patriarchs and prophets-第46节

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of　his　other　sons。　As　Joseph　witnessed　the　evil　conduct　of　his　brothers；　he
was　greatly　troubled；　he　ventured　gently　to　remonstrate　with　them；　but　only
aroused　still　further　their　hatred　and　resentment。　He　could　not　endure　to
see　them　sinning　against　God；　and　he　laid　the　matter　before　his　father；
hoping　that　his　authority　might　lead　them　to　reform。

Jacob　carefully　avoided　exciting　their　anger　by　harshness　or　severity。　With
deep　emotion　he　expressed　his　solicitude　for　his　children；　and　implored　them
to　have　respect　for　his　gray　hairs；　and　not　to　bring　reproach　upon　his　name；
and　above　all　not　to　dishonor　God　by　such　disregard　of　His　precepts。　Ashamed
that　their　wickedness　was　known；　the　young　men　seemed　to　be　repentant；　but
they　only　concealed　their　real　feelings；　which　were　rendered　more　bitter　by
this　exposure。

The　father's　injudicious　gift　to　Joseph　of　a　costly　coat；　or　tunic；　such　as
was　usually　worn　by　persons　of　distinction；　seemed　to　them　another　evidence
of　his　partiality；　and　excited　a　suspicion　that　he　intended　to　pass　by　his
elder　children；　to　bestow　the　birthright　upon　the　son　of　Rachel。　Their
malice　was　still　further　increased　as　the　boy　one　day　told　them　of　a　dream
that　he　had　had。　〃Behold；〃　he　said；　〃we　were　binding　sheaves　in　the　field；
and；　lo；　my　sheaf　arose；　and　also　stood　upright；　and；　behold；　your　sheaves
stood　round　about；　and　made　obeisance　to　my　sheaf。〃

210


〃Shalt　thou　indeed　reign　over　us？　or　shalt　thou　indeed　have　dominion　over
us？〃　exclaimed　his　brothers　in　envious　anger。

Soon　he　had　another　dream；　of　similar　import；　which　he　also　related：
〃Behold；　the　sun　and　the　moon　and　the　eleven　stars　made　obeisance　to　me。〃
This　dream　was　interpreted　as　readily　as　the　first。　The　father；　who　was
present；　spoke　reprovingly〃What　is　this　dream　that　thou　hast　dreamed？
Shall　I　and　thy　mother　and　thy　brethren　indeed　come　to　bow　down　ourselves　to
thee　to　the　earth？〃　Notwithstanding　the　apparent　severity　of　his　words；
Jacob　believed　that　the　Lord　was　revealing　the　future　to　Joseph。

As　the　lad　stood　before　his　brothers；　his　beautiful　countenance　lighted　up
with　the　Spirit　of　inspiration；　they　could　not　withhold　their　admiration；
but　they　did　not　choose　to　renounce　their　evil　ways；　and　they　hated　the
purity　that　reproved　their　sins。　The　same　spirit　that　actuated　Cain　was
kindling　in　their　hearts。

The　brothers　were　obliged　to　move　from　place　to　place　to　secure　pasturage
for　their　flocks；　and　frequently　they　were　absent　from　home　for　months
together。　After　the　circumstances　just　related；　they　went　to　the　place　which
their　father　had　bought　at　Shechem。　Some　time　passed；　bringing　no　tidings
from　them；　and　the　father　began　to　fear　for　their　safety；　on　account　of
their　former　cruelty　toward　the　Shechemites。　He　therefore　sent　Joseph　to
find　them；　and　bring　him　words　as　to　their　welfare。　Had　Jacob　known　the　real
feeling　of　his　sons　toward　Joseph；　he　would　not　have　trusted　him　alone　with
them；　but　this　they　had　carefully　concealed。

With　a　joyful　heart；　Joseph　parted　from　his　father；　neither　the　aged　man　nor
the　youth　dreaming　of　what　would　happen　before　they　should　meet　again。　When；
after　his　long　and　solitary　journey；　Joseph　arrived　at　Shechem；　his　brothers
and　their　flocks　were　not　to　be　found。　Upon　inquiring　for　them；　he　was
directed　to　Dothan。　He　had　already　traveled　more　than　fifty　miles；　and　now
an　additional　distance　of　fifteen　lay　before　him；　but　he　hastened　on；
forgetting　his　weariness　in　the　thought　of　relieving　the　anxiety　of　his
father；　and　meeting　the　brothers；　whom；　despite　their　unkindness；　he　still
loved。

His　brothers　saw　him　approaching；　but　no　thought　of　the　long　journey　he　had
made　to　meet　them；　of　his　weariness　and　hunger；　of　his　claims　upon　their
hospitality　and　brotherly　love；

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softened　the　bitterness　of　their　hatred。　The　sight　of　the　coat；　the　token　of
their　father's　love；　filled　them　with　frenzy。　〃Behold；　this　dreamer　cometh；〃
they　cried　in　mockery。　Envy　and　revenge；　long　secretly　cherished；　now
controlled　them。　〃Let　us　slay　him；〃　they　said；　〃and　cast　him　into　some　pit；
and　we　will　say；　Some　evil　beast　hath　devoured　him；　and　we　shall　see　what
will　become　of　his　dreams。〃

They　would　have　executed　their　purpose　but　for　Reuben。　He　shrank　from
participating　in　the　murder　of　his　brother；　and　proposed　that　Joseph　be　cast
alive　into　a　pit；　and　left　there　to　perish；　secretly　intending；　however；　to
rescue　him　and　return　him　to　his　father。　Having　persuaded　all　to　consent　to
this　plan；　Reuben　left　the　company；　fearing　that　he　might　fail　to　control
his　feelings；　and　that　his　real　intentions　would　be　discovered。

Joseph　came　on；　unsuspicious　of　danger；　and　glad　that　the　object　of　his　long
search　was　accomplished；　but　instead　of　the　expected　greeting；　he　was
terrified　by　the　angry　and　revengeful　glances　which　he　met。　He　was　seized
and　his　coat　stripped　from　him。　Taunts　and　threats　revealed　a　deadly
purpose。　His　entreaties　were　unheeded。　He　was　wholly　in　the　power　of　those
maddened　men。　Rudely　dragging　him　to　a　deep　pit；　they　thrust　him　in；　and
having　made　sure　that　there　was　no　possibility　of　his　escape；　they　left　him
there　to　perish　from　hunger；　while　they　〃sat　down　to　eat　bread。〃

But　some　of　them　were　ill　at　ease；　they　did　not　feel　the　satisfaction　they
had　anticipated　from　their　revenge。　Soon　a　company　of　travelers　was　seen
approaching。　It　was　a　caravan　of　Ishmaelites　from　beyond　Jordan；　on　their
way　to　Egypt　with　spices　and　other　merchandise。　Judah　now　proposed　to　sell
their　brother　to　these　heathen　traders　instead　of　leaving　him　to　die。　While
he　would　be　effectually　put　out　of　their　way；　they　would　remain　clear　of　his
blood；　〃for；〃　he　urged；　〃he　is　our　brother　and　our　flesh。〃　To　this
proposition　all　agreed；　and　Joseph　was　quickly　drawn　out　of　the　pit。

As　he　saw　the　merchants　the　dreadful　truth　flashed　upon　him。　To　become　a
slave　was　a　fate　more　to　be　feared　than　death。　In　an　agony　of　terror　he
appealed　to　one　and　another　of　his　brothers；　but　in　vain。　Some　were　moved
with　pity；　but　fear　of　derision　kept　them　silent；　all　felt　that　they　had　now
gone　too　far　to　retreat。　If　Joseph　were　spared；　he　would　doubtless　report
them　to　the　father；

212

who　would　not　overlook　their　cruelty　toward　his　favorite　son。　Steeling　their
hearts　against　his　entreaties；　they　delivered　him　into　the　hands　of　the
heathen　traders。　The　caravan　moved　on；　and　was　soon　lost　to　view。

Reuben　returned　to　the　pit；　but　Joseph　was　not　there。　In　alarm　and
self…reproach　he　rent　his　garments；　and　sought　his　brothers；　exclaiming；
〃The　child　is　not；　and　I；　whither　shall　I　go？〃　Upon　learning　the　fate　of
Joseph；　and　that　it　would　now　be　impossible　to　recover　him；　Reuben　was
induced　to　unite　with　the　rest　in　the　attempt　to　conceal　their　guilt。　Having
killed　a　kid；　they　dipped　Joseph's　coat　in　its　blood；　and　took　it　to　their
father；　telling　him　that　they　had　found　it　in　the　fields；　and　that　they
feared　it　was　their　brother's。　〃Know　now；〃　they　said；　〃whether　it　be　thy
son's　coat　or　no。〃　They　had　looked　forward　to　this　scene　with　dread；　but
they　were　not　prepared　for　the　heart…rending　anguish；　the　utter　abandonment
of　grief；　which　they　were　compelled　to　witness。　〃It　is　my　son's　coat；〃　said
Jacob；　〃an　evil　beast　hath　devoured　him。　Joseph　is　without　doubt　rent　in
pieces。〃　Vainly　his　sons　and　daughters　attempted　to　comfort　him。　He　〃rent
his　clothes；　and　put　sackcloth　upon　his　loins；　and　mourned　for　his　son　many
days。〃　Time　seemed　to　bring　no　alleviation　of　his　grief。　〃I　will　go　down
into　the　grave　unto　my　son　mourning；〃　was　his　despairing　cry。　The　young　men；
terrified　at　what　they　had　done；　yet　dreading　their　father's　reproaches；
still　hid　in　their　own　hearts　the　knowledge　of　their　guilt；　which　even　to
themselves　seemed　very　great。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　20

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Joseph　in　Egypt


Meanwhile；　Joseph　with　his　captors　was　on　the　way　to　Egypt。　As　the　caravan
journeyed　southward　toward　the　borders　of　Canaan；　the　boy　could　discern　in
the　distance　the　hills　among　which　lay　his　father's　tents。　Bitterly　he　wept
at　thought　of　that　loving　father　in　his　loneliness　and　affliction。　Again　the
scene　at　Dothan　came　up　before　him。　He　saw　his　angry　brothers　and　felt　their
fierce　glances　bent　upon　him。　The　stinging；　insulting　words　that　had　met　his
agonized　entreaties　were　ringing　in　his　ears。　With　a　trembling　heart　he
looked　forward　to　the　future。　What　a　change　in　situationfrom　the　tenderly
cherished　son　to　the　despised　and　helpless　slave！　Alone　and　friendless；　what
would　be　his　lot　in　the　strange　land　to　which　he　was　going？　For　a　time
Joseph　gave　himself　up　to　uncontrolled　grief　and　terror。

But；　in　the　providence　of　God；　even　this　experience　was　to　be　a　blessing　to
him。　He　had　learned　in　a　few　hours　that　which　years　might　not　otherwise　have
taught　him。　His　father；　strong　and　tender　as　his　love　had　been；　had　done　him
wrong　by　his　partiality　and　indulgence。　This　unwise　preference　had　angered
his　brothers　and　provoked　them　to　the　cruel　dee