this opposition of Joseph's, when she did not || expect it, made her still more violent in her love to him, and she resolved to accomplish her design by a second attempt.

When, therefore, there was a festival coming on, in which it was the custom for women to come to the public solemnity, she pretended to her husband that she was sick, as contriving an opportunity for solitude and leisure, that she might entreat Joseph again. This opportunity being obtained, she used more kind words to him than before, and said that it had been good for him to have yielded to her first solicitation, and to have given her no repulse, both because of the reverence he ought to bear to her dignity, who solicited him, and because of the vehemency of her passion, by which she was forced, though she were his mistress, to condescend beneath her dignity. But that he might now, by taking more prudent advice, wipe off the imputation of his former folly; for whether it were that he expected the repetition of her solicitations, she had now made it, and that with greater earnestness than before, for that she had pretended sickness on this very account, and had preferred his conversation before the festival and its solemnity: or whether he opposed her former discourses, as not believing she could be in earnest she now gave him sufficient security, by thus repeating her application, that she meant not in the least by fraud to impose on him, and assured him, that if he complied with her affections, he might expect the enjoyment of the advantages he already had: and if he were submissive to her, he should have still greater advantages: but that he must look for revenge and hatred from her in case he rejected her desires, and preferred the reputation of chastity before his mistress; for that he would gain nothing by such procedure, as she would then become his accuser, and would falsely pretend to her husband that he attempted her chastity, and that Potiphar would hearken to her words rather than to his, let his be ever so agreeable to the truth.

But though the woman said thus, and even with tears in her eyes, Joseph was not dissuaded from his chastity, nor induced by fear to a compliance with her: but he opposed alike her solicitations and her threatenings, and was afraid to do an ill thing, choosing

rather to undergo the sharpest punishment, than to enjoy his present advantages by doing what his own conscience knew would justly deserve that he should die for it. He also reminded her that she was a married woman, and that she ought to cohabit with her husband only, and desired her to suffer these considerations to have more weight with her than the short pleasure of lustful dalliance which would occasion trouble and repentance afterwards, and yet would not amend what had been done amiss. He also suggested the fear she would be in lest they should be caught, and that the advantage of concealment was uncertain, and that only while the wickedness was not known would there be any quiet for them. But that she might have the enjoyment of her husband's company without any danger, and he told her, that in the company of her husband she might have great boldness, from a good conscience, both before God and before men; nay, that she would act more consistently as his mistress, and make use of her authority over him better while she persisted in her chastity, than when they were both ashamed for what wick edness they had been guilty of; and that it is much better to depend on a good life known to have been so, than upon the hopes of the concealment of evil practices.

Joseph, by saying this and more, tried to restrain the violent passion of the woman, and to reduce her affections within the rules of reason; but she grew more ungovernable, and earnest in the matter: and since she despaired of persuading him, she laid her hands upon him, and had recourse to violence. But as soon as Joseph had got away from her anger, leaving his garment with her, and leaped out of her chamber, she was equally afraid lest he should discover her lewdness to her husband, and incensed at the affront he had offered her, so she resolved to be before-hand with him, and to accuse him falsely to Potiphar, and by that means to revenge herself for his pride and contempt; thinking it a wise thing in itself, and also becoming a woman, thus to prevent his accusation. Accordingly she sat sorrowfully, and in confusion, framing herself so hypocritically and angrily, that the sorrow, which was really occasioned by her disappointment, might appear to be for an attempt upon her chastity: so that when her.

husband came home and enquired what was the cause of the disorder she was in, she began to accuse Joseph.*

"O husband," said she, "mayest thou not live a day longer if thou dost not punish the wicked slave who hast desired to defile thy bed; who has neither recollected who he was, when he came to our house, so as to behave himself with modesty, nor has been mindful of what favours he had received from thy bounty; though he must be an ungrateful man indeed, in every respect, not to act agreeable to us. This man I say, laid a private design to abuse thy wife, and this at the time of a festival, observing when thou wouldst be absent: so that it now is clear that his modesty as it appeared to be formerly, was only because of the restraint he was in out of fear of thee, but that he was not really of a good disposition. This has been occasioned by his being advanced to honour beyond what he deserved, or hoped for; insomuch that he concluded that he who was deemed fit to be trusted with thy estate, and the government of thy family, and was preferred above thy eldest servants, might be allowed to touch thy wife also." When she had spoken thus, she produced Joseph's garment, as if he had left it with her when he attempted to force her. Potiphar not being able to disbelieve what his wife said, and what he saw himself, and being seduced by his love, did not set himself about the examination of the truth, but condemning Joseph as a wicked man, he threw him into the malefactor's prison; and had a still higher opinion of his wife, and bare her witness that she was a woman of a becoming modesty and chastity.

that God, who knew the cause of his affliction, and the truth of the fact, would be more powerful than those that inflicted the punishment upon him. He accordingly soon received a proof of God's providence on his behalf; for the keeper of the prison taking notice of his care and fidelity in the affairs he had set him about, and the dignity of his countenance, relaxed his bonds, and thereby made his heavy calamity lighter, and more supportable to him; he also permitted him to make use of a diet better than that of the rest of the prisoners. Now his fellow prisoners, when their hard labours were over, used to discourse with each other, being equal sufferers, and to inquire one of another what were the occasions of their being condemned to a prison? Among them Pharaoh's cupbearer, and one that had been respected by him, was put in bonds upon the king's anger at him. This man was under the same bonds with Joseph, and soon grew familiar with him; and upon his observing that Joseph had a better understanding than the rest, he told him of a dream he had, and desired he would interpret its meaning, complaining, that besides the afflictions he underwent from the king, God also added to him trouble from his dreams.

He therefore said, that in his sleep he saw three clusters of grapes hanging upon three branches of a vine, large, and ripe for gathering, and that he squeezed them into a cup, which the king held in his hands, and when he had strained the wine, he gave it to the king to drink, and that he received it from him with a pleasant countenance. This, he said, was what he saw; and he desired Joseph, that if he had any portion of understanding in such matters, he would tell him what this vision foretold. Joseph bid him be of good cheer, and expect to be loosed from his bonds in three days' time, because the king desired his service, and was about to restore it to him again; for he let him know that God bestows the fruit of the vine upon men for good, which wine is poured out to him, and is the pledge of fidelity and &c.

Venerem arguamus,

Adeste, Athenæ, fida tamulorum manus, Fer opem, &c.

En præceps abiit

Ensemque trepida liquit attonitus fuga,

Pignus tenemus sceleris, &c

Senec. Hip

mutual confidence among men, putting an end to their quarrels, removing passion and grief out of the minds of them that use it, and making them cheerful. "Thou didst squeeze this wine," said he, "from three clusters of grapes, with thine hands, and the king received it. Know, therefore, that this vision is for thy good, and foretels a release from thy present distress within the same number of days as the branches whence thou gatheredst thy grapes in thy sleep.* † However, remember what prosperity I have foretold thee, when thou hast found it true; and when thou art in authority, do not overlook us in this prison, wherein thou wilt leave us, when thou art gone to the place we have foretold for we are not in prison for any crime, but for the sake of our virtue and sobriety are we condemned to suffer the penalty of malefactors, and because we are not willing to injure him that has thus distressed us, though it were for our own pleasure." The cup-bearer rejoiced to hear such an interpretation of his dream, and waited the completion of what had been thus shewed him beforehand.

Another servant of the king's who had been chief baker, and was now bound in prison with the cup-bearer, was in good hope upon Joseph's interpretation of the other's vision, for he had dreamed also; so he desired that Joseph would tell him what the visions he had seen the night before might mean? "I thought," said he, "that I carried three baskets upon my head, two were full of loaves,

* An. 1767.

†The expression which Joseph makes use of concerning the king's cup-bearer and baker, Pharaoh shall lift up thy head, seems somewhat too literally translated, since the words in the original mean no more, than that Pharaoh would have them brought forth and examined. The ancients, we are to know, in keeping their reckonings, or accounts, of time, or their list of domestic officers, or servants, made use of tables with holes bored in them, in which they put a sort of pegs, or nails, with broad heads, exhibiting the particulars, either number, or name, or whatever it was. These nails, or pegs, the Jews call heads, and the sockets of the heads they call bases. The meaning therefore of Pharaoh's lifting up his head, is, that Pharaoh would take out the peg, which had the cup-bearer's name on the top of it, to read it; i. e. would sit in Judgment, and make examination into his accounts. For it seems very probable that both he and the baker had been either suspected or accused of having cheated the king; and that, when their accounts were examined and cast up, the one was acquitted, while the other was found guilty. And though Joseph uses the same expression in both cases,

and the third full of sweet-meats, and other eatables, such as are prepared for kings: but the fowls came flying, and ate them all up, and had no regard to my attempt to drive them away." He then expected a prediction like to that of the cup-bearer's: but Joseph, considering the dream, said to him that he would willingly be an interpreter of good events to him, and not of such as his dream pronounced; but he told him that he had only three days to live, as the three baskets signified; but that on the third day he should be crucified, and devoured by fowls, while he was not able to help himself. Now both these dreams had the same events that Joseph foretold they should have, and this to both parties: for on the third day, when the king solemnized his birth-day, he crucified the chief baker, but set the butler free from his bonds, and restored him to his former service.

God freed Joseph from his confinement after he had endured his bonds two years, and had received no assistance from the cupbearer, who did not remember what he had said to him formerly; and God contrived this method of deliverance for him. Pharaoh, the king, had seen in his sleep the same evening two visions, and after them had the interpretation of them both given him; he had forgotten the latter, but retained that of the dreams themselves. Being, therefore, troubled at what he had seen, for it seemed to him to be all of a melancholy nature; the next day he called together the wisest men among the Egyptians,|| desiring to learn from them the

yet we may observe, that speaking to the baker he adds, that Pharaoh shall lift up thy head from off thee, i. e. shall order thy name to be struck out of the list of his servants, by taking the peg out of the socket. Bibliotheca Bibl. in locum. B.

Gen. xl. 18.

The Chaldeans of old were the most famous people in the world for divinations of all kinds; and therefore it is very probable that the word Hhartaumim, which we render magicians, is not of Hebrew, but Chalder origin.. The roots, however, from whence it springs (if it be a compound word, as probably it is,) are not so visible; and therefore commentators are perplexed to know by what method men of this profession proceeded in their inquiry into secret things; whether they pretended to expound dreams, and descry future events, by natural observations, by the art of astrology, (which came much in request in future ages,) by such rules as are now found in the books of Oneirocrites or by certain characters, images, pictures, and figures, which were engraved with magical rites and ceremonies. It is not to be doubted, indeed, but that the magicians, whom Pharaoh consulted for the inter