The following pages are merely what they claim to be, a simplification of the story of the Jews as related by Josephus. In matters pertaining to the Old Testament, I have not deemed it my duty to supplement his narrative from the Bible even where he is most obviously deficient, although I have indicated the fact of such deficiency in notes. With regard to the New Testament, it must be borne in mind that Josephus makes no mention of Christ or of the Christian religion, except in one short paragraph in the Jewish Antiquities, which is held by some authorities to be an interpolation. Josephus wrote his histories for the Romans, and we need not therefore wonder at his passing over in silence the unpalatable doctrine of the Messiah, or at his modifying and toning down the historical statements of the Mosaic records to recommend them to the prejudices of his readers.
In conclusion, it only remains to express my thanks for assistance rendered by Mr. Henry C. Walsh in the preparation of the manuscript.
WILLIAM SHEPARD
Life of Flavius Josephus
Flavius Josephus was born at Jerusalem A.D. 37. He was of illustrious birth, his father being a priest, which was considered a great distinction among the Jews, and his mother a member of the royal family of the Asmonæans. He received an excellent education, and profited so well by what he had learned that at the age of sixteen he was frequently consulted by the chief priests when they could not agree on difficult questions. About this time he joined the sect of the Essenes, and went to live in the desert with a celebrated hermit named Banun. After three years he returned to Jerusalem, where he abandoned the doctrines of the Essenes and became a Pharisee. In the year 63 he visited Rome to procure the liberation of some Jewish prisoners that had been sent there by the governor, Felix; was favorably received, and was successful in his mission through the influence of Poppæa, the wife of Nero. When the Jews revolted against Rome he was appointed governor of Galilee, and the story of his brave defence of Jotapata, of its final capture, and of his escape from death, alone among the Jewish warriors, through the intercession of Titus, has been told by himself in "The Jewish War," one of the works of which the following pages are an abstract. At the destruction of Jerusalem, his influence with the emperor, Vespasian, procured the liberation of his brothers and fifty of his friends. It was out of gratitude for these and other favors that Josephus about this time assumed the emperor's family name of Flavius. His history of "The Jewish War," which was finished 12
A.D. 75, was undertaken at the command of Vespasian, and is a noble and pathetic narrative of events that had been witnessed by himself. His other important work, "The Antiquities of the Jews," was finished about A.D. 93, and was an attempt to familiarize the Roman people with the early history of the Jews as it is recorded in the Scripture. He also wrote a memoir of himself and two books against Apion, a great adversary of the Jews. The date of his death is not known with certainty, but is placed by some writers at about A.D. 95. of the most famous of all the nations that have ever lived on the earth is the nation of the Jews. The history of this people, how they rose from small beginnings and became great and mighty, and how, after many changes of fortune, they were finally conquered by the Romans, and scattered all over the earth, is very interesting and very remarkable. It is this history as it was written down by Josephus, one of their greatest historians, that our young readers will find in the following pages. Josephus wrote his history in the Greek language. It has been translated into English, but the translation is so full of big words and long sentences, and the history itself contains so much that is dry and dull, so much that young people would naturally skip, that you would probably find it difficult and unpleasant to read. Therefore in these pages the history has been put into simpler language, and those parts of it which are not interesting have been, as far as possible, left out.
You know, of course, that the founder of the great nation of the Jews was a man names Abraham. He was the son of Terah, a shepherd, who lived in a country called Chaldea, in Asia, where the ground was flat and open and well suited for pasturing flocks. Abraham had two brothers, named Nahor and Haran. Nahor, who seems to have been the eldest, died early, leaving a son, named Lot, and two daughters, named Sarah and Milcah. In those days the laws in regard to marriage were not the same as they are now. God allowed men to marry their near relations, and also to have more wives than one. Therefore there was nothing strange in the marriage of the two brothers of Nahor to his daughters, who were their nieces. Haran took Milcah as his wife, and had many sons and daughters. Abraham took Sarah, and, as he had no children, he adopted Lot, his wife's brother and his own nephew, as his son.
When Abraham was seventy-five years of age, he left the land of Chaldea, by the command of God, and went into another country, called Canaan. He lived here for many years in peace and plenty. Then a famine broke out, and Abraham, learning that in the country of Egypt there was no famine, determined to move there. He did not intend to remain there, but only to stay so long as there was famine in Canaan, and after that to return to his own country. When Abraham was in Egypt he talked with the priests and learned men and showed them how wrong it was to worship false gods. He also taught them many things he had learned in Chaldea, among others arithmetic and astronomy, and the Egyptians afterwards taught these sciences to the Greeks.
As soon as the famine in Canaan was over, Abraham returned there. By this time his adopted son, Lot, had grown to be a young man. And he left Abraham's tent and went to live in a tent of his own. For in those days people did not live in houses like ours, but in tents. They did this because they moved about so much. As soon as the flocks and herds which they owned had eaten up all the grass in one place they would move to another. And, as the winters were never very cold, they did not find any inconvenience in this way of living.
Now Abraham had many servants under him, who looked after his flocks. Lot also had many servants. As the of Abraham frequently quarreled with the servants of Lot about the lands on which they wished to pasture their flocks, Abraham decided that it would be best to make a fair division. So he told Lot that he might go to any part of the land he preferred and he would take the rest for himself. Lot chose the country which lay around the river Jordan, near a city called Sodom. And Abraham removed his tent to a place called Hebron, and took all the land that lay around it as his own.
Now Lot had not lived very long in his new place when the people of Sodom were attacked by a nation called the Assyrians, who defeated them and carried many of them away to their own land as captives. Among those carried away in this manner was Lot himself.
When Abraham heard of what had happened, he was sorry for his adopted son and for his neighbors, the Sodomites, who had been made prisoners, and he determined to go to their assistance. So he gathered his servants together and armed them and started out in pursuit of the Assyrians. And after journeying for five days he came upon them in the night at a place called Dan. They had been feasting and making merry, and were now drunk with wine, and many of them were asleep. Abraham fell upon them in this condition and killed a great many, and the rest ran away. He released the prisoners from their bonds, and all returned home rejoicing. On their way Melchizedek, the king of a city called Salem, who was also a priest of God, came out to meet them. He supplied Abraham and his army with food and wine, and while they were all eating and drinking he praised Abraham and blessed him. Abraham gave him a tenth part of the spoils, that is, of the sheep and cattle and money he had taken away from the enemy.
When the king of Sodom saw Abraham returning with the captives and the spoils that had been taken by the enemy he was very glad. And he told Abraham to give him up the prisoners that he might send them to their own homes, but to keep all the spoils. But Abraham would not do so, saying he would not keep anything for himself.
God spoke to Abraham and praised him for what he had done, and said,—
"Thou shalt not, however, lose the rewards which thy goodness deserves, but I will bless thee and make thee rich and prosperous."
Then Abraham answered, "And what advantage will these rewards be to me, if I have no one after me to enjoy them?" For Abraham was childless.
But God promised he would give him a son, who should have many children, and the descendants from these children should become as numerous as the stars in the heaven. Abraham was glad when he heard this, and he offered a sacrifice, as God had commanded him to do. And the way he offered the sacrifice was as follows: he took a heifer, or young ox, three years of age, and a she-goat three years of age, and a ram three years of age, and a turtle-dove, and a pigeon. He cut the animals into sections, but the birds he did not cut. And when he built his altar and burnt these sacrifices, he heard a voice telling him that his descendants should live for four hundred years in the land of Egypt and be treated cruelly there, but that afterwards they should overcome and return to Canaan to possess the land.
Several years passed away, however, and still Abraham and Sarah had no children. Now the people of Sodom had been growing very wicked during these years, and the Lord was angry with them for their wickedness.
One day Abraham sat at the door of his tent and saw three strangers coming towards him. He rose and saluted them, and asked them to stop and eat with him. And when they agreed to do so, he killed a calf and roasted it, and served it up before them. While they were eating they asked Abraham about his wife Sarah, where she was. When he said she was in the tent, they told him they would return that way hereafter and find her a mother. Sarah heard what they said, and she laughed aloud, not believing them, for she was ninety years old and her husband was a hundred. Then the strangers told Abraham they were not men, but were angels of the Lord, and that one of hem was sent to inform him about the child, and two to announce that Sodom would be destroyed because of its wickedness.
When Abraham heard this, he went out and prayed to God to spare the city of Sodom for the sake of the few good men that might be living there. But God told him that there were not any good men among the Sodomites, for if there were ten such men He would spare the town for their sake. So Abraham held his peace.
And the angels went to the city of the Sodomites and were welcomed by Lot, who invited them to come and eat with him. They told Lot of the destruction that was to visit the city, and advised him to flee from it. So he gathered up his possessions, and with his wife and his two daughters he fled next morning from the city. No sooner was he safe outside of the walls than God cast a thunderbolt upon he city and set it on fire. The angels had warned Lot and his family not to look back when they fled. But Lot's wife disobeyed this warning, and was turned into a pillar of salt. Josephus tells us that he saw his pillar, for it was still standing in his day.
in a little time Abraham and Sarah had a son, as God had foretold, and he was named Isaac, which in the Chaldaic language meant laughter. For Sarah had laughed when she heard the angels say that she was to have this child. As Isaac grew up he endeared himself more and more to Abraham because of his many good qualities. He was zealous in the worship of God, he was kind to all his neighbors, and he loved and honored his parents. It was a great happiness to Abraham to think that when he died he should leave this son behind him to take charge of all his possessions, to continue the good work that he was doing in the world, and to be the founder of a race of men who would worship the true God. God knew Abraham's thoughts and hopes, and because He wished to try his obedience He appeared to him one day, and after reminding him of all the blessings He had bestowed on him, and that this son Isaac was only one of His many gifts, He said,—"Take this son Isaac, whom thou lovest so much, and get thee to the mountain called Moriah, and there build an altar and sacrifice Isaac upon it as a burnt-offering to me."
Abraham was deeply grieved when he heard this command to kill his own son and offer him up on an altar, in the way that lambs were offered up. But in all his great sorrow he never thought of disobedience. He knew that God's will must be done. He knew also that life was a gift from God, which might be withdrawn in any way and at any time that God saw fit. But he did not tell Sarah or any of his people what he had been commanded to do, for he was afraid that they might try to dissuade him from doing the will of God.
Early next morning he arose and bade Isaac and two other young men who were members of his household to get ready to accompany him on a journey. The wood, ready cut for the sacrifice, was laid upon the back of an ass, and so the little party started out on their journey towards mount Moriah. They travelled for two days, and on the morning of the third day they came in sight of the place. Then Abraham told the servants they need go no farther. He left the ass with them and made Isaac shoulder the wood. And when they had come up to the top of the mountain, Abraham, with the help of Isaac, built the altar for the sacrifice. While they were building, Isaac said to his father,—
"My father, you have wood and fire, but what are you going to offer, since we have no animal for a burnt-offering?"
"My son," answered Abraham, "God will provide a lamb for the burnt-offering."
When at last the altar was finished, and Abraham had laid the wood on, and all things were ready, he told his son what God had commanded of him. And though Isaac loved life very dearly, being then a vigorous young man, twenty-five years of age, he told his father that if it pleased God that he should die he was willing to be sacrificed.
So Abraham took up the knife and lifted up his hand to kill Isaac. But at that moment God called out to him in a loud voice and ordered him to lay down the knife. He said that He did not desire the death of Isaac, but had only wished to try Abraham's obedience. Since, therefore, he was now satisfied of his readiness to do all His commands, He was glad that He had bestowed so many blessings upon him, and He would continue to watch over him and his family. He promised also that Isaac should live to a good old age, and that he should have numerous descendants, who would inherit the land of Canaan and be envied of all men, and that through these descendants all the races of men should be blessed.
After God had spoken in this way, Abraham looked around, and beheld a ram that had been sent to take the place of Isaac. And he seized and killed it and laid it on the altar as a burnt-offering. Then father and son with much rejoicing returned to where the two young men were waiting for them, and they all proceeded homeward together.
Not long afterwards, Sarah, who was one hundred and twenty-seven years of age, fell sick and died, and Abraham buried her in the land of Hebron.
those days, when men lived so much longer than they do now, they did not marry at so early an age. It was not, therefore, until Isaac was nearly forty years old that Abraham thought of obtaining a wife for him. Now the women who lived in the land of Canaan were worshippers of false gods, and Abraham did not wish his son to marry among them. He wanted him instead to have a wife from the land in which he had formerly lived, and where he had relations who feared God.So he chose the oldest of his servants, and intrusted to him a number of valuable presents which he was to give to the chief men in that country, and he told him that he was to bring home with him a maiden called Rebekah, the granddaughter of his own brother Nahor, and that this maiden was to be a wife for Isaac. The servant promised to perform his mission faithfully, and he set out on his journey. After travelling many days, he came in sight of the town of Haran. Here he saw a number of maidens coming out of the town to fill their pitchers with water at the well. He dismounted from his camel and waited for the maidens to come up to him. And while they were approaching he prayed that God would give him a sign so that he might know which was Rebekah, in case it were the will of God that Rebekah should marry Isaac. The sign he asked for was this, that while all the others should deny him water to drink, she might give it to him.
Then, when the maidens were at the well, he went up to them and asked for some water to drink. But, while the others refused, pretending that they needed it all at home and could spare none for him, one of the company rebuked them for heir rude behavior to a stranger, and, turning to him, offered her pitcher in a kind and obliging manner. So the servant guessed that this must be Rebekah; but, in order to be certain, h e praised her for her generosity and good nature in giving to a stranger the water which it cost her so much pains to draw, and asked who were her parents, that he might give them joy in the possession of such a daughter. And she did not disdain to answer his inquiries, but told him her family.
"My name," she said, "is Rebekah, and my father's name was Behuel, the son of Nahor. But my father is dead, and I live with my mother and my brother Laban."
When the servant heard this, he was very glad at what had happened and what was told him, for he now plainly saw that God had directed his journey and had answered his prayer. He took out some bracelets and other ornaments and gave them to her as a reward for her kindness. And when she had thanked him, she asked him to come and lodge with her family, as night was approaching and he would not be able to proceed any farther on his journey until morning. The servant accepted her invitation, saying that from such as she had shown herself to be he might guess how good and kind were the mother and the brother who had brought her up, and he knew that they would welcome him to their house. Moreover, he said, he would not be burdensome, but would pay for his entertainment. To which she replied that he was right in what he said about her relations, for they were good and hospitable people, but complained that he should think they would accept money for their hospitality. He must come to the house as a guest. But first, she said, she would inform her brother Laban, and when he had given her leave, she would conduct him in.
Having obtained this permission, she invited the stranger into the house, and his camels were taken care of by Laban's servants, and Laban himself brought him in to supper. And after he had eaten and drunk, the servant of Abraham told Laban and Rebekah's mother who he was, and why he had come there. He explained to them that Abraham was a wealthy and a good man, and that Isaac was his heir. Abraham, he said, might, indeed, have chosen any of the women that dwelt in his neighborhood as a wife for his son, but he preferred a maiden of his own tribe. And this seemed to be the will of God, who had directed the servant's journey and answered his prayer when he asked that Rebekah should be pointed out to him. Therefore the servant begged that they would give their consent to the marriage.
When Laban and his mother had heard all these things, they saw indeed that the finger of God had directed the whole matter, and they freely gave their consent. And Abraham's servant brought Rebekah back with him, and she was married to Isaac.
A little while after this, Abraham died, at the age of one hundred and seventy-five, and he was buried in Hebron, by the side of his wife Sarah. And Isaac succeeded to all his possessions.
blessed Isaac and Rebekah, and gave them two sons, who were twins. Just before their birth God told Isaac that He would give him these sons, and that they should both be the founders of great nations, but that the younger should excel the other. And when they were born, Isaac called the elder Esau, which means rough or hairy, because the child was born with hair all over his body, and the younger he called Jacob. Esau was the favorite son of Isaac, but Jacob was his mother's favorite. When these sons had grown up to be men, and Isaac was very old and feeble, and also blind, he called to his favorite son Esau and explained to him that, being himself now unfitted for offering up the sacrifices to God, he was anxious that his son should be his worthy successor. He therefore bade him go out into the woods and kill as much venison, as he could, and prepare him a supper. After the supper was over, Isaac said, he would bless his son and pray to God for him, and God would let him know what his future life would be. So Esau went out hunting. But Rebekah had overheard what Isaac said, and she was anxious that Jacob also should receive the blessing of his father and have his future revealed to him. She therefore bade Jacob kill some young goats and prepare a supper. Jacob obeyed his mother, and when the supper was ready he took a goat's skin and laid it upon his arm. He thought that his blind father, feeling the hair of the goat, would mistake him for his brother Esau. And it happened indeed as he had expected. For, when he brought the supper to his father, Isaac, hearing his voice, recognized it as the voice of Jacob, and bade him approach. But when he took hold of Jacob's hand, which was covered with the skin of the goat, he said, "Thy voice is like the voice of Jacob, yet because of the thickness of thy hair thou must be Esau."So, suspecting no deceit, he ate of the supper, and then poured out his prayers to God, and said, "O Lord of all ages, and Creator of all substance; for it was Thou that didst propose to my father great plenty of good things, and hast vouchsafed to bestow on me what I have; and hast promised to my posterity to be their kind supporter, and to bestow on them still greater blessings; do Thou therefore confirm these Thy promises, and do not overlook me because of my present weak condition. Be gracious to this my son; and preserve and keep him from everything that is evil. Give him a happy life, and the possession of as many good things as Thy power is able to bestow. Make him terrible to his enemies, and honorable and beloved among his friends."
Such was Isaac's prayer, and he had just finished when Esau came in from hunting. Esau was grieved and angry when he found what his brother had done, and he prayed his father to give him the same blessing that he had given to Jacob. But Isaac, though he too lamented the mistake, could not now remedy it, because all his prayers had been spent upon Jacob. However, when Esau burst out weeping, the father strove to comfort him, and predicted that he should excel in hunting and strength of body and bravery, and should obtain glory forever on those accounts, he and his descendants after him, but nevertheless that he should always serve his brother.
was afraid that Esau might inflict some punishment upon Jacob because of the deceit he had practiced upon him, and she therefore besought her husband to choose a wife for Jacob from among her own kindred. And Isaac having consented that Jacob should marry Rachel, the daughter of her brother Laban, the young man was sent to visit her in her native country. On his journey through the land of Canaan, Jacob, because he knew the people who dwelt there were idolaters, refused all their offers of hospitality and rather to take up his lodgings in the open air. At night-time he gathered up a heap of stones to serve as a pillow. And once as he was sleeping thus he beheld a wonderful vision. He seemed to see a ladder that reached from the earth unto heaven, and angels were going up and down upon it, and at last God himself stood above it and was plainly visible to him. And God, calling him by name, told him that because he was the son of so good a father, and because he was the descendant of Abraham, He would watch over him and bless him. And the marriage which he contemplated would be a happy one, and he would have a great multitude of descendants, to whom the land of Canaan would be given."Fear no danger, therefore," said the Lord, "and be not disheartened because of the many hardships thou must undergo, for I will watch over thee and direct what thou art to do in the time present, and still more in the time to come."
Jacob rose from his sleep refreshed and strengthened. And because of the great promise that had been made to him in that place, he poured oil upon the stones, and promised that if he lived and returned safe he would offer sacrifices upon them, and that of all the flocks and herds and silver and gold which God should give him, he would give a tenth part to the Lord. That is to say, he would build altars and offer sacrifices and do good to the poor.
So he proceeded on his journey, and at length came to Haran. Meeting a number of shepherds in the suburbs of the town, he questioned them whether they knew a man named Laban, and whether he was still alive. And they answered that they knew him well, for he was an important man in the town, and that his daughter Rachel fed her father's flock together with them. They wondered, indeed, that she was not now among them, for it was the usual time for her appearance. And even as they spoke, the maiden came out of the city and came near to where they were. Then the other shepherds pointed Jacob out to her, and told her that he was a stranger who came to inquire about her father's affairs. And she, being pleased with his appearance, spoke kindly to him, and asked him who he was and what he wanted, and hoped it might be in their power to supply his wants.
Jacob was surprised at the beauty and grace of the maiden, which were greater than that of any one he had ever seen. And he hastened to tell her who he was, that he was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the nephew of her father Laban.
"And now," he continued, "I have come to salute you and your family, and to renew tose friendly feelings which are proper between us."
The maiden gladly welcomed him to their country, and having embraced him, she bade him follow her, as she led the way to her father's house. She assured him that his visit would give Laban the greatest pleasure, for he was always thinking of Rebekah and talking of her. And it was, indeed, as she had said. For when Laban heard who Jacob was, he threw his arms round him and kissed him, and eagerly welcomed him into the house. After they had conversed together for some time, Laban asked Jacob why it was that he had left his aged father and mother to come on so long a journey, and assured him that if he stood in need of any assistance he would gladly give it to him. Then Jacob opened his heart to Laban, and told him that he had left his father's roof because of his fear of Esau, and also because his mother did not wish him to marry any of the Canaanitish women, but to choose a wife from her own tribe.
Laban promised that he would treat Jacob with great kindness, and make him head-shepherd of his flock, and when he should have a mind to return to his parents he would send him back loaded with presents. Jacob replied that he would gladly work for his uncle and would serve him faithfully, but as the reward of his labors he asked only that Laban would give him his daughter Rachel to wife. Laban was well pleased with this arrangement, and said he would give her to Jacob provided he would agree to stay with him for some time, for he was not yet prepared to part with her. And Jacob consented to stay seven years, for his love for Rachel was so great that this seemed a small sacrifice. But when the seven years were ended, Laban refused to give Rachel to Jacob, and in her place he gave him his elder daughter, Leah. For he said it was not right that the younger sister should be married before the elder. However, he told Jacob that if he would work another seven years he might have Rachel also as his wife. So Jacob remained with Laban and worked seven more years for him, and at the end of that time he had both Leah and Rachel for his wives. And they bore him sons and daughters.
For six years longer Jacob and his wives and children dwelt in the land of Chaldea. Then, having been full twenty years absent from his own land, he desired leave of his father-in-law to take his wives and go home. But, as Laban would not give him leave, he decided that he would go secretly. Calling his wives to him, he asked them what they thought of this journey. And he found that they approved of it and were willing to go. Therefore, one day when Laban was away from home, shearing his sheep, Jacob gathered together all his flocks and his other possessions, put his wives and his children upon camels, and set out on his journey towards the land of Canaan. But Laban, after one day's time, learning of Jacob's departure, was much troubled, and pursued him, leading a band of men with him. On the seventh day he overtook the fugitives, and found them resting on a hill. It was evening, and Laban determined not to disturb them then, but to wait until next morning. But in the night-time God stood by him in a dream and warned him to treat his son-in-law and his daughters in a peaceable manner, and not to venture upon anything rashly or in anger, but to make a league with Jacob. And God told him that if he despised their small number and attacked them in a hostile manner, He would Himself assist them. Laban, being warned in this manner by God, next day called Jacob to him and asked him why he had gone away secretly, and had carried Rachel and Leah and their children with him without letting him know. Jacob answered that he had gone in secret because Laban would not let him go in any other way.
"I am not," said Jacob, "the only person to whom God has given a love for his own country. He has made it natural to all men, and therefore it was but reasonable that after so long a time I should wish to go back to my home. And as to thy daughters, I did not force them to come away with me, but they were willing to do so, from that just affection which wives naturally bear to their husbands. They follow, therefore, not so much myself as their own children."
And after more conversation of the same nature, Laban was obliged to acknowledge that Jacob was in the right. So he made a promise, and bound it by oaths, that he would bear him no malice on account of what had happened, and Jacob made the same promise, and swore also that he would always love and cherish Laban's daughters. And in memory of these promises they raised a pillar in the form of an altar upon the mount where they were standing; whence that mount was called Mount Gilead, which means the mount of testimony, and the land was known as the land of Gilead ever after. Now when they had feasted after the making of the league, Laban returned home.
Jacob was travelling homeward he was much disturbed in his mind, because he remembered the sin he had been guilty of towards his brother Esau, and he was afraid that Esau had not forgiven him. Being desirous, therefore, of knowing what his brother's intentions were, he sent some servants before him, who were charged to go to Esau with this message: "Thy brother Jacob is returning to his native land, and he hopes that during the many years that have expired the enmity between him and you has been laid to rest. He brings with him his wives and his children and all his possessions, and he will deem it his greatest happiness to share with his brother what God hath bestowed upon him."And when they had delivered this message Esau was very glad, and went to meet his brother with four hundred men. But Jacob, hearing that he was coming with such a number of men, was greatly afraid, for he did not know how Esau felt towards him. However, he committed himself into the hands of God and awaited his brother's arrival. In case the men attacked him, he determined to defend himself and his family as well as he could. He therefore distributed his company into parts; some he sent before the rest, and the others he ordered to come close behind, so that if the first were overpowered, they might have those that followed as a refuge to fly to. And when he had put his company into this order, he sent some of them to carry presents to his brother; the presents consisted of cattle and other four-footed animals, some of which were very rare and very valuable. But he did not send all these together: he made several droves, or flocks, of them. Then when Esau met the first drove and asked whose cattle they were, the men were to answer that they belonged to Jacob, who was sending them as a present to his brother Esau. And when he met the second drove and asked the same question he was to be answered in the same way, and so with the other droves, until he had seen them all. Jacob did this in order that Esau might be softened in case he were still angry.
It took Jacob a whole day to make all these arrangements. Then, as night came on, he sent his company across a river which lay before them, and he himself remained behind. And there came an angel of God, who wrestled with him. Jacob did not know at first that he was an angel. All night long they wrestled, and when the morning light shone in the sky the angel had not prevailed against him. Then the angel informed him who he was, and told him to be pleased with his victory, for it meant that the race of which he was to be the founder would be great and victorious. The angel also told Jacob to take the name of Israel, which means in the Hebrew language, "One that hath fought with an angel," and he then disappeared.
During the struggle Jacob had hurt his thigh, and on this account he never afterwards ate that part of an animal, and his descendants have never eaten it either.
Full of peace and comfort, Jacob or Israel, as he was now called, went to join his wives and his companions. And soon Esau and his men came in sight, and when he had approached so near that Jacob could see his face, he perceived that there was no anger in it. So Jacob ran forward to meet him, and bowed down before him. Esau raised him up and embraced him. And after the brothers had conversed together, Esau offered to go with Jacob to their father, Isaac. But Jacob thanked him, and said that his wives and children were tired with their long journey and needed rest. So Esau left him and returned to his own country.
Jacob went on in his journey a little way to a place called Succoth, where he stopped to rest. After a little while he went to Bethel, where he had seen the vision of the angels and the ladder, and he offered sacrifices there. And Jacob left Bethel and came near to Bethlehem, and God gave him another son, whose name was Benjamin. But Rachel, the boy's mother, died before they came to Bethlehem, and they buried her on the way.
At last he arrived at Hebron, in the land of Canaan, where his father, Isaac, was still dwelling, in extreme old age. He found that his mother Rebekah, was dead. And only a few years after the return of Jacob Isaac himself died, at the age of one hundred and eighty-five. Esau and Jacob buried him by the side of Rebekah, in Hebron, in the cave where Abraham and Sarah were also buried.
the death of Isaac, Jacob grew richer and more prosperous, and in time he came to be looked upon as the most highly blessed by God of all the men in that country. He had twelve sons, who were strong and handsome young men, capable of doing much work in the fields. Jacob was very proud of these sons, and was fond of them all. But we was especially fond of Joseph, who, next to Benjamin, was the youngest of all, for Joseph was not only the handsomest of the young men, but he was also the kindest and the most obedient.Now this affection of the father excited the envy and hatred of his brethren, and the hatred was increased when Joseph told them of two dreams of his, which, when interpreted, foretold that his future happiness would be greater than that of any of the others.
The first of his dreams was as follows: He thought that in harvest-time he and his brothers were binding up sheaves of grain, and his sheaf stood still in the place where he set it, but their sheaves ran to bow down to it, as servants bow down to their masters. And the brothers were angry when they heard this dream, because it seemed to mean that they would bow down to Joseph. They did not let Joseph know the meaning they put upon it, but only prayed in secret that what they feared might not come to pass.
The second dream was even more wonderful than the first. It seemed to Joseph that the sun and the moon came down from heaven with eleven stars and bowed down to him. He told this vision to his father in the presence of his brethren, and begged him to interpret it. Jacob was secretly pleased with this dream, for it seemed to promise great things to his favorite son, and he guessed that this was its meaning: the sun and the moon signified the father and mother of Joseph, and the eleven stars were his brethren, and the time would come when Joseph, by the blessing of God, should be honored and deemed worthy of worship by his parents and his brethren. The second dream made the brothers still more angry than the first.
A short time after this, Joseph's brethren went down to a country called Shechem, which was famous for its pasturage, and there they fed their flocks. But as they had not told their father of their removal he became very anxious, and sent Joseph out to see if he could not learn any news about them. The brethren rejoiced when they saw Joseph coming towards them, for they had resolved to kill him. Reuben, the eldest, was less hardened in his heart than the others, and he began to reason with them, telling them that it was a great crime to kill a brother, even if he had done a serious wrong, and Joseph had done no wrong. But when he saw that his words were of no avail, he begged of them at least not to kill their brother with their own hands, but to cast him into the pit that was hard by, and so let him die, and at least they would not then have defiled their hands with his blood. To this the young men agreed. Reuben took the lad and tied a cord around him and let him down gently into the pit. And then he went his way to seek for such pasturage as was fit for feeding the flocks.
After Reuben was gone, Judah, who was another of the brethren, saw a company of merchants, called Ishmaelites, who were carrying spices and Syrian wares out of the land of Gilead to sell to the Egyptians. Then he advised the others to draw Joseph out of the pit and sell him to these merchants, for in this way they would be rid of him without the guilt of murder. They all agreed to this; and Joseph was drawn up out of the pit and sold to the merchants for twenty pieces of silver.
In the night-time Reuben came back to the pit with the intention of secretly saving Joseph. And when he called to him and received no answer he was much distressed, fearing they had destroyed him after he was gone. But when he went to his brethren and complained to them they told him what they had done, and he was satisfied.
The brethren then considered among themselves what they should tell their father. They had taken away from Joseph the coat which he had on when he came to them,—a beautiful coat of many colors given to him by Isaac,—so they decided to tear that coat to pieces, and to dip it into goat's blood, and then to carry it and show it to their father, that he might believe Joseph had been destroyed by wild beasts. And when they had so done, they came to the old man, and he recognized the coat as the one he had given to Joseph, and, believing that his favorite son had been slain, he lamented sorely and could not be comforted.
Ishmaelite merchants took Joseph with them into Egypt. The king of that country was named Pharaoh, and one of the chief officers in his army was named Potiphar. Potiphar bought Joseph from the merchants to be his slave. And he found him to be so good and trustworthy that he gave him charge of the whole house, and taught him the learning that became a free man, and gave him leave to eat at his own table instead of the table of the other servants.But after a while the wife of Potiphar persuaded her husband that Joseph was a wicked man, and Potiphar was angry and threw him into prison.
Even in the prison, however, God raised up friends for Joseph. The keeper of the prison, himself, was moved kindly to him, because he found that Joseph was careful and faithful in everything that he asked him to do, and he therefore set him over the other prisoners, as Potiphar had set him over the other servants, and allowed him also better food than was given to the rest. Nor were the other prisoners jealous of him, for they also learned to like him and respect him. Often after the hard labors of the day were over they gathered together to discourse among themselves, and to inquire one of the other what was the reason of their being condemned to a prison. Among these prisoners were two of the king's servants who had offended him; one was his cup-bearer, who carried his wine-cup to him when he wanted to drink, and the other was his chief baker. And these men were under the care of Joseph, and were friendly to him.
One day the cup-bearer told Joseph of a dream he had had, and asked him to interpret it. He saw in his sleep a vine with three branches, and on each branch was a cluster of grapes, large already and ripe for gathering. And he squeezed the juice of these grapes into a cup and gave this cup to the king to drink, and the king received it from him with a pleasant countenance. Then Joseph told him to be of good cheer, for that the three branches he had seen in his dream meant three days, and within three days Pharaoh would send for him to be taken out of prison, and he should wait on the king and give the cup into his hand as he had been accustomed to do. Then Joseph told him he should remember his friends when this good fortune arrived, and should speak to the king concerning himself, who had been unjustly put into prison.
Now when the chief baker had heard Joseph's interpretation of the cup-bearer's dream he was glad. For he, too, had dreamed a dream, and he hoped that it had an equally pleasant meaning. So he told it to Joseph.
"I thought," he said, "that I was carrying three baskets on my head, one on top of the other. Two were full of loaves, and the third contained sweetmeats and other eatables such as are prepared fro kings. But the birds of the air came flying and ate them all up, though I tried to drive them away."
When Joseph heard this dream he felt grieved for his friend. And he told him that the baskets meant three days, and that on the third day he should be crucified and devoured by fowls, while he was not able to help himself.
It came to pass exactly as Joseph had foretold. On the third day after this conversation was the king's birthday, when he made a feast to all his servants. And he sent to the prison and freed the cup-bearer from his bonds and restored him to his former position. But he had the chief baker taken out and crucified.
For two years longer Joseph remained in prison, as the cup-bearer forgot all about him in his good fortune, and did not speak to the king as he had promised. But at the end of that time the cup-bearer was reminded of his friend in the following manner. Pharaoh one night dreamed two dreams which troubled him exceedingly, for they seemed to predict evil. And he called together all the wise men of the country, but when they could give him no interpretation of his dreams he was still more troubled. And now it was that the memory of Joseph and his skill in dreams came into the mind of the cup-bearer. So he went to the king and told him how when he and the chief baker were in prison together they each of them had a dream, and the dream was interpreted to them by a young man who was their companion in prison, and what the young man told them came true.
Then the king commanded that Joseph should be taken out of prison and brought to him. When the young man appeared, Pharaoh told him that he had heard of his skill in interpreting dreams, and that he had dreamed two dreams whose meaning he wished to know. And then he told him his dreams.
"I thought," said the king, "that as I stood by the river seven cows cam up out of the water. They were large and fat, and they went into the marshes near by. And seven other cows, who were lean and ill-favored, came up to meet them out of the marshes, and they ate up the fat cows, yet they remained as lean and ill-favored as before. And then I awoke. And I fell asleep again, and saw another dream, much more wonderful that the other, which disturbed me still more. I saw seven ears of corn growing up out of one root. They were all good and filled with grain. And near these I saw seven other ears of corn, and they were spoiled and bad and had no good grain in them. And the seven bad ears ate up the seven good ones."
Then Joseph told the king that both his dreams signified one and the same thing. The seven fat cows and the seven good ears meant seven years of plenty and fruitfulness, while the seven lean cows and the seven bad ears meant seven years of famine and distress. And the meaning of the dreams was that there would come seven good years in Egypt, when the wheat would grow well and there would be plenty for the people to eat. But after those seven good years would come seven years of famine, when the grain would not grow well and the people would want for bread.
Then Joseph advised Pharaoh what he should do in order to provide against this famine. He told him that during the seven good years he should see that the Egyptians were not wasteful of the grain, but were made to reserve what they would have spent in luxury and beyond their necessity for the time of want. And the best way to do this, he said, would be to take the grain away from the husbandmen as soon as it was ripe, and allow them only so much as would be sufficient for their wants. The king consented to do as he was told, and he said that as Joseph had shown so much wisdom in explaining his dreams and in advising him what to do, he would intrust him with the duty of saving up the grain, and give him power to do what he thought would be for the benefit of the people of Egypt and of the king.
So instead of being sent back to prison Joseph was made on of the great men in the court of Pharaoh. And he was clothed with purple, which only the greatest men were allowed to wear, and he drove in his chariot through all the land of Egypt, and took the grain from the husbandmen, allowing them only so much as was necessary fro food and for seed. But he did not tell any of them the reason why he did so. The grain he took in this manner he put away in storehouses, that it might be kept safe until the seven years of famine began.
was now thirty years of age. The king, who held him in high honor, gave him to wife a virgin named Asenath, who was the daughter of one of the great men of his court. And two sons were born to Joseph, whose names were Manasseh and Ephraim.After Egypt had happily passed through seven years of plenty the famine came upon them in the eighth year, as Joseph had foretold. When the people came running to the king's gates, crying for bread, he told them to go to Joseph, who would relieve them. Joseph opened his great storehouses and sold the grain to them. Nor did he open this market for the people of Egypt only, for there was a famine in the surrounding countries, and Joseph gave liberty to strangers to buy also, believing that all men should have assistance from those who lived in happiness.
Now the people in Canaan suffered grievously from the famine. Therefore, when Jacob learned of the great storehouses of grain that were in Egypt, and how strangers were welcomed, he determined to send his sons there to purchase grain. He retained only Benjamin, who was the youngest of all, and the ten others he sent into Egypt.
So the sons of Jacob came to Joseph to buy corn of him. Joseph knew them at once, but they did not know him. For he was only a boy of seventeen when they sold him into slavery, and he was now a man of thirty. They did not even know whether he was still alive, and of course they could know nothing of his wonderful good fortune in a strange land. Joseph's heart warmed to them as soon as he saw them, for his was a kind and loving nature. But he determined before he discovered himself to them to try them, and see whether they were as wicked as ever, or whether they had repented of their cruelty to him. So he put on a very stern expression of face and asked them whence they came and who they were. And when they told him that they came from Canaan and were brothers, he pretended that he did not believe them.
"It is impossible," he said, "that a private man could bring up ten sons to be so strong and vigorous and handsome, such an education of so many children being not easily obtained by kings themselves." And he accused them of being spies, and said that they came from several countries, and joined themselves together, and only pretended to be of kin. Now Joseph said this in order that they might tell all about themselves and give him news of his father and of Benjamin, who, he saw, was not among them. For he feared that they might have done some wicked deed against Benjamin also, and either made away with him or sold him into slavery.
The brethren were much distressed at what Joseph said, and feared that very great danger hung over them. But Reuben, the elder, spoke up and assured Joseph that they were true and faithful men, and not spies, and that they were all children of one father.
"Our father's name," he said, "is Jacob, a Hebrew man, who had twelve of us for his sons, and while we were all alive we were a happy family; but when one of our brethren, whose name was Joseph, died, our affairs changed for the worse, for our father made a long lamentation for him, and we are in affliction, both on account of our brother's death and of the sorrow of our aged father. We are now come to buy corn, having intrusted the care of our father to Benjamin, our youngest brother, and if thou sendest to our house, thou mayest judge if we are guilty of the least falsehood in what we say."
But still Joseph seemed not to believe them. And he put them in prison for three days, so that he might think what to do to them. On the third day he sent for them to be brought before him, and told them that in order to satisfy him of the truth of what they said they must bring their youngest brother with them the next time they came to Egypt. And, as a pledge that they would do this, one of their company was to remain behind until they returned.
When the brethren heard this decision they were greatly troubled. They wept among themselves, and they told one another that God was now punishing them for their wickedness to Joseph. Reuben reminded them that he had sought to dissuade them from their cruel purpose, and he earnestly exhorted them to bear in patience the just punishment of God. They spoke all these things in their own language, not knowing that Joseph understood them. But Joseph, seeing their distress, had to go away from them, that they might not see him, for what they said made him weep. Soon he returned, and took Simeon, one of his brothers, and said that he should remain with him as pledge that the others would return. Then he bade them take that the grain they had bought, and go their way. He also told his steward to put back secretly into their sacks the money that each one had paid.
When they had come into the land of Canaan they told their father what had occurred to them, and he was much grieved. And when they opened their sacks of grain before him, and each man found the sum of money he had paid put back into his sack, they were all surprised and afraid, not knowing how it had happened. For a long time Jacob refused to allow them to return with Benjamin, in spite of all their entreaties. But at last the corn they had brought was exhausted. And when Jacob saw that his children and his grandchildren were starving for want of bread to eat, he was obliged to relent. So he gave Benjamin to the brothers, and bade them go to Egypt to buy more grain. And he lamented sorely at their departure, and they also shed many bitter tears.
As soon as they came into Egypt they were brought down to Joseph's house. Here no small fear disturbed them, lest they should be accused about the price of the corn as if they had cheated Joseph. They made a long apology to Joseph's steward, telling him that when they arrived home they found the money in their sacks, and now they had brought it back with them. He said he did not know what they meant, so they were delivered from that fear.
Then Simeon was released and allowed to join them, and they were all taken into the presence of Joseph. And the brethren offered him presents of fruit and honey and turpentine, which their father had sent. Then he asked how their father was, and they answered he was well. Pointing to Benjamin, he asked if this was the youngest son they had spoken of, and they told him that it was. Joseph laid his hands on Benjamin's head and prayed that God would bless him. But when his affection to him made him weep, Joseph retired, not wishing that his tears should be seen by his brethren. Then Joseph took them to supper, and they were set down in the order in which they used to sit at their father's table. And although Joseph treated them all kindly, yet he sent Benjamin double what the rest of the guests had for their share.
After supper, when they had composed themselves to sleep, Joseph commanded his steward to give them their measures of grain, and to hide its price again in their sacks. He also told him to put his golden cup into Benjamin's sack. This he did in order to make trial of his brethren, whether they would stand by Benjamin when he should be accused of having stolen the cup and should appear to be in danger, or whether they would leave him, and, depending on their own innocence, go to their father without him.
Early next morning them men started on their journey back to Canaan, greatly rejoicing at their good fortune because they had been so kindly treated and were returning home with both Simeon and Benjamin. But they had not gone far when they were overtaken by a troop of horsemen, who surrounded them. Among the horsemen was the steward who had placed the cup in Benjamin's sack. And when the brethren asked in surprise what was the reason of this sudden attack upon men whom a little while before their lord had thought worthy of an honorable and hospitable reception, the steward replied by calling them wicked wretches, who had forgotten Joseph's kindness and hospitality, and had carried off the cup out of which he had in so friendly a manner drunk to them. Then the brethren protested that they were innocent, and they asked that a search should be made, and that if the cup were found upon any of them, they should all be punished. But the steward answered that he alone who was guilty of the theft should be punished, and the rest should not be blamed. So the brethren opened their sacks one after the other for the steward to make his search, until at last it came to Benjamin's turn, and in his sack the cup was found. Then they lamented, and rent their garments, and wept for the punishment which their brother was to undergo; and they all returned with him into the city.
When they came before Joseph he upbraided them, and said,—
"How came you, vile wretches that you are, to make so evil a return for my kindness to you?"
But when the steward told him it was Benjamin alone that was guilty, Joseph said he would release the others, who might return to their father in safety, and he would make Benjamin his slave. The brothers were filled with sorrow and amazement when they heard this. And Judah spoke up for them, and told Joseph that Benjamin was the best beloved of their father and that none of them would go home without him. He begged, therefore, that Joseph would take him in the place of Benjamin, and punish him instead. All the other brethren also cast themselves up for the preservation of Benjamin.
Then Joseph could contain himself no longer. He sent all the servants out of the room, and when they were gone he made himself known to his brethren. And because after the first moment of surprise they were afraid, thinking of the evil they had done to him, he assured them that he had entirely forgiven them. He told them also that all he had done was to try them and their love to their brother, and he was rejoiced to find them so kind and good and loving.
"So," he continued, "I believe you were not wicked by nature in what you did in my case, but that all has happened according to God's will, and instead of bearing you a grudge I return you my thanks, that you have concurred with the intentions of God to bring things to their present state."
When Joseph had said this he embraced his brethren, who were all in tears. Then he ordered a banquet to be served before them, and there was great feasting and rejoicing. And when Pharaoh heard the story he also was glad at Joseph's good fortune in finding his brethren, and he sent them wagons full of grain and gold and silver as presents for their father. Joseph also gave them many valuable gifts to bear to Jacob. He told them to invite Jacob to come down to Egypt with all his goods and possessions, for he would be made welcome there, and would be given some of the best lands to live on. Then he embraced them again, and bade them adieu.
When Jacob saw his sons returning to him, and Benjamin among them, he was rejoiced. And when they told him their story and he learned that Joseph was not dead, but was living in great splendor in Egypt, it seemed at first too wonderful to be true, and he could hardly believe them. But when at last he was convinced of the truth, he determined to lose no time in setting out to visit his son.
So he departed from the land of Canaan, with his sons and all belonging to them. There were seventy in the family by this time, including the wives and the children of his sons. When they reached Beersheba, where Isaac, his father, had built an altar many years before, Jacob offered sacrifices upon it. But his mind was not at rest, for there were many things that troubled him. He feared lest the happiness there was in Egypt might tempt his children and their descendants to fall in love with it and settle in it, and no more think of returning to the land of Canaan, whose possession God had promised to them; he feared also that if this descent into Egypt were made without the will of God his family might be destroyed there, and he doubted if he was strong enough to bear the journey and if he would live to see Joseph after all.
With these doubts in his mind he fell asleep. But god appeared to him in a dream and assured him that the journey was in accordance with His wishes.
"I come now," said the Lord, "as a guide to thee in this journey, and foretell to thee that thou shalt die in the arms of Joseph, and I inform thee that thy descendants shall be many ages in authority and glory, and that I will settle them in the land which I have promised them."
Jacob, encouraged by this dream, went on more cheerfully towards Egypt. When Joseph understood that his father was approaching, he went out to welcome him, and they met at a place called Heroopolis. Jacob almost fainted away at this unexpected and great joy, and Joseph was much affected. When they had embraced and wept over each other, Joseph advised his father to continue his journey slowly, and he himself hastened before with five of his brethren, to let the king know that Jacob and his family had come. Pharaoh rejoiced to hear this. He asked Joseph what sort of life his brethren loved to lead, that he might give them leave to follow the same, and, being answered that they were shepherds and had followed this calling all their lives, he said they should be employed in this way in Egypt also.
Then Joseph, when Jacob arrived, brought him before the king, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was, and marveled greatly when told that he was one hundred and thirty years old. And he gave him leave to live with his children in Heroopolis; for near that city the king's shepherds pastured their flocks.
When Jacob, or Israel, h ad lived seventeen years in Egypt, he fell sick and died. On his death-bed he offered up prayers for his sons, and foretold to them that their descendants would possess the land of Canaan, and he commanded his own sons to admit Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, into their number, so that their descendants also might enjoy the promises of God. When he was dead, Joseph, by the king's permission, carried his father's dead body to Hebron, and there buried it at a great expense. His brethren were at first afraid to return to Egypt, because they feared that since the death of his father, for whose sake he had been so merciful to them, Joseph might be tempted to punish them for their former wickedness. But he persuaded them to fear no harm and to entertain no suspicions. So he brought them back with him, and gave them great possessions, and never left off watching over them and their children. They all dwelt together in peace and unity, and their children grew up and had children of their own, and at last when Joseph was one hundred and ten years of age he died.