Page images
PDF
EPUB

What was Pharaoh's dream? Pharaoh dreamed he stood by a river, and he saw seven fine fat cows come up out of the river and eat grass in the meadow.

What more did he see? Then he saw seven poor, lean cows come up, and they ate up the fat cows, and and when they had eaten them, they were as poor and lean as before.

What more did he see? Then he saw in his dream seven good large ears of corn come up on one stalk; then seven poor thin ears came up, and ate the good ears. What is corn? It is what grows for our bread.

What should we do, if God did not make the corn grow in the field? We should die of hunger.

When the corn does not grow in a land, and the people die of hunger, what is it called? A famine.

What did Joseph say to Pharaoh's dreams? He said both dreams meant the same. The seven good fat cows meant seven years, and the seven poor, lean cows, meant seven years; he said that God, in this dream, had showed Pharaoh what he was about to do.

And what did Joseph say God was about to do? He was going to make the corn grow good and large in all the land for seven years; and the next seven years the corn would not grow, and there would be a great famine through the land.

What do people do in time of a famine? They die of hunger; and some have been so wicked as to boil and eat their own children, because they had nothing else to eat.

What did Joseph tell Pharaoh it would be well to do? He told him to look out a wise and good man, and set him to gather the corn for seven years while it should grow in plenty, and lay it up till the famine came, so that the people would have bread and not die of hunger.

How did Pharaoh like what Joseph said?. He was pleased, and said he could not find another man so good and wise as Joseph; so he set him over all the land of Egypt. He made him ruler in his house, and over all the people, and he took off his ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and dressed him in fine linen clothes, and put a gold chain about his neck.

[ocr errors]

He made him ride in

What more did he do for him? the second chariot that he had, and the king's servants ran before Joseph and commanded the people to bow the knee to him. A few days before this, Joseph was shut up in a dungeon, where he had lived for many years, poor, and dirty; now you see what was done for him.

Did God cause Pharaoh to take Joseph out of prison? He did; because Joseph loved God, and God took care of him, and brought him out of trouble.

How old was Joseph when he was made ruler over all Egypt? Thirty years.

How much corn did Joseph gather in the seven years of plenty? He gathered corn as the sand of the sea. Why was the corn he gathered like the sand of the Because none can count the particles of sand, they are so many.

sea?

Did the seven years of famine come? They did; and all the people came to Joseph to buy corn.

JOSEPH'S BRETHREN COME TO EGYPT TO BUY CORN.

Was there a famine where Joseph's father and brothers lived? There was; and Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, and sent ten of his sons to buy corn of Joseph; but they did not know it was Joseph, and his brethren came and bowed down to the ground before him.

1

Which of his sons did Jacob keep at home? Benjamin.

Which son was Benjamin? Benjamin was one of his youngest sons, and Joseph was the other; they were both the sons of Rachel, whom Jacob loved.

Did Joseph know his brethren, when they came to him to buy corn? He did, but did not tell them who he was, he spoke roughly to them, and told them they were wicked men, and had come there to do mischief.

What did they say? They said, No my Lord, we are true men, we came to buy corn, we are all the sons of one man, who had twelve sons, and the youngest is with his father, and one is dead.

What more did Joseph say to his brethren? He told

them to send one of the brethren home after their youngest brother, and he would put the rest into prison, for they were bad men; and he put them all in prison three days.

[ocr errors]

What did he do the third day? He told them he feared God, and would do them no wrong; they might all go home but one, and carry corn to their families; and he would keep one in prison till they brought their youngest brother; then he should know they were true men and would not kill them.

Was it true that Joseph's brethren were wicked men? It was; they were guilty of murder, in their cruelty to Joseph, but it was not known, so they had not been punished for their wickedness.

Did they deserve to die? They did; and Joseph could now have put them all to death, if he had desired to slay them; for he was a ruler.

Did he wish to put them to death? No; he only wished to make them remember their sins and repent.

Did his treatment of them make them remember their sins? It did; and they said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the anguish of his soul, when he begged of us to let him go, and we would not hear him; now God will punish us for it.

What did Reuben say? Did not I tell you, do not hurt the child? but you would not hear me; now we must all die for it; his blood is required of us.

What did Joseph do, when he heard them talk so, one to the other? He pitied them, and turned his face away and wept.

What did he do next? He took Simeon and bound him before their eyes, and sent the rest home to carry corn to their father, and told his men to put back into their sacks all the money which they paid for their corn.

JOSEPH'S BRETHREN RETURN TO THEIR FATHER.

How were Joseph's brethren affected when they found their money in their sacks? They were afraid.

What did their father say, when they went home and

told him all that befell them, and that the ruler had sent for their youngest brother, and also that they had found their money in their sacks? Jacob was troubled and said, you will take away all my children. Joseph is not, and Simeon is not; and now you will take Benjamin. All these things are against me.

And did he refuse to let him go? He said, my little son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone; and if mischief befall him, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

What did they do when they wanted more corn? Their father said to them, you must go again and buy us a little food.

What did they say? Judah said to his father, If you' will let Benjamin go with us, we will go down and buy food, but if you will not let him go, we cannot go; for the ruler said to us, you shall not see my face, if you do not bring your youngest brother with you.

What did Jacob say? He said, why did you make me this trouble, by telling him you had another brother? What did Judah say? He said, the ruler asked us, "Is your father alive? have you another brother?" Could we know he would tell us to bring our brother down.

What did he say more to his father? He said, send the lad with me and we will go and buy food, or we shall die with hunger; I will be surety for him. If I do not bring him back to you, then will I bear the blame for

ever.

[ocr errors]

What did his father say? He said, if I must let him go, do this; take of the best fruit and carry the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, nuts and almonds, and take double money in your hand, and carry the money you found in your sacks, and take your brother and go.

Did Jacob pray for them when he sent them away? He did.

Should we always pray to God to take care of us when we go abroad? We should; for if he do not take care of us, we never shall return again.

JOSEPH'S BRETHREN COME TO HIM THE SECOND TIME.

What did Joseph do when he saw that Benjamin was come to him? He told his servants to bring them all to his house, and prepare a dinner for them.

Were Joseph's brethren afraid to go to his house? They were afraid, and told the steward; but he told them not to be afraid, and brought their brother Simeon out of prison, and brought water for them to wash.

Did they go into the house? They went in, and gave Joseph the present they brought for him, and bowed themselves to the earth before him.

What did Joseph say to them? He asked them if they were well, if their father was yet alive, and if he was well.

What did he say to Benjamin? He said, is this your younger brother of whom you spoke? God bless you,

my son..

What did he do when he had spoken to his brother Benjamin? He made haste to find a place to weep, and went into his chamber and wept there.

Why did he weep when he spoke to Benjamin? Because he loved his younger brother, and because he had been separated from him a long time.

When he refrained from crying, and washed his face, and came in to his dinner, how did he seat them at the table? He seated the oldest first and then the next oldest, and so on to the youngest; and they wondered how he knew their ages.

How did he help them? He gave his brother Benjamin five times as much as he did to the rest.

Did he let them know that he was Joseph? He did not; but sent them away with their corn, and told his servant to put his silver cup in Benjamin's sack.

Did he mean to give Benjamin his silver cup? He did not; for when they had gone a little way, he sent his servant to ask them why they stole the ruler's cup.

What did they say: 'They said they had not stolen

« PreviousContinue »