It describes a pure love - one that you will never find in a modern Hollywood setting. One where chastity rules, repentance is central and angels attend. I know that the recording of past events are often idyllized by the writer to make the characters seem more pure, more perfect than they really were - but I feel Joseph really was this kind of guy. I am sure the portrayal of Asenath was realistic and I know this kind of overwhelming/total repentance brings a visit from the Heavenly courts with tidings of great joy. This is just a snippet of the story of apocryphal love and redemption and conversion that I think much can be learned from:
Chapter Eight
1. And Aseneth's mother went up to the top storey and brought Aseneth down to Joseph; and Pentephres said to his daughter Aseneth, "Greet your brother, for he too is a virgin as you are to-day, and he detests all strange women just as you detest strange men."
2. And Aseneth said to Joseph, "May you have joy, my lord, blessed as you are of God Most High"; and Joseph said to her, "May God, who has given all things life, bless you."
3. And Pentephres said to Aseneth, "Come near and kiss your brother."
4. And when she came near to kiss Joseph, Joseph stretched his right hand out, and laid it against her breast, and said,
5. "It is not right for a man who worships God, who with his mouth blesses the living God, and eats the blessed bread of life, and drinks the blessed cup of immortality, and is anointed with the blessed unction of incorruption, to kiss a strange woman, who with her mouth blesses dead and dumb idols, and eats of their table the bread of anguish, and drinks of their libations the cup of treachery, and is anointed with the unction of destruction.
6. A man who worships God will kiss his mother and his sister that is of his own tribe and kin, and the wife that shares his couch, who with their mouths bless the living God.
7. So too it is not right for a woman who worships God to kiss a strange man, because this is an abomination in God's eyes."
8. And when Aseneth heard what Joseph said, she was most distressed and cried out aloud; and she fixed her gaze on Joseph, and her eyes were filled with tears.
9. And Joseph saw her and his heart went out to her -- for Joseph was tender-hearted and compassionate and feared the Lord.
10. And he lifted up his right hand above her head and said,
"O Lord, the God of my father Israel, the Most High, the Mighty One,
Who didst quicken all things, and didst call them from darkness into light.
And from error into truth, and from death into life;
Do thou, O Lord, thyself quicken and bless this virgin,
11. And renew her by thy spirit, and remould her by thy secret hand,
And quicken her with thy life.
And may she eat the bread of thy life,
And may she drink the cup of thy blessing,
She whom thou didst choose before she was begotten,
And may she enter into thy rest, which thou has prepared for thine elect."
Chapter Nine
1. And Aseneth was filled with joy at Joseph's blessing, and she went up in haste to her storey at the top and fell on her couch exhausted, because she felt not only happy, but also disturbed and very frightened; and she had been bathed in perspiration from the moment she heard Joseph speaking to her in the name of God Most High.
2. And she wept bitterly, and she repented of her gods she used to worship; and she waited for evening to come.
3. And Joseph ate and drank; and he said to his servants, "Yoke the horses to the chariot" (for he said, "I must depart and go round the whole city and the district").
4. And Pentephres said to Joseph, "Stay the night here, my lord and to-morrow go your way."
5. And Joseph said, "No! I must be going now, for this is the day when God began his works: in eight days time I will come back again and stay the night here with you."
Chapter Ten
1. Then Pentephres and his relations went away to their estate.
2. And Aseneth was left alone with the virgins, and she was listless and wept until sunset: she ate no bread and drank no water; and while all slept she alone was awake.
3. And she opened the door and went down to the gate; and she found the portress asleep with her children.
4. And Aseneth quickly took down the leather curtain from the door, and she filled it with ashes and carried it up to the top storey and laid it on the floor.
5. And she secured the door and fastened it with the iron bar from the side; and she groaned aloud and wept.
6. And the virgin that Aseneth loved most of all the virgins heard her mistress groaning, and she roused the other virgins and came and found the door shut.
7. And she listened to Aseneth groaning and weeping and said, "Why are you so sorrowful my lady? What is it that its troubling you?
8. Open the door for us, so that we can see you." And Aseneth said to them from inside (shut in as she was, "I have a violent headache and am resting on my bed; and I have no strength left to open to you now, for I am utterly exhausted; but go each of you to her room."
9. And Aseneth got up and opened her door quietly, and went into her second room, where her treasure-chests and the finery for her adornment were, and she opened her wardrobe and took out a black and sombre tunic.
10. (And this was her mourning tunic, which she had worn for mourning when her eldest brother died). And Aseneth took off her royal robe and put on the black one, and she untied her golden girdle and tied a rope around her waist instead, and she took her tiara off her head and the diadem, and the bracelets from her hands.
12. And she took her best robe, just as it was, and threw it out of the window, for the poor.
13. And she took all her innumerable gold and silver gods and broke them up into little pieces, and threw them out of the window for the poor and needy.
14. And Aseneth took her royal dinner, even the fatted beasts and the fish and the meat, and all the sacrifices of her gods, and the wine-vessels for their libations; and she threw them all out of the window as food for the dogs.
15. And after this she took the ashes and poured them out on the floor.
16. And she took sackcloth and wrapped it round her waist, and she removed the fillet from her hair and sprinkled herself with ashes; and she fell down upon the ashes.
17. And she beat her breast repeatedly with her two hands and wept bitterly and groaned all night until the morning.
18. And in the morning Aseneth got up and looked and lo, the ashes underneath her were like mud because of her tears.
19. And again, Aseneth fell down on her face upon the ashes until sunset.
20. And so Aseneth did for seven days; and she tasted neither food nor drink.
Chapter Eleven
1. And it came to pass on the eighth day that Aseneth looked up from the floor where she was lying (for she was losing the use of her limbs as a result of her great affliction).
Chapter Twelve
1. And she stretched her hands out towards the east, and her eyes looked up to heaven, and she said,
2. "O Lord, God of the ages, that didst give to all the breath of life,
That didst bring into the light the things unseen,
That hast made all things and made visible what was invisible,
3. That hast raised up the heaven and founded the earth upon the waters,
That hast fixed the great stones upon the abyss of water
Which shall not be submerged,
But to the end they do thy will.
4. O Lord, my God, to thee will I cry: hear my supplication;
And unto thee will I make confession of my sins,
And unto thee will I reveal my transgressions of thy law.
5. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned:
I have transgressed thy law and acted impiously,
And I have spoken things evil before thee.
My mouth, O Lord, has been defiled by things offered to idols,
And by the table of the gods of the Egyptians.
6. I have sinned, O Lord, before thee; I have sinned and acted impiously,
Worshiping idols deaf and dumb,
And I am not worthy to open my mouth unto thee, wretch that I am.
7. I have sinned, O Lord, before thee,
I, the daughter of Pentephres the priest,
the haughty and arrogant Aseneth.
To thee, O Lord, I present my supplication, and unto thee will I cry:
Deliver me from my persecutors, for unto thee have I fled,
Like a child to his father and his mother.
8. And do thou, O Lord, stretch forth thy hands over me,
As a father that loves his children and is tenderly affectionate,
And snatch me from the hand of my enemy.
9. For lo, the wild primeval Lion pursues me;
And his children are the gods of the Egyptians that I have abandoned and destroyed; And their father the Devil is trying to devour me
10. But do thou, O Lord deliver me from his hands,
And rescue me from his mouth,
Lest he snatch me like a wolf and tear me,
And cast me into the abyss of fire, and into the tempest of the sea;
And let not the great Sea-monster swallow me.
11. Save me, O Lord, deserted as I am,
For my father and mother denied me,
Because I destroyed and shattered their gods;
And I have no other hope save in thee, O Lord;
For thou art the father of the orphans, and the champion of the persecuted,
And the help of them that are oppressed.
12. For, lo, all the gods of my father Pentephres are but for a season and uncertain; but the inhabitants of thine inheritance, O Lord, are incorruptible and eternal.
Chapter Thirteen
1. Look upon my ophanhood, O Lord, for unto thee did I flee, O Lord.
2. Lo, I took off my royal robe interwoven with gold and put on a black tunic instead.
3. Lo, I loosed my golden girdle and girt myself with a rope and sackcloth.
4. Lo, I threw off my diadem from my head and sprinkled myself with ashes.
5. Lo, the floor of my room once scattered with stones of different colors and of purple, and besprinkled with myrrh, is now sprinkled with my tears and scattered with ashes.
6. Lo, Lord, from the ashes and from my tears there is as much mud inside my room as there is on a public highway.
7. Lo, Lord, my royal dinner and my fatted beasts have I given to the dogs.
8. And lo, for seven days and seven nights I have neither eaten bread nor drunk water; and my mouth is dry like a drum and my tongue like horn, and my lips like a potsherd, and my face is shrunken, and my eyes are failing as a result of my incessant tears.
9. But do thou, O Lord, pardon me, for in ignorance did I sin against thee and uttered calumnies against my lord Joseph.
10. And I did not know, wretch that I am, that he is thy son, O Lord; for they told me that Joseph was a shepherd's son from the land of Canaan, and I believed them; but I was wrong, and I despised Joseph, thine elect one, and I spoke evil of him, not knowing that he is thy son.
11. For what man ever was so handsome and who else is as wise and strong as Joseph? But to thee, my Lord, do I entrust him; for I love him more than mine own soul.
12. Preserve him in the wisdom of thy grace, and give me to him as a servant, so that I may wash his feet and serve him and be his slave for all the seasons of my life.
Chapter Fourteen
1. And as Aseneth finished her confession to the Lord, lo, the morning star rose in the eastern sky.
2. And Aseneth saw it and rejoiced and said, "The Lord God has indeed heard me, for this star is a messenger and herald of the light of the great day.
3. And lo, the heaven was torn open near the morning star and an indescribable light appeared.
4. And Aseneth fell on her face upon the ashes; and there came to her a man from heaven and stood at her head; and he called to her, "Aseneth".
5. And she said, "Who called me? For the door of my room is shut and the tower is high: how then did anyone get into my room?"
6. And the man called her a second time and said, "Aseneth, Aseneth;" and she said, "Here am I, my lord, tell me who you are."
7. And the man said, "I am the commander of the Lord's house and chief captain of all the host of the Most High: stand up, and I will speak to you."
8. And she looked up and saw a man like Joseph in every respect, with a robe and a crown and a royal staff.
9. But his face was like lightning, and his eyes were like the light of the sun, and the hairs of his head like flames of fire, and his hands and feet like iron from the fire.
10. And Aseneth looked at him, and she fell on her face at his feet in great fear and trembling. 11. And the man said to her, "Take heart, Aseneth, and do not be afraid; but stand up, and I will speak to you."
12. And Aseneth got up, and the man said to her, "Take off the black tunic you are wearing and the sackcloth round your waist, and shake the ashes off your head, and wash your face with water.
13. And put on a new robe that you have never worn before, and tie your bright girdle round your waist -- the double girdle of your virginity.
14. And then come back to me, and I will tell you what I have been sent to you to say."
15. And Aseneth went into the room where her treasure-chests and the finery for her adornment were; and she opened her wardrobe and took out a new, fine robe, and she took off her black robe and put on the new and brilliant one.
16. And she untied the rope and the sackcloth round her waist; and she put on the brilliant double girdle of her virginity -- one girdle round her waist and the other round her breast.
17. And she shook the ashes off her head, and washed her face with pure water, and covered her head with a fine and lovely veil.
Chapter Fifteen
1. And she came back to the man; and when the man saw her he said to her, "Take now the veil off your head, for to-day you are a pure virgin and your head is like a young man's."
2. So she took it off her head; and the man said to her, "Take heart, Aseneth, for lo, the Lord has heard the words of your confession.
3. Take heart, Aseneth, your name is written in the book of life, and it will never be blotted out.
4. From to-day you will be made new, and refashioned, and given new life; and you shall eat the bread of life and drink the cup of immortality, and be anointed with the unction of incorruption.
5. Take heart, Aseneth: lo, the Lord has given you to Joseph to be his bride, and he shall be your bridegroom.
6. And you shall no more be called Aseneth, but 'City of Refuge' shall be your name; for many nations shall take refuge in you, and under your wings shall many peoples find shelter, and within your walls those who give their allegiance to God in penitence will find security.
7. For Penitence is the Most High's daughter and she entreats the Most High on your behalf every hour, and on behalf of all who repent; for he is the father of Penitence and she the mother of virgins, and every hour she petitions him for those who repent; for she has prepared a heavenly bridal chamber for those who love her, and she will look after them for ever.
8. And Penitence is herself a virgin, very beautiful and pure and chaste and gentle; and God Most High loves her, and all his angels do her reverence.
9. And lo, I am on my way to Joseph, and I will talk to him about you, and he will come to you to-day and see you and rejoice over you; and he shall be your bridegroom.
10. So listen to me, Aseneth, and put on your wedding robe, the ancient robe, the first that was stored away in your room, and deck yourself in all your finest jewelry, and adorn yourself as a bride, and be ready to meet him.
11. For lo, he is coming to you to-day; and he will see you and rejoice."
12. And when the man had finished speaking Aseneth was overjoyed.
13. And she fell at his feet and said to him, "Blessed be the Lord God that sent you out to deliver me from darkness and bring me into light; and blessed be his name for ever.
14. Let me speak now, my lord, if I have found favor with you: sit down a little on the bed, and I will get a table ready and food for you to eat; and I will bring you good wine, of the finest flavor, for your to drink; and then you shall go your way."
Chapter Sixteen
1. And the man said to her, "Bring me, please, a honeycomb too."
2. And Aseneth said, "Let me send someone my lord, to my family estate in the country and I will get you a honeycomb."
3. And the man said to her, "Go into your inner room and you will find a honeycomb there."
4. And Aseneth went into her inner room and found a honeycomb lying on the table; and the comb was as white as snow and full of honey, and its smell was like the breath of life.
5. And Aseneth took the comb and brought it to him; and the man said to her, "Why did you say, 'There is no honeycomb in my house?' And lo, you have brought me this."
6. And Aseneth said, My lord, I had no honeycomb in my house, but it happened just as you said:
did it perchance come out of your mouth, for it smells like myrrh?"
7. And the man stretched his hand out and placed it on her head and said, "You are blessed, Aseneth, for the indescribable things of God have been revealed to you; and blessed too are those who give their allegiance to the Lord God in penitence, for they shall eat of this comb.
8. The bees of the Paradise of Delight have made this honey, and the angels of God eat of it, and no one who eats of it shall ever die.
9. And the man stretched his right hand out and broke off a piece of the comb and ate it; and he put a piece of it unto Aseneth's mouth.
10. And the man stretched his hand out and put his finger on the edge of the comb that faced eastwards; and the path of his finger became like blood.
11. And he stretched out his hand a second time and put his finger on the edge of the comb that faced northwards, and the path of his finger became like blood.
12. And Aseneth was standing on the left and watching everything the man was doing.
13. And bees came up from the cells of the comb, and they were white as snow, and their wings were iridescent -- purple and blue and gold; and they had golden diadems on their heads and sharp-pointed strings.
14. And all the bees flew in circles round Aseneth, from her feet right up to her head; and yet more bees, as big as queens, settled on Aseneth's lips.
15. And the man said to the bees, "Go, please, to your places."
16. And they all left Aseneth and fell to the ground, every one of them, and died.
17. And the man said, "Get up now, and go to your place;" and they got up and went, every one of them, to the court round Aseneth's tower.
Chapter Seventeen
1. And the man said to Aseneth, "Have you observed this?" and she said, "Yes, my lord, I have observed it all."
2. And the man said, "So shall be the words I have spoken to you."
3. And the man touched the comb, and fire went up from the table and burnt up the comb; and, as it burned, the comb gave out a refreshing fragrance that filled the room.
4. And Aseneth said to the man, "There are, my lord, seven virgins with me, who have been brought up with me, and who wait upon me: they were born in the same night as I was and I love them: let me call them, so that you can bless them as you have blessed me.
5. And the man said, "Call them;" and Aseneth called them, and the man blessed them and said, "God, the Most High, will bless you for ever."
6. And the man said to Aseneth, "Take this table away;" and Aseneth turned to move the table, and the man vanished out of her sight, and Aseneth saw what looked like a chariot of fire being taken up into heaven towards the east.
7. And Aseneth said, "Be merciful, O Lord, to thy maidservant, because it was in ignorance that I spoke evil before thee."
Chapter Eighteen
1. And while this was happening, behold, a young man, one of Joseph's servants, came and said, "Lo, Joseph, the mighty man of God is coming to you to-day."
2. And Aseneth called her steward and said, "Get ready a special dinner for me, because Joseph the mighty man of God, is coming to us."
3. And Aseneth went into her room and opened her wardrobe, and she took out her finest robe that shone like lightning, and she put it on.
4. And she tied a resplendent royal girdle round her waist -- and this girdle was of precious stones.
5. And she put golden bracelets round her hands, and golden boots on her feet, and a costly necklace about her neck; and she put a golden crown upon her head, and in the crown, in front, were the costliest of stones.
6. And she covered her head with a veil.
7. And she said to her maidservant, "Bring me pure water from the spring. And Aseneth bent down to the water in the basin [on the cockle-shell]; and her face was like the sun, and her eyes like the rising morning star.
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