the antiquities of the jews-1-第13章

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mollified　them　at　all；　and　that　they　made　haste　to　do　the　fact；
he　advised　them　to　alleviate　the　wickedness　they　were　going
about；　in　the　manner　of　taking　Joseph　off；　for　as　he　had　exhorted
them　first；　when　they　were　going　to　revenge　themselves；　to　be
dissuaded　from　doing　it；　so；　since　the　sentence　for　killing　their
brother　had　prevailed；　he　said　that　they　would　not；　however；　be
so　grossly　guilty；　if　they　would　be　persuaded　to　follow　his
present　advice；　which　would　include　what　they　were　so　eager
about；　but　was　not　so　very　bad；　but；　in　the　distress　they　were
in；　of　a　lighter　nature。　He　begged　of　them；　therefore；　not　to
kill　their　brother　with　their　own　hands；　but　to　cast　him　into　the
pit　that　was　hard　by；　and　so　to　let　him　die；　by　which　they　would
gain　so　much；　that　they　would　not　defile　their　own　hands　with　his
blood。　To　this　the　young　men　readily　agreed；　so　Reubel　took　the
lad　and　tied　him　to　a　cord；　and　let　him　down　gently　into　the　pit；
for　it　had　no　water　at　all　in　it；　who；　when　he　had　done　this；
went　his　way　to　seek　for　such　pasturage　as　was　fit　for　feeding
his　flocks。

3。　But　Judas；　being　one　of　Jacob's　sons　also；　seeing　some
Arabians；　of　the　posterity　of　Ismael；　carrying　spices　and　Syrian
wares　out　of　the　land　of　Gilead　to　the　Egyptians；　after　Rubel　was
gone；　advised　his　brethren　to　draw　Joseph　out　of　the　pit；　and
sell　him　to　the　Arabians；　for　if　he　should　die　among　strangers　a
great　way　off；　they　should　be　freed　from　this　barbarous　action。
This；　therefore；　was　resolved　on；　so　they　drew　Joseph　up　out　of
the　pit；　and　sold　him　to　the　merchants　for　twenty　pounds　（2）　He
was　now　seventeen　years　old。　But　Reubel；　coming　in　the　night…time
to　the　pit；　resolved　to　save　Joseph；　without　the　privity　of　his
brethren；　and　when；　upon　his　calling　to　him；　he　made　no　answer；
he　was　afraid　that　they　had　destroyed　him　after　he　was　gone；　of
which　he　complained　to　his　brethren；　but　when　they　had　told　him
what　they　had　done；　Reubel　left　off　his　mourning。

4。　When　Joseph's　brethren　had　done　thus　to　him；　they　considered
what　they　should　do　to　escape　the　suspicions　of　their　father。　Now
they　had　taken　away　from　Joseph　the　coat　which　he　had　on　when　he
came　to　them　at　the　time　they　let　him　down　into　the　pit；　so　they
thought　proper　to　tear　that　coat　to　pieces；　and　to　dip　it　into
goats'　blood；　and　then　to　carry　it　and　show　it　to　their　father；
that　he　might　believe　he　was　destroyed　by　wild　beasts。　And　when
they　had　so　done；　they　came　to　the　old　man；　but　this　not　till
what　had　happened　to　his　son　had　already　come　to　his　knowledge。
Then　they　said　that　they　had　not　seen　Joseph；　nor　knew　what
mishap　had　befallen　him；　but　that　they　had　found　his　coat　bloody
and　torn　to　pieces；　whence　they　had　a　suspicion　that　he　had
fallen　among　wild　beasts；　and　so　perished；　if　that　was　the　coat
he　had　on　when　he　came　from　home。　Now　Jacob　had　before　some
better　hopes　that　his　son　was　only　made　a　captive；　but　now　he
laid　aside　that　notion；　and　supposed　that　this　coat　was　an
evident　argument　that　he　was　dead；　for　he　well　remembered　that
this　was　the　coat　he　had　on　when　he　sent　him　to　his　brethren；　so
he　hereafter　lamented　the　lad　as　now　dead；　and　as　if　he　had　been
the　father　of　no　more　than　one；　without　taking　any　comfort　in　the
rest；　and　so　he　was　also　affected　with　his　misfortune　before　he
met　with　Joseph's　brethren；　when　he　also　conjectured　that　Joseph
was　destroyed　by　wild　beasts。　He　sat　down　also　clothed　in
sackcloth　and　in　heavy　affliction；　insomuch　that　he　found　no　ease
when　his　sons　comforted　him；　neither　did　his　pains　remit　by
length　of　time。

CHAPTER　4。

Concerning　The　Signal　Chastity　Of　Joseph。

1。　Now　Potiphar；　an　Egyptian；　who　was　chief　cook　to　king　Pharaoh；
bought　Joseph　of　the　merchants；　who　sold　him　to　him。　He　had　him
in　the　greatest　honor；　and　taught　him　the　learning　that　became　a
free　man；　and　gave　him　leave　to　make　use　of　a　diet　better　than
was　allotted　to　slaves。　He　intrusted　also　the　care　of　his　house
to　him。　So　he　enjoyed　these　advantages；　yet　did　not　he　leave　that
virtue　which　he　had　before；　upon　such　a　change　of　his　condition；
but　he　demonstrated　that　wisdom　was　able　to　govern　the　uneasy
passions　of　life；　in　such　as　have　it　in　reality；　and　do　not　only
put　it　on　for　a　show；　under　a　present　state　of　prosperity。

2。　For　when　his　master's　wife　was　fallen　in　love　with　him；　both
on　account　of　his　beauty　of　body；　and　his　dexterous　management　of
affairs；　and　supposed；　that　if　she　should　make　it　known　to　him；
she　could　easily　persuade　him　to　come　and　lie　with　her；　and　that
he　would　look　upon　it　as　a　piece　of　happy　fortune　that　his
mistress　should　entreat　him；　as　regarding　that　state　of　slavery
he　was　in；　and　not　his　moral　character；　which　continued　after　his
condition　was　changed。　So　she　made　known　her　naughty
inclinations；　and　spake　to　him　about　lying　with　her。　However；　he
rejected　her　entreaties；　not　thinking　it　agreeable　to　religion　to
yield　so　far　to　her；　as　to　do　what　would　tend　to　the　affront　and
injury　of　him　that　purchased　him；　and　had　vouchsafed　him　so　great
honors。　He；　on　the　contrary；　exhorted　her　to　govern　that　passion；
and　laid　before　her　the　impossibility　of　her　obtaining　her
desires；　which　he　thought　might　be　conquered；　if　she　had　no　hope
of　succeeding；　and　he　said；　that　as　to　himself；　he　would　endure
any　thing　whatever　before　he　would　be　persuaded　to　it；　for
although　it　was　fit　for　a　slave；　as　he　was；　to　do　nothing
contrary　to　his　mistress；　he　might　well　be　excused　in　a　case
where　the　contradiction　was　to　such　sort　of　commands　only。　But
this　opposition　of　Joseph；　when　she　did　not　expect　it；　made　her
still　more　violent　in　her　love　to　him；　and　as　she　was　sorely
beset　with　this　naughty　passion；　so　she　resolved　to　compass　her
design　by　a　second　attempt。

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

4。　When　the　woman　had　said　thus；　and　even　with　tears　in　her　eyes；
neither　did　pity　dissuade　Joseph　from　his　chastity；　nor　did　fear
compel　him　to　a　compliance　with　her；　but　he　opposed　her
solicitations；　and　did　not　yield　to　her　threatenings；　and　was
afraid　to　do　an　ill　thing；　and　chose　to　undergo　the　sharpest
punishment　rather　than　to　enjoy　his　present　advantages；　by　doing
what　his　own　conscience　knew　would　justly　deserve　that　he　should
die　for　it。　He　also　put　her　in　mind　that　she　was　a　married　woman；
and　that　she　ought　to　cohabit　with　her　husband　only；　and　desired
her　to　suffer　these　considerations　to　have　more　weight　with　her
than　the　short　pleasure　of　lustful　dalliance；　which　would　bring
her　to　repentance　afterwards；　would　cause　trouble　to　her；　and　yet
would　not　amend　what　had　been　done　amiss。　He　also　suggested　to
her　the　fear　she　would　be　in　lest　they　should　be　caught；　and　that
the　advantage　of　concealment　was　uncertain；　and　that　only　while
the　wickedness　was　not　known　＇would　there　be　any　quiet　for　them＇；
but　that　she　might　have　the　enjoyment　of　her　husband's　company
without　any　danger。　And　he　told　her；　that　in　the　company　of　her
husband　she　might　have　great　boldness　from　a　good　conscience；
both　before　God　and　before　men。　Nay；　that　she　would　act　better
like　his　mistress；　and　make　use　of　her　authority　over　him　better
while　she　persisted　in　her　chastity；　than　when　they　were　both
ashamed　for　what　wickedness　they　had　been　guilty　of；　and　that　it
is　much　better　to　a　life；　well　and　known　to　have　been　so；　than
upon　the　hopes　of　the　concealment　of　evil　practices。

5。　Joseph；　by　saying　this；　and　more；　tried　to　restrain　the
violent　passion　of　the　woman；　and　to　reduce　her　affections　within
the　rules　of　reason；　but　she　grew　more　ungovernable　and　earnest
in　the　matter；　and　since　she　despaired　of　persuading　him；　she
laid　her　hands　upon　him；　and　had　a　mind　to　force　him。　But　as　soon
as　Joseph　had　got　away　from　her　anger；　leaving　also　his　garment
with　her；　for　he　left　that　to　her；　and　leaped　out　of　her　chamber；
she　was　greatly　afraid　lest　he　should　discover　her　lewdness　to
her　husband；　and　greatly　troubled　at　the　affront　he　had　offered
her；　so　she　resolved　to　be　beforehand　with　him；　and　to　accuse
Joseph　falsely　to　Potiphar；　and　by　that　means　to　revenge　herself
on　him　for　his　pride　and　contempt　of　her；　and　she　thought　it　a
wise　thing　in　itself；　and　also　becoming　a　woman；　thus　to　prevent
his　accusation。　Accordingly　she　sat　sorrowful　and　in　confusion；
framing　herself　so　hypocritically　and　angrily；　that　the　sorrow；
which　was　really　for　her　being　disappointed　of　her　lust；　might
appear　to　be　for　the　attempt　upon　her　chastity；　so　that　when　her
husband　came　home；　and　was　disturbed　at　the　sight　of　her　and
inquired　what　was　the　cause　of　the　disorder　she　was　in；　she　began
to　accuse　Joseph：　and；　〃O　husband；〃　said　she；　〃mayst　thou　not
live　a　day　longer　if　thou　dost　not　punish　the　wicked　slave　who
has　desired　to　defile　thy　bed；　who　has　neither　minded　who　he　was
when　he　came　to　our　house；　so　as　to　behave　himself　with　modesty；
nor　has　he　been　mindful　of　what　favors　he　had　received　from　thy
bounty　（as　he　must　be　an　ungrateful　man　indeed；　unless　he；　in
every　respect；　carry　himself　in　a　manner　agreeable　to　us）：　this
man；　I　say；　laid　a　private　design　to　abuse　thy　wife；　and　this　at
the　time　of　a　festival；　observing　when　thou　wouldst　be　absent。　So
that　it　now　is　clear　that　his　modesty；　as　it　appeared　to　be
formerly；　was　only　because　of　the　restraint　he　was　in　out　of　fear
of　thee；　but　that　he　was　not　really　of　a　go