the antiquities of the jews-1-第18章

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passion；　as　his　father　was。　After　this；　he　desired　Jacob　to
travel　on　slowly；　but　he　himself　took　five　of　his　brethren　with
him；　and　made　haste　to　the　king；　to　tell　him　that　Jacob　and　his
family　were　come；　which　was　a　joyful　hearing　to　him。　He　also　bid
Joseph　tell　him　what　sort　of　life　his　brethren　loved　to　lead；
that　he　might　give　them　leave　to　follow　the　same；　who　told　him
they　were　good　shepherds；　and　had　been　used　to　follow　no　other
employment　but　this　alone。　Whereby　he　provided　for　them；　that
they　should　not　be　separated；　but　live　in　the　same　place；　and
take　care　of　their　father；　as　also　hereby　he　provided；　that　they
might　be　acceptable　to　the　Egyptians；　by　doing　nothing　that　would
be　common　to　them　with　the　Egyptians；　for　the　Egyptians　are
prohibited　to　meddle　with　feeding　of　sheep。　（12）

6。　When　Jacob　was　come　to　the　king；　and　saluted　him；　and　wished
all　prosperity　to　his　government；　Pharaoh　asked　him　how　old　he
now　was；　upon　whose　answer；　that　he　was　a　hundred　and　thirty
years　old；　he　admired　Jacob　on　account　of　the　length　of　his　life。
And　when　he　had　added；　that　still　he　had　not　lived　so　long　as　his
forefathers；　he　gave　him　leave　to　live　with　his　children　in
Heliopolis；　for　in　that　city　the　king's　shepherds　had　their
pasturage。

7。　However；　the　famine　increased　among　the　Egyptians；　and　this
heavy　judgment　grew　more　oppressive　to　them；　because　neither　did
the　river　overflow　the　ground；　for　it　did　not　rise　to　its　former
height；　nor　did　God　send　rain　upon　it；　（13）　nor　did　they　indeed
make　the　least　provision　for　themselves；　so　ignorant　were　they
what　was　to　be　done；　but　Joseph　sold　them　corn　for　their　money。
But　when　their　money　failed　them；　they　bought　corn　with　their
cattle　and　their　slaves；　and　if　any　of　them　had　a　small　piece　of
land；　they　gave　up　that　to　purchase　them　food；　by　which　means　the
king　became　the　owner　of　all　their　substance；　and　they　were
removed；　some　to　one　place；　and　some　to　another；　that　so　the
possession　of　their　country　might　be　firmly　assured　to　the　king；
excepting　the　lands　of　the　priests；　for　their　country　continued
still　in　their　own　possession。　And　indeed　this　sore　famine　made
their　minds；　as　well　as　their　bodies；　slaves；　and　at　length
compelled　them　to　procure　a　sufficiency　of　food　by　such
dishonorable　means。　But　when　this　misery　ceased；　and　the　river
overflowed　the　ground；　and　the　ground　brought　forth　its　fruits
plentifully；　Joseph　came　to　every　city；　and　gathered　the　people
thereto　belonging　together；　and　gave　them　back　entirely　the　land
which；　by　their　own　consent；　the　king　might　have　possessed　alone；
and　alone　enjoyed　the　fruits　of　it。　He　also　exhorted　them　to　look
on　it　as　every　one's　own　possession；　and　to　fall　to　their
husbandry　with　cheerfulness；　and　to　pay　as　a　tribute　to　the　king；
the　fifth　part　（14）　of　the　fruits　for　the　land　which　the　king；
when　it　was　his　own；　restored　to　them。　These　men　rejoiced　upon
their　becoming　unexpectedly　owners　of　their　lands；　and　diligently
observed　what　was　enjoined　them；　and　by　this　means　Joseph
procured　to　himself　a　greater　authority　among　the　Egyptians；　and
greater　love　to　the　king　from　them。　Now　this　law；　that　they
should　pay　the　fifth　part　of　their　fruits　as　tribute；　continued
until　their　later　kings。

CHAPTER　8。

Of　The　Death　Of　Jacob　And　Joseph。

1。　Now　when　Jacob　had　lived　seventeen　years　in　Egypt；　he　fell
into　a　disease；　and　died　in　the　presence　of　his　sons；　but　not
till　he　made　his　prayers　for　their　enjoying　prosperity；　and　till
he　had　foretold　to　them　prophetically　how　every　one　of　them　was
to　dwell　in　the　land　of　Canaan。　But　this　happened　many　years
afterward。　He　also　enlarged　upon　the　praises　of　Joseph　（15）　how
he　had　not　remembered　the　evil　doings　of　his　brethren　to　their
disadvantage；　nay；　on　the　contrary；　was　kind　to　them；　bestowing
upon　them　so　many　benefits；　as　seldom　are　bestowed　on　men's　own
benefactors。　He　then　commanded　his　own　sons　that　they　should
admit　Joseph's　sons；　Ephraim　and　Manasses；　into　their　number；　and
divide　the　land　of　Canaan　in　common　with　them；　concerning　whom　we
shall　treat　hereafter。　However；　he　made　it　his　request　that　he
might　be　buried　at　Hebron。　So　he　died；　when　he　had　lived　full　a
hundred　and　fifty　years；　three　only　abated；　having　not　been
behind　any　of　his　ancestors　in　piety　towards　God；　and　having　such
a　recompense　for　it；　as　it　was　fit　those　should　have　who　were　so
good　as　these　were。　But　Joseph；　by　the　king's　permission；　carried
his　father's　dead　body　to　Hebron；　and　there　buried　it；　at　a　great
expense。　Now　his　brethren　were　at　first　unwilling　to　return　back
with　him；　because　they　were　afraid　lest；　now　their　father　was
dead；　he　should　punish　them　for　their　secret　practices　against
him；　since　he　was　now　gone；　for　whose　sake　he　had　been　so
gracious　to　them。　But　he　persuaded　them　to　fear　no　harm；　and　to
entertain　no　suspicions　of　him：　so　he　brought　them　along　with
him；　and　gave　them　great　possessions；　and　never　left　off　his
particular　concern　for　them。

2。　Joseph　also　died　when　he　had　lived　a　hundred　and　ten　years；
having　been　a　man　of　admirable　virtue；　and　conducting　all　his
affairs　by　the　rules　of　reason；　and　used　his　authority　with
moderation；　which　was　the　cause　of　his　so　great　felicity　among
the　Egyptians；　even　when　he　came　from　another　country；　and　that
in　such　ill　circumstances　also；　as　we　have　already　described。　At
length　his　brethren　died；　after　they　had　lived　happily　in　Egypt。
Now　the　posterity　and　sons　of　these　men；　after　some　time；　carried
their　bodies；　and　buried　them　at　Hebron：　but　as　to　the　bones　of
Joseph；　they　carried　them　into　the　land　of　Canaan　afterward；　when
the　Hebrews　went　out　of　Egypt；　for　so　had　Joseph　made　them
promise　him　upon　oath。　But　what　became　of　every　one　of　these　men；
and　by　what　toils　they　got　the　possession　of　the　land　of　Canaan；
shall　be　shown　hereafter；　when　I　have　first　explained　upon　what
account　it　was　that　they　left　Egypt。

CHAPTER　9。

Concerning　The　Afflictions　That　Befell　The　Hebrews　In　Egypt；
During　Four　Hundred　Years。　（16）

1。　Now　it　happened　that　the　Egyptians　grew　delicate　and　lazy；　as
to　pains…taking；　and　gave　themselves　up　to　other　pleasures；　and
in　particular　to　the　love　of　gain。　They　also　became　very
ill…affected　towards　the　Hebrews；　as　touched　with　envy　at　their
prosperity；　for　when　they　saw　how　the　nation　of　the　Israelites
flourished；　and　were　become　eminent　already　in　plenty　of　wealth；
which　they　had　acquired　by　their　virtue　and　natural　love　of
labor；　they　thought　their　increase　was　to　their　own　detriment。
And　having；　in　length　of　time；　forgotten　the　benefits　they　had
received　from　Joseph；　particularly　the　crown　being　now　come　into
another　family；　they　became　very　abusive　to　the　Israelites；　and
contrived　many　ways　of　afflicting　them；　for　they　enjoined　them　to
cut　a　great　number　of　channels　for　the　river；　and　to　build　walls
for　their　cities　and　ramparts；　that　they　might　restrain　the
river；　and　hinder　its　waters　from　stagnating；　upon　its　running
over　its　own　banks：　they　set　them　also　to　build　pyramids；　（17）
and　by　all　this　wore　them　out；　and　forced　them　to　learn　all　sorts
of　mechanical　arts；　and　to　accustom　themselves　to　hard　labor。　And
four　hundred　years　did　they　spend　under　these　afflictions；　for
they　strove　one　against　the　other　which　should　get　the　mastery；
the　Egyptians　desiring　to　destroy　the　Israelites　by　these　labors；
and　the　Israelites　desiring　to　hold　out　to　the　end　under　them。

2。　While　the　affairs　of　the　Hebrews　were　in　this　condition；　there
was　this　occasion　offered　itself　to　the　Egyptians；　which　made
them　more　solicitous　for　the　extinction　of　our　nation。　One　of
those　sacred　scribes；　（18）　who　are　very　sagacious　in　foretelling
future　events　truly；　told　the　king；　that　about　this　time　there
would　a　child　be　born　to　the　Israelites；　who；　if　he　were　reared；
would　bring　the　Egyptian　dominion　low；　and　would　raise　the
Israelites；　that　he　would　excel　all　men　in　virtue；　and　obtain　a
glory　that　would　be　remembered　through　all　ages。　Which　thing　was
so　feared　by　the　king；　that；　according　to　this　man's　opinion；　he
commanded　that　they　should　cast　every　male　child；　which　was　born
to　the　Israelites；　into　the　river；　and　destroy　it；　that　besides
this；　the　Egyptian　midwives　（19）　should　watch　the　labors　of　the
Hebrew　women；　and　observe　what　is　born；　for　those　were　the　women
who　were　enjoined　to　do　the　office　of　midwives　to　them；　and　by
reason　of　their　relation　to　the　king；　would　not　transgress　his
commands。　He　enjoined　also；　that　if　any　parents　should　disobey
him；　and　venture　to　save　their　male　children　alive；　（20）　they　and
their　families　should　be　destroyed。　This　was　a　severe　affliction
indeed　to　those　that　suffered　it；　not　only　as　they　were　deprived
of　their　sons；　and　while　they　were　the　parents　themselves；　they
were　obliged　to　be　subservient　to　the　destruction　of　their　own
children；　but　as　it　was　to　be　supposed　to　tend　to　the　extirpation
of　their　nation；　while　upon　the　destruction　of　their　children；
and　their　own　gradual　dissolution；　the　calamity　would　become　very
hard　and　inconsolable　to　them。　And　this　was　the　ill　state　they
were　in。　But　no　one　can　be　too　hard　for　the　purpose　of　God；
though　he　contrive　ten　thousand　subtle　devices　for　that　end；　for
this　child；　whom　the　sacred　scribe　foretold；　was　brought　up　and
concealed　from　the　observers　appointed　by　the　king；　and　he　that
foretold　him　did　not　mistake　in　the　consequences　of　his
preservation；　which　were　brought　to　pass　after　the　manner
following：　…　

3。　A　man　whose　name　was　Amram；　one　of　the　nobler　sort　of　the
Hebrews；　was　afraid　for　his　whole　nation；　lest　it　should　fail；　by
the　want　of　young　men　to　be　brought　up　hereafter；　and　was　very
uneasy　at　it；　his　wife　being　then　with　child；　and　he　knew　not
what　to　do。　Hereupon　he　betook　himself　to　prayer　to　God；　and
entreated　him　to　have　compassion　on　those　men　who　had　nowise
transgressed　the　laws　of　his　worship；　and　to　afford　them
deliverance　from　the　miseries　they　at　that　time　endured；　and　to
render　abortive　their　enemies'　hopes　of　the　destruction　of　their
nation。　Accordingly　God　had　mercy　on　him；　and　was　moved　by　his
supplication。　He　stood　by　him　in　his　sleep；　and　exhorted　him　not
to　despair　of　his　future　favors。　He　said　further；　that　he　did　not
forget　their　piety　towards　him；　and　would　always　reward　them　for
it；　as　he　had　formerly　granted　his　favor　to　their　forefathers；
and　made　them　increase　from　a　few　to　so　great　a　multitude。　He　put
him　in　mind；　that　when　Abraham　was　come　alone　out　of　Mesopotamia
into　Canaan；　he　had　been　made　happy；　not　only　in　other　respects；
but　that　when　his　wife　was　at　first　barren；　she　was　afterwards　by
him　enabled　to　conceive　seed；　and　bare　him　sons。　That　he　left　to
Ismael　and　to　his　posterity　the　country　of　Arabia；　as　also　to　his
sons　by　Ketura；　Troglodytis；　and　to　Isaac；　Canaan。　That　by　my
assistance；　said　he；　he　did　great　exploits　in　war；　which；　unless
you　be　yourselves　impious；　you　must　still　remember。　As　for　Jacob；
he　became　well　known　to　strangers　also；　by　the　greatness　of　that
prosperity　in　which　he　lived；　and　left　to　his　sons；　who　came　into
Egypt　with　no　more　than　seventy　souls；　while　you　are　now　become
above　six　hundred　thousand。　Know　therefore　that　I　shall　provide