reynolds-the-quran-in-its-historical-context-2

430 Joseph WitztumJacob then warns Joseph not to relate his dreams to his brothers and proceeds tointerpret their true meaning, thus indicating his belief in them. 24 Thus neither isJoseph arrogant nor Jacob ignorant. Although their specific solution is unique, PsNand the Qur'an develop tendencies found in other post-Biblical treatments of theJoseph story which tried to read away embarrassing features of the narrative. 25Naf had already noticed the similarity between PsN and the Qur'iin on thispoint. Interestingly, assuming that Mul;lammad could only have received theJoseph story from Jews, Naf inferred that a parallel tradition must have existed inJewish circles, even though this is unattested. 26A strildng instance of a shared expansion concerns Potiphar's wife. In the Bibleshe appears last in Genesis 39:17-19, where she accuses Joseph and thus bringsabout his imprisonment. Nothing more is said of her. By contrast, in the Qur' iin sheresurfaces later in the story, confesses her evil-doing and exonerates Joseph. AfterJoseph solves the Icing's dream (while still in prison), the latter sends for him:(50) The king said: "Bring him to me!" but when the messenger came to him,he [=Joseph] said: "Return to your lord and ask him: 'Wbat of the womenwho cut their hands?' Surely my Lord has knowledge of their guile." (51)father and brothers and omits any such mention in v. 10. Thus, according to the Septuagint, onecould possibly understand that Joseph related his second dream first to his father and only then tohis brothers. Interestingly, PsB seems to be following the Septuagint when it has Joseph relate thesecond dream to his brothers only when they are at their father's side; Weinberg, Geschichte, 17.It is possible that PsN was influenced by PsB on this point against the Peshitta tradition.24 ThatJacob believed in the dream (and even said so to Joseph's brothers) is found also in Balai, 14-16.According to PsB, Jacob rebukes Joseph in front of his brothers, warning him not to repeat the. dreams,but in truth he believes them to be true; Weinberg, Geschichte, 18. See also Schapiro, Die haggadischenElemente, 20, and Speyer, Die bib/ischen Erziihlungen, 194, where Jacob's belief in the dreams inBalai and PsN is noted.25 The following references are not exhaustive by any means. Their purpose is merely to illustrate thesensibilities that guided PsN and consequently the Qur'iin. For attempts to defuse the embarrassmentcaused by Joseph's bad report, see J.W. Wevers, Nates on the Greek Text of Genesis, Atlanta:Scholars Press, 1993, 613, and H.W. Hollander, "The portrayal of Joseph in Hellenistic Jewish andearly Christian litemture," in M.E. Stone and T.A. Bergren (eds), Biblical Figures outside the Bible,Harrisburg: Trinity Press Intematiomil, 1998, (237-Q3) 257. Philo, Josephus and Jubilees simplyomit the bad report (Jubilees, in fact, leaves out the gift of the coat and the dreams as well). Jacob'sapparent favoritism is justified by Balai and Narsai, whereas Ephrem in his commentary glossesover Jacob's preference for Joseph and the gift of the. coat; Heal, Tradition, 111-22. Joseph's choiceto relate his dreams to his brothers is defended by Philo (On Joseph 6) and Josephus (Judean Antiquities2. I I). The notion. that Jacob believed in his son's dreams could find support in the Biblical textitself, where in the course of rebuking Joseph Jacob interprets the dream (Genesis 37:10). Moreover,the jealous reaction of the brothers in the following verse as well as the note that Jacob "kept thematter in mind" both seem to indicate that Jacob did not consider the dream quite so ludicrous afterall; see Philo, On Joseph 8-9, and Genesis Rabba 84.12. Josephus (Judean Antiquities 2.15-17)presents Jacob as rejoicing in his son's dream and interpreting it without rebuke.26 Niif, Josef, 57-58. See also Stem, "Muhammad and Joseph," 194. Stem adduces Jacob's reactionto the dreams as an example for the Qur'anic version bearing "the clear markings of the rabbinictradition."Joseph among the Ishmaelites 431"Wbat was your business, women," he said, "when you solicited Joseph?""How free is God from every imperfection! (l;Iasha li-llahi)," they said, "Weknow no evil against him." The wife of the mighty man said: "Now the truthis at last discovered; I solicited him; he is a truthful man." (52) "That, so thathe may know that I betrayed him not secretly (lam akhunhu bi-l-ghaybi), 27and that God guides not the guile of the treacherous. (53} Yet I claim not thatmy soul was innocent - surely the soul of man incites to evil - exceptinasmuch as my Lord had mercy; truly my .Lord is AU-forgiving, Allcompassionate."(54) The Icing said: "Bring him to me and I will choose himfor myself." Then, when he had spoken with him, he said: "Today you areestablished firmly m our favor and in our trust."The extent of Potiphar's wife's change of heart depends on whether vv. 52-53belong to her speech. If so, she repented fully and believed in God, but even if not,as several exegetes suggest, v. 51 includes an admission of guilt on her part. 28Potiphar's wife appears again in many of the Syriac sources as well. Ephrem,PsB, PsN, Balai, and Ephraem Graecus all include a scene in which she confesses,though they differ in details. 29 According to PsN, for example, Potiphar hears themessengers announcing in the streets that Joseph has risen to power. Wben helearns that this is the very same Joseph whom he had imprisoned, he rushes tomeet him, bows down before him fearing for his life, and pleads that his folly beforgotten. Joseph calms him, telling him that he is not to blame. Potiphar thenreturns home, informs his wife of Joseph's new status, and expresses his feai:,apparently not pacified by Joseph's words. His wife assures him that Joseph is justand will not harass him. She confesses that it was she who assaulted Joseph. Latershe herself grows fearful and has a scribe write a petition to Joseph begging hismercy. Finally she comes before Joseph, who reads her petition and dismisses herin peace, setting her mind at rest. 30Several factors might have brought about this narrative expansion: simple curiosityas to what happened to Potiphar and his wife, the fact that other characters27 This last phrase could also be rendered: "that I betrayed him not in [his] absence".28 The exegetes suggest three speakers for these verses: Potiphar's wife, Joseph and even Potiphar;see Mul)ammad b. Al)mad al-Qurtubi, al-Jiimi' li-abkiim al-Qur 'iin, ed. 'Abd Alliih b. 'Abdal-Mul)sin al-Turki, Beirut: Mu'assasat al-Risala, 2006, 11:375-77.29 According to Ephrem, Potiphar is present when Phamoh 's dreams are interpreted. When he realizesJoseph's new status, he rushes home to consult his wife, who calms him and confesses her sin,stressing that if Joseph is to punish anyone it is her. She adds, however, that he would not since hisimprisonment led ultimately to his new high status. Potiphar then joins the crowds followingJoseph's chariot through the streets, and Joseph does him no harm, !mowing that it was all part ofGod's plan; Mathews and Amar,Ephrem, 187-88. Similar is Ephraem Gaecus; see Lash, "Sermon,"29-30. In Balai's version Potiphar's wife observes Joseph in his greatness and imagines what shewould say were he to bring up her false accusation, without actually speaking to him; Balai, 133-38.Only in PsB and PsN does the woman confess both to her husband and to Joseph; see Weinberg,Geschichte, 34 (there is a lacuna there which is filled in Heal, Tradition, 26-32), and PsN, 550-55.30 Ibid.