JOSEPH did not always stay in prison, for God gave him wisdom to tell the king of Egypt that his dreams had meant that there were going to be first seven years of very fine harvests, and then seven years would come of no harvests at all. So the king took him out of prison, and made him a great lord; and he set to work to buy the corn that was over and above what people wanted to eat in the years of plenty, that he might store it up against the years when the corn would not grow.
So when the bad harvest began, Joseph had plenty of corn, and he sold it for the king to all who wanted it. The famine was not only in Egypt, but in all the countries round; and by-and-by Joseph saw, among the people that came to buy, ten of his own brothers—the same who had sold him for a slave.
He knew them, for they still looked like shepherds; but they did not know him, for he had grown from a youth to a man, and was dressed like an Egyptian lord; and he would not seem to know them, though he wanted much to know what had become of his old father and his little brother Benjamin. He made as if he thought they were enemies, come to see if Egypt could be conquered when it was so bare of food.
Then they told him who they were; that they were all one man's sons, and that one brother they had lost; the other was left with his father, who could not bear to part with him. Joseph would not seem to believe this, and said he must keep one of them in prison, while he sent the rest back to fetch their youngest brother, or else he could not believe them.
Then, when fear and trouble came on them, they began to think how ill they had used their lost brother Joseph; and they said to each other, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother." Joseph heard them, and could hardly bear it; but still he kept to his plan. He kept Simeon a prisoner, that he might be sure of the others coming back, and sent them home to fetch Benjamin. But he would not have any of the money they had brought for the corn, and made his steward put it all back into the mouth of their sacks.
JOSEPH INTERPRETING PHARAOH'S DREAM.—Gen. 41:29, 30.
When they found this out as they went home, they were much afraid; and when they came home, their father was more afraid still. After the way they had used Joseph, he thought they had killed Simeon, and wanted to kill Benjamin. They spoke truth now, but he could not believe them; and he said he could not send Benjamin, for if mischief should befall the lad, "then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."
QUESTIONS.