Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
"Throw the stick up in the air, it will always return to its original
place." Like Rachel his mother, Joseph was of ravishing beauty, and the
wife of his master was filled with invincible passion for him."[108]
Her feeling was heightened by the astrologic forecast that she was
destined to have descendants through Joseph. This was true, but not in
the sense in which she understood the prophecy. Joseph married her
daughter Asenath later on, and she bore him children, thus fulfilling
what had been read in the stars."[109]
In the beginning she did not confess her love to Joseph. She tried
first to seduce him by artifice. On the pretext of visiting him, she
would go to him at night, and, as she had no sons, she would pretend a
desire to adopt him. Joseph then prayed to God in her behalf, and she
bore a son. However, she continued to embrace him as though he were her
own child, yet he did not notice her evil designs. Finally, when he
recognized her wanton trickery, he mourned many days, and endeavored to
turn her away from her sinful passion by the word of God. She, on her
side, often threatened him with death, and surrendered him to
castigations in order to make him amenable to her will, and when these
means had no effect upon Joseph, she sought to seduce him with
enticements. She would say, "I promise thee, thou shalt rule over me
and all I have, if thou wilt but give thyself up to me. and thou shalt
be to me the same as my lawful husband." But Joseph was mindful of the
words of his fathers, and he went into his chamber, and fasted, and
prayed to God, that He would deliver him from the toils of the Egyptian
woman.
In spite of the mortifications he practiced, and though he gave the
poor and the sick the food apportioned to him, his master thought he
lived a luxurious life, for those that fast for the glory of God are
made beautiful of countenance.
The wife of Potiphar would frequently speak to her husband in praise of
Joseph's chastity in order that he might conceive no suspicion of the
state of her feelings. And, again, she would encourage Joseph secretly,
telling him not to fear her husband, that he was convinced of his
purity of life, and though one should carry tales to him about Joseph
and herself, Potiphar would lend them no credence. And when she saw
that all this was ineffectual , she approached him with the request
that he teach her the word of God, saying, "If it be thy wish that I
forsake idol worship, then fulfil my desire, and I will persuade that
Egyptian husband of mine to abjure the idols, and we shall walk in the
law of thy God." Joseph replied, "The Lord desireth not that those who
fear Him shall walk in impurity, nor hath He pleasure in the
adulterer."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account