Joseph the Wise

Artapanus says in his work Concerning the Jews that Joseph was a descendant of Abraham and a son of Jacob. Because he surpassed his brothers in intelligence and prudence, they plotted against him. But having learned in advance of their conspiracy, he asked the neighboring Arabs to convey him across to Egypt. They did as he asked, for the kings of the Arabians are descendants of Israel, sons of Abraham and brothers of Isaac. After arriving in Egypt and being recommended to the king, he was made administrator of the whole country.

Previously, the Egyptians would cultivate the land in a disorderly way because the country was undivided, and the weaker were treated unjustly by the stronger. This Joseph was the first to both divide the land and mark it out with boundaries. Much that lay waste he rendered fit for cultivation, and he allotted some of the arable lands to the priests.

He was also the inventor of measures, and the Egyptians regarded him with great affection because of these accomplishments. He married Aseneth, daughter of the priest of Heliopolis, by whom he fathered sons. Afterward, his father and brothers came to him, bringing considerable property, and were set to dwell in the city of Heliopolis and in Sais, and the Syrians increased their numbers in Egypt.

These people, he claims, built both the temple in Athos and the one in Heliopolis and were called Ermiuth. Soon afterward, Joseph died, as did the king of Egypt. Joseph, then, while governor of Egypt, stored up the grain supply over seven years, which had been immensely productive, and became master of Egypt.

Translated byE. H. Gifford, adapted byAaron Samuels.