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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
The Antiquities of the Jews
Written by Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston
Book Two
Chapter 5
What Things Befell Joseph In Prison.
1. Now Joseph, commending all his affairs to God, did not betake
himself to make his defense, nor to give an account of the exact
circumstances of the fact, but silently underwent the bonds and
the distress he was in, firmly believing that God, who knew the
cause of his affliction, and the truth of the fact, would be
more powerful than those that inflicted the punishments upon him
: - a
proof of whose providence he quickly received; for the keeper of
the prison taking notice of his care and fidelity in the affairs
he had set him about, and the dignity of his countenance,
relaxed his bonds, and thereby made his heavy calamity lighter,
and more
supportable to him. He also permitted him to make use of a diet
better than that of the rest of the prisoners. Now, as his
fellow
prisoners, when their hard labors were over, fell to discoursing
one among another, as is usual in such as are equal sufferers,
and to inquire one of another what were the occasions of their
being condemned to a prison: among them the king's cupbearer,
and
one that had been respected by him, was put in bonds, upon the
king's anger at him. This man was under the same bonds with
Joseph, and grew more familiar with him; and upon his observing
that Joseph had a better understanding than the rest had, he
told
him of a dream he had, and desired he would interpret its
meaning, complaining that, besides the afflictions he underwent
from the king, God did also add to him trouble from his dreams.
2. He therefore said, that in his sleep he saw three clusters of
grapes hanging upon three branches of a vine, large already, and
ripe for gathering; and that he squeezed them into a cup which
the king held in his hand; and when he had strained the wine, he
gave it to the king to drink, and that he received it from him
with a pleasant countenance. This, he said, was what he saw; and
he desired Joseph, that if he had any portion of understanding
in such matters, he would tell him what this vision foretold.
Who
bid him be of good cheer, and expect to be loosed from his bonds
in three days' time, because the king desired his service, and
was about to restore him to it again; for he let him know that
God bestows the fruit of the vine upon men for good; which wine
is poured out to him, and is the pledge of fidelity and mutual
confidence among men; and puts an end to their quarrels, takes
away passion and grief out of the minds of them that use it, and
makes them cheerful. "Thou sayest that thou didst squeeze this
wine from three clusters of grapes with thine hands, and that
the king received it: know, therefore, that this vision is for
thy
good, and foretells a release from thy present distress within
the same number of days as the branches had whence thou
gatheredst thy grapes in thy sleep. However, remember what
prosperity I have foretold thee when thou hast found it true by
experience; and when thou art in authority, do not overlook us
in this prison, wherein thou wilt leave us when thou art gone to
the
place we have foretold; for we are not in prison for any crime;
but for the sake of our virtue and sobriety are we condemned to
suffer the penalty of malefactors, and because we are not
willing to injure him that has thus distressed us, though it
were for our
own pleasure." The cupbearer, therefore, as was natural to do,
rejoiced to hear such an interpretation of his dream, and waited
the completion of what had been thus shown him beforehand.
3. But another servant there was of the king, who had been chief
baker, and was now bound in prison with the cupbearer; he also
was in good hope, upon Joseph's interpretation of the other's
vision, for he had seen a dream also; so he desired that Joseph
would tell him what the visions he had seen the night before
might mean. They were these that follow: - "Methought," says he,
"I carried three baskets upon my head; two were full of loaves,
and the third full of sweetmeats and other eatables, such as are
prepared for kings; but that the fowls came flying, and eat them
all up, and had no regard to my attempt to drive them away." And
he expected a prediction like to that of the cupbearer. But
Joseph, considering and reasoning about the dream, said to him,
that he would willingly be an interpreter of good events to him,
and not of such as his dream denounced to him; but he told him
that he had only three days in all to live, for that the [three]
baskets signify, that on the third day he should be crucified,
and devoured by fowls, while he was not able to help himself.
Now both these dreams had the same several events that Joseph
foretold they should have, and this to both the parties; for on
the third day before mentioned, when the king solemnized his
birth-day, he crucified the chief baker, but set the butler free
from his bonds, and restored him to his former ministration.
4. But God freed Joseph from his confinement, after he had
endured his bonds two years, and had received no assistance from
the cupbearer, who did not remember what he had said to him
formerly; and God contrived this method of deliverance for him.
Pharaoh the king had seen in his sleep the same evening two
visions; and after them had the interpretations of them both
given him. He had forgotten the latter, but retained the dreams
themselves. Being therefore troubled at what he had seen, for it
seemed to him to be all of a melancholy nature, the next day he
called together the wisest men among the Egyptians, desiring to
learn from them the interpretation of his dreams. But when they
hesitated about them, the king was so much the more disturbed.
And now it was that the memory of Joseph, and his skill in
dreams, came into the mind of the king's cupbearer, when he saw
the confusion that Pharaoh was in; so he came and mentioned
Joseph to him, as also the vision he had seen in prison, and how
the event proved as he had said; as also that the chief baker
was crucified on the very same day; and that this also happened
to
him according to the interpretation of Joseph. That Joseph
himself was laid in bonds by Potiphar, who was his head cook, as
a slave; but, he said, he was one of the noblest of the stock of
the Hebrews; and said further, his father lived in great
splendor. "If, therefore, thou wilt send for him, and not
despise him on the score of his misfortunes, thou wilt learn
what thy
dreams signify." So the king commanded that they should bring
Joseph into his presence; and those who received the command
came
and brought him with them, having taken care of his habit, that
it might be decent, as the king had enjoined them to do.
5. But the king took him by the hand; and, "O young man," says
he, "for my servant bears witness that thou art at present the
best and most skillful person I can consult with; vouchsafe me
the same favors which thou bestowedst on this servant of mine,
and tell me what events they are which the visions of my dreams
foreshow; and I desire thee to suppress nothing out of fear, nor
to flatter me with lying words, or with what may please me,
although the truth should be of a melancholy nature. For it
seemed to me that, as I walked by the river, I saw kine fat and
very large, seven in number, going from the river to the
marshes;
and other kine of the same number like them, met them out of the
marshes, exceeding lean and ill-favored, which ate up the fat
and
the large kine, and yet were no better than before, and not less
miserably pinched with famine. After I had seen this vision, I
awaked out of my sleep; and being in disorder, and considering
with myself what this appearance should be, I fell asleep again,
and saw another dream, much more wonderful than the foregoing,
which still did more affright and disturb me: - I saw seven ears
of corn growing out of one root, having their heads borne down
by the weight of the grains, and bending down with the fruit,
which
was now ripe and fit for reaping; and near these I saw seven
other ears of corn, meager and weak, for want of rain, which
fell
to eating and consuming those that were fit for reaping, and put
me into great astonishment."
6. To which Joseph replied: - "This dream," said he, "O king,
although seen under two forms, signifies one and the same event
of things; for when thou sawest the fat kine, which is an animal
made for the plough and for labor, devoured by the worser kine,
and the ears of corn eaten up by the smaller ears, they foretell
a famine, and want of the fruits of the earth for the same
number
of years, and equal with those when Egypt was in a happy state;
and this so far, that the plenty of these years will be spent in
the same number of years of scarcity, and that scarcity of
necessary provisions will be very difficult to be corrected; as
a
sign whereof, the ill-favored kine, when they had devoured the
better sort, could not be satisfied. But still God foreshows
what
is to come upon men, not to grieve them, but that, when they
know it beforehand, they may by prudence make the actual
experience of what is foretold the more tolerable. If thou,
therefore, carefully dispose of the plentiful crops which will
come in the
former years, thou wilt procure that the future calamity will
not be felt by the Egyptians."
7. Hereupon the king wondered at the discretion and wisdom of
Joseph; and asked him by what means he might so dispense the
foregoing plentiful crops in the happy years, as to make the
miserable crops more tolerable. Joseph then added this his
advice: To spare the good crops, and not permit the Egyptians to
spend them luxuriously, but to reserve what they would have
spent
in luxury beyond their necessity against the time of want. He
also exhorted him to take the corn of the husbandmen, and give
them only so much as will be sufficient for their food.
Accordingly Pharaoh being surprised at Joseph, not only for his
interpretation of the dream, but for the counsel he had given
him, intrusted him with dispensing the corn; with power to do
what he thought would be for the benefit of the people of Egypt,
and for the benefit of the king, as believing that he who first
discovered this method of acting, would prove the best overseer
of it. But Joseph having this power given him by the king, with
leave to make use of his seal, and to wear purple, drove in his
chariot through all the land of Egypt, and took the corn of the
husbandmen, (3) allotting as much to every one as would be
sufficient for seed, and for food, but without discovering to
any
one the reason why he did so.
Continue on to
Book
Two,
Chapter 6,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
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