power and thereby fulfill His words about the wicked.
I could not move being tied, and the pointers on the compass that the Lord had made ceased to move as well.
Then a great storm arose. It was such a terrible tempest that my brothers did not know which way to steer the ship, and we were driven back for three days. They became very frightened, thinking they would be drowned in the sea, but they still would not untie me.
On the fourth day, this terrible storm grew stronger still. By the end of that day, our ship was about to be swallowed up in the depths of the raging sea, and my brothers began to realize that God's judgments were upon them--that unless they repented, they would die, so they untied me.
My wrists and ankles had become very sore and swollen, but I did not complain. I looked to God and praised Him all that day.
While I had been tied, my father had said many things to my brothers and to Ishmael's sons, for which they had threatened him. They had also threatened anyone else who had tried to speak on my behalf.
My parents had become very sick, being old, and having suffered much grief because of their sons. Their sorrow over the iniquity of my brothers and their years of affliction had brought them near death.
