Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
When all was ready, and the guests were to be seated, Joseph raised his
cup, and, pretending to inhale his knowledge from it, he said, "Judah
is king, therefore let him sit at the head of the table, and let Reuben
the first-born take the second seat," and thus he assigned places to
all his brethren corresponding to their dignity and their age.[248]
Moreover, he seated the brothers together who were the sons of the same
mother, and when he reached Benjamin, he said, "I know that the
youngest among you has no brother borne by his own mother, next to whom
he might be seated, and also I have none, therefore he may take his
place next to me."
The brethren marvelled one with another at all this. During the meal,
Joseph took his portion, and gave it to Benjamin, and his wife Asenath
followed his example, and also Ephraim and Manasseh, so that Benjamin
had four portions in addition to that which he had received like the
other sons of Jacob.[249]
Wine was served at the meal, and it was the first time in twenty-two
years that Joseph and his brethren tasted of it, for they had led the
life of Nazarites, his brethren because they regretted the evil they
had done to Joseph, and Joseph because he grieved over the fate of his
father.[250]
Joseph entered into conversation with his brother Benjamin. He asked
him whether he had a brother borne by his own mother, and Benjamin
answered, "I had one, but I do not know what hath become of him."
Joseph continued his questions: "Hast thou a wife?"
Benjamin: "Yes, I have a wife and ten sons."
Joseph: "And what are their names? "
Benjamin: "Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and
Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard."
Joseph: "Why didst thou give them such peculiar names?"
Benjamin: "In memory of my brother and his sufferings: Bela, because my
brother disappeared among the peoples; Becher, he was the first-born
son of my mother; Ashbel, he was taken away from my father; Gera, he
dwells a stranger in a strange land; Naaman, he was exceedingly lovely;
Ehi, he was my only brother by my father and my mother together; Rosh,
he was at the head of his brethren; Muppim, he was beautiful in every
respect; Huppim, he was slandered; and Ard, because he was as beautiful
as a rose."[251]
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account