Dissembling

To dissemble is to act a part — to put on a manner that hides what is really true. Two figures stand out in this register: Joseph in Egypt, who hides his identity from his brothers, and David at Gath, who hides his sanity from a hostile king.

Joseph and his brothers

Joseph plays the stranger before brothers who do not recognize him. The first encounter sets the pattern: "And Joseph saw his brothers, and he knew them, but made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly with them; and he said to them. From where do you⁺ come? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brothers, but they didn't know him" (Gen 42:7-8). The accusation that follows is itself a feint: "And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said to them, You⁺ are spies; to see the nakedness of the land you⁺ have come" (Gen 42:9). The test is built on the same indirection — they must produce the youngest brother to show "whether there is truth in you⁺" (Gen 42:16), while Joseph himself is the one withholding truth: "hereby you⁺ will be proved: by the life of Pharaoh you⁺ will not go forth from here, except your⁺ youngest brother come here" (Gen 42:15). Three days later he releases them on the same terms (Gen 42:18-20).

The second meeting tightens the act. Joseph receives them with feigned distance, asks after the father he knows is alive, and conceals his feeling: "And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your⁺ father well, the old man of whom you⁺ spoke? Is he yet alive? And they said, Your slave our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance" (Gen 43:27-28). At the sight of Benjamin he has to leave the room to keep the part: "And Joseph hurried; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread" (Gen 43:30-31). The seating itself is a coded sign that he knows more than he is showing: "And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one with another" (Gen 43:33).

David at Gath

When David flees to Achish king of Gath and is recognized as a danger, he saves himself by faking madness: "And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself insane in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard" (1Sa 21:13). The act works. Achish dismisses him with disgust: "Then Achish said to his slaves, Look, you⁺ see the man is insane; why then have you⁺ brought him to me? Do I lack lunatics, that you⁺ have brought this fellow to play the lunatic in my presence? Will this fellow come into my house?" (1Sa 21:14-15).