Study Desk

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.

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.

And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing:

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.

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.

And they talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us.

And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter.

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.

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.

And he made haste, because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber, he wept.

And the father said to Joseph: Now shall I die with joy, because I have seen thy face, and leave thee alive.

You shall answer: We, thy servants, are shepherds, from our infancy until now, both we and our fathers. And this you shall say, that you may dwell in the land of Gessen, because the Egyptians have all shepherds in abomination.

We are come to sojourn in thy land, because there is no grass for the flocks of thy servants, the famine being very grievous in the land of Chanaan: and we pray thee to give orders that we thy servants may be in the land of Gessen.

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt, every man selling his possessions, because of the greatness of the famine. And he brought it into Pharao’s hands:

Thou art poured out as water, grow thou not; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed, and didst defile his couch.

Let not my soul go into their counsel, nor my glory be in their assembly: because in their fury they slew a man, and in their selfwill they undermined a wall.

Cursed be their fury, because it was stubborn: and their wrath, because it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel.

And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.

And she adopted him for a son, and called him Moses, saying: Because I took him out of the water.

Now after a long time the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel groaning, cried out because of the works: and their cry went up unto God from the works.