Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
Joseph confirmed all she had said, and they embraced and kissed each
other in token of their betrothal, which they celebrated by a banquet
with Potiphar and his wife. The wedding took place later in the
presence of Pharaoh, who set a golden crown upon the head of the
bridegroom and the bride, gave them his blessing, and made a seven
days' feast in their honor, to which he invited the magnates and
princes of Egypt and of other countries. And during the seven days of
the wedding festivities the people were prohibited, under penalty of
death, from doing any manner of work; they all were to join in the
celebration of Joseph's marriage.
KIND AND UNKIND BRETHREN
On the twenty-first day of the second month in the second of the seven
years of famine, Jacob came down to Egypt, and his daughter-in-law
Asenath visited him. She marvelled not a little at his beauty and
strength. His shoulders and his arms were like an angel's, and his
loins like a giant's. Jacob gave her his blessing, and with her husband
she returned home, accompanied by the sons of Leah, while the sons of
the handmaids, remembering the evil they had once done unto Joseph,
kept aloof. Levi in particular had conceived a fondness for Asenath. He
was especially close to the Living God, for he was a prophet and a
sage, his eyes were open, and he knew how to read the celestial books
written by the finger of God. He revealed to Asenath that he had seen
her future resting-place in heaven, and it was built upon a rock and
encompassed by a diamond wall.
On their journey they met the son of Pharaoh, his successor to the
throne, and he was so transported with Asenath's beauty, that he made
the plan of murdering Joseph in order to secure possession of his wife.
He summoned Simon and Levi, and by blandishments and promises sought to
induce them to put Joseph out of the way. Simon was so enraged that he
would have felled him at once, had not his brother Levi, who was
endowed with the gift of prophecy, divined his purpose, and frustrated
it by stepping upon his foot, while whispering: "Why art thou so angry,
and so wroth with the man? We that fear God may not repay evil with
evil." Turning to the son of Pharaoh, he told him that nothing would
induce them to execute the wickedness he had proposed; rather he
advised him not to undertake aught against Joseph, else he would kill
him with the sword that had served him in his slaughter of the
inhabitants of Shechem. The culprit was seized with frantic alarm, and
fell down before Simon and Levi to entreat their mercy. Levi raised him
tip, saying, "Fear not, but abandon thy wicked plan, and harbor no evil
design against Joseph."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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