Note [original edition] : Moreover Joseph’
s brethren came, &c.]
Joseph, being made
Wazîr, governed with great wisdom; for he not only
caused justice to be impartially administered, and encouraged the people to
industry and the improvement of agriculture during the seven years of plenty,
but began and perfected several works of great benefit; the natives at this
day ascribing to the patriarch
Joseph almost all the ancient works of public
utility throughout the kingdom; as particularly the rendering the province of
al Feyyûm, from a standing pool or marsh, the most fertile and best cultivated
land in all
Egypt
3. When the years of famine came, the effects of which were
felt not only in
Egypt, but in
Syria and the neighbouring countries, the
inhabitants were obliged to apply to
Joseph for corn, which he sold to them,
first for their money, jewels, and ornaments, then for their cattle and lands,
and at length for their persons; so that all the
Egyptians in general became
slaves to the king, tho’
Joseph, by his consent, soon released them, and
returned them their substance. The dearth being felt in the land of
Canaan,
Jacob sent all his sons, except only
Benjamin, into
Egypt for corn. On their
arrival,
Joseph (who well knew them) asked them who they were, saying he
suspected them to be spies; but they told him they came only to buy
provisions, and that they were all the sons of an ancient man, named
Jacob,
who was also a prophet.
Joseph then asked how many brothers there were of
them; they answered, Twelve; but that one of them had been lost in a desart.
Upon which he inquired for the eleventh brother, there being no more than ten
of them present. They said he was a lad, and with their father, whose
fondness for him would not suffer him to accompany them in their journey. At
length
Joseph asked them who they had to vouch for their veracity; but they
told him they knew no man who could vouch for them in
Egypt. Then, replied
he, one of you shall stay behind with me as a pledge, and the others may
return home with their provisions; and when ye come again, ye shall bring your
younger brother with you, that I may know ye have told me the truth.
Whereupon, it being in vain to dispute the matter, they cast lots who should
stay behind, and the lot fell upon
Simeon. When they departed,
Joseph gave
each of them a camel, and another for their brother
4.
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3
V. Golii not. in Alfragan. p. 175, &c. Kircher. Oedip. Ægypt vol.
1. p. 8. Lucas, Voy. t. ii. p. 205, & tom. iii. p. 53.
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4
Al Beidawi.