Joseph and Aseneth 16-29
XVI. And the man said to her, "Bring me, please, a honeycomb too." 2. And Aseneth said, "Let me send someone my lord, [1] to my family estate in the country and I will get you a honeycomb." 3. And the man said to her, "Go into your inner room and you will find a honeycomb there." 4. And Aseneth went into her inner room and found a honeycomb lying on the table; and the comb was as white as snow and full of honey, and its smell was like the breath [2] of life. 5. And Aseneth took the comb and brought it to him; and the man said to her, "Why did you say, 'There is no honeycomb in my house?' And lo, you have brought me this." 6. And Aseneth said, My lord, I had no honeycomb in my house, but it happened just as you said: did it perchance come out of your mouth, for it smells like myrrh?" [3] 7. And the man stretched his hand out and placed it on her head and said, "You are blessed, Aseneth, for the indescribable things [4] of God [5] have been revealed to you; and blessed too are those who give their allegiance to the Lord [6] God in penitence, for they shall eat of this comb. 8. The bees of the Paradise of Delight [7] have made this honey, and the angels of God eat of it, and no one who eats of it shall ever die. 9. And the man stretched his right hand out and broke off a piece of the comb and ate it; and he put a piece of it [8] unto Aseneth's mouth. 10. And the man stretched his hand out and put his finger [9] on the edge of the comb that faced eastwards; and the path [10] of his finger became like blood. 11. And he stretched out his hand a second time and put his finger on the edge of the comb that faced northwards, and the path of his finger became like blood. 12. And Aseneth was standing on the left and watching everything the man was doing. 13. And bees came up from the cells of the comb, and they were white as snow, and their wings were irridescent -- purple and blue and gold; [11] and they had golden diadems on their heads and sharp-pointed strings. 14. And all the bees flew in circles round Aseneth, from her feet right up to her head; and yet more bees, [12] as big as queens, settled on Aseneth's lips. 15. And the man said to the bees, "Go, please, to your places." 16. And they all left Aseneth and fell to the ground, every one of them, [13] and died. 17. And the man said, "Get up now, and go to your place;" and they got up [14]("\l "Notes16"") and went, every one of them, to the court round Aseneth's tower.
1. So D: B Slav. om.
2. Lit. 'smell'.
3. D adds 'from your mouth'.
4. So BDH: G 'the hidden things'; F 'the mysteries';A 'the indescribable mysteries'.
5. So BDA: FGH 'the Most High'.
6. BF add 'your'.
7. i.e. the Garden of Eden (cp. the LXX at e.g. Gen iii.23 and Ezek. xxxi.9).
8. Lit. 'and he gave of the comb with his hand'.
9. B Lat. 'his forefinger'.
10. So D Lat.: B Slav. 'appearance'.
11. Lit. 'and their wings were as purple, and hyacinth, and as threads of gold' (= B:A '. . . hyacinth, and as scarlet': D Slav. om. 'and as threads of gold').
12. Aseneth . . . bees: D om.
13. every one of them = B: D Slav. om.
14. And they got up = BFG A Slav.: D om.
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XVII. And the man said to Aseneth, "Have you observed this?" and she said, "Yes, [1] my lord, I have observed it all." 2. And the man said, "So shall be [2] the words I have spoken to you." 3. And the man touched the comb, and fire went up from the table and burnt up the comb; and, as it burned, the comb gave out a refreshing fragrance that filled the room. 4. And Aseneth said to the man, "There are, my lord, seven virgins with me, who have been brought up with me, and who wait upon me: they were born in the same night as I was and I love them: let me call them, [3] so that you can bless them as you have blessed me. 5. And the man said, "Call them;" [4] and Aseneth called them, and the man blessed them and said, "God, [5] the Most High, will bless you [6] for ever." 6. And the man said to Aseneth, "Take this table away;" and Aseneth turned to move the table, and [7] the man vanished out of her sight, and Aseneth saw what looked like a chariot of fire being taken up into heaven towards the east. 7. And Aseneth said, "Be merciful, O Lord, to thy maidservant, because it was in [8] ignorance that I spoke evil [9]("\l "Notes17"") before thee."
1. Lit. 'Lo'.
2. B 'my'
3. Lit. 'Pray, I will call them = DGA: B om.
4. And the man . . . them = BG: Slav. 'And he said, Call them; D om.
5. So DEFT Slav.: A 'the Lord God'; B om.
6. E adds 'and you shall be seven pillars of the City of Refuge'.
7. B adds 'immediately'.
8. D adds 'my'.
9. B 'this word'.
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XVIII. And while this was happening, [1] behold, [2] a young man, one of Joseph's [3] servants, came and said, "Lo, Joseph, the mighty man of God is coming to you [4] to-day." 2. And Aseneth called her steward [5] and said, "Get ready a special dinner for me, because Joseph the mighty man of God, is coming to us." 3. And Aseneth went into her room and opened her wardrobe, and she took out her finest [6] robe that shone like lightning, and she put it on. 4. And she tied a resplendent royal girdle round her waist -- and this girdle was [7] of precious stones. 5. And she put golden bracelets round her hands, and golden boots on her feet, and a costly necklace about her neck; and she put a golden crown upon her head, and in the crown, in front, were the costliest of stones. 6. And she covered her head with a veil. 7. And she said to her maidservant, "Bring me pure water from the spring. And Aseneth bent down to the water in the basin [on the cockle-shell]; [8]("\l "Notes18"") and her face was like the sun, and her eyes like the rising morning star.
1. So B: D Slav. 'and when Aseneth said this'; F 'and Aseneth was saying these things to herself'; A 'and while Aseneth was yet saying these things to herself'.
2. So B Slav.: D 'immediately'.
3. So BDA Slav.: EFG 'Pentephres's'.
4. So D Slav. (plural): B 'you' (sing.).
5. Lit. 'him who was over her house'.
6. Lit. 'first'.
7. and this g. was: B om.
8. Philonenko would exclude these words on the ground that they make no sense. He interprets the verse as a description of a rite of divination (lecanomancy). Aseneth, therefore, could not bend over both a basin and a shell at the same time. It is worth noting, however, that Battifol's much fuller text, not only makes no mention of a shell, but also leaves no room for doubt that Aseneth's purpose in sending for the water was to 'wash her face', and that it was only when she saw her reflection in the water that she desisted ('Lest I wash off this great and welcome beauty').
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XIX. And a little slave came and said to Aseneth, "Lo, Joseph is at the gates of our court;" and Aseneth went down with the seven virgins to meet him. [1] 2. And when Joseph saw her, he said to her, "Come to me, pure virgin, for I have had good news about you from heaven, explaining everything about you." [2] 3. And Joseph stretched his hands out and embraced Aseneth, and Aseneth embraced Joseph, [3] and they greeted each other for a long time and received new life in their spirit. [4]("\l "Notes19"")
1. So D: BFA 'Joseph'.
2. from heaven . . . you: D om.
3. and embraced As . . . Joseph = DA: B om.
4. Or 'by their breath': D om. 'and rec. . . . spirit'.
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XX. And Aseneth said to him, "Come, my lord, come into my house;" and she took his right hand and brought him [1] inside her house. 2. And Joseph sat down on her father Pentephres's seat, and she brought water to wash his feet; and Joseph said to her, "Let one of your virgins come, and let her wash my feet." 3. And Aseneth said to him, "No, my lord, for my hands are your hands, and your feet my feet, [2] and no one else shall wash your feet;" and so she had her way and washed his feet. 4. And Joseph took her by the right hand and kissed it, [3] and Aseneth kissed his head. 5. And Aseneth's parents [4] came back from their country estate, and they saw Aseneth sitting with Joseph and wearing a wedding [5]("\l "Notes20"") robe; and they rejoiced and glorified God, and they ate and drank. 6. And Pentephres said to Joseph, "To-morrow I will invite the lords and satraps of Egypt, and I will celebrate your wedding, and you shall take Aseneth as your wife." 7. And Joseph said, "First I must tell Pharaoh about Aseneth, because he is my father; and he will give me Aseneth as my wife himself." 8. And Joseph stayed that day with Pentephres; and he did not sleep with Aseneth, for he said, "It is not right for a man who worships God to have intercourse with his wife before their marriage."
1. So B: D 'and hand in hand (lit. 'holding each other's right hands') they entered'.
2. So DFA Slav.: B 'my feet your feet'.
3. Or 'her'.
4. B adds 'both her father and her mother'.
5. So BA Slav.: D 'bright'.
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XXI. [1] And Joseph got up early in the morning, and he sent away to Pharaoh and told him about Aseneth. [2] 2. And Pharaoh sent and called [3] Pentephres and Aseneth. [4] 3. And Pharaoh was astonished at her beauty and said, "The Lord will bless you, even the God of [5] Joseph, [6] who has chosen you to be his bride, for [7] he is the first-born son of God, and [8] you will be called daughter of the Most High, and Joseph shall be your bridegroom for ever. 4. And Pharaoh took golden crowns and put them on their heads and said, 5. "God Most High will bless you and prosper your family [9] for ever." 6. And Pharaoh turned them towards each other, and they kissed each other. And Pharaoh celebrated their wedding with a banquet and much merry-making [10] for seven days; and he invited all the chief men in the land of Egypt. [11] 7. And he issued a proclamation, saying, [12] "Any [13] man who does any work during the seven days of Joseph and Aseneth's wedding [14] shall die." 8. And when the wedding was over and the banquet ended, Joseph had intercourse with Aseneth; and Aseneth conceived by Joseph and bore Manasseh and his brother Ephraim in Joseph's [15]("\l "Notes21"") house.
1. Philonenko's text of this chapter is for the most part a reconstruction from the Slavonic, B and D having a number of omissions. A, on the other hand, agrees in the main with the Slavonic apart from a few small variations, expansions and additions.
2. and told . . . Aseneth: BD om.
3. And Phar. . . . called = Slav.: D 'And Phar. called'; B. om.
4. Pent. and As. = D: Slav. 'Pent. and his daughter'; B om.
5. And Phar. . . . God of = (A) Slav.: BD om.
6. So A: Slav. 'Israel'; BD om.
7. who . . . for = (A) Slav.: BD om.
8. he is . . . and = F (A) Syr.: BD Slav. om.
9. Lit. 'and multiply you'.
10. Lit. 'drinking'.
11. you will be called . . . Egypt = (A) Slav.: BD om.
12. And . . . saying = (D) (A) Slav.: B om.
13. So BFGA Slav. (lit. 'every'): D 'if any' ('man does . . . he shall die').
14. B Slav. add 'that man'.
15. So DFA Slav.: BG 'Pharaoh's'.
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XXII. And after this the seven years of plenty came to an end, and the seven years of famine began. 2. And when Jacob heard about his son [1] Joseph, he came into Egypt with his family, in the second month, on the twenty-first day of the month; and he settled in the land of Goshen. [2] 3. And Aseneth said to Joseph, "I [3] will go and see your father, because your father Israel is my father; and Joseph said to her, "Let us go together." 4. And Joseph and Aseneth came into the land of Goshen, and Joseph's brothers met them [4] and made obeisance to them upon the ground. 5. And they came to Jacob and he blessed them and kissed them; [5] and Aseneth hung upon his father [6] Jacob's neck and kissed him. 6. And after this they ate and drank. 7. And Joseph and Aseneth went to their house, and Simeon and Levi escorted them, to protect them: [7] Levi was on Aseneth's right hand and Simeon [8] on the left. 8. And Aseneth took Levi's hand because she loved him as a man who was a prophet and a worshipper of God and a man who feared the Lord. And he used to see letters written in the heavens, and he would read them and interpret them [9]("\l "Notes22"") to Aseneth privately; and Levi saw the place of her rest in the highest heaven.
1. his son: Slav. om.
2. So BA Slav.: D 'Egypt'.
3. So BEFGA Slav.: D 'we'.
4. into . . . them = BA Slav.: D 'and Joseph's brothers'; B adds 'in the land of Goshen'.
5. and kissed them = B Slav.: D om.
6. his father: D om.
7. Lit. 'escorted them because their enemies were envious of them'.
8. So B: DFA Slav. 'Joseph'.
9. So B (lit. 'he would reveal them'): D 'he would reveal all things'.
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XXIII. And as Joseph and Aseneth were passing by, Pharaoh's eldest son saw them [1] from the wall. [2] 2. And when he saw Aseneth [1] he was driven to distraction by her because she was so beautiful; and Pharaoh's son sent messengers [3] and summoned Simeon and Levi to him, and they came to him and stood before him. [4] 3. And Pharaoh's son said to them, "I have heard [5] that you are better soldiers than any others there are on earth, and that with your own right hands you destroyed the city of Schechem and with your own two swords you cut to pieces thirty thousand fighting men. [6] 4. I need your help: let us get together without delay; [7] and I will give you gold and silver in abundance, and menservants and maidservants, and houses and great estates. [8] Make a compact with me, [9] and shew kindness to me; for I was greatly wronged by your brother Joseph, because he married Aseneth although [10] she was originally pledged to me. 5. And now come with me, and I will take up arms against Joseph and kill him with my sword, and I will marry Aseneth; and you shall be my brothers and [11] my friends for ever, 6. But if you will not listen to me, I will kill you with my sword" (and as he said this he bared his sword and showed it them). 7. Now Simeon was a brave but impetuous man, and he drew his sword from its scabbard and made a rush at Pharaoh's son, as if to strike him. 8. And Levi was aware of what Simeon was about to do, for Levi was a prophet and foresaw everything that was to happen; and Levi trod hard on Simon's right foot as a sign to him to curb his wrath. 9. And Levi said to him, "Why so angry with him? For we are the children of a man who worships God, and it is not right for a man who worships God to repay his neighbour evil for evil." 10. And Levi said to his neighbour, [12] Pharaoh's son, respectfully and in good humour, "My lord, why do you speak to us like this? For [13] we are men who worship God, and our father is the servant of God Most High, and our brother Joseph is loved by God: how could we do [14] anything so wicked in God's eyes? 11. And now, listen to us, and be careful you never repeat what you have just said about our brother Joseph. 12. If, however, you persist in this wicked plan, see, our swords are drawn against you." 13. And they [15] drew their swords from their scabbards and said, "Do you see these swords? It was with them that the Lord [16] God avenged the outrage on the sons of Israel, which the men of Schechem committed in the affair of our sister Dinah, whom [17]("\l "Notes23"") Schechem, Hamor's son, defiled." 14. And Pharaoh's son saw their drawn swords, and he was afraid and trembled and fell on his face to the ground at their feet. 15. And Levi stretched his hand out and lifted him up, saying, "Do not be afraid: only be careful you say nothing against our brother." 16. And they went out from him, leaving him trembling and afraid.
1. D 'her'.
2. from the wall = BEA: DFG Slav. om.
3. So BFA Slav.: DG om.
4. and stood before him = BFG: D Slav. om.
5. Lit. 'I know'.
6. Lit. 'thirty thousand men of war' (D om. 'of war').
7. So Slav. (lit. 'I call you to my aid: make haste. Lo, I will take you as companions'): D 'I call you to my aid: make haste'; B 'And lo, I will take you to my aid this day'; A 'And I this day will take you to myself as companions'.
8. Lit. 'inheritance'.
9. So G: B 'swear to me'; D 'listen to me'; A 'strive together with me'.
10. Lit. 'and'.
11. my brothers and: D om.
12. his neighbour: D om.
13. Lit. 'And'.
14. Lit. 'and how (D om.) shall we do'.
15. D 'Simeon and Levi'.
16. the Lord: D om.
17. BD Slav. add 'in'.
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XXIV. And Pharaoh's son was in much affliction and torment because of Aseneth, and he was greatly distressed. 2. And his servants whispered in his ear, "Lo, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, the maidservants of Leah and Rachel, Jacob's wives, hate Joseph and Aseneth and are jealous of them, and they will do what you want." 3. And Pharaoh's son sent messengers [1] and summoned them, and they came to him by night; and Pharaoh's son said to them, "I have heard [2] that your are good soldiers." 4. And Gad and Dan, the elder brothers, said to Pharaoh's son, "Let our lord tell his servants what it is he wants, and he will do it." [3] 5.And Pharaoh's son was overjoyed, and he said to his servants, "Go away and leave us alone, for I have something to say to these men privately." 6. And all the servants went out; and Pharaoh's son told them lies, saying, "I offer you a choice between prosperity and death: [4] so choose prosperity [5] and not death. 7. I know that you are good soldiers, and that you will not die as women die; but act like men and take vengeance on [6] your enemies. 8. I heard" (he continued [7] ) "your brother Joseph say to my father Pharaoh, 'Dan and Gad are the children of maidservants [8] and are not my brothers. 9. And I am only waiting for my father to die to take action against them and all their progeny, so that they will not share the inheritance with us, for they are the children of maidservants, and it was they who sold me to the Ishmaelites. 10. When my father is dead I will repay them for the wrong they did me.' 11. And my father Pharaoh commended Joseph and said to him, [9] 'What you have said is quite right, my son; and now [10] take some of my soldiers [11] and proceed against them as they did against you, and I will help you.'" 12. And when the men heard what Pharaoh's son told them they were much [12] troubled and distressed, and they said to him, "We appeal to you, our lord, to help us; and whatever you tell your servants to do, we will do it." 13. And Pharaoh's son said to them, "To-night I will kill my father, for my father Pharaoh is like [13] a father to Joseph; and [10] do you also kill Joseph, [14] and I will marry Aseneth." 14. And Dan and Gad said to him, "We will do everything you have told us to. We overheard Joseph say to Aseneth, 'Go to-morrow to our country estate, for it is vintage-time; and he has arranged for six hundred armed soldiers to go with her and fifty outrunners." [15] 15. And when Pharaoh's son heard this, he [16] gave the four men five hundred men each and appointed them their officers and commanders. 16. And Dan and Gad said to him, [17] "We will go by night and lie in wait at the brook and hide in the woods on the banks. [18] 17. And as for you, take fifty men with you, archers on horseback, and go on ahead, [19] some distance in front; and Aseneth will come and fall into our [20] hands, [21] and we will cut down the men who are with her. [22] 18. And Aseneth will flee in her chariot and fall into your hands and you will be able to deal with her as you wish. 19. And afterwards we will kill Joseph while he is fretting about Aseneth; and we will kill his children before his eyes." 20. And Pharaoh's son was delighted when he heard this, and he sent two thousand soldiers after them. 21. And they came to the brook and hid in the woods on the banks, and five hundred men took up their position in front; and in between them was a highway. [23]("\l "Notes24"")
1. So BGA Slav.: DF om.
2. Lit. 'I know'.
3. Lit. 'his (= B: DEGA Slav. 'your') will'.
4. Lit. 'Blessing and death are before your face (= BFG (A): D Slav. 'before the face of God').
5. Lit. 'the blessing'.
6. and . . . on = DA Slav.: B 'and greet'.
7. Lit. 'he says'.
8. B 'a maidservant'.
9. to him: B om.
10. Lit. 'for the rest'.
11. D Slav. add 'with you'.
12. DF Slav. om.
13. D om.
14. and . . . Joseph = D Slav.: BF om.
15. and fifty outrunners = (F) A Slav: BD om.
16. when . . . he: D 'the son of Pharaoh'.
17. D 'the son of Pharaoh'.
18. Lit. 'in the wood of reed(s)' (and so subsequently at xxiv.21; xxvii.7; xxviii.5,7).
19. BA add 'of her'.
20. So EFA Slav.: B 'your' (plur.): DG 'your' (sing.).
21. EF 'ambush'.
22. who are with her: B om.
23. Lit. 'a wide (B om.) road'.
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XXV. And Pharaoh's son went to his father's room to kill him; but his father's guards would not allow him [1] to go in to him. 2. And Pharaoh's son said to them, "I want to see [2] my father because I am going off to gather the grapes from my newly planted vine. [3] 3. And the guards said to him, "Your father is in pain, and he has been awake all night; but he is resting now; and he said to us, "Do not let anyone in to me, not even my eldest son." 4. And he went away in anger; and he took fifty mounted archers, and he went in front of them as Dan and Gad had told him to. 5. And Naphtali and Asher [4] said to Dan and Gad, "Why must you plot [5] again against our father Israel and against our brother Joseph? For God looks after him as if he were the apple of his eye. 6. Did you not once sell Joseph as a slave, and to-day he is king of the whole earth, [6] and its saviour, [7] and gives us corn? 7. And now, if you make plots against him again, he will call upon the God of Israel, [8] and he will send fire from heaven, [9] and it will burn you up, and the angels of God will fight against you." [10]("\l "Notes25"") 8. And their elder brothers Dan and Gad were angry with them, saying, "Are we then to die like women? God forbid!" And they went out to encounter Joseph and Aseneth.
1. B adds 'to kill him or'.
2. Lit. 'I will see'.
3. D 'vineyard'.
4. and Asher: B om.
5. Lit. 'work evil'.
6. BGA 'land of Egypt'.
7. and its saviour: B om.
8. the God of Israel = BD: A 'the Most High'; Slav. 'heaven' (cp. EG Syr. 'he will go up into heaven').
9. from heaven: Slav. om.
10. and the angels . . . you: Slav. om.
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XXVI. And Aseneth got up early in the morning and said to Joseph, "I am going to our estate in the country; but I am frightened because you are not coming with me." 2. And Joseph said to her, "Take heart and do not be afraid, but go; for the Lord is with you and he will keep you from all evil [1] as the apple of an eye. 3. And I will go and distribute my corn, and give corn to all the men in the city, [2] so that no one dies of famine in the land of Egypt." [3] 4. And Aseneth departed on her journey and Joseph to the distribution of the corn. 5. And Aseneth came to where the brook was with her six hundred men; and suddenly [4] the men that were with Pharaoh's son leaped out from their ambush [5] and joined battle with Aseneth's soldiers, and they cut them down with their swords and killed all [6] Aseneth's outrunners. 6. And Aseneth fled [7] in her chariot. 7. And Levi, the son of Leah, was informed about all this (for he was a prophet), and he told his brothers [8] about Aseneth's danger; and they took, each one of them, [9] his sword on his thigh, and their shields on their arms, [10] and their spears in their right hands, [11] and they went after Aseneth with what speed they could. [12] 8. And Aseneth fled, and lo, Pharaoh's son met her, and fifty men with him; and Aseneth saw him, and she was afraid and trembled. [13]("\l "Notes26"")
1. B 'danger'.
2. all . . . city = FA: BD 'those in the city'; Slav.: 'all men'.
3. So DA: Slav. 'in all the land'; B 'in Egypt', in all the land which is under it'.
4. Slav. om.
5. from their ambush: Slav. om.
6. killed all: B om.
7. And As. fled = EFGA Slav.: D 'And As. was distressed and fled'; B om.
8. And Levi . . . brothers = B: D 'And Levi was informed about . . . told the men of his counsel'; Slav. 'And Levi told his brothers'.
9. of them = BA Slav.: DEFG om.
10. and . . . arms = DA Slav.: BF 'and their shields'.
11. and . . . hands = EA Slav. (cp. F 'and their spears in their hands'): B 'and their spears on their arms'; D om.
12. with what speed they could (lit. 'at a swift run') = EF (A) Slav.: BD om.
13. A Slav. add 'and she called upon the name of (A + 'the Lord') her God.'
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XXVII. And Benjamin was sitting with her in the chariot. 2. And Benjamin was a sturdy [1] lad, about eighteen years old, indescribably handsome, [2] and as strong as a young lion; and he feared God. 3. And Benjamin jumped down from the chariot, and he took a round stone from the brook and hurled it with all his might [3] at Pharaoh's son and hit him on his left [4] temple and wounded him severely, [5] and he fell from his horse half-dead. 4. And Benjamin clambered up on a rock and said to the driver of Aseneth's chariot, "Give me fifty stones from the brook;" and he gave him fifty stones. 5. And Benjamin hurled the stones and killed the fifty men that were with Pharaoh's son; and the stones sank into the temples of each one of them. 6. Then the sons of Leah, Reuben and Simeon, Levi and Judah, Issachar and Zebulon, went after the men who had lain in ambush; and they fell upon them suddenly, and cut down [7] the two thousand men, and the six of them [8] killed them. 7. And their brothers, the sons of [9] Bilhah and Zilpah, fled; and they said, "We have been ruined through our brothers; [10] and [11] Pharaoh's son is dead, killed by Benjamin, and all those with him have perished at his hand: [12] come now, let us kill [13] Aseneth [and Benjamin], [14] and let us make for the woods." 8. And they came, with their swords drawn, covered in blood; and Aseneth saw them, and she said, "O Lord my God, that didst quicken me from death, that didst say to me, 'Thy soul shall live for ever, deliver me from these men.'" And the Lord God heard her voice, and immediately [15]("\l "Notes27"") their swords fell from t heir hands to the ground and were reduced to dust.
1. So BA: the others vary not a little here.
2. D adds 'beyond the nature of man'.
3. Lit. 'filled his hand and hurled it': cp. 2 Kings ix.24.
4. BD om.
5. Lit. 'and wounded him with a great and grievous wound' (= G Slav.: EFA 'and wounded him with a grievous wound'): BD om.
6. Slav. om.
7. D adds 'all'.
8. Lit. 'the six (D add 'hundred') men'.
9. the sons of: D om.
10. Lit. 'We are perished from out of our brethren'.
11. D 'for'.
12. and . . . hand: BD om.
13. So EFGA Slav.: BD 'make war against'.
14. So all MSS: Slav. om.
15. she said . . . immediately = (A) Slav.: BD om.
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XXVIII. And the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah saw the miracle that had happened and they were afraid [1] and said, "The Lord is fighting for Aseneth against us." 2. And they fell on their faces to the ground and made obeisance to Aseneth, saying, "Have mercy on us, your servants, for you are our mistress and queen, and [2] we have done you [3] a great wrong and our brother Joseph. [4] 3. And now God has brought retribution on us: we pray you, therefore, have mercy on us, and deliver us from our brothers' hands, [5] for they will avenge the outrage done to you and their swords will be against us." 4. And Aseneth said to them, "Take heart and do not be afraid, for [6] your brothers are men who worship God, and do not repay evil for evil [7] to any man. [8] 5. But retire to the woods until I can secure your pardon and mollify their wrath; for what you have been trying to do to them is indeed no trifling matter. [9] 6. Take heart, though, and do not be afraid, for the Lord will see justice done between us." [10] 7. And Dan and Gad fled to the woods. 8. And behold, the sons of Leah came, running like deers in pursuit of them; and Aseneth got down from her chariot, and she greeted them with tears. 9. And they made obeisance to her on the ground and wept aloud; and they asked about their brothers, the maidservants' sons, intending to kill them. 10. And Aseneth said to them, "Spare you brothers and do them no harm, for the Lord has shielded me and reduced the swords in their hands to dust, and they melted away like wax before the fire. 11. Surely this is enough for us that the Lord is fighting for us: so [11] spare your brothers." 12. And Simeon said to Aseneth, "Why should our mistress [12] plead for her enemies? No! We will cut them down [13] with our swords, because they have plotted evil against our father Israel and against our brother Joseph [14] now on two occasions, [15] and they have plotted against you to-day." 14. And Aseneth said to him , "No brother, you must not repay evil for evil to your neighbour, [16] for the Lord will avenge this outrage." 15. And after this [17] Simeon bowed to Aseneth; [18] and Levi came to her, and he kissed her right hand and blessed her. [19]("\l "Notes28"") 16. Thus Aseneth saved the men from their brothers' wrath, so that they did not kill them.
1. DG 'much afraid'.
2. your servants . . . queen and = F (A): BD 'your servants, because'; Slav. 'our mistress'.
3. D adds 'our lady'.
4. and . . . Joseph: Slav. om.
5. BD 'from our brothers'.
6. And . . . for = EG (A) Slav.: D 'And . . . them, Do not fear for'; B 'And we know that'.
7. for evil: B om.
8. to any man: D om.
9. Lit. 'for you have dared great things against them'.
10. Lit. 'between me and you' (= EA Slav.: BD 'between you').
11. Lit. 'for the rest'.
12. Lit. 'Why does our mistress speak'.
13. D adds 'limb from limb'.
14. against our father . . . Joseph = Arm.: B 'concerning our brother Joseph and his father Israel'; D 'against our father Joseph'.
15. So DF (lit. 'now this twice'): B om.
16. evil for . . . neighbour = BA: FG 'evil for evil'; D 'your neighbour evil'.
17. after this = B: D om.
18. So B (lit. 'Simeon greeted Aseneth'): D 'Aseneth greeted Simeon'.
19. and blessed her = B: D om.
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XXIX. And Pharaoh's son lifted himself up from the ground and sat up; and he spat blood from his mouth, because his blood was running from his temple into [1] his mouth. 2. And Benjamin advanced upon him [2] and took hold of his sword [3] and drew it from its scabbard (for Benjamin had no sword of his own with him). 3. And as he was about to strike Pharaoh's son, Levi rushed up and seized him by the hand and said, "No brother, you must not do this, for we are men who worship God, and it is not right for a man who worships God to repay evil for evil, or to trample upon a man who has already fallen, or to harry his enemy to death. 4. But come: let us bind up [4] his wound; and if he lives, he will be our friend, and his father Pharaoh will be our father." 5. And Levi raised Pharaoh's son up and washed the blood off his face and bound a bandage round his wound; and he set him on his horse and took him to his father. 6. And Levi told him everything that had happened. 7. And Pharaoh got up [5] from his throne and made obeisance to Levi upon the ground. [6] 8. And on the third day Pharaoh's son died from the wound of Benjamin's stone. [7] 9. And Pharaoh mourned for his eldest son, [8] and he was worn out with grief. 10. And Pharaoh [9] died at [10] the age of one hundred and nine; and he left his crown [11] to Joseph. 11. And Joseph was king of Egypt for [10]("\l "Notes29"") forty-eight years. 12. And after this Joseph gave the crown to Pharaoh's grandson; and Joseph was like a father to him in Egypt.
1. Lit. 'in'.
2. upon him = BFA: D om.
3. D adds 'to strike him'.
4. Lit. 'let us heal him from'.
5. BFGA: D 'And when Pharaoh heard he got up'.
6. B adds 'and he blessed him'.
7. So BFG: D 'his wound which Benjamin gave him'.
8. for . . . son = BA: D 'and all the council of the palace'.
9. So B Slav.: D 'he'.
10. D adds 'about'.
11. So BEGA: F 'the crown of his kingdom'; D 'his dominion and his crown'.