The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 72

A¹🔗fter these things they brought forth food; for I through two days and two nights tasted nothing, through pity for Joseph.

²🔗 And Judah ate not with them, but watched the pit; for he feared lest Simeon and Gad should run back and slay him.

³🔗 And when they saw that I also ate not, they set me to watch him until he was sold.

⁴🔗 And he remained in the pit three days and three nights, and so was sold famishing.

⁵🔗 And when Reuben heard that while he was away Joseph had been sold, he rent his clothes about him, and mourned, saying, How shall I look in the face of Jacob my father?

⁶🔗 And he took the money, and ran after the merchants, and found no one; for they had left the main road, and journeyed hastily through rugged byways.

⁷🔗 And Reuben ate no food on that day. Dan therefore came to him, and said, Weep not, neither grieve; for I have found what we can say to our father Jacob.

⁸🔗 Let us slay a kid of the goats, and dip in it the coat of Joseph; and we will say, Look, if this is the coat of thy son: for they stripped off from Joseph the coat of our father when they were about to sell him, and put upon him an old garment of a slave.

⁹🔗 Now Simeon had the coat, and would not give it up, wishing to rend it with his sword; for he was angry that Joseph lived, and that he had not slain him.

¹⁰🔗 Then we all rose up together against him, and said, If thou give it not up, we will say that thou alone didst this wickedness in Israel; and so he gave it up, and they did even as Dan had said.