38 GOD PRESERVING HIS PEOPLE IN FAMINE.

 

him there were to be seven years of plenty, and then seven
years of famine. The king saw that he was a very wise
boy, and made him governor over Egypt.

Then Joseph saved all the corn he could in the years
of plenty, so he could feed the people during the years of
famine. Joseph’s father and brothers were starving in
Canaan for want of food. Joseph’s brothers came down
to Egypt, to buy corn, and who should they meet but
Joseph, the brother they sold as a slave years before.
Now you may think that Joseph wanted to punish them
when he saw them. No; he had no such wicked heart as
they had. He loved and feared God. His brothers did
not know him, he was dressed so differently and lived in
a king’s palace. :

Joseph did not tell them who he was then; he sold
them corn, and told them to bring their younger brother
down to him. The younger brother was Benjamin, whom
the father loved dearly. He felt very bad to have Benja- —
min go, lest some evil might befall him as had come to
Joseph. At last he parted with him witha sorrowful heart;
but what great joy filled the soul of the old patriarch, when
-his boys returned and told him that Joseph was yet alive,
and that he was governor over all Egypt. How his spirit
revived when he saw the horses and chariots Joseph had
sent to bring him and his family down into Egypt, where
they might feed on the fat of the land. So God kept his
covenant, and saved his people in time of famine.