Story 32: The Closing Years And Death Of Ja'cob ll

   In his weakened condition, Ja'cob did not fail to carry out a very solemn duty. Jo'seph's two sons must be made members of the family which God had promised A'bra-ham to bless. The sons of Jo'seph had an E'gyp-tian mother, and had not been born in the Promised Land. It was therefore very important that a blessing should be given them by one whom the LORD had chosen to carry on the promise made to A'bra-ham, and surely no one was more worthy to give it than the man whose name had been changed from "Ja'cob" to "Is'ra-el."
   Jo'seph brought his sons before Ja'cob to receive the blessing, and to be adopted into his father's family. Ma-nas"seh, as the older of the two, was placed at the right, while E'phra-im was placed at the left. When Ja'cob stretched forth his arms to bless them, however, he crossed his arms, placing his right hand on the head of E'phra-im, and his left on that of Ma-nas'seh. This meant that the blessing of the firstborn was being given to the younger son.
   Thinking that his father's dimness of sight had led him to make what seemed to be a mistake, Jo'seph told his father that he had chosen the wrong son for the chief blessing. But Ja'cob insisted that he was doing what he intended. He said, "The greater blessing shall rest upon E'phra-im; his descendants shall be stronger and more numerous. A double portion is to be bestowed upon Jo'seph, and two shares of the Promised Land are to be given him. Both E'phra-im and Ma-nas'seh are to be the heads of tribes."
   Thus the two sons of Jo'seph who belonged to E'gypt by birth, and who might have advanced to the highest ranks in that nation, were now numbered among the children of Is'ra-el. The prophecies which Ja'cob uttered in his dying words all came true, and the descendants of E'phra-im and Ma-nas'seh were among the strongest tribes of Is'ra-el in the land of Ca'naan two hundred years later.
   Ja'cob then called his sons to his bedside, and gave his blessing to each one of them in turn. His bodily powers were fast failing, but the strength of his faith in God grew brighter as his eyes dimmed. He believed that God would be with his descendants, bringing them at last up from E'gypt to the Promised Land.
   As the things of this world faded from his sight, the glories of the world beyond became more clear, and he was filled with the spirit of true prophecy. He told each son what the history of his descendants would be, and very clearly described the characteristics of each tribe of Is'ra-el. The choice of the tribe of Ju'dah for the honor of carrying on the line through which the Mes-si'ah was to be born was positively announced from the death bed of Ja'cob.
   With his life work finished, his last blessing and prophetic message spoken, and his last prayer ended, Ja'cob quietly fell asleep in the LORD.
  
  

Story 32: The Closing Years And Death Of Ja'cob l

   After the settlement of his father's family in the land of Go'shen Jo'seph had little time for visiting them. In spite of all the duties which he must perform to help the nation through the distress caused by the famine, he took pains to see that every possible aid was given to his own people.
   In managing the affairs of E'gypt during the years of famine, Jo'seph acted with great wisdom. His policy was to supply the needs of the people by selling them grain, not by giving it to them without charge, and thus encouraging idleness until the public peace was endangered. Sometimes he found it necessary to purchase the lands of the people for the king, and to let the people cultivate them on shares. In this way the people received the food they needed without going into debt or becoming beggars.
   Jo'seph overlooked nothing that would make the famine easier to bear. Special care was taken to protect the religious leaders of the nation, the supply of food was so wisely handled that no one went hungry, and E'gypt remained strong and wealthy even in the midst of famine. Hard work and loyalty among the people brought generous rewards, and Jo'seph was not only trusted and honored by the king, but was greatly loved by the people.
   After the famine of seven years had passed, the people began to prosper again. Their lands were now held by the government, but the people were far from being slaves. One fifth of what they produced was paid to the government as rental for the lands, but there was no other charge.
   Ja'cob lived seventeen years after the removal of his family to E'gypt, surviving the famine by twelve years. Seventeen years he had provided for Jo'seph in his youth, and for the same number of years he was provided for by Jo'seph in his old age. Among his greatest joys was that of watching his household grow and prosper.
   The family of Ja'cob lived apart from the E'gyp-tians, who regarded them as people of little account, and who therefore shut them out of society and politics. Such treatment by the E'gyp-tians was really a great blessing, for it kept the children of Is'ra-el from mingling with people who worshiped idols, and who did many things that were not to their credit.
   Saved from hardship and starvation during the years of famine, settled in a fertile land most suitable for raising sheep and cattle, and free to live in their own way, the Is'ra-el-ites were prepared by the LORD for the wonderful prosperity that was soon to be granted them. The foundations for the future greatness of Is'ra-el as a nation were truly laid out during the years of sojourn in E'gypt.
   When Ja'cob felt that the hour of his death was near at hand, he set his house in order for his departure to the land of the saints. He sent for Jo'seph, and made him promise not to bury his body in E'gypt, but in the grave of his father in Canaan. Thus, in his last words, he proved his faith concerning the Promised Land, warned his people against planning to stay in E'gypt forever, and reminded them that they would finally go back to the land of Ca'naan.
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Story 31: The Removal Of Ja'cob And His Family To E'gypt IV

   Then Jo'seph knew that he must make plans for introducing his family to Pha'roah. This was done by choosing five of his brothers to represent the family before the king. The number five was a favorite of the E'gyp-tians, so in choosing this number of his brothers as representatives, Jo'seph did much to win the favor of the E'gyp-tian court toward his family.
   The wisdom and foresight of Jo'seph in keeping his people from mingling with the E'gyp-tians either through marriage or religious customs was then shown in a remarkable way. He told Pha'roah that his father and all his household were shepherds, and that the family had followed this calling for many generations; he also told the brothers who were to appear before the king to make it clear that this was their chosen occupation. For this reason also he selected for their home the land of Go'shen, which was well adapted to the raising of sheep and cattle, and in this way made sure that his family would be kept separate from the E'gyp-tians no matter how long they might stay in the foreign land.
   The plans of Jo'seph were carried out perfectly in every way. The five brothers who represented his family appeared before Pha'roah, and were treated with great honor. They asked no favors because of the high position which their brother held in the land, nor did they show any feelings of envy because of his grandeur. They told the king that they had come as pilgrims and sojourners in the land, and that they asked no other favor than that of carrying on their life as shepherds and cattle-raisers. Pha'roah granted their wishes, and gave them permission to make their home in the land of Go'shen. To Jo'seph he said, "as to promoting your brethren, it does not appear to suit their calling or wishes. I leave it to you to make them happy in their own way. Appoint those who are best qualified to be chief of my herdsmen."
   As a special honor, Jo'seph then arranged to have his father presented to the E'gyp-tian king. When the time for this meeting arrived, Pha'roah was deeply impressed by the great age and strong religious character of Ja'cob. He politely inquired about the age of his visitor, not from mere curiosity or in a trifling manner, but because he was genuinely interested in the fine old man who stood before him.
   Ja'cob was greatly moved by the sight of a king who had been so kind to him, and who had come to the rescue of his family during the terrible famine. With proper respect to the king, and in a spirit of deep gratitude, Ja'cob spoke as a prophet of the LORD in giving a special blessing upon Pha'roah. He prayed to the God of Heaven for the blessings to be given to the king. Speaking most humbly of the years of sorrow and trial which he had known, Ja'cob gave thanks to the LORD for all the blessings which had come to him during the closing years of his life.

Story 31: The Removal Of Ja'cob And His Family To E'gypt lll

   The sixty-six members of Ja'cob's household, together with the large numbers of servants in his employ, started toward the land in which Ja'cob's descendants were destined to live for the next two hundred and fifteen years, and where they were to grow into a great people numbering nearly three million souls. Here they were to learn the arts and trades of the greatest nation of their time, and to be prepared both in mind and spirit for a glorious return to the land which they were now leaving.
   When they reached Be'er-she'ba, a town on the southern border of the country just before crossing into the wilderness and deserts lying between Ca'naan and E'gypt, there was a pause for sacrifices unto the God of I'saac. Here both A'bra-ham and I'saac had lived at different times in their lives, and the place was filled with memories of these noble ancestors of Ja'cob. Before leaving the land which had been promised to his descendants, Ja'cob sought to know the will of God. He felt sure that the right course was being followed, and that Jo'seph would do all that he had promised, but before making so dangerous a journey into a foreign land he thought it wise to seek guidance from the LORD.
   While Ja'cob and his sons were engaged in this act of worship, the LORD appeared to Ja'cob in a wonderful vision. He revealed Himself to Ja'cob as the Almighty, who was able to keep all His promises, and to bring Ja'cob in perfect safety through all the trials and hardships of the journey. The LORD said to Ja'cob, "Fear not to go down into E'gypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into E'gypt, and I will also surely bring thee up again." In these words the LORD renewed His promise to make a great nation of the descendants of Ja'cob, and in due time to bring them back to the land of Ca'naan.
   Upon reaching the borders of E'gypt, Ja'cob and his large company halted their march for a short time. Ja'cob then sent his son Ju'dah, who had shown his ability as a leader on other occasions, to inform Jo'seph of their arrival, and to ask him what course they should follow in entering the new land. E'gypt was a strong, well organized kingdom, and a group of wandering shepherds could not safely pass through the land without proper ceremony and official protection. Authority and directions were given for them to pass directly to the land of Go'shen, which was the finest pasture land in all E'gypt.
   Jo'seph at once ordered his official chariot made ready, and quickly drove out to meet his father. Ja'cob and his beloved son fell into the arms of one another, embraced most tenderly, and for a long time shed tears of happiness. For the first time since he had sent the lad of seventeen upon a long and dangerous journey to Do'than with a message for his brothers, Ja'cob now looked upon the face of his favorite son. So happy was he that he expressed a desire to pass on at once to the Happy Land beyond this life, but it was God's will that he should live for another seventeen years.

Story 31: The Removal Of Ja'cob And His Family To E'gypt ll

   This brought them to the point where they must explain who the E'gyp-tian ruler really was. The officer who had kept Sim'e-on in prison as a spy at the time of their first visit, and who had insisted that Ben'ja-min be brought to E'gypt before the much-needed supplies could be bought, was none other than Ja'cob's beloved son Jo'seph. The son he had mourned as dead for nearly twenty-five years was not only alive and well, but was governor of all the land of E'gypt!
   In telling their father this wonderful news they were obliged to go into the disgraceful story of how they had treated their brother so many years before. With tears of repentance, and with their heads bowed in shame, they admitted that they had sold Jo'seph to a band of slave-dealers, and had led Ja'cob to believe that his favorite son had been slain by a wild animal.
   The tenderness with which Jo'seph had heard his brothers admit their sin, and the kindly spirit with which he had forgiven them and become friends with them again, was related to their father. They also told Ja'cob of his son's glory and power in E'gypt, of his wonderful way of seeing the hand of God in all that took place, and how he warned them that the terrible famine would continue for five more years. Nor did the brothers forget to tell their father of the gracious manner in which they had been entertained by Jo'seph, or of the request of both Jo'seph and the E'gyp-tian king that Ja'cob and all his family come at once to dwell in E'gypt.
   The family of Ja'cob then sat in comfort within their tent, awaiting the word of the master concerning the great news which had just come to him. As the ten sons humbly confessed their guilt before their father, Ja'cob was moved by strong feelings; as they told him the wonderful news that Jo'seph was alive, and had sent for him to come at once into the land in which he was now a ruler, second only to the king, the old man was completely overcome. The news that his beloved son was alive seemed too much to believe, and the cruel behavior of his ten sons was too heavy a burden to bear. Ja'cob fainted, falling helpless at the feet of his sons.
   When Ja'cob had recovered from the shock, and had seen the wagons which had been provided for his journey to E'gypt, he no longer doubted the good news which his sons had brought him concerning Jo'seph, but cried out with great joy, "It is enough; Jo'seph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die." So happy was he to know that his beloved son was alive and well, that he declared that he was willing to die if only he might see Jo'seph again.

Story 31: The Removal Of Ja'cob And His Family To E'gypt l

   The news that Jo'seph was a brother of the men who had come down from Ca'naan to buy grain spread rapidly among the officers of Pha'roah and finally was brought to the great king himself. Instead of being angry with Jo'seph for inviting his father's household to come to E'gypt without first asking the king's permission, Pha'roah and all his officers were very happy to hear the news. When the king learnt that Jo'seph intended to have his father and all his family come to E'gypt to make their home, he sent an official invitation to Ja'cob to come at once, assuring him that his family would be given the choicest part of E'gypt for their future home.
   It is true that Jo'seph had been given charge of all the affairs of E'gypt, and therefore had the right to ask his father to come there to live, but Pha'roah graciously showed his approval by adding an invitation in the name of the king. What is more, he helped a great deal in making the hard journey more comfortable for Ja'cob and the members of his family. By his command wagons were sent to aid in moving Ja'cob's household goods, and Jo'seph was ordered to see that provisions were supplied for the journey. In addition to providing the bare necessities of food and transportation, certain luxuries were given by Pha'roah in order that Ja'cob's family might see how well the brothers had been treated. New clothes were given them, and to Ben'ja-min there was given five new robes and three hundred pieces of silver. Choice articles of food and other valuable presents were sent to Ja'cob as a mark of the king's good will toward him.
   All these kind acts by Pha'roah proved to Ja'cob and his sons that Jo'seph was very highly regarded in E'gypt, and that both the king and the people were grateful to him for saving their nation from the famine. Before letting his brothers go back to the land of Ca'naan, Jo'seph warned them not to quarrel with one another on the way. He told them not to let any feelings of anger or jealousy arise among them, and to be especially careful not to harm Ben'ja-min because he had been shown greater favor than the other brothers. after these warnings had been given, Jo'seph ordered his brothers to hasten to their father's house, and to bring him back to the land of E'gypt without delay.
   The eleven sons of Ja'cob made the long trip back home as quickly as possible. Safe at last in their own home, they sat down with their father and told him about all the strange and trying things which had happened to them during this visit. First they told him of the friendly way in which the E'gyp-tian  ruler had made them his guests of honor at a banquet, and of all the acts of kindness which his servants had shown them. Then they told their father of the strange manner in which Ben'ja-min was accused of stealing the silver cup which belonged to the E'gyp-tian officer.
  

Story 30: Jo'seph Forgives His Brothers Vl

   When the room was cleared of all outsiders, Jo'seph turned to his brothers and said, "I am Jo'seph." He wept as he said this, trembling and overcome by the depths of his feelings. The brothers sat dumbfounded and terrified by this announcement, not one of them being able to speak. Again Jo'seph said "I am your brother Jo'seph." And then he asked tenderly, "Is my father alive?"
   Jo'seph then asked his brothers to draw near, and talked with them in a gentle, tender way. He might have said to them, "You are murderers, and I am a prince in spite of you. My position and power make it easy for me to have revenge upon you. My glory is your shame, and you are now in peril of your lives." But Jo'seph did not speak in this manner. Instead, he assured his brothers of pardon, and love, and future protection under his own hand. He said, "Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me into bondage. God sent me before you into this land, and has made me the friend of Pha'roah and ruler over his country that I might preserve life. It is God's plan that I should save not only the lives of E'gypt, but also the lives of my own family now in Ca'naan."
   Jo'seph went on to explain to his brothers that the famine would continue for five years more, and that in every country except E'gypt, where the LORD had enable him to store up food enough to meet the calamity, there would be continued suffering and starvation. He told them that he had made ready a place for the Covenant Family of Is'ra-el to dwell, and that his father's entire household should be brought to E'gypt at once.
   Tenderly embracing Ben'ja-min and kissing all the others a fond farewell, Jo'seph sent his brothers, with servants and wagons, for his father.