sorrowful. The next morning, when Joseph came in to see them, as he usually did, to find out whether every thing was as it should be, he observed that something had happened, and that they looked sad. He inquired the reason of it, and they told him that they had had two dreams which troubled them very much; and the more so, because there was no one who could interpret the dreams, or explain their meaning, and what they might foretell.

"Joseph said unto them, do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you.".

It would seem, from this, that Joseph, who had had some very remarkable dreams himself, was one of those that in former times were enabled by God to explain the meaning of dreams, and to tell what future events they predicted.

The chief butler told Joseph his dream. It was the following: He dreamed that he saw a grape-vine before him, which had three branches. The buds grew, and the blossoms shot forth so rapidly that it produced clusters of ripe grapes in a few moments of time. The king's cup was in his hand, into which, after plucking them, he pressed the juice of the grapes, and gave the cup to the king.

Joseph gave him this interpretation of his dream. He said that the three branches represented three days, and that within three days the king would

lift up his head, and restore him to his former place, and that he should again be the cup-bearer of the king, and hand him his wine to drink.

To lift up the head, was a manner of speaking at that time, and afterward, among the Jews, the meaning of which was, to raise a person to some kind of honor, so that others would treat him with respect, or to restore him to an office which he had before held.

The chief butler was greatly rejoiced at this explanation of his dream, and that he should so soon be removed from his uncomfortable and disgraceful confinement, and experience again the friendship of the king.

CHAPTER XI.

The dream of the chief baker and its interpretation.-What Joseph foretells, comes to pass.-Prophecy.-Sin of ingratitude.

We do not read in the Bible that the chief butler expressed any thanks to Joseph for the interpretation of his dream; and we shall find out, afterward, that he was not a man likely to do this.

Joseph, however, asked one favor of him, when he should be restored to his office, and enjoy again the opportunity of being often with the king.

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Think on me," said he, "when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me; and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: for, indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here, also, I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon."

I will just tell you, as we go along, that the word dungeon here, or rather the word in the Hebrew language, (in which the Old Testament was written,) means any place of confinement. So that Joseph only said that he was in prison. He was not in bonds at that time, nor shut up close in any room or cell.

Afterward the chief baker told his dream. He had some hopes, from the favorable interpretation which Joseph gave of that of his companion in misfortune, that his, also, might foretell good.

He said he dreamed that he had three white baskets on his head, and that, in the uppermost basket, there was all manner of baked meats for the king. He also dreamed that the birds came and ate the meat out of the basket.

No doubt he waited, with great anxiety, to hear what interpretation Joseph would give of the dream.

"The three baskets," said Joseph, "denote three days, and within that time the king will lift up thy head from off thee, and hang thee on a tree, (or high gibbet, or gallows,) and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee."

This was a sad interpretation of his dream to the chief baker; but we are not told the particular effect which it had upon him.

The third day after Joseph gave these interpretations of the dreams, was Pharaoh's birth-day. It was a day of much rejoicing in the king's house, and he made a great feast for all his officers, and captains, and persons who did his business and waited on him. In the midst of this festivity he ordered the chief butler to be set at liberty and restored to his former situation. On that same day he became again the king's cup-bearer, and gave cup of wine into his hand.

the

On that same day, also, the chief baker was hung, and his body left on the gallows, to be devoured by the birds of heaven.

Thus Joseph proved to be a true interpreter of the dreams which were told him; which shows that it was God who instructed him how to make the interpretations. For no one but God, or some person to whom he sees fit to communicate it, has any certain knowledge of future events.

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There are many prophecies in the Bible, made before the things which they predicted came to pass. The fulfillment of these prophecies, or, what means the same thing, the coming to pass of the things that were foretold, shows, that the prophecies must have come from God, and that the Bible, which contains these prophecies, also came from God, and is all

true.

We are told, that after being restored to his office, the chief butler did not remember Joseph. He quite forgot all his kindness to him while under his care in the prison; the relief and joy which were afforded him in the interpretation of his dream; and the request which Joseph made, that he would mention his case, the circumstances of his history, and especially his innocence, to the king.

This forgetfulness shows the great ingratitude of the chief butler, and how little feeling he had for others, if he himself could only be delivered from trouble and suffering.

Alas! how many such persons there are in the world, eager after their own happiness, unmindful of that of others! Children, too, sometimes forget their own parents, and all their kindness; and neglect them in sickness, or in old age; and show what ungrateful and wicked hearts they have!

Can it be, my dear children, that this is true of any