118 BOYS OF THE BIBLE.

with him, until he kissed them all, and they wept together.
How sorry and ashamed, and yet how glad these brothers
were! How bad their own cruelty looked by the side of
Joseph’s generous love and readiness to forgive! ‘God was
with Joseph,’ and his spirit filled him with love and mercy
as well as wisdom.”

When the news reached Jacob that Joseph was yet
alive and was governor over all the land of Egypt, his heart
fainted within him. He could not believe for very joy.
Never was an old age made more serene than Joseph made
the last years of his venerable father. Seventeen happy
years passed by, and Jacob was gathered to his fathers in
peace.

Joseph saw his children and his children’s children.
Joseph lived above a hundred years. Changeful, eventful,
romantic years they were, but God was with him through
them all, and fulfilled to overflowing all the happiest of
Joseph’s dreams.