Week 45

• Torah (T): Bereshiyt (Genesis) 45:1-28
• Prophets (P): Jeremiah 20:1-13
• Apostolic (A): John 14:1-31
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 43:11-24

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Genesis 43:29-31 (T)
• Genesis 37:26-28 (T)
• Psalms 105:16-17 (T)
• Acts 7:9-14 (T)
• Genesis 50:15-21 (T)
• Genesis 41:53-57 (T)
• Genesis 47:1-4 (T)
• 1 Timothy 5:3-8 (T)

RELATED ADDITIONAL READINGS

• An Apocryphon of Judah 4Q538 (T)
• Genesis 45:1-28 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 2.6.8 – 7.4 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion.

Torah Portion (T)

45:1 Then Joseph couldn’t restrain himself before all those who stood before him, and he called out, “Cause everyone to go out from me!” No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Does my father still live?” His brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” They came near. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for Elohim sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing and no harvest. 7 Elohim sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the land, and to save you alive by a great escape. 8 So now it wasn’t you who sent me here, but Elohim, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “Elohim has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t wait. 10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will provide for you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.” ’ 12 Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 He fell on the neck of Benjamin his brother and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him. 16 The voice of it was heard in the house of Pharaoh, saying, “The brothers of Joseph have come.” It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan. 18 Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ 19 Now you are commanded to do this: Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also, don’t concern yourselves about your belongings, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.” 21 The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22 He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23 He sent the following to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father by the way. 24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.” 25 They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father. 26 They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart was numb, for he didn’t believe them. 27 They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived. 28 Israel said, “It is abundant. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Prophets Portion (P)

Jeremiah 20:1-13

20:1 Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of YHWH, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. 2 Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of YHWH. 3 On the next day, Pashhur released Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, “YHWH has not called your name Pashhur, but Magormissabib. 4 For YHWH says, ‘Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes will see it. I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them captive to Babylon, and will kill them with the sword. 5 Moreover I will give all the riches of this city, and all its gains, and all its precious things, yes, I will give all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies. They will make them captives, take them, and carry them to Babylon. 6 You, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house will go into captivity. You will come to Babylon, and there you will die, and there you will be buried, you, and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.’ ” 7 YHWH, you have persuaded me, and I was persuaded. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day. Everyone mocks me. 8 For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, “Violence and destruction!” because the word of YHWH has been made a reproach to me, and a derision, all day. 9 If I say that I will not make mention of him, or speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones. I am weary with holding it in. I can’t. 10 For I have heard the defaming of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.” 11 But YHWH is with me as an awesome mighty one. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they won’t prevail. They will be utterly disappointed because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which will never be forgotten. 12 But YHWH of Armies, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my cause to you. 13 Sing to YHWH! Praise YHWH, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evildoers.

Apostolic Portion (A)

John 14:1-31

14:1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in Elohim. Believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you; [for I go]^(mss) to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. 4 You know [the way]^(mss) where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Yeshua said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be [unfailing strength]^{(arkeō G714)} for us.” 9 Yeshua said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does [his]^(mss) works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me^(mss) for the very works’ sake. 12 Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to [the]^(mss) Father. 13 Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you will ask [me]^(mss) anything in my name, I will do it. 15 If you love me, [you will]^(mss) keep my commandments. 16 I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Intercessor, that he may be with you forever: 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive, for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.” 22 Judah, not the one of Qeriot, said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Yeshua answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me. 25 “I have said these things to you while still living with you. 26 But the Intercessor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. 28 You heard how I told you, ‘I am going away, and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I said^(mss) I am going to [the]^(mss) Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 Now I have told you before it happens so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let’s go from here.

Additional Portion (ADD)

Jubilees 43:11-24

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

43:11 And Judah said: “O my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ear; two brothers did thy servant’s mother bear to our father; one went away and was lost, and hath not been found, and he alone is left of his mother, and thy servant our father loveth him, and his life also is bound up with the life of this (lad). 12. And it will come to pass, when we go to thy servant our father, and the lad is not with us, that he will die, and we will bring down our father with sorrow unto death. 13. Now rather let me, thy servant, abide instead of the boy as a bondsman unto my lord, and let the lad go with his brethren, for I became surety for him at the hand of thy servant our father, and if I do not bring him back, thy servant will bear the blame to our father for ever.” 14. And Joseph saw that they were all accordant in goodness one with another, and he could not refrain himself, and he told them that he was Joseph. 15. And he conversed with them in the Hebrew tongue and fell on their neck and wept. But they knew him not and they began to weep. 16. And he said unto them: “Weep not over me, but hasten and bring my father to me; and ye see that it is my mouth that speaketh and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see. 17. For behold this is the second year of the famine, and there are still five years without harvest or fruit of trees or ploughing. 18. Come down quickly ye and your households, so that ye perish not through the famine, and do not be grieved for your possessions, for the Lord sent me before you to set things in order that many people might live. 19. And tell my father that I am still alive, and ye, behold, ye see that the Lord hath made me as a father to Pharaoh, and ruler over his house and over all the land of Egypt. 20. And tell my father of all my glory, and all the riches and glory that the Lord hath given Me.” 21. And by the command of the mouth of Pharaoh he gave them chariots and provisions for the way, and he gave them all many-coloured raiment and silver. 22. And to their father he sent raiment and silver and ten donkeys which carried corn, and he sent them away. 23. And they went up and told their father that Joseph was alive, and was measuring out corn to all the nations of the land, and that he was ruler over all the land of Egypt. 24. And their father did not believe it, for he was beside himself in his mind; but when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent, the life of his spirit revived, and he said: “It is enough for me if Joseph liveth; I will go down and see him before I die.”

Related Scriptures

Genesis 43:29-31 (T)

43:29 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “Elohim be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph hurried, for his bowels yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there. 31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Set the bread in place.”

Genesis 37:26-28 (T)

37:26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him. 28 Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The merchants brought Joseph into Egypt.

Psalms 105:16-17 (T)

105:16 He called for a famine on the land. He destroyed the food supplies. 17 He sent a man before them. Joseph was sold for a slave.

Acts 7:9-14 (T)

7:9 “The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. Elohim was with him 10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time. 13 On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh. 14 Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.

Genesis 50:15-21 (T)

50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17 ‘You shall tell Joseph, “Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the Elohim of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of Elohim? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but Elohim meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today. 21 Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.

Genesis 41:53-57 (T)

41:53 The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end. 54 The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” 56 The famine was over all the surface of the land. Joseph opened all the store houses [of grain],^(LXX) and sold to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the land.

Genesis 47:1-4 (T)

47:1 Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” 2 From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.” 4 They also said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”

1 Timothy 5:3-8 (T)

5:3 Honor widows who are widows indeed. 4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety toward their own family and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of Elohim. 5 Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on Elohim and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. 6 But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives. 7 Also command these things, that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Additional Readings​

An Apocryphon of Judah 4Q538 (T)

Fragments 1 + 2 […] Then he conceived a scheme agai[nst his brothers …] For behold, they had in their hea[rt] against [him…] When I was br[ou]ght and entered, […] they [dr]ew near as one and entered, their [clothes] w[orn, dust upon] their he[ads. They came] before Joseph [… and] bowed down. Then he knew that there was no […] evil, and he was no longer able [to control himself. He commanded them, “Le]ave this my neck and kissed me weep[ing …] […] Joseph [no] longer, and all […]

Genesis 45:1-28 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 AD). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s wife Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century AD. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

Chapter 45 And Joseph could not endure not to (be able to) weep, on account of all who stood before him. And he said, Let every man go out from me: and no one stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

And he lifted up his voice with weeping; and the Mizraee heard, and a man of the house of Pharaoh heard.

And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! Is my father yet alive?

But his brothers could not answer him a word; for they were troubled before him.

And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near, I pray, and examine me. And they came near. And he said to them, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Mizraim. Now, therefore, be not grieved, nor consider it a hard thing that you sold me hither; for the Lord sent me hither before you to preserve you. For these two years hath the famine been in the midst of the land, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. But the Lord sent me before you to set you a remnant in the land, and to preserve you by a great deliverance.

And now, it was not you who sent me hither, but it was from before the Lord that the thing was occasioned, that He might set me for a prince unto Pharaoh, a chief over his house, and a ruler in all the land of Mizraim. Make haste, and go up to my father, and say to him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, The Lord hath set me for a chief over all the Mizraee; come down to me, delay not, and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near me, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ children, thy sheep, thy oxen, and all that thou hast. And I will sustain you there, for there are yet five years of famine, lest thou and the men of thy house, and all that thou hast be wasted away. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth speaketh with you in the language of the house of holiness. And you must show my father all the honour I have in Mizraim, and all my greatness which you see, and hasten my father hither.

And he bowed himself upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; because it would be that the house of holiness should be builded in the portion of Benjamin, and be twice destroyed: and Benjamin wept upon Joseph’s neck, because he saw that the tabernacle of Shiloh would be in the portion of Joseph and be destroyed. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept over them, because he saw that the sons of his people would be brought into bondage. And afterward his brethren discoursed with him.

And a voice was heard in the royal house of Pharaoh, saying, The brothers of Joseph are come. And the thing was pleasing in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants. And he said to Joseph, Tell thy brethren, Do this. Lade your beasts, and go, carry into the land of Kenaan; and take your father and the men of your house, and come to me, and I will give you the best of what is desirable in the land of Mizraim, and you will eat the fat of the land. And thou Joseph shalt appoint for the honour of thy father: therefore tell thy brethren, Do this. Take with you from the land of Mizraim wagons drawn by oxen, in which to carry your children and your wives, and bring your father, and come. And your eyes must not look wistfully on your utensils: for the best of what is desirable in all the land of Mizraim is yours.

And the sons of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them wagons according to the word of Pharaoh, and he furnished them with provision for the way. And to each of them he gave vestments and apparel; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver, and five vestments for apparel. And these presents he sent to his father; ten asses laden with wine and the good things of Mizraim, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread, and provisions for his father’s journey. And he dismissed his brothers to go, and said to them, Do not contend about my having been sold, lest you quarrel in passing along the way.

And they went up from Mizraim, and came to the land of Kenaan unto Jakob their father. And they declared to him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and is ruler over all the land of Mizraim. But his heart was divided, because he did not believe them. [JERUSALEM. And his heart was divided.] And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had spoken to them. And when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to bring him, the Spirit of Prophecy which had gone up from him at the time that Joseph was sold, returning, rested upon Jakob their father. And Israel said, Many benefits hath the Lord wrought for me; He delivered me from the hand of Esau and from the hand of Laban, and from the hands of the Kenaanites who pursued me; and many consolations have I seen and have expected to see; but this I had not expected, that Joseph my son should yet be alive. I will go now, and behold him before I die. [JERUSALEM. And Israel said, Many benefits and consolations I had hoped to see; but this I had not expected, that, behold, Joseph my son should be yet alive. I will go and see him before I die.]

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 2.6.8 – 7.4 (T)

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

2.6.10. But Joseph, as overcome now with his affections, and no longer able to personate an angry man, commanded all that were present to depart, that he might make himself known to his brethren when they were alone; and when the rest were gone out, he made himself known to his brethren; and said, “I commend you for your virtue, and your kindness to our brother: I find you better men than I could have expected from what you contrived about me. Indeed, I did all this to try your love to your brother; so I believe you were not wicked by nature in what you did in my case, but that all has happened according to Elohim’s will, who has hereby procured our enjoyment of what good things we have; and, if he continue in a favorable disposition, of what we hope for hereafter. Since, therefore, I know that our father is safe and well, beyond expectation, and I see you so well disposed to your brother, I will no longer remember what guilt you seem to have had about me, but will leave off to hate you for that your wickedness; and do rather return you my thanks, that you have concurred with the intentions of Elohim to bring things to their present state. I would have you also rather to forget the same, since that imprudence of yours is come to such a happy conclusion, than to be uneasy and blush at those your offenses. Do not, therefore, let your evil intentions, when you condemned me, and that bitter remorse which might follow, be a grief to you now, because those intentions were frustrated. Go, therefore, your way, rejoicing in what has happened by the Divine Providence, and inform your father of it, lest he should be spent with cares for you, and deprive me of the most agreeable part of my felicity; I mean, lest he should die before he comes into my sight, and enjoys the good things that we now have. Bring, therefore, with you our father, and your wives and children, and all your kindred, and remove your habitations hither; for it is not proper that the persons dearest to me should live remote from me, now my affairs are so prosperous, especially when they must endure five more years of famine.” When Joseph had said this, he embraced his brethren, who were in tears and sorrow; but the generous kindness of their brother seemed to leave among them no room for fear, lest they should be punished on account of what they had consulted and acted against him; and they were then feasting. Now the king, as soon as he heard that Joseph’s brethren were come to him, was exceeding glad of it, as if it had been a part of his own good fortune; and gave them wagons full of corn and gold and silver, to be conveyed to his father. Now when they had received more of their brother part to be carried to their father, and part as free gifts to every one of themselves, Benjamin having still more than the rest, they departed.

2.7.1. As soon as Jacob came to know, by his sons returning home, in what state Joseph was, that he had not only escaped death, for which yet he lived all along in mourning, but that he lived in splendor and happiness, and ruled over Egypt, jointly with the king, and had entrusted to his care almost all his affairs, he did not think any thing he was told to be incredible, considering the greatness of the works of Elohim, and his kindness to him, although that kindness had, for some late times, been intermitted; so he immediately and zealously set out upon his journey to him.

2.7.2. When he came to the Well of the Oath, [Be’ersheba,] he offered slaughter to Elohim; and being afraid that the happiness there was in Egypt might try his posterity to fall in love with it, and settle in it, and no more think of removing into the land of Canaan, and possessing it, as Elohim had promised them; as also being afraid, lest, if this descent into Egypt were made without the will of Elohim, his family might be destroyed there; out of fear, withal, lest he should depart this life before he came to the sight of Joseph; he fell asleep, revolving these doubts in his mind.

2.7.3. But Elohim stood by him, and called him twice by his name; and when he asked who he was, Elohim said, “No, sure; it is not just that thou, Jacob, shouldst be unacquainted with that Elohim who has been ever a protector and a helper to thy forefathers, and after them to thyself: for when thy father would have deprived thee of the dominion, I gave it thee; and by my kindness it was that, when thou wast sent into Mesopotamia all alone, thou obtainedst good wives, and returnedst with many children, and much wealth. Thy whole family also has been preserved by my providence; and it was I who conducted Joseph, thy son, whom thou gavest up for lost, to the enjoyment of great prosperity. I also made him lord of Egypt, so that he differs but little from a king. Accordingly, I come now as a guide to thee in this journey; and foretell to thee, that thou shalt die in the arms of Joseph: and I inform thee, that thy posterity will be many ages in authority and glory, and that I will settle them in the land which I have promised them.”

2.7.4. Jacob, encouraged by this dream, went on more cheerfully for Egypt with his sons, and all belonging to them. Now they were in all seventy. I once, indeed, thought it best not to set down the names of this family, especially because of their difficult pronunciation [by the Greeks]; but, upon the whole, I think it necessary to mention those names, that I may disprove such as believe that we came not originally from Mesopotamia, but are Egyptians. Now Jacob had twelve sons; of these Joseph was come thither before. We will therefore set down the names of Jacob’s children and grandchildren. Reuben had four sons–Anoch, Phallu, Assaron, Charmi. Shimon had six–Jamuel, Jamin, Avod, Jachin, Soar, Saul. Levi had three sons–Gersom, Caath, Merari. Judas had three sons–Sala, Phares, Zerah; and by Phares two grandchildren, Esrom and Amar. Issachar had four sons–Thola, Phua, Jasob, Samaron. Zabulon had with him three sons–Sarad, Helon, Jalel. So far is the posterity of Lea; with whom went her daughter Dinah. These are thirty-three. Rachel had two sons, the one of whom, Joseph, had two sons also, Manasses and Ephraim. The other, Benjamin, had ten sons—Bolau, Bacchar, Asabel, Geras, Naaman, Jes, Ros, Momphis, Opphis, Arad. These fourteen added to the thirty-three before enumerated, amount to the number forty-seven. And this was the legitimate posterity of Jacob. He had besides by Bilhah, the handmaid of Rachel, Dan and Nephtliali; which last had four sons that followed him— Jesel, Guni, Issari, and Sellim. Dan had an only begotten son, Usi. If these be added to those before mentioned, they complete the number fifty-four. Gad and Aser were the sons of Zilpha, who was the handmaid of Lea. These had with them, Gad seven— Saphoniah, Augis, Sunis, Azabon, Aerin, Erocd, Ariel. Aser had a daughter, Sarah, and six male children, whose names were Jomne, Isus, Isoui, Baris, Abar and Melchiel. If we add these, which are sixteen, to the fifty-four, the forementioned number 70 is completed Jacob not being himself included in that number.