20 And cast Joseph into the prison, where the Hebrews, and here without any fault was the king's prisoners were kept, and he was cast into the dungeon. there shut up. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and having mercy upon him gave him favour in the sight of the chief keeper of the prison: 22 Who delivered into his hand all the prisoners that were kept in custody: and whatsoever was done was under him. 23 Neither did he himself know any thing, having committed all things to him: for the Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper. CHAP. XL. Joseph interpreteth the dreams of two of Pharao's servants in prison: the event declareth the interpretations to be true, but Joseph is forgotten. AFTER this, it came to pass, that two eunuchs, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, offended their lord." 2 And Pharao being angry with them (now the one was chief butler, the other chief baker) 3 He sent them to the prison of the commander of the soldiers, in which Joseph also was prisoner. 16 The chief baker seeing that he had wisely interpreted the dream, said: I also dreamed a dream, That I had three baskets of meal upon my head: 17 And that in one basket which was uppermost, I carried all meats that are made by the art of baking, and that the birds ate out of it. 18 Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: the three baskets, are yet three days: 19 After which Pharao will take thy head from thee, and hang thee on a cross, and the birds shall tear thy flesh. 20 The third day after this was the birth-day of Pharao: and he made a great feast for his servants, and at the banquet remembered the chief butler, and the chief baker. 21 And he restored the one to his place, to present him the cup: 22 The other he hanged on a gibbet, that the truth of the interpreter might be shewn. 23 But the chief butler, when things prospered with him, forgot his interpreter. CHAP. XLI. made ruler over all Egypt. 4 But the keeper of the prison delivered them to Joseph, and he served them. Some Joseph interpreteth the two dreams of Pharao: he is little time passed, and they were kept in custody. 5 And they both dreamed a dream the same night, according to the interpretation agreeing to themselves: 6 And when Joseph was come in to them in the morning, and saw them sad, 7 He asked them, saying: Why is your countenance sadder to-day than usual? 8 They answered: We have dreamed a dream, and there is nobody to interpret it to us. And Joseph said to them: Doth not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed? 9 The chief butler first told his dream: I saw before me a vine, 10 On which were three branches, which by little and little sent out buds, and after the blossoms brought forth ripe grapes: 11 And the cup of Pharao was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into the cup which I held, and I gave the cup to Pharao. 12 Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three branches, are yet three days: 13 After which Pharao will remember thy service, and will restore thee to thy former place and thou shalt present him the cup according to thy office, as before thou wast wont to do. 14 Only remember me, when it shall be well with thee, and do me this kindness: to put Pharao in mind to take me out of this prison: 15 For I was stolen away out of the land of Ps. 104. 18. A. M. 2287. A. C. 1717.- A. M. 2289. A. C. 1715. AR FTER two years Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood by the river, 2 Out of which came up seven kine, very beautiful and fat: and they fed in marshy places. 3 Other seven also came up out of the river, ill-favoured, and lean fleshed: and they fed on the very bank of the river, in green places: 4 And they devoured them, whose bodies were very beautiful and well conditioned. So Pharao awoke. 5 He slept again, and dreamed another dream: Seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk full and fair: 6 Then seven other ears sprung up thin and blasted, 7 And devoured all the beauty of the former. Pharao awaked after his rest: 8 And when morning was come, being struck with fear, he sent to all the interpreters of Egypt, and to all the wise men: and they being called for, he told them his dream, and there was not any one that could interpret it. 9 Then at length the chief butler remembering, said: I confess my sin: 10 The king being angry with his servants, commanded me and the chief baker to be cast into the prison of the captain of the soldiers: 11 Where in one night both of us dreamed a dream foreboding things to come. 12 There was there a young man a Hebrew, servant to the same captain of the soldiers; to whom we told our dreams, 13 And we heard what afterwards the event as they are much affected with, or from their mind being disturbed with cares and troubles, and oppressed with bodily infirmities: or they are suggested by evil spirits, Ch. 40. v.8. Doth not interpretation belong to God? to flatter, or to terrify weak minds; in order to gain beWhen dreams are from God, as these were, the inter-lief, and so draw them into error or superstition; or at pretation of them is a gift of God. But the generality of least to trouble them in their sleep, whom they cannot dreams are not of this sort; but either proceed from the move when they are awake: so that the general rule, natural complexions and dispositions of persons, or the with regard to dreams, is not to observe them, nor to roving of their imaginations in the day on such objects give any credit to them. of the thing proved to be so. For I was restored 36 And let it be in readiness, again to my office: and he was hanged upon a gibbet. of seven years to come, which s 14 Forthwith at the king's command, Joseph Egypt, and the land shall not 1 was brought out of the prison, and they shaved with scarcity. him; and changing his apparel, brought him in to him. 15 And he said to him I have dreamed dreams, and there is no one that can expound them: now I have heard that thou art very wise at interpreting them. 16 Joseph answered: Without me,a God shall give Pharao a prosperous answer. 17 So Pharao told what he had dreamed: Methought I stood upon the bank of the river, 18 And seven kine came up out of the river, exceedingly beautiful and full of flesh: and they grazed on green places in a marshy pasture. 19 And behold, there followed these, other seven kine, so very ill-favoured and lean, that 1 never saw the like in the land of Egypt: 20 And they devoured and consumed the former, 21 And yet gave no mark of their being full: but were as lean and ill-favoured as before. I awoke, and then fell asleep again, 22 And dreamed a dream: Seven ears of corn grew upon one silk, full and very fair. 23 Other seven also thin and blasted, sprung of the stock: 24 And they devoured the beauty of the former: I told this dream to the conjecturers, and there is no man that can expound it. 25 Joseph answered: The king's dream is one: God hath shewn to Pharao what he is about to do. 26 The seven beautiful kine, and the seven full ears, are seven years of plenty: and both contain the same meaning of the dream. 27 And the seven lean and thin kine that came up after them, and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the burning wind, are seven years of famine to come: 28 Which shall be fulfilled in this order: 29 Behold, there shall come seven years of great plenty in the whole land of Egypt: 30 After which shall follow other seven years of so great scarcity, that all the abundance before shall be forgotten: for the famine shall consume all the land, 31 And the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the greatness of the plenty. 32 And for that thou didst see the second time a dream pertaining to the same thing: it is a token of the certainty, and that the word of God cometh to pass, and is fulfilled speedily. 33 Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt: 34 That he may appoint overseeers over all the countries and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years, 35 That shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be laid up under Pharao's hands, and be reserved in the cities. Mat. 10. 20. Ps. 104. 21. 1 Mac. 2. 53. Acts, 7. 10. fra, 46. 20. & 48. 20.4 A. M. 2296. A. C. 1708. In Ch. 41. v. 45. The saviour of the world. Zaphnath 37 The counsel pleased Pharao servants. 38 And he said to them: Canv another man, that is full of the sp 39 He said therefore to Joseph: hath shewn thee all that thou has find one wiser and one like unto t 40 Thou shalt be over my hous commandment of thy mouth all the obey: only in the kingly throne wi thee. b 41 And again Pharao said to Jose I have appointed thee over the w Egypt. 42 And he took his ring from hi and gave it into his hand: and he a robe of silk, and put a chain of g neck. 43 And he made him go up into chariot, the crier proclaiming tha bow their knee before him, and tha know he was made governor ove land of Egypt. 44 And the king said to Joseph: I without thy commandment no ma hand or foot in all the land of Eg 45 And he turned his name, and in the Egyptian tongue the saviour And he gave him to wife Aseneth of Putiphare priest of Heliopolis. went out to the land of Egypt: 46 (Now he was thirty years o stood before king Pharao) and he all the countries of Egypt. 47 And the fruitfulness of the came: and the corn being bound up was gathered together into the barn 48 And all the abundance of gra up in every city. 49 And there was so great abundan that it was equal to the sand of the plenty exceeded measure. 50 And before the famine came, two sons born: whom Aseneth the Putiphare priest of Heliopolis bore 51 And he called the name of th Manasses, saying: God hath made all my labours, and my father's hou 52 And he named the second Ephra God hath made me to grow in the poverty. 53 Now when the seven years of that had been in Egypt were past: 54 The seven years of scarcity, wh had foretold, began to come: and prevailed in the whole world, but bread in all the land of Egypt. 55 And when there also they be famished, the people cried to Phara And he said to them: Go to Joseph: that he shall say to you. land: and Joseph opened all the barn 56 And the famine increased daily to the Egyptians: for the famine had them also. 57 And all provinces came into Egypt, to buy | 21 And they talked one to another: We defood, and to seek some relief of their want. CHAP. XLII. serve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us. 22 And Ruben, one of them, said: Did not I A Egypt, said to his sons: Why are ye care-say to you: Do not sin against the boy: and you Jacob sendeth his ten sons to buy corn in Egypt. less ? sold in 2 I have heard that wheat is sold in Egypt: Go ye down, and buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed with want. 3 So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt: 4 Whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in the journey. 5 And they entered into the land of Egypt with others that went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan. 6 And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and corn was sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren had bowed down to him, 7 And he knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers somewhat roughly, asking them; Whence came you? They answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of life. 8 And though he knew his brethren, he was not known by them. 9 And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies: You are come to view the weaker parts of the land. 10 But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are come to buy food. 11 We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable men, neither do thy servants go about any evil. 12 And he answered them: It is otherwise: you are come to consider the unfenced parts of this land. 13 But they said: We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: the youngest is with our father, the other is not living. 14 He saith, This is it that I said: You are spies. 15 I shall now presently try what you are: by the health of Pharao you shall not depart hence, until your youngest brother come. 16 Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies. 17 So he put them in prison three days. 18 And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said: Do as I have said, and you shall live: for I fear God. 19 If you be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: and go ye your ways and carry the corn that you have bought, unto your houses. 20 And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may find your words to be true, and you may not die. They did as he had said. • A. M. 2297. A. C. 1707.-b Infra, 43. 3. & 5.- Supra, 37.21. Ch. 42. v. 9. You are spies. This he said by way of examining them, to see what they would answer. Ver. 16. Or else by the health of Pharao you are spies. That is, if these things you say te proved false, you are would not hear me? Behold his blood is required 23 And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter. 24 And he turned himself away a little while, and wept: and returning he spoke to them. 25 And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and to put every man's besides provisions for the way: and they did so. money again in their sacks, and to give them 26 But they having loaded their asses with the corn, went their way. 27 And one of them opening his sack, to give his beast provender in the inn, saw the money in the sack's mouth, 28 And said to his brethren: My money is given me again, behold it is in the sack. And they were astonished, and troubled, and said to one another: What is this, that God hath done unto us? 29 And they came to Jacob their father in the land of Chanaan, and they told him all things that had befallen them, saying: 30 The lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the country. 31 And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no plot. 32 We are twelve brethren born of one father. one is not living, the youngest is with our father in the land of Chanaan. 33 And he said to us: Hereby shall I know brethren with me, and take ye necessary prothat you are peaceable men: Leave one of your vision for your houses, and go your ways. 34 And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may know you are not spies: and you may receive this man again, that is kept in prison: and afterwards may have leave to buy what you will. 35 When they had told this, they poured out their corn, and every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack: and all being astonished together, 36 Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me. 37 And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons, if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee. 38 But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell. CHAP. XLIII. The sons of Jacob go again into Egypt with Benja min. They are entertained by Joseph. to be held for spies for your lying, and shall be treated as such. Joseph dealt in this manner with his brethren, to bring them by the means of affliction to a sense of their former sin, and a sincere repentance for it. Ver. 38. To hell. That is, to that place, where the souls then remained, as above, ch. xxxvii. v. 35. 2 And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and buy us a little food. 3 Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you. 4 If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee. 5 But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother. 6 Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery, in that you told him you had also another brother. 7 But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you? 8 And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish. 9 I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever. 10 If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time. 11 Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds." 12 And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake. 13 And take also your brother, and go to the man. 14 And may my almighty God make him favourable to you: and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children. 15 So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon. 17 He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house. 18 And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses. 19 Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door, A. M. 2298. A.C. 1706.-b Supra, 42. 20.- Infra, 44. 32.Supra, 42. 3. 20 They said: Sir, we desire thee to he We came down once before to buy food 21 And when we had bought, and co the inn, we opened our sacks, and four money in the mouths of the sacks: whi have now brought again in the same we 22 And we have brought other money be to buy what we want: we cannot tell, w it in our bags. 23 But he answered: Peace be with yo not: your God, and the God of your fathe given you treasure in your sacks. F money, which you gave me, I have for And he brought Simeon out to them. 24 And having brought them into the he fetched water, and they washed their and he gave provender to their asses. 25 But they made ready the presents, a Joseph came at noon: for they had hear they should eat bread there. 26 Then Joseph came into his house, an offered him the presents holding them in hands, and they bowed down with thei to the ground. 27 But he courteously saluting them a asked them, saying: Is the old man your in health of whom you told me? Is heyet li 28 And they answered: Thy servant our is in health, he is yet living. And bowing selves they made obeisance to him. 29 And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw E min his brother, by the same mother, and Is this your young brother, of whom you told And he said: God be gracious to thee, my 30 And he made haste because his hear moved upon his brother, and tears gushed and going into his chamber he wept. 31 And when he had washed his face, co out again, he refrained himself, and said bread on the table. 32 And when it was set on, for Joseph and for his brethren apart, for the Egyp also that ate with him, apart, (for it is ur ful for the Egyptians to eat with the Heb and they think such a feast profane): 33 They sat before him, the first-born ac ing to his birth-right, and the youngest ac ing to his age. And they wondered very m 34 Taking the messes which they receiv him: and the greater mess came to Benja so that it exceeded by five parts. And drank, and were merry with him. CHAP. XLIV. Joseph's contrivance to stop his brethren. The h supplication of Juda. AND Joseying: Fill their sacks with commanded the steward o as much as they can hold and put the m of every one in the top of his sack. 2 And in the mouth of the younger's sack my silver cup, and the price which he gave the wheat. And it was so done. 3 And when the morning arose, they sent away with their asses. 4 And when they were now departed ou the city, and had gone forward a little w Joseph sending for the steward of his ho Ch. 43. v. 11. Balm. Literally rosin, resina; here by that name is meant balm. 24 Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that: had said. my lord said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and your youngest brother come with you, you shall when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: see my face no more. Why have you returned evil for good? 5 The cup which you have stolen, is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing. 6 He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words. 7 And they answered: why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact? 8 The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord's house, gold or silver? 9 With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die and we will be the bondmen of my lord. 10 And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless. 11 Then they speedily took down the sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack. 12 Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest, and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin's sack. 13 Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town. 14 And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph (for he was not yet gone out of the place) and they altogether fell down before him on the ground. 25 And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat. 26 And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man's face." 27 Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two. 28 One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not. 29 If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. 30 Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him,) 31 And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. 32 Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: "If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever. 33 Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren. 34 For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father. CHAP. XLV. 15 And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me Joseph maketh himself known to his brethren, and in the science of divining. Jo sendeth for his father. 16 And Juda said to him: what shall we an- OSEPH could no longer refrain himself beswer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able fore many that stood by: whereupon he comjustly to allege? God hath found out the ini-manded that all should go out, and no stranger quity of thy servants: behold, we are all bond-be present at their knowing one another. men to my lord, both we, and he with whom 2 And he lifted up his voice with weeping, the cup was found. which the Egyptians and all the house of Pharao heard. 17 Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father. 18 Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art, 19 My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother? 20 And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead; and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly. 21 And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him. 22 We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die. 23 And thou saidst to thy servants: Except Supra, 42. 13.-b Supra, 43. 3. & 5.- Supra, 37. 20. & 33. d Supra, 43. 9.- Acts, 7. 13.—f Infra, 50. 20. Ch. 44. v. 15. The science of divining. He speaks of himself according to what he was esteemed in that kingdom. And indeed, he being truly a prophet, knew more without comparison than any of the Egyptian sor cerers 3 And he said to his brethren; I am Joseph: is my father yet living? His brethren could not answer him, being struck with exceeding great fear 4 And he said mildly to them: Come nearer to me. And when they were come near him, he said: I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation. 6 For it is two years since the famine began to be upon the land, and five years more remain, wherein there can be neither ploughing nor reaping. 7 And God sent me before, that you may be preserved upon the earth, and may have food to live. Ver. 31. His grey hairs. That is, his person, now far advanced in years. With sorrow unto hell: the Hebrew word for hell is here sheol, the Greek hades: it is not taken for the hell of the damned; but for that place of souls below where the servants of God were kept before the coming of Christ. Which place, both in the Scripture and in the creed. is named hell. |