fathers, and made them increase
from a few to so great a multitude. He put him in mind, that when
Abraham was come alone out of Mesopotamia into Canaan, he had been made
happy, not only in other respects, but that when his wife was at first
barren, she was afterwards by him enabled to conceive seed, and bare him
sons. That he left to Ismael and to his posterity the country of Arabia;
as also to his sons by Ketura, Troglodytis; and to Isaac, Canaan. That
by my assistance, said he, he did great exploits in war, which, unless
you be yourselves impious, you must still remember. As for Jacob, he
became well known to strangers also, by the greatness of that prosperity
in which he lived, and left to his sons, who came into Egypt with no
more than seventy souls, while you are now become above six hundred
thousand. Know therefore that I shall provide for you all in common
what is for your good, and particularly for thyself what shall make thee
famous; for that child, out of dread of whose nativity the Egyptians
have doomed the Israelite children to destruction, shall be this child
of thine, and shall be concealed from those who watch to destroy him:
and when he is brought up in a surprising way, he shall deliver the
Hebrew nation from the distress they are under from the Egyptians. His
memory shall be famous while the world lasts; and this not only among
the Hebrews, but foreigners also:--all which shall be the effect of my
favor to thee, and to thy posterity. He shall also have such a brother,
that he shall himself obtain my priesthood, and his posterity shall have
it after him to the end of the world.

4. When the vision had informed him of these things, Amram awaked and
told it to Jochebed who was his wife. And now the fear increased upon
them on account of the prediction in Amram's dream; for they were under
concern, not only for the child, but on account of the great happiness
that was to come to him also. However, the mother's labor was such as
afforded a confirmation to what was foretold by God; for it was not
known to those that watched her, by the easiness of her pains, and
because the throes of her delivery did not fall upon her with violence.
And now they nourished the child at home privately for three months; but
after that time Amram, fearing he should be discovered, and, by falling
under the king's displeasure, both he and his child should perish,
and so he should make the promise of God of none effect, he determine