Ioseph informing his father of his brethrens faults. 5. and telling his dreames, is by them more hated. 13. being sent to visite them, 18. they first thinke to kil him, 26. but by Iudas cousel sel him to the Ismaelites. 29. vnwiting to Ruben. 33. his father lamenteth supposing him to be slaine by some wild beast. 36. He is sold againe to Putiphar in Aegypt.
1And Jacob dwelt in the land of Chanaan, wherein his father sojourned.Giacobbe adunque abitò nella terra di Chanaan, dove fu pellegrino suo padre.AND Iacob dwelt in the land of Chanaan, wherin his father soiourned.Habitavit autem Jacob in terra Chanaan, in qua pater suus peregrinatus est. 2And these are his generations: Joseph, when he was sixteen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being but a boy: and he was with the sons of Bala and of Zelpha his father’s wives: and he accused his brethren to his father of a most wicked crime.E questa è la genealogia di lui: Giuseppe essendo di sedici anni pasceva ancor fanciullo il gregge insieme co' suoi fratelli: e stava co' figliuoli di Bala, e di Zelpha, mogli del padre suo; e accusò presso al padre i suoi fratelli di pessimo delitto.And these are his generations: Ioseph when he was sixten e yeares old, fed the flock with his brethren being yet a boy: and he was with the sonnes of Bala and Zelpha his fathers wiues: and he accused his brethren to his father of a most wicked crime.Et hæ sunt generationes ejus: Joseph cum sedecim esset annorum, pascebat gregem cum fratribus suis adhuc puer: et erat cum filiis Balæ et Zelphæ uxorum patris sui: accusavitque fratres suos apud patrem crimine pessimo. 3Now Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, because he had him in his old age: and he made him a coat of divers colours.Or Israele amava Giuseppe più di tutti i suoi figliuoli, perché lo aveva avuto in vecchiezza: e gli fece una tonaca di vari colori.And Israel loued Ioseph aboue al his sonnes, because he had begotten him in his old age: and he made him a coate of diuers coloures.Israël autem diligebat Joseph super omnes filios suos, eo quod in senectute genuisset eum: fecitque ei tunicam polymitam. 4And his brethren seeing that he was loved by his father, more than all his sons, hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.Ma i suoi fratelli veggendo, com'egli era più di tutti gli altri figliuoli amato dal padre, l'odiavano, e non potevano dirgli una parola con amore.And his brethren seing that he was loued of his father, more then al his sonnes, they hated him, neither could they speake any thing to him peaceably.Videntes autem fratres ejus quod a patre plus cunctis filiis amaretur, oderant eum, nec poterant ei quidquam pacifice loqui. 5Now it fell out also that he told his brethren a dream, that he had dreamed: which occasioned them to hate him the more.Avvenne ancora, ch'egli riferì a' suoi fratelli un sogno, che avea veduto: la qual cosa fu un semenzaio di odio maggiore.It chanced also that he reported to his brethren a dreame, that he had seene: which occasion was the seed of greater hatred.Accidit quoque ut visum somnium referret fratribus suis: quæ causa majoris odii seminarium fuit.
6And he said to them: Hear my dream which I dreamed.E disse loro: Udite il sogno veduto da me:And he said to them: Heare my dreame which I haue seene:Dixitque ad eos: Audite somnium meum quod vidi: 7I thought we were binding sheaves in the field: and my sheaf arose as it were, and stood, and your sheaves standing about bowed down before my sheaf.Mi pareva, che noi legassimo nel campo i manipoli, e che il mio manipolo quasi si alzava, e stava diritto, e che i vostri manipoli stando all'intorno adoravano il mio manipolo.I thought we bounde sheaues in the field: and my sheafe arose as it were, and stood, and your sheaues standing about did adore my sheafe.putabam nos ligare manipulos in agro: et quasi consurgere manipulum meum, et stare, vestrosque manipulos circumstantes adorare manipulum meum. 8His brethren answered: Shalt thou be our king? or shall we be subject to thy dominion? Therefore this matter of his dreams and words ministered nourishment to their envy and hatred.Risposero i suoi fratelli: Sarai tu forse nostro re? o sarem noi soggetti alla tua potestà? Questi sogni adunque, e questi discorsi somministraron esca all'invidia, e all'avversione.His brethren answered: What shalt thou be our king? or shal we be subiect to thy dominion? This occasion of his dreames and wordes ministred nourishment to the enuie and hatred.Responderunt fratres ejus: Numquid rex noster eris ? aut subjiciemur ditioni tuæ ? Hæc ergo causa somniorum atque sermonum, invidiæ et odii fomitem ministravit. 9He dreamed also another dream, which he told his brethren, saying: I saw in a dream, as it were the sun, and the moon, and eleven stars worshipping me.Vide pure un altro sogno, e raccontandolo a' fratelli, disse: Ho veduto in sogno, come se il sole, e la luna, e undici stelle mi adorassero.He sawe also an other dreame, which telling his brethren, he said: I sawe in a dreame, as it were the sunne, and the moone, and eleuen starres adore me.Aliud quoque vidit somnium, quod narrans fratribus, ait: Vidi per somnium, quasi solem, et lunam, et stellas undecim adorare me. 10And when he had told this to his father, and brethren, his father rebuked him and said: What meaneth this dream that thou hast dreamed? shall I and thy mother, and thy brethren worship thee upon the earth?La qual cosa avendo egli raccontata al padre, e ai fratelli, suo padre sgridollo, dicendo: Che vuol egli dire questo sogno, che hai veduto? forse che io, e la tua madre, e i tuoi fratelli prostrati per terra ti adoreremo?Which when he had reported to his father, and brethren, his father rebuked him, and said: What meaneth this dreame that thou hast seene? why shal I and thy mother, and thy brethren adore thee vpon the earth?Quod cum patri suo, et fratribus retulisset, increpavit eum pater suus, et dixit: Quid sibi vult hoc somnium quod vidisti ? num ego et mater tua, et fratres tui adorabimus te super terram ?
11His brethren therefore envied him: but his father considered the thing with himself.I suoi fratelli pertanto gli portavano invidia: il padre poi considerava la cosa in silenzio.His brethren therfore enuyed him: but his father considered the thing with him selfe.Invidebant ei igitur fratres sui: pater vero rem tacitus considerabat. 12And when his brethren abode in Sechem, feeding their father’s flocks,E dimorando i suoi fratelli a pascere i greggi del padre in Sichem,And when his brethren abode in Sichem, feeding their fathers flockes,Cumque fratres illius in pascendis gregibus patris morarentur in Sichem, 13Israel said to him: Thy brethren feed the sheep in Sichem: come, I will send thee to them. And when he answered:Israele disse a lui: I tuoi fratelli sono in Sichem alla pastura: vieni, vo' mandarti verso di essi. E avendo egli risposto:Israel said to him: Thy brethren feed sheepe in Sichem: come, I wil send thee to them. Who answering,dixit ad eum Israël: Fratres tui pascunt oves in Sichimis: veni, mittam te ad eos. Quo respondente, 14I am ready: he said to him: Go, and see if all things be well with thy brethren, and the cattle: and bring me word again what is doing. So being sent from the vale of Hebron, he came to Sichem:Son pronto, gli disse: Va', e vedi, se tutto va bene riguardo a' tuoi fratelli, e ai bestiami; e riportami quello che ivi si fa. Spedito dalla valle di Hebron arrivò a Sichem:I am readie; he said to him: Goe, and see if al things be wel with thy brethren, and the sheepe: and bring me word againe what they doe. Being sent therfore from the Vale of Hebron, he came to Sichem:Præsto sum, ait ei: Vade, et vide si cuncta prospera sint erga fratres tuos, et pecora: et renuntia mihi quid agatur. Missus de valle Hebron, venit in Sichem: 15And a man found him there wandering in the field, and asked what he sought.E un uomo lo incontrò, mentre andava qua e là per la campagna, e domandogli, che cercasse.and a man found him there wandring in the field, and asked what he sought.invenitque eum vir errantem in agro, et interrogavit quid quæreret. 16But he answered: I seek my brethren, tell me where they feed the flocks.Ma egli rispose: Cerco i miei fratelli: insegnami, dove sieno a pascere i greggi.But he answered: I seeke my brethren, shew me where they fede the flockes.At ille respondit: Fratres meos quæro: indica mihi ubi pascant greges. 17And the man said to him: They are departed from this place: for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothain. And Joseph went forward after his brethren, and found them in Dothain.Colui gli disse: Si sono partiti da questo luogo: ed hogli uditi, che dicevano: Andiamo a Dothain. Andò adunque Giuseppe in traccia dei suoi fratelli, e trovogli in Dothain.And the man said to him: They are departed from this place: for I heard them say: Let vs goe into Dothain. Ioseph therfore went forward after his brethren, and found them in Dothain.Dixitque ei vir: Recesserunt de loco isto: audivi autem eos dicentes: Eamus in Dothain. Perrexit ergo Joseph post fratres suos, et invenit eos in Dothain.
18And when they saw him afar off, before he came nigh them, they thought to kill him:Ma questi vedutolo da lungi, prima che ad essi si accostasse, disegnarono di ucciderlo:Who when they had seene him a farre of, before he came nighe them, they deuised to kil him:Qui cum vidissent eum procul, antequam accederet ad eos, cogitaverunt illum occidere: 19And said one to another: Behold the dreamer cometh.E dicevano gli uni agli altri: Ecco il signore dei sogni che viene:and spake among them selues: Behold the dreamer commeth,et mutuo loquebantur: Ecce somniator venit: 20Come, let us kill him, and cast him into some old pit: and we will say: Some evil beast hath devoured him: and then it shall appear what his dreams avail him:Su via, ammazziamolo, e gettiamolo in una vecchia cisterna: e diremo: Una fiera crudele lo ha divorato: e allora apparirà, che giovino a lui i suoi sogni.come, let vs kil him, and cast him into an old cesterne: and we wil say A naughtie wild beast hath deuoured him: and then it shal appeare what his dreames doe profite him.venite, occidamus eum, et mittamus in cisternam veterem: dicemusque: Fera pessima devoravit eum: et tunc apparebit quid illi prosint somnia sua. 21And Ruben hearing this, endeavoured to deliver him out of their hands, and said:Ma Ruben udito questo si affaticava di liberarlo dalle loro mani, e diceva:And Ruben hearing this, endeuored to deliuer him out of their hands, and said:Audiens autem hoc Ruben, nitebatur liberare eum de manibus eorum, et dicebat: 22Do not take away his life, nor shed his blood: but cast him into this pit, that is in the wilderness, and keep your hands harmless: now he said this, being desirous to deliver him out of their hands and to restore him to his father.Non gli date la morte, e non ispargete il suo sangue: ma gettatelo in questa cisterna, che è nel deserto, e pure serbate le vostre mani. Or ei ciò diceva con volontà di liberarlo dalle loro mani, e restituirlo a suo padre.Do not take away his life, neyther sheed ye blood: but cast him into this cesterne, that is in the wildernesse, and keepe your handes harmeles: and he said this, desirous to deliuer him out of their handes, and to restore him to his father.Non interficiatis animam ejus, nec effundatis sanguinem: sed projicite eum in cisternam hanc, quæ est in solitudine, manusque vestras servate innoxias: hoc autem dicebat, volens eripere eum de manibus eorum, et reddere patri suo. 23And as soon as he came to his brethren, they forthwith stript him of his outside coat, that was of divers colours:Appena adunque giunse presso a' fratelli, lo spogliarono della tonaca talare a varii colori,As soone therfore as he came vnto his brethren, forthwith they stripped him out of his side coate, and of diuers colours.Confestim igitur ut pervenit ad fratres suos, nudaverunt eum tunica talari et polymita:
24And cast him into an old pit where there was not water.E lo calarono nella vecchia cisterna, che era al secco.And cast him into the old cesterne, that had not water.miseruntque eum in cisternam veterem, quæ non habebat aquam. 25And sitting down to eat bread, they saw some Ismaelites on their way coming from Galaad, with their camels, carrying spices, and balm, and myrrh to Egypt.E postisi a sedere per mangiare il pane videro dei passeggieri Ismaeliti che venivan di Galaad co' loro cammelli, e portavano aromi, e resina e mirra stillata in Egitto.And sitting to eate bread, they saw Ismaelites wayfaring men cōming from Galaad, and their camels carying spices, and rosen, and mirrh into Aegypt.Et sedentes ut comederent panem, viderunt Ismaëlitas viatores venire de Galaad, et camelos eorum portantes aromata, et resinam, et stacten in Ægyptum. 26And Juda said to his brethren: What will it profit us to kill our brother, and conceal his blood?Disse adunque Giuda a' suoi fratelli: Qual bene ne avremo noi, se ammazzeremo un nostro fratello, e celeremo la sua morte?Iudas therfore said to his brethren: What auaileth it vs if we kil our brother, and conceale his bloode?Dixit ergo Judas fratribus suis: Quid nobis prodest si occiderimus fratrem nostrum, et celaverimus sanguinem ipsius ? 27It is better that he be sold to the Ismaelites, and that our hands be not defiled: for he is our brother and our flesh. His brethren agreed to his words.È meglio che si venda agl'Ismaeliti, e che non imbrattiamo le nostre mani: perocché egli è nostro fratello e nostra carne. Si acquietarono i fratelli alle sue parole.It is better that he be sold to the Ismaelites, and that our handes be not polluted: for he is our brother and our flesh. His brethren assented to his wordes.melius est ut venundetur Ismaëlitis, et manus nostræ non polluantur: frater enim et caro nostra est. Acquieverunt fratres sermonibus illius. 28And when the Madianite merchants passed by, they drew him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ismaelites, for twenty pieces of silver: and they led him into Egypt.E mentre passavano quei mercanti Madianiti, avendolo tratto dalla cisterna lo venderono a certi Ismaeliti per venti monete d'argento: e questi lo condussero in Egitto.And when the Madianite marchants passed by, they drawing him out of the cesterne, sold him to the Ismaelites, for twentie peeces of siluer, who brought him into Aegypt.Et prætereuntibus Madianitis negotiatoribus, extrahentes eum de cisterna, vendiderunt eum Ismaëlitis, viginti argenteis: qui duxerunt eum in Ægyptum. 29And Ruben returning to the pit, found not the boy:E tornato Ruben alla cisterna non vi trovò il fanciullo.And Ruben returning to the cesterne, findeth not the boy:Reversusque Ruben ad cisternam, non invenit puerum:
30And rending his garments he went to his brethren, and said: The boy doth not appear, and whither shall I go?E stracciatesi le vesti, andò a trovare i suoi fratelli, e disse: Il fanciullo non si vede, e io dove anderò?and renting his garments went to his brethren, and said: The boy doth not appeare, and whither shal I goe?et scissis vestibus pergens ad fratres suos, ait: Puer non comparet, et ego quo ibo ? 31And they took his coat, and dipped it in the blood of a kid, which they had killed:Ma quelli preser la tonaca di Giuseppe, e la intriser del sangue di un agnello che aveano ammazzato,And they tooke his coate, and dipped it in the blood of a kidde, which they had killed:Tulerunt autem tunicam ejus, et in sanguine hædi, quem occiderant, tinxerunt: 32Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This we have found: see whether it be thy son’s coat, or not.Mandando persone a portarla al padre, e dirgli: Questa abbiamo trovato: guarda, se è, o no, la tonaca del tuo figliuolo.sending some that should carie it to their father, and should say: This we haue founde: see whether it be thy sonnes coate, or no.mittentes qui ferrent ad patrem, et dicerent: Hanc invenimus: vide utrum tunica filii tui sit, an non. 33And the father acknowledging it, said: It is my son’s coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph.E il padre avendola riconosciuta disse: Ella è la tonaca del mio figliuolo: una fiera crudele lo ha mangiato, una bestia ha divorato Giuseppe.Which when the father acknowledged, he said: It is my sonnes coate, a naughtie wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath deuoured Ioseph.Quam cum agnovisset pater, ait: Tunica filii mei est: fera pessima comedit eum, bestia devoravit Joseph. 34And tearing his garments, he put on sackcloth, mourning for his son a long time.E stracciatesi le vestimenta, si coprì di cilizio, e pianse per molto tempo il suo figlio.And tearing his garments, did on sackcloth, mourning his sonne a great time.Scissisque vestibus, indutus est cilicio, lugens filium suum multo tempore. 35And all his children being gathered together to comfort their father in his sorrow, he would not receive comfort, but said: I will go down to my son into hell, mourning. And whilst he continued weeping,Ed essendosi raunati tutti i suoi figliuoli per alleggerire il dolore del padre, non volle egli ammettere consolazione, ma disse: Scenderò piangendo a trovare il mio figliuolo nell'inferno. E mentre egli perseverava nel pianto,And al his children being gethered together to asswage their fathers sorowe, he would not take comforte, but said: I wil descend vnto my sonne into hel, mourning. And whilest he perseuered in weeping,Congregatis autem cunctis liberis ejus ut lenirent dolorem patris, noluit consolationem accipere, sed ait: Descendam ad filium meum lugens in infernum. Et illo perseverante in fletu, 36The Madianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Putiphar, an eunuch of Pharao, captain of the soldiers.I Madianiti in Egitto venderon Giuseppe a Putifare eunuco di Faraone, capitano delle milizie.the Madianites sold Ioseph in Aegypt to Phutiphar an Eunuch of Pharoes maister of the souldiars.Madianitæ vendiderunt Joseph in Ægypto Putiphari eunucho Pharaonis, magistro militum.
37:1
Year of the World 2276, Year before Christ 1728.
Haydock
Sojourned at Hebron and the environs. (Haydock)
37:2
Haydock
Generations. This connects his history with Genesis 35. What happened to Jacob and his sons, and particularly to Joseph, forms the subject of the remaining part of Genesis. (Haydock)
Old; complete, or beginning "his 17th year," as the Hebrew, Chaldean, and Septuagint have it. "He was the son or boy of"---so many years always means the current year unfinished. (Bochart 1. R. 13:1.)
The sons. Perhaps these were not so much enraged against Joseph, till he told his father of their scandalous behaviour, in order that he might put a stop to it.
Calmet
He accused. Some editions of the Septuagint read, "they accused him," etc.; but all others confirm the Vulgate and Hebrew. (Calmet)
Calmet
Crime: perhaps of sodomy, or bestiality (St. Thomas Aquinas); or of abusive language to Joseph himself. (Calmet)
37:3
Old age, and therefore expected to have no more children; but he loved him still more, on account of his innocent and sweet behaviour (Menochius): in which sense the Samaritan, Chaldean, etc., have, "because he was a wise and prudent boy."
Calmet
Colours. The nations of the East delight in gaudy attire, "hanging down to the heels" as the original passim is sometimes expressed, talaris et polymita, ver. 3. (Calmet)
37:4
Haydock
Could not, through envy, which caused them to notice every little distinction shewn to Joseph. They perceived he was the most beloved. His accusing them, and insinuating by his mysterious dreams that he would be their lord, heightened their rage. (Haydock)
37:5
A dream. These dreams of Joseph were prophetical, and sent from God, as were also those which he interpreted, Genesis 40. and 41.; otherwise, generally speaking, the observing of dreams is condemned in the Scripture, as superstitious and sinful. See Deuteronomy 18:10, and Ecclesiasticus 34:2, 3.
37:7
Calmet
Sheaf. Joseph probably knew not what this portended, as the prophets were sometimes ignorant of the real purport of their visions. (Calmet)
Menochius
But it admirably foreshewed the famine, which would bring his brethren to adore him in Egypt. (Menochius)
37:9
Calmet
The sun. This second dream confirmed the truth of the former. Joseph relates it with simplicity, not suspecting the ill will of his brethren: but his father easily perceives what effect the narration would have, and desires him to be more cautious. He even points out the apparent incoherence of the dream, as Rachel, who seemed intended by the moon, was already dead; unless this dream happened before that event. St. Augustine (q. 123.) observes, this was never literally verified in Joseph, but it was in Jesus Christ, whom he prefigured. (Calmet)
37:10
Worship. This word is not used here to signify divine worship, but an inferior veneration, expressed by the bowing of the body, and that, according to the manner of the eastern nations, down to the ground.
37:11
Calmet
With himself: not doubting but it was prophetical. Thus acted the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Calmet)
37:13
Calmet
In Sichem. About ninety miles off. The town had not probably been as yet rebuilt. Jacob had a field there, and the country was free for any one to feed their flocks. It was customary to drive them to a distance. (Calmet)
37:14
Bring me. He was afraid of letting him remain with them, and retained him mostly at home for company, and to protect him from danger.
37:16
Haydock
My brethren. The man was acquainted with Jacob's family, as he had dwelt in those parts for a long time. (Haydock)
37:17
37:19
Haydock
The dreamer. Hebrew Bahal hachalomoth, "the lord of dreams," or the visionary lord (Calmet); or one who feigns dreams: so the Jews say of our Saviour, this seducer. (Haydock)
37:20
Menochius
Pit: walled around to contain water: Hebrew Bur. Bar means a well that has no walls. (Menochius)
Haydock
Shall appear. They resolve to tell a lie, and easily believe that Joseph had been as bad as themselves in telling one first. If they had believed the dreams were from God, they would hardly have supposed that they could prevent them from having their effect. (Haydock)
37:22
His father. Ruben wished to regain his father's favour, Genesis 35:22.
37:25
Haydock
To eat bread. How could they do this while their innocent brother was praying and lamenting! (chap. 42:21.) (Haydock)
Du Hamel
Some: a caravan of merchants. (Du Hamel)
Pliny
Balm, or rosin; "that of Syria resembles attic honey." (Pliny, Natural History)
Calmet
Myrrh, (stacten); Hebrew, Lot: "drops of myrrh or laudanum, or of the Lotus tree." (Calmet)
37:28
Year of the World 2276, Year before Christ 1728.
St. Ambrose
Of silver. Some have read, thirty pieces of gold or silver. (St. Ambrose, C. 3.)
Haydock
The price was trifling: twenty sicles would be about £2 5s. 7.5d. English. The Madianites and Ismaelites jointly purchased Joseph. (Haydock)
37:29
Haydock
Ruben, who, in the mean time, had been absent while his brethren hearkened to the proposal of Juda only, and therefore consented to this evil. (Haydock)
37:30
Menochius
I go to seek for him. His brethren inform him of what they had done, and he consents to keep it a secret from his father. (Menochius)
37:33
Menochius
A beast. So he might reasonably conclude from the blood, and from the insinuations of the messengers sent by his ten sons, (Haydock) whom he would not suspect of so heinous a crime. Wild beasts infested that country. (Menochius)
37:34
Calmet
Sack-cloth, or hair-cloth, cilicio. These garments were made very close, like a sack, of the hair taken from the goats of Cilicia, which grew long, rough, and of a dark colour. The poorest people used them: Usum in Castrorum et miseris velamina nautis, (Virgil, Geor. 3.); and the Ascetics, or monks, afterwards chose them for the sake of mortification and humility. (Calmet)
Jacob was the first, mentioned in Scripture, who put them on, and the Israelites imitated him in their mourning.
Menochius
Long time; twenty-three years, till he heard of his son being still alive. (Menochius)
37:35
Challoner
Into hell; that is, into limbo, the place where the souls of the just were received before the death of our Redeemer. For allowing that the word hell sometimes is taken for the grave, it cannot be so taken in this place; since Jacob did not believe his son to be in the grave, (whom he supposed to be devoured by a wild beast) and therefore could not mean to go down to him thither: but certainly meant the place of rest, where he believed his soul to be. (Challoner)
Haydock
Soal, or sheol, to crave, denotes the receptacle of the dead, (Leigh) or a lower region; the grave for the body; limbo, or hell, when speaking of the soul. See Delrio, Adag. in 2 Kings, p. 209. (Haydock)
Worthington
Protestants here translate it, "the grave," being unwilling to admit a third place in the other world for the soul. See the contrary in St. Augustine, ep. 99[164?], ad Evod.; City of God 20:15. (Worthington)
37:36
Challoner
An eunuch. This word sometimes signifies a chamberlain, courtier, or officer of the king: and so it is taken in this place. (Challoner)
Calmet
Soldiers, cooks, or butchers. Hebrew tabachim, executioners, mactantium. He might also be chief sacrificer, governor of the prisons, etc., all these employments were anciently very honourable, Daniel 2:14. The providence of God never shines more brightly in any part of the Scripture, than in this history of Joseph, except in that of Jesus Christ, of whom Joseph was a beautiful figure. He was born when his father was grown old, as Jesus was in the last age of the world; he was a son increasing, as Jesus waxed in age and grace before God and men; both were beloved by their father, both comely, etc. (Calmet)
37:5
A dream.... These dreams of Joseph were prophetical, and sent from God; as were also those which he interpreted, Gen. 40. and 41.; otherwise generally speaking, the observing of dreams is condemned in the Scripture, as superstitious and sinful. See Deut. 18.10; Eccli. 34.2,3.
37:10
Worship.... This word is not used here to signify divine worship, but an inferior veneration, expressed by the bowing of the body, and that, according to the manner of the eastern nations, down to the ground.
37:35
Into hell.... That is, into limbo, the place where the souls of the just were received before the death of our Redeemer. For allowing that the word hell sometimes is taken for the grave, it cannot be so taken in this place; since Jacob did not believe his son to be in the grave, (whom he supposed to be devoured by a wild beast,) and therefore could not mean to go down to him thither: but certainly meant the place of rest where he believed his soul to be.
37:36
An eunuch.... This word sometimes signifies a chamberlain, courtier, or officer of the king: and so it is taken in this place.
37:2
These things folowing hapned to Iacob. in his generations, that is in his childrē. See S. Chrisost. ho. 23. in Gen.
That for il life they were infamous. the hebrew word d•••a signifieth infamie.
37:3
3. In his old age] This being one cause why Iacob loued Ioseph aboue The least offensiue cause is alleaged, why Iacob loued Ioseph aboue his bretheren God turneth euil to good effect. S. Aug. li. 14. c. 27. ciuit. al his other sonnes, for that he was the youngest of the eleuen (for Beniamin the twelfth was yet an infant) it is alleaged in holie Scripture (saith S. Chrisostom. Epist. ad Olympiam) as least offensiue to his bretheren. For a more special cause was, for his mother Rachels sake, but most principal cause of al was, for his great vertues, and mature iudgement; for which God also preferred him aboue them al, and now forshewed the same by visions in sleepe. VVhich they enuying and meaning to preuent, did in dede vnwitting cooperate therto, Gods prouidence turning their euil worke to infinite good. As the same holie Ioseph truly interpreteth it to them, after their fathers death, when they iustly feared reuenge, for so gteat and inhumane iniuries done vnto him. chap. 50. v. 20.
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Liturgia The Epistle on friday, in the second weke of Lent.
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Brothers easily enuie eech other: but the parents are glad of their childrens aduancement.
So Christ, & al good Pastors.
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So the Iewes thinking to preuēt Christs exaltation cooperated vnwitting therto Prosper. li. de promiss. Dei.
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Some read thirtie: And as the reading is diuers, so Christ whom Ioseph signified is more & lesse estimed of diueres. S. Aug. Ser. 81. de temp:
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35. Into hel mourning.] Protestants denying more places for soules after Graue for hel corruptly trā slated. this life, then Heauen for the iust, and Hel for the wicked, translate the hebrew word Sheol, graue for hel. Because if they should grant that Iacob, or other holie fathers of the old Testament descended into hel, they must confesse some other hel, then where the damned are tormented, whither no Christian wil say that those fathers went. If they contended only about the sense and meaning of the text, it were more tolerable, for therin they speake, according See. •. Hiero. Ep. 119. S. Aug. li. 20. c. 15. ciuit. to their erronious opinion, as they thinke. But knowing as some VVilful corruption. of them doe, that Hel is the true word of the text, there is no sinceritie nor moral honestie in putting Graue, in place therof. And that they know it, the second table of the Bible, printed at London 1602. witnesseth, noting for a common place, that in the 37. chap. of Genesis. v. 35. Hel is taken for graue, therby confessing, that the true English word of the holie Scripture in that place is Hel, but that they would haue it to signifie graue. VVherupon anie reasonable man would thinke to finde the word Hel in the text, with some glosse to shew that graue were to be vnderstood. But in al their Editions, also in that which was printed the yeare next folowing, 1603 wherto the same table is adioyned, they reade graue, and not hel in that place, though in some Nu 16. 2. Reg. 22. Iob. 17 Psal. 15 17. 85 other places, they much disagree in translating the same word.
As for the sense, it can not be that Iacob ment the graue: for when he said he would goe to his sonne, he supposed him to be deuoured by a wild beast, and Iacob spake of hel not of graue. not buried in a graue. And therfore must necessarily meane, that he would goe where he thought the soule of his sonne to be. VVhich was neither in heauen, for then he would rather haue ascended thither ioyful, then descended to anie place mourning; neither did he meane the hel of the dammed, for that had bene desperation; but to a lowe place, where the iust soules then remained in rest, which was called Limbus Patrum, or Abrahams bosome. That is, saith Abrahams besome. Iue. 16. S. Augustin, in his answere to Bishop Euodius (Epist. 99.) secretae cuiusdam quiet is habitatio. The habitation of a certaine secret rest.
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san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. Concerning Free-Will 1
… and especially when there is before me such a flowering meadow, that is to say, our assembly of those who unite in singing and hearing the divine mysteries. Wherefore I dare to ask you to listen to me with ears free from all envy, without imitating the jealousy of Cain, or persecuting your brother, like Esau, or approving the brethren of Joseph,
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.24
24. Holy Joseph experienced the hatred of his brethren,
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 16.14
… As is shown by the case of the patriarch Jacob, who, though he was the father of twelve sons and loved them all with a father’s love, yet loved Joseph with deeper affection, as Scripture clearly shows: “But his brethren envied him, because his father loved him;”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 18.16
… Lastly no submission on the part of their harmless brother could soften the envy of the eleven patriarchs, so that Scripture relates of them: “But his brothers envied him because his father loved him, and they could not speak peaceably unto him”
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 26
[2.] “By Faith, Jacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph.” Here we ought to set down the blessings entire, in order that both his faith and his prophesying may be made manifest. “And worshiped leaning,”
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sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Duties of the Clergy 1.17
66. Isaac feared the Lord, as was indeed but natural in the son of Abraham; being subject also to his father to such an extent that he would not avoid death in opposition to his father’s will. Joseph also, though he dreamed that sun and moon and stars made obeisance to him, yet was subject to his father’s will with ready obedience.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 25
… But when he sought the profit of many, then he also found his own. So likewise Jacob among the flocks, not seeking his own gain, had exceeding riches for his portion. And Joseph also, seeking the profit of his brethren, found his own. At least, being sent by his father, (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 49
… So that the fact was not that he got into prison, but that he got out of prison. She made his master his foe, but she made God his friend: brought him into closer relation to Him Who is indeed the true Master; she cast him out of his stewardship in the family, but made him a familiar friend to that Master. Again, his brethren sold him (
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san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. The Epistles of Cyprian 68.10
… But it is no wonder, since his brethren said of Joseph, “Behold, this dreamer cometh; come now therefore, let us slay him.”
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Thessalonians 4
… this firm man, of rocky hardness, when he saw his brothers who had bartered him away, who had thrown him into a pit, who had sold him, who had even wished to murder him, who were the causes both of the prison and the honor, when he heard from them how they had worked upon their father, (for, we said, it says, that one was devoured by a wild beast [
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san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 48.4
… ‘For if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the sight of Christ.’ The gifts of Christ are different. Hence Joseph as a type of Him had a coat of many colors.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 54.11
… Stand, as Jeremiah says, in more ways than one that so you may come on the true way that leads to the Father. Exchange your love of necklaces and of gems and of silk dresses for earnestness in studying the scriptures. Enter the land of promise that flows with milk and honey. Eat fine flour and oil. Let your clothing be, like Joseph’s, of many colors.
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san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 79.3
… In Isaiah we read of camels, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah and Sheba, which carry gold and incense to the city of the Lord. On like typical camels the Ishmaelitish merchantmen
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san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.5
… Those which books and monuments contain. For besides all the wonders by the way, and that mighty roar, to speak most concisely, Joseph came into Egypt alone,
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Duties of the Clergy 2.16
… Or his counsel, whereby he foresaw so great and lasting a need? Or his watchfulness or justice? By his watchfulness, when so high an office was given him, he gathered together such vast supplies; and through his justice he treated all alike. And what am I to say of his greatness of mind? For though sold by his brothers into slavery,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. Against Jovinianus 1.22
… shew me then in the same way that Joshua the son of Nun had either wife or children, and if you can do so, I will confess that I am beaten. He certainly received the fairest spot in the division of the land of Judah, and died, not in the twenties , which are ever unlucky in Scripture—by them are reckoned the years of Jacob’s service,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 41.2
… how sayest thou, Ye shall be free?” O inflated skin! such is not magnanimity, but windy swelling. For even as regards freedom in this life, how was that the truth when you said, “We were never in bondage to any man”? Was not Joseph sold?
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 77.16
… Why the people of the Gentiles by Joseph? Because Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brethren.
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sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Enchiridion 21
… nor did the patriarch Jacob deviate from this way, when he believed that his son, who was really alive, had been slain by a beast.
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san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 39.4
4. Why should I not mourn, you say? Jacob put on sackcloth for Joseph, and when all his family gathered round him, refused to be comforted. “I will go down,” he said, “into the grave unto my son mourning.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. Against the Pelagians 1.28
xxxvii. 35 . Jacob’s excessive grief.
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san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 79.5
… “water will quench a flaming fire; and alms maketh an atonement for sins.” I will pass on now to his other virtues each one of which is to be found but in few men. Who ever entered the furnace of the King of Babylon without being burned? Was there ever a young man whose garment his Egyptian mistress did not seize? Was there ever a eunuch’s
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 62.3
… For now by the honour of Christians the hearts of ungodly men are tortured: now that spiritual Joseph, after his selling by his brethren, after his removal from his home into Egypt as though into the Gentiles, after the humiliation of a prison,
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2. HAE SUNT GENERATIONES EJUS, Jacobi, q. d. Deinceps enarrabo posteros Jacobi, eorum casus, eventa et gesta, maxime Josephi, ut feci Esau cap. praecedenti. Hic enim incipit historia Josephi innocentissimi, castissimi et patientissimi. Vide S. Ambrosium, lib. De Joseph. Joseph cum sedecim esset annorum. Hebraei, Chaldaei, Septuaginta et Josephus habent septemdecim, scilicet expleverat Joseph annum 16, et inchoarat 17. Unde Philo: Erat, inquit, circiter 17 annorum. Unde hebr. est: «Joseph erat filius 17 annorum.» Hebr. enim בן ben, id est filius, significat inchoationem et quasi aedificationem illius rei, a radice בנה bana, id est aedificavit, ut patet Exodi II, 5, q. d. Joseph adhuc aedificabatur a decimo septimo anno, vel agebat decimum septimum annum. Haec ergo contigerunt Josepho, paulo post mortem matris Rachelis et nativitatem Benjamin, scilicet eodem, vel sequenti anno, cum Jacob esset annorum 107, puta anno mundi 2216. Nota: Joseph ab anno hoc 16 ad 30 per integros tredecim annos duram et miseram toleravit servitutem; anno vero 30 evectus est ad principatum, in eoque vixit felix et gloriosus, utpote princeps Aegypti, per annos 80, usque ad obitum; obiit enim anno aetatis 110: itaque Joseph expressus fuit typus Christi patientis et resurgentis. Vide S. Chrysostomum, homil. 61 et seq., et S. Ambrosium, lib. De Joseph: «Discite, inquit Ambrosius, in Abram impigram fidei devotionem; in Isaac sincerae mentis puritatem; in Jacob laborum tolerantiam; in Joseph speculum castitatis:» adde, et patientiae et constantiae in tolerandis odiis, persecutionibus, calumniis, servitute, carcere, etc. ADHUC PUER, tum aetate, tum moribus et innocentia. ERAT CUM FILIIS BALAE ET ZELPHAE. Videtur Jacob divisisse gregem suum in duos, unum dedisse pascendum sex filiis Liae, alterum commisisse filiis Balae et Zelphae ancillarum, cum quibus junxit Josephum; quia hi facile patiebantur Josephum sibi praeferri, quod filii Liae non patiebantur. Sicut enim inter Rachel et Liam fuit aemulatio, ita et inter earum filios; putabant enim filii Liae, mortua praesertim Rachele, sibi quasi senioribus, seniore matre, eaque adhuc superstite, natis primas deberi. ACCUSAVITQUE. Ita habent Hebraea, Chaldaea, Aquila, Symmachus et Theodotion. Verum Septuaginta in editione Romana habent κατήνεγκαν, id est accusaverunt, scilicet fratres ipsum Josephum; et ita legunt Theodoretus, S. Chrysostomus, Diodorus et Cyrillus. Verum corrigendum est κατήνεγκεν, id est accusavit; sic enim habent Septuaginta in editione Regia, et hoc exigunt Hebraea, ipsaque historiae series. Nota: Joseph, utpote innocens et sanctus, servavit ordinem correptionis fraternae, quem ipsa ratio naturalis dictat, ut scilicet moneatur secreto proximus de suo peccato, antequam ad superiorem deferatur. Monuit ergo Joseph prius suos fratres; sed, cum monitionem suam ab eis negligi cerneret, detulit eos ad patrem. Ita Abulensis. FRATRES, maxime filios Balae et Zelphae, inquit S. Cyrillus, utpote cum quibus versabatur et pascebat oves. CRIMINE PESSIMO, contra naturam, puta de peccato, vel Sodomitico, ut vult Rupertus; vel bestialitatis cum ovibus, quas pascebant, ut vult S. Thomas, Abulensis et Hugo de S. Victore, quod proinde quia pudendum, horrendum et infame, noluit hic Moses nominare; est enim hoc peccatum mutum, ob sui enormitatem silentio premendum. Hebraea habent דבה רעה dibba raa, id est infamiam malam; unde videtur hoc fratrum Joseph peccatum infandum fuisse, infame et publicum. Alii, ut Pererius, per crimen pessimum intelligunt rixas et odia mutua: alii intelligunt murmurationem contra patrem, quod Josephum juniorem sibi praeferret. Verum haec non sunt «dibba,» id est infamia, resque infamis, foeda, et infanda. Judaei nonnulli putant quod Joseph solum Ruben accusaverit de suo incestu cum Bala. Verum repugnat id, quod hic dicitur, eum scilicet accusasse, non fratrem, sed fratres, quasi plures eorum accusaverit. Ita Abulensis.
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3. ET QUOD IN SENECTUTE GENUISSET EUM. Hebraice est, eo quod esset filius senectutis, id est, praeditus senili modestia, prudentia et moribus, inquit Theodoretus, Josephus et Burgensis; unde Chaldaeus vertit, quia filius sapiens erat ei. Verum melius magisque genuine vertit Noster, «eo quod in senectute genuisset eum.» Licet enim Jacob, intra secundum septennium servitutis suae genuerit omnes filios, etiam Josephum, uno excepto Benjamin; tamen Josephus omnium erat ultimus et minimus, praeter Benjamin, qui hoc anno decimo sexto Josephi, tantum infans erat unius anni. Joseph ergo vocatur filius senectutis, non absolute, sed respectu caeterorum filiorum Jacob, qui omnes ante Josephum sunt geniti, ita ut illorum respectu Joseph esset filius senectutis, id est, ultima patris generantis aetate, ultimo genitus. Notat Philo, lib. De Abraham, parentes solere diligere filios in senectute genitos, prae aliis filiis, quia tales sunt ultimi parentum fructus, post quos non sperant alios. Secundo, quia tales sunt indices bonae et fortis senectutis parentum. Audi Philonem: «Sero natos, ait, impotentius parentes amant, vel quia diu desideratos, vel quia natura effeta nullam postea sperant prolem, vel quia maxime gaudent se in senectute robustos esse ad generandum.» Adde, quia Joseph similis erat patri, et avo; sicut enim Jacob natus est ex Rebecca sterili, et Isaac ex Sara sterili: sic Joseph prodiit ex Rachel sterili, et Jacob sene, inquit Rupertus. Addit Cajetanus, quia per tales, utpote diutius victuros, potest parentum nomen et memoria conservari. Praeter hanc amoris causam, fuit et alia, eaque praecipua, scilicet vitae morumque innocentia in Josepho. Ita S. Chrysostomus, homil. 61. Porro ad hanc physice non parum adjuvit senilis tum aetas, tum amor patris. Senes enim quia frigidi sunt, maturi, sapientes, casti, compositi, hinc tales generant, aeque ac educant filios. Exemplum clarum est in illustri familia Anitia (quae deinde Frangipani est dicta), quae ab anu originem et nomen accepit. Anitius enim ejus parens et conditor ita nuncupatus est, quod a matre anu, id est vetula, genitus esset. Haec enim familia in lucem edidit S. Paulinum Nolae Episcopum, S. Benedictum, S. Scholasticam, S. Placidum, Severinum Boetium, S. Sylviam, S. Gregorium Magnum, S. Thomam Aquinatem, aliosque plurimos castitate, sapientia omnique virtute conspicuos, uti ex Panvino docet Franciscus Zazzera tract. De Familia Anitia: qui tamen addit nonnullos censere, Anitios origine et nomine esse Graecos, dicique quasi ἀνίκιος, id est invictos. Longe clarius exemplum est in B. Virgine: Deus enim congrue disposuit, ut ipsa a parentibus senibus et sanctis Anna et Joachim nasceretur et educaretur, quia ipsam destinabat humilitatis primiceriam, virginitatis jubar, sapientiae et sanctitatis solem efficere, ac supra Angelos, Cherubim et Seraphim evehere. FECITQUE EI TUNICAM POLYMITAM. Hebraice פסים passim, id est, ex frustis et liciis diversi coloris variegatam. Ita Septuaginta. Sicut enim τρίμιτος est trilix, sive trium liciorum vestis, ita πολύμιτος est multilix, sive multorum liciorum vestis. Aquila vertit, talarem; Symmachus, manicatam. Symbolice, haec tunica polymita est variegatura virtutum, inquit Rupertus. «Merito ergo variam tunicam fecit ei, quo significaret eum diversarum virtutum amictu fratribus praeferendum,» ait S. Ambrosius; et, ut ait Philo, lib. De Joseph, seu de viro civili et politico, haec toga polymita est multiformis prudentia principis. Princeps enim, qualis evasit Joseph, debet esse polymitus, quia alius debet esse in pace, alius in bello, alius cum hostibus, alius cum amicis, etc., adeoque debet esse πολύτροπος, qualem fuisse Ulyssem canit Homerus, qui scilicet pro ratione rerum et personarum, in omnes formas et figuras se vertere et versare possit. S. Gregorius vero, lib. I Moral. cap. ultimo, qui cum Aquila tunicam hanc talarem accipit: Talaris, inquit, tunica est perseverantia, quae ad talos, id est ad terminum vitae, protenditur. Nota hic: Causa odii et invidiae fratrum contra Joseph, fuit primo, quod Joseph plus diligeretur a patre; secundo, quod eos apud patrem accusasset de crimine; tertio, somnia Josephi; quarto, tunica ejus polymita assidue oculos fratrum feriens. Fuit enim haec tunica dolor oculorum fratribus, quae Josepho et patri caro stetit. Nam hac eum expoliarunt fratres, mortem ei machinati sunt, tandemque eum vendiderunt Ismaelitis. Discant hoc exemplo parentes, filios aequaliter amare, vestire, educare, suaque dona et bona aequaliter, quoad fieri potest, partiri, ne, si unum alteri praeferant, hic fiat pusillanimis, ille superbiat, itaque perpetuam inter eos invidiam et rixas, ac consequenter sibi perpetuum dolorem et tristitiam concilient. Solent enim fratrum et amicorum odia esse acerbissima, cujus rei causam dat Aristoteles, lib. VII Politic. cap. VII, tum quod omnis mutatio fiat ex contrario in contrarium, ideoque summus amor in summum odium convertatur; tum quod injuria a fratre, vel amico illata, videatur esse acerbior: a quibus enim beneficium sibi deberi existimant, ab eisdem non solum eo privari, sed insuper se laedi sentiunt, idque acerbum ducunt homines.
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4. ODERANT EUM. Est hic locus moralis illustris de invidia. Unde nota hic invidiae conditiones et remedia. Primo, invidia similis est ophthalmiae, quae rebus valde splendidis et lucentibus offenditur et laeditur; sic enim invidia aliorum bonis, virtute et gloria acerbatur et tabescit. Unde Aristoteles rogatus, «quid esset invidia,» respondit: «Est antagonista fortunatorum.» Secundo, quanto magis crescit virtus et gloria, tanto crescit et invidia. Unde Themistocles, cum esset adolescens, dicebat et dolebat se nullum adhuc praeclarum facinus fecisse: Quia, inquit, nemo adhuc mihi invidet. Tertio, invidia neminem laedit nisi seipsam. Sicut enim rubigo ferrum, sic invidia invidum conficit et consumit; et sicut vipera dicitur matris ventrem rodere et rumpere, ut nascatur, ita invidia invidi mentem rodit et rumpit. Unde Horatius: Invidia Siculi non invenere tyranni / Tormentum majus. Vis ideam et formam invidiae? Apte Ovidius, lib. II Metamorph., invidiam ita depingit: Pallor in ore sedet, maciesque in corpore toto, / Nusquam recta acies; livent rubigine dentes, / Pectora felle virent; lingua est suffusa veneno. / Risus abest, nisi quem visi fecere dolores: / Nec fruitur somno, vigilantibus excita curis: / Sed videt ingratos, intabescitque videndo / Successus hominum, carpitque et carpitur una; / Suppliciumque suum est. Hinc Anacharsis dixit invidiam esse serram animae; et Socrates, esse ulcus animae. Hinc et Evagoras censuit invidos esse infeliciores aliis hominibus, eisque duplo magis miseros esse: eo quod alii tantum propriis malis cruciantur, invidi vero insuper alienis bonis torquentur. Quarto, invidia plerumque clariorem et feliciorem facit eum, cui invidet: ita fratres Josephi per invidiam eum vendendo, fuerunt causa cur in Aegypto exaltaretur. Quinto, S. Gregorius, lib. V Moral., in illud Jacobi cap. v, Parvulum occidit invidia, docet invidum pusilli esse animi, angusti cordis, ingenii vilis atque abjecti; invidendo namque aliis ostendit se illis minorem et inferiorem esse, suamque parvitatem et paupertatem prodit: quod enim invidet, hoc ipse non habet et vehementer concupiscit. Sexto, invidia etiam corpus exedit et consumit. Hinc ait Sapiens Proverb. XIV: «Vita carnium sanitas cordis, putredo ossium invidia.» Audi S. Ambrosium, lib. De Joseph, cap. II: «Plus acquiritur filio, cui fratrum amor acquiritur. Haec praeclarior munificentia patrum, hac ditior haereditas filiorum. Jungat liberos aequalis gratia, quos junxit aequalis natura. Lucrum pietas nescit pecuniae, in quo pietatis dispendium est. Quid miraris si propter fundum aut domum oriuntur inter fratres jurgia, quando propter tunicam inter Jacob sancti filios exarsit invidia?» Excusat tamen Jacobum, «quod illum plus amabat, in quo majora virtutum insignia praevidebat, ut non tam filium pater praetulisse videatur, quam propheta mysterium; meritoque variam tunicam fecit ei, quo significaret eum diversarum virtutum amictu fratribus praeferendum.» Septimo, S. Basilius, serm. De invidia, docet efficacissimum remedium contra invidiam esse contemptum gloriae, et omnium bonorum temporalium, utpote fluxorum et caducorum, atque amorem et desiderium bonorum aeternorum. Qua de re vide S. Gregorium, Moral. lib. V, in fine. Sic et Crates Thebanus dicebat se pro patria habere gloriae contemptum et paupertatem, in quae nullum jus exerceret fortuna. Aiebat item se Diogenis Cynici civem esse et discipulum, qui nullis invidiae patebat insidiis. Opes enim et honores plerumque conciliant hominum invidiam. Ita de eo refert Laertius, lib. VI. Vere quoque ait Nazianzenus in Distich. iambicis: «Christo annuente, nihil potest livor: Christo abnuente, nihil potest labor.» Octavo, Cato senior dicebat eos qui fortuna moderate sobrieque uterentur, minime peti invidia. Non enim, inquit, nobis, sed bonis quae nos circumstant, invident homines; rursum, ii qui bonis insolenter utuntur, sibi conflant invidiam. Testis est Plutarchus in Roman. Apophtheg. S. Gregorius Nazianzenus, cum per sui aemulos et invidos turbaretur Ecclesia, cessit dixitque: «Absit ut mei causa aliqua simultas inter Dei sacerdotes oriatur. Si propter me est illa tempestas, tollite et mittite me in mare.» Sic Cleobulus rogatus a quodam, quaenam praecipue cavenda sint, respondit: Amicorum quidem invidiam, inimicorum autem insidias. Vide et quatuordecim invidiae proprietates apud Pererium hic, num. 30 et sequent. Octo invidiae remedia assignat noster Vincentius Regius, lib. IV Disquisit. Evangel. cap. XVI.
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6. AUDITE SOMNIUM. Somnium hoc, uti eventus declaravit, non naturale fuit, sed a Deo immissum, quo Deus portendebat et significabat futura, tam Josepho, quam fratribus.
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7. PUTABAM NOS LIGARE MANIPULOS, segetum et frumenti. Apte hoc symbolo portendebatur fratrum in Aegyptum profectio, ad faciendam frumentationem tempore famis. Rursum, quod manipuli fratrum adorent manipulum Josephi, clare significabat quod fratres adoraturi essent Josephum in Aegypto. Ita Theodoretus, Quaest. XCIII. Tropologice, hic manipulus Josephi est Christus, quem omnes legis et Prophetarum lectiones, omnes Sancti et Angeli circumstant et adorant, inquit Rupertus. Et S. Ambrosius, lib. De Joseph, cap. II: «In quo, ait, utique futura resurrectio Domini Jesu revelata est, quem et in Galilaea cum vidissent, undecim adoravere discipuli; et omnes Sancti cum resurrexerint, adorabunt, fructus bonorum operum proferentes, sicut scriptum est: Venientes autem venient cum exultatione, portantes manipulos suos.»
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9. SOLEM, ET LUNAM, ET STELLAS UNDECIM ADORARE ME. Hic alio symbolo et somnio prior visio a Deo confirmatur. Sol significat patrem, luna matrem, scilicet Balam, quae ancilla Rachelis, ea jam mortua, Josepho fuit instar matris, inquit Lyranus et Abulensis; undecim stellae significant undecim fratres, Josephum in Aegypto adoraturos. Porro manipuli visi sunt adorare Josephum inclinando se illi, suasque aristas illi incurvando et prosternendo. Sic sol, luna et stellae ex alto demittentes se ad pedes ejus, visae sunt illum venerari: forte etiam facie humana vestitae apparuere (uti eas pingunt pictores); eamque Josepho submisere et prostravere in terram. Hic disce patres et principes (uti erat Jacob) debere esse in familia et republica id quod sol est in universo. Simile fuit quod de Aesopo, magno illo mythologo, legimus in ejus Vita, scilicet eum instar legatorum regiorum magnifice exceptum fuisse a Nectenabo, rege Aegypti. Rex enim regali paludamento amictus, in capite gestans gemmatam cidarim, procerum corona circumseptus, sublimi sedebat solio. Rogavit deinde eum rex: Cui me, eosque qui circa me sunt, assimilas? Respondit mythologus: Te soli verno, hos autem spicis pretiosis assimilo. Quo dicto, rex adeo fuit delectatus, ut hominem admiratione donisque prosecutus sit. Vide ea quae dicturus sum Isaiae cap. XLV, vers. 1. Insigne ergo speculum familiae est, in qua pater est velut sol, mater quasi luna, filii sicut stellae ob morum splendorem. Quocirca S. Ambrosius, lib. De Joseph, cap. II, probat puerum Jesum adoratum esse a Joseph et Maria, ex illo Psal. CXLVIII, 3: «Laudate eum, sol et luna.» Solis, inquit, instar est Joseph, lunae vicem gerit Maria. Sicut enim sol terram, ita pater calefacit fovetque familiam. Sicut luna lumen mutuatur a sole, sic uxor a marito dignitatem et potestatem suam accipit. Rursum, sicut luna nunc plena est, nunc vacua: ita mater nunc pleno est utero, nunc vacuo; tertio, luna praeest humidis et pueris, sic et mater tota est in educatione et regimine puerorum; quarto, luna regit noctem, sol diem: sic et vir lucem foris administrat, uxor domi. Majora haec lumina in familia, sequuntur minora illa stellarum scintillantium in multitudine filiorum, de quibus Deus Abrahae: «Suspice caelum, et numera stellas si potes; sic erit semen tuum.» Ita Fernand., visione 3 in fine. Allegorice, Joseph hic gerit typum Christi. Audi S. Ambrosium, loco jam citato: «Quis, ait, est ille, quem parentes et fratres adoraverunt super terram, nisi Christus Jesus, quando eum Maria et Joseph cum discipulis adoraverunt; Deum verum esse in illo corpore confitentes, de quo solo dictum est: Laudate eum, sol et luna; laudate eum, omnes stellae et lumen.»
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10. INCREPAVIT EUM PATER, non quod ille offenderetur, aut somnium hoc contemneret (ipse enim suspicans somnium hoc esse a Deo, et futura portendere, rem tacitus considerabat), sed ut hac increpatione Josephum liberaret invidia fratrum, eumque in modestia contineret.
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11. PATER VERO REM TACITUS CONSIDERABAT. Jacob addictus fuit considerationi, aeque ac pater ejus Isaac, qui egrediebatur ad meditandum in agro, Genes. XXIV; ideoque in omnibus operibus suis erat circumspectus, compositus et sanctus. Audi S. Bernardum, lib. I De Considerat. cap. VII: «Mentem, ait, purificat consideratio; deinde regit affectus, dirigit actus, corrigit excessus, componit mores, vitam honestat et ordinat; postremo divinarum pariter et humanarum rerum scientiam confert. Haec est quae confusa disterminat, hiantia cogit, sparsa colligit, secreta rimatur, vera vestigat, verisimilia examinat, ficta et fucata explorat. Haec est quae agenda praeordinat, acta recogitat, ut nihil in mente resideat aut incorrectum, aut correctione egens. Haec est tandem quae in prosperis adversa praesentit, in adversis quasi non sentit: quorum alterum fortitudinis est, alterum prudentiae.» Allegorice S. Ambrosius, lib. De Joseph, cap. II: Joseph, inquit, a patre missus ad fratres pascentes oves, est Christus a Patre missus in carnem, ut nos, ac praesertim Judaeos, quasi fratres suos salvaret. Unde ipse ait: «Non veni nisi ad oves perditas domus Israel.»
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13. VENI, MITTAM TE. Hinc patet Jacobum revocasse Josephum a fratribus et gregibus, ut hac ejus absentia invidiam fratrum sopiret. Post aliquod tempus putans esse sopitam, remittit ad eos Josephum, ut inter eos et inter se sit internuntius, itaque rursus fratrum benevolentiam sibi conciliet. Deinde noluit pater eum domi desidere otiosum. Virtus enim negotiis alitur, segnitie marcescit.
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14. MISSUS DE VALLE HEBRON. Hinc patet Jacobum, aeque ac Isaac et Abrahamum, habitasse in Hebron, indeque misisse Josephum ad fratres.
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SOMNIATOR. Hebraice בעל החלמות baal hachalomot, id est dominus somniorum, id est habens et possidens somnia; secundo, peritus fingendi somnia; tertio, dominus et princeps, sed in somnio, q. d. Erit Joseph noster dominus et princeps, non reipsa, sed in somnio: somniat se nostrum fore principem; sit ergo princeps, sed per sua somnia: vocemus et creemus eum principem et regem somniorum. Allegorice S. Ambrosius, lib. De Joseph, cap. III: «Hoc, ait, scriptum est de Joseph, completum in Christo, quando Judaei in ejus passione dicebant: Si rex Israel est, descendat nunc de cruce.»
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22. NON INTERFICIATIS ANIMAM, id est vitam, cujus causa est anima. Est metonymia. Perperam ergo ex hac phrasi contendebant Sadducaei animam esse mortalem, eamque posse interfici et mori. Alii per animam accipiunt carnem, sive corpus, afferuntque simile Levit. xxi, vers. 1 et 11. Verum ibi, non caro viva, sed cadaver vocatur anima, per antiphrasin. PROJICITE EUM IN CISTERNAM. Dixit hoc Ruben, ut Josephum a morte liberaret; cogitabat enim illum secreto ex cisterna extrahere et ad patrem reducere, ut amissam incestu patris gratiam, hac in fratrem tam patri charum pietate, recuperaret. Allegorice Joseph mittitur in cisternam, id est, Christus descendit ad inferos: inde eductus venditur Ismaelitis, quia Christus resurgens a Gentilibus omnibus fidei commercio comparatur, inquit Eucherius, lib. III, cap. xxxvii.
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MISERUNTQUE. Addit Josephus, Joseph a Ruben fuisse fune demissum. Quid hic Joseph? erat quasi ovis inter lupos, flebat, gemebat, precabatur. Audi ipsosmet fratres, cap. xlii: «Merito, inquiunt, haec patimur, quia peccavimus in fratrem nostrum, videntes angustias animae illius, dum deprecaretur nos, et non audivimus.» Pathetice hanc Josephi ad fratres deprecationem describit S. Ephrem, tract. De Laudibus Joseph.
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RESINAM. Resina dicitur humor tenax ex arbore defluens, eique adhaerens; laudatissima est quae fluit ex terebintho, et terebinthina dicitur. STACTEN. Stacte est lacryma myrrhae, quae a myrrha fluit et distillat; unde dicitur stacte, id est stillatitia, a stazein, id est, a stillando.
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DIXIT ERGO JUDAS. Metuens Judas ne Joseph in cisterna tandem a fratribus necaretur, hac de causa suadet eum vendi. Notat Severianus, apte auctorem venditionis Josephi fuisse Judam, quia per Judam vendendus erat Christus, cujus typus erat Joseph; verum Judas hic Josephum bona mente et fine: Judas ille Christum mala et sacrilega vendidit. ISMAELITIS. Paulo ante Moses vocavit mercatores hos Madianitas, vel quia habitabant in Madian, cum essent ex posteris Ismaelis; vel potius, quia partim erant Ismaelitae, partim Madianitae. Sic enim mercatores Flandri et Galli simul ad nundinas proficisci solent. Ita Cajetanus et Pererius. VIGINTI ARGENTEIS. Intellige siclis. Ita Chaldaeus, id est 20 florenis Brabanticis. Ita Pererius, Maldonatus et alii; licet aliqui, ut Ribera et Suarez, argenteum putent esse dimidium sicli, ut Joseph venditus sit 10 florenis Brabanticis. Origenes, S. Augustinus et Beda legunt triginta argenteis, quia totidem venditus est Christus. Verum Hebraea, Chaldaea, Graeca et Josephus constanter legunt viginti argenteis. Scilicet, non decebat, ait S. Hieronymus, famulum tanti vendi quanti dominum, puta tanti Josephum quanti Christum; vel potius, Christus, quia vir, minoris est venditus quam Joseph, utpote puer; vilius enim vir emitur 30 florenis, quam puer 20. Adde, Christus emptus est ad crucem, Joseph vero tantum ad servitutem; vilior ergo et ignominiosior fuit venditio Christi, quam Josephi.
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28. VENDIDERUNT EUM. Notat S. Basilius, serm. De invidia, invidos illis modis, quibus aliorum gloriam conantur obscurare, iisdem magis illustrare. «Ideo, inquit S. Gregorius lib. VI Moral. cap. xii, venditus est a fratribus Joseph, ne ab eis adoraretur; sed ideo est adoratus, quia est venditus. Sic divinum consilium, dum devitatur, impletur; sic humana sapientia, dum reluctatur, comprehenditur.» Nonne vere dixit Sanctus ille? «Persecutores aurifabri sunt, qui nobis et praesentis et aeterni regni coronas fabricant.» Fratribus ergo et mundo miser et infelix videbatur hic esse Joseph; revera tamen non erat. Nam hoc ipso facto incipit Deus erigere manipulum ejus, fratrumque manipulos dejicere. Tunc enim Deus exaltare incipit, cum humiliat; et quo quemque plus exaltare intendit, eo profundius eum humiliat. Ita fecit in Joseph, et maxime in Christo. Thalamus ergo virtutis et gloriae est adversitas et dejectio.
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PUER NON COMPARET, ET EGO QUO IBO? q. d. Cum Joseph patri charissimus perierit, vel occisus sit, sive a vobis, sive a bestiis, quid agam? quo me vertam? quo ibo? non enim audeo comparere coram patre nostro. Pater enim a me, quasi seniore filio, suum Joseph exposcet, et cum eum illi exhibere nequeam, ingentem illi tristitiam et mihi offensam conciliabo; cum ergo patrem graviter incestu meo offenderim, sciamque hac Joseph perditione mihi magis offendendum, non ausim in conspectum ejus prodire: quo ergo ibo?
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TULERUNT AUTEM TUNICAM EJUS, ET IN SANGUINE HAEDI QUEM OCCIDERANT, TINXERUNT. Allegorice S. Ambrosius, lib. De Joseph, cap. iii: «Illud quoque, ait, quod haedi sanguine resperserant tunicam ejus, videtur significare, quoniam falsis testimoniis appetentes, in invidiam deduxere peccati, omnium peccata donantem. Nobis agnus est, illis haedus. Nobis agnus Dei occisus est, quibus abstulit peccatum mundi: illis haedus, quorum acerbavit errores, delicta cumulavit.»
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SCISSISQUE VESTIBUS. Vetus hic fuit mos, ut in luctu scinderent vestes; eratque hoc symbolum planctus: scissio enim vestium significabat scissum dolore cor. Septima fuit haec tribulatio Jacobi. INDUTUS EST CILICIO. Primus qui in luctu saccum, sive cilicium induisse legitur, fuit Jacob hoc loco; unde postea idipsum ejus posteri, puta Israelitae, in luctu imitati sunt. Hinc etiam vestis Christianorum paenitentium, jam olim erat cilicium, teste Tertulliano, lib. De Paenitent. Jacobo ergo patriarcha, quasi antesignano, glorientur ciliciphori, eumque opponant mollibus novantibus, qui aspera omnia asperantur, ciliciumque nunquam induerunt, et forte nunquam viderunt. Ita S. Hilarion, teste S. Hieronymo, aspero cilicio e palmis confecto corpus edomuit. Ita S. Simeon Stylites, qui 80 annos jugiter in columna stetit, cilicio induebatur, teste Theodoreto. Ita Eremitae, Monachi, Ascetae, paenitentes ciliciis se armabant, teste Palladio, Theodoreto, Climacho et aliis. Sed audi feminas, imo Ducissas et Reginas. S. Margareta, Hungarorum regis filia, cilicio corpus maceravit. Idem fecit S. Hedwigis, Ducissa Poloniae. S. Clara nobilis virgo, per 28 annos hirsutum ex corio porcino cilicium, pilis et setis aculeatis ad carnem obversis, eamque pungentibus, gestavit. S. Radegundis, Francorum regina, purpuram cum cilicio commutavit. Atque ut alias omittam, quas refert noster Gretserus lib. I De Disciplin. cap. ultimo, audi memorabile exemplum, quod vetus auctor refert de S. Cunegunde, in ejus Vita. Erat Cunegundis uxor Henrici Imperatoris, quae in conjugio virgo permansit; utque suam virginitatem marito probaret, nudis pedibus super candens ferrum illaesa ambulavit. Haec, mortuo marito Imperatore, ex Imperatrice facta religiosa, cilicium induit, illique jugiter indormire, imo immori voluit; cumque agonizans videret sibi parari regales exequias et aureo feretro obtendi velamina, tum illa pallentes vultus, quos ante ut sponso venienti laetos videres, ad hos retorquere, manu abnuere. «Amictus iste, ait, non est meus, auferte hinc; hic alienus est; his terreno sponso, istis coelesti copulata sum. Nuda de utero matris meae egressa, nuda regrediar illuc; his vilem miserae carnis materiam involvite, et corpusculum meum juxta tumulum fratris mei ac D. Henrici Imperatoris, quem me jam vocantem video, in proprio locello reponite.» Atque his dictis virgineum spiritum Christo sponso reddidit. Sic de Caecilia legimus: «Cilicio Caecilia membra domabat, Deum gemitibus exorabat,» dicens illud Davidicum: «Fiat cor meum immaculatum in justificationibus tuis, ut non confundar.» Itaque et angeli conspectum ac tutelam, et mariti conversionem, et illustrem martyrii lauream, et corporis integritatem ac incorruptionem in hodiernum usque diem, promeruit. Denique S. Martinus moriens in cinere et cilicio recumbebat, dicebatque: «Non decet Christianum nisi in cinere mori,» testis est Sulpitius. Quod imitatus S. Carolus Borromaeus sanxit, uti sui Clerici in morte cilicio et cinere se operirent, eisque suo praevit exemplo; moriens enim cilicio, quo sanus crebro utebatur, et cineri prius benedicto incubuit, ut habet ejus Vita, lib. VII, cap. xii.
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LUGENS FILIUM SUUM MULTO TEMPORE, scilicet 23 annis, puta ab anno 16 Josephi, quo ipse venditus est, usque ad 39 ejusdem, quo fratres tempore famis in Aegypto eum adierunt, et cum patre eumdem adorarunt; sed sensim luctus hujus sensus in Jacobo imminutus fuit. Nam «plaga animi quantalibet tempore mitigatur.» Artem ergo oblivionis (quam prae arte memoriae discere avebat Themistocles) docet tempus. DESCENDAM AD FILIUM MEUM LUGENS IN INFERNUM. Pro infernum aliqui vertunt, sepulcrum. Ita Calvinus, Eugubinus, Vatablus, Pagninus, quin et Lipomanus. Verum Hebraeum sheol proprie infernum significat, non sepulcrum, et ita verterunt Septuaginta aeque ac noster Interpres; itaque vertendum esse ratio ipsa convincit. Nam Jacob putabat Josephum a bestiis devoratum, ideoque insepultum esse; ergo non putabat, nec optabat ad eum descendere in sepulcrum, sed in infernum, puta in limbum patrum. Adde animam non sepulcro, sed limbo teneri: Jacob autem Josephi mortui animam superstitem videre cupiebat. Sensus ergo est, q. d. Ego, o filii, nullam consolationem admittam, donec Josephum videam, quem, utpote jam mortuum, visurus non sum, donec post mortem anima mea animae illius in limbo conjungatur. Plane enim confido, Josephi innocentis animam ad majorum animas accessisse in sinum Abrahae, quem etiam mihi reservari spero. Hinc patet Jacobum ex majorum instructione et traditione credidisse animae immortalitatem: rursum, animas justorum defunctorum ante Christum descendisse ad limbum patrum, ubi erat sinus Abrahae. Idipsum senserunt, et per umbram viderunt Ethnici Philosophi. Aelianus, lib. XIII, narrat Cercidam Megalopolitanum, qui morbo laborabat, interrogatum num libenter migraret e vita, respondisse: «Quidni? Delector separatione animae a corpore, quoniam ad eas oras ascendam, ubi videbo ex philosophis Pythagoram, ex poetis Homerum, ex musicis Olympum, et alios viros in omni scientia praestantissimos.» Socrates, priusquam venenum hauriret, dixit: «Quanti aestimatis colloqui in altera vita cum Orphaeo, Musaeo, Homero, Hesiodo? quanta voluptate perfundar, cum Palamedem, cum Ajacem, cum alios judicio iniquorum damnatos conveniam? Equidem saepe excedere e vita, si fieri posset, vellem, ut quae dico possem invenire.» Cato, legens librum Platonis De Immortalitate animae, seipsum occidit, ut immortalem hanc vitam assequeretur. Cyrus apud Xenophontem moriens, ait ad filios: «Nolite putare, filii, me, cum ab hac vita migravero, nusquam, aut nullum fore. Nam nec dum vobiscum communicabam, animum meum intuebamini, sed corpus hoc ejus esse domicilium intelligebatis. Eumdem eum esse creditote, etiamsi modo separetur a corpore.» Cicero, lib. VI De Republica, Scipionem Africanum jam vita functum, ita loquentem inducit: «Sic habeto, omnibus qui patriam conservaverint, adjuverint, auxerint, certum esse in coelo ac definitum locum, ubi aevo sempiterno fruantur.» Et interrogatus viveretne ipse et alii, qui putabantur extincti: «Imo vero, ait, hi vivunt, qui ex corporum vinculis, tanquam e carcere evolaverunt. Vestra vero quae dicitur vita, mors est.» Rationes eorum erant: Prima. Animus hominis concipit, contemplatur, concupiscit coelestia et immortalia: ergo est coelestis et immortalis. Secunda. Animus in hac vita non habet satiem, nec centrum in quo quiescat; ergo illud habebit in altera vita: alioqui esset infelicior aliis creaturis. Tertia. Omne quod est corruptibile, aut est corpus, aut accidens. Haec enim, quia habent contraria, possunt corrumpi. Atqui anima hominis non est corporea, nec accidens: ergo est incorruptibilis. Secus est de animabus brutorum: hae enim a corpore per omnia pendent, ideoque corporeae et corruptibiles censendae sunt. Dicat nunc Christianus cum Tobia: «Filii sanctorum sumus, et vitam illam exspectamus, quam Deus daturus est iis, qui fidem suam nunquam mutant ab eo.»
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36. EUNUCHO, id est regii cubiculi custodi. Nota: Eunuchis, utpote ad actum venereum impotentibus, olim committebatur custodia reginae, ejusque puellarum, cubilisque regii. Hinc eunuchi erant intimi et proximi regi et reginae. Hac de causa eunuchi vocati sunt principes aulae, etiamsi non essent eunuchi, id est exsecti. Unde Chaldaeus pro eunucho hic vertit, rabba, id est princeps, satrapa. Nam Putiphar hic proprie eunuchus non erat; habebat enim uxorem. Ita Procopius, Gennadius, Abulensis et Lyranus. Sic cap. xl, vers. 1, pincerna et pistor Pharaonis vocantur eunuchi, id est ministri regis. Olim enim aulae regum plenae erant eunuchis, iisque reges ad omne ministerium utebantur, uti de aula Constantii imperatoris clarissimum est; illam enim implebant et regebant eunuchi. MAGISTRO MILITUM, praefecto custodiae regiae. Hebraice est sar hattabbachim, id est, principi occidentium, vel jugulantium, puta militum. Septuaginta vertunt, archimageiro: quod licet S. Ambrosius vertat, principi coquorum, tamen aptius hic vertas, principi occidentium, vel mactantium; mageiron enim, teste S. Hieronymo, significat occidere. Unde coci dicti sunt mageiroi, quod coquendas pecudes et aves prius occidant, a voce machis, quae Phavorino idem est quod machaera. Talis sar hattabbachim, et archimagirus fuit Nabuzardan: fuit enim ipse princeps militiae, quem Nabuchodonosor praefecit bello et excidio Hierosolymitano, IV Reg. cap. ult., vers. 11.
Conclusio Moralis Moraliter hoc capite disce, quot persecutionibus et adversis Deus Josephum virosque probos exerceat, ut eos in patientia, lenitate, indeque in animi puritate perficiat. Joseph enim per hanc patientiam adeptus est miram illam castimoniam. Verissimum est illud Cassiani, Collat. lib. XII, cap. vii: «Quantum quis in lenitate ac patientia cordis, tantum in corporis puritate proficiet. Scriptum est enim: Beati mites, quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram (sui corporis); non enim aestus corporis declinabit, nisi qui animi motus ante compresserit.» Hinc et quidam Sanctorum ait: «Benigni et corpus, et anima, et mens perpetua fruitur sanitate: gaudet in contumelia, Deum laudat in calamitate, iratos mitigat, sub humilitatis jugo triumphat, affectibus omnibus dominatur,» maximeque cholerae et libidini. Denique S. Chrysostomus, hom. 61: «Magnum, ait, virtutis est robur, et malitiae infirmitas.» Id in fine declarat per patientiam quam continuo ostendit Joseph: «Ut sic, ait, quasi athleta fortiter certans redimiatur corona regni, et eventus somniorum impleatur, quo doceantur qui eum vendiderant, quod nihil commodi ex sua malitia deportent. Tantam enim fortitudinem habet virtus, ut clarior fiat cum infestatur. Nihil enim ea fortius, nihil validius, sed is qui eam possidet, et supernam gratiam habet, et inde praesidium consequitur, omnibus est fortior, et invictus, et capi nequit, non solum hominum insidiis, sed et daemonum machinationibus. Id scientes, ne fugiamus male affligi, sed male agere: hoc enim est vere male affligi. Nam qui proximum affligere tentat, illi quidem nihil nocet, sibi autem immortalia tormenta thesaurizat.» Quia et fratres persequendo Joseph, ipsum gloria, seipsos ignominia affecerunt, ut idem docet homilia 63 et seq.
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1 « Habitavit autem Iacob interra Chanaan, in qua pater suus peregrinatus est ». Haec nexus cum cap. 35 efficiendi causa inseruntur : Generationum titulus non habetur nisi v. 2. Hebr. : Habitavit aulem Iacob in terra peregrinationis patris sut, in terra Chanaan, clarius etiam quam Vulg. exprimit, sequentia non esse necessario morte Isaac posteriora habenda, quin imo tredecim ante eam mortem annis agi coepere. v. 1'cum Hebr. Sam. trahas ad sequentia, non cum Del. ad praecedentia. Verior fortasse fuerit lectio LXX Vulg. Syr., qui initio v. 2 copulam legisse videntur.
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v. 9 « Et hae sunt generationes eius ». Cum singulorum patriarcharum Generationes ad eorum usque mortem producantur, hinc omnium Iacobi filiorum nativitates in Generationibus Isaac fuere recensendae, ante cuius mortem factae sunt omnes. Historia vero Ioseph tum narrari haud coepta est, quod maior eius potiorque pars morte Isaac fuerit posterior. Iosephum Ar. merito celebrat tamquam « speculum castitatis » et Per. : « Et alii quidem filii Iacob », inquit, « non tam suis quam posterorum suorum factis atque events nobilitati sunt : Ioseph autem suis ipse rebus clarus et praedicabilis fuit ». « loseph cum sedecim » — reliqui omnes septemdecim — « esset annorum, pascebat gregem cum fratribus suis adhuc puer; et erat cum filiis Balae et Zelphae, uxorum patris su£, accusavitque fratres suos apud patrem crimine pessimo ». Hebr. : et ipse puer cum filiis Balae etc.; ubi aliqui putavere superflue dici puerum, qui modo dicebatur septemdecim annorum. Neque dicas cum Jun. Pisc. (ap. Calm.), idem hic esse puerum atque servum : licet Ioseph, quod aetate minor esset et viribus tenuior, fratres in opere iuvare tantum eisque servire posset, at certe filius uxoris primariae non tamquam servus assignatus est filiis concubinarum. Targumim supplent educatus est : at Ioseph filium prae ceteris dilectum non apud alium educatum esse quam apud ipsum patrem, quis dubitaverit? Mittebatur autem quandoque ad fratres, uti etiam' v. 13 sqq. Sensum illius e? ?pse puer e natura fraterni sceleris collige, quod fuisse crimen pudendum e casto seripturae silentio omnes colligunt. Porro si advertas, scripturam cap. 34 et 38 clare loqui de fornicatione, imo 35,92 de incestu, facile perspicies, quod hic reticetur crimen, fuisse contra naturam. Ubi Syr. suggerit bestialitatem, in quam, si 7us/ato credas, pastores ceteris facilius prolabantur. Nos cum Zup. sodomiam interpretamur. Nota verborum nexum : £4 ?pse puer « aetate, moribus et innocentia » (Menoch.) et, quod sequens docet narratio, egregiae plane formae; eratque cum filiis Balae etc. , hominibus rudibus, dignis Ruben et Iudae fratribus, a mulierum tum forte consortio interdictis : lugendum quippe, sed non ita mirandum, eos speciosissiimo iuveni impuras manus inferre conatos esse. Quos ipse apud patrem accusavit, non solum quo officio fungeretur eorum delicta ad eum, qui corrigeret, deferendi, sed multo magis quod aliam viam se a violentorum manibus extricandi iuvenis septemdecim annorum discerneref nullam. v. 3 non est artius nectendus cum v. 2, quasi lacob pro accusatione Iosephum tunica donaverit, sed altera afferturinimicitiarum fraternarum causa eaque universalior (Ca?.), quippe quae non solos concubinarum sed Liae etiam filios attingeret, nimium a patre losepho exhibitum amorem. Quem merito reprehendit Amór. : « Plus acquiritur filio, cui fratrum amor acquiritur ».
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v. 3 « Israel autem diligebat Ioseph super omnes filios suos », Beniamino nondum nato et Rachele (v. 10) adhue superstite (Caz.), « eo quod tn senectute genuisset eum; fecitque et tunicam polymitam » seu diversicolorem (LXX). D'O5 nj3n», tunica ad extremitates pertingens, i. e. tam ZttgtóutÓ, seu zapntwotóc (Symm.), in digitorum articulos descendens, quam &oezpxy&Aov (Aq.) seu ad talos demissa. Cf. quae diximus ad 2 Reg. 13, 18. Ceterum lectiores illas tunicas etiam fuissc diversicolores, disce ex Aegyptiorum monumentis, ubi Semitae eiusmodi tunicas induti Pharaonibus dona offerunt. Tertia (Ca:.) afferuntur invidiae causa somnia a loseph narrata. Narrabat autem « simplex adolescens atque innocens, nihildum suspicans mali de fratribus suis » (Per.). Omni autem imprudentiae labe Iosephum absolves, si supponas fratres consuevisse sua invicem somnia enarrare : pastorum quippe vita cum plerumque fluat aequaliter exiguam colloquiis suppetens materiam, minima etiam , qualia sunt somnia, in medium proferuntur. Porro uti ipsa somnia , ita etiam eorum enarratio providente Deo facta est; quam providentiam, si lubet, cum Thoma Anglico (ap. Per.) voces « divinum instinctum ». Monet Es/., somnia haec non ipsum loseph esse interpretatum, uti postea Pharaonis somnia est interpretatus; necdum fortasse corum rationem perpexisse ; rem totam permissam esse patris ac fratrum sagacitati. Porro in sequentibus aliqua Vulg. liberius reddit, sensu haud mutato. x.
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5 « 4fccidtt quoque , ut visum somnium referret fratribus suits, quae causa maioris odii seminarium fuit ».
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v. 6 « Dixitque ad eos : Audite somntum meum, quod vidi ».
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v. 1 « Putabam, nos ligare manipulos in agro » ; — vocem Hebr. addit in medio agro , quo ager videtur exhiberi late patens. Iacob et filii, utilsaac 26,12, ctiam agros colebant — « e£ quas? consurgere manipulum meum et stare, vestrosque manipulos circumstantes adorare manipulum meum ». Bene ilo agro Aegyptus adumbratur (Bonfr.), manipulorum adoratione « futura frumenti causa adoratio » (Theodoret.).
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v. 8 « Responderunt fratres eius : Numquid. rez noster eris aut subitciemur ditioni tuae? Haec ergo causa somniorum atque sermonum [invidiae et] odii fomilem ministravit ». | Sequens somnium priori longe est clarius et distinctius. Illustrior astrorum, quam manipulorum imago. Fratrum numerus expressus undenus, dum in priore somnio saltem Beniamin non cernebatur manipulis ligandis occupatus. Fratribus additi parentes. Quare sequens somnium « praecedentis certitudinem adstruebat » (Menoch.).
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v. 9 « Altud quoque vidit somnum , quod narrans fratribus ait : Vide per somnium quasi solem et lunam et stellas undecim adorare me ». suggerit, Rachelem fuisse superstitem et gravidam. Cui si nolueris assentiri, oportebit fere in numero illo undeno deprehendere aliquod in lucem edendi Beniamini praesagium, quod tamen tunc temporis fortasse ne ipsi quidem Iacob et Ioseph clare perspexerint. Porro sole patrem, luna. matrem exhiberi, proxime habemus ex mero Iacobi non inspirati interpretamento : quod si difficultatem pateretur, non esset cur ei defendendo nimium insudaremus. Trita autem est difficultas, Rachelem, quae sola . voce mater tua v. 10 exprimi potest, nunquam Iosephum adorasse. Igitur sole, luna et stellis Iacobi familiam universim praefigurari in comperto est, uti etiam undecim - stellis fratres totidem. At num ideo sol patrem tantummodo, et luna matrem repraesentet? Eiusmodi figurae non possunt in singulis quibusque et minimis rebus figuratis respondere. Fratribus semel stellis et patre sole adumbrato, non poterat luna a somnio exsulare : sol cum stellis et sine luna visus monstrum fuisset Rachelis mortem portendens. Verum superest solutio perquam plana ct Hebraeorum ingenio accommodata : Rachel reapse Iosephum adoravit, non quidem in persona propria, sed in coniuge (Ephr.) aut, si mavis, in filio Beniamin.
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v. 10 « Quod cum patri suo et fratribus retulisset , increpavit eum pater suus et dixit : Quid sibi vult hoc somnum , quod vidisti? Num ego et mater tua et fratres tut adorabimus te super terram? » Sensus obvius est, matrem tum Rachelem fuisse superstitem (Ca:?.). Ergo, ut saepe Hebraeis fit, historica eventuum series deseritur. Narraturus auctor, quomodo septemdecim annos natus Ioseph a fratribus sit venditus , invidiarum tres causas inserit, quarum tertia ceteras tempore antecessit atque locum habuit, antequam prope Bethlehem moreretur Rachel aut Iacob Hebrone patrem reviseret. Neque dicas cum Per., prope Hebronem vidisse somnia, quod v. 14 Hebrone Sichimam mittatur : diversis temporibus et locis haec acta sunt, neque Hebrone necessario vidit somnia, qui Hebrone missus est Sichimam. — Putabat Hugo, lacobum meminisse matris Ioseph, quo somnii absurditatem inculcaret : Putasne, matrem tuam demortuam venturam esse teque adoraturam ? Sed id longius petitur.
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v. 11 « Invidebant ei igitur fratres sui, pater vero vem [tacitus] considerabat ». v. 12 redit ad v. 2, narranda gesta anni septimi decimi loseph. Quantum tempus inter alterum somnium et missum ad fratres Ioseph effluxerit, nescimus. Censet Menoch., patrem aliquamdiu filium retinuissee apud se, quo tempore et absentia leniretur invidia.
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v. 12 « Cumque fratres illius in pascendis gregibus patris morarentur in Sichem »,
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v. 13 « dzxit ad eum Israel : Fratres tu£ pascunt oves in Sichimis ; vent, mittam te ad eos. Quo respondente » : v. A& « Praesto sum , ait ei : Vade et vide , si cuncta prospera sint erga fratres tuos et pecora, et renuntia mihi quid agatur. Missus de valle Hebron venit in. Sichem » ,
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v. 15 « invenitque eum vir errantem in agro et interrogavit, quid quaereret ».
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v. 16 « At ille respondit : Fratres meos quaero ; indica mihi, ubi pascant greges ». v. 1'1 « Dixitque ei vir : Recesserunt de loco isto; audit autem. eos dicentes : Eamus in Dothain » , 1, Sam. yrm, hodie Dothan, locus ad septemtrionem Samariae 4 Reg. 6,13; Iudith 3,9; 4,6; 7,18 (LXX). « Perrezit ergo Ioseph post fratres suos et invenit eos in. Dothain ». Mirabantur iam Bonfr., Calm., postacta cap. 3 ausos esse fratres propius Sichimam accedere et quidem, quod fere suggerit narratio, solos nullisque comitantibus servis. Utique agrum ibi obtinebat Iacob neque urbs Sichem reaedificata fuerat (Ca/m.). Perdurabat forte terror 35,5 divinitus immissus; aut eo perdurante filii Iacob cum aecolarum quibusdam foedera icerant. Refriguerat ardor ulciscendae iniuriae non suae. Filii Jacob audaces et numero, licet exiguo, freti. Compescebat simul accolarum indignationem providens Deus, quo in eodem loco summum sibi detrimentum inferrent filii lacob, ubi Sichimitis ante immeritum exitium parassent.
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v. 18 « Qui cum vidissent eum procul », clam illo et « antequam accederet ad eos, cogitaverunt » — Yo»xnm insidiati sunt — « zl/lum occidere »,
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v. 19 « et mutuo loquebantur : Ecce somniator venit ».
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v. 90 « Venite, occidamus eum et mittamus 1n cisternam veterem », — pro qua voce reliqui habent unam. 3 fossa, cisterna , hinc carcer, sepulerum ; e contra "52 est puteus, non aquas aliunde colligens sed sponte producens — « decemusque : Fera pessima devoravit eum. Et tunc apparebit, quid illi prosint somnia sua ». Hebr. : quid erunt somnia eius, quod Chald. interpretatur : quid erit in fine somniorum eius, et Targumim : « quaenam sit interpretatio somniorum eius ». Narrator non prodit, quis auctor fuerit crudelis consilii, at distincte commendat Rubenum , quod in eius consilii locum aliud minus iniquum suggesserit, atque hoc ea solum mente, ut mox fratrem ab omni iniuria expediret.
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v. 21 « Audiens autem hoc Ruben, nitebatur liberare eum de manibus eorum », — Hebr. liberavit, à. cruenta morte omnino, et hanc unam in mente habebat, atque de fratre vendendo necdum cogitatio in mentem inciderat — « e£ dicebat » :
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v. 99 « Non interficiatis animam etus nec. effundatis sanguinem » (cf. 9,6), « sed prodcite eum in. cisternam hanc, quae est in solitudine, manusque vestras servate innozias ». Hebr. : et manus ne inferatis illi. « [Hoc autem dicebat] volens eripere eum de manibus eorum et reddere patri Suo ».
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v. 93 « Confestim igitur, ut pervenit ad fratres suos , nudaverunt eum tunica talari et polymita » , — Hebr. Sam. Chald. : tunica. sua, tunica talari quam gerebat (LXX Syr. omittunt *n3n» nx). Pulchra emphasis : detrahunt eam, quae tantae invidiae causa fuerat; decipiant. —
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v. 24 « miseruntque eum 1n cisternam veterem », 5^ vacuüm , « quae non habebat aquam ». Cf. 49,94.
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v. 95 « Et sedentes, ut comederent panem », — « O crudelitatem! o inhumanitatem ! » (CAÀrys.) — « viderunt Ismaelitas viatores venire de Galaad , et camelos eorum portantes aromata et resinam et stacten in Aegyptum ». Via reapse e Galaaditide per Bethsan , Iezrahel et Dothain vergebat ad litus Philisthaicum atque inde Aegyptum versus. E monumentis compertum habemus, Aegyptios usos esse ingenti copia odoramentorum , cum ad usus domesticos et sacros, tum maxime in cadaveribus condiendis. Quae, cum ipsi Aegyptii difficile finibus suis pedem efferrent, a deserti tribubus in Aegyptum comportabantur. Cf. G. Ebers : Aegypten etc., p. 828 sqq. | DN223 a Vulg. LXX generalius versum aromata, Qvuutápata; Chald. nvv, quod videtur esse balsamum; Syr. NJun"n resina, nomen de sc universalius; Aq. et ad 43, 11 Vulg. storax. Dicunt esse resinam astragali gummiferi et aliorum astragalorum. Idem volunt esse aegyptium nekpat. — *'1y Hebr. Syr. ; Vulg. LXX resina ; Chald. "op i. e. aliquid, quod decerpitur. Est resina pistaciae lentisci (mastix). Apud Aegyptios tara, ubi conferas Plin. 12, 98 tarum. — v5 (Sam. ub), Vulg. LXX stactes ; Syr. NY3'223 terebinthus , sed id esse falsum docet 43, 11, ubi (9 et terebinthus simul enumerantur: Chald. Qo; ass. ladanu. Est ladanum seu resina cisti cretici. — Porro haec omnia arbusta cis et trans Iordanem etiamnum reperiuntur. 43, 11 tamquam eius terrae Íruetus recensentur. Speciatim quoad resinam cf. Ier. 8, 22; 46, 11. Satis apte los. suggerit, Ruben post demissum in cisternam Ioseph abiisse, quaesitum commodiora suo gregi pascua. Iuda, qui ignoraret fratris consilium clam salvandi loseph huncque optaret ab inedia morteque redimere , ut vendatur suadet.
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v. 26 « Dizit ergo Iudas fratribus suis : Quid nobis prodest, si occiderimus fratrem nostrum et celaverimus sanguinem ipsius? » yx3 lucrum iniustum significat. Simulat igitur [udas se non aversari fratricidium , dummodo clam illud committatur ; at ex eo commisso nullum comparari lucrum. Ita avaritiam stimulat. v. 2971 « Melius est, ut venumdetur Ismaelitis et manus nostrae non polluantur »; Hebr. : et manus nostra ne sit super ?psum, nullam eius corpori violentiam inferamus. « Frater entm et caro nostra est. Acquieverunt fratres sermonibus illius »
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v. 98 « et, praetereuntibus Madianitis negotiatoribus , extrahentes eum de cisterna vendiderunt eum Ismaelitis viginti argenteis; qui duxerunt eum in Aegyptum ». Medium servi pretium erant triginta sicli (Ex. 21,32) : Madianitae videntur perspexisse, sibi cum malae fidei hominibus esse negotium, qui pretium etiam vilius non essent recusaturi.
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v. 99 « Reversusque Ruben ad cisternam », clam fratribus Iosephum liberaturus, « non invenit puerum »
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v. 30 « et scissis vestibus pergens ad fratres suos ait : Puer non comparet, et ego quo ibo? » Supplet Bonfr. « eum requisiturus » : at videtur existimasse mortuum minimeque requirendum aut reducendum. Ergo melius Chrys. : « quamnam habebimus excusationem? » Melius etiam Ps. Ion. et Targ. Hier. : « quomodo adspiciam faciem patris mei », qui a me primogenito exacturus est facti rationem? Fratres Rubenum, quid actum esset, edocuerunt (Jos.).
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v. 31 « Tulerunt autem tunicam etus et in sanguine hoedi », — seu verius Aire? — « quem occiderant, tenzerunt »;
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v. 39 « mittentes, qui ferrent ad patrem et dicerent : Hanc invenimus : vide, utrum tunica filii tui sit, an non».
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v. 33 « Quam cum agnovisset pater, ait : Tunica filii met est, fera pessima comedit eum, bestia devoravi Ioseph ». Ita etiam LXX; alia punctatione Masor. : devoratione devoratus est loseph; quam commendat 44,98.
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v. 3& « Scissisque vestibus indutus est cilicio » super lumbos, « lugens filium suum multo tempore ». « Quam fuerint illi digni lacrymis, qui non solum fratrem vendiderunt barbaris, sed et patrem in extrema senectute in tantum luctum iniecerunt! » (CArys.).
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v. 38 « Congregatis autem cunctis liberis eius », — Hebr. distinguit filios et ///?as - ergo alias praeter Dinam habebat filias — « wt Jenirent dolorem patris, noluit consolationem accipere , sed ait : Descendam ad filium meum lugens in infernum. Et illo perseverante in fletu », — Hebr. claudit sententiam : flevitgue eum pater eius.
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v. 36 « Madianitae vendiderunt Ioseph in. Aegypto Putiphari eunucho Pharaonis, magistro militum ». | Cf. Ebers p. 293 sqq. Plurimos apud Aegyptios fuisse servos Semitas, constat cum picturis murorum, tum quod vox 72Y apud Aegyptios in generalem servorum appellationem abierit : abata. — Putiphar — Peoeti-pa-ra, consecratus (deo) Ra. In cippo aliquo Apidis legitur nomen Petisis, et in textu graeco Petammon. — Veros apud Aegyptios exstitisse eunuchos , indubie produnt picturae; neque repugnat eum, qui fuerit eviratus habere uxorem, imo liberos, nam eviratio quandoque non plenum nanciscebatur effectum. Sed in pluribus eunuchus erat « nomen officii et dignitatis » (Calm.). — Putiphar titulum habet Q'ri3un V, proprie duz laniatorum, unde LXX eum fecit àgjy1i&yetpov. Sed eum non esse tituli sensum, inde colligitur, quod Nabuzardan 4 Reg. 25, 8 et Arioch Dan. 2, 14 certe non erant coquorum pracfecti (Calm.). Erat duz praetorianorum, qui utique crant milites, sed simul lictores et, ubi res secum ferret, carnifices. Ei suberant carceres. Arg. — Cur haec de Iuda narratio inseratur, rationem afferunt Bonfr. aliique eius ad genealogiam Christi relationem. Quae ratio vera quidem est, sed remotior. Nota, extrema Genesi principem omnino inter fratres locum obtinere Ioseph, quem filium Rachelis prae reliquis omnibus dilexerat Iacob. Ratio vero, cur patris affectui obsecuta Dei providentia Iosephum ad eum eminentiae locum provexerit, fuit fratrum natu maiorum indignitas. Neque tamen cum ipso comparandi erant concubinarum filii, neque Liae filii duo natu minimi Issachar et Zabulon, qui nullo inter fratres nomine videntur eminuisse. At, cur Ioseph maximis natu quatuor sit praelatus, iure mirabere. Ratio fuere virorum scelera : habes quippe scelus Ruben 35,22, Simeon et Levi cap. 35, Iudae cap. 38. Quodsi porro quaeras, cur Iudae scelus hoc praecise loco, i. e. post Iosephi in Chanaanitide etante eiusdem in Aegypto acta, narretur, respondeo aliquam s. narratori concedi oportere libertatem : potuere haec aeque narrari initio cap. 37 aut ante 35,93. Cap. XXXVIII.
37:2
… B. ebbe due figli, cui Rachele, ricevendoli, impose i nomi di Dan e Neftali (Gen. 29, 29; 30,3 sgg.; 37,2; 46, 25).
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DOTHAIN. - Città a nord di Sichem (Gen. 37, 12-17) e Samaria (II Reg. 6, 13), in una pianura di fronte a Esdrelon (Iud. 4, 6; 7, 3) e vicino al passo che conduceva al paese di Giuda. …
37:25
… Altri passi biblici (cf. Gen. 37, 25. 27 sg., 36), specialmente nei libri profetici, presentano insistenti allusioni agli Arabi, menzionando le loro carovane, i prodotti del loro territorio, i loro costumi. …
37:26
GIUDA. - Quarto figlio di Giacobbe, nato da Lia, chiamato Jéhâdhâh « lode, plauso » (Gen. 29, 35; 49, 8). Cercò con Ruben di salvare Giuseppe (Gen. 37, 26 sg). Da Thamar ebbe Phares (Gen. 38; cf. Revue biblique, 34 [1925], pp. 524-46), antenato di Gesù (Mt. 1, 3 sg.). …
37:27
… Si fa menzione degli I., insieme ai Madianiti, nel racconto di Giuseppe venduto (Gen. 37, 27 sg.; 39, 1): erano mercanti che portavano aromi e spezierie in Egitto. …
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MADIAN E MADIANI TI (EBR. MIDHJĀN; SETTANTA MĀŠĪAV).
… Come mercanti si trovano insieme agli Ismaeliti in Palestina (Gen. 37, 28) e in Egitto (37, 35).
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Nella S. Scrittura il c. o sacco (ebr. laq, gr. ἀσπύς) designa generalmente una veste di tal panno, che s'indossava in segno di lutto o di penitenza (cf. Gen. 37, 34; I Reg. 21, 27; II Reg. 2, 30; Ier. 4, 8; 6, 26 ecc.). …
37:35
… Lagrange, Le judaïsme [v. bibl.], p. 345). È impossibile infatti intendere le antichissime frasi bibliche della discesa nel sepolcro familiare; sia per l'analogia e l'identità con le espressioni babilonesi, sia perché tal senso è spesso formalmente escluso dallo stesso testo. Gen. 37, 35: «scenderò dolorando a mio figlio nello šē'ōl», dice Giacobbe, sicuro che Giuseppe è stato divorato da una belva! Num. 16, 30: si apre la terra e inghiotte i colpevoli che «discendono …
… Questa interpretazione è confermata da Gen. 37, 35; Num. 16, 30; Deut. 32, 22; Iob. 10, 21-22; Ps. 85, 13; Prov. 15, 24;
… Alla loro morte tutti gli uomini scendono alla f. (Gen. 37, 35; 42, 38; 44, 29, 31; Num. 16, 30, 33; ecc.) ove si « congiungono ai padri » loro (Gen. 25, 8, 17; 35, 29; 49, 29, 33). Tutti i morti sono sotto il dominio della f. (Os. 13, 14; Ps. …
37:36
… P. (Pōṭlphar) era un ufficiale della corte del Faraone, al quale gli Ismaeliti vendettero Giuseppe (Gen. 37, 36); questi seppe farsi poi tanto ben volere che in breve ebbe dal padrone la direzione di tutta la sua ricchissima casa (ibid. 39, 1-6). Ma la moglie di P., invaghitasi del giovane, voleva indurlo
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MADIAN E MADIANI TI (EBR. MIDHJĀN; SETTANTA MĀŠĪAV).
Nome di una regione a sud della Palestina (Ex. 2, 15) e dei suoi abitanti (Ex. 3, 1; 4, 19; 18, 1; Num. 24, 47), talvolta indicati con il patronimico « Madianiti » (Gen. 37, 38; Num. 25, 17).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.