JOSEPH'S DREAM 19

And yet, unlikely as it seemed, the dream came true, and the very men who were angry
with Joseph for telling it, helped without knowing it to bring about its fulfilment.

In their hatred and envy one day when Joseph had come to them from their father,
who wanted to know how they and their flocks were getting on, they conspired against him.
At first when they saw him coming they called to one another, “ Behold this dreamer cometh,”
and talked of killing him, but Reuben, who was the oldest, persuaded them not. So they
stripped his beautiful coat off him and threw him into a deep pit where the water was dried
up, and then sat down and ate their food. If Reuben had been really brave he would have
stood by his younger brother and refused to let them touch him ; but no, he too envied him,
and though he would not kill him was glad to have his revenge on him for a little while,
meaning by and by to take him out of the pit and give him back to his father.

_ But while Reuben was away looking after his sheep, some merchants, descendants of
Ishmael, came by that way with their camels. As soon as they saw them one of Joseph’s
brothers said, “ Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites.” So they drew him out of the pit
and for twenty pieces of silver, for they had no regular money then as we have now, they sold
their brother. Invain he begged them, with tears and cries, not to send him away, but they
paid no attention to him. And as he was led away across the desert they congratulated
themselves that they had got rid of him at last and would never be troubled with him again.
Ah, they little thought as they dipped his coat in goat’s blood and bringing it to their
father told him they had found it stained and torn by some wild beast, when and how they
would meet again.

Years passed away, and Joseph, carried as a slave into Egypt, had gone through strange
ups and downs. The merchants sold him to Potiphar, a great officer, who soon found out how
trustworthy he was,and made him steward of his house and put all he had into his charge.

After a time he was accused falsely by his mistress, and was thrown into prison, where
he remained for some years until Pharaoh King of Egypt heard of him from his cup-bearer,
who had been’a prisoner with Joseph, and sent for:-him to come and interpret a strange
dream he had had which none of his wise men could explain. As a reward for his
cleverness Joseph was made governor of Egypt, second only to the King, and ‘he had charge
of all the corn, which by his advice had been stored up during the seven years of good
harvest against the seven years of famine which Pharaoh in his dream had dreamed of.

As Joseph sat on a lofty throne, dressed in a magnificent robe, with a chain of gold
about his. neck and a massive ring on his finger, who would ever recognise in him
the young slave boy? Certainly his brothers did not know him as they came into
hhis. presence to’ buy corn for their father and their families. But Joseph knew them
directly he saw th although they knew him not. ‘They were not changed as he
was. They had grogwa older but they wore the same dress they used to wear, and

‘talked the same langtfige. And when they bowed down before him and touched the
ground with their foreheads after the Eastern custom as a mark of respect, he knew
the dream he had dreamed long ago had come true. _ His brothers’ sheaves made obeisance
to his sheaf.

But though he spoke roughly and seemed hard to them, in his heart he forgave
them, and by and by he told them who he was and bade them not to grieve, for it
was God who had brought him to Egypt to save their lives in the time of famine.

With what glad hearts they must have gone back to their father and told him
the wonderful news that Joseph was not dead but alive, and had sent for him to come to
him in Egypt. It seemed too good to be true. No wonder the old man would not believe
it, but thought they were deceiving him. But when he went out of his tent and saw the
waggons and presents Joseph had sent, his spirit revived and he said, “ It is enough ; Joseph
my son is yet alive, I will go and see him before I die.”

So God watches over those who try to do what is right, and in His own time
and way brings good out of evil.