the antiquities of the jews-1-第23章

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the　sad　story　of　our　end　come　abroad　into　the　rest　of　the　world。
Consider　these　things　in　this　manner；　although　our　wickedness
does　now　provoke　thee　with　a　just　desire　of　punishing　that
wickedness；　and　forgive　it　for　our　father's　sake；　and　let　thy
commiseration　of　him　weigh　more　with　thee　than　our　wickedness。
Have　regard　to　the　old　age　of　our　father；　who；　if　we　perish；　will
be　very　lonely　while　he　lives；　and　will　soon　die　himself　also。
Grant　this　boon　to　the　name　of　fathers；　for　thereby　thou　wilt
honor　him　that　begat　thee；　and　will　grant　it　to　thyself　also；　who
enjoyest　already　that　denomination；　thou　wilt　then；　by　that
denomination；　be　preserved　of　God；　the　Father　of　all；　…　by
showing　a　pious　regard　to　which；　in　the　case　of　our　father；　thou
wilt　appear　to　honor　him　who　is　styled　by　the　same　name；　I　mean；
if　thou　wilt　have　this　pity　on　our　father；　upon　this
consideration；　how　miserable　he　will　be　if　he　be　deprived　of　his
sons！　It　is　thy　part　therefore　to　bestow　on　us　what　God　has　given
us；　when　it　is　in　thy　power　to　take　it　away；　and　so　to　resemble
him　entirely　in　charity；　for　it　is　good　to　use　that　power；　which
can　either　give　or　take　away；　on　the　merciful　side；　and　when　it
is　in　thy　power　to　destroy；　to　forget　that　thou　ever　hadst　that
power；　and　to　look　on　thyself　as　only　allowed　power　for
preservation；　and　that　the　more　any　one　extends　this　power；　the
greater　reputation　does　he　gain　to　himself。　Now；　by　forgiving　our
brother　what　he　has　unhappily　committed；　thou　wilt　preserve　us
all；　for　we　cannot　think　of　living　if　he　be　put　to　death；　since
we　dare　not　show　ourselves　alive　to　our　father　without　our
brother；　but　here　must　we　partake　of　one　and　the　same　catastrophe
of　his　life。　And　so　far　we　beg　of　thee；　O　governor；　that　if　thou
condemnest　our　brother　to　die；　thou　wilt　punish　us　together　with
him；　as　partners　of　his　crime；　…　for　we　shall　not　think　it
reasonable　to　be　reserved　to　kill　ourselves　for　grief　of　our
brother's　death；　but　so　to　die　rather　as　equally　guilty　with　him
of　this　crime。　I　will　only　leave　with　thee　this　one
consideration；　and　then　will　say　no　more；　viz。　that　our　brother
committed　this　fault　when　he　was　young；　and　not　yet　of　confirmed
wisdom　in　his　conduct；　and　that　men　naturally　forgive　such　young
persons。　I　end　here；　without　adding　what　more　I　have　to　say；　that
in　case　thou　condemnest　us；　that　omission　may　be　supposed　to　have
hurt　us；　and　permitted　thee　to　take　the　severer　side。　But　in　case
thou　settest　us　free；　that　this　may　be　ascribed　to　thy　own
goodness；　of　which　thou　art　inwardly　conscious；　that　thou　freest
us　from　condemnation；　and　that　not　by　barely　preserving　us；　but
by　granting　us　such　a　favor　as　will　make　us　appear　more　righteous
than　we　really　are；　and　by　representing　to　thyself　more　motives
for　our　deliverance　than　we　are　able　to　produce　ourselves。　If；
therefore；　thou　resolvest　to　slay　him；　I　desire　thou　wilt　slay　me
in　his　stead；　and　send　him　back　to　his　father；　or　if　thou
pleasest　to　retain　him　with　thee　as　a　slave；　I　am　fitter　to　labor
for　thy　advantage　in　that　capacity；　and；　as　thou　seest；　am　better
prepared　for　either　of　those　sufferings。〃　So　Judas；　being　very
willing　to　undergo　any　thing　whatever　for　the　deliverance　of　his
brother；　cast　himself　down　at　Joseph's　feet；　and　earnestly
labored　to　assuage　and　pacify　his　anger。　All　his　brethren　also
fell　down　before　him；　weeping　and　delivering　themselves　up　to
destruction　for　the　preservation　of　the　life　of　Benjamin。

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

CHAPTER　7。

The　Removal　Of　Joseph's　Father　With　All　His　Family；
To　Him；　On　Account　Of　The　Famine。

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

2。　When　he　came　to　the　Well　of　the　Oath；　（Beersheba；）　he　offered
sacrifice　to　God；　and　being　afraid　that　the　happiness　there　was
in　Egypt　might　tempt　his　posterity　to　fall　in　love　with　it；　and
settle　in　it；　and　no　more　think　of　removing　into　the　land　of
Canaan；　and　possessing　it；　as　God　had　promised　them；　as　also
being　afraid；　lest；　if　this　descent　into　Egypt　were　made　without
the　will　of　God；　his　family　might　be　destroyed　there；　out　of
fear；　withal；　lest　he　should　depart　this　life　before　he　came　to
the　sight　of　Joseph；　he　fell　asleep；　revolving　these　doubts　in
his　mind。

3。　But　God　stood　by　him；　and　called　him　twice　by　his　name；　and
when　he　asked　who　he　was；　God　said；　〃No；　sure；　it　is　not　just
that　thou；　Jacob；　shouldst　be　unacquainted　with　that　God　who　has
been　ever　a　protector　and　a　helper　to　thy　forefathers；　and　after
them　to　thyself：　for　when　thy　father　would　have　deprived　thee　of
the　dominion；　I　gave　it　thee；　and　by　my　kindness　it　was　that；
when　thou　wast　sent　into　Mesopotamia　all　alone；　thou　obtainedst
good　wives；　and　returnedst　with　many　children；　and　much　wealth。
Thy　whole　family　also　has　been　preserved　by　my　providence；　and　it
was　I　who　conducted　Joseph；　th