Jacob wanted to talk to Joseph to know what happened to him over at Shechem.  He wasn't sure if Joseph was hallucinating, so he decided to take a ride with him on the camels.

"Hey, Uri!" Relax boy," Joseph said to his furry, one humped camel.  As he rode it, he smiled.

"Why do you always name the animals?" Jacob asked him as he rode the camel next to him.

"Adam named the animals?" Jacob asked him as he rode the camel next to him.

"Adam named the animals did he not?" Joseph asked him and Jacob laughed.

"Yes, but he gave them their proper names and you are giving them human names.  It's not the same," Jacob replied. 

"Why not?" Joseph asked. 

"Because I know many Uris and none of them have a hump," Jacob replied.

"Well, now you know an Uri with a hump," Joseph replied.  It was a warm day of summer.  The sun was round and radiant, there was barely any wind, but their clothes kept them protected from the sun.  Joseph and Jacob both were coats and shawl that covered their heads.  The camels had drunk enough water to walk through the hot lands of Hebron.  Joseph was already wishing for the summer to end and for the fall to begin.  It was cooler and the air was less dense than in the summer.

"Do you think it's natural to name animals as humans?" Jacob asked him and Joseph shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know," Joseph replied.

"I'm worried about the boys and I want to know what happened in Shechem while you were there.  Were you really bitten by a wolf or did you make that story up?" Jacob asked him.  Joseph frowned. 

"Father, why would I make up such a story?" Joseph asked him.  The camels walked slowly, but gracefully and their long legs traveled a great distance. 

"You tell me," Jacob replied.

"I didn't make it up.  I saw a lion who said that I was chosen.  I saw my mother in heaven, healthy and happy.  She spoke to me and gave me her blessing."

"Leah thinks that you're lying to me and making that story up to have my attention.  Are you looking for my attention?"  Jacob asked him.  Joseph shook his head. 

"Why would I want what I already have?  I saw a lion, it spoke, it showed me mother and it healed my foot.  A wolf came and attacked me.  It also attacked the herd.  Sarah was alive, but I don't know if Reuben and the others drove the wolf away or not.  I hit it hard enough, but a pack followed it.  I was too wounded to fight them all off. 

"And where were you brothers, Joseph? Why didn't they help you?" Jacob asked him.  Joseph didn't reply. 

"Weren't they there with you?" Jacob insisted.

"Yes, they were.  I just saw it first," Joseph replied. 

"I find it way hard to believe that they sent you here on their own without at least one of them coming with you.  Why didn't someone come with you.  Why didn't someone come with you if you were wounded?  Why didn't Reuben-"

"I don't know.  All I know is that I... I don't know how to explain it," Joseph said. 

"What don't you know Joseph?  What do you mean?" Jacob asked him.

"Father, I was bitten and I sat on a nearby rock when the lion appeared to me.  After he was gone though I reached Hebron.  Without walking," Joseph said.

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked him concerned.  Was Joseph losing his mind?

"I don't know how to explain it, but I don't remember walking here.  I don't know how I reached Hebron.  All I know is that one moment I was sitting on a rock as my foot was bleeding and the next moment I had a vision and arrived home," Joseph said.

"You are not making any sense.  Are you sure you didn't dream all of this?" Jacob asked him.  Joseph shook his head.

"No, father.  I didn't dream it and I don't know how to explain it either.  I don't even know how the lion healed me.  All I know is that I was bitten and bleeding and at the next instant, I had blood, but no bitten wound," Joseph replied. 

"Jacob thought about these words, but he couldn't make any sense to what Joseph was saying.

"Did any of your brothers saw this lion with you?" Jacob asked him. 

"I don't know.  They were barely waking up-"

"Waking up?" Jacob asked with an arched eyebrow.  It was too late.  Joseph had unintentionally tattle told on his brothers.

"Well... um... actually..." Joseph sort of gagged.

"They were sleeping?  Are you telling me that they left you alone with the sheep?"

"Father-"

"These children of Satan!  Curse them, curse them all!" Jacob shouted furiously. 

"Father, it was only for a while," Joseph said trying to make things better, but it was too late.  His brothers were now in trouble.  

"Well it was enough for you to be attacked and the sheep to be slaughtered as well.  How could Reuben have been so irresponsible like this?  If he was tired, he could have had at least someone else with you?  But you!  A child?  Wait till he gets back," Jacob said annoyed.  He grabbed the camels reins and gently kicked the sides of the camel's belly. 

"Let's go home!  Right now.  I can't believe Reuben has done this to me," Jacob mumbled annoyed.  Joseph grabbed Uri's reins and gently kicked the camel to turn directions.

"Father, but it was only for a little while," Joseph said. 

"You're only 17.  Your brother isn't.  He should have assigned Simeon or Issachar or Dan or Gad or any one of them! There's no excuse for his behavior.  If he doesn't know how to take care of the herd, I'll have to put someone else in charge of it!" Jacob said annoyed.  There was nothing else Joseph could have done.  The situation was actually much worse.  They had sang songs and had been drunk all night after a caravan of merchants had passed by the road.  They had spent almost all of their savings on beer and smoke.  They were so drunk that they had fallen asleep for over 15 hours. Joseph was instructed not to drink because he was too young, although he suspected that his brothers didn't like him very much.  Only Joseph was looking for the sheep because he was the only one of the brothers to be sober, but he wasn't going to tell that part of the story to his father.  It was obvious that with the little that he told him was enough to get him upset.  If he didn't want his brothers severely punished then he couldn't tell him the rest of the story.  They returned home and Jacob was too furious to talk to Joseph anymore.

"Bring in the camels," Jacob said barking out instructions his son, so Joseph grabbed the reins of the two animals and walked them to their pen.  Other 25 camels waited for the 2 camels that had just had their summer walk.  Bilha was in there with them, brushing their fur.

"Oh, hi Joseph!" Bilha said. 

"Hi, Bilha," Joseph replied.  Bilha had dark brown skin and soft gentle green eyes.  Her hair was black, soft and gentle.  Her eyes, green.  Her hair was black as raven and she dressed in long blue garments.  Her wonderful long hair was braided underneath a light blue veil.  

"I didn't know you had returned," Bilha said.

"I was too tired to come and see you," Joseph replied.

"But, I'm glad you're back.  Where are your brothers?" Bilha asked him as she brushed a camel's fur.  

"They're still at Shechem.  I came here alone," Joseph replied.

"Alone?  But why?  What happened?" Bilha asked him.  Joseph decided to grab another brush and help her brush the camels. 

"It's a long story, so I might as well help you with the camels," Joseph said and Bilha laughed.

"You don't have to do that," Bilha said.

"It's okay.  Besides, father is angry right now, so it's best to just stay out of his way," Joseph replied and he brushed his fur.

"But why?" Bilha asked him and so Joseph told her about the wolf that appeared on the countryside of Shechem where they were tending the herd, the confrontation he had with the wolf, the lion that showed up, his vision and then he finally told her about Jacob finding out that they had been asleep.

"Joseph, but that's not your fault.  I hate to say it, but your father is right.  Reuben is the oldest and he should have known better," Bilha said. 

"Yeah, maybe you're right, but I didn't want to get him or any of them into trouble," Joseph replied. 

"They got themselves in trouble," Bilha said.  There was a brief silence as the both of them brushed the camel's fur.  The camels were still and quiet for the most part.  They stood in place and they apparently enjoyed to be brushed.

"I'm glad to know that Rachel has moved on.  I thought that maybe she wasn't going to make it to heaven," Bilha said.

"Why do you say that?" Joseph asked her.

"Because of that idol she stole from her father's house.  The God of Abraham is a very jealous god," Bilha replied.

"She destroyed that idol long ago," Joseph said.

"Well, yes, because your father made her do it," Bilha remarked.  Joseph looked up and gazed at his mother's slave.  For a while he didn't reply.  He blinked a few times and continued to brush the camel's cinnamon colored fur.  The camels ears twitched and he took out his tongue. 

"Well, Uri, I believe that you my friend are well brushed," Joseph said.  The camel titled his head and licked Joseph's face.  Joseph was complaining about it, but it made Bilha laugh.

"Why do you name animals as humans?'  Bilha asked him.  Joseph shrugged his shoulders.  

"I don't know.  Father asked me the same question," Joseph replied.

"I think I know, but if I tell you, you'd probably be offended by it," Bilha replied.  Then, she patted the camel she was tending to and walked to another camel.  She pat the camel because it was shaking.  It seemed nervous.

"Abraham, Abraham

Where are you now?

Are you in Canaan or are you in Egypt or are you in Sodom & Gomorrah?

Abraham, Abraham

take out your blade,

Isaac your son must die for today

Abraham, Abraham

put the blade away, the angel says

you are blessed on this day

Abraham, Abraham

All of your descendants

will fill the nations as stars in the night

Abraham, Abraham

you had faith in the lord,

you will never despair 

says Yahweh, your lord."

Joseph had sang one of the many songs of Abraham.  

"I think he's calmed down," Joseph said.  Bilha pat the camel and smiled.

"Yes.  I think so too.  Thanks," Bilha said and she brushed the camels fur.  Dinah interrupted Joseph who was in the pen of camels with Bilha.  She was holding a long string that hung all around her neck like a necklace.  She was wearing a dark blue gown and her beautiful long hair was unveiled.

"Hey silly! I've been looking for you everywhere," Dinah said to Joseph.  Joseph smiled.

"For me?" He asked and pointed to himself.  No, to the neighbors.  Yes, of course you.  Come here for a moment.  I need to take your measurements," Dinah said.

"My measurements?" Joseph asked.  He arched an eyebrow and looked at her half-sister suspiciously. 

"Why do you want to take his measurements?" Bilha asked her and Dinah who had already imagined that would be asked that question answered.

"Father wants me to make a coat for Hanoch, the artisan," Dinah replied.

"You mean that man who made that terrible sun jar for Leah?" Bilha asked her and she nodded with a gun.

"Why are you making a coat for him?" Joseph asked and Bilha's jaw dropped.

"You are marrying Hanoch?" Bilha said and Dinah giggled. 

"Of course not.  Father made business with him and he has placed me in charge of making a coat for him," Dinah lied.  She shut her mouth trying not to laugh about the lie.

"I think you're marrying Hanoch.  Ask your father.  Why would he put you in charge of such a task when Zilpa is better at sewing?" Bilha remarked.

"I can sew just fine.  That's why I'm in charge of Hanoch's coat," Dinah said.

"But, I don't understand if you're making a coat for Hanoch, why are you measuring Joseph for?' Bilha asked.

"She does have a point.  Shouldn't you be taking Hanoch's measurements?"  Joseph asked.  Luckily for Dinah, she had already come up with another answer.

"Father instructed me to take your measurements because you and Hanoch are the same sizes," she replied.

"Are you sure?  Hanoch seems bigger and heavier than Joseph," Bilha replied.

"I'm not the one who gives out the instructions, Bilha.  If father wants me to measure Joseph, then so be it.  You can ask him about it if you want to," Dinah said.  Bilha shook her hand and head.

"No, forget about it.  I'm not getting involved in anything.  If that's what Jacob instructed you to do, then that's between you and him," Bilha said. Dinah called Joseph again.

"Come then, silly.  Let me take your measurements," she said.  Joseph shrugged his shoulders. 

"What choice do I have?" Joseph asked.

"None," Bilba replied.  So, Joseph came out of the pen and Dinah too Joseph's measurements with ink.  He stretched his hands sideways and up, she took notes and then she placed the string around his waist and took notes again.  

"That will be all," Dinah said walking away from the pen and returning to the tent where her room was. 

"What was that about?"  Joseph said.  

"Dinah is going to be married off.  Mark my words.  Jacob is arranging a wedding," Bilha said.

"Are you sure?" Joseph said.

"As sure as the sun comes out during the day," Bilha replied.

"But Hanoch isn't a Hebrew, is he?" Joseph asked.

"No, but I'm betting that he's willing to convert.  Joseph, Dinah isn't a virgin.  She was raped.  There are not many men willing to marry her.  Maybe Jacob decided to be more flexible," Bilha replied.

"But that wasn't her fault!" Joseph replied.

"I know, but men prefer virgins.  It's a thing of pride for them," Bilha remarked.  Joseph wondered if Dinah was really going to marry Hanoch.  Maybe his father was having financial problems.

"Do you think this is because of the loss of the sheep?" Joseph asked her.  Bilha shrugged her shoulders.

"Anything is possible.  Only time will tell," Bilha said.