patriarchs and prophets-第42章

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to　poverty。　And；　behold；　your　eyes　see；　and　the　eyes　of　my　brother　Benjamin；
that　it　is　my　mouth　that　speaketh　unto　you。〃　〃And　he　fell　upon　his　brother
Benjamin's　neck；　and　wept；　and　Benjamin　wept　upon　his　neck。　Moreover　he
kissed　all　his　brethren；　and　wept　upon　them：　and　after　that　his　brethren
talked　with　him。〃　They　humbly　confessed　their　sin　and　entreated　his
forgiveness。　They　had　long　suffered　anxiety　and　remorse；　and　now　they
rejoiced　that　he　was　still　alive。

The　news　of　what　had　taken　place　was　quickly　carried　to　the　king；　who；　eager
to　manifest　his　gratitude　to　Joseph；　confirmed　the　governor's　invitation　to
his　family；　saying；　〃The　good　of　all　the　land　of　Egypt　is　yours。〃　The
brothers　were　sent　away　abundantly　supplied　with　provision　and　carriages　and
everything　necessary　for　the　removal　of　all　their　families　and　attendants　to
Egypt。　On　Benjamin；　Joseph　bestowed　more　valuable　gifts　than　upon　the
others。　Then；　fearing　that　disputes　would　arise　among　them　on　the　homeward
journey；　he　gave　them；　as　they　were　about　to　leave　him；　the　charge；　〃See
that　ye　fall　not　out　by　the　way。〃

The　sons　of　Jacob　returned　to　their　father　with　the　joyful　tidings；　〃Joseph
is　yet　alive；　and　he　is　governor　over　all　the　land　of　Egypt。〃　At　first　the
aged　man　was　overwhelmed；　he　could

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not　believe　what　he　heard；　but　when　he　saw　the　long　train　of　wagons　and
loaded　animals；　and　when　Benjamin　was　with　him　once　more；　he　was　convinced；
and　in　the　fullness　of　his　joy　exclaimed；　〃It　is　enough；　Joseph　my　son　is
yet　alive：　I　will　go　and　see　him　before　I　die。〃

Another　act　of　humiliation　remained　for　the　ten　brothers。　They　now　confessed
to　their　father　the　deceit　and　cruelty　that　for　so　many　years　had　embittered
his　life　and　theirs。　Jacob　had　not　suspected　them　of　so　base　a　sin；　but　he
saw　that　all　had　been　overruled　for　good；　and　he　forgave　and　blessed　his
erring　children。

The　father　and　his　sons；　with　their　families；　their　flocks　and　herds；　and
numerous　attendants；　were　soon　on　the　way　to　Egypt。　With　gladness　of　heart
they　pursued　their　journey；　and　when　they　came　to　Beersheba　the　patriarch
offered　grateful　sacrifices　and　entreated　the　Lord　to　grant　them　an
assurance　that　He　would　go　with　them。　In　a　vision　of　the　night　the　divine
word　came　to　him：　〃Fear　not　to　go　down　into　Egypt；　for　I　will　there　make　of
thee　a　great　nation。　I　will　go　down　with　thee　into　Egypt；　and　I　will　also
surely　bring　thee　up　again。〃

The　assurance；　〃Fear　not　to　go　down　into　Egypt；　for　I　will　there　make　of
thee　a　great　nation；〃　was　significant。　The　promise　had　been　given　to　Abraham
of　a　posterity　numberless　as　the　stars；　but　as　yet　the　chosen　people　had
increased　but　slowly。　And　the　land　of　Canaan　now　offered　no　field　for　the
development　of　such　a　nation　as　had　been　foretold。　It　was　in　the　possession
of　powerful　heathen　tribes；　that　were　not　to　be　dispossessed　until　〃the
fourth　generation。〃　If　the　descendants　of　Israel　were　here　to　become　a
numerous　people；　they　must　either　drive　out　the　inhabitants　of　the　land　or
disperse　themselves　among　them。　The　former；　according　to　the　divine
arrangement；　they　could　not　do；　and　should　they　mingle　with　the　Canaanites；
they　would　be　in　danger　of　being　seduced　into　idolatry。　Egypt；　however；
offered　the　conditions　necessary　to　the　fulfillment　of　the　divine　purpose。　A
section　of　country　well…watered　and　fertile　was　open　to　them　there；
affording　every　advantage　for　their　speedy　increase。　And　the　antipathy　they
must　encounter　in　Egypt　on　account　of　their　occupationfor　every　shepherd
was　〃an　abomination　unto　the　Egyptians〃would　enable　them　to　remain　a
distinct　and　separate　people　and　would　thus　serve　to　shut　them　out　from
participation　in　the　idolatry　of　Egypt。

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Upon　reaching　Egypt　the　company　proceeded　directly　to　the　land　of　Goshen。
Thither　came　Joseph　in　his　chariot　of　state；　attended　by　a　princely　retinue。
The　splendor　of　his　surroundings　and　the　dignity　of　his　position　were　alike
forgotten；　one　thought　alone　filled　his　mind；　one　longing　thrilled　his
heart。　As　he　beheld　the　travelers　approaching；　the　love　whose　yearnings　had
for　so　many　long　years　been　repressed；　would　no　longer　be　controlled。　He
sprang　from　his　chariot　and　hastened　forward　to　bid　his　father　welcome。　〃And
he　fell　on　his　neck；　and　wept　on　his　neck　a　good　while。　And　Israel　said　unto
Joseph；　Now　let　me　die；　since　I　have　seen　thy　face；　because　thou　art　ye
alive。〃

Joseph　took　five　of　his　brothers　to　present　to　Pharaoh　and　receive　from　him
the　grant　of　land　for　their　future　home。　Gratitude　to　his　prime　minister
would　have　led　the　monarch　to　honor　them　with　appointments　to　offices　of
state；　but　Joseph；　true　to　the　worship　of　Jehovah；　sought　to　save　his
brothers　from　the　temptations　to　which　they　would　be　exposed　at　a　heathen
court；　therefore　he　counseled　them；　when　questioned　by　the　king；　to　tell　him
frankly　their　occupation。　The　sons　of　Jacob　followed　this　counsel；　being
careful　also　to　state　that　they　had　come　to　sojourn　in　the　land；　not　to
become　permanent　dwellers　there；　thus　reserving　the　right　to　depart　if　they
chose。　The　king　assigned　them　a　home；　as　offered；　in　〃the　best　of　the　land；〃
the　country　of　Goshen。

Not　long　after　their　arrival　Joseph　brought　his　father　also　to　be　presented
to　the　king。　The　patriarch　was　a　stranger　in　royal　courts；　but　amid　the
sublime　scenes　of　nature　he　had　communed　with　a　mightier　Monarch；　and　now；
in　conscious　superiority；　he　raised　his　hands　and　blessed　Pharaoh。

In　his　first　greeting　to　Joseph；　Jacob　had　spoken　as　if；　with　this　joyful
ending　to　his　long　anxiety　and　sorrow；　he　was　ready　to　die。　But　seventeen
years　were　yet　to　be　granted　him　in　the　peaceful　retirement　of　Goshen。　These
years　were　in　happy　contrast　to　those　that　had　preceded　them。　He　saw　in　his
sons　evidence　of　true　repentance；　he　saw　his　family　surrounded　by　all　the
conditions　needful　for　the　development　of　a　great　nation；　and　his　faith
grasped　the　sure　promise　of　their　future　establishment　in　Canaan。　He　himself
was　surrounded　with　every　token　of　love　and　favor　that　the　prime　minister　of
Egypt　could　bestow；　and　happy　in　the　society　of　his　long…lost　son；　he　passed
down　gently　and　peacefully　to　the　grave。

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As　he　felt　death　approaching；　he　sent　for　Joseph。　Still　holding　fast　the
promise　of　God　respecting　the　possession　of　Canaan；　he　said；　〃Bury　me　not；　I
pray　thee；　in　Egypt：　but　I　will　lie　with　my　fathers；　and　thou　shalt　carry　me
out　of　Egypt；　and　bury　me　in　their　burying　place。〃　Joseph　promised　to　do　so；
but　Jacob　was　not　satisfied；　he　exacted　a　solemn　oath　to　lay　him　beside　his
fathers　in　the　cave　of　Machpelah。

Another　important　matter　demanded　attention；　the　sons　of　Joseph　were　to　be
formally　instated　among　the　children　of　Israel。　Joseph；　coming　for　a　last
interview　with　his　father；　brought　with　him　Ephraim　and　Manasseh。　These
youths　were　connected；　through　their　mother；　with　the　highest　order　of　the
Egyptian　priesthood；　and　the　position　of　their　father　opened　to　them　the
avenues　to　wealth　an　distinction；　should　they　choose　to　connect　themselves
with　the　Egyptians。　It　was　Joseph's　desire；　however；　that　they　should　unite
with　their　own　people。　He　manifested　his　faith　in　the　covenant　promise；　in
behalf　of　his　sons　renouncing　all　the　honors　that　the　court　of　Egypt
offered；　for　a　place　among　the　despised　shepherd　tribes；　to　whom　had　been
entrusted　the　oracles　of　God。

Said　Jacob；　〃Thy　two　sons；　Ephraim；　and　Manasseh；　which　were　born　unto　thee
in　the　land　of　Egypt；　before　I　came　unto　thee　into　Egypt；　are　mine；　as
Reuben　and　Simeon；　they　shall　be　mine。〃　They　were　to　be　adopted　as　his　own；
and　to　become　the　heads　of　separate　tribes。　Thus　one　of　the　birthright
privileges；　which　Reuben　had　forfeited；　was　to　fall　to　Josepha　double
portion　in　Israel。

Jacob's　eyes　were　dim　with　age；　and　he　had　not　been　aware　of　the　presence　of
the　young　men；　but　now；　catching　the　outline　of　their　forms；　he　said；　〃Who
are　these？〃　On　being　told；　he　added；　〃Bring　them；　I　pray　thee；　unto　me；　and
I　will　bless　them。〃　As　they　came　nearer；　the　patriarch　embraced　and　kissed
them；　solemnly　laying　his　hands　upon　their　heads　in　benediction。　Then　he
uttered　the　prayer；　〃God；　before　whom　my　fathers　Abraham　and　Isaac　did　walk；
the　God　which　fed　me　all　my　life　long　unto　this　day；　the　Angel　which
redeemed　me　from　all　evil；　bless　the　lads。〃　There　was　no　spirit　of
self…dependence；　no　reliance　upon　human　power　or　cunning　now。　God　had　been
his　preserver　and　support。　There　was　no　complaint　of　the　evil　days　in　the
past。　Its　trials　and　sorrows　were　no　longer　regarded　as　things　that　were

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〃against〃　him。　Memory　recalled　only　His　mercy　and　loving…kindness　who　had
been　with　him　throughout　his　pilgrimage。

The　blessing　ended；　Jacob　gave　his　son　the　assuranceleaving　for　the
generations　to　come；　through　long　years　of　bondage　and　sorrow；　this
testimony　to　his　faith〃Behold；　I　die；　but　God　shall　be　with　you；　and　bring
you　again　unto　the　land　of　your　fathers。〃

At　the　last　all　the　sons　of　Jacob　were　gathered　about　his　dying　bed。　And
Jacob　called　unto　his　sons；　and　said；　〃Gather　yourselves　together；　and　hear；
ye　sons　of　Jacob；　and　hearken　unto　Israel　your　father；〃　〃that　I　may　tell　you
that　which　shall　befall　you　in　the　last　days。〃　Often　and　anxiously　he　had
thought　of　their　future；　and　had　endeavored　to　picture　to　himself　the
history　of　the　different　tribes。　Now　as　his　children　waited　to　receive　his
last　blessing　the　Spirit　of　Inspiration　rested　upon　him；　and　before　him　in
prophetic　vision　the　future　of　his　descendants　was　unfolded。　One　after
another　the　names　of　his　sons　were　mentioned；　the　character　of　each　was
described；　and　the　future　history　of　the　tribes　was　briefly　foretold。

　　　　　　〃Reuben；　thou　art　my　first…born；
　　　　　　My　might；　and　the　beginning　of　my　strength；
　　　　　　The　excellency　of　dignity；　and　the　excellency　of　power。〃


Thus　the　father　pictured　what　should　have　been　the　position　of　Reuben　as　the
first…born　son；　but　his　grievous　sin　at　Edar　had　made　him　unworthy　of　the
birthright　blessing。　Jacob　continued

　　　　　　〃Unstable　as　water；
　　　　　　Thou　shalt　not　excel。〃


The　priesthood　was　apportioned　to　Levi；　the　kingdom　and　the　Messianic
promise　to　Judah；　and　the　double　portion　of　the　inheritance　to　Joseph。　The
tribe　of　Reuben　never　rose　to　any　eminence　in　Israel；　it　was　not　so　numerous
as　Judah；　Joseph；　or　Dan；　and　was　among　the　first　that　were　carried　into
captivity。

Next　in　age　to　Reuben　were　Simeon　and　Levi。　They　had　been　united　in　their
cruelty　toward　the　Shechemites；　and　they　had　also　been　the　most　guilty　in
the　selling　of　Joseph。　Concerning　them　it　was　declared

　　　　　　〃I　will　divide　them　in　Jacob；
　　　　　　And　scatter　them　in　Israel。〃


At　the　numbering　of　Israel；　just　before　their　entrance　to

236

Canaan；　Simeon　was　the　smallest　tribe。　Moses；　in　his　last　blessing；　made　no
reference　to　Simeon。　In　the　settlement　of　Canaan　this　tribe　had　only　a　small
portion　of　Judah's　lot；　and　such　families　as　afterward　became　powerful
formed　different　colonies　and　settled　in　territory　outside　the　borders　of
the　H