meantime Joseph was carried into Egypt, and sold to Potiphar, the chief officer under Pharaoh the king. "The Lord made all that Joseph did to prosper, and he found favour in the sight of his master, who made him overseer of his house, and put all that he had into his hands (c)." But there was a sudden reverse in Joseph's prosperity. Potiphar's wife endeavoured to seduce Joseph to dishonour his master's bed; " but he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept any thing back from me, but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God (d)?"-Incensed by his resolute refusal, this woman falsely accused him to her husband of having attempted to commit that crime by force, of which she could not, after repeated trials, prevail upon him to be guilty. Potiphar believed the accusation, and cast Joseph into prison. But here also God was with Joseph, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. The keeper entrusted to him the whole care of the prison, "and that which he did there likewise, the Lord made it to prosper (e)." It happened that the chief baker and chief butler of Pharaoh, who were confined in the same prison, dreamed each a dream, and Joseph interpreted their dreams to them, foretelling, that at the expiration of three days, the baker would be hanged on a tree, and that the butler would be restored to his former situation in Pharaoh's family. Both these events happened precisely as Joseph had foretold. About two years after, Pharaoh had two dreams, which (c) Gen. c. 39. v. 3 and 4. 1715. none of the wise men of the country could explain; but the butler, recollecting Joseph, who was still in prison, mentioned him to Pharaoh; and the king sent for Joseph to interpret them. Joseph was enabled by God to understand the dreams; and told Pharaoh, that they portended seven years of plenty, which would be followed by seven years of famine; and added, "Let therefore Pharaoh appoint officers over the land, and let them gather corn in the seven plenteous years; and this food shall be for store against the seven years of famine (f)." The king admiring the wisdom of Joseph, and justly concluding that "the spirit of God was in him (g)," entrusted to his care the business of collecting the corn, and gave him full power in all other concerns of his kingdom. From all these transactions it appears, that the Egyptians worshipped the true God in these early ages, though their religion was probably corrupted with some idolatrous mixture. The seven years of plenty came according to Joseph's interpretation of the dreams, and vast quantities of corn were laid up, conformably to his advice. After- 1708. wards began the years of famine, which was not confined to Egypt, but extended "over all the face of the earth." Then the storehouses were opened, and the corn was sold, not only to the Egyptians, but also to the neighbouring nations, under the direction of Joseph. This famine was severely felt in Canaan; and Jacob, hearing that there was corn in Egypt, sent ten of his sons thither to buy corn; but Benjamin remained with his father. Joseph had been nearly twenty years in Egypt when his ten brothers appeared, and "bowed before him." Instantly recollecting them, but not chusing to discover (f) Gen. c. 41. v. 34 and 36. himself, he enquired who they were; and pretending to be dissatisfied with their account of themselves, he accused them of being spies, and cast them into prison. Joseph probably wished to recal their former wickedness to their remembrance, and to produce contrition by calamity; and if this were his intention, he appears to have succeeded; for "they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother-therefore is this distress come upon us (h)." At the end of three days he sent for them out of prison, and supplied them with corn; but he detained Simeon, and bound him in the presence of his brothers. The rest he dismissed, commanding them to come back into Egypt with their youngest brother, to prove the truth of what they had asserted; and promised that he would then restore Simeon, and suffer them to traffic in the land. When Jacob was informed of every thing which had passed in Egypt, he was astonished, and grieved to the soul. He recollected the loss of his favourite son Joseph; he lamented the detention of Simeon; and declared that he would not part with Benjamin. But the severity of the famine in Canaan, and the impossibility of procuring corn from any place except Egypt, at length induced him to send Benjamin thither, with his other sons, for a fresh supply. Upon their return to Egypt, Joseph immediately ordered a feast to be prepared for them at his own house. When he received them there, the sight of his brother Benjamin (i), and the answers which they gave to his enquiries after their father Jacob, affected him so much, that "he sought where to weep; and entered into his chamber and wept (k)." But when he had (h) Gen. c. 42. v. 21. (i) Benjamin was nearest his own age, and was the only one of his brothers by the same mother, namely, Rachel. (k) Gen. c. 43. v. 30. composed himself, he returned, and entertained them with great kindness, distinguishing Benjamin with particular marks of regard. Before they departed the next morning, Joseph privately ordered his steward to put his silver cup with the corn-money into Benjamin's sack; and when they had gone out of the city, they were by Joseph's direction pursued, overtaken, and charged with ingratitude and theft. Conscious of their innocence, they proposed, "that with whomsoever the cup was found he should die, and the rest become bondmen to Joseph (1)." And when, upon examination, the cup was found in Benjamin's sack, they expressed the greatest surprise and concern, and all readily returned to Joseph, who reproached them with seeming indignation. The address of Judah to his unknown brother on this trying occasion, is one of the most beautiful examples of natural eloquence it is possible to imagine. He recalled to Joseph's mind every thing which had passed when they were before in Egypt; related to him Jacob's distress at parting with Benjamin; stated the fatal consequences which must follow to their aged parent, if Benjamin did not return into Canaan; and offered himself to remain a bondman instead of Benjamin; "For how," added he, "shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father (m)."-" Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians, and the house of Pharaoh, heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph. (1) Gen. c. 44. v. 9. Doth my father yet live?-and his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence (n)." Joseph, perceiving their distress, endeavoured by every expression of kindness to comfort them, and desired that they would go again into Canaan, and bring their venerable parent and all his family, that they might be placed in the land of Egypt, and partake of every good thing which the land afforded. And they returned into Canaan, and told their father that Joseph was alive, and governor of Egypt. The account appeared so incredible to Jacob, that he was with difficulty persuaded of its truth; but being at length convinced, he exclaimed in a transport of joy and gratitude, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die (o)."— And Jacob, and all his family, with their cattle and goods, set out for Egypt. And as they rested at Beersheba, God appeared unto Jacob in a dream, and said, "Fear not, Jacob, to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will also surely bring thee up again (p); and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes (q)." When Jacob arrived in Egypt, his whole family, including Joseph and his two children, amounted 1706. to seventy persons (r); and by the manage(n) Gen. c. 45. v. 1. &c. (0) Gen. c. 45. v. 28. (p) That is, his posterity. Scripture frequently mentions parents and children as the same persons. But it may be observed, that this promise was literally fulfilled, for Jacob was buried in the land of Canaan. (q) Gen. c. 46. v. 3 and 4. (r) There now went to Egypt, Jacob himself, and sixty-four sons and grandsons, together with one daughter, Dinah, and one grand-daughter, Sarah; these sixty-seven persons, added to Joseph and his two sons, who were already in Egypt, make up the number exactly seventy. |