Now Levi, though he was afar off, saw in the spirit what was being done—­for he was a seer—­and told his brethren of the peril of Aseneth; and they girded every man his sword upon his thigh, and took up their shields and their spears and ran swiftly after Aseneth.

And as she fled on before, suddenly she saw the son of Pharaoh in the way, and the horsemen that were with him.  Then was Aseneth in great fear, and she called upon the name of her God.

But Benjamin was in the chariot with her.  Now he was a lad of nineteen years, beautiful exceedingly, and strong as a lion’s whelp.  And when he saw the men, he leapt down from the chariot and caught up a round stone out of the brook and threw it at the son of Pharaoh, and smote him on the left temple, so that he fell from his horse half-dead.

Then Benjamin leapt up upon a rock by the way-side, and called to the driver of the chariot, “Give me stones out of the river bed.”  And he gave them; and with fifty stones Benjamin slew the fifty archers that were with Pharaoh’s son; every stone smote a man on the temples.

Moreover, the sons of Leah, Reuben and Simeon, Levi and Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, pursued after the men that had laid wait for Aseneth, and fell upon them suddenly and cut them to pieces; but the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah fled before them, saying, “We are undone; and now, behold, the son of Pharaoh is dead, and all they that were with him.  Let us at least slay Aseneth and Benjamin, and flee into the woods.”  So they pursued after Aseneth, and came upon her with their swords drawn and dripping with blood.  And she was greatly afraid, and said, “Lord God, who didst save me from false gods and from the corruption of death, and didst say, ’Thy soul shall live for ever,’ save me now from the hands of these wicked men!” And God heard her prayer, and straightway the swords of the men fell out of their hands and crumbled into dust.

Then they were very sore afraid, saying, “The Lord fighteth against us.”  And they fell down on their faces and besought Aseneth, saying, “We have imagined evil against you, and the Lord hath brought it back upon us.  But now have pity upon us, and save us from the wrath of our brethren.”  And she said, “Go then and hide yourselves in the reeds until I appease them and turn away their anger.  Only the Lord be judge betwixt me and you.”  Then they ran and hid among the reeds; and their brethren the sons of Leah came running like harts to overtake them.  And Aseneth lighted down from her chariot and fell on their necks weeping and rejoicing; and they said, “Where are our brothers the sons of the handmaids?” that they might kill them.  But Aseneth said, “I beseech you, spare them, for the Lord saved me out of their hands and broke their swords, and, behold, there they lie, like wax melted before the fire.  Let it suffice you that the Lord hath fought against them on our behalf, and spare them, for they are your brethren