Page:The Holy Bible faithfvlly translated into English ovt of the authentical Latin, diligently conferred with the Hebrew, Greek, & other Editions in diuers languages.pdf/141

he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kil victimes, and prepare a feast; because they shal eate with me at noone. ¹⁷He did that which was commanded him, and brought the men into the house. ¹⁸And there being sore afraid, they said one to another: because of the money, which we caried backe the first time in our sackes, we are brought in: that he may turne vpon vs Calumniam.* a false accusation, and forcibly bring both vs and our asses into bondage. ¹⁹Wherfore in the verie dore stepping to the steward of the house, ²⁰they spake: Sir, we desire thee to heare vs. Now once before we came downe to buy prouision: ²¹which being bought, when we were come to the Inne, we opened our sackes, and found our money in the mouths of the sackes: which we haue now brought againe in the same weight. ²²But we haue brought other money besides, to buy the things that are necessarie for vs: our conscience is not priuie, who put it in our bags. ²³But he answered: Peace be with you, feare you not: your God, and the God of your father hath giuen you treasures in your sackes. For the money, which you gaue me, I haue for good. And he brought forth Simeon vnto them. ²⁴And being brought into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gaue prouender to their asses. ²⁵But they made readie the presents, til Ioseph should come in at noone: for they had heard that they should eate bread there. ²⁶Therfore Ioseph came in to his house, and they offered him presents holding them in their hands, and ^[1] they adored prostrate to the ground. ²⁷But he curteously resaluting them, asked them saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet liuing? ²⁸Who answered: Thy seruant our father is in health, he is yet liuing. And bowing themselues they adored him. ²⁹And Ioseph lifting vp his eyes, saw Beniamin his brother of the same mother, and said: Is this your yong brother, of whom you told me? And againe: God, saith he, be merciful vnto thee my sonne. ³⁰And he made hast because his hart was moued vpon his brother, and teares brake forth: and entring into his chamber he wept. ³¹And when he had washed his face, comming forth againe, he refrained himselfe, and said: Set bread on the table. ³²Which being set downe, to Ioseph apart, and to his brethren apart, to the Ægyptians also that did eate with him apart (for it is vnlawful for the Ægyptians to eate with the Hebrewes, and ^[2] they thinke such a feast prophane) ³³they sate before him, the first begotten according to his first-birth, and the yongest according to his age. And they maruailed out of measure, ³⁴taking the portions that they receiued of him: and the greater portion came to Beniamin, so that it exceeded ^[3] by fiue partes. And they dranke and were ″ inebriated with him.

1. They now adore him, whom they sold, lest they should adore him. S. Greg. ho. 22. in Ezech.
2. See Exodi 8. v. 26.
3. Euerie one hauing fiue portions, Beniamin had double. Iosephus li. 1. Antiq.