VI.

JosEPpH—THE YOUNG DREAMER.

“ Behold, this dreamer cometh.” — Genesis XXLXVIL., 19+

“1 thank God for my happy dreams, as I do for my good rest."—Sir Thomas
Browne. :

“1£ we can sleep without dreams, it is well that painful dreams are avoided.” —
Benjamin Franklin.

“ Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of
his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.” Genesis £XXVIt., 3.

Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob. He was the son
of Jacob and Rachel, doubly dear to them, because he was
the son of their old age.

When first we meet this young dreamer in the Bible
record, he is seventeen years of age. Between himself and
the elder brothers of the household there was the difference
of many years, so that it is quite easy to understand that
the grown men in Jacob’s household would be very apt to
regard Joseph as a mere child. But instead of treating him
with tender, gentle care, they were hard with him. If in
the study of Joseph’s character, we come to the conclusion
that he might have been less childish and vain, we shall also
have abundant reason to conclude that the elder sons of
Jacob might have been much more manly in their treatment
of the boy.

Joseph was unfortunate in being a favorite child. Mere
favoritism in a family is never wise, it is generally unjust,
and almost always brings evil consequences in its train.

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