The merchants brought Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the captain of the life-guard of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. God was with Joseph and made him to prosper, and Potiphar made him overseer over his house. Potiphar’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph to seduce him; but Joseph answered: How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? She then accused him to her husband, saying: This stranger tried to seduce me. Potiphar believed his wife, and cast Joseph into prison.
God was with Joseph and gave him favor with the keeper of the prison, and he set him over the other prisoners. (Gen. 39.)
[20. Joseph Interprets Dreams]
Pharaoh became offended at his chief butler and his chief baker, and cast them into the prison where Joseph was. When Joseph came to them one morning, he saw that they were sad. The butler said: I dreamed that I saw a vine with three branches, and on the branches were grapes. I took them and pressed the juice into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. Joseph said: Within three days Pharaoh will restore thee unto thine office; but have me in remembrance who am innocent in this prison.—The baker told his dream and said: I had three baskets of white bread on my head, and in the uppermost basket there was baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat it out of the basket. Joseph said: In three days Pharaoh shall take thy head. And it came to pass, as Joseph had interpreted; but the butler forgot him.
Two years afterward Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the river Nile. Then there came up out of the river seven fat cows and grazed on the bank. After them came seven lean cows, and devoured the former, but they were still lean. Afterwards he dreamed that seven full and good ears of grain grew on one stalk, and after them seven thin ears that swallowed the former. None of the wise men of Egypt could interpret the dream. Then the butler remembered Joseph, and Pharaoh sent and called Joseph out of the prison, and said: I have heard say of thee that when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it. Joseph answered: It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace. When he had heard the dreams, he interpreted them thus: There shall come seven years of great plenty, and after them seven years of famine that shall consume all that remains from the seven years of plenty. When Pharaoh heard the interpretation he set Joseph over the whole land of Egypt, and Joseph went through the land, and stored up grain during the seven years of plenty. (Gen. 40, 41.)
[21. The Brothers of Joseph Come to Egypt]
The famine was sore in all lands, but in Egypt there was grain. And Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain; but he would not let Benjamin go. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down themselves to him. They knew not him, but he knew them, and remembered his dreams. They said: We are twelve brothers; the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. But Joseph said: Ye are spies. And he kept them in prison for three days. On the third day he said to them: One of you shall remain in prison; but the others may go home with the grain, and ye shall bring your youngest brother to me, that I may see whether ye speak the truth. They said one to another: We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear him. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; but he turned himself about from them and wept. Simeon was kept, and the others went home.
Jacob would not let Benjamin go with them, but said: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and Benjamin ye will also take! But the famine was sore in the land, so he must needs send Benjamin. The brothers went to Egypt and stood before Joseph. When he saw Benjamin he said: God be gracious to thee, my son. And he went out and wept. And he washed his face, and he went in and refrained himself, and said to his servants: Set on bread.—And he commanded the steward of his house: Fill the men’s sacks with grain and put my silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. When they were not yet gone far off he sent his steward after them, the sacks were searched, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Joseph would retain Benjamin as his slave; but Judah stood forth and said: Let me remain in his stead, for if we have not him with us, we will bring our father’s gray hairs with sorrow into the grave. (Gen. 42-44.)
[22. Joseph Makes Himself Known]
Then Joseph could not refrain himself any longer, but said: I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? His brothers could not answer him for fear; but Joseph spoke kindly to them, kissed them all, and wept on Benjamin’s neck. Afterwards he said: Make haste, and go home and tell my father that I am lord of all Egypt, and bring him hither. They went home and told all this; but Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. But when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent, he said: It is enough; Joseph, my son, is yet alive; I will go down and see him before I die. (Gen. 45.)