The Legends of the Jews — Volume 2

This volume gathers a vibrant tapestry of Jewish legends that flesh out the biblical world from Joseph’s rise in Egypt to the dramatic departure of the Israelites from Pharaoh’s land. Drawing on medieval sources, the stories expand familiar events—Joseph’s coat, his temptation by Potiphar’s wife, the reunion with his brothers—while adding moral and mystical layers. The volume is divided into sections on Joseph, Jacob’s sons, the enigmatic Job, and the early life of Moses, each prefaced with brief scholarly notes.

Listeners will hear Joseph’s clever navigation of palace intrigue, his compassionate dealings with his brothers, and the moving blessings he gives to a grieving Jacob. Interwoven are vivid portraits of the tribal patriarchs—Reuben, Levi, Judah—and a concise yet powerful account of Job’s trials, highlighting the age‑old tension between faith and suffering. The narrative then follows Moses from his secret birth and daring rescue, through the plagues and the first Passover, to the thrilling rush of the Red Sea that marks the Exodus.