sword. When they planned to kill Joseph, I besought them
amid tears not to sin thus.

"And now, my children, hearken unto me. I exhort you
to observe the commands of the Lord, and have mercy
upon your neighbors, and act compassionately, not only
toward men, but also toward dumb brutes. For on account
of my mercifulness the Lord blessed me; all my brethren fell
sick at one time or another, but I escaped without any illness.
Also the sons of my brethren had to endure disease, and
they were nigh unto death for the sake of Joseph, because
they had no pity in their hearts. But my sons were preserved
in perfect health, as ye well know. And when I was
in Canaan, catching fish at the shores of the sea for my
father Jacob, many were drowned in the waters of the sea,