that the king, in his sagacity, choose a man whom he considered
equal to the great task.[178] Thereupon Pharaoh said:
"If we traversed and searched the earth from end to end,
we could find none such as Joseph, a man in whom is the
spirit of God.[179] If ye think well thereof, I will set him over
the land which he hath saved by his wisdom."[180]

The astrologers, who were his counsellors, demurred, saying,
"A slave, one whom his present owner hath acquired
for twenty pieces of silver, thou proposest to set over us as
master?" But Pharaoh maintained that Joseph was not
only a free-born man beyond the peradventure of a doubt,
but also the scion of a noble family.[181] However, the princes
of Pharaoh were not silenced, they continued to give utterance
to their opposition to Joseph, saying: "Dost thou not
remember the immutable law of the Egyptians, that none
may serve as king or as viceroy unless he speaks all the
languages of men? And this Hebrew knows none but his
own tongue, and how were it possible that a man should rule
over us who cannot even speak the language of our land?
Send and have him fetched hither, and examine him in
respect to all the things a ruler should know and have, and
then decide as seemeth wise in thy sight."

Pharaoh yielded, he promised to do as they wished, and
he appointed the following day as the time for examining
Joseph, who had returned to his prison in the meantime,
for, on account of his wife, his master feared to have him
stay in his house. During the night Gabriel appeared unto
Joseph, and taught him all the seventy languages, and he