Jerome : Joseph, as I was saying, was a holy man who conquered cruelty with true piety; who was sold into Egypt not by chance but that he might supply Egypt with food and his own brothers too, who had sold him. That Joseph invited his brothers to dine. But just listen to what happened: "And he drank, and became merry at noon." Is that true, and is it literally possible that a holy man became drunk? Noah also was inebriated but had been really inebriated. Joseph had been intoxicated; Noah also was intoxicated in his own house. See, there is a mystery. First, let us review the mystery itself, and when we have done that, let us fathom its meaning. After the deluge, Noah drank and became drunk in his own house, and his thighs were uncovered, and he was exposed in his nakedness. The elder brother came along and laughed; the younger, however, covered him up. All this is said in type of the Savior, for on the cross he had drunk of the passion: "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me." He drank and was inebriated, and his thighs were laid bare—the dishonor of the cross. The older brothers, the Jews, came along and laughed; the younger, the Gentiles, covered up his disagreement. Hence the imprecation: "Cursed be Canaan; he shall be the lowest of slaves to his brothers."28Behold, that condemnation continues down to this day. We, the younger people, give orders to the older people, the Jews. As the Lord is inebriated in his passion, his saints are inebriated every day in the ardor of their faith, inebriated in the Holy Spirit. You, who yesterday were heaping together gold, today, you are throwing it away. Are you not a madman to those who do not know what it is all about? Finally, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and filled them, and they spoke many different languages; they were accused of being full of new wine. — HOMILIES ON the Psalms 13 Augustine of Hippo : WHAT DOES IT MEAN "GET DRUNK?" — They drank and got drunk with it . The drunks often offer this text, not looking at those children of Israel, but in Joseph, who is considered as a very prudent man. But the Scriptures often offer these words to indicate satiety as well, as you may find in many passages who read carefully. An example: You have visited the earth and drunk it; you have filled it with riches (Ps. 65:10). As these words are said to exalt the blessing and the gift of God is remembered in them, it is clear that with this drunkenness satiety is indicated. For the earth does not get drunk as drunkards get drunk, since this would not be useful to it, because a greater humidity than the earth needs does not to satisfy it, but spoils it. Such is the life of drunkards, who are not filled by satiety, but are plunged into the flood. [ — QUESTIONS ON GENESIS, Q. 143 (tr. J. Litteral, draft)