THE HOLY BIBLE

Douay-Rheims Version

 

THE BOOK OF GENESIS

This book is so called from its treating of the GENERATION, that is, of the creation and the beginning of the world   The Hebrews call it BERESITH, from the Word with which it begins.  It contains not only the history of the Creation of the world; but also an account of its progress during the space of 2369 years, that is, until the death of JOSEPH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECOND HALF OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS

CHAPTERS:  26 -50

 
  
The Book of Genesis, Chapter 26
      Isaac sojourneth in Gerara, where God reneweth to him the promise
       made to Abraham.  King Abimelech maketh league with him.
  1  And when a famine came in the land, after that barrenness
      which had happened in the days of Abraham, Isaac went to
      Abimelech king of the Palestines to Gerara.
  2  And the Lord appeared to him and said: Go not down into
      Egypt, but stay in the land that I shall tell thee.
  3  And sojourn in it, and I will be with thee, and will bless
      thee: for to thee and to thy seed I will give all these
      countries, to fulfill the oath which I swore to Abraham
      thy father.
  4  And I will multiply thy seed like the stars of heaven: and
      I will give to thy posterity all these countries: and in
      thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
  5  Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my precepts and
      commandments, and observed my ceremonies and laws.
  6  So Isaac abode in Gerara.
  7  And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning
      his wife, he answered: She is my sister; for he was afraid
      to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps
      they would kill him because of her beauty.
  8  And when very many days were passed, and he abode there,
      Abimelech king of the Palestines looking out through a
      window, saw him playing with Rebecca his wife.
  9  And calling for him, he said: It is evident she is thy
      wife: why didst thou feign her to be thy sister? He
      answered: I feared lest I should die for her sake.
10  And Abimelech said: Why hadst thou deceived us? Some man
      of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou
      hadst brought upon us a great sin. And he commanded all
      the people, saying:
11  He that shall touch this man's wife, shall surely be put
      to death.
12  And Isaac sowed in that land, and he found that same year
      a hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.
13  And the man was enriched, and he went on prospering and
      increasing, till he became exceeding great:
14  And he had possessions of sheep and of herds, and a very
      great family. Wherefore the Palestines envying him,
15  Stopped up at that time all the wells, that the servants
      of his father Abraham had digged, filling them up with
      earth:
16  Insomuch that Abimelech himself said to Isaac: Depart from
      us, for thou art become much mightier than we.
17  So he departed and came to the torrent of Gerara, to dwell
      there:
18  And he digged again other wells, which the servants of his
      father Abraham had digged, and which, after his death, the
      Palestines had of old stopped up: and he called them by
      the same names by which his father before had called them.
19  And they digged in the torrent, and found living water.
20  But there also the herdsmen of Gerara strove against the
      herdsmen of Isaac, saying: It is our water. Wherefore he
      called the name of the well, on occasion of that which had
      happened, Calumny.
21  And they digged also another; and for that they quarreled
      likewise, and he called the name of it, Enmity.
22  Going forward from thence, he digged another well, for
      which they contended not: therefore he called the name
      thereof, Latitude, saying: Now hath the Lord given us
      room, and made us to increase upon the earth.
23  And he went up from that place to Bersabee,
24  Where the Lord appeared to him that same might, saying: I
      am the God of Abraham thy father; do not fear, for I am
      with thee: I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my
      servant Abraham's sake.
25  And he built there an altar: and called upon the name of
      the Lord, and pitched his tent: and commanded his servants
      to dig a well.
26  To which place when Abimelech, and Ochozath his friend,
      and Phicol chief captain of his soldiers came from Gerara,
27  Isaac said to them: Why are ye come to me, a man whom you
      hate, and have thrust out from you?
28  And they answered: We saw that the Lord is with thee, and
      therefore we said: Let there be an oath between us, and
      let us make a covenant,
29  That thou do us no harm, as we on our part have touched
      nothing of thine, nor have done any thing to hurt thee:
      but with peace have sent thee away increased with the
      blessing of the Lord.
30  And he made them a feast, and after they had eaten and
      drunk:
31  Arising in the morning, they swore one to another: and
      Isaac sent them away peaceably to their own home.
32  And behold the same day the servants of Isaac came,
      telling him of a well which they had digged, and saying:
      We have found water.
33  Whereupon he called it Abundance: and the name of the city
      was called Bersabee, even to this day.
34  And Esau being forty years old, married wives, Judith the
      daughter of Beeri the Hethite, and Basemath the daughter
      of Elon of the same place.
35  And they both offended the mind of Isaac and Rebecca.



                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 27



      Jacob, by his mother's counsel, obtaineth his father's blessing 
       instead of Esau.  And by her is advised to fly to his uncle Laban.



  1  Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not
      see: and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him:
      My son? And he answered: Here I am.
  2  And his father said to him: Thou seest that I am old, and
      know not the day of my death.
  3  Take thy arms, thy quiver, and bow, and go abroad: and
      when thou hast taken some thing by hunting,
  4  Make me savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and
      bring it, that I may eat: and my soul may bless thee
      before I die.
  5  And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the
      field to fulfill his father's commandment,
  6  She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with
      Esau thy brother, and saying to him:
  7  Bring me of thy hunting, and make me meats that I may eat,
      and bless thee in the sight of the Lord, before I die.
  8  Now, therefore, my son, follow my counsel:
  9  And go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the
      best, that I may make of them meat for thy father, such as
      he gladly eateth:
10  Which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may
      bless thee before he die.
11  And he answered her: Thou knowest that Esau my brother is
      a hairy man, and I am smooth.
12  If my father shall feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest
      he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring
      upon me a curse instead of a blessing.
13  And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son:
      only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which
      I have said.
14  He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She
      dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked.
15  And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she
      had at home with her:
16  And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands,
      and covered the bare of his neck.
17  And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread
      that she had baked.
18  Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he
      answered: I hear. Who art thou, my son?
19  And Jacob said: I am Esau thy firstborn: I have done as
      thou didst command me: arise, sit, and eat of my venison,
      that thy soul may bless me.
20  And Isaac said to his son: How couldst thou find it so
      quickly, my son?  He answered:  It was the will of God that
      what I sought came quickly in my way.
21  And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son,
      and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or not.
22  He came near to his father, and when he had felt him,
      Isaac said: The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob; but
      the hands are the hands of Esau.
23  And he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like
      to the elder.  Then blessing him,
24  He said: Art thou my son Esau? He answered: I am.
25  Then he said: Bring me the meats of thy hunting, my son,
      that my soul may bless thee. And when they were brought,
      and he had eaten, he offered him wine also, which after he
      had drunk,
26  He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son.
27  He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he
      smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him,
      he said: Behold the smell of my son is as the smell of a
      plentiful field, which Lord hath blessed.
28  God give thee the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the
      earth, abundance of corn and wine.
29  And let peoples serve thee, and tribes worship thee: be
      thou lord of thy brethren, and let thy mother's children
      bow down before thee. Cursed be he that curseth thee: and
      let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings.
30  Isaac had scarce ended his words, when Jacob being now
      gone out abroad, Esau came,
31  And brought in to his father meats made of what he had
      taken in hunting, saying: Arise, my father, and eat of thy
      son's venison; that thy soul may bless me.
32  And Isaac said to him: Why! who art thou? He answered: I
      am thy firstborn son Esau.
33  Isaac was struck with fear, and astonished exceedingly:
      and wondering beyond what can be believed, said Who is he
      then the even now brought me venison that he had taken,
      and I ate of all before thou camest? and I have blessed
      him, and he shall be blessed.
34  Esau having heard his father's words, roared out with a
      great cry: and being in a great consternation, said: Bless
      me also, my father.
35  And he said: Thy brother came deceitfully and got thy
      blessing.
36  But he said again: Rightly is his name called Jacob; for
      he hath supplanted me lo this second time: my first
      birthright he took away before, and now this second time
      he hath stolen away my blessing. And again he said to his
      father: Hast thou not reserved me also a blessing?
37  Isaac answered: I have appointed him thy lord, and have
      made all his brethren his servants: I have established him
      with corn and wine, and after this, what shall I do more
      for thee, my son?
38  And Esac said to him: Hast thou only one blessing, father?
      I beseech thee bless me also. And when he wept with a loud
      cry,
39  Isaac being moved, said to him: In the fat of the earth,
      and in the dew of heaven from above,
40  Shall thy blessing be. Thou shalt live by the sword and
      shalt serve thy brother: and the time shall come, when
      thou shalt shake off and loose his yoke from thy neck.
41  Esau therefore always hated Jacob for the blessing
      wherewith his father had blessed him: and he said in his
      heart: The days will come of the mourning of my father,
      and I will kill my brother Jacob.
42  These things were told to Rebecca: and she sent and called
      Jacob her son, and said to him: Behold Esau thy brother
      threateneth to kill thee.
43  Now therefore, my son, hear my voice: arise and flee to
      Laban my brother to Haran:
44  And thou shalt dwell with him a few days, till wrath of
      thy brother be assuaged,
45  And his indignation cease, and he forget the things thou
      hast done to him: afterwards I will send, and bring thee
      from thence hither. Why shall I be deprived of both my
      sons in one day?
46  And Rebecca said to Isaac: I am weary of my life because
      of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the
      stock of this land, I choose not to live.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 28



     Jacob's journey to Mesopotamia:  his vision and vow.



1   And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him,
    saying: Take not a wife of the stock of Chanaan:
2   But go, and take a journey to Mesopotamia of Syria, to the
    house of Bathuel thy mother's father, and take thee a wife
    thence of the daughters of Laban thy uncle.
3   And God almighty bless thee, and make thee to increase,
    and multiply thee: that thou mayst be a multitude of
    people.
4   And give the blessings of Abrabam to thee, and to thy seed
    after thee: that thou mayst possess the land of thy
    sojournment, which he promised to thy grandfather.
5   And when Isaac had sent him away, he took his journey and
    went to Mesopotamia of Syria to Laban the son of Bathuel
    the Syrian, brother to Rebecca his mother.
6   And Esau seeing that his father had blessed Jacob, and had
    sent him into Mesopotamia of Syria, to marry a wife
    thence; and that after the blessing he had charged him,
    saying: Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of
    Chanaan:
7   And that Jacob obeying his parents was gone into Syria:
8   Experiencing also that his father was not well pleased
    with the daughters of Chanaan:
9   He went to Ismael, and took to wife, besides them he had
    before, Maheleth the daughter of Ismael, Abraham's son,
    the sister of Nabajoth.
10  But Jacob being departed from Bersabee, went on to Haran.
11  And when he was come to a certain place, and would rest in
    it after sunset, he took of the stones that lay there, and
    putting under his head, slept in the same place.
12  And he saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth,
    and the top thereof touching heaven: the angels also of
    God ascending and descending by it;
13  And the Lord leaning upon the ladder, saying to him: I am
    the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac;
    the land, wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and
    to thy seed.
14  And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth: thou shalt
    spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the
    north, and to the south: and IN THEE and thy seed all the
    tribes of the earth SHALL BE BLESSED.
15  And I will be thy keeper whithersoever thou goest, and
    will bring thee back into this land: neither will I leave
    thee, till I shall have accomplished all that I have said.
16  And when Jacob awaked out of sleep, he said: Indeed the
    Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.
17  And trembling he said: How terrible is this place! this is
    no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven.
18  And Jacob, arising in the morning, took the stone, which
    he had laid under his head, and set it up for a title,
    pouring oil upon the top of it.
19  And he called the name of the city Bethel, which before
    was called Luza.
20  And he made a vow, saying: If God shall be with me, and
    shall keep me in the way by which I walk, and shall give
    me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
21  And I shall return prosperously to my father's house: the
    Lord shall be my God:
22  And this stone, which I have set up for a title, shall
    called the house of God: and of all things that thou shalt
    give to me, I will offer tithes to thee.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 29



      Jacob serveth Laban seven years for Rachel:  but is deceived with
       Lia:  he afterwards marrieth Rachel.  Lia bears him four sons.


1   Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east
    country.
2   And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep
    lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and
    the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.
3   And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered
    together to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were
    watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.
4   And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you?
    They answered: Of Haran.
5   And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of
    Nachor? They said: We know him.
6   He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and
    behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.
7   And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither
    is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first
    give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.
8   They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered
    together, and we remove the stone from the well's mouth,
    that we may water the flocks.
9   They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her
    father's sheep: for she fed the flock.
10  And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his
    cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his
    uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.
11  And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting
    up his voice, wept.
12  And he told her that he was her father's brother, and the
    son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.
13  Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister's son was come,
    ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily
    kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had
    heard the causes of his journey,
14  He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the
    days of one month were expired,
15  He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou
    serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
16  Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia:
    and the younger was called Rachel.
17  But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of
    a beautiful countenance.
18  And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee
    seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19  Laban answered: It is better that I give her thee than to
    another man; stay with me.
20  So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed
    but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
21  And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is
    fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22  And he, having invited a great number of his friends to
    the feast, made the marriage.
23  And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,
24  Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zalpha. Now when
    Jacob had gone in to her according to custom when morning
    was come he saw it was Lia:
25  And he said to his father in law: What is it that thou
    didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why
    hast thou deceived me?
26  Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to
    give the younger in marriage first.
27  Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give
    thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me
    other seven years.
28  He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past,
    he married Rachel:
29  To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.
30  And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for,
    he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and
    served with him other seven years.
31  And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb,
    but her sister remained barren.
32  And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name
    Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband
    will love me.
33  And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because
    the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this
    also to me: and she called his name Simeon.
34  And she conceived the third time, and bore another son:
    and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me,
    because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she
    called his name Levi.
35  The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said:
    now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him
    Juda. And she left bearing.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 30


     Rachel, being barren, delivereth her handmaid to Jacob; she beareth
      two sons.  Lia ceasing to bear, giveth also her handmaid, and she
      beareth two more.  Then Lia beareth other two sons and one daughter. 
      Rachel beareth Joseph.  Jacob, desirous to return home, is hired to stay
      for a certain part of the flock's increase, whereby he becometh exceeding rich.



1   And Rachel, seeing herself without children, envied her
    sister, and said to her husband: Give me children,
    otherwise I shall die.
2   And Jacob being angry with her, answered: Am I as God, who
    hath deprived thee of the fruit of thy womb?
3   But she said: I have here my servant Bala: go in unto her,
    that she may bear upon my knees, and I may have children
    by her.
4   And she gave him Bala in marriage: who,
5   When her husband had gone in unto her, conceived and bore
    a son.
6   And Rachel said: The Lord hath judged for me, and hath
    heard my voice, giving me a son, and therefore she called
    his name Dan.
7   And again Bala conceived and bore another,
8   For whom Rachel said: God hath compared me with my sister,
    and I have prevailed: and she called him Nephtali.
9   Lia, perceiving that she had left off bearing, gave Zelpha
    her handmaid to her husband.
10  And when she had conceived and brought forth a son,
11  She said: Happily. And therefore called his name Gad.
12  Zelpha also bore another.
13  And Lia said: This is for my happiness: for women will
    call me blessed. Therefore she called him Aser.
14  And Ruben, going out in the time of the wheat harvest into
    the field, found mandrakes: which he brought to his mother
    Lia. And Rachel said: Give me part of thy son's mandrakes.
15  She answered: Dost thou think it a small matter, that thou
    hast taken my husband from me, unless thou take also my
    son's mandrakes? Rachel said: He shall sleep with thee
    this night, for thy son's mandrakes.
16  And when Jacob returned at even from the field, Lia went
    out to meet him, and said: Thou shalt come in unto me,
    because I have hired thee for my son's mandrakes. And he
    slept with her that night.
17  And God heard her prayers: and she conceived and bore the
    fifth son,
18  And said: God hath given me a reward, because I gave my
    handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.
19  And Lia conceived again, and bore the sixth son,
20  And said: God hath endowed me with a good dowry: this turn
    also my husband will be with me, because I have borne him
    six sons: and therefore she called his name Zabulon.
21  After whom she bore a daughter, named Diana.
22  The Lord also remembering Rachel, heard her, and opened
    her womb.
23  And she conceived, and bore a son, saying: God hath taken
    my reproach.
24  And she called his name Joseph, saying: The Lord give me
    also another son.
25  And when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his father in law:
    Send me away that I may return into my country, and to my
    land.
26  Give me my wives, and my children, for whom I have served
    thee, that I may depart: thou knowest the service that I
    have rendered thee.
27  Laban said to him: Let me find favour in thy sight: I have
    learned by experience, that God hath blessed me for thy
    sake.
28  Appoint thy wages which I shall give thee.
29  But he answered: Thou knowest how I have served thee, and
    how great thy possession hath been in my hands.
30  Thou hadst but little before I came to thee, and now thou
    art become rich: and the Lord hath blessed thee at my
    coming. It is reasonable therefore that I should now
    provide also for my own house.
31  And Laban said: What shall I give thee? But he said: I
    require nothing: but if thou wilt do what I demand, I will
    feed, and keep thy sheep again.
32  Go round through all thy flocks, and separate all the
    sheep of divers colours, and speckled: and all that is
    brown and spotted, and of divers colours, as well among
    the sheep, as among the goats, shall be my wages.
33  And my justice shall answer for me to morrow before thee
    when the time of the bargain shall come: and all that is
    not of divers colours, and spotted, and brown, as well
    among the sheep as among the goats, shall accuse me of
    theft.
34  And Laban said: I like well what thou demandest.
35  And he separated the same day the she goats, and the
    sheep, and the he goats, and the rams of divers colours,
    and spotted: and all the flock of one colour, that is, of
    white and black fleece, he delivered into the hands of his
    sons.
36  And he set the space of three days' journey betwixt
    himself and his son in law, who fed the rest of his flock.
37  And Jacob took green rods of poplar, and of almond, and of
    plane trees, and pilled them in part: so when the bark was
    taken off, in the parts that were pilled, there appeared
    whiteness: but the parts that were whole remained green:
    and by this means the colour was divers.
38  And he put them in the troughs, where the water was poured
    out: that when the flocks should come to drink, they might
    have the rods before their eyes, and in the sight of them
    might conceive.
39  And it came to pass that in the very heat of coition, the
    sheep beheld the rods, and brought forth spotted, and of
    divers colours, and speckled.
40  And Jacob separated the flock, and put the rods in the
    troughs before the eyes of the rams: and all the white and
    the black were Laban's: and the rest were Jacob's, when
    the flocks were separated one from the other.
41  So when the ewes went first to ram, Jacob put the rods in
    the troughs of water before the eyes of the rams, and of
    the ewes, that they might conceive while they were looking
    upon them:
42  But when the latter coming was, and the last conceiving,
    he did not put them. And those that were late ward, become
    Laban's: and they of the first time, Jacob's.
43  And the man was enriched exceedingly, and he had many
    flocks, maidservants and menservants, camels and asses.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 31


     Jacob's departure:  he is pursued and overtaken by Laban.
      They make a covenant.



1   But after that he heard the words of the sons of Laban,
    saying: Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's,
    and being enriched by his substance is become great:
2   And perceiving also that Laban's countenance was not
    towards him as yesterday and the other day,
3   Especially the Lord saying to him: Return into the land of
    thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee.
4   He sent, and called Rachel and Lia into the field, where
    he fed the flocks,
5   And said to them: I see your father's countenance is not
    towards me as yesterday and the other day: but the God of
    my father hath been with me.
6   And you know that I have served your father to the utmost
    of my power.
7   Yea, your father also hath overreached me, and hath
    changed my wages ten times: and yet God hath not suffered
    him to hurt me.
8   If at any time he said: The speckled shall be thy wages:
    all the sheep brought forth speckled: but when he said on
    the contrary: Thou shalt take all the white ones for thy
    wages: all the flocks brought forth white ones.
9   And God hath taken your father's substance, and given it
    to me.
10  For after that time came of the ewes conceiving, I lifted
    up my eyes, and saw in my sleep that the males which
    leaped upon the females were of diverse colors, and
    spotted, and speckled.
11  And the angel of God said to me in my sleep: Jacob? And I
    answered: Here I am.
12  And he said: Lift up thy eyes, and see that all the males
    leaping upon the females, are of divers colors, spotted,
    and speckled. For I have seen all that Laban hath done to
    thee.
13  I am the God of Bethel, where thou didst anoint the stone,
    and make a vow to me. Now therefore arise, and go out of
    this land, and return into thy native country.
14  And Rachel and Lia answered: Have we anything left among
    the goods and inheritance of our father's house?
15  Hath he not counted us as strangers and sold us, and eaten
    up the price of us?
16  But God hath taken our father's riches, and delivered them
    to us, and to our children: wherefore do all that God hath
    commanded thee.
17  Then Jacob rose up, and having set his children and wives
    upon camels, went his way.
18  And he took all his substance, and flocks, and whatsoever
    he had gotten in Mesopotamia, and went forward to Isaac
    his father to the land of Chanaan.
19  At that time Laban was gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel
    stole away her father's idols.
20  And Jacob would not confess to his father in law that he
    was flying away.
21  And when he was gone, together with all that belonged to
    him, and having passed the river, was going on towards
    mount Galaad,
22  It was told Laban on the third day that Jacob fled.
23  And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him
    seven days; and overtook him in the mount of Galaad.
24  And he saw in a dream God saying to him: Take heed thou
    speak not any thing harshly against Jacob.
25  Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain: and when
    he with his brethren had overtaken him, he pitched his
    tent in the same mount of Galaad.
26  And he said to Jacob: Why hast thou done thus, to carry
    away, without my knowledge, my daughters, as captives
    taken with the sword.
27  Why wouldst thou run away privately and not acquaint me,
    that I might have brought thee on the way with joy, and
    with songs, and with timbrels, and with harps?
28  Thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and daughters:
    thou hast done foolishly: and now, indeed,
29  It is in my power to return thee evil: but the God of your
    father said to me yesterday: Take heed thou speak not any
    things harshly against Jacob.
30  Suppose thou didst desire to go to thy friends, and hadst
    a longing after thy father's house: why hast thou stolen
    away my gods?
31  Jacob answered: That I departed unknown to thee, it was
    for fear lest thou wouldst take away thy daughters by
    force.
32  But whereas thou chargest me with theft: with whomsoever
    thou shalt find thy gods, let him be slain before our
    brethren. Search, and if thou find any of thy things with
    me, take them away. Now when he said this, he knew not
    that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33  So Laban went into the tent of Jacob, and of Lia, and of
    both the handmaids, and found them not. And when he was
    entered into Rachel's tent,
34  She in haste hid the idols under the camel's furniture,
    and sat upon them: and when he had searched all the tent,
    and found nothing,
35  She said: Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up
    before thee, because it has now happened to me, according
    to the custom of women, So his careful search was in vain.
36  And Jacob being angry, said in a chiding manner: For what
    fault of mine, and for what offense on my part hast thou
    so hotly pursued me,
37  And searched all my household stuff? What hast thou found
    of all the substance of thy house? lay it here before my
    brethren, and thy brethren, and let them judge between me
    and thee.
38  Have I therefore been with thee twenty years? thy ewes and
    goats were not barren, the rams of thy flocks I did not
    eat:
39  Neither did I show thee that which the beast had torn, I
    made good all the damage: whatsoever was lost by theft,
    thou didst exact it of me:
40  Day and night was I parched with heat, and with frost, and
    sleep departed from my eyes.
41  And in this manner have I served thee in thy house twenty
    years, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy flocks:
    thou hast changed also my wages ten times.
42  Unless the God of my father Abraham, and the fear of Isaac
    had stood by me, peradventure now thou hadst sent me away
    naked: God beheld my affliction and the labour of my
    hands, and rebuked thee yesterday.
43  Laban answered him: The daughters are mine and the
    children, and thy flocks, and all things that thou seest
    are mine: what can I do to my children, and grandchildren?
44  Come therefore, let us enter into a league: that it may be
    for a testimony between me and thee.
45  And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a title:
46  And he said to his brethren: Bring hither stones. And they
    gathering stones together, made a heap, and they ate upon
    it.
47  And Laban called it The witness heap: and Jacob, The
    hillock of testimony: each of them according to the
    propriety of his language.
48  And Laban said: This heap shall be a witness between me
    and thee this day, and therefore the name thereof was
    called Galaad, that is, The witness heap.
49  The Lord behold and judge between us when we shall be gone
    one from the other.
50  If thou afflict my daughters, and if thou bring in other
    wives over them: none is witness of our speech but God,
    who is present and beholdeth.
51  And he said again to Jacob: Behold, this heap, and the
    stone which I have set up between me and thee,
52  Shall be a witness: this heap, I say, and the stone, be
    they for a testimony, if either I shall pass beyond it
    going towards thee, or thou shalt pass beyond it, thinking
    harm to me.
53  The God of Abraham, and the God of Nachor, the God of
    their father, judge between us. And Jacob swore by the
    fear of his father Isaac.
54  And after he had offered sacrifices in the mountain, he
    called his brethren to eat bread. And when they had eaten,
    they lodged there:
55  But laban arose in the night, and kissed his sons, and
    daughters, and blessed them: and returned to his place.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 32



1   Jacob also went on the journey he had begun: and the
    angels of God met him.
2   And when he saw them, he said: These are the camps of God,
    and he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is,
    Camps.
3   And he sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to
    the land of Seir to the country of Edom:
4   And he commanded them, saying: Thus shall ye speak to my
    lord Esau: Thus saith thy brother Jacob: I have sojourned
    with Laban, and have been with him until this day.
5   I have oxen, and asses, and sheep, and menservants, and
    womenservants: and now I send a message to my lord, that
    I may find favor in thy sight.
6   And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: We came to
    Esau thy brother, and behold he cometh with speed to meet
    thee with four hundred men.
7   Then Jacob was greatly afraid; and in his fear divided the
    people that was with him, and the flocks, and the sheep,
    and the oxen, and the camels, into two companies,
8   Saying: If Esau come to one company and destroy it, the
    other company that is left shall escape.
9   And Jacob said: O God of my father Abraham, and God of my
    father Isaac, O Lord, who saidst to me: Return to thy land
    and to the place of thy birth, and I will do well for
    thee,
10  I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of
    thy truth which thou hast fulfilled to thy servant. With
    my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I return with
    two companies.
11  Deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am
    greatly afraid of him: lest perhaps he come, and kill the
    mother with the children.
12  Thou didst say that thou wouldst do well by me, and
    multiply my seed like the sand of the sea, which cannot be
    numbered for the multitude.
13  And when he had slept there that night, he set apart, of
    the things which he had, presents for his brother Esau.
14  Two hundred she goats, twenty he goats, two hundred ewes,
    and twenty rams,
15  Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and
    twenty bulls, twenty she asses, and ten of their foals.
16  And he sent them by the hands of his servants, every drove
    by itself, and he said to his servants: Go before me, and
    let there be a space between drove and drove.
17  And he commanded the first, saying: If thou meet my
    brother Esau, and he ask thee: Whose art thou? or whither
    goest thou? or whose are these before thee?
18  Thou shalt answer: Thy servant Jacob's: he hath sent them
    as a present to my lord Esau: and he cometh after us.
19  In like manner he commanded the second and the third, and
    all that followed with the droves, saying: Speak ye the
    same words to Esau, when ye find him.
20  And ye shall add: thy servant Jacob himself also followeth
    after us: for he said: I will appease him with the
    presents that go before, and afterwards I will see him,
    perhaps he will be gracious to me.
21  So the presents went before him, but himself lodged that
    night in the camp.
22  And rising early he took his two wives, and his two
    handmaids, with his eleven sons, and passed over the ford
    of Jaboc.
23  And when all things were brought over that belonged to
    him,
24  He remained alone: and behold a man wrestled with him till
    morning.
25  And when he saw that he could not overcome him, he touched
    the sinew of his thigh, and forthwith it shrank.
26  And he said to him: Let me go, for it is break of day. He
    answered: I will not let thee go except thou bless me.
27  And he said: What is thy name? He answered: Jacob.
28  But he said: Thy name shall not be called Jacob, but
    Israel: for if thou hast been strong against God, how much
    more shalt thou prevail against men?
29  Jacob asked him, Tell me by what name art thou called? He
    answered: Why dost thou ask my name? And he blessed him in
    the same place.
30  And Jacob called the name of the place Phanuel, saying: I
    have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved.
31  And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he was past
    Phanuel; but he halted on his foot.
32  Therefore the children of Israel, unto this day, eat not
    the sinew, that shrank in Jacob's thigh: because he
    touched the sinew of his thigh and it shrank.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 33



1   And Jacob lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming, and with
    him four hundred men: and he divided the children of Lia,
    and of Rachel, and of the two handmaids:
2   And he put both the handmaids and their children foremost:
    and Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel
    and Joseph last.
3   And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the
    ground seven times until his brother came near.
4   Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and
    clasping him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept.
5   And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their
    children, and said: What mean these? And do they belong to
    thee? He answered: They are the children which God hath
    given to me thy servant.
6   Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed
    themselves.
7   Lia also with her children came near, and bowed down in
    like manner, and last of all Joseph and Rachel bowed down.
8   And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He
    answered: That I might find favor before my lord.
9   But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine
    for thyself.
10  And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have
    found favor in thy eyes, receive a little present at my
    hands: for I have seen thy face, as if I should have seen
    the countenance of God: be gracious to me,
11  And take the blessing, which I have brought thee, and
    which God hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it
    with much ado at his brother's earnest pressing him,
12  And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee
    in thy journey.
13  And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me
    tender children, and sheep, and kine with young: which if
    I should cause to be overdriven, in one day all the flocks
    will die.
14  May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will
    follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be
    able, until I come to my lord in Seir.
15  Esau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people at
    least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the
    way. And he said: There is no necessity: I want nothing
    else but only to find favor, my lord, in thy sight.
16  So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir.
17  And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and
    pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth,
    that is, Tents.
18  And he passed over to Salem, a city of the Sichemites,
    which is in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from
    Mesopotamia of Syria: and he dwelt by the town:
19  And he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched
    his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem
    for a hundred lambs.
20  And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most
    mighty God of Israel.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 34



1   And Dina the daughter of Lia went out to see the women of
    that country.
2   And when Sichem the son of Hemor the Hevite, the prince of
    that land, saw her, he was in love with her: and took her
    away, and lay with her, ravishing the virgin.
3   And his soul was fast knit unto her, and whereas she was
    sad, he comforted her with sweet words.
4   And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel
    to wife.
5   But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and
    employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till
    they came back.
6   And when Hemor the father of Sichem was come out to speak
    to Jacob,
7   Behold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had
    passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a
    foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in
    ravishing Jacob's daughter,
8   And Hemor spoke to them: The soul of my son Sichem has a
    longing for your daughter: give her him to wife:
9   And let us contract marriages one with another: give us
    your daughters and take you our daughters,
10  And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till,
    trade,and possess it.
11  Sichem also said to her father and to her brethren: Let me
    find favor in your sight: and whatsoever you shall appoint
    I will give.
12  Raise the dowery,, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give
    what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife.
13  The sons of Jacob answered Sichem and his father
    deceitfully, being enraged at the deflowering of their
    sister:
14  We cannot do what you demand, nor give our sister to one
    that is uncircumcised, which with us is unlawful and
    abominable.
15  But in this way may we be allied with you, if you will be
    like us, and all the male sex among you be circumcised:
16  Then will we mutually give and take your daughters, and
    ours: and we will dwell with you, and will be one people:
17  But if you will not be circumcised, we will take our
    daughter and depart:
18  Their offer pleased Hemor, and Sichem his son:
19  And the young man made no delay, but forthwith fulfilled
    what was required, for he loved the damsel exceedingly,
    and he was the greatest man in all his father's house.
20  And going into the gate of the city they spoke to the
    people:
21  These men are peaceable and willing to dwell with us: let
    them trade in the land, and till it, which being large and
    wide wanteth men to till it: we shall take their daughters
    for wives, and we will give them ours.
22  One thing there is for which so great a good is deferred:
    We must circumcise every male among us, following the
    manner of the nation.
23  And their substance, and cattle, and all that they
    possess, shall be ours: only in this let us condescend,
    and by dwelling together, we shall make one people.
24  And they all agreed, and circumcised all the males.
25  And behold the third day, when the pain of the wound was
    greatest, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, the
    brothers of Dina, taking their swords, entered boldly into
    the city, and slew all the men:
26  And they killed also Hemor and Sichem, and took away their
    sister Dina, out of Sichem's house.
27  And when they were gone out, the other sons of Jacob came
    upon the slain; and plundered the city in revenge of the
    rape.
28  And they took their sheep and their herds and their asses,
    wasting all they had in their houses and in the fields.
29  and their children and wives they took captive,
30  And when they had boldly perpetrated these things, Jacob
    said to Simeon and Levi: You have troubled me, and made me
    hateful to the Chanaanites and Pherezites, the inhabitants
    of this land: we are few: they will gather themselves
    together and kill me; and both I, and my house, shall be
    destroyed.
31  They answered: Should they abuse our sister as a strumpet?




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 35



1   In the meantime God said to Jacob: Arise, and go up to
    Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar to God,
    who appeared to thee when thou didst flee from Esau thy
    brother.
2   And Jacob having called together all his household, said:
    Cast away the strange gods that are among you, and be
    cleansed and change your garments.
3   Arise, and let us go up to Bethel, that we may make there
    an altar to God: who heard me in the day of my affliction,
    and accompanied me in my journey.
4   So they gave him all the strange gods they had, and the
    earrings which were in their ears: and he buried them
    under the turpentine tree, that is behind the city of
    Sichem.
5   And when they were departed, the terror of God fell upon
    all the cities round about, and they durst not pursue
    after them as they went away.
6   And Jacob came to Luza, which is in the land of Chanaan,
    surnamed Bethel: he and all the people that were with him.
7   And he built there an altar, and called the name of that
    place, The house of God: for there God appeared to him
    when he fled from his brother.
8   At the same time Debora the nurse of Rebecca died, and was
    buried at the foot of Bethel under an oak: and the name of
    that place was called, The oak of weeping.
9   And God appeared again to Jacob, after he returned from
    Mesopotamia of Syria, and he blessed him,
10  Saying: Thou shalt not be called any more Jacob, but
    Israel shall be thy name. And he called him Israel.
11  And said to him: I am God Almighty, increase thou and be
    multiplied. Nations and peoples of nations shall be from
    thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins.
12  And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will
give to thee, and to thy seed after thee.
13  And he departed from him.
14  But he set up a monument of stone, in the place where God
    had spoken to him: pouring drink offerings upon it, and
    pouring oil thereon:
15  And calling the name of that place Bethel.
16  And going forth from thence, he came in the springtime to
    the land which leadeth to Ephrata: wherein when Rachel was
    in travail,
17  By reason of her hard labor she began to be in danger, and
    the midwife said to her: Fear not, for thou shalt have
    this son also.
18  And when her soul was departing for pain, and death was
    now at hand, she called the name of her son Benoni, that
    is, The son of my pain: but his father called him
    Benjamin, that is, The son of the right hand.
19  So Rachel died, and was buried in the highway that leadeth
    to Ephrata, that is Bethlehem.
20  And Jacob erected a pillar over her sepulcher: this is the
    pillar of Rachel's monument, to this day.
21  Departing thence, he pitched his tent beyond the Flock
    tower.
22  And when he dwelt in that country, Ruben went, and slept
    with Bala, the concubine of his father: which he was not
    ignorant of. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
23  The sons of Lia: Ruben the firstborn, and Simeon, and
    Levi, and Juda, and Issachar, and Zebulon.
24  The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25  The sons of Bala, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and Naphthali.
26  The sons of Zelpha, Lia's handmaid: Gad and Aser: these
    are the sons of Jacob, that were born to him in
    Mesopotamia of Syria.
27  And he came to Isaac his father in Mambre, the city of
    Arbee, this is Hebron: Wherein Abraham and Isaac
    sojourned.
28  And the days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years.
29  And being spent with age he died, and was gathered to his
    people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and
    Jacob buried him.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 36



1   And these are the generations of Esau, the same is Edom.
2   Esau took wives of the daughters of Chanaan: Ada the
    daughter of Elon the Hethite, and Oolibama the daughter of
    Ana, the daughter of Sebeon the Hevite:
3   And Basemath the daughter of Ismael, sister of Nabajoth.
4   And Ada bore Eliphaz: Basemath bore Rahuel:
5   Oolibama bore Jehus and Ihelon and Core. These are the
    sons of Esau, that were born to him in the land of
    Chanaan.
6   And Esau took his wives and his sons and daughters, and
    every soul of his house, and his substance, and cattle,
    and all that he was able to acquire in the land of
    Chanaan: and went into another country, and departed from
    his brother Jacob.
7   For they were exceeding rich, and could not dwell
    together: neither was the land in which they sojourned
    able to bear them, for the multitude of their flocks.
8   And Esau dwelt in mount Seir: he is Edom.
9   And these are the generations of Esau the father of Edom
    in mount Seir,
10  And these the names of his sons: Eliphaz the son of Ada
    the wife of Esau: and Rahnel the son of Basemath his wife.
11  And Eliphaz had sons: Theman, Omar, Sepho, and Gatham, and
    Cenee.
12  And Thamna was the concubine of Eliphaz the son of Esau:
    and she bore him Amalech. These are the sons of Ada the
    wife of Esau.
13  And the sons of Rahuel were Nahath and Zara, Samma and
    Meza. These were the sons of Basemath the wife of Esau.
14  And these were the sons of Oolibama, the daughter of Ana,
    the daughter of Sebeon, the wife of Esau, whom she bore to
    him, Jehus, and Ihelon, and Core.
15  These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz
    the firstborn of Esau: duke Theman, duke Omar, duke Sepho,
    duke Cenez,
16  Duke Core, duke Gatham, duke Amalech: these are the sons
    of Eliphaz, in the land of Edom, and these the Bone of
    Ada.
17  And these were the sons of Rahuel, the son of Esau: duke
    Nahath, duke Zara, duke Samma, duke Meza. And these are
    the dukes of Rahuel, in the land of Edom: these the sons
    of Base- math the wife of Esau.
18  And these the sons of Oolibama the wife of Esau: duke
    Jehus, duke Ihelon, duke Core. These are the dukes of
    Oolibama, the daughter of Ana, and wife of Esau.
19  These are the sons of Esau, and these the dukes of them:
    the same is Edom.
20  These are the sons of Seir the Horrite, the inhabitants of
    the land: Lotan, and Sobal, and Sebeon, and Ana,
21  And Dison, and Eser, and Disan. These are dukes of the
    Horrites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom.
22  And Lotan had sons: Hori and Heman. And the sister of
    Lotan was Thamna.
23  And these the sons of Sobal: Alvan and Manahat, and Ebal,
    and Sepho, and Oman.
24  And these the sons of Sebeon: Aia and Ana. This is Ana
    that found the hot waters in the wilderness, when he fed
    the asses of Sebeon his father:
25  And he had a son Dison, and a daughter Oolibama.
26  And these were the sons of Dison: Hamdan, and Eseban, and
    Jethram, and Charan.
27  These also were the sons of Eser: Balaan, and Zavan, and
    Acan.
28  And Disan had sons : Hus, and Aram.
29  These were dukes of the Horrites: duke Lotan, duke Sobal,
    duke Sebeon, duke Ana,
30  Duke Dison, duke Eser, duke Disan: these were dukes of the
    Horrites that ruled in the land of Seir.
31  And the kings that ruled in the land of Edom, before the
    children of Israel had a king were these:
32  Bela the son of Beer, and the name of his city Denaba.
33  And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zara of Bosra reigned
    in his stead.
34  And when Jobab was dead, Husam of the land of the
    Themanites reigned in his stead.
35  And after his death, Adad the son of Badad reigned in his
    stead, who defeated the Madianites in the country of Moab:
    and the name of his city was Avith.
36  And when Adad was dead, there reigned in his stead, Semla
    of Masreca.
37  And he being dead, Saul of the river Rohoboth, reigned in
    his stead.
38  And when he also was dead, Balanan the son of Achobor
    succeeded to the kingdom.
39  This man also being dead, Adar reigned in his place, and
    the name of his city was Phau: and his wife was called
    Meetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezaab.
40  And these are the names of the dukes of Esau in their
    kindreds, and places, and callings: duke Thamna, duke
    Alva, duke Jetheth,
41  Duke Oolibama, duke Ela, duke Phinon,
42  Duke Cenez, duke Theman, duke Mabsar,
43  Duke Magdiel, duke Hiram: these are the dukes of Edom
    dwelling in the land of their government; the same is Esau
    the father of the Edomites.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 37



1   And Jacob dwelt in the land of Chanaan wherein his father
    sojourned.
2   And these are his generations: Joseph, when he was sixteen
    years old, was feeding the dock with his brethren, being
    but a boy: and he was with the sons of and of Zelpha his
    father's wives : and he accused his brethren to his father
    of a most wicked crime.
3   Now Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, because he had
    him in his old age: and he made him a coat of divers
    colours.
4   And his brethren seeing that he was loved by his father,
    more than all his sons, hated him, and could not speak
    peaceably to him.
5   Now it fell out also that he told his brethren a dream,
    that he had dreamed: which occasioned them to hate him the
    more.
6   And he said to them: Hear my dream which I dreamed.
7   I thought we were binding sheaves in the field: and my
    sheaf arose as it were, end stood, and your sheaves
    standing about, bowed down before my sheaf.
8   His brethren answered : Shalt thou be our king? or shall
    we be subject to thy dominion? Therefore this matter of
    his dreams and words ministered nourishment to their envy
    and hatred.
9   He dreamed also another dream, which he told his brethren,
    saying: I saw in a dream, as it were the sun, and the
    moon, and eleven stars worshipping me.
10  And when he had told this to his father and brethren, his
    father rebuked him, and said: What meaneth this dream that
    thou hast dreamed? shall I and thy mother, and thy
    brethren worship thee upon the earth?
11  His brethren therefore envied him: but his father
    considered the thing with himself.
12  And when his brethren abode in Sichem feeding their
    father's docks,
13  Israel said to him : Thy brethren feed the sheep in
    Sichem: come, I will send thee to them. And when he
    answered:
14  I am ready: he said to him: Go, and see if all things be
    well with thy brethren, and the cattle: and bring me word
    again what is doing. So being sent from the vale of
    Hebron, he came to Sichem:
15  And a man found him there wandering in the field, and
    asked what he sought.
16  But he answered: I seek my brethren; tell me where they
    feed the docks.
17  And the man said to him: They are departed from this
    place: for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothain. And
    Joseph went forward after his brethren, and found them in
    Dothain.
18  And when they saw him afar off, be- fore he came nigh
    them, they thought to kill him.
19  And said one to another: Behold the dreamer cometh.
20  Come, let us kill him, and cast him into some old pit :
    and we will say : Some evil beast hath devoured him: and
    then it shall appear what his dreams avail him :
21  And Ruben hearing this, endeavoured to deliver him out of
    their hands, end said:
22  Do not take away his life, nor shed his blood: but cast
    him into this pit, that is in the wilderness, and keep
    your hands harmless: now he said this, being desirous to
    deliver him out of their hands and to restore him to his
    father.
23  And as soon as he came to his brethren, they forthwith
    stript him of his outside coat, that was of divers
    colours:
24  And cast him into an old pit, where there was no water.
25  And sitting down to eat bread, they saw some Ismaelites on
    their way coming from Calaad, with their camels, carrying
    spices, and balm, and myrrh to Egypt.
26  And Juda said to his brethren: What will it profit us to
    kill our brother, and conceal his blood?
27  It is better that he be sold to the Ismaelites, and that
    our hands be not defiled: for he is our brother and our
    flesh. His brethren agreed to his words.
28  And when the Madianite merchants passed by, they drew him
    out of the pit, and sold him to the Ismaelites, for twenty
    pieces of silver: and they led him into Egypt.
29  And Ruben, returning to the pit, found not the boy:
30  And rending his garments he went to his brethren, and
    said: The boy doth not appear and whither shall I go?
31  And they took his coat, and dipped it in the blood of a
    kid, which they had killed :
32  Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This
    we have found: see whether it be thy son's coat, or not.
33  And the father acknowledging it, said: It is my son's
    coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath
    devoured Joseph.
34  And tearing his garments, he put an sackcloth, mourning
    for his son a long time.
35  And alibis children being gathered together to comfort
    their father in his sorrow, he would not receive comfort,
    but said: I will go down to my son into hell, mourning.
    And whilst he continued weeping,
36  The Madianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Putiphar, an eunuch
    of Pharao, captain of the soldiers.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 38



1   At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned
    in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.
2   And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called
    Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.
3   And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name
    Her.
4   And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.
5   She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. after whose
    birth, she ceased to bear any more.
6   And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was
    Thamar.
7   And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of
    the Lord: and was slain by him.
8   Juda, therefore add to Onan his son: Go in to thy
    brother's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed
    to thy brother.
9   He knowing that the children should not be his, when he
    went in to his brother's wife, spilled his seed upon the
    ground, lest children should be born in his brother's
    name.
10  And therefore the Lord slew him, be- cause he did a
    detestable thing.
11  Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain
    a widow in thy father's house, till Sela my son grow up:
    for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren
    did. She went her way and dwelt in her father's house.
12  And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the
    wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his
    mourning, he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his
    sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his
    flock.
13  And it was told Thamar that her father in law was come up
    to Thamnas to shear his sheep.
14  And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a
    veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that
    leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had
    not been married to him.
16  When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot: for she
    had covered her face, lest she should be known.
16  And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for
    he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she
    answered: What wilt thou give me to en joy my company?
17  He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when
    she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give
    a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest,
18  Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge ? She
    answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou
    holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation
    conceived.
19  And she arose and went her way: and putting off the
    apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her
    widowhood.
20  And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that
    he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to
    the woman: but he, not finding her,
21  asked the men of that place : Where is the woman that sat
    in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was
    no harlot in this place,
22  He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have not found
    her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there
    never sat a harlot there.
23  Juda said : Let her take it to herself ; surely she cannot
    charge us with a,lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and
    thou didst not find her.
24  And behold after three months they told a lie, saying:
    Thamar, thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and
    she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said : Bring
    her out that she may be burnt.
26  But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father
    in law, saying: By the man, to whom these things belong,
    I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff
    this is.
26  But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than
    I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son. However, he
    knew her no more.
27  And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there
    appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of
    the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife
    tied a scarlet thread, saying:
28  This shall come forth the first.
29  But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth: and
    the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? and
    therefore called his name Phares.
30  Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the
    scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 39



1   And Joseph was brought into Egypt, and Putiphar an eunuch
    of Pharao, chief captain of the army, an Egyptian, bought
    him of the Ismaelites, by whom he was brought.
2   And the Lord was with him, and he was a prosperous man in
    all things: and he dwelt in his master's house,
3   Who knew very well that the Lord was with him, and made
    all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4   And Joseph found favour in the sight of his master, and
    ministered to him: and being set over all by him, he
    governed the house committed to him, and all things that
    were delivered to him:
5   And the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian for
    Joseph's sake, and multiplied all his substance, both at
    home, and in the fields.
8   Neither knew he any other thing, but the bread which he
    ate. And Joseph was of a beautiful countenance, and comely
    to behold.
7   h And after many days his mistress 'cast her eyes on
    Joseph, and said: Lie with me.
8   But he, in no wise consenting to that wicked act, said to
    her: Behold, my master hath delivered all things to me,
    and knoweth not what he hath in his own house:
9   Neither is there any thing which is hot in my power, or
    that he hath not delivered to me, but thee, who art his
    wife : how then can I do this wicked thing, and I sin
    against my God?
10  With such words as these day by day, both the woman was
    importunate with the young man, and he refused the
    adultery.
11  Now it happened on it certain day, that Joseph went into
    the house, and was doing some business without any, man
    with him:
12  And she catching the skirt of his garment, said: Lie with
    me. But he leaving the garment in her hand, fled, and went
    out.
13  And when the woman saw the garment in her hands, and
    herself disregarded,
14  She called to her the men of her house, and said to them:
    See, he hath brought in a Hebrew, to abuse us: he came in
    to me, to lie with me : and when I cried out,
16  And he heard my voice, he left the garment that I held,
    and got him out.
16  For a proof therefore of her fidelity, she kept the
    garment, and shewed it to her husband when he returned
    home:
17  And said: The Hebrew servant, whom thou best brought, came
    to me to abuse me.
18  And when he heard me cry, he left the garment which I
    held, and fled out.
19  His master hearing these things, and giving too much
    credit to his wife's words, was very angry.
20  And cast Joseph into the prison, where the king's
    prisoners were kept, and he was there shut up.
21  But the Lord was with Joseph and having mercy upon him
    gave him favour in the sight of the chief keeper of the
    prison:
22  Who delivered into his hand all the prisoners that were
    kept in custody: and whatsoever was done was under him.
23  Neither did he himself know any thing, having committed
    all things to him: for the Lord was with him, and made all
    that he did to prosper.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 40



1   After this, it came to pass, that two eunuchs, the butler
    and the baker of the king of Egypt, offended their lord.
2   And Pharao being angry with them (now the one was chief
    butler, the other chief baker)
3   He sent them to the prison of the commander of the
    soldiers, in which Joseph also was prisoner,
4   But the keeper of the prison delivered them to Joseph, and
    he served them. Some little time passed, and they were
    kept in custody.
5   And they both dreamed a dream the same night, according to
    the interpretation agreeing to themselves:
6   And when Joseph was come in to them in the morning, and
    saw them sad,
7   He asked them, saying: Why is your oountenance sadder to
    day than usual?
8   They answered: We have dreamed a dream, and there is
    nobody to interpret it to us. And Joseph said to them:
    Both not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you
    have dreamed. g The chief butler first told his dream: I
    saw before me a vine,
10  On which were three branches, which by little and little
    sent out buds, and after the blossoms brought forth ripe
    grapes :
11  And the cup of Pharao was in my hand: and I took the
    grapes, and pressed them into the cup which I held, and I
    gave the cup to Pharao.
12  Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream:
    The three branches are yet three days:
13  After which Pharao will remember thy service, and will
    restore thee to thy former place: and thou shah present
    him the cup according to thy office, as before thou wast
    wont to do.
14  Only remember me, when it shall be well with thee, and do
    me this kindness: to put Pharao in mind to take me out of
    this prison:
16  For I was stolen away out of the land I of the Hebrews,
    and here without any fault was cast into the dungeon.
16  The chief baker seeing that he had wisely interpreted the
    dream, said: I also dreamed a dream, That I bed three
    baskets of meal upon my heed:
17  And that in one basket which was uppermost, I carried all
    meats that are made by the art of baking, and that the
    birds ate out of it.
18  Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream:
    The three baskets are yet three days:
19  After which Pharao will take thy hand from thee, and hang
    thee on a cross, and the birds shall tear thy flesh.
20  The third day after this was the birthday of Pharao: and
    he made a. great feast for his servants, and at the
    banquet remembered the chief butler, and the chief baker.
21  And he restored the one to his place to present him the
    cup:
22  The other he hanged on a gibbet, that the truth of the
    interpreter might be shewn.
23  But the chief butler, when things prospered with him,
    forgot his interpreter.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 41



1   After two years Pharao had a dream. He thought he stood by
    the river,
2   Out of which came up seven kine, very beautiful and fat:
    and they fed in marshy places.
3   Other seven also came up out of the river, ill favoured,
    and leanfleshed: and they fed on the very bank of the
    river, in green places:
4   And they devoured them, whose bodies were very beautiful
    and well conditioned. So Pharao awoke.
6   He slept again, and dreamed another dream: Seven ears of
    corn came up upon one stalk full and fair:
6   Then seven other ears sprung up thin and blasted,
7   And devoured all the beauty of the former. Pharao awaked
    after his rest:
8   And when morning was come, being struck with fear, he sent
    to all the interpreters of Egypt, and to all the wise men:
    and they being called for, he told them his dream, and
    there was not any one that could interpret it.
9   Then at length the chief butler remembering, said: I
    confess my sin:
10  The king being angry with his servants, commanded me and
    the chief baker to be cast into the prison of the captain
    of the soldiers:
11  Where in one night both of us dreamed a dream foreboding
    things to come.
12  There was there a young man a Hebrew, servant to the same
    captain of the soldiers: to whom we told our dreams,
13  And we heard what afterwards the event of the thing proved
    to be so. For I was restored to my office: and he was
    hanged upon a gibbet.
14  Forthwith at the king's command, Joseph was brought out of
    the prison, and they shaved him, and changing his apparel,
    brought him in to him.
15  And he said to him: I have dreamed dreams, and there is no
    one that can expound them: Now I have heard that thou art
    very wise at interpreting them.
16  Joseph answered: Without me, God shall give Pharao a
    prosperous answer.
17  So Pharao told what he had dreamed: Methought I stood upon
    the bank of the river,
18  And seven kine came up out of the river exceeding
    beautiful and full of flesh: and they grazed on green
    places in a marshy pasture.
19  And behold, there followed these, other seven kine, so
    very ill favoured and lean, that I never saw the like in
    the land of Egypt:
20  And the devoured and consumed the former,
21  And yet gave no mark of their being full: but were as lean
    and ill favoured as before. I awoke, and then fell asleep
    again,
22  And dreamed a dream: Seven ears of corn grew upon one
    stalk, full and very fair.
23  Other seven also thin and blasted, sprung of the stock:
24  And they devoured the beauty of the former: I told this
    dream to the conjecturers, and there is no man that can
    expound it.
25  Joseph answered: The king's dream is one: God hath shewn
    to Pharao what he is about to do.
26  The seven beautiful kine, and the seven full ears, are
    seven years of plenty: and both contain the same meaning
    of the dream.
27  And the seven lean and thin kine that came up after them,
    and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the burning
    wind, are seven years of famine to come:
28  Which shall be fulfilled in this order:
29  Behold, there shall come seven years of great plenty in
    the whole land of Egypt:
30  After which shall follow other seven years of so great
    scacity, that all the abundance before shall be forgotten:
    for the famine shall consume all the land,
31  And the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the
    greatness of the plenty.
32  And for that thou didst see the second time a dream
    pertaining to the same thing: it is a token of the
    certainty, and that the word of God cometh to pass, and is
    fulfilled speedily.
33  Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious
    man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt:
34  That he may appoint overseers over all the countries: and
    gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the
    seven fruitful years,
35  That shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be
    laid up under Pharao's hands and be reserved in the
    cities.
36  And let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven
    years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land
    shall not consumed with scarcity.
37  The counsel pleased Pharao and all his servants.
38  And he said to them: Can we find such another man, that is
    full of the spirit of God?
39  He said therefore to Joseph: Seeing God hath shewn thee
    all that thou hast said, can I find one wiser and one like
    unto thee?
40  Thou shalt be over my house, and at the commandment of thy
    mouth all the people shall obey: only in the kingly throne
    will I be above thee.
41  And again Pharao said to Joseph: Behold, I have appointed
    thee over the whole land of Egypt.
42  And he took his ring from his own hand, and gave it into
    his hand: and he put upon him a robe of silk, and put a
    chain of gold about his neck.
43  And he made him go up into his second chariot, the crier
    proclaiming that all should bow their knee before him, and
    that they should know he was made govenor over the whole
    land of Egypt.
44  And the king said to Joseph: I am Pharao; without thy
    commandment no man shall move hand or foot in all the land
    of Egypt.
45  And he turned his name, and called him in the Eyyptian
    tounge, The saviour of the world. And he gave him to wife
    Asenth the daughter of Putiphare priest of Heliopolis.
    Then Joseph went out to the land of Egypt:
46  (Now he was thirty years old when he stood before king
    Pharao) and he went round all the countries of Egypt.
47  And the fruitfulness of the seven years came: and the corm
    being bound up into sheaves was gathered together into the
    barns of Egypt.
48  And all the abundance of grain was laid up in every city.
49  And there was so great abundance of wheat, that it was
    equal to the sand of the sea, and the plenty exceeded
    measure.
50  And before the famine came, Joseph had two sons born: whom
    Aseneth the daughter of Putiphare priest of Heliopolis
    bore unto him.
51  And he called the name of the first born Manasses, saying:
    God hath made me to forget all my labours, and my father's
    house.
52  And he named the second Epharaim, saying: God hath made me
    to grow in the land of my poverty.
53  Now when the seven years of the plenty that had been in
    Egypt were past:
54  The seven years of scarcity, which Joseph had foretold,
    began to come: and the famine prevailed in the whole
    world, but there was bread in all the land of Egypt.
55  And when there also they began to be famished, the people
    cried to Pharao for food. And he said to them: Go to
    Joseph: and do all that he shall say to you.
56  And the famine increased daily in all the land: and Joseph
    opened all the barns, and sold to the Egyptians: for the
    famine had oppressed them also.
57  And all provinces came into Egypt, to buy food, and to
    seek some relief of their want.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 42



1   And Jacob hearing that food was sold in Egypt, said to his
    sons: Why are ye careless?
2   I have heard that wheat is sold in Egypt: go ye down, and
    buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed
    with want.
3   So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in
    Egypt:
4   Whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his
    brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in the journey.
5   And they entered into the land of Egypt with others that
    went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan.
6   And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and corn was
    sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren
    had bowed down to him,
7   And he knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers
    somewhat roughly, asking them: Whence came you? They
    answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of
    life.
8   And though he knew his brethren, he was not known by them.
9   And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed,
    he said to them: You are spies. You are come to view the
    weaker parts of the land.
10  But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are
    come to buy food.
11  We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable
    men, neither do thy servants go about any evil.
12  And he answered them: It is otherwise: you are come to
    consider the unfenced parts of this land.
13  But they said: We thy servants are twelve brethren, the
    sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: the youngest is
    with our father, the other is not living.
14  He saith: This is it that I said: You are spies.
15  I shall now presently try what you are: by the health of
    Pharao you shall not depart hence, until your youngest
    brother come.
16  Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison,
    till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or
    false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies.
17  So he put them in prison three days.
18  And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said:
    Do as I have said, and you shall live: for I fear God.
19  If you be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound
    in prison: and go ye your ways and carry the corn that you
    have bought, unto your houses.
20  And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may find
    your words to be true, and you may not die. They did as he
    had said.
21  And they talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these
    things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing
    the anguished of his soul, when he besought us, and we
    would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us.
22  And Ruben one of them, said: Did not I say to you: Do not
    sin against the boy: and you would not hear me? Behold his
    blood is required.
23  And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke
    to them by an interpreter.
24  And he turned himself away a little while, and wept: and
    returning he spoke to them.
25  And taking Simeon, and binking him in their presence, he
    commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and
    to put every man's money again in their sacks, and to give
    them besides provisions for the way: and they did so.
26  But they having loaded their asses with the corn, went
    their way.
27  And one of them opening his sack, to give his beast
    provender in the inn, saw the money in the sack's mouth;
28  And said to his brethren: My money is given me again,
hehold it is in the sack. And thye were astonished, and
troubled, and said to one another: What is this that God
hath done unto us?
29  And they came to Jacob their father in the land of
    Chanaan, and they told him all things that had befallen
    them, saying:
30  The lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us to
    be spies of the country.
31  And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no
    plot.
32  We are twelve brethren born of one father: one is not
    living, the youngest is with our father in the land of
    Chanaan.
33  And he said to us: Hereby shall I know that you are
    peaceable men: Leave one of your brethren with me, and
    take ye necessary provision for your houses, and go your
    ways.
34  And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may know you
    are not spies: and you may receive this man again, that is
    kept in prison: and afterwards may have leave to buy what
    you will.
35  When they had told this, they poured out their corn and
    every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack:
    and all being astonished together,
36  Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without
    children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds,
    and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are
    fallen upon me.
37  And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons if I bring him
    not again to thee: deliver him unto my hand, and I will
    restore him to thee.
38  But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his
    brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief
    befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring
    down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 43



1   In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.
2   And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had
    brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and
    buy us a little food.
3   Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the
    atteststion of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face,
    unless you bring your youngest brother with you.
4   If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out
    together, and will buy necessaries for thee.
5   But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we
    have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not
    see my face without your youngest brother.
6   Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in
    that you told him you had also another brother.
7   But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning
    our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and
    we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded:
    Bring hither your brother with you?
8   And Juda said to his father: Send the bou with me, that we
    may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our
    children perish.
9   I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I
    bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty
    of sin against thee for ever.
10  If delay had not been made, we had been here again the
    second time.
11  Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what
    you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your
    vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little
    balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and
    almonds.
12  And take with you double money, and carry back what you
    found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.
13  And take also your brother, and go to the man.
14  And may my almighty Bod make him favourable to you; and
    send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this
    Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without
    children.
15  So the men took the presents, and double money, and
    Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before
    Joseph.
16  And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he
    commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the
    men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast:
    because they shall eat with me at noon.
17  He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the
    house.\
18  And they being much afraid, said there one to another:
    Because of the money, which we carried back the first time
    in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us
    a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and
    our asses.
19  Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the
    door,
20  They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down
    once before to buy food:
21  And when we had bought, and come to the inn, we opened our
    sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks:
    which we have now brought again in the same weight.
22  And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we
    want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.
23  But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God,
    and the God of your Father hath given you treasure in your
    sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good.
    And he brought Simeon out to them.
24  And having brought them into the house, he fetched water,
    and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their
    asses.
25  But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at
    noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.
26  Then Joseph came into his house, and they offered him the
    presents holding them in their hands, and they bowed down
    with their face to the ground.
27  But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them,
    saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom uou
    told me? Is he yet living?
28  And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he
    is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance
    to him.
29  And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin his brother,
    by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother,
    of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee,
    my son.
30  And he made haste becouse his heart was moved upon his
    brother, and tears gushed out: And going into his chamber
    he wept.
31  And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he
    refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.
32  And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his
    brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him,
    apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with
    the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane:)
33  They sat before him, the firstborn according to his
    birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And
    they wondered very much:
34  Taking the messes which they received of him: and the
    greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five
    parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 44



1   And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying:
    Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and
    put the money of every one in the top of his sack.
2   And in the mouth of the younger's sack put my silver cup,
    and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so
    done.
3   And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their
    asses.
4   And when they were now departed out of the city, and had
    gone forward a little way; Joseph sendingfor the steward
    of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and
    when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you
    returned evil for good?
5   The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord
    drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done
    a very evil thing.
6   He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them,
    he spoke to them the same words.
7   And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though
    thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?
8   The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we
    brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then
    should it be that we should steal out of thy lord's house,
    gold or silver?\
9   With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which
    thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of
    my lord.
10  And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence:
    with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant,
    and you shall be blameless.
11  Them they speedily took down their sacks to the ground,
    and every man opened his sack.
12  Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and
    ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin's
    sack.
13  Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses
    again, returned into the town.
14  And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph,
    (for he was not yet gone out of the place, ) and they
    altogether fell down before him on the ground.
15  And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not
    that there is no one like me in the science of divining.
16  And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or
    what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath
    found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all
    bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was
    found.
17  Joseph answered: God forbid that should do so: he that
    stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away
    free to your father.
18  Then Juda coming hearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my
    lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears,and be not
    angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art,
19  My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have
    you a father or a brother?
20  And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old
    man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose
    brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his
    mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.
21  And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me,
    and I will set my eyes on him.
22  We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father:
    for if he leave him, he will die.
23  And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest
    brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.
24  Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father,
    we told him all that my lord had said.
25  And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.
26  And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother
    go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise,
    without him we dare not see the man's face.
27  Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore two.
28  One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and
    hitherto he appeareth not.
29  If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way
    you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell.
30  Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the
    boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life
    of him,)
31  And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and
    thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow
    unto hell.
32  Let me be tht proper servant, who took him into my trust,
    and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be
    guilty of sin against my father for ever.
33  Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in
    the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his
    brethren.
34  For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I
    be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.




                The Book of Genesis, Chapter 45



1   Joseph could no longer refrain himself before many that
    stood by: whereupon he commanded that all should go out,
    and no stranger be present at their knowing one another.
2   And he lifted up his voice with weeping, which the
    Egyptians and all the house of Pharao heard. \
3   And he said to his brethren: I am Joseph: is my father yet
    living? His brethren could no answer him, being struck
    with exceeding great fear.
4   And he said mildly to them: Come nearer to me. And when
    they were come near him, he said: I am Joseph, your
    brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5   Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that
    you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before
    you into Egypt for your preservation.
6   For it is two years since the famine began to be upon the
    land, and five years more remain, wherein there can be
    neither ploughing nor reaping.
7   And God sent me before, that you may be preserved upon the
    earth, and may have food to live.
8   Not by your counsel was I sent hither, but by the will of
    God: who hath made me as it were a father to Pharao, and
    lord of his whold house, and governor in all the land of
    Egypt.
9   Make haste, and go ye up to my father, and say to him:
    Thus saith thy son Joseph: God hath made me lord of the
    whole land of Egypt: come down to me, linger not.
10  And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gessen: and thou shalt
    be near me, thou and thy sons, and thy son's sons, thy
    sheep, and thy gerds, and all things that thou hast.
11  And there I will feed thee, (for there are yet five years
    of famine remaining,) lest both thou perish, and thy
    house, and all things that thou hast.
12  Behold, your eyes, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see
    that it is my mouth that speaketh to you.
13  You shall tell my father of all my glory, and all things
    that you have seen in Egypt: make haste and bring him to
    me.
14  And falling upon the neck of his brother Benjamin, he
    embraced him and wept: and Benjamin in like manner wept
 &