JOSEPH BROUGHT BEFORE PHAROAH.
Printed and Sold in Aldermary Church Yard,
Bow Lane, London.
THE HISTORY OF
JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.
JACOB'S LOVE TO JOSEPH, WITH JOSEPH'S FIRST
DREAM.
In Canaan's fruitful land there liv'd of late,
Old Isaac's heir blest with a vast estate;
Near Hebron Jacob sourjourned all alone,
A stranger in the land that was his own:
Dear to his God, for humbly he ador'd him,
As Isaac did, and Abraham before him.
And as he was of worldly wealth possest,
So with twelve sons the good old man was blest,
Amongst all whom none his affections won,
So much as Joseph, Rachel's first-born son,
He in his bosom lay, still next his heart,
And with his Joseph would by no means part:
He was the lad on whom he most did doat,
And gave to him a many colour'd coat.
This made his bretheren at young Joseph grudge,
And thought their father loved him too much.
At Jacob's love their hatred did encrease,
That they could hardly speak to him in peace.
But Joseph, (in whose heart the filial fear
Of his Creator early did appear)
Not being conscious to himself at all,
He had done ought to move his brethren's gall,
}Did unto them a dream of his relate,
Which (tho' it did increase his bretheren's hate,
Did plainly shew forth Joseph's future state
This is the dream, said Joseph, I did see:
The Corn was reap'd, and binding sheaves are we,
When my sheaf only was on a sudden found,
Both to arise and stand upon the ground.
}Then yours arose, which round about were laid,
And unto mine a low obeisance made,
Is this your dream, his brethren said?
Can your ambitious thoughts become so vain,
To think that you shall o'er your brethren reign?
Or that we unto you shall tribute pay,
And at your feet our servile necks should lay?
Believe us brother, this youll never see,
But your aspiring will your ruin be.
Thus Joseph's bretheren talk'd, and if before
They hated him, they did it now much more;
The father lov'd him, and the lad they thought,
Took more upon him, than indeed he ought.
But they who judge a matter e'er the time,
Are oftentimes involved in a crime:
'Tis therefore best for us to wait and see
What the issue of mysterious things will be;
For those that judge by meer imagination,
Will find things contrary to their expectation.