 First, Joseph desired to punish Simeon for having thrown him into the pit.Secondly, Joseph wished to separate Simeon from Levi, lest they together might destroy Egypt as they had destroyed Shechem.According to Sefer haYashar, Simeon naturally was unwilling to go to prison; and when, at Joseph's call, seventy mighty Egyptians approached to take him by force, he uttered a cry so terrible that they became frightened and ran away.