Aseneth’s Prayer and the Honeycomb Vision

Aseneth’s Prayer and the Honeycomb Vision

[An extract of the penitential prayer of Aseneth and the vision of the honeycomb, from the larger story of Joseph and Aseneth.]

Aseneth put off her royal garments and clothed herself in mourning; she scattered ashes upon her head, and wept through the night, and turned from the idols she had served. And at the dawn she stretched out her hands toward the east and prayed:

O Lord God of the ages, who gave breath to all,

who brought the unseen things into the light,

who made all that is:

to you I cry; do not despise me.

I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned;

I forsook you and served dead idols.

Now I flee to you, as a child to a father;

stretch out your hand and lift me from the dust.

When she had finished, behold, the morning star rose in the east, and the heaven was torn open, and a great light shone; and a man came to her from heaven, and stood by her, and said, Take courage, Aseneth; your prayer has been heard, and your name is written in the book of life, and from this day you are made new.

And he said, Bring me a honeycomb. And she said, I have none in the house. But he said, Go and look. And she found a honeycomb upon her table, great and white as snow and full of the breath of life, and its fragrance was as the breath of heaven; and the man said, This is the bread of life, and the honey of immortality; those who eat of it shall not die forever. He stretched out his hand and broke it, and ate, and put a portion to her mouth; and bees rose from the comb, white and gold, and circled her, and did her no harm. [Meaning uncertain]