Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol VIII:
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs.: Testament XI

XI.—The Testament of Joseph Concerning Sobriety.

1.  The record of the testament of Joseph.  When he was about to die he called his sons and his brethren together, and said to them:  My children and brethren, hearken to Joseph the beloved of Israel; give ear, my sons, unto your father.  I have seen in my life envy and death, and I wandered not in the truth of the Lord.  These my brethren hated me, and the Lord loved me:  they wished to slay me, and the God of my fathers guarded me:  they let me down into a pit, and the Most High brought me up again:  I was sold for a slave, and the Lord made me free:  I was taken into captivity, and His strong hand succoured me:  I was kept in hunger, and the Lord Himself nourished me:  I was alone, and God comforted me:  I was sick, and the Most High visited me:  I was in prison, and the Saviour showed favour unto me; in bonds, and He released me; amid slanders, and He pleaded my cause; amid bitter words of the Egyptians, and He rescued me; amid envy and guile, and He exalted me.

2.  And thus Potiphar 174 the chief cook 175 of Pharaoh entrusted to me his house, and I struggled against a shameless woman, urging me to transgress with her; but the God of Israel my father guarded me from the burning flame.  I was cast into prison, I was beaten, I was mocked; and the Lord granted me to find pity in the sight of the keeper of the prison.  For He will in no wise forsake them that fear Him, neither in darkness, nor in bonds, nor in tribulations, nor in necessities.  For not as man is God ashamed, nor as the son of man is He afraid, nor as one that is earth-born is He weak, or can He be thrust aside; but in all places is He at hand, and in divers ways doth He comfort, departing for a little to try the purpose of the soul.  In ten temptations He showed me approved, and in all of them I endured; for endurance is a mighty charm, and patience giveth many good things.

3.  How often did the Egyptian threaten me with death!  How often did she give me over to punishment, and then call me back, and threaten me when I would not company with her!  And she said to me, Thou shalt be lord of me, and all that is mine, if thou wilt give thyself unto me, and thou shalt be as our master.  Therefore I remembered the words of the fathers of my father Jacob, and I entered into my chamber 176 and prayed unto the Lord; and I fasted in those seven years, and I appeared to my master as one living delicately, for they that fast for God’s sake receive beauty of face. 177   And if one gave me wine, I drank it not; and I fasted for three days, and took my food and gave it to the poor and sick.  And I sought the Lord early, and wept for the Egyptian woman of Memphis, for very unceasingly did she trouble me, and at night she came to me under the pretence of visiting me; and at first, because she had no male child, she feigned to count me as a son.  And I prayed unto the Lord, and she bare a male child; therefore for a time she embraced me as a son, and I knew it not.  Last of all, she sought to draw me into fornication.  And when I perceived it, I sorrowed even unto death; and when she had gone out I came to myself, and I lamented for her many days, because I saw her guile and her deceit.  And I declared unto her the words of the Most High, if haply she would turn from her evil lust.

4.  How often has she fawned upon me with words as a holy man, with guile in her talk, praising my chastity before her husband, while desiring to destroy me when we were alone.  She lauded me openly as chaste, and in secret she said unto me, Fear not my husband; for he is persuaded concerning thy chastity, so that even should one tell him concerning us he would in no wise believe.  For all these things I lay upon the ground in sackcloth, and I besought God that the Lord would deliver me from the Egyptian.  And when she prevailed nothing, she came again to me under the plea of instruction, that she might know the word of the Lord.  And she said unto me, If thou willest that I should leave my idols, be persuaded by me, and I will persuade my husband to depart from his idols, and we will walk in the law of thy Lord.  And I said unto p. 33 her, The Lord willeth not that those who reverence Him should be in uncleanness, nor doth He take pleasure in them that commit adultery.  And she held her peace, longing to accomplish her evil desire.  And I gave myself yet more to fasting and prayer, that the Lord should deliver me from her.

5.  And again at another time she said unto me, If thou wilt not commit adultery, I will kill my husband, and so will I lawfully take thee to be my husband.  I therefore, when I heard this, rent my garment, and said, Woman, reverence the Lord, and do not this evil deed, lest thou be utterly destroyed; for I will declare thy ungodly thought unto all men.  She therefore, being afraid, besought that I would declare to no one her wickedness.  And she departed, soothing me with gifts, and sending to me every delight of the sons of men.

6.  And she sendeth to me food sprinkled with enchantments.  And when the eunuch who brought it came, I looked up and beheld a terrible man giving me with the dish a sword, and I perceived that her scheme was for the deception of my soul.  And when he had gone out I wept, nor did I taste that or any other of her food.  So then after one day she came to me and observed the food, and said unto me, What is this, that thou hast not eaten of the food?  And I said unto her, It is because thou filledst it with death; and how saidst thou, I come not near to idols but to the Lord alone?  Now therefore know that the God of my father hath revealed unto me by an angel thy wickedness, and I have kept it to convict thee, if haply thou mayest see it and repent.  But that thou mayest learn that the wickedness of the ungodly hath no power over them that reverence God in chastity, I took it and ate it before her, saying, The God of my fathers and the Angel of Abraham shall be with me.  And she fell upon her face at my feet, and wept; and I raised her up and admonished her, and she promised to do this iniquity no more.

7.  But because her heart was set upon me to commit lewdness, she sighed, and her countenance fell.  And when her husband saw her, he said unto her, Why is thy countenance fallen?  And she said, I have a pain at my heart, and the groanings of my spirit do oppress me; and so he comforted her who was not sick.  Then she rushed in to me while her husband was yet without, and said unto me, I will hang myself, or cast myself into a well or over a cliff, if thou wilt not consent unto me.  And when I saw the spirit of Beliar was troubling her, I prayed unto the Lord, and said unto her, Why art thou troubled and disturbed, blinded in sins?  Remember that if thou killest thyself, Sethon, the concubine of thy husband, thy rival, will beat thy children, and will destroy thy memorial from off the earth.  And she said unto me, Lo then thou lovest me; this alone is sufficient for me, that thou carest for my life and my children:  I have expectation that I shall enjoy my desire.  And she knew not that because of my God I spake thus, and not because of her.  For if a man hath fallen before the passion of a wicked desire, then by that hath he become enslaved, even as also was she.  And if he hear any good thing with regard to the passion whereby he is vanquished, he receiveth it unto his wicked desire.

8.  I declare unto you, my children, that it was about the sixth hour when she departed from me; and I knelt before the Lord all that day, and continued all the night; and about dawn I rose up weeping, and praying for a release from the Egyptian.  At last, then, she laid hold of my garments, forcibly dragging me to have connection with her.  When, therefore, I saw that in her madness she was forcibly holding my garments, I fled away naked.  And she falsely accused me to her husband, and the Egyptian cast me into the prison in his house; and on the morrow, having scourged me, the Egyptian 178 sent me into the prison in his house.  When, therefore, I was in fetters, the Egyptian woman fell sick from her vexation, and listened to me how I sang praises unto the Lord while I was in the abode of darkness, and with glad voice rejoiced and glorified my God only because by a pretext I had been rid of the Egyptian woman.

9.  How often hath she sent unto me, saying, Consent to fulfil my desire, and I will release thee from thy bonds, and I will free time from the darkness!  And not even in thoughts did I incline unto her.  For God loveth him who in a den of darkness fasteth with chastity, rather than him who in secret chambers liveth delicately without restraint.  And whosoever liveth in chastity, and desireth also glory, and if the Most High knoweth that it is expedient for him, He bestoweth this also upon him, even as upon me.  How often, though she were sick, did she come down to me at unlooked-for times, and listened to my voice as I prayed!  And when I heard her groanings I held my peace.  For when I was in her house she was wont to bare her arms, and breasts, and legs, that I might fall before her; for she was very beautiful, splendidly adorned for my deception.  And the Lord guarded me from her devices. 179

10.  Ye see therefore, my children, how great things patience worketh, and prayer with fasting.  And if ye therefore follow after sobriety and purity in patience and humility of heart, the Lord will dwell among you, because He loveth sobriety.  p. 34 And wheresoever the Most High dwelleth, even though a man fall into envy, or slavery, or slander, the Lord who dwelleth in him, for his sobriety’s sake not only delivereth him from evil, but also exalteth and glorifieth him, even as me.  For in every way the man is guarded, whether in deed, or in word, or in thought.  My brethren know how my father loved me, and I was not exalted in my heart; although I was a child, I had the fear of God in my thoughts.  For I knew that all things should pass away, and I kept myself within bounds, and I honoured my brethren; and through fear of them I held my peace when I was sold, and revealed not my family to the Ishmaelites, that I was the son of Jacob, a great man and a mighty.

11.  Do ye also, therefore, have the fear of God in your works, and honour your brethren.  For every one who worketh the law of the Lord shall be loved by Him.  And when I came to the Indocolpitæ with the Ishmaelites, they asked me, and I said that I was a slave from their house, that I might not put my brethren to shame.  And the eldest of them said unto me, Thou art not a slave, for even thy appearance doth make it manifest concerning thee.  And he threatened me even unto death.  But I said that I was their slave.  Now when we came into Egypt, they strove concerning me, which of them should buy me and take me.  Therefore it seemed good to all that I should remain in Egypt with a merchant of their trade, until they should return bringing merchandise.  And the Lord gave me favour in the eyes of the merchant, and he entrusted unto me his house.  And the Lord blessed him by my means, and increased him in silver and gold, and I was with him three months and five days.

12.  About that time the Memphian wife of Potiphar passed by with great pomp, and cast her eyes upon me, because her eunuchs told her concerning me.  And she told her husband concerning the merchant, that he had become rich by means of a young Hebrew, saying, And they say that men have indeed stolen him out of the land of Canaan.  Now therefore execute judgment with him, and take away the youth to be thy steward; so shall the God of the Hebrews bless thee, for grace from heaven is upon him.

13.  And Potiphar was persuaded by her words, and commanded the merchant to be brought, and said unto him, What is this that I hear, that thou stealest souls out of the land of the Hebrews, and sellest them for slaves?  The merchant therefore fell upon his face, and besought him, saying, I beseech thee, my lord, I know not what thou sayest.  And he said, Whence then is thy Hebrew servant?  And he said, The Ishmaelites entrusted him to me until they should return.  And he believed him not, but commanded him to be stripped and beaten.  And when he persisted, Potiphar said, Let the youth be brought.  And when I was brought in, I did obeisance to the chief of the eunuchs—for he was third in rank with Pharaoh, being chief of all the eunuchs, and having wives and children and concubines.  And he took me apart from him, and said unto me, Art thou a slave or free?  And I said, A slave.  And he said unto me, Whose slave art thou?  And I said unto him, The Ishmaelites’.  And again he said unto me, How becamest thou their slave?  And I said, They bought me out of the land of Canaan.  And he believed me not, and said, Thou liest:  and he commanded me to be stripped and beaten.

14.  Now the Memphian woman was looking through a window while I was being beaten, and she sent unto her husband, saying, Thy judgment is unjust; for thou dost even punish a free man who hath been stolen, as though he were a transgressor.  And when I gave no other answer though I was beaten, he commanded that we should be kept in guard, until, said he, the owners of the boy shall come.  And his wife said unto him, Wherefore dost thou detain in captivity this noble child, who ought rather to be set at liberty, and wait upon thee?  For she wished to see me in desire of sin, and I was ignorant concerning all these things.  Then said he to his wife, It is not the custom of the Egyptians to take away that which belongeth to others before proof is given.  This he said concerning the merchant, and concerning me, that I must be imprisoned.

15.  Now, after four and twenty days came the Ishmaelites; and having heard that Jacob my father was mourning because of me, they said unto me, How is it that thou saidst that thou wert a slave? and lo, we have learnt that thou art the son of a mighty man in the land of Canaan, and thy father grieveth for thee in sackcloth.  And again I would have wept, but I restrained myself, that I should not put my brethren to shame.  And I said, I know not, I am a slave.  Then they take counsel to sell me, that I should not be found in their hands.  For they feared Jacob, lest he should work upon them a deadly vengeance.  For it had been heard that he was mighty with the Lord and with men.  Then said the merchant unto them, Release me from the judgment of Potiphar.  They therefore came and asked for me, saying, He was bought by us with money.  And he sent us away.

16.  Now the Memphian woman pointed me out to her husband, that he should buy me; for I hear, said she, that they are selling him.  And she sent a eunuch to the Ishmaelites, and asked them to sell me; and since he was not willing to traffic with them, he returned.  So when the p. 35 eunuch had made trial of them, he made known to his mistress that they asked a large price for their slave.  And she sent another eunuch, saying, Even though they demand two minæ of gold, take heed not to spare the gold; only buy the boy, and bring him hither.  And he gave them eighty pieces of gold for me, and told his mistress that a hundred had been given for me.  And when I saw it I held my peace, that the eunuch should not be punished.

17.  Ye see, my children, what great things I endured that I should not put my brethren to shame.  Do ye also love one another, and with long-suffering hide ye one another’s faults.  For God delighteth in the unity of brethren, and in the purpose of a heart approved unto love.  And when my brethren came into Egypt, and learnt that I returned their money unto them, and upbraided them not, yea, that I even comforted them, and after the death of Jacob I loved them more abundantly, and all things whatsoever he commanded I did very abundantly, then they marvelled.  For I suffered them not to be afflicted even unto the smallest matter; and all that was in my hand I gave unto them.  Their children were my children, and my children were as their servants; their life was my life, and all their suffering was my suffering, and all their sickness was my infirmity.  My land was their land, my counsel their counsel, and I exalted not myself among them in arrogance because of my worldly glory, but I was among them as one of the least.

18.  If ye also therefore walk in the commandments of the Lord, my children, He will exalt you there, and will bless you with good things for ever and ever.  And if any one seeketh to do evil unto you, do ye by well-doing pray for him, and ye shall be redeemed of the Lord from all evil.  For, behold, ye see that through long-suffering I took unto wife even the daughter of my 180 master.  And a hundred talents of gold were given me with her; for the Lord made them to serve me.  And He gave me also beauty as a flower above the beautiful ones of Israel; and He preserved me unto old age in strength and in beauty, because I was like in all things to Jacob.

19.  Hear ye also, my children, the visions which I saw.  There were twelve deer feeding, and the nine were divided and scattered in the land, likewise also the three.  And I saw that from Judah was born a virgin wearing a linen 181 garment, and from her went forth a Lamb, without spot, and on His left hand there was as it were a lion; and all the beasts rushed against Him, and the lamb overcame them, and destroyed them, and trod them under foot.  And because of Him the angels rejoiced, and men, and all the earth.  And these things shall take place in their season, in the last days.  Do ye therefore, my children, observe the commandments of the Lord, and honour Judah and Levi; for from them shall arise unto you the Lamb of God, by grace saving all the Gentiles and Israel.  For His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, which shall not be shaken; but my kingdom among you shall come to an end as a watcher’s 182 hammock, which after the summer will not appear.

20.  I know that after my death the Egyptians will afflict you, but God will undertake your cause, and will bring you into that which He promised to your fathers.  But carry ye up my bones with you; 183 for when my bones are taken up, the Lord will be with you in light, and Beliar shall be in darkness with the Egyptians.  And carry ye up Zilpah your mother, and lay her near Bilhah, by the hippodrome, by the side of Rachel. 184   And when he had said these things, he stretched out his feet, and slept the long sleep.  And all Israel bewailed him, and all Egypt, with a great lamentation.  For he felt even for the Egyptians even as his own members, and showed them kindness, aiding them in every work, and counsel, and matter.

Footnotes

The Greek spelling here is Φωτιμάρ, in the later chapters Πετεφρίς (Πεντεφρῆς, Cd. Oxon.).  The former is more like the Hebrew, the latter really the LXX. spelling, Πετεφρῆς.  We may perhaps see herein a trace of a double authorship in the Test. Joseph.

Cf. Gen. xxxix. 1, LXX., and Josephus (Antiq., ii. 4. 1), who calls Potiphar μαγείρων ὁ βασιλεύς.  The view of the Eng. ver. is most probably correct, though we find חבָּט used in the sense of cook in 1 Sam. ix. 23.

[Matt. vi. 6.  He veils the quotation by a fiction, as to authorship, to support the plan of his work.]

[Dan. i. 15.]

This repetition of a clause seems like the slip of a copyist.  The Ox. ms. reads, εἰς τὴν εἱρκτὴν τοῦ Φαραώ

[To this section Lardner takes exception, as unbecoming to the gravity of Joseph.]

Another account is given in the Targ. Ps. Jon. of Gen. xli. 45, “And he gave him to wife Asenath, whom Dinah bare to Shechem:  and the wife of Potipherah prince of Tanes brought up.”

This wearing of a linen garment would seem to imply a connection with the priestly tribe.  St. Luke (Luke 1.36) indeed calls the Virgin the kinswoman of Elisabeth.  On this tendency to associate the old sacerdotal tribe with the new royalty of Messiah, cf., e.g., Protevangel. Jacobi, cc. 6, 7, 9; Augustine, contra Faustum, xxiii. 4; Epiphanius, Hær., lxxviii. 13.  [See Reuben, sec. 6, p. 10, supra.]

Isa. 1:8, Isa. 24:20.

Cf. Test. Simeon 8, and Jubilees 46.  The account of Joseph’s burial in the Targ. Ps. Jon. on Gen. l. 26 is:  “And Joseph died, a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and placed him in a coffin, and sank him in the middle of the Nile of Egypt.“

Cf. Gen. xlviii. 7, LXX.