the antiquities of the jews-1-第15章

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and　for　the　benefit　of　the　king；　as　believing　that　he　who　first
discovered　this　method　of　acting；　would　prove　the　best　overseer
of　it。　But　Joseph　having　this　power　given　him　by　the　king；　with
leave　to　make　use　of　his　seal；　and　to　wear　purple；　drove　in　his
chariot　through　all　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　took　the　corn　of　the
husbandmen；　（3）　allotting　as　much　to　every　one　as　would　be
sufficient　for　seed；　and　for　food；　but　without　discovering　to　any
one　the　reason　why　he　did　so。

CHAPTER　6。

How　Joseph　When　He　Was　Become　Famous　In　Egypt；　Had　His　Brethren
In　Subjection。

1。　Joseph　was　now　grown　up　to　thirty　years　of　age；　and　enjoyed
great　honors　from　the　king；　who　called　him　Psothom　Phanech；　out
of　regard　to　his　prodigious　degree　of　wisdom；　for　that　name
denotes　the　revealer　of　secrets。　He　also　married　a　wife　of　very
high　quality；　for　he　married　the　daughter　of　Petephres；　（4）　one
of　the　priests　of　Heliopolis；　she　was　a　virgin；　and　her　name　was
Asenath。　By　her　he　had　children　before　the　scarcity　came　on；
Manasseh；　the　elder；　which　signifies　forgetful；　because　his
present　happiness　made　him　forget　his　former　misfortunes；　and
Ephraim；　the　younger；　which　signifies　restored；　because　he　was
restored　to　the　freedom　of　his　forefathers。　Now　after　Egypt　had
happily　passed　over　seven　years；　according　to　Joseph's
interpretation　of　the　dreams；　the　famine　came　upon　them　in　the
eighth　year；　and　because　this　misfortune　fell　upon　them　when　they
had　no　sense　of　it　beforehand；　（5）　they　were　all　sorely　afflicted
by　it；　and　came　running　to　the　king's　gates；　and　he　called　upon
Joseph；　who　sold　the　corn　to　them；　being　become　confessedly　a
savior　to　the　whole　multitude　of　the　Egyptians。　Nor　did　he　open
this　market　of　corn　for　the　people　of　that　country　only；　but
strangers　had　liberty　to　buy　also；　Joseph　being　willing　that　all
men；　who　are　naturally　akin　to　one　another；　should　have
assistance　from　those　that　lived　in　happiness。

2。　Now　Jacob　also；　when　he　understood　that　foreigners　might　come；
sent　all　his　sons　into　Egypt　to　buy　corn；　for　the　land　of　Canaan
was　grievously　afflicted　with　the　famine；　and　this　great　misery
touched　the　whole　continent。　He　only　retained　Benjamin；　who　was
born　to　him　by　Rachel；　and　was　of　the　same　mother　with　Joseph。
These　sons　of　Jacob　then　came　into　Egypt；　and　applied　themselves
to　Joseph；　wanting　to　buy　corn；　for　nothing　of　this　kind　was　done
without　his　approbation；　since　even　then　only　was　the　honor　that
was　paid　the　king　himself　advantageous　to　the　persons　that　paid
it；　when　they　took　care　to　honor　Joseph　also。　Now　when　he　well
knew　his　brethren；　they　thought　nothing　of　him；　for　he　was　but　a
youth　when　he　left　them；　and　was　now　come　to　an　age　so　much
greater；　that　the　lineaments　of　his　face　were　changed；　and　he　was
not　known　by　them：　besides　this；　the　greatness　of　the　dignity
wherein　he　appeared；　suffered　them　not　so　much　as　to　suspect　it
was　he。　He　now　made　trial　what　sentiments　they　had　about　affairs
of　the　greatest　consequence；　for　he　refused　to　sell　them　corn；
and　said　they　were　come　as　spies　of　the　king's　affairs；　and　that
they　came　from　several　countries；　and　joined　themselves　together；
and　pretended　that　they　were　of　kin；　it　not　being　possible　that　a
private　man　should　breed　up　so　many　sons；　and　those　of　so　great
beauty　of　countenance　as　they　were；　such　an　education　of　so　many
children　being　not　easily　obtained　by　kings　themselves。　Now　this
he　did　in　order　to　discover　what　concerned　his　father；　and　what
happened　to　him　after　his　own　departure　from　him；　and　as　desiring
to　know　what　was　become　of　Benjamin　his　brother；　for　he　was
afraid　that　they　had　ventured　on　the　like　wicked　enterprise
against　him　that　they　had　done　to　himself；　and　had　taken　him　off
also。

3。　Now　these　brethren　of　his　were　under　distraction　and　terror；
and　thought　that　very　great　danger　hung　over　them；　yet　not　at　all
reflecting　upon　their　brother　Joseph；　and　standing　firm　under　the
accusations　laid　against　them；　they　made　their　defense　by　Reubel；
the　eldest　of　them；　who　now　became　their　spokesman：　〃We　come　not
hither；〃　said　he；　〃with　any　unjust　design；　nor　in　order　to　bring
any　harm　to　the　king's　affairs；　we　only　want　to　be　preserved；　as
supposing　your　humanity　might　be　a　refuge　for　us　from　the
miseries　which　our　country　labors　under；　we　having　heard　that　you
proposed　to　sell　corn；　not　only　to　your　own　countrymen；　but　to
strangers　also；　and　that　you　determined　to　allow　that　corn；　in
order　to　preserve　all　that　want　it；　but　that　we　are　brethren；　and
of　the　same　common　blood；　the　peculiar　lineaments　of　our　faces；
and　those　not　so　much　different　from　one　another；　plainly　show。
Our　father's　name　is　Jacob；　an　Hebrew　man；　who　had　twelve　of　us
for　his　sons　by　four　wives；　which　twelve　of　us；　while　we　were　all
alive；　were　a　happy　family；　but　when　one　of　our　brethren；　whose
name　was　Joseph；　died；　our　affairs　changed　for　the　worse；　for　our
father　could　not　forbear　to　make　a　long　lamentation　for　him；　and
we　are　in　affliction；　both　by　the　calamity　of　the　death　of　our
brother；　and　the　miserable　state　of　our　aged　father。　We　are　now；
therefore；　come　to　buy　corn；　having　intrusted　the　care　of　our
father；　and　the　provision　for　our　family；　to　Benjamin；　our
youngest　brother；　and　if　thou　sendest　to　our　house；　thou　mayst
learn　whether　we　are　guilty　of　the　least　falsehood　in　what　we
say。〃

4。　And　thus　did　Reubel　endeavor　to　persuade　Joseph　to　have　a
better　opinion　of　them。　But　when　he　had　learned　from　them　that
Jacob　was　alive；　and　that　his　brother　was　not　destroyed　by　them；
he　for　the　present　put　them　in　prison；　as　intending　to　examine
more　into　their　affairs　when　he　should　be　at　leisure。　But　on　the
third　day　he　brought　them　out；　and　said　to　them；　〃Since　you
constantly　affirm　that　you　are　not　come　to　do　any　harm　to　the
king's　affairs；　that　you　are　brethren；　and　the　sons　of　the　father
whom　you　named；　you　will　satisfy　me　of　the　truth　of　what　you　say；
if　you　leave　one　of　your　company　with　me；　who　shall　suffer　no
injury　here；　and　if；　when　ye　have　carried　corn　to　your　father；
you　will　come　to　me　again；　and　bring　your　brother；　whom　you　say
you　left　there；　along　with　you；　for　this　shall　be　by　me　esteemed
an　assurance　of　the　truth　of　what　you　have　told　me。〃　Hereupon
they　were　in　greater　grief　than　before；　they　wept；　and
perpetually　deplored　one　among　another　the　calamity　of　Joseph；
and　said；　〃They　were　fallen　into　this　misery　as　a　punishment
inflicted　by　God　for　what　evil　contrivances　they　had　against
him。〃　And　Reubel　was　large　in　his　reproaches　of　them　for　their
too　late　repentance；　whence　no　profit　arose　to　Joseph；　and
earnestly　exhorted　them　to　bear　with　patience　whatever　they
suffered；　since　it　was　done　by　God　in　way　of　punishment；　on　his
account。　Thus　they　spake　to　one　another；　not　imagining　that
Joseph　understood　their　language。　A　general　sadness　also　seized
on　them　at　Reubel's　words；　and　a　repentance　for　what　they　had
done；　and　they　condemned　the　wickedness　they　had　perpetrated；　for
which　they　judged　they　were　justly　punished　by　God。　Now　when
Joseph　saw　that　they　were　in　this　distress；　he　was　so　affected　at
it　that　he　fell　into　tears；　and　not　being　willing　that　they
should　take　notice　of　him；　he　retired；　and　after　a　while　came　to
them　again；　and　taking　Symeon　（6）　in　order　to　his　being　a　pledge
for　his　brethren's　return；　he　bid　them　take　the　corn　they　had
bought；　and　go　their　way。　He　also　commanded　his　steward　privily
to　put　the　money　which　they　had　brought　with　them　for　the
purchase　of　corn　into　their　sacks；　and　to　dismiss　them　therewith；
who　did　what　he　was　commanded　to　do。

5。　Now　when　Jacob's　sons　were　come　into　the　land　of　Canaan；　they
told　their　father　what　had　happened　to　them　in　Egypt；　and　that
they　were　taken　to　have　come　thither　as　spies　upon　the　king；　and
how　they　said　they　were　brethren；　and　had　left　their　eleventh
brother　with　their　father；　but　were　not　believed；　and　how　they
had　left　Symeon　with　the　governor；　until　Benjamin　should　go
thither；　and　be　a　testimonial　of　the　truth　of　what　they　had　said：
and　they　begged　of　their　father　to　fear　nothing；　but　to　send　the
lad　along　with　them。　But　Jacob　was　not　pleased　with　any　thing　his
sons　had　done；　and　he　took　the　detention　of　Symeon　heinously；　and
thence　thought　it　a　foolish　thing　to　give　up　Benjamin　also。
Neither　did　he　yield　to　Reubel's　persuasion；　though　he　begged　it
of　him；　and　gave　leave　that　the　grandfather　might；　in　way　of
requital；　kill　his　own　sons；　in　case　any　harm　came　to　Benjamin　in
the　journey。　So　they　were　distressed；　and　knew　not　what　to　do；
nay；　there　was　another　accident　that　still　disturbed　them　more；　…
the　money　that　was　found　hidden　in　their　sacks　of　corn。　Yet　when
the　corn　they　had　brought　failed　them；　and　when　the　famine　still
afflicted　them；　and　necessity　forced　them；　Jacob　did　（7）　＇not＇
still　resolve　to　send　Benjamin　with　his　brethren；　although　there
was　no　returning　into　Egypt　unless　they　came　with　what　they　had
promised。　Now　the　misery　growing　every　day　worse；　and　his　sons
begging　it　of　him；　he　had　no　other　course　to　take　in　his　present
circumstances。　And　Judas；　who　was　of　a　bold　temper　on　other
occasions；　spake　his　mind　very　freely　to　him：　〃That　it　did　not
become　him　to　be　afraid　on　account　of　his　son；　nor　to　suspect　the
worst；　as　he　did；　for　nothing　could　be　done　to　his　son　but　by　the
appointment　of　God；　which　must　also　for　certain　come　to　pass；
though　he　were　at　home　with　him；　that　he　ought　not　to　condemn
them　to　such　manifest　destruction；　nor　deprive　them　of　that
plenty　of　food　they　might　have　from　Pharaoh；　by　his　unreasonable
fear　about　his　son　Benjamin；　but　ought　to　take　care　of　the
preservation　of　Symeon；　lest；　by　attempting　to　hinder　Benjamin's
journey；　Symeon　should　perish。　He　exhorted　him　to　trust　God　for
him；　and　said　he　would　either　bring　his　son　back　to　him　safe；　or；
together　with　his；　lose　his　own　life。〃　So　that　Jacob　was　at
length　persuaded；　and　delivered　Benjamin　to　them；　with　the　price
of　the　corn　doubled；　he　also　sent　presents　to　Joseph　of　the
fruits　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　balsam　and　rosin；　as　also
turpentine　and　honey。　（8）　Now　their　father　shed　many　tears　at　the
departure　of　his　sons；　as　well　as　themselves。　His　concern　was；
that　he　might　receive　them　back　again　safe　after　their　journey；
and　their　concern　was；　that　they　might　find　their　father　well；
and　no　way　afflicted　with　grief　for　them。　And　this　lamentation
lasted　a　whole　day；　so　that　the　old　man　was　at　last　tired　with
grief；　and　staid　behind；　but　they　went　on　their　way　for　Egypt；
endeavoring　to　mitigate　their　grief　for　their　present
misfortunes；　with　the　hopes　of　better　success　hereafter。

6。　As　soon　as　they　came　into　Egypt；　they　were　brought　down　to
Joseph：　but　here　no　small　fear　disturbed　them；　lest　they　should
be　accused　about　the　price　of　the　corn；　as　if　they　had　cheated
Joseph。　They　then　made　a　long　apology　to　Joseph's　steward；　and
told　him；　that　when　they　came　home　they　found　the　money　in　their
sacks；　and　that　they　had　now　brought　it　along　with　them。　He　said
he　did　not　know　what　they　meant：　so　they　were　delivered　from　that
fear。　And　when　he　had　loosed　Symeon；　and　put　him　into　a　handsome
habit；　he　suffered　him　to　be　with　his　brethren；　at　which　time
Jose