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 God's will, who has hereby procured our enjoyment of what good things we have; and if he continue in a favourable 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, but do rather return you my thanks, that you have concurred with the intentions of God 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 an happy conclusion, than to be uneasy and blush at those your offences. 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 come 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 habitation 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 their 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 hav ing still more than the rest, they departed.

The removal of Joseph's father, with his family, to him, or account of the famine.

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 he yet lived all along in mourning, but that he lived in splendour and happiness, and ruled over -Egypt jointly with the king, and had intrusted 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 God, 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. When he came to the well of the oath, [Beersheba,] he offered sacrifice to God: and being afraid that the happiness there was in Egypt might tempt 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 God had promised them; as also being afraid, lest if this descent into Egypt were made without the will of God, his family might be destroyed there; out of fear withall, lest he should depart this life before he came to the sight of Joseph, he fell asleep, revolving these doubts in his mind.

3. But God stood by him, and called to him twice by his name; and when he asked, who he was, God said, “No, sure, it is not just that thou Jacob shouldst be unacquainted with that God who has been ever a protector and an 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 shall be many ages in authority and glory, and that I will settle them in the land which I have promised them.”

4. Jacob, encouraged by his 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 name 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 I believe, that we came originally not out of Mesopotamia, but are Egyptians. Now Jacob had twelve sons, of these Joseph was come thither before.

We will, therefore, set down the name of Jacob's children, and grandchildren. Reubel had four sons, Anoch, Phallu, Assaron, Charmi. Simeon 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 Amur. Issachar had four sons, Thola, Phua, Jasub, Samaron. Zabulon had with him three sons, Sarad, Helon, Jalel. So far is the posterity of Leah; with whom went her daughter Dina. These are thirty-three. Rachel had two sons, the one of which, Joseph, had two sons also, Manassel and Ephraim. The other Benjamin, had ten sons, Bolau, Bacchar, Asabel, Geras, Naaman, Jes, Ros, Memphis, 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 Bilha, the handmaid of Rachel, Dan and Nephthali, which last had four sons that followed him, Jessel, Guni, Isari, and Selim. 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 Leah. These had with them, Gad seven, Saphoniah, Augis, Sunis, Azabon, Aerin, Eroed, Ariel. Aser had a daughter, Sarah, and six male children, whose names were Jomne, Isus, Isoui, Baras, 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.

* All the Greek copies of Josephus have the negative particle here, that Jacob himself was not reckoned one of the To sole that came into Egypt; but the old Latin copies want it, and direct y as

5. When Joseph understood that his father was coming, for Judas his brother was come before him, and informed him of his approach, he went out to meet him; and they met together at Heroopolis. But Jacob almost fainted away at this unexpected and great joy; however, Joseph revived him, being yet not himself able to contain from being affected in the same manner, at the pleasure he now had, yet was he not wholly overcome with his passion, as his father was. After this, he desired Jacob to travel on slowly; but he himself took five of his brethren with him, and made haste to the king, to tell him that Jacob and his family were come, which was a joyful hearing to him. He also bid Joseph tell him what sort of life his brethren loved to lead, that he might give them leave to follow the same; who told him, they were good shepherds, and had been used to follow no other employment but this alone. Whereby he provided for them, that they should not be separated, but live in the same place, and take care of their father; as also hereby he provided, that they might be acceptable to the Egyptians, by doing nothing that would be common to them with the Egyptians; for the Egyptians are prohibited to meddle with the feeding of sheep.

6. When Jacob was come to the king and saluted him, and wished all prosperity to his government, Pharaoh asked him, how old he now was: upon whose answer, he was an hundred and thirty years old, he admired Jacob on account of the length of his life. And when he had added, that still he had not lived so long as his forefathers, he gave him leave to live with his children in Heliopolis; for in that city the king's shepherds had their pasturage.

7. However, the famine increased among the Egyptians ; and this heavy judgment grew more oppressive to them, because neither did the river overflow the ground, for it did not rise to its former height, nor did God† send rain upon it;

sure us he was one of them. 'Tis therefore hardly certain which of these was Josephus's true reading, since the number 70 is made up without him, if we reckon Leah for one; but if she be not reckoned, Jacob must himself be one, to complete the number.

*Josephus thought that the Egyptians hated or despised the employment of a shepherd in the days of Joseph; whereas Bishop Cumberland has shown, that they rather hated such Phoenician or Canaanite shepherds that had long enslaved the Egyptians of old time. See his Sanchoniatho, p. 361, 372.

↑ Reland here puts the question, how Josephus could complain of

nor did they indeed make the least provision for themselves, so ignorant were they what was to be done: but Joseph sold them corn for their money. But when their money failed them, they bought corn with their cattle, and their slaves; and if any of them had a small piece of land, they gave up that to purchase them food, by which means the king became the owner of all their substance; and they were removed some to one place, and some to another, that so the possession of their country might be firmly assured to the king; excepting the lands of the priests, for their country continued still in their own possession. And indeed this sore famine made their minds as well as their bodies slaves; and at length compelled them to procure a sufficiency of food by such dishonourable means. But when this misery ceased, and the river overflowed the ground, and the ground brought forth its fruits plentifully, Joseph came to every city, and gathered the people thereto belonging together, and gave them back entirely the land, which, by their own consent, the king might have possessed alonę, and alone enjoyed the fruits of it. He also exhorted them to look on it as every ones own possession; and to fall to their husbandry with cheerfulness; and to pay as a tribute to the king, the * fifth part of the fruits for the land which the king, when it was his own, restored to them. These men rejoiced upon their becoming unexpectedly owners of their lands, and diligently observed what was enjoined to them. And by this means Joseph procured to himself a greater authority among the Egyptians, and greater love to the king from them. Now this law, that they should pay the fifth part of their fruits as tribute, continued until their latter kings.

its not raining in Egypt during this famine, while the ancients affirm that it never does naturally rain there. His answer is, that when the ancients deny that it rains in Egypt, they only mean the Upper Egypt above the Delta, which is called Egypt, in the strictest sense; but that in Delta, [and by consequence in the Lower Egypt adjoining to it.] it did of old, and still does rain sometimes. See the note, Antiq. B. iii. ch. 1. §. 6.

*Josephus supposes, that Joseph now restored the Egyptians their lands again, upon the payment of a fifth part as a tribute. It seems to me rather that the land was now considered as Pharaoh's lands, and this fifth part as its rent, to be paid by them, as he was their landlord, and they his tenants; and that the lands, were not properly restored, and this fifth part reserved as tribute only, till the days of Sesostris. See Essay on the Old Testament, append. p. 148, 149.