Contents ▼▲
Front Matter The Garden of Eden The First Great Crime The Flood The Tower of Babel Abraham Moves into Canaan Sodom and Gomorrah The Trial of Abraham's Faith Searching for a Wife for Isaac Isaac and Rebekah Esau Sells his Birthright Jacob Serves for Rachel Jacob Returns to Canaan Joseph is Sold into Egypt Pharaoh's Dream Joseph's Brethren Buy Corn Jacob Moves into Egypt The Early Life of Moses Egyptians Smitten with Plagues Egyptians Drowned in Red Sea The Lord Provides for Israel Plan to Build the Tabernacle The Golden Calf Wanderings of the Israelites Spying Out the Land of Canaan Punishing the Israelites Balaam is Made to Prophesy Border of the Promised Land Last Days of Moses Rahab Saves the Spies The Destruction of Jericho The Capture of Ai Joshua Conquers Canaan Gideon is Given a Sign Gideon Overcomes Midianites The Punishment of Abimelech Jephthah's Daughter The Young Samson Samson and the Philistines The Death of Samson Naomi and Ruth Ruth and Boaz The Young Samuel Philistines Capture the Ark Philistines Return the Ark Saul in Anointed King Jonathan and the Philistines The Disobedience of Saul Samuel Anoints David David and Goliath Saul is Jealous of David David and Jonathan The Madness of Saul David Spares the Life of Saul The Last Days of King Saul David Becomes King The Rebellion of Absalom The Death of Absalom Solomon Becomes King The Wisdom of Solomon Solomon Builds the Temple Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon Revolt of the Ten Tribes The Wickedness of Jeroboam Elijah Begins His Ministry Elijah Destroys the Prophets Elisha is Made a Prophet Death of Ahab Sickness of Ahaziah Last Days of Elijah Miracles of Elisha Naaman is Cured of Leprosy Flight of the Syrians Jehu is Appointed King The Story of Joash Last days of Elisha Destruction of Sennacherib Judah Led into Captivity Destruction of Jerusalem Daniel Interprets the Dream The Fiery Furnace Madness of Nebuchadnezzer Handwriting on the Wall Daniel in the Lion's Den Jonah Swallowed by a Fish Jonah Warns Nineveh Esther Becomes Queen The Vengeance of Haman Esther Saves Her People The Return from Captivity Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem

Heroes of Israel - Lawton Evans




Jacob Moves into Egypt

The brothers of Joseph came again into the land of Egypt to buy corn. This time they brought the young Benjamin with them, even as Joseph had requested them.

When they came to Joseph's house they gave him the presents which their father had sent, and showed him the double money, and then bowed themselves to the earth.

Joseph looked upon them kindly and asked of their welfare, and said: "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke, and is he yet alive?" The brothers answered: "Our father is yet alive and is in good health." And again they bowed their heads.

When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin he asked of his brothers: "Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke unto me?" and they told him that it was. Then Joseph, who longed to take his brother in his arms and kiss him according to the custom of that country, dared not do so, but left his brothers and went into his own room and there he wept. When he came out again he ordered food set before his brothers, all they could eat, and all the wine they could drink, and he made his servants wait upon them.

Then he commanded his steward to fill every man's sack with corn, as much as he could carry, and to put every man's money into the mouth of his sack. He also told them to put his own silver cup into the mouth of the sack of the youngest brother and also his money for the corn. In the morning he sent them away loaded with food.

After they had gotten a little way out of the city Joseph turned to his steward and said: "Follow after the men and when you overtake them ask them why they have returned evil for good." The steward followed the men and when he reached them and asked them the question as Joseph had commanded, they were much astonished and wanted to know what evil they had done to Joseph.

The steward then opened each man's sack and discovered the money in the mouth of the sacks, and when he reached Benjamin's sack he not only found the money but also Joseph's cup, and he accused the men of taking the cup from the house of Joseph.

They fell before him on the ground and told him that they did not know who had put the money back into their sacks nor who had put the cup into the sack of Benjamin, their youngest brother. Nevertheless the steward made them all come back with him to the house of Joseph.

Then Judah stood up before Joseph and told him the story of their father's living in Canaan and how that they were once twelve brothers but that in an evil day one of them had been sold into bondage and that his father had grieved for this son; and how Benjamin was the youngest one and his father loved him; and how that the famine was sore in the land of Canaan, and that the old father was even now waiting for his sons to come back to him and would surely die if Benjamin was not allowed to return to him.

Joseph could not restrain himself any longer from making himself known unto his brethren. He had been trying all this time to learn whether they were still true men as he had hoped they were. Therefore, he made all his servants leave the place where they were, and after they were gone there was no one left except Joseph and his eleven brethren.

Then Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. He said to them: "I am Joseph, the brother whom you did sell into Egypt. I was brought here and made a servant in the house of the captain of the guard. Then for no fault of mine was I thrown into prison and there I stayed for many years. But the Lord blessed me and gave me power to interpret the dreams of King Pharaoh himself. I knew by his dreams that there would be seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. Therefore, I stored up corn that I might feed this people and even my father's people in the land of Canaan. Pharaoh has made me ruler over this land and there is none greater than I save Pharaoh himself." After this he kissed all his brethren and they wept and rejoiced because their brother Joseph had not been killed and that all twelve of Jacob's sons were alive.

Joseph then asked his brethren about his father and all the people of Canaan and they told him all that had happened for many years. Joseph then told them to hasten back to his father Jacob and to say unto him: "Your son Joseph is yet alive and he is lord of all Egypt. Tell him to come down, and tarry not, and all his people shall remain in the land of Egypt, that they shall be near Joseph."

He loaded his brothers with presents and clothes and gave Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and provided them with wagons and camels and asses, that they might bring old Jacob and all of his family back into the land of Egypt. Then he sent his brothers on their way.

When they came to Jacob their father they told him: "Joseph is yet alive and is governor of all the land of Egypt." But Jacob could hardly believe that it was true and his spirit failed him, but after a while he said to his sons: "Joseph my son is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die."

Then Jacob and his family and all his servants journeyed into Egypt with all their flocks and herds and all their possessions. It was a long journey and lasted many days but at last they arrived and Joseph made ready his chariot and went out to meet his father. When he saw him he fell on his neck and cried, and Jacob said unto Joseph: "Now let me die since I have seen your face, because you are yet alive."

After Joseph had met his father he told Pharaoh what he had done and Pharaoh was well pleased that Joseph had brought his father and all his family into Egypt. Then Pharaoh asked the brothers of Joseph: "What is your occupation?" and they said to Pharaoh: "We are shepherds, we and our fathers before us." Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: "The land of Egypt is before them. Let your brethren select where they shall remain. Bring Jacob before me that he may bless me, and I will take care of him in the land of Egypt."

And thus it was that Jacob and all his sons came to remain in the land of Goshen, and Joseph cared for his father and his brethren and all their household. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, until he was one hundred and forty-seven years old, and when he died they took his body back to the cave of Machpelah in the land of Canaan and buried it in the grave of his ancestors.