Chapter 1: Joachim’s Plight

1In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel, Joachim was a very rich man. He doubled the gifts he offered to the Lord, saying to himself, “One comes from my surplus for all the people, and the other is for the Lord God, for forgiveness, to atone for me.”

2Now the great day of the Lord was approaching, and the people of Israel were offering their gifts. But Reubel stood before Joachim and said, “It isn’t right for you to offer your gifts first, since you haven’t had a child in Israel.”

3Joachim was deeply grieved and went to the (history) of the twelve tribes of the people, saying to himself, “I’ll look in the (history) of the twelve tribes of Israel to see whether I’m the only one who hasn’t had a child in Israel.” He searched and found that all the just people in Israel had raised children. He also remembered that in the last days of the patriarch Abraham, the Lord God gave Abraham a son, Isaac.

4Joachim was deeply grieved. He did not go to his wife but withdrew into the wilderness and pitched his tent there. Joachim fasted for forty days and forty nights, saying to himself, “I won’t go down for food or drink until the Lord my God considers me. Prayer will be my food and drink.”