WHEN food began to be scarce with Jacob's family, he sent his ten sons to Egypt to buy corn. Joseph knew his brethren when he saw them, but they did not know him. He did not look like the boy whom they had sold.
As they bowed before him, the ruler of Egypt, he remembered his dreams of many years before. He saw them fulfilled completely. As the sheaves had bowed to his sheaf, so his brethren were now bowing to him.
His heart went out in love for them, but before he should tell them who he was, he wanted to know if they were still wicked, or if their hearts had been changed since he had been separated from them.
Joseph accused them of being spies. But they denied the charge, and said that they were true men, and a family of twelve brethren. Ten were in Egypt, the youngest was with their father, and one was dead. They had never heard of Joseph since they had sold him, and supposed he was dead.
But Joseph still accused them of being spies, and shut them all up in prison for three days. These days in prison were days of sorrow. They felt that they were being punished for their cruel treatment of Joseph.
Finally Joseph called them from prison. He told them that all but one could return to their father. He would keep Simeon in prison until they should come back to Egypt, but they must bring their youngest brother when they came, or Joseph would not even see them.
Joseph chose Simeon to remain because he had been the chief actor in their cruelty to him in the past. They returned to their home with heavy hearts.