the condition that the children born of the +marriage in Jethro's house should be divided into two equal +classes, the one to be Israelitish, the other Egyptian. When +Zipporah bore him a son, Moses circumcised him,[97] and +called him Gershom, as a memorial of the wonder God had +done for him, for although he lived in a "strange" land, the +Lord had not refused him aid even "there."[98] + +Zipporah nursed her first child for two years, and in the +third year she bore a second son. Remembering his compact +with Jethro, Moses realized that his father-in-law would +not permit him to circumcise this one, too, and he determined +to return to Egypt, that he might have the opportunity +of bringing up his second son as an Israelite. On +the journey thither, Satan appeared to him in the guise of a +serpent, and swallowed Moses down to his extremities. +Zipporah knew by this token that the thing had happened +because her second son had not been circumcised, and she +hastened to make good the omission. As soon as she sprinkled +the blood of the circumcision on her husband's feet, a +heavenly voice was heard to cry to the serpent, commanding +him, "Spew him out!" and Moses came forth and stood +upon his feet. Thus Zipporah saved Moses' life twice, first +from the pit and then from the serpent.[99] + +When Moses arrived in Egypt, he was approached by +Dathan and Abiram, the leaders of the Israelites, and they +spake: "Comest thou hither to slay us, or dost thou purpose +to do the same with us as thou didst with the Egyptian?" +This drove Moses straightway back to Midian, and +there he remained two years more, until God revealed Himself +at Horeb, and said to him, "Go and bring forth My +children out of the land of Egypt.[100] + +A BLOODY REMEDY + +The latter years of Israel's bondage in Egypt were the +worst. To punish Pharaoh for his cruelty toward the children +of Israel, God afflicted him with a plague of leprosy, +which covered his whole body, from the crown of his bead +to the soles of his feet. Instead of being chastened by his +disease, Pharaoh remained stiffnecked, and he tried to restore +his health by murdering Israelitish children. He took +counsel with his three advisers, Balaam, Jethro, and Job, +how he might be healed of the awful malady that had seized +upon him. Balaam spoke, saying, "Thou canst regain thy +health only if thou wilt slaughter Israelitish children and +bathe in their blood." Jethro, averse from having a share +in such an atrocity, left the king and fled to Midian. Job, +on the other hand, though he also disapproved of Balaam's +counsel, kept silence, and in no wise protested against it,[101] +wherefor God punished him with a year's suffering.[102] But +afterward He loaded him down with all the felicities of this +life, and granted him many years, so that this pious Gentile +might be rewarded in this world for his good deeds and not +have the right to urge a claim upon the beatitude of the +future life.[103] + +In pursuance of the sanguinary advice given by Balaam, +Pharaoh had his bailiffs snatch Israelitish babes from their +mothers' breasts, and slaughter them, and in the blood of +these innocents he bathed. His disease afflicted him for ten +years, and every day an Israelitish child was killed for him. +It was all in vain; indeed, at the end of the time his leprosy +changed into boils, and he suffered more than before. + +While he was in this agony, the report was brought to +him that the children of Israel in Goshen were careless and +idle in their forced labor. The news aggravated his suffering, +and he said: "Now that I am ill, they turn and scoff +at me. Harness my chariot, and I will betake myself to +Goshen, and see the derision wherewith the children of +Israel deride me." And they took and put him upon a horse, +for he was not able to mount it himself. When he and his +men had come to the border between Egypt and Goshen, +the king's steed passed into a narrow place. The other +horses, running rapidly through the pass, pressed upon each +other until the king's horse fell while he sate upon it, and +when it fell, the chariot turned over on his face, and also +the horse lay upon him. The king's flesh was torn from +him, for this thing was from the Lord, He had heard the +cries of His people and their affliction. The king's servants +carried him upon their shoulders, brought him back to +Egypt, and placed him on his bed. + +He knew that his end was come to die, and the queen +Alfar'anit and his nobles gathered about his bed, and they +wept a great weeping with him. + +The princes and his counsellors advised the king to make +choice of a successor, to reign in his stead, whomsoever he +would choose from among his sons. He had three sons and +two daughters by the queen Alfar'anit, beside children from +concubines. The name of his first-born was Atro, the name +of the second Adikam, and of the third Moryon. The name +of the older daughter was Bithiah, and of the other, Akuzit. +The first-born of the sons of the king was an idiot, precipitate +and heedless in all his actions. Adikam, the second son, +was a cunning and clever man, and versed in all the wisdom +of Egypt, but ungainly in appearance, fleshy and short of +stature; his height was a cubit and a space, and his beard +flowed down to his ankles. + +The king resolved that Adikam should reign in his stead +after his death. When this second son of his was but ten +years old, he had given him Gedidah, the daughter of Abilat, +to wife, and she bore him four sons. Afterward Adikam +went and took three other wives, and begot eight sons and +three daughters. + +The king's malady increased upon him greatly, and his +flesh emitted a stench like a carcass cast into the field in +summer time in the heat of the sun. When he saw that his +disorder bad seized upon him with a strong grip, he commanded +his son Adikam to be brought to him, and they made +him king over the land in his place. + +At the end of three years the old king died in shame and +disgrace, a loathing to all that saw him, and they buried him +in the sepulchre of the kings of Egypt in Zoan, but they did +not embalm him, as was usual with kings, for his flesh was +putrid, and they could not approach his body on account of +the stench, and they buried him in haste. Thus the Lord +requited him with evil for the evil he had done in his days to +Israel, and he died in terror and shame after having reigned +ninety-four years. + +Adikam was twenty years old when he succeeded his +father, and he reigned four years. The people of Egypt +called him Pharaoh, as was their custom with all their kings, +but his wise men called him Akuz, for Akuz is the word for +"short" in the Egyptian language, and Adikam was exceedingly +awkward and undersized. The new Pharaoh surpassed +his father Malol and all the former kings in wickedness, +and he made heavier the yoke upon the children of +Israel. He went to Goshen with his servants, and increased +their labor, and he said unto them, "Complete your work, +each day's task, and let not your hands slacken from the +work from this day forward, as you did in the day of my +father." He placed officers over them from amongst the +children of Israel, and over these officers he placed +taskmasters from amongst his servants. And he put before them +a measure for bricks, according to the number they were to +make day by day, and whenever any deficiency was discovered +in the measure of their daily bricks, the taskmasters of +Pharaoh would go to the women of the children of Israel, +and take their infants from them, as many as the number +of bricks lacking in the measure, and these babes they +put into the building instead of the missing bricks. The +taskmasters forced each man of the Israelites to put his own +child in the building. The father would place his son in the +wall, and cover him over with mortar, all the while weeping, +his tears running down upon his child. + +The children of Israel sighed every day on account of +their dire suffering, for they had thought that after Pharaoh's +death his son would lighten their toil, but the new +king was worse than his father. And God saw the burden +of the children of Israel, and their heavy work, and He +determined to deliver them.[104] + +However, it was not for their own sake that God resolved +upon the deliverance of the children of Israel, for they were +empty of good deeds, and the Lord foreknew that, once they +were redeemed, they would rise up against Him, and even +worship the golden calf. Yet He took mercy upon them, for +He remembered His covenant with the Fathers, and He +looked upon their repentance for their sins, and accepted +their promise, to fulfil the word of God after their going +forth from Egypt even before they should hear it.[105] + +After all, the children of Israel were not wholly without +merits. In a high degree they possessed qualities of +extraordinary +excellence. There were no incestuous relations +among them, they were not evil-tongued, they did not change +their names, they clung to the Hebrew language, never giving +it up,[106] and great fraternal affection prevailed among +them. If one happened to finish the tale of his bricks before +his neighbors, he was in the habit of helping the others. +Therefore God spake, "They deserve that I should have +mercy upon them, for if a man shows mercy unto another, I +have mercy upon him."[107] + + +THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERD + +When Jethro bestowed his daughter Zipporah upon Moses +as his wife, he said to his future son-in-law: "I know that +thy father Jacob took his wives, the daughters of Laban, and +went away with them against their father's will. Now take +an oath that thou wilt not do the same unto me," and Moses +swore not to leave him without his consent,[108] and he +remained with Jethro, who made him the shepherd of his +flocks. By the way he tended the sheep, God saw his fitness +to be the shepherd of His people, for God never gives an +exalted office to a man until He has tested him in little +things. Thus Moses and David were tried as shepherds of +flocks, and only after they had proved their ability as such, +He gave them dominion over men. + +Moses watched over the flocks with loving care. He led +the young animals to pasture first, that they might have the +tender, juicy grass for their food; the somewhat older animals +he led forth next, and allowed them to graze off the +herbs suitable for them; and finally came the vigorous ones +that had attained their full growth, and to them he gave the +hard grass that was left, which the others could not eat, but +which afforded good food for them. Then spake God, "He +that understandeth how to pasture sheep, providing for each +what is good for it, he shall pasture My people." + +Once a kid escaped from the flock, and when Moses followed +it, he saw how it stopped at all the water courses, and +he said to it: "Poor kid, I knew not that thou wast thirsty, +and wast running after water! Thou art weary, I ween," +and he carried it back to the herd on his shoulder. Then +said God: "Thou hast compassion with a flock belonging +to a man of flesh and blood! As thou livest, thou shalt pasture +Israel, My flock."[109] + +Not only did Moses take heed that no harm should come +to the herds under his charge, but he was also careful that +they cause no injury to men. He always chose an open +meadow as his pasturing place, to prevent his sheep from +grazing in private estates.[110] + +Jethro had no reason to be dissatisfied with the services +rendered to him by his son-in-law. During the forty years +Moses acted as his shepherd not one sheep was attacked by +wild beasts, and the herds multiplied to an incredible +degree.[111] Once he drove the sheep about in the desert for +forty days, without finding a pasturing place for them. +Nevertheless he did not lose a single sheep. + +Moses' longing for the desert was irresistible. His prophetic +spirit caused him to foresee that his own greatness +and the greatness of Israel would manifest themselves there. +In the desert God's wonders would appear, though it would +be at the same time the grave of the human herd to be entrusted +to him in the future, and also his own last resting- +place. Thus he had a presentiment at the very beginning +of his career that the desert would be the scene of his +activity, which not only came true in the present order of +things, but also will be true in the latter days, when he will +appear in the desert again, to lead into the promised land +the generation, arisen from their graves, that he brought +forth from Egyptian bondage.[112] + +Wandering through the desert, he reached Mount Horeb, +which is called by six names, each conveying one of its +distinctions. It is "the mountain of God," wherein the Lord +revealed His law; "Basban," for God "came there"; "a +mountain of humps," for the Lord declared all the other +mountains unfit for the revelation, as "crookbackt" animals +are declared unfit for sacrifices; "mountain of abode," +because it is the mountain that God desired for His +"abode"; Sinai, because the "hatred" of God against the +heathen began at the time when Israel received the law +thereon; and Horeb, "sword," because there the sword of +the law was drawn upon the sinners.[113] + +THE BURNING THORN-BUSH + +When Moses drew near to Mount Horeb, he was aware at +once that it was a holy place, for he noticed that passing +birds did not alight upon it. At his approach the mountain +began to move, as though to go forward and meet him, and +it settled back into quietude only when his foot rested upon +it.[114] The first thing Moses noticed was the wonderful burning +bush, the upper part of which was a blazing flame, +neither consuming the bush, nor preventing it from bearing +blossoms as it burnt, for the celestial fire has three peculiar +qualities: it produces blossoms, it does not consume the object +around which it plays, and it is black of color. The +fire that Moses saw in the bush was the appearance of the +angel Michael, who had descended as the forerunner of the +Shekinah herself to come down presently. It was the wish +of God to hold converse with Moses, who, however, was not +inclined to permit any interruption of the work under his +charge. Therefore God startled him with the wonderful +phenomenon of the burning thorn-bush. That brought +Moses to a stop, and then God spoke with him. + +There were good reasons for selecting the thorn-bush as +the vessel for a Divine vision. It was "clean," for the +heathen could not use it to make idols. God's choosing to +dwell in the stunted thorn-bush conveyed the knowledge to +Moses that He suffers along with Israel. Furthermore, +Moses was taught that there is nothing in nature, not even +the insignificant thorn-bush, that can exist without the presence +of the Shekinah. Besides, the thorn-bush may be taken +as the symbol for Israel in several respects. As the thorn- +bush is the lowliest of all species of trees, so the condition +of Israel in the exile is the lowliest as compared with that of +all the other nations, but as the thorn-bush releases no bird +that alights upon it without lacerating its wings, so the nations +that subjugate Israel will be punished. Also, as a +garden hedge is made of the thorn-bush, so Israel forms the +hedge for the world, the garden of God, for without Israel +the world could not endure. Furthermore, as the thorn- +bush bears thorns and roses alike, so Israel has pious and +impious members, and as the thorn-bush requires ample +water for its growth, so Israel can prosper only through the +Torah, the celestial water. And the thorn-bush, the leaf of +which consists of five leaflets, was to indicate to Moses that +God had resolved to redeem Israel only for the sake of the +merits of five pious men, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Aaron, and +Moses. The numbers represented by the letters composing +the Hebrew word for thorn-bush, Seneh, add up to one +hundred and twenty, to convey that Moses would reach +the age of one hundred and twenty years, and that the +Shekinah would rest on Mount Horeb for one hundred and +twenty days. Finally, in order to give Moses an illustration +of His modesty, God descended from the exalted +heavens and spake to him from a lowly thorn-bush instead +of the summit of a lofty mountain or the top of a stately +cedar tree.[115] + + +THE ASCENSION OF MOSES + +The vision of the burning bush appeared to Moses alone; +the other shepherds with him saw nothing of it. He took +five steps in the direction of the bush, to view it at close +range, and when God beheld the countenance of Moses distorted by +grief and anxiety over Israel's suffering, He spake, +"This one is worthy of the office of pasturing My people."[116] + +Moses was still a novice in prophecy, therefore God said +to Himself, "If I reveal Myself to him in loud tones, I shall +alarm him, but if I reveal Myself with a subdued voice, he +will hold prophecy in low esteem," whereupon he addressed +him in his father Amram's voice. Moses was overjoyed to +hear his father speak, for it gave him the assurance that. +he was still alive. The voice called his name twice, and he +answered, "Here am I! What is my father's wish?" God +replied, saying, "I am not thy father. I but desired to +refrain from terrifying thee, therefore I spoke with thy +father's voice. I am the God of thy father, the God of +Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." These +words rejoiced Moses greatly, for not only was his father +Amram's name pronounced in the same breath with the +names of the three Patriarchs, but it came before theirs, as +though he ranked higher than they. + +Moses said not a word. In silent reverence before the +Divine vision he covered his face, and when God disclosed +the mission with which He charged him, of bringing the +Israelites forth from the land of Egypt, he answered with +humility, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and +bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" Thereupon +spake God, "Moses, thou art meek, and I will reward +thee for thy modesty. I will deliver the whole land of +Egypt into thine hand, and, besides, I will let thee ascend +unto the throne of My glory, and look upon all the angels +of the heavens." + +Hereupon God commanded Metatron, the Angel of the +Face, to conduct Moses to the celestial regions amid the +sound of music and song, and He commanded him furthermore +to summon thirty thousand angels, to serve as his +body-guard, fifteen thousand to right of him and fifteen +thousand to left of him. In abject terror Moses asked Metatron, +"Who art thou?" and the angel replied, "I am +Enoch, the son of Jared, thy ancestor, and God has charged +me to accompany thee to His throne." But Moses demurred, +saying, "I am but flesh and blood, and I cannot look upon +the countenance of an angel," whereupon Metatron changed +Moses' flesh into torches of fire, his eyes into Merkabah +wheels, his strength into an angel's, and his tongue into a +flame, and he took him to heaven with a retinue of thirty +thousand angels, one half moving to right of them and one +half to left of them. + +In the first heaven Moses saw streams upon streams of +water, and he observed that the whole heaven consisted of +windows, at each of which angels were stationed. Metatron +named and pointed out all the windows of heaven to +him: the window of prayer and the window of supplication; +of weeping and of joy; plenitude and starvation; wealth and +poverty; war and peace; conception and birth; showers and +soft rains; sin and repentance; life and death; pestilence +and healing; sickness and health; and many windows more. + +In the second heaven Moses saw the angel Nuriel, standing +three hundred parasangs high, with his retinue of fifty +myriads of angels, all fashioned out of water and fire, and +all keeping their faces turned toward the Shekinah while +they sang a song of praise to God. Metatron explained to +Moses, that these were the angels set over the clouds, the +winds, and the rains, who return speedily, as soon as they +have executed the will of their Creator, to their station in +the second of the heavens, there to proclaim the praise of +God. + +In the third heaven Moses saw an angel, so tall it would +take a human being five hundred years to climb to his height. +He had seventy thousand heads, each head having as many +mouths, each mouth as many tongues, and each tongue as +many sayings, and he together with his suite of seventy +thousand myriads of angels made of white fire praised and +extolled the Lord. "These," said Metatron to Moses, "are +called Erelim, and they are appointed over the grass, the +trees, the fruits, and the grain, but as soon as they have +done the will of their Creator, they return to the place assigned +to them, and praise God." + +In the fourth heaven Moses saw a Temple, the pillars +thereof made of red fire, the staves of green fire, the +thresholds +of white fire, the boards and clasps of flaming fire, the +gates of carbuncles, and the pinnacles of rubies. Angels +were entering the Temple and giving praise to God there. +In response to a question from Moses Metatron told him +that they presided over the earth, the sun, the moon, the +stars, and the other celestial bodies. and all of them intone +songs before God. In this heaven Moses noticed also the +two great planets, Venus and Mars, each as large as the +whole earth, and concerning these he asked unto what purpose +they had been created. Metatron explained thereupon, +that Venus lies upon the sun to cool him off in summer, else +he would scorch the earth, and Mars lies upon the moon, to +impart warmth to her, lest she freeze the earth. + +Arrived in the fifth heaven, Moses saw hosts of angels, +whose nether parts were of snow and their upper parts of +fire, and yet the snow did not melt nor was the fire +extinguished, +for God had established perfect harmony between +the two elements. These angels, called Ishim, have had +nothing to do since the day of their creation but praise and +extol the Lord. + +In the sixth of the heavens were millions and myriads of +angels praising God, they were called 'Irin and kadishim, +"Watchers" and "Holy Ones," and their chief was made of +hail, and he was so tall, it would take five hundred years to +walk a distance equal to his height. + +In the last heaven Moses saw two angels, each five hundred +parasangs in height, forged out of chains of black fire +and red fire, the angels Af, "Anger," and Hemah, "Wrath," +whom God created at the beginning of the world, to execute +His will. Moses was disquieted when he looked upon them, +but Metatron embraced him, and said, "Moses, Moses, thou +favorite of God, fear not, and be not terrified," and Moses +became calm. There was another angel in the seventh +heaven, different in appearance from all the others, and of +frightful mien. His height was so great, it would have +taken five hundred years to cover a distance equal to it, and +from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet he was +studded with glaring eyes, at the sight of which the beholder +fell prostrate in awe. "This one," said Metatron, addressing +Moses, "is Samael, who takes the soul away from man." +"Whither goes he now?" asked Moses, and Metatron replied, +"To fetch the soul of Job the pious." Thereupon +Moses prayed to God in these words, "O may it be Thy +will, my God and the God of my fathers, not to let me fall +into the hands of this angel." + +Here, in the highest heaven, he saw also the seraphim +with their six wings. With two they cover their face, that +they gaze not upon the Shekinah; and with two their feet, +which, being like a calf's feet, they hide, to keep secret +Israel's transgression of the golden calf. With the third +pair of wings they fly and do the service of the Lord, all the +while exclaiming, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; +the whole earth is full of His glory." The wings of these +angels are of prodigious size, it would take a man five hundred +years to traverse their length and their breadth, as +from one end of the earth to the other. + +And Moses saw in the seventh heaven the holy Hayyot, +which support the throne of God; and he beheld also the +angel Zagzagel, the prince of the Torah and of wisdom, who +teaches the Torah in seventy languages to the souls of men, +and thereafter they cherish the precepts contained therein +as laws revealed by God to Moses on Sinai. From this +angel with the horns of glory Moses himself learnt all the +ten mysteries." + +Having seen what there is in the seven heavens, he spoke +to God, saying, "I will not leave the heavens unless Thou +grantest me a gift," and God replied, "I will give thee the +Torah, and men shall call it the Law of Moses."[117] + + +MOSES VISITS PARADISE AND HELL + +When Moses was on the point of departing from heaven, +a celestial voice announced: "Moses, thou camest hither, +and thou didst see the throne of My glory. Now thou shalt +see also Paradise and hell," and God dispatched Gabriel on +the errand of showing hell to him. Terrified by its fires, +when he caught sight of them as he entered the portals of +hell, Moses refused to go farther. But the angel encouraged +him, saying, "There is a fire that not only burns but also +consumes, and that fire will protect thee against hell fire, +so that thou canst step upon it, and yet thou wilt not be +seared." + +As Moses entered hell, the fire withdrew a distance of +five hundred parasangs, and the Angel of Hell, Nasargiel, +asked him, "Who art thou?" and he answered, "I am +Moses, the son of Amram." + +Nasargiel: "This is not thy place, thou belongest in +Paradise." + +Moses: "I came hither to see the manifestation of the +power of God." + +Then said God to the Angel of Hell, "Go and show hell +unto Moses, and how the wicked are treated there." Immediately +he went with Moses, walking before him like a pupil +before his master, and thus they entered hell together, and +Moses saw men undergoing torture by the Angels of Destruction: +some of the sinners were suspended by their eyelids, +some by their ears, some by their hands, and some by +their tongues, and they cried bitterly. And women were +suspended by their hair and by their breasts, and in other +ways, all on chains of fire. Nasargiel explained: "These +hang by their eyes, because they looked lustfully upon the +wives of their neighbors, and with a covetous eye upon the +possessions of their fellow-men. These hang by their ears +because they listened to empty and vain speech, and turned +their ear away from hearing the Torah. These hang by +their tongues, because they talked slander, and accustomed +their tongue to foolish babbling. These hang by their feet, +because they walked with them in order to spy upon their +fellow-men, but they walked not to the synagogue, to offer +prayer unto their Creator. These hang by their hands, because +with them they robbed their neighbors of their possessions, +and committed murder. These women hang by +their hair and their breasts, because they uncovered them in +the presence of young men, so that they conceived desire +unto them, and fell into sin." + +Moses heard hell cry with a loud and a bitter cry, saying +to Nasargiel: "Give me something to eat, I am hungry."-- +Nasargiel: "What shall I give thee?"--Hell: "Give me +the souls of the pious."--Nasargiel: "The Holy One, +blessed be He, will not deliver the souls of the pious unto +thee." + +Moses saw the place called Alukah, where sinners were +suspended by their feet, their heads downward, and their +bodies covered with black worms, each five hundred parasangs +long. They lamented, and cried: "Woe unto us +for the punishment of hell. Give us death, that we may +die!" Nasargiel explained: "These are the sinners that +swore falsely, profaned the Sabbath and the holy days, despised +the sages, called their neighbors by unseemly nicknames, +wronged the orphan and the widow, and bore false +witness. Therefore bath God delivered them to these +worms." + +Moses went thence to another place, and there he saw sinners +prone on their faces, with two thousand scorpions lashing, +stinging, and tormenting them, while the tortured victims +cried bitterly. Each of the scorpions had seventy +thousand heads, each head seventy thousand mouths, each +mouth seventy thousand stings, and each sting seventy thousand +pouches of poison and venom, which the sinners are +forced to drink down, although the anguish is so racking +that their eyes melt in their sockets. Nasargiel explained: +"These are the sinners who caused the Israelites to lose +their money, who exalted themselves above the community, +who put their neighbors to shame in public, who delivered +their fellow-Israelites into the hands of the Gentiles, who +denied the Torah of Moses, and who maintained that God is +not the Creator of the world." + +Then Moses saw the place called Tit ba-Yawen, in which +the sinners stand in mud up to their navels, while the Angels +of Destruction lash them with fiery chains, and break their +teeth with fiery stones, from morning until evening, and +during the night they make their teeth grow again, to the +length of a parasang, only to break them anew the next +morning. Nasargiel explained: "These are the sinners +who ate carrion and forbidden flesh, who lent their money +at usury, who wrote the Name of God on amulets for +Gentiles, who used false weights, who stole money from +their fellow-Israelites, who ate on the Day of Atonement, +who ate forbidden fat, and animals and reptiles that are an +abomination, and who drank blood." + +Then Nasargiel said to Moses: "Come and see how the +sinners are burnt in hell," and Moses answered, "I cannot +go there," but Nasargiel replied, "Let the light of the Shekinah +precede thee, and the fire of hell will have no power +over thee." Moses yielded, and he saw how the sinners were +burnt, one half of their bodies being immersed in fire and +the other half in snow, while worms bred in their own +flesh crawled over them, and the Angels of Destruction beat +them incessantly. Nasargiel explained: "These are the +sinners who committed incest, murder, and idolatry, who +cursed their parents and their teachers, and who, like Nimrod +and others, called themselves gods." In this place, which +is called Abaddon, he saw the sinners taking snow by stealth +and putting it in their armpits, to relieve the pain inflicted +by the scorching fire, and he was convinced that the saying +was true, "The wicked mend not their ways even at the gate +of hell." + +As Moses departed from hell, he prayed to God, "May it +be Thy will, O Lord my God and God of my fathers, to save +me and the people of Israel from the places I have seen in +hell." But God answered him, and said, "Moses, before Me +there is no respecting of persons and no taking of gifts. +Whoever doeth good deeds entereth Paradise, and he that +doeth evil must go to hell." + +At the command of God, Gabriel now led Moses to Paradise. +As he entered, two angels came toward him, and they +said to him, "Thy time is not yet arrived to leave the world," +and Moses made answer, "What ye say is true, but I have +come to see the reward of the pious in Paradise." Then the +angels extolled Moses, saying: "Hail, Moses, servant of +God! Hail, Moses, born of woman, that hast been found +worthy to ascend to the seven heavens! Hail to the nation +to which thou belongest!" + +Under the tree of life Moses saw the angel Shamshiel, the +prince of Paradise, who led him through it, and showed him +all there is therein. He saw seventy thrones made of +precious stones, standing on feet of fine gold, each throne +surrounded by seventy angels. But one of them was larger +than all the others, and it was encircled by one hundred and +twenty angels. This was the throne of Abraham, and when +Abraham beheld Moses, and heard who he was, and what his +purpose was in visiting Paradise, he exclaimed, "Praise ye +the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever." + +Moses asked Shamshiel about the size of Paradise, but not +even he who is the prince thereof could answer the question, +for there is none that can gauge it. It can neither be measured +nor fathomed nor numbered. But Shamshiel explained +to Moses about the thrones, that they were different one +from the other, some being of silver, some of gold, some of +precious stones and pearls and rubies and carbuncles. The +thrones made of pearls are for the scholars that study the +Torah day and night for her own sake; those of precious +stones are for the pious, those of rubies for the just, those +of gold for the repentant sinners, and those of silver for the +righteous proselytes. "The greatest of them all," continued +Shamshiel, "is the throne of Abraham, the next in +size the thrones of Isaac and Jacob, then come the thrones +of the prophets, the saints, and the righteous, each in +accordance +with a man's worth, and his rank, and the good deeds +he has performed in his lifetime." Moses asked then for +whom the throne of copper was intended, and the angel +answered, "For the sinner that has a pious son. Through +the merits of his son he receives it as his share." + +Again Moses looked, and he beheld a spring of living +water welling up from under the tree of life and dividing +into four streams, which passed under the throne of glory, +and thence encompassed Paradise from end to end. He also +saw four rivers flowing under each of the thrones of the +pious, one of honey, the second of milk, the third of wine, +and the fourth of pure balsam. + +Beholding all these desirable and pleasant things, Moses +felt great joy, and he said, "Oh, how great is Thy goodness, +which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee, which +Thou hast wrought for them that put their trust in Thee, before +the sons of men!" And Moses left Paradise, and returned +to the earth. + +At the moment of his departure, a heavenly voice cried +aloud: "Moses, servant of the Lord, thou that art faithful +in His house, even as thou hast seen the reward that is laid +up for the pious in the world to come, so also thou wilt be +worthy of seeing the life of the world that shall be in the +future time. Thou and all Israel, ye shall see the rebuilding +of the Temple and the advent of the Messiah, behold +the beauty of the Lord, and meditate in His Temple."[118] + +In the world to come Moses, beside sharing the joys of +Israel, will continue his activity as the teacher of Israel, for +the people will go before Abraham and request him to instruct +them in the Torah. He will send them to Isaac, saying, +"Go to Isaac, he hath studied more of the Torah than +ever I studied," but Isaac, in turn, will send them to Jacob, +saying, "Go to Jacob, he hath had more converse with the +sages than ever I had." And Jacob will send them to Moses, +saying, "Go to Moses, he was instructed in the Torah by +God Himself."[119] + +In the Messianic time, Moses will be one of the seven +shepherds that shall be the leaders of Israel with the +Messiah.[120] + + +MOSES DECLINES THE MISSION + +When Moses turned aside to see the great sight, that the +bush was not consumed, he heard a voice calling to him, +"Draw not nigh hither." These words were to convey that +the dignity to be conferred upon him God intended for +Moses personally, not for his descendants, and further he +was warned not to arrogate honors appointed for others, as +the priesthood, which was to belong to Aaron and Aaron's +descendants, or royalty, which was to appertain to David +and the house of David.[121] + +Again the voice spake: "Put off thy shoes from off thy +feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." +These words conveyed the desire of God that he cut asunder +every bond uniting him with earthly concerns, he was even +to give up his conjugal life. Hereupon the angel Michael +spoke to God: "O Lord of the world, can it be Thy purpose +to destroy mankind? Blessing can prevail only if male +and female are united, and yet Thou biddest Moses separate +from his wife." God answered, saying, "Moses has begot +children, he has done his duty toward the world. I desire +him to unite himself now with the Shekinah, that she may +descend upon earth for his sake."[122] + +God spake furthermore, addressing Moses, "Thou seest +only what is to happen in the near future, that Israel is to +receive the Torah on Mount Sinai, but I behold what cometh +after, bow the people will worship the steer, the figure of +which they will see upon My chariot, even while My revelation +will be made on Sinai. Thus they will excite My +wrath. Nevertheless, though I know all the perverseness of +their hearts, wherein they will rebel against Me in the desert, +I will redeem them now, for I accord unto man the treatment +he merits for his present actions, not what he will deserve +in the future. I promised their father Jacob, 'I will go down +with thee into Egypt, and I will also surely bring thee up +again,' and now I will betake myself thither, to bring Israel +up in accordance with My words unto Jacob, and bear them +to the land I swore unto their fathers, that their seed should +inherit it. So long as the time of affliction that I had +appointed unto his seed in My revelation to Abraham was not +past, I hearkened not to the supplication and the groaning +of his children, but now the end hath come. Therefore, go +before Pharaoh, that he dismiss My people. If thou dost +not bring about the redemption, none other will, for there is +none other that can do it. In thee doth Israel hope, and +upon thee doth Israel wait. The matter lieth in thine hands +alone." + +Moses, however, refused to take the mission upon himself. +He said to God, "Thy promise unto Jacob was, 'I will +surely bring thee up again out of Egypt.' Thou didst undertake +to do it Thyself, and now it is Thy purpose to send me +thither. And how, indeed, were it possible for me to accomplish +this great matter, to bring the children of Israel up out +of Egypt? How could I provide them with food and drink? +Many are the women in childbirth among them, many are +the pregnant women and the little children. Whence shall I +procure dainties for those who have borne babes, whence +sweetmeats for the pregnant, and whence tidbits for the +little ones? And how may I venture to go among the Egyptian +brigands and murderers? for Thou art bidding me to +go to mine enemies, to those who lie in wait to take my life. +Why should I risk the safety of my person, seeing that I +know not whether Israel possesses merits making them +worthy of redemption?' I have reckoned up the years +with care, and I have found that but two hundred and ten +have elapsed since the covenant of the pieces made with +Abraham, and at that time Thou didst ordain four hundred +years of oppression for his seed."[124] + +But God overturned all his objections. He spake to +Moses, saying: "I will be with thee. Whatever thou desirest +I will do, so that the redemption will in very truth be +realized through Me, in accordance with My promise to +Jacob. The little ones that Israel will carry up out of Egypt +I will provide with food for thirty days. This shall prove +to thee in what manner I will supply the needs of all. And +as I will be at thy side, thou hast no need to fear any man. +Respecting thy doubt, whether Israel deserves to be redeemed, +this is My answer: they will be permitted to go +forth from Egypt on account of the merits they will acquire +at this mountain, whereon they will receive the Torah +through thee.[125] And thy reckoning of the end is not correct, +for the four hundred years of bondage began with the +birth of Isaac, not with the going down of Jacob into Egypt. +Therefore the appointed end hath come."[126] + +Persuaded now of God's unalterable resolve to use him as +His instrument in the redemption of Israel from Egypt, +Moses entreated God to impart to him the knowledge of His +Great Name, that he be not confounded if the children of +Israel ask for it. God answered, saying: "Thou desirest +to know My Name? My Name is according to My acts. +When I judge My creatures, I am called Elohim, "judge"; +when I rise up to do battle against the sinners, I am Lord +Zebaot, "the Lord of hosts"; when I wait with longsuffering +patience for the improvement of the sinner, My name is +El Shaddai; when I have mercy upon the world, I am +Adonai. But unto the children of Israel shalt thou say that +I am He that was, that is, and that ever will be, and I am +He that is with them in their bondage now, and He that +shall be with them in the bondage of the time to come." + +In reply to the latter words of God, Moses said, "Sufficient +unto the day is the evil thereof," and God assented +thereto. He admitted that it was not proper to force the +knowledge of future suffering upon Israel in a present that +was itself full of evil and sorrow. And the Lord said to +Moses: "My words about the future were meant for thee +alone, not also for them. Tell the children of Israel, besides, +that at My behest an angel can stretch his hand from +heaven and touch the earth with it, and three angels can +find room under one tree, and My majesty can fill the whole +world, for when it was My will, it appeared to Job in his +hair, and, again, when I willed otherwise, it appeared in a +thorn-bush."[127] + +But the most important communication from God to +Moses concerning the Divine Names were the words to follow: +"In mercy I created the world; in mercy I guide it; +and with mercies I will return to Jerusalem. But unto the +children of Israel thou shalt say that My mercy upon them +is for the sake of the merits of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." + +When Moses heard these words, he spoke to God, saying, +"Are there men that transgress after death?" and when +God assured him that it was not possible for the dead to sin, +Moses asked again, "Why, then, is it that Thou didst reveal +Thyself to me at the first as the God of my father, and now +Thou passest him over?" Whereupon God said, "In the +beginning it was My purpose to address thee with flattering +words, but now thou hearest the whole and exact truth, I am +only the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of +Jacob."[128] + +Moses prayed to God, entreating Him to reveal His Great +and Holy Name unto him, so that he might call upon Him +with it and secure the fulfilment of all his wishes. The Lord +granted the prayer of Moses, and when the celestials knew +that He had revealed the secret of the Ineffable Name, they +cried out, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, gracious Giver of +knowledge!"[129] + +God is always regardful of the honor of the elders of a +people, and He bade Moses assemble those of Israel and +announce the approaching redemption to them. And as +God knew beforehand how Pharaoh's obduracy would display +itself, He made it known to Moses at once, lest he reproach +God later with the Egyptian king's frowardness.[130] + + +MOSES PUNISHED FOR HIS STUBBORNNESS + +In spite of all these safeguards, Moses was not yet ready +to accept the mission God wished to impose upon him. He +persisted in urging his fears, saying: "But, behold, they +will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice, for they will +say, 'The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.[] And the +Lord said unto him, "What is that in thine hand?" And +he said, "A rod." And the Lord said: "Thou deservest +to be castigated with it. If thou didst not intend to take My +mission upon thyself, thou shouldst have said so in the +beginning. Instead, thou didst hold back with thy refusal, +until I revealed to thee the great secret of the Ineffable +Name, that thou mightest know it if the children of Israel +should ask thee concerning it. And now thou sayest, I will +not go. Now, therefore, if thou wilt not execute My charge +to thee, it will be executed by this rod. It was My wish to +distinguish thee and make thee My instrument for doing +many miracles.[131] But thou deservest a punishment for having +suspected My children of lack of faith. The children of +Israel are believers and sons of believers, but thou wilt show +thyself of little faith in thy career, and as thou followest +the example of the slanderous serpent, so shalt thou be punished +with leprosy, wherewith the serpent was punished." + +The Lord now bade Moses put his hand into his bosom +and take it out again, and when he took it out, behold, his +hand was leprous, as white as snow. And God bade him +put his hand into his bosom again, and it turned again as +his other flesh. Beside being a chastisement for his hasty +words, the plague on his hand was to teach him that as the +leper defiles, so the Egyptians defiled Israel, and as Moses +was healed of his uncleanness, so God would cleanse the +children of Israel of the pollution the Egyptians had brought +upon them. + +The second wonder connected with the rod of Moses +likewise conveyed a double meaning, in that it pointed to the +coming redemption of Israel, and taught Moses a specific +lesson. At the bidding of God, Moses cast his rod on the +ground, and it became a serpent, to show him that when he +traduced Israel, he was following the example of the abusive +serpent, and also to show him that the great dragon that +lieth in the midst of the rivers of Egypt, though he was now +hacking into Israel with his teeth, would be rendered harmless +like the rod of wood, which has no power to bite. + +And, again, through the third miracle he was bidden to +perform, God conveyed to Moses what would happen in the +latter years of his own life. The sign He gave him was to +make known to him that, before the water came, blood +would flow from the rock at Meribah, when Moses should +strike it after uttering the hasty, impatient words that were +destined to bring death down upon him.[132] + +For seven days God urged Moses to undertake the mission +He desired him to execute. He resorted to persuasion, that +the heathen might not say, that He abused His power as the +Ruler of the world, forcing men to do His service against +their will. But Moses remained obdurate, he could not be +won over.[133] He said: "Thou doest a wrong unto me in +sending me to Pharaoh. In the palace of the Egyptian king +there are persons that know how to speak the seventy languages +of the world. No matter what language a man may +use, there is someone that understands him. If I should +come as Thy representative, and they should discover that +I am not able to converse in the seventy languages, they +will mock at me, and say, 'Behold this man, he pretends to +be the ambassador of the Creator of the world, and he +cannot speak the seventy languages.' " To this God made +reply, as follows: "Adam, who was taught by none, could +give names to the beasts in the seventy languages. Was it +not I that made him to speak?"[134] + +Moses was not yet satisfied, he continued to urge objections, +and he said: "O Lord of the world, Thou wouldst +charge me with the task of chastising Egypt and redeeming +Israel, and I am ready to be Thy messenger. But is it +seemly that a man should execute two errands at once? +Nay, my Lord, for this two men are needed." God made +answer, and said, "Moses, I know well whom thou hast in +mind with thy request, to be thy companion in the mission I +assign to thee. Know, therefore, that the holy spirit hath +already come upon thy brother Aaron, and even now he is +awaiting thee on the way of Egypt, and when his eyes rest +upon thee he will rejoice." + +Furthermore God spake to Moses, saying, "When I +appeared unto thee the first time, thou wast meek, and didst +hide thy face, not to see the vision. Whence cometh now +this effrontery of thine, that thou addressest Me as a +servant his master? Thou speakest too many words by far. +Perchance thou thinkest I have no messengers, hosts, seraphim, +ofanim, ministering angels, and Merkabah wheels, to +send to Egypt, to bring My children thence, that thou sayest, +'Send by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send.' In sooth, +thou deservest severe chastisement. But what can I do, +seeing that I am the Master of mercy? If thou escapest +unpunished, thou owest it to thy father Amram, who rendered +great services in behalf of the preservation of the Israelitish +people in Egypt." + +But Moses replied: "O Lord of the world, I a prophet +and the son of a prophet obeyed Thy words only after much +hesitation, and I cannot expect Pharaoh, a wicked man and +the son of a wicked man, and the Egyptians, a disobedient +people and the sons of a disobedient people, to give ear to +my words. O Lord of the world, Thou dost send me to +Egypt to redeem sixty myriads of Thy people from the oppression +of the Egyptians. If it were a question of delivering +a couple of hundred men, it were a sufficiently difficult +enterprise. How much severer is the task of freeing sixty +myriads from the dominion of Pharaoh! If Thou hadst +called upon the Egyptians to give up their evil ways soon +after they began to enslave Israel, they might have heeded +Thy admonitions. But if I should go and speak to them +now, after they have been ruling over Israel these two hundred +and ten years, Pharaoh would say, 'If a slave has +served his master for ten years, and no protest has made +itself heard from any quarter, how can a man conceive the +idea suddenly of having him set at liberty?' Verily, O Lord +of the world, the task Thou puttest upon me is too heavy +for my strength."[135] + +Moses said furthermore: "I am not an eloquent man, +nor can I see of what avail words can be in this matter. +Thou art sending me to one that is himself a slave, to Pharaoh +of the tribe of Ham, and a slave will not be corrected +by words. I consent to go on Thy errand only if Thou wilt +invest me with the power of chastising Pharaoh with brute +force." To these words spoken by Moses, God made reply: +"Let it not fret thee that thou art not an eloquent speaker. +It is I that made the mouth of all that speak, and I that +made men dumb. One I make to see, another I make blind; +one I make to hear, another I make deaf. Had I willed it +so, thou hadst been a man of ready speech. But I desired +to show a wonder through thee. Whenever I will it, the +words I cast into thy mouth shall come forth without hesitation. +But what thou sayest about a slave, that he cannot +be corrected by words, is true, and therefore I give thee +My rod for Pharaoh's castigation." + +But Moses still stood his ground. He raised other objections. +"His grandchild," he said, "is closer to a man +than his nephew. Nevertheless when Lot was taken captive, +Thou didst send angels to the aid of Abraham's nephew. +But now, when the life of sixty myriads of Abraham's lineal +descendants is at stake, Thou sendest me, and not the angels. +When the Egyptian bondwoman Hagar was in distress, +Thou didst dispatch five angels to stand by her, and to redeem +sixty myriads of the children of Sarah Thou dost dispatch +me.[136] O Lord, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him +whom Thou wilt send in days to come." To this God answered, +saying, "I said not that I would send thee to Israel, +but to Pharaoh, and that one whom thou madest mention of, +I will send to Israel at the end of days--Elijah will appear +to them before the great and terrible day."[137] + +If Moses refused to do the errand of the Lord, there was +a reason. God had revealed to him the treasures of the +Torah, of wisdom, and of knowledge, and the whole world's +future. Now he beheld in the inner chamber of God rows +of scholars and judges interpreting the Torah in forty- +nine different ways as they sat in the court of hewn stones; +and he saw, besides, Rabbi Akiba explaining the meaning +of the crowns upon the letters. Then said Moses: "I do +not care to be God's messenger. Let Him rather send one +of these great scholars." Then God ordered the Angel of +Wisdom to carry Moses to a place of myriads of scholars, +all interpreting the Torah, and all making use of the +formula: This is a Halakah revealed to Moses on Mount +Sinai. Now Moses recognized that even the greatest scholars +of future generations would be dependent upon him, and +then, at last, he was ready to execute the mission God desired +to lay upon him.[138] + +But Moses had to pay dear for having hesitated in the +execution of the Divine bidding. God said to him: "It was +appointed that thou shouldst be priest, and Aaron should be +the Levite. Because thou hast refused to execute My will, +thou shalt be the Levite, and Aaron shall be priest,"--a +punishment that did not fall upon Moses personally, but only +upon his descendants, all of whom are Levites. As for himself, +he performed a priest's service in the Tabernacle.[139] + +Moses had said to God, "Thou hast been speaking to me +now these many days, nevertheless I am still slow of speech +and of a slow tongue." For this he received another punishment. +God said to him: "I might change thee into a new +man, and heal thee of thy imperfect speech, but because thou +hast uttered such words, I refrain from curing thee."[140] + + +THE RETURN TO EGYPT + +When Moses finally gave in, and declared himself ready +to go to Egypt as God's messenger, his acceptance was still +conditional upon the promise of God to fulfil all his wishes, +and God granted whatsoever he desired, except immortality +and entering the Holy Land.[141] God also allayed his fears +regarding the danger that threatened him from his whilom +enemies Dathan and Abiram, on account of whom he had had +to flee from Egypt. He told him that they had sunk to the +estate of poor and insignificant men, bereft of the power of +doing him harm.[142] + +Moses was loyal to the oath he had given his father-in-law +Jethro, never to return to Egypt without securing his consent. +His first concern therefore was to go back to Midian +and obtain his permission, which Jethro gave freely. Then +Moses could set out on his journey. He tarried only to take +his wife and his children with him, which made his father- +in-law say, "Those who are in Egypt are to leave it, and +thou desirest to take more thither?" Moses replied: "Very +soon the slaves held in bondage in Egypt will be redeemed, +and they will go forth from the land, and gather at Mount +Sinai, and hear the words, 'I am the Lord thy God,' and +should my sons not be present there?" Jethro acknowledged +the justice of Moses' words, and he said to him, "Go +in peace, enter Egypt in peace, and leave the land in +peace."[143] + +At last Moses sallied forth upon his journey to Egypt, +accompanied by his wife and his children. He was mounted +upon the very ass that had borne Abraham to the Akedah +on Mount Moriah, the ass upon which the Messiah will +appear riding at the end of days.[144] Even now, his journey +begun, Moses was but half-hearted about his mission. He +travelled leisurely, thinking: "When I arrive in Egypt and +announce to the children of Israel that the end of the term of +Egyptian slavery has come, they will say, 'We know very +well that our bondage must last four hundred years, and the +end is not yet,' but if I were to put this objection before God, +He would break out in wrath against me. It is best for me +to consume as much time as possible on the way thither." + +God was ill pleased with Moses for this artifice, and He +spake to him, saying, "Joseph prophesied long ago that the +oppression of Egypt would endure only two hundred and +ten years." For his lack of faith Moses was punished while +he was on the road to Egypt.[145] The angels Af and Hemah +appeared and swallowed his whole body down to his feet,[146] +and they gave him up only after Zipporah, nimble as a +"bird,"[147] circumcised her son Gershom, and touched the +feet of her husband with the blood of the circumcision. The +reason why their son had remained uncircumcised until then +was that Jethro had made the condition, when he consented +to the marriage of his daughter with Moses, that the first +son of their union should be brought up as a Gentile.[148] + +When Moses was released by the angels, he attacked +them, and he slew Hemah, whose host of angels, however, +held their own before the assailant.[149] + +The Divine voice heard by Moses in Midian telling him +to return to his brethren in Egypt fell at the same time upon +the ear of Aaron, dwelling in Egypt, and it bade him "go +into the wilderness to meet Moses." God speaketh marvellously +with His voice, and therefore the same revelation +could be understood one way in Midian and another way in +Egypt. + +The greeting of the two brothers was very cordial. Envy +and jealousy bad no place between them. Aaron was rejoiced +that God had chosen his younger brother to be the +redeemer of Israel, and Moses was rejoiced that his older +brother had been divinely appointed the high priest in Israel. +God knew their hearts, for at the time when He charged +him with the Egyptian mission, Moses had said, "All these +years Aaron has been active as a prophet in Israel, and +should I now encroach upon his province and cause him +vexation?" But God reassured him, saying, "Moses, thy +brother Aaron will surely not be vexed, he will rather rejoice +at thy mission, yea, he will come forth and meet thee." + +Aaron showed his joy freely at seeing his brother once +more, after their separation of many years. As for his joy +in the distinction accorded to Moses, it was too great to be +expressed in all its depth and extent. For his kind, generous +spirit, he received a reward from God, in that he was +permitted to bear the Urim and Thummim upon his heart, +"for," God said, "the heart that rejoiced at the exalting of +a brother shall wear the Urim and Thummim."[150] + +Aaron ran to meet his brother, and embraced him, and +asked where he had spent all the years of their separation. +When he was told in Midian, he continued to question him, +saying, "Who are these that are travelling with thee?" + +Moses: "My wife and my sons." + +Aaron: "Whither goest thou with them?" + +Moses: "To Egypt." + +Aaron: "What! Great enough is our sorrow through +those who have been in Egypt from the beginning, and thou +takest more to the land?" + +Moses recognized that Aaron was right, and he sent his +wife and his sons back to his father-in-law Jethro.[151] + +He was no less magnanimous than Aaron. If the elder +brother felt no envy on account of the younger brother's +dignity, the younger brother did not withhold from the +other the teachings and revelations he had received. Immediately +after meeting with Aaron, Moses told him all that +God had taught him, even the awful secret of the Ineffable +Name communicated to him on Mount Horeb.[152] + +In obedience to the command of God, the elders of the +people were assembled, and before them Moses performed +the wonders that were to be his credentials as the redeemer +sent to deliver the people. Nevertheless, the deeds he did +were not so potent in convincing them of the reality of the +mission as the words wherein God had announced the approaching +redemption to him, which he repeated in their +ears. The elders knew that Jacob had imparted to Joseph +the secret mark designating the redeemer, and Joseph had +in turn confided it to his brethren before his death. The last +surviving one of the brethren, Asher, had revealed it to his +daughter Serah, in the following words: "He that will +come and proclaim the redemption with the words of God, +'I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to +you in Egypt,' he is the true redeemer." Serah was still +alive at Moses' return, and the elders betook themselves to +her, and told her the words of Moses announcing the +redemption. When she heard that his words had been the +same as those Asher had quoted, she knew that he was the +promised redeemer, and all the people believed in him. + +Thereupon Moses invited the elders to go to Pharaoh with +him, but they lacked the courage to appear before the king. +Though they started out with Moses, they dropped off +stealthily on the way, one by one, and when Moses and +Aaron stood in the presence of the king, they found themselves +alone, deserted by all the others. The elders did not +go out free. Their punishment was that God did not permit +them to ascend the holy mountain with Moses. They durst +accompany him on the way to God only as far as they had +accompanied him on the way to Pharaoh, and then they had +to tarry until he came again.[153] + + +MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH + +The day Moses and Aaron made their appearance before +Pharaoh happened to be the anniversary of his birth, and +he was surrounded by many kings, for he was the ruler of +the whole world, and this was the occasion on which the +kings of the earth came to do him homage. When the +attendants announced Moses and Aaron, Pharaoh inquired +whether the two old men had brought him crowns, and, receiving +a negative reply, he ordered that they were not to be +admitted to his presence, until he had seen and dismissed all +the others desirous of paying him their respects.[154] + +Pharaoh's palace was surrounded by a vast army. It was +built with four hundred entrances, one hundred on each side, +and each of them guarded by sixty thousand soldiers. +Moses and Aaron were overawed by this display of power, +and they were afraid. But the angel Gabriel appeared, and +he led them into the palace, observed by none of the guards, +and Pharaoh decreed severe punishment upon the inattentive +sentinels for having admitted the old men without his +permission. They were dismissed, and others put in their +places. But the same thing happened the next day. Moses +and Aaron were within the palace, and the new guard had +not been able to hinder their passing. Pharaoh questioned +his servants, how it had been possible for the two old men +to enter, and they said: "We know it not! Through +the doors they did not come. Surely, they must be +magicians."[155] + +Not enough that the palace was guarded by a host, at each +entrance two lions were stationed, and in terror of being +torn to pieces none dared approach the doors, and none +could go within until the lion tamer came and led the beasts +away. Now Balaam and all the other sacred scribes of +Egypt advised that the keepers loose the lions at the +approach of Moses and Aaron. But their advice availed +naught. Moses had but to raise his rod, and the lions +bounded toward him joyously, and followed at his feet, gambolling +like dogs before their master on his return home.[156] + +Within the palace, Moses and Aaron found seventy +secretaries busy with Pharaoh's correspondence, which was +carried on in seventy languages. At the sight of the messengers +of Israel, they started up in great awe, for the two +men resembled angels. In stature they were as the cedars of +Lebanon, their countenances radiated splendor like the sun, +the pupils of their eyes were like the sphere of the morning +star, their beards like palm branches, and their mouths +emitted flames when they opened them for speech. In their +terror, the secretaries flung down pen and paper, and prostrated +themselves before Moses and Aaron. + +Now the two representatives of the children of Israel +stepped before Pharaoh, and they spake, "The God of the +Hebrews hath met with us; let us go, we pray thee, three +days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto the +Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with +the sword." But Pharaoh answered, saying: "What is +the name of your God? Wherein doth His strength consist, +and His power? How many countries, how many provinces, +how many cities hath He under His dominion? In +how many campaigns was He victorious? How many lands +did He make subject to Himself? How many cities did He +capture? When He goeth to war, how many warriors, +riders, chariots, and charioteers doth He lead forth?" +Whereto Moses and Aaron replied: "His strength and His +power fill the whole world. His voice heweth out flames of +fire; His words break mountains in pieces. The heaven is +His throne, and the earth His footstool. His bow is fire, +His arrows are flames, His spears torches, His shield clouds, +and His sword lightning flashes. He created the mountains +and the valleys, He brought forth spirits and souls, He +stretched out the earth by a word, He made the mountains +with His wisdom, He forms the embryo in the womb of the +mother, He covers the heavens with clouds, at His word the +dew and the rain descend earthward, He causes plants to +grow from the ground, He nourishes and sustains the whole +world, from the horns upon the rem down to the eggs of +vermin. Every day He causes men to die, and every day +He calls men into life." + +Pharaoh answered, and said: "I have no need of Him. I +have created myself, and if ye say that He causes dew and +rain to descend, I have the Nile, the river that hath its +source under the tree of life, and the ground impregnated +by its waters bears fruit so huge that it takes two asses to +carry it. and it is palatable beyond description, for it has +three hundred different tastes."[157] + +Then Pharaoh sent to fetch the books of the chronicles of +his kingdom from his archives, wherein are recorded the +names of the gods of all the nations, to see whether the +name of the God of the Hebrews was among them. He +read off: "The gods of Moab, the gods of Ammon, the +gods of Zidon--I do not find your God inscribed in the +archives!" Moses and Aaron exclaimed: "O thou fool! +Thou seekest the Living in the graves of the dead. These +which thou didst read are the names of dumb idols, but our +God is the God of life and the King of eternal life."[158] + +When Pharaoh said the words, "I know not the Lord," +God Himself made answer, saying: "O thou rascal! Thou +sayest to My ambassadors, 'I know not the strength and the +power of your God'? Lo, I will make thee to stand, for to +show thee My power, and that My Name may be declared +throughout all the earth."[159] + +Having searched his list of the gods of the nations in vain +for a mention of the God of the Hebrews, Pharaoh cited before +him the wise men of Egypt, and he said to them: +"Have ye ever heard the name of the God of these people?" +They replied, "We have been told that He is a son of the +wise, the son of ancient kings." Then spake God, saying, +"O ye fools! Ye call yourselves wise men, but Me ye call +only the son of the wise. Verily, I will set at naught all +your wisdom and your understanding."[160] + +Pharaoh persisted in his obduracy, even after Moses and +Aaron had performed the miracle of the rod. At the time +when the two Hebrews succeeded in entering the palace, +guarded as it was by lions, Pharaoh had sent for his magicians, +at their head Balaam and his two sons Jannes and +Jambres, and when they appeared before him, he told them +of the extraordinary incident, how the lions had followed the +two old men like dogs, and fawned upon them. It was +Balaam's opinion that they were simply magicians like himself +and his companions, and he prayed the king to have +them come before him together with themselves, to test +who were the master magicians, the Egyptians or the +Hebrews. + +Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and he said to them: +"Who will believe you when you say that you are the ambassadors +of God, as you pretend to be, if you do not convince +men by performing wonders?" Thereupon Aaron +cast his rod to the ground, and it became a serpent.[161] Pharaoh +laughed aloud. "What," he exclaimed, "is this all your +God can do? It is the way of merchants to carry merchandise +to a place if there is none of it there, but would anyone +take brine to Spain or fish to Accho? It seems you do +not know that I am an adept in all sorts of magic!" He +ordered little school children to be brought, and they repeated +the wonder done by Moses and Aaron; indeed, Pharaoh's +own wife performed it. Jannes and Jambres, the +sons of Balaam, derided Moses, saying, "Ye carry straw to +Ephrain!"[162] whereto Moses answered, "To the place of +many vegetables, thither carry vegetables." + +To show the Egyptians that Aaron could do something +with his rod that their magicians could not imitate, God +caused the serpent into which His rod had been changed to +swallow up all the rods of the magicians. But Balaam and +his associates said: "There is nothing marvellous or astonishing +in this feat. Your serpent has but devoured our +serpents, which is in accordance with a law of nature, one +living being devours another. If thou wishest us to acknowledge +that the spirit of God worketh in thee, then cast +thy rod to the earth, and if, being wood, it swallows up our +rods of wood, then we shall acknowledge that the spirit of +God is in thee." Aaron stood the test. After his rod had +resumed its original form, it swallowed up the rods of the +Egyptians,[163] and yet its bulk showed no increase. This +caused Pharaoh to reflect, whether this wonderful rod of +Aaron might not swallow up also him and his throne. Nevertheless +he refused to obey the behest of God, to let Israel +go, saying, "Had I Jacob-Israel himself here before me, I +should put trowel and bucket on his shoulder." And to +Moses and Aaron, he said, "Because ye, like all the rest of +the tribe of Levi, are not compelled to labor, therefore do ye +speak, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.' If you had +asked for a thousand people, or two thousand, I should have +fulfilled your request, but never will I consent to let six +hundred thousand men go away." + + +THE SUFFERING INCREASES + +Beside refusing to dismiss the children of Israel, he ordered, +on the very day of Moses and Aaron's audience with +him, that the people be required to deliver the prescribed +tale of bricks, though the taskmasters were not as heretofore +to give them straw to make brick. Another decree +was, that the children of Israel were not to be permitted +to rest on the Sabbath, for Pharaoh knew that they used +the leisure for reading the rolls that described their +redemption. All this was a part of God's plan, the oppression +of Israel was to be increased the closer the end approached. As +they wandered up and down the land of +Egypt gathering the straw they needed for the due tale of +bricks, they were maltreated by the Egyptians if they caught +them on their fields. Such unkind acts perpetrated by the +whole people made it impossible for them to cast the entire +blame for the bondage of Israel upon Pharaoh. All the +Egyptians showed cruelty to the Israelites on their straw +foraging expeditions, and therefore the Divine punishment +descended upon all alike. + +This frightful time of Israel's extreme suffering lasted six +months. Meantime Moses went to Midian, leaving Aaron +alone in Egypt. When Moses returned at the end of the +reign of terror, two of the Israelitish officers accosted him +and Aaron, and heaped abuse upon them for having increased +the woes of their people rather than diminished +them. They spake, saying, "If ye are truly the ambassadors +of God, then may He judge between us and Pharaoh. +But if you are seeking to bring about the redemption of +Israel on your own account, then may God judge between +you and Israel. You are responsible for the widespread +stench now issuing from the Israelitish corpses used as +bricks for building when our tale was not complete. The +Egyptians had but a faint suspicion that we were waiting +for our redemption. It is your fault if they are fully conscious +of it now. We are in the quandary of the poor sheep +that has been dragged away by a wolf. The shepherd pursues +the robber, catches up with him, and tries to snatch the +sheep from his jaws, and the wretched victim, pulled this +way by the wolf and that way by the shepherd, is torn to +pieces. Thus Israel fares between you and Pharaoh." + +The two officers that spake these stinging words were +Dathan and Abiram, and it was neither the first nor the +last time they inflicted an injury upon Moses. The other +Israelitish officers were gentle and kind; they permitted +themselves to be beaten by the taskmasters rather than prod +the laborers of their own people put under their surveillance. + +The cruel suffering to which his people was exposed +caused Moses to speak to God thus: "I have read the book +of Genesis through, and I found the doom in it pronounced +upon the generation of the deluge. It was a just judgment. +I found also the punishments decreed against the generation +of the confusion of tongues, and against the inhabitants of +Sodom. These, too, were just. But what hath this nation +of Israel done unto Thee, that it is oppressed more than +any other nation in history? Is it because Abraham said, +'Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit the land?' and +Thou didst rebuke him for his small faith, saying, 'Know +of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that +is not theirs'? Why, then, are not the descendants of Esau +and Ishmael held in bondage, too? Are they not likewise of +the seed of Abraham? But if Thou wilt say, 'What concern +is it of mine?' then I ask Thee, Why didst Thou send me +hither as Thy messenger? Thy great, exalted, and terrible +Name is feared in all the earth, yet Pharaoh heard me pronounce +it, and he refuses obedience. I know Thou wilt redeem +Israel in Thine own good time, and it is of little moment +to Thee that now they are immuring living Israelites +in these buildings." + +Were He a God of justice only, the Lord would have +slain Moses for the audacity of his last words, but in view +of his having spoken as he had only out of compassion with +Israel, the Lord dealt graciously with him. He answered +Moses, saying, "Thou shalt see what I will do to Pharaoh," +words conveying to Moses, that although he would be witness +to the chastisement of Pharaoh, he would not be present +at that of the thirty-one kings of Canaan. Thus he was +rebuked for the unbecoming language he had used in +addressing God.[164] At the same time God's words were a +rejoinder to another speech by Moses. He had said: "O +Lord of the world, I know well that Thou wilt bring Thy +children forth from Egypt. O that Thou wouldst make +use of another instrument, for I am not worthy of being the +redeemer of Thy children." God made answer thereto: +"Yes, Moses, thou art worthy thereof. Through thee My +children will be brought forth out of Egypt. Thou shalt see +what I will do to Pharaoh."[165] + +At the same time God called him to account for having so +little faith. He said: "O for the departed, their like cannot +be found any more! I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, +and Jacob, as El Shaddai, God Almighty, but I was not +known to them by My name Adonai, God All-Merciful, as +I appeared unto thee. Nevertheless they did not cast +aspersions upon My acts. I spake to Abraham, 'Unto thee +will I give the land,' but when he was about to bury Sarah, +he had to pay out silver and buy a resting-place for her +body; and yet he did not find fault with Me. I spake to +Isaac, 'Unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these +lands,' but when he desired water to drink, he had to strive +with the herdsmen of Gerar; and yet he did not find fault +with Me. I spake to Jacob, 'The land whereon thou liest, to +thee will I give it, and to thy seed,' but when he wanted to +spread his tent, he had to acquire a parcel of ground for an +hundred pieces of money; and yet he did not find fault with +Me. None of them asked to know My Name. But thou +didst demand to know it at the very first, when I desired +to send thee down into Egypt, and after I revealed it to +thee, thou didst speak, saying, 'Thou didst tell me that +Thou art called Compassionate and Gracious, Longsuffering +and Merciful, but as soon as I pronounced this Name before +Pharaoh, misfortune descended upon the people of Israel.' +Now I desire to fulfil My covenant with the three Patriarchs, +and give their posterity the promised land, as a reward +for the unquestioning faith of the Fathers, and also +as a reward to the people, who, in spite of their suffering, +did not find fault with My deeds. For this will I give them +the land, which they do not deserve to possess for other +reasons. I swear that I will do thus!" God pronounced +this oath, to banish all fear from the mind of Moses, that He +might act only in accordance with His attribute of justice, +and thus delay the redemption of Israel for a time, on account +of the sins of the people.[166] + +Now the redemption of Israel was a settled fact. But before +Moses and Aaron could start on the work of delivering +their people, God called various points to their attention, +which He bade them consider in their undertaking. He +spake to them, saying: "My children are perverse, passionate, +and troublesome. You must be prepared to stand their +abuse, to the length of being pelted with stones by them. I +send you to Pharaoh, and although I will punish him according +to his deserts, yet you must not fail in the respect +due to him as a ruler. Furthermore, be careful to take the +elders of the people into your counsel,[167] and let your first +step toward redemption be to make the people give up the +worship of idols." + +The last was a most difficult task, and the words of God +concerning it wrung the exclamation from Moses: "See, +the children of Israel will not hearken unto me. How, then, +should Pharaoh hearken unto me?"[168] It was the third time +Moses declined to go on the errand of God. Now the Divine +patience was exhausted, and Moses was subjected to punishment. +At first God had revealed Himself only to Moses, +and the original intention had been that he alone was to +perform all the miracles, but henceforth the word of God +was addressed to Aaron as well, and he was given a share in +doing the wonders.[169] + + +MEASURE FOR MEASURE + +God divided the ten punishments decreed for Egypt into +four parts, three of the plagues He committed to Aaron, +three to Moses, one to the two brothers together, and three +He reserved for Himself. Aaron was charged with those, +that proceeded from the earth and the water, the elements +that are composed of more or less solid parts, from which +are fashioned all the corporeal, distinctive entities, while the +three entrusted to Moses were those that proceeded from +the air and the fire, the elements that are most prolific of +life.[170] + +The Lord is a man of war, and as a king of flesh and +blood devises various stratagems against his enemy, so God +attacked the Egyptians in various ways. He brought ten +plagues down upon them. When a province rises up in rebellion, +its sovereign lord first sends his army against it, to +surround it and cut off the water supply. If the people are +contrite, well and good; if not, he brings noise makers into +the field against them. If the people are contrite, well and +good; if not, he orders darts to be discharged against them. +If the people are contrite, well and good; if not, he orders +his legions to assault them. If the people are contrite, well +and good; if not, he causes bloodshed and carnage among +them. If the people are contrite, well and good; if not, he +directs a stream of hot naphtha upon them. If the people +are contrite, well and good; if not, he hurls projectiles at +them from his ballistae. If the people are contrite, well and +good; if not, he has scaling-ladders set up against their +walls. If the people are contrite, well and good; if not, he +casts them into dungeons. If the people are contrite, well +and good; if not, he slays their magnates. + +Thus did God proceed against the Egyptians. First He +cut off their water supply by turning their rivers into blood. +They refused to let the Israelites go, and He sent the noisy, +croaking frogs into their entrails. They refused to let the +Israelites go, and He brought lice against them, which +pierced their flesh like darts. They refused to let the +Israelites go, and He sent barbarian legions against them, mixed +hordes of wild beasts. They refused to let the Israelites go, +and He brought slaughter upon them, a very grievous pestilence. +They refused to let the Israelites go, and He poured +out naphtha over them, burning blains. They refused to let +the Israelites go, and He caused His projectiles, the hail, to +descend upon them. They refused to let the Israelites go, +and He placed scaling-ladders against the wall for the locusts, +which climbed them like men of war. They refused +to let the Israelites go, and He cast them into dungeon darkness. +They refused to let the Israelites go, and He slew +their magnates, their first-born sons.[171] + +The plagues that God sent upon the Egyptians corresponded +to the deeds they bad perpetrated against the children +of Israel. Because they forced the Israelites to draw +water for them, and also hindered them from the use of the +ritual baths, He changed their water into blood. + +Because they had said to the Israelites, "Go and catch +fish for us," He brought frogs up against them, making +them to swarm in their kneading-troughs and their bed- +chambers and hop around croaking in their entrails. It +was the severest of all the ten plagues. + +Because they had said to the Israelites, "Go and sweep +and clean our houses, our courtyards, and our streets," He +changed the dust of the air into lice, so that the vermin lay +piled up in heaps an ell high, and when the Egyptians put +on fresh garments, they were at once infested with the +insects. + +The fourth plague was an invasion of the land by hordes +of all sorts of wild animals, lions, wolves, panthers, bears, +and others. They overran the houses of the Egyptians, +and when they closed their doors to keep them out, God +caused a little animal to come forth from the ground, and +it got in through the windows, and split open the doors, +and made a way for the bears, panthers, lions, and wolves, +which swarmed in and devoured the people down to the +infants in their cradles. If an Egyptian entrusted his ten +children to an Israelite, to take a walk with them, a lion +would come and snatch away one of the children, a bear +would carry off the second, a serpent the third, and so on, +and in the end the Israelite returned home alone. This +plague was brought upon them because they were in the +habit of bidding the Israelites go and catch wolves and lions +for their circuses, and they sent them on such errands, to +make them take up their abode in distant deserts, where +they would be separated from their wives, and could not +propagate their race. + +Then God brought a grievous murrain upon their cattle, +because they had pressed the Israelites into their service as +shepherds, and assigned remote pasturing places to them, +to keep them away from their wives. Therefore the murrain +came and carried off all the cattle in the flocks the Israelites +were tending. + +The sixth plague was a boil breaking forth with blains +upon man and upon beast. This was the punishment of the +Egyptians, because they would say to the children of Israel, +"Go and prepare a bath for us unto the delight of our flesh +and our bones." Therefore they were doomed to suffer with +boils that inflamed their flesh, and on account of the itch +they could not leave off scratching. While the Egyptians +suffered thus, the children of Israel used their baths. + +Because they had sent the Israelites forth into the fields, +to plough and sow, hail was sent down upon them, and their +trees and crops were destroyed. + +They had been in the habit of saying to the Israelites, +"Go forth, plant ye trees for us, and guard the fruit thereon." +Therefore God brought the locusts into the Egyptian +border, to eat the residue of that which was escaped, which +remained unto them from the hail, for the teeth of the locust +are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the jaw teeth of a great +lion. + +Because they would throw the Israelites into dungeons, +God brought darkness upon them, the darkness of hell, so +that they had to grope their way. He that sat could not rise +up on his feet, and he that stood could not sit down. The +infliction of darkness served another purpose. Among the +Israelites there were many wicked men, who refused to +leave Egypt, and God determined to put them out of the +way. But that the Egyptians might not say they had succumbed +to the plague like themselves, God slew them under +cover of the darkness, and in the darkness they were buried +by their fellow-Israelites, and the Egyptians knew nothing +of what had happened. But the number of these wicked +men had been very great, and the children of Israel spared +to leave Egypt were but a small fraction of the original +Israelitish population. + +The tenth plague was the slaying of the first-born, and it +came upon the Egyptians because of their intention to murder +the men children of the Israelites at their birth, and, +finally, Pharaoh and his host were drowned in the Red Sea, +because the Egyptians had caused the men children of the +Israelites to be exposed in the water.[172] + +Each, of the plagues inflicted upon Egypt had another +parallel in the cruel treatment accorded to the Israelites. +The first was a punishment for the arrogant words spoken +by Pharaoh, "My Nile river is mine own, and I have made +it for myself." + +The plague of the frogs God brought down upon the +Egyptians, "because," He said, "the frogs, which sometimes +inhabit the water, shall take vengeance upon the Egyptians +for having desired to destroy the nation destined to be the +bearers of the Torah, and the Torah is likened unto water." + +God sent vermin upon them, saying, "Let the lice made +of the dust of the earth take vengeance upon the Egyptians +for having desired to destroy the nation whose seed is like +unto the dust of the earth." + +Hordes of beasts, lions and wolves and swarms of serpents, +came down upon them, "because," God said, "these +animals shall take vengeance upon the Egyptians for having +desired to destroy the nation that is likened unto lions, +wolves, and serpents." + +A fatal pestilence was brought upon them, "because," +God said, "death shall take vengeance upon the Egyptians +for having desired to destroy the nation that faces death for +the glorification of the Name of God." + +They were made to suffer with burning blains, "because," +God said, "the boils coming from the ashes of the furnace +shall take vengeance upon the Egyptians for having desired +to destroy the nation whose ancestor Abraham walked into +the fiery furnace for the glorification of the Name of God." + +He made hail to descend upon them, "because," He said, +"the white hail shall take vengeance upon the Egyptians +for having desired to destroy a nation whose sins shall be +white." + +The locusts came upon them, "because," God said, "the +locusts, which are My great army, shall take vengeance +upon the Egyptians for having desired to destroy the nation +that is called My hosts." + +"Darkness," said God, "which is divided from the light, +shall come and take vengeance upon the Egyptians for desiring +to destroy the nation upon which shineth the light of +the Lord, while gross darkness covers the other peoples." + +The tenth plague, the slaying of the first-born, God inflicted, +saying, "I will take vengeance upon the Egyptians +for having desired to destroy the nation that is My first- +born. As the night divided itself for Abraham, that his +enemies might be vanquished, so I will pass through Egypt +in the middle of the night, and as Abraham was proved by +ten temptations, so I will send ten plagues upon Egypt, the +enemy of his children."[173] + + +THE PLAGUES BROUGHT THROUGH AARON + +From the infliction of the first of the plagues until the +passing of the last, after which the Egyptians yielded all +that Moses and Aaron demanded, there elapsed a whole +year, for twelve months is the term set by God for the expiation +of sins. The deluge lasted one year; Job suffered one +year; sinners must endure hell tortures for one year, and +the judgment upon Gog at the end of time will be executed +for the length of one year.[174] + +Moses announced the first plague to Pharaoh one morning +when the king was walking by the river's brink. This morning +walk enabled him to practice a deception. He called +himself a god, and pretended that he felt no human needs. +To keep up the illusion, he would repair to the edge of the +river every morning, and ease nature there while alone and +unobserved. At such a time it was that Moses appeared +before him, and called out to him, "Is there a god that hath +human needs?" "Verily, I am no god," replied Pharaoh, +"I only pretend to be one before the Egyptians, who are +such idiots, one should consider them asses rather than +human beings."[175] + +Then Moses made known to him that God would turn the +water into blood, if he refused to let Israel go. In the warning +we can discern the difference between God and man. +When a mortal harbors the intention to do an injury to an +enemy, he lies in wait for the moment when he can strike +an unexpected blow. But God is outspoken. He warned +Pharaoh and the Egyptians in public whenever a plague +was about to descend, and each warning was repeated by +Moses for a period of three weeks, although the plague itself +endured but a single week. + +As Pharaoh would not lay the warning to heart, the +plague announced by Moses was let loose upon him and his +people--the waters were turned into blood. It is a well- +known proverb, "Beat the idols, and the priests are in +terror." God smote the river Nile, which the Egyptians +worshipped as their god, in order to terrify Pharaoh and +his people and force them to do the Divine will. + +To produce the plague, Aaron took his rod, and stretched +out his hand over the waters of Egypt. Moses had no part +in performing the miracle, for God had said to him, "The +water that watched over thy safety when thou wast exposed +in the Nile, shall not suffer harm through thee." + +Aaron had scarcely executed the Divine bidding, when +all the water of Egypt became blood, even such as was kept +in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone. The very spittle +of an Egyptian turned into blood no sooner had he ejected +it from his mouth,[176] and blood dripped also from the idols +of the Egyptians.[177] + +The transformation of the waters into blood was intended +mainly as a punishment for the oppressors, but it was at the +same time a source of profit for the oppressed. It gave the +Israelites the opportunity of amassing great wealth. The +Egyptians paid them large sums for their water, for if an +Egyptian and an Israelite drew water from the same trough, +the portion carried off by the Egyptian was bound to be +useless, it turned into blood. To be sure, nothing helped the +Egyptians in their distress, for though they drank water +from the same cup as an Israelite, it became blood in their +mouth. + +However, this plague did not impress Pharaoh as a punishment +inflicted in the name of God, because with the help +of the Angels of Destruction the magicians of Egypt produced +the same phenomenon of changing water into blood. +Therefore he hearkened not unto the words of Moses.[178] + +The next was the plague of the frogs, and again it was +Aaron that performed the wonder. He stretched forth his +hand with his rod over the rivers, and caused frogs to come +up upon the land of Egypt. Moses, whose life had been +preserved by the water, was kept from poisoning his savior +with the reptiles. At first only a single frog appeared, but +he began to croak, summoning so many companions that the +whole land of Egypt swarmed with them. Wherever an +Egyptian took up his stand, frogs appeared, and in some +mysterious way they were able to pierce the hardest of +metals, and even the marble palaces of the Egyptian nobles +afforded no protection against them. If a frog came close +to them, the walls split asunder immediately. "Make way," +the frogs would call out to the stone, "that I may do the +will of my Creator," and at once the marble showed a rift, +through which the frogs entered, and then they attacked the +Egyptians bodily, and mutilated and overwhelmed them. +In their ardor to fulfil the behest of God, the frogs cast +themselves into the red-hot flames of the bake-ovens and +devoured the bread. Centuries later, the three holy children, +Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were ordered by +Nebuchadnezzar to pay worship to his idols on penalty of +death in the burning furnace, and they said, "If the frogs, +which were under no obligation to glorify the Name of God, +nevertheless threw themselves into the fire in order to execute +the Divine will concerning the punishment of the Egyptians, +how much more should we be ready to expose our lives +to the fire for the greater glory of His Name!"[179] And the +zealous frogs were not permitted to go unrewarded. While +the others were destroyed from Pharaoh and the Egyptian +houses at the moment appointed as the last of the plague, +God saved those in the bake-ovens alive, the fire had no +power to do them the least harm.[180] + +Now, although the Egyptian magicians also brought up +frogs upon the land of Egypt through the help of demons, +Pharaoh nevertheless declared himself ready to let the people +go, to sacrifice unto the Lord. The difference between this +plague and the first was, that water turned into blood had +not caused him any personal inconvenience, while the +swarms of frogs inflicted physical suffering, and he gave the +promise to Moses to let Israel go, in the hope of ridding +himself of the pain he experienced. And Moses in turn +promised to entreat God for him on the following day. It +could not be done at once, because the seven days' term had +not yet elapsed. The prayer offered by Moses in behalf of +Pharaoh was granted, all the frogs perished, and their +destruction +was too swift for them to retire to the water. Consequently +the whole land was filled with the stench from the +decaying frogs, for they had been so numerous that every +man of the Egyptians gathered together four heaps of +them.[181] Although the frogs had filled all the market-places +and stables and dwellings, they retreated before the Hebrews +as if they had been able to distinguish between the +two nations, and had known which of them it was proper to +abuse, and which to treat with consideration.[182] Beside sparing +the Hebrews in the land of Egypt, the frogs kept within +the limits of the land, in no wise trenching upon the territory +of the neighboring nations. Indeed, they were the +means of settling peaceably an old boundary dispute between +Egypt and Ethiopia. Wherever they appeared, so +far extended the Egyptian domain; all beyond their line +belonged to Ethiopia. + +Pharaoh was like the wicked that cry to God in their distress, +and when their fortunes prosper slide back into their +old, impious ways. No sooner had the frogs departed from +him, his houses, his servants, and his people, than he hardened +his heart again, and refused to let Israel go. Thereupon +God sent the plague of the lice, the last of those +brought upon Egypt through the mediation of Aaron. +Moses could have no part in it, "for," said God, "the earth +that afforded thee protection when she permitted thee to +hide the slain Egyptian, shall not suffer through thine +hand."[183] + +The Egyptian magicians having boasted that they were +able to produce the first two plagues,--an empty boast it +was, for they did not bring them about with their enchantments, +but only because Moses willed them to do it,--God +put them to shame with the third plague. They tried in +vain to imitate it.[184] The demons could not aid them, for +their power is limited to the production of things larger +than a barley grain, and lice are smaller. The magicians +had to admit, "This is the finger of God." Their failure +put an end once for all to their attempts to do as Moses did. + +But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and God spake to +Moses, saying, "This wicked fellow remains hard of heart, +in spite of the three plagues. The fourth shall be much +worse than those which have preceded it. Go to him, therefore, +and warn him, it would be well for him to let My +people go, that the plague come not upon him."[185] + + +THE PLAGUES BROUGHT THROUGH MOSES + +The fourth plague was also announced to the king early +in the morning by the river's brink. Pharaoh went thither +regularly, for he was one of the magi, who need water for +their enchantments.[186] Moses' daily morning visits were +beginning to annoy him, and he left the house early, in the +hope of circumventing his monitor. But God, who knows +the thoughts of man, sent Moses to Pharaoh at the very +moment of his going forth. + +The warning of the plague that was imminent not having +had any effect upon Pharaoh, God sent the fourth plague +upon Egypt,[187] a mixed horde of wild animals, lions, bears, +wolves, and panthers, and so many birds of prey of different +kinds that the light of the sun and the moon was darkened +as they circled through the air. These beasts came upon the +Egyptians as a punishment for desiring to force the seed of +Abraham to amalgamate with the other nations. God retaliated +by bringing a mixture upon them that cost them +their life.[188] + +As Pharaoh had been the first of the Egyptians to lay evil +plans against the children of Israel, so he was the first upon +whom descended punishment. Into his house the mixed +horde of beasts came first of all, and then into the houses of +the rest of the Egyptians. Goshen, the land inhabited by +the Israelites, was spared entirely, for God put a division +between the two peoples. It is true, the Israelites had +committed sins enough to deserve punishment, but the Holy +One, blessed be He, permitted the Egyptians to act as a ransom +for Israel. + +Again Pharaoh expressed his willingness to let the children +of Israel sacrifice unto their God, but they were to stay +in the land and do it, not go outside, into the wilderness. +Moses pointed out to Pharaoh how unbecoming it would be +for the Israelites to sacrifice, before the very eyes of his +people, the animals that the Egyptians worshipped as gods. +Then Pharaoh consented to let them go beyond the borders +of his land, only they were not to go very far away, and +Moses, to mislead him, asked for a three days' journey into +the wilderness. But, again, when Moses had entreated God +on Pharaoh's behalf, and the horde of wild beasts had vanished, +the king hardened his heart, and did not let the +people go. + +The cessation of the fourth plague was as miraculous as +the plague itself. The very animals that had been slain by +the Egyptians in self-defense returned to life and departed +from the land with the rest. This was ordained to prevent +the wicked oppressors from profiting by the punishment +even so much as the value of the hides and the flesh of the +dead animals. It had not been so with the useless frogs, +they had died on the spot, and their carcasses had remained +where they fell.[189] + +The fifth plague inflicted by God upon the Egyptians was +a grievous pestilence, which mowed down the cattle and +beasts chiefly, yet it did not spare men altogether. This +pestilence was a distinct plague, but it also accompanied all +the other plagues, and the death of many Egyptians was +due to it.[190] The Israelites again came off unscathed. Indeed, +if an Israelite had a just claim upon a beast held by +an Egyptian, it, too, was spared, and the same good fortune +waited upon such cattle as was the common property of +Israelites and Egyptians. + +The sixth plague, the plague of boils, was produced by +Moses and Aaron together in a miraculous way. Each took +a handful of ashes of the furnace, then Moses held the contents +of the two heaps in the hollow of one of his hands, and +sprinkled the ashes tip toward the heaven, and it flew so +high that it reached the Divine throne. Returning earthward, +it scattered over the whole land of Egypt, a space +equal to four hundred square parasangs. The small dust +of the ashes produced leprosy upon the skin of the +Egyptians,[191] +and blains of a peculiar kind, soft within and dry +on top.[192] + +The first five plagues the magicians had tried to imitate, +and partly they had succeeded. But in this sixth plague +they could not stand before Moses, and thenceforth they +gave up the attempt to do as he did. Their craft had all +along been harmful to themselves. Although they could +produce the plagues, they could not imitate Moses in causing +them to disappear. They would put their hands into their +bosom, and draw them out white with leprosy, exactly like +Moses, but their flesh remained leprous until the day of their +death. And the same happened with all the other plagues +that they imitated: until their dying day they were afflicted +with the ills they produced.[193] + +As Pharaoh had wittingly hardened his heart with each +of the first five plagues, and refused to turn from his sinful +purpose, God punished him thereafter in such wise that he +could not mend his ways if he would. God said, "Even +though he should desire to do penance now, I will harden his +heart until he pays off the whole of his debt." + +Pharaoh had observed that whenever he walked on the +brink of the Nile, Moses would intercept him. He therefore +gave up his morning walk. But God bade Moses seek the +king in his palace in the early hours of the day and urge him +to repent of his evil ways. Therefore Moses spake to him as +follows, in the name of God: "O thou villain! Thou thinkest +that I cannot destroy thee from the world. Consider, if +I had desired it, instead of smiting the cattle, I might have +smitten thee and thy people with the pestilence, and thou +wouldst have been cut off from the earth. I inflicted the +plague only in such degree as was necessary to show thee +My power, and that My Name may be declared throughout +all the earth. But thou dost not leave off treading My +people underfoot. Behold, to-morrow when the sun passes +this point,"--whereat Moses made a stroke upon the wall-- +"I will cause a very grievous hail to pour down, such as +will be only once more, when I annihilate Gog with hail, +fire, and brimstone." + +But God's lovingkindness is so great that even in His +wrath He has mercy upon the wicked, and as His chief +object was not to injure men and beasts, but to damage the +vegetation in the fields of the Egyptians, He bade Moses +admonish Pharaoh to send and hasten in his cattle and all +that he had in the field. But the warning fell on heedless +ears. Job was the only one to take it to heart, while Pharaoh +and his people regarded not the word of the Lord. Therefore +the Lord let the hail smite both man and beast, instead +of confining it to the herbs and the trees of the field, as He +had intended from the first. + +As a rule, fire and water are elements at war with each +other, but in the hailstones that smote the land of Egypt +they were reconciled. A fire rested in the hailstones as the +burning wick swims in the oil of a lamp; the surrounding +fluid cannot extinguish the flame. The Egyptians were +smitten either by the hail or by the fire. In the one case as +the other their flesh was seared, and the bodies of the many +that were slain by the hail were consumed by the fire. The +hailstones heaped themselves up like a wall, so that the +carcasses of the slain beasts could not be removed, and if the +people succeeded in dividing the dead animals and carrying +their flesh off, the birds of prey would attack them on their +way home, and snatch their prize away. But the vegetation +in the field suffered even more than man and beast, for the +hail came down like an axe upon the trees and broke them. +That the wheat and the spelt were not crushed was a miracle. + +Now, at last, Pharaoh acknowledged, and said, "The +Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. He +was righteous when He bade us hasten in our cattle from +before the hail, and I and my people were wicked, for we +heeded not His warning, and men and beasts were found in +the field by the hail, and slain." Again he begged Moses to +supplicate God in his behalf, that He turn the plague away, +and he promised to let the children of Israel go. Moses consented +to do his will, saying, however: "Think not that I +do not know what will happen after the plague is stayed. I +know that thou and thy servants, ye will fear the Lord God, +once His punishment is removed, as little as ye feared Him +before. But to show His greatness, I will pray to Him to +make the hail to cease." + +Moses went a short distance out of the city from Pharaoh, +and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord, for he did not +desire to pray to God within, where there were many idols +and images. At once the hail remained suspended in the +air. Part of it dropped down while Joshua was engaged in +battle with the Amorites, and the rest God will send down +in His fury against Gog. Also the thunders ceased at +Moses' intercession, and were stored up for a later time, +for they were the noise which the Lord made the host of the +Syrians to hear at the siege of Samaria, wherefore they +arose and fled in the twilight.[194] + +As Moses had foreseen, so it happened. No sooner had +the hail stopped than Pharaoh abandoned his resolve, and +refused to let Israel go. Moses lost no time in announcing +the eighth plague to him, the plague of the locusts. Observing +that his words had made an impression upon the king's +counsellors, he turned and went out from Pharaoh, to give +them the opportunity of discussing the matter among themselves. +And, indeed, his servants urged Pharaoh to let the +Israelites go and serve the Lord their God. But, again, +when Moses insisted that the whole people must go, the +young and the old, the sons and the daughters, Pharaoh demurred, +saying, "I know it to be customary for young men +and old men to take part in sacrifices, but surely not little +children, and when you demand their presence, too, you +betray your evil purpose. It is but a pretense, your saying +that you will go a three days' journey into the wilderness, +and then return. You mean to escape and never come back. +I will have nothing more to do with the matter.[195] My god +Baal-zephon will oppose you in the way, and hinder you on +your journey." Pharaoh's last words were a dim presentiment. +As a magician he foresaw that on their going forth +from Egypt the children of Israel would find themselves in +desperate straits before the sanctuary of Baal-zephon.[196] + +Pharaoh was not content with merely denying the request +preferred by Moses and Aaron. He ordered them to be +forcibly expelled from the palace. Then God sent the +plague of the locusts announced by Moses before. They +ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees that +the hail had left, and there remained not any green thing. +And again Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, to ask their +forgiveness, both for his sin against the Lord God, in not +having hearkened unto His word, and for his sin against +them, in having chased them forth and intended to curse +them. Moses, as before, prayed to God in Pharaoh's behalf, +and his petition was granted, the plague was taken away, +and in a rather surprising manner. When the swarms of +locusts began to darken the land, the Egyptians caught them +and preserved them in brine as a dainty to be eaten. Now +the Lord turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took +up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. Even +those they were keeping in their pots flew up and away, and +they had none of the expected profit.[197] + +The last plague but one, like those which had preceded it, +endured seven days. All the time the land was enveloped +in darkness, only it was not always of the same degree of +density. During the first three days, it was not so thick +but that the Egyptians could change their posture when they +desired to do so. If they were sitting down, they could rise +up, and if they were standing, they could sit down. On the +fourth, fifth, and sixth days, the darkness was so dense that +they could not stir from their place. They either sat the +whole time, or stood; as they were at the beginning, so they +remained until the end. The last day of darkness overtook +the Egyptians, not in their own land, but at the Red Sea, on +their pursuit of Israel. The darkness was not of the ordinary, +earthly kind; it came from hell, and it could be +felt. It was as thick as a dinar, and all the time it prevailed +a celestial light brightened the dwellings of the children of +Israel, whereby they could see what the Egyptians were +doing under cover of the darkness. This was of great advantage +to them, for when they were about to go forth +from the land, and they asked their neighbors to lend them +raiment, and jewels of gold and jewels of silver, for the +journey, the Egyptians tried to deny having any in their +possession. But the children of Israel, having spied out all +their treasures during the days of darkness, could describe +the objects they needed with accuracy, and designate their +hiding-places. The Egyptians reasoned that the words of +the Israelites could be taken implicitly as they spoke them, +for if they had had any idea of deceiving them, asking for +a loan when they intended to keep what they laid hands on, +they might have taken unobserved during the days of darkness +whatever: they desired. Hence the Egyptians felt +no hesitation in lending the children of Israel all the treasures +they asked for.[198] + +The darkness was of such a nature that it could not be +dispelled by artificial means. The light of the fire kindled +for household uses was either extinguished by the violence +of the storm, or else it was made invisible and swallowed +up in the density of the darkness. Sight, that most indispensable +of all the external senses, though unimpaired, was +deprived of its office, for nothing could be discerned, and +all the other senses were overthrown like subjects whose +leader has fallen. None was able to speak or to hear, nor +could anyone venture to take food, but they lay themselves +down in quiet and hunger, their outward senses in a trance. +Thus they remained, overwhelmed by the affliction, until +Moses had compassion on them again, and besought God in +their behalf, who granted him the power of restoring fine +weather, light instead of darkness and day instead of night.[199] + +Intimidated by this affliction, Pharaoh permitted the +people to go, the little ones as well as the men and the +women, only he asked that they let their flocks and their +herds be stayed. But Moses said: "As thou livest, our +cattle also shall go with us. Yea, if but the hoof of an +animal belongs to an Israelite, the beast shall not be left +behind in Egypt." This speech exasperated Pharaoh to +such a degree that he threatened Moses with death in the +day he should see his face again. + +At this very moment the Lord appeared unto Moses, and +bade him inform Pharaoh of the infliction of the last plague, +the slaying of the first-born. It was the first and the last +time that God revealed Himself in the royal palace. He +chose the residence of Pharaoh on this occasion that Moses +might not be branded as a liar, for he had replied to Pharaoh's +threat of killing him if he saw his face again, with +the words, "Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face +again no more." + +With a loud voice Moses proclaimed the last plague, closing +his announcement with the words: "And all these thy +servants shall come down unto me and bow down themselves +unto me, saying, Get thee out: and all the people that +follow thee; and after that I will go out." Moses knew well +enough that Pharaoh himself would come and urge him to +lead Israel forth with as great haste as possible, but he +mentioned +only the servants of the king, and not the king himself, +because he never forgot the respect due to a ruler.[200] + + +THE FIRST PASSOVER + +When the time approached in which, according to the +promise made to Abraham, his children would be redeemed, +it was seen that they had no pious deeds to their credit for +the sake of which they deserved release from bondage. God +therefore gave them two commandments, one bidding them +to sacrifice the paschal lamb and one to circumcise their +sons.[201] Along with the first they received the calendar in +use among the Jews, for the Passover feast is to be celebrated +on the fifteenth day of the month of Nisan, and with +this month the year is to begin. But the computations for +the calendar are so involved that Moses could not understand +them until God showed him the movements of the +moon plainly. There were three other things equally difficult, +which Moses could comprehend only after God made +him to see them plainly. They were the compounding of +the holy anointing oil, the construction of the candlestick +in the Tabernacle, and the animals the flesh of which is +permitted +or prohibited.[202] Also the determination of the new +moon was the subject of special Divine teaching. That +Moses might know the exact procedure, God appeared to +him in a garment with fringes upon its corners, bade Moses +stand at His right hand and Aaron at His left, and then, +citing Michael and Gabriel as witnesses, He addressed +searching questions to the angels as to how the new moon +had seemed to them. Then the Lord addressed Moses and +Aaron, saying, "Thus shall My children proclaim the new +moon, on the testimony of two witnesses and through the +president of the court.[203] + +When Moses appeared before the children of Israel and +delivered the Divine message to them, telling them that their +redemption would come about in this month of Nisan, they +said: "How is it possible that we should be redeemed? Is +not the whole of Egypt full of our idols? And we have no +pious deeds to show making us worthy of redemption." +Moses made reply, and said: "As God desires your redemption, +He pays no heed to your idols; He passes them +by. Nor does He look upon your evil deeds, but only upon +the good deeds of the pious among you."[204] + +God would not, indeed, have delivered Israel if they had +not abandoned their idol worship. Unto this purpose He +commanded them to sacrifice the paschal lamb. Thus they +were to show that they had given up the idolatry of the +Egyptians, consisting in the worship of the ram.[205] The +early law was different from the practice of later times, for +they were bidden to select their sacrificial animal four days +before the day appointed for the offering, and to designate +it publicly as such, to show that they did not stand in awe of +the Egyptians. + +With a heavy heart the Egyptians watched the preparations +of the Israelites for sacrificing the animals they worshipped. +Yet they did not dare interpose an objection, and +when the time came for the offering to be made, the children +of Israel could perform the ceremonies without a +tremor, seeing that they knew, through many days' experience, +that the Egyptians feared to approach them with hostile +intent. There was another practice connected with the +slaughter of the paschal lamb that was to show the Egyptians +how little the Israelites feared them. They took of the +blood of the animal, and openly put it on the two side posts +and on the lintel of the doors of their houses.[206] + +Moses communicated the laws regulating the Passover +sacrifice to the elders, and they in turn made them known to +the people at large. The elders were commended for having +supported the leader at his first appearance, for their +faith in Moses caused the whole people to adhere to him +at once. Therefore God spake, saying: "I will reward +the elders for inspiring the people with confidence in Moses. +They shall have the honor of delivering Israel. They shall +lead the people to the Passover sacrifice, and through this +the redemption will be brought about."[207] + +The ceremonies connected with the Passover sacrifice had +the purpose of conveying instruction to Israel about the past +and the future alike. The blood put on the two side posts +and on the lintel of their doors was to remind them of +Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and the bunch of hyssop for +sprinkling the blood on the doors was to imply that, although +Israel's position among the peoples of the earth is +as lowly as that of the hyssop among the plants, yet this little +nation is bound together like the bunch of hyssop, for it is +God's peculiar treasure.[208] + +The paschal sacrifice afforded Moses the opportunity for +inducing the children of Israel to submit themselves to +circumcision, +which many had refused to do until then in spite +of his urgent appeals. But God has means of persuasion. +He caused a wind to blow that wafted the sweet scents of +Paradise toward Moses' paschal lamb, and the fragrance +penetrated to all parts of Egypt, to the distance of a forty +days' journey. The people were attracted in crowds to +Moses' lamb, and desired to partake of it. But he said, +"This is the command of God, 'No uncircumcised person +shall eat thereof,' " and they all decided to undergo +circumcision. When the Lord passed through the land of Egypt, +He blessed every Israelite for his fulfilment of the two +commands, the command of the paschal sacrifice and the command +regarding circumcision." + +The Lord performed a great miracle for the Israelites. +As no sacrifice may be eaten beyond the borders of the Holy +Land, all the children of Israel were transported thither on +clouds, and after they had eaten of the sacrifice, they were +carried back to Egypt in the same way.[210] + + +THE SMITING OF THE FIRST-BORN + +When Moses announced the slaying of the first-born, the +designated victims all repaired to their fathers, and said: +"Whatever Moses hath foretold has been fulfilled. Let the +Hebrews go, else we shall all die." But the fathers replied, +"It is better for one of every ten of us to die, than the Hebrews +should execute their purpose." Then the first-born +repaired to Pharaoh, to induce him to dismiss the children +of Israel. So far from granting their wish, he ordered his +servants to fall upon the first-born and beat them, to punish +them for their presumptuous demand. Seeing that they +could not accomplish their end by gentle means, they attempted +to bring it about by force.[211] + +Pharaoh and all that opposed the wishes of the first-born +were of the opinion that the loss of so inconsiderable a +percentage of the population was a matter of small moment. +They were mistaken in their calculation, for the Divine +decree included not only the first-born sons, but also the +first-born daughters, and not only the first-born of the +marriages +then existing, but also the first-born issuing from +previous alliances of the fathers and the mothers, and as the +Egyptians led dissolute lives, it happened not rarely that +each of the ten children of one woman was the first-born of +its father. Finally, God decreed that death should smite +the oldest member of every household, whether or not he +was the first-born of his parents.[212] What God resolves is +executed. At the exact instant marking the middle of the +night, so precise that only God Himself could determine and +discern it, He appeared in Egypt, attended by nine thousand +myriads of the Angels of Destruction who are fashioned +some of hail and some of flames, and whose glances drive +terror and trembling to the heart of the beholder. These +angels were about to precipitate themselves into the work of +annihilation, but God restrained them, saying, "My wrath +will not be appeased until I Myself execute vengeance upon +the enemies of Israel."[213] + +Those among the Egyptians who gave credence to Moses' +words, and tried to shield their first-born children from +death, sent them to their Hebrew neighbors, to spend the +fateful night with them, in the hope that God would exempt +the houses of the children of Israel from the plague. But in +the morning, when the Israelites arose from their sleep, they +found the corpses of the Egyptian fugitives next to them.[214] +That was the night in which the Israelites prayed before +lying down to sleep: "Cause us, O Lord our God, to lie +down in peace, remove Satan from before us and from behind +us, and guard our going out and our coming in unto +life and unto peace,"[215] for it was Satan that had caused +frightful bloodshed among the Egyptians.[216] + +Among the slain there were, beside the Egyptian first- +born, also the first-born of other nationalities residing in +Egypt, as well as the Egyptian first-born dwelling outside of +their own land.[217] Even the long dead of the first-born were +not spared. The dogs dragged their corpses out of their +graves in the houses, for it was the Egyptian custom to inter +the dead at home. At the appalling sight the Egyptians +mourned as though the bereavement had befallen them but +recently. The very monuments and statues erected to the +memory of the first-born dead were changed into dust, which +was scattered and flew out of sight. Moreover, their slaves +had to share the fate of the Egyptians, and no less the first- +born of the captive that was in the dungeon, for none was +so low but he hated the Hebrews, and rejoiced when the +Egyptians decreed their persecution.[218] The female slaves +that ground corn between mill-stones were in the habit of +saying, "We do not regret our servitude, if only the Israelites +are gagged, too.[219] + +In dealing out punishment to these aliens in the land of +Egypt, God showed that He was at once the Master of the +land and the Lord over all the gods of the nations, for if +the slaves and the captives of war had not been smitten, +they would have said, "Mighty is our god, who helped us +in this plague."[220] For the same reason all the idols of the +Egyptians were swept out of existence in that night. The +stone idols were ground into dust, the wooden idols rotted, +and those made of metal melted away,[221] and so the Egyptians +were kept from ascribing their chastisement to the +wrath of their own gods. Likewise the Lord God slew the +first-born of the cattle, for the Egyptians paid worship to +animals, and they would have attributed their misfortunes +to them. In all these ways the Lord showed them that +their gods were but vanity. + +THE REDEMPTION OF ISRAEL FROM EGYPTIAN BONDAGE + +Pharaoh rose up in the night of the smiting of the first- +born. He waited not for the third hour of the morning, +when kings usually arise, nor did he wait to be awakened, +but he himself roused his slaves from their slumber, and +all the other Egyptians, and together they went forth to +seek Moses and Aaron.[222] He knew that Moses had never +spoken an untruth, and as he had said, "I will see thy face +again no more," he could not count upon Moses' coming to +him. There remained nothing for him to do but go in search +of the Israelitish leader.[223] He did not know where Moses +lived, and he had great difficulty and lost much time in looking +for his house, for the Hebrew lads of whom he made +inquiries when he met them in the street played practical +jokes on him, misdirected him, and led him astray. Thus +he wandered about a long time.[224] all the while weeping and +crying out, "O my friend Moses, pray for me to God!" + +Meanwhile Moses and Aaron and all Israel beside were +at the paschal meal, drinking wine as they sat and leaned to +one side, and singing songs in praise of God, the Hallel, +which they were the first to recite. When Pharaoh finally +reached the door of the house wherein Moses abode, he +called to him, and from Moses the question came back, +"Who art thou, and what is thy name?"--"I am Pharaoh, +who stands here humiliated."--Moses asked again: "Why +dost thou come to me thyself? Is it the custom of kings to +linger at the doors of common folk?"--"I pray thee, my +lord," returned Pharaoh, "come forth and intercede for us, +else there will not remain a single being in Egypt."--"I +may not come forth, for God bath commanded us, 'None of +you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.' " +--But Pharaoh continued to plead: "Do but step to the +window, and speak with me," and when Moses yielded to +his importunities, and appeared at the window, the king addressed +these words to him: "Thou didst say yesterday, +'All the first-born in the land of Egypt will die,' but now as +many as nine-tenths of the inhabitants have perished."[225] + +Pharaoh was accompanied by his daughter Bithiah, +Moses' foster-mother. She reproached him with ingratitude, +in having brought down evil upon her and her countrymen. +And Moses answered, and said: "Ten plagues the +Lord brought upon Egypt. Hath evil accrued to thee from +any of them? Did one of them affect thee?" And when +Bithiah acknowledged that no harm had touched her, Moses +continued to speak, "Although thou art thy mother's first- +born, thou shalt not die, and no evil shall reach thee in the +midst of Egypt." But Bithiah said, "Of what advantage +is my security to me, when I see the king, my brother, and +all his household, and his servants in this evil plight, and +look upon their first-born perishing with all the first-born of +Egypt?" And Moses returned, "Verily, thy brother and +his household and the other Egyptians would not hearken to +the words of the Lord, therefore did this evil come upon +them.[226] + +Turning to Pharaoh, Moses said: "In spite of all that +hath happened, I will teach thee something, if thou desirest +to learn, and thou wilt be spared, and thou wilt not die. +Raise thy voice, and say: 'Ye children of Israel, ye are +your own masters. Prepare for your journey, and depart +from among my people. Hitherto ye were the slaves of +Pharaoh, but henceforward ye are under the authority of +God. Serve the Lord your God!' " Moses made him say +these words three times,[227] and God caused Pharaoh's voice +to be heard throughout the land of Egypt, so that all the +inhabitants, the home-born and the aliens, knew that Pharaoh +had released the children of Israel from the bondage in +which they had languished. And all Israel sang, "Hallelujah, +praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the Name of +the Lord," for they belonged to the Lord, and no more were +the servants of Pharaoh.[228] + +Now the king of Egypt insisted upon their leaving the +land without delay. But Moses objected, and said: "Are +we thieves, that we should slink away under cover of the +night? Wait until morning." Pharaoh, however, urged +and begged Moses to depart, confessing that he was anxious +about his own person, for he was a first-born son, and he +was terrified that death would strike him down, too. Moses +dissipated his alarm, though he substituted a new horror, +with the words, "Fear not, there is worse in store for +thee!" Dread seized upon the whole people; every one of +the Egyptians was afraid of losing his life, and they all +united their prayers with Pharaoh's, and begged Moses to +take the Israelites hence. And God spake, Ye shall all +find your end, not here, but in the Red Sea!"[229] + + +THE EXODUS + +Pharaoh and the Egyptians let their dead lie unburied, +while they hastened to help the Israelites load their possessions +on wagons, to get them out of the land with as little +delay as possible. When they left, they took with them, beside +their own cattle, the sheep and the oxen that Pharaoh +had ordered his nobles to give them as presents. The king +also forced his magnates to beg pardon of the Israelites for +all they had suffered, knowing as he did that God forgives +an injury done by man to his fellow only after the wrong- +doer has recovered the good-will of his victim by confessing +and regretting his fault.[230] "Now, depart!" said Pharaoh +to the Israelites, "I want nothing from you but that you +should pray to God for me, that I may be saved from +death."[231] + +The hatred of the Egyptians toward the Israelites changed +now into its opposite. They conceived affection and friendship +for them, and fairly forced raiment upon them, and +jewels of silver and jewels of gold, to take along with them +on their journey, although the children of Israel had not yet +returned the articles they had borrowed from their neighbors +at an earlier time. This action is in part to be explained +by the vanity of Pharaoh and his people. They desired +to pretend before the world that they were vastly rich, +as everybody would conclude when this wealth of their mere +slaves was displayed to observers. Indeed, the Israelites +bore so much away from Egypt that one of them alone might +have defrayed the expense of building and furnishing the +Tabernacle. + +On their leaving the land only the private wealth of the +Egyptians was in their hands, but when they arrived at the +Red Sea they came into possession of the public treasure, +too, for Pharaoh, like all kings, carried the moneys of the +state with him on his campaigns, in order to be prepared to +hire a relay of mercenaries in case of defeat. Great as the +other treasure was, the booty captured at the sea far exceeded +it.[232] + +But if the Israelites loaded themselves down with goods +and jewels and money, it was not to gratify love of riches, +or, as any usurer might say, because they coveted their +neighbors' possessions. In the first place they could look +upon their plunder as wages due to them from those they +had long served, and, secondly, they were entitled to retaliate +on those at whose hands they had suffered wrong. +Even then they were requiting them with an affliction far +slighter than any one of all they had endured themselves.[233] + +The plagues did not stay the cruelty of the Egyptian oppressors +toward the Hebrews. It continued unabated until +the very end of their sojourn in the land. On the day of +the exodus, Rachel the daughter of Shuthelah gave birth to +a child, while she and her husband together were treading +the clay for bricks. The babe dropped from her womb into +the clay and sank out of sight. Gabriel appeared, moulded a +brick out of the clay containing the child, and carried it to +the highest of the heavens, where he made it a footstool before +the Divine throne. In that night it was that God looked +upon the suffering of Israel, and smote the first-born of the +Egyptians,[234] and it is one of the four nights that God has +inscribed in the Book of Memorial. The first of the four is +that in which God appeared to create the world; all was +waste and void, and darkness brooded over the abyss, until +the Lord came and spread light round about by His word. +The second night is that in which God appeared unto Abraham +at the covenant of the pieces. In the third night He +appeared in Egypt, slaying the first-born of the Egyptians +with His right hand, and protecting the first-born of the +Israelites with His left. The fourth night recorded will be +that in which the end of the redemption will be accomplished, +when the iron yoke of the wicked kingdom will be +broken, and the evil-doers will be destroyed. Then will +Moses come from the desert, and the Messiah from Rome, +each at the head of his flock, and the word of God will +mediate between them, causing both to walk with one accord +in the same direction. + +Israel's redemption in future days will happen on the fifteenth +of Nisan, the night of Israel's redemption from Egypt, +for thus did Moses say, "In this night God protected Israel +against the Angels of Destruction, and in this night He will +also redeem the generations of the future."[235] + +Though the actual deliverance from Egypt took place in +that night, the Hebrews did not leave the land until the +following day.[236] + +During the same night God requited the Egyptians for +their evil deeds in the sight of all the people, the night being +as bright as day at the time of the summer solstice. Not one +could escape the general chastisement, for by Divine +dispensation none was absent from home at the time, so that +none could fail to see the chastisement.[237] + +The angels in heaven learnt what was happening on earth. +When they were about to begin their song of praise to God, +He silenced them with the words, "My children on earth +are singing now," and the celestial hosts had to stop and +listen to the song of Israel.[238] + +Great as the joy of the Hebrews was at their deliverance +from the Egyptian bondage, it was exceeded by that of Pharaoh's +people at seeing their slaves depart, for with them +went the dread of death that had obsessed them. They were +like the portly gentleman riding an ass. The rider feels +uncomfortable and longs for the moment of alighting, but his +longing cannot compare in intensity with that of the ass +groaning under the corpulent burden, and when their journey's +end is reached, the ass rejoices more than his master. +So the Egyptians were happier to be rid of the Hebrews +than these were to be free.[239] + +In general, the Israelites were not in a joyous mood. The +strength of men is readily exhausted, mentally and physically, +by the strain of a sudden change from slavery to freedom. +They did not recover vigor and force until they +heard the angel hosts sing songs of praise and joy over the +redemption of Israel and the redemption of the Shekinah, +for so long as the chosen people is in exile, the Shekinah, +who dwells among Israel, is also, as it were, in exile. At +the same time, God caused the earth to exhale and send aloft +a healing fragrance, which cured them of all their diseases.[240] + +The exodus of the Israelites began at Raamses, and although +the distance from there to the city of Mizraim, where +Moses abode, was a forty days' journey, yet they heard the +voice of their leader urging them to leave the land. They +covered the distance from Raamses to Succoth, a three days' +march, in an instant. In Succoth God enveloped them in +seven clouds of glory, four hovering in front, behind, and +at the two sides of them, one suspended above them, to +keep off rain, hail, and the rays of the sun, and one under +them to protect them against thorns and snakes. The +seventh cloud preceded them, and prepared the way for +them, exalting the valleys and making low every mountain +and hill.[241] Thus they wandered through the wilderness for +forty years. In all that time no artificial lighting was +needed; a beam from the celestial cloud followed them into +the darkest of chambers, and if one of the people had to go +outside of the camp, even thither he was accompanied by a +fold of the cloud, covering and protecting him.[242] Only, that +a difference might be made between day and night, a pillar +of fire took the place of the cloud in the evening.[243] Never +for an instant were the people without the one or the other +to guide them: the pillar of fire glowed in front of them +before the pillar of cloud retired, and in the morning the +cloud was there before the fire vanished.[244] The clouds of +glory and the pillar of fire were sent for the protection of +Israel alone, for none beside, not for the heathen and not +for the mixed multitude that went up with them; these had +to walk outside of the cloud enclosure.[245] + +The cavalcade consisted of six hundred thousand heads of +families afoot, each accompanied by five children on horseback, +and to these must be added the mixed multitude, exceeding +the Hebrews vastly in number.[246] + +So profound was Israel's trust in the Lord, that they followed +Moses unmurmuringly into the wilderness, without +supplying themselves with provisions.[247] The only edibles +they took were the remains of the unleavened bread and the +bitter herbs, and these not to satisfy their hunger, but because +they were unwilling to separate themselves from what +they had prepared lovingly at the command of God. These +possessions were so dear to them that they would not entrust +them to the beasts of burden, they carried them on their +own shoulders.[248] + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Legends of the Jews Volume 2 + diff --git a/old/1494.zip b/old/1494.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d3efb90 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1494.zip |