Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/308

Rh The Book of Genesis

290 had

do with

to

came alone,

to

and said

and repose! but

I

me

Let

down

is

let

he found

me

sitting

make merry an hour Thus he spake to me,

us

thy hair!'

did not listen to him

mother, and

for thee,

me, 'Come,

to

when he

except thy Httle brother, since

take the seed corn

(but said), 'See,

am

I

not thy

not thy elder brother like a father to thee?'

Thus I spoke to him, but he did not hearken to my speech, and used force with me, that I might not tell thee. Now if thou allowest him to live, I will kill myself". (Translation of Brugsch, The True Story of the Bxodus, 134-136). At these words the younger brother fled, pursued by the older brother. His subsequent fortunes do not concern us. The resemblance of is

so

latter

striking, is

this

story to the episode of Potiphar's wife

that

the

conclusion

borrowed from the former.

is

unavoidable that the

And

if

so,

then there

can be no further doubt that the entire Joseph story has little

basis

in

historical

romance, a beautiful and

fact,

or

is

aught else than a pure

artistic piece of

dramatic literature.

But again we must come to the same conclusion, to which we came with regard to the creation and flood stories, which, as we learned, were borrowed from Babylonian myths. The authors did not borrow idly, nor merely to give dramatic expression to some idea or plot in their minds. The Joseph story, too, is but the means by which they gave concrete expression to a fundamental teaching of Judaism. This is summed up in the significant words of Joseph to his brothers, when, after their father's death they fear that he will avenge himself U])on them, "Ye meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much ])eople alive" L, 20). Joseph's brothers had wronged him and had sold him into slavery. Yet through (lod's providence he arose to an exalted station, and became the sole means whereby both Egypt and Israel were kept alive. Thus, out of the brothers' evil, under (lod's providence, great good (

resulted. \n