it to Judah. Thereupon the brothers knew him, and fell down before him, and besought him to pardon them.
Then he told them how God had exalted him, and he comforted their hearts, and after that he asked news of his father.
They replied, "He is blind with grief at having to part with Benjamin."
Therefore Joseph said, "Take my shirt and go to my father, and pass my shirt before his face, and he will recover his sight. Then take all that you have, and come down into Egypt."[1]
When the caravan left Memphis, the sons of Jacob carried with them abundance of corn and the shirt of Joseph; and the wind was in their backs, and blew the scent of the shirt from the gate of Memphis into Canaan. And Jacob snuffed the wind, and said, "O women! O children! I can smell Joseph."
They all thought, "He is deranged," but they said, "It is forty years since Joseph died, and thou canst think of nothing else; thou art always insisting that he is alive."
When the caravan was near the dwelling of Jacob, Judah brought the shirt of Joseph in, and said, "On the day upon which I bore the bloody coat of Joseph, I said a wolf had devoured him. Now I bring thee good news." And he cast the shirt upon the face of his father, and Jacob recovered his sight.[2]
The story in the Sepher Hadjaschar, or Book of Jasher, is more poetical. As the sons were approaching the home of their father, Sarah, the adopted daughter of Asher, came to meet them. She was very beautiful and graceful and modest, and could play sweetly on the harp. They gave her the kiss of peace, and told her the tidings. Then she went singing home, accompanying her words upon the harp, "Joseph is not dead, God has been his protector, and he lives, and is governor in Egypt; rejoice and be glad of heart!" Then Jacob was filled with hope and consolation, and he said, "Because thou hast revived my spirit, my daughter, death shall never seize on thee."[3]
After that, Jacob went down into Egypt, that he might see his son Joseph before he died. And when they met,
