Now it happened that as they were on their way to visit Jacob, the eldest son of Pharaoh was on the city wall, and he saw Aseneth and loved her immediately, and could think of nothing but how he might make away with Joseph and take Aseneth for his own wife.  And after a few days he sent secretly to Simeon and Levi, and said to them, “I know that you are mighty men, and that with your two swords alone you defeated the men of Shechem and overthrew their city.  I have sent for you because I wish to make you my friends, and, if you will do what I ask you, I will give you riches and lands and houses—­in a word, all that you can desire.  Now what I would have you do is this.  You must know that I have been bitterly wronged by your brother Joseph:  he has married Aseneth, who was betrothed to me long ago.  Join with me therefore and help me to kill him, and I will take Aseneth to wife, and you shall be my brothers.  If you refuse, I will slay you.”  And with these words he drew his sword and flourished it at them.  At this Simeon, who was a man of hot temper, was enraged, and would have drawn his own sword and cut down the prince; but Levi, who could read his thoughts, trod upon his foot and made signs to him to be quiet, and whispered, “Why be angry with this fellow?  We are God-fearing men, and must not render evil for evil.”  Then Levi said calmly and mildly to Pharaoh’s son, “Why does my lord speak thus to his servants?  We can do no such wickedness against our brother and against our God.  Let us hear no more such evil words; but, if you will not be persuaded, know that our swords will be drawn against you.”  With that both the brothers drew their swords, and when the son of Pharaoh saw them he crouched upon the ground in terror, for they flashed like flames of fire and dazzled his eyes.  But Levi said, “Get up and do not be frightened:  only take care that you say nothing more of this kind against our brother Joseph.”  And they went forth from his presence.

But he could not restrain himself, for he was half-mad with anger and fear and with love of Aseneth.  And after some days his servants said to him, “Do you know that the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah are at enmity with Joseph and Aseneth?  They will do all that you ask of them.”  So he sent for them, for Dan and Gad and Naphtali and Asher, and they came to him in the first hour of the night; and after he had greeted them he sent away his servants, and said to the brethren, “Listen to me.  Life and death are before you; choose which you will have:  will you die like women or fight like men?  I overheard your brother Joseph saying to my father Pharaoh, ’Dan and Gad and Naphtali and Asher are no brethren of mine; they are the sons of my father’s handmaids, and I am only waiting till my father dies to make an end of them and their families.  It was they who sold me to the Ishmaelites, and I am going to repay it into their bosom.’  And my father said, ’It is well spoken:  you have leave to take