OUR last chapter left Joseph in Egypt, so that it is quite reasonable to begin this chapter with the important question, How did Joseph get there?
“Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan." Every one is familiar with the history of Joseph. How his father loved him better than any of his other sons and made them all jealous, so "they hated him," and when he dreamed his wonderful dreams they envied him.
One day when sent to look for them they sold him to some Midianites, who were merchants, for twenty pieces of silver, and thus he was taken to Egypt. The name of the king of Egypt was Osirtasen I., it is supposed. Joseph was bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's. The Lord was with him and prospered him in everything. This happened about 1706 B.C. Joseph offended Potiphar, and became a prisoner. Whilst he was there he enjoyed the full confidence of the keeper of the prison, because "The Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.”
The story of Pharaoh's butler and baker is well known: their life in prison, their dreams, and Joseph's interpretation, which was the means God used later of bringing him under Pharaoh's notice.
It is well to see the place the river has in Pharaoh's dreams. "Behold, I stood upon the bank of the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well favored; and they fed in a meadow." Then the seven ill favored and lean-fleshed came up, and stood by the other kine on the brink of the river. And the ill favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine. And so Pharaoh awoke. The second dream dealt with seven full ears and seven thin ears of corn in a similar manner.
No wonder Pharaoh was troubled, and sent for all the magicians and wise men, but there was none that could interpret these things. Then the chief butler remembered Joseph, and told Pharaoh how he interpreted his dream, and that of the chief baker, and how they came to pass. Joseph's history is told us in Psa. 105:1616Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. (Psalm 105:16). It tells us that the Lord called for a famine, that the whole staff of bread was broken, that Joseph was sent before them, who was sold for a servant; his feet were hurt with fetters, laid in iron: "The word of the Lord tried him.”
Then Joseph was sent for, and was brought hastily out of the dungeon, and shaved himself and changed his raiment. Then Pharaoh speaks to him and Joseph answers humbly, "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Pharaoh then relates his dream; and Joseph answers, "God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do." Joseph tells him that there would be seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt; and after them seven years of famine, and that all the plenty would be forgotten, the famine would be so sore.
Then Joseph advised Pharaoh to choose a man discreet and wise and to set him over the land of Egypt. He advised that food should be gathered and stored and laid up during the good years, and the food kept in the cities. Then Pharaoh said, "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" Then Pharaoh made Joseph ruler over the people and over the land, and next to himself. Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand. This gave him power to seal any proclamation or document in the name of the king.
Sixty years ago it was still the custom in agreeing with the dragoman about camels for a journey to cross the desert, when just upon settled, for the sheik to advance to the table, take of his ring and give it to the clerk, who dipped the ring into ink and sealed the contract with it. Sometimes the ring is engraved with the name of the wearer.
The king arrayed Joseph in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck and "made him to ride in the second chariot," and people cried, "Bow the knee," and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. "And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea," until it was without number.
When the seven years of plenty were ended, the seven years of dearth began to come, "And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.... And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin...Jacob sent not...for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.”
Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them. "But they knew not him." He said unto them, "Ye are spies." He tests them, too, in sending for Benjamin and keeping Simeon in prison, and thus exercises their consciences. At last the famine compels them to go again, and once more they stand before Joseph, with Benjamin. Then Joseph provides a feast and they were merry with him. Joseph thinks of another test, ordering his silver cup to be, put in Benjamin's sack. Judah pleads for him that he may be released on their father's account.
Then Joseph sends all his servants away and tells them he is Joseph. He says, Come near to me, "and he said," I am Joseph." He tells them how God overruled it for good, and he sends for Jacob. He gives them all changes of raiment, to Benjamin five, and three hundred pieces of silver. And Joseph sent ten asses with corn and bread and meat for his father. "And they... came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, and told him saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.”
At first Jacob did not believe, but when he heard the words of Joseph, and saw the wagons, the spirit of Jacob revived. "And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die." And Israel took his journey to Beersheba and offered sacrifices unto God, and God speaks to him, and promises to go with him. There were altogether seventy persons.
In Jacob's journey into Egypt, we must notice not only the asses but the wagons which Joseph sent to carry Jacob, and the little ones, and the wives. The little ones were provided for as well as the older people. Besides, the wagons were needed for some of their goods; there were also cattle, for they brought their flocks and herds; you see, it was not only for a short visit, but to remain there.
So they came into the land of Goshen and Joseph went to meet them in his chariot, formerly a slave, now a great man and a ruler.
Thus Jacob came into Egypt, and sent Judah to Joseph to direct him to Goshen; and Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself, and fell on his neck and wept a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen thy face.”
Then Joseph went to Pharaoh and introduced five of his brethren, and asked for them to dwell in the land of Goshen. Pharaoh says, "In the land of Goshen let them dwell." Then Jacob is presented, and Pharaoh asks him how old he is. He tells him one hundred and thirty years. Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out of his presence. Then Joseph gave to his father and to his brethren a possession in the land of Egypt, in the land of Rameses, and Joseph cared for them.
Whilst living there they had possessions and grew and multiplied exceedingly, and Jacob lived there seventeen years.
Now what is the land of Goshen like? One who has seen it, and whose word can be relied on, says it was quite as level as a railway, and that the plain of the land of Goshen extended partly over the land of the Nile on the west, and the Arabian desert towards the Red Sea on the east.
It says in the scriptures that Joseph placed his brethren in, the land of Rameses, and so this was the situation. It remains still the best of the land, though not so well cultivated. The children of Israel must have been near some water, in order to produce figs, grapes, and olives; the water must have come from the river. No doubt they lived a good deal upon the fish which is found there, and from the fruit, which are both abundant. It was truly the best of the land, the heart and beauty of Egypt.
After seventeen years Jacob died, and Joseph, who may be called the Prime Minister, made a truly royal funeral for his father. It was greater than that of Osirtasen the First. It was Jacob's expressed desire to Joseph that he should not be buried in Egypt. Joseph carried out this wish. After Jacob's death, how touching it is to read that Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
The physicians were then commanded to embalm him, which took forty days, and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. Joseph appeals to Pharaoh for leave to go and bury his father, and Pharaoh says, "Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear." Oh, what a sight! the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. Then all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house, and there went up with him chariots and horsemen, a very great company.
Beyond Jordan they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation; the mourning lasted seven days. The Canaanites were surprised when they saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, and they said, "This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians," and they called it Abelmizraim; it was beyond Jordan. Then could be seen the reverence of the sons carrying their father, and burying him in the cave of Machpelah, which was bought by Abraham with the field as a burying-place from Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.