him. He told the vision to his father,
and that, as suspecting nothing of ill-will from his brethren, when they
were there also, and desired him to interpret what it should signify.
Now Jacob was pleased with the dream: for, considering the prediction in
his mind, and shrewdly and wisely guessing at its meaning, he rejoiced
at the great things thereby signified, because it declared the future
happiness of his son; and that, by the blessing of God, the time would
come when he should be honored, and thought worthy of worship by his
parents and brethren, as guessing that the moon and sun were like his
mother and father; the former, as she that gave increase and nourishment
to all things; and the latter, he that gave form and other powers to
them; and that the stars were like his brethren, since they were eleven
in number, as were the stars that receive their power from the sun and
moon.

4. And thus did Jacob make a judgment of this vision, and that a shrewd
one also. But these interpretations caused very great grief to Joseph's
brethren; and they were affected to him hereupon as if he were a certain
stranger, that was to those good things which were signified by the
dreams and not as one that was a brother, with whom it was probable they
should be joint-partakers; and as they had been partners in the same
parentage, so should they be of the same happiness. They also resolved
to kill the lad; and having fully ratified that intention of theirs, as
soon as their collection of the fruits was over, they went to Shechem,
which is a country good for feeding of cattle, and for pasturage; there
they fed their flocks, without acquainting their father with their
removal thither; whereupon he had melancholy suspicions about them, as
being ignorant of his sons' condition, and receiving no messenger from
the flocks that could inform him of the true state they were in; so,
because he was in great fear about them, he sent Joseph to the flocks,
to learn the circumstances his brethren were in, and to bring him word
how they did.

CHAPTER 3. How Joseph Was Thus Sold By His Brethren Into Egypt,
By Reason Of Their Hatred To Him; And How He There Grew Famous And
Illustrious And Had His Brethren Under His Power.

1. Now these brethren rejoiced as soon as they saw their brother coming
to them, not indeed as at the presence of a near relation, or as at
the presence of one sent by their father, but as at the presence of an
enemy, and on