that the king might not be tempted to retain them in his
service as warriors.[324] And as he did not desire his family
to live at close quarters with the Egyptians and perhaps
amalgamate with them, he introduced them as shepherds.
The Egyptians worshipped the constellation of the rain,
and paid divine honors to animals, and they kept aloof
from shepherds. Pharaoh therefore was inclined to grant
Joseph's wish, to give them the pasture land of Goshen for
their sojourning place, the land that was theirs by right, for
the Pharaoh that took Sarah away from Abraham by force
had given it to her as her irrevocable possession.[325]

In their conversation with Pharaoh the brethren of Joseph
made it plain to the Egyptian king that it was not their
intention to remain in Egypt forever, it was to be only a