AN EASTERN HOUSE
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by her kind permission.
This house is made of mud--that is, sun-dried clay, with a roof of thatch, and shows how houses were made and looked in Bible times. The children of the village have come to have their eyes treated by the doctor. Many of the children in the hot countries of the East have trouble with their eyes, and blindness. The little village of mud houses where this was taken is on the site of the ancient Ashdod, one of the five powerful cities of the Philistines.
But the famine kept on. They had nothing to eat and at last Jacob was forced to let them go. They promised to take the best of care of Benjamin and started on their journey.
When they reached Egypt Joseph was more kind. He asked them how they were and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?"
And they answered, "Thy servant, our father, is yet alive. He is in good health."
Then he saw Benjamin and said, "Is this your younger brother of whom ye spoke unto me?"