Chapter 26. Genesis 45-47. Jacob in Egypt.
WHEN Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s brethren had come, he was pleased and sent word to Joseph. Tell your brothers to go back to the land of Canaan to fetch your father and all your house-holds and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and take wagons from Egypt to bring your little ones and your wives and your father, and come. So Joseph gave his brothers wagons, as the king had commanded, and provisions for the way, and to each a change of garment, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. To his father, he sent ten asses loaded with the good things of Egypt and ten with corn and bread and meat for the way.
The eleven brothers went home rejoicing, and eagerly told their father that Joseph was alive and governor of Egypt. Jacob could not believe the good news at first, but when they had shown him the presents and the wagons sent to carry him to Joseph, he said: “It is enough, Joseph my son, is yet alive, and I will go and see him before I die.” Jacob and his sons began their long journey to Egypt. When they came to Beer-Sheba, Israel offered sacrifices to the God of his fathers. In the night, God spoke to him saying: “I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt: for I will make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again.” Then Jacob arose and went to Egypt with all his family; his sons and their wives and their children, in all, seventy people.
When Joseph saw the wagons coming, he commanded his servant to bring his chariot and rode to meet his father. Joseph fell on Jacob’s neck and kissed him, and they both wept a long time. Jacob said: “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.”
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I will go up and show Pharaoh and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house . . . . are come unto me: and they have brought their flocks and their herds, and all that they have.” And when he asks you what your occupation is, tell him, you are shepherds, that he may give you the land of Goshen to dwell in, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.
Joseph went and told Pharaoh that his father had come and was in the land of Goshen. He took with him five of his brethren to present them to the king who asked them: “What is your occupation?” And they answered. “We are shepherds like our fathers before us. We have brought all our cattle with us, for there is no pasture in the land of Canaan where the famine is sore. We pray thee, therefore, to let us dwell in the land of Goshen.” Pharaoh said to Joseph: “The land of Egypt is before thee; let thy father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen.” Joseph brought also his father to Pharaoh who asked him how old he was. Jacob answered: “I am one hundred and thirty years old. Few and evil have been the years of my life, and I have not attained unto the age of my fathers.” Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out.
Joseph gave the land of Goshen to his father and brothers for a possession in the land of Egypt. He fed them with bread all the years of famine. The people still came to Joseph to buy corn, but now all their money was gone. Joseph took it and gave it to Pharaoh. Then the people brought their cattle and gave them for corn, and when they were gone, they sold their fields; so all the land of Egypt became Pharaoh’s, except the land of the priests, which was not sold. Joseph told the people that now they belonged to Pharaoh, and he gave them seed and commanded them to go and sow the land. They were to give the fifth part of all they grew to the king and the rest was their own.
Israel and his people multiplied exceedingly, and had great possessions. Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt, when he felt he must soon die and sent for his son, Joseph, and made him promise he would not bury him in Egypt, but take him out of it and bury him with his fathers in Canaan.
The story of Joseph is wonderful. He knew not, when he was sold and brought to Egypt why it was; nor why he was put in prison; nor why he was so many years alone and sorrowful, far away from his dear father. But God knew why. He is wise and knows the end from the beginning, and never makes a mistake. Shall we not trust Him fully? Since we know that all things work together for good to them that love God; to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).
ML 08/29/1909