The Story of Joseph

[Butch Acuna]

The Story of Joseph
Joseph is the youngest son of Jacob, he is also the most beloved among all of Jacob's children because he was born when Jacob is old, this was observed by his brethren, making them jealous of their youngest brother, which eventually turned to hatred.
When Joseph was 17 years old Jacob made him a coat of many colors, at that time he dreamed that the whole family was binding sheaves in the field when suddenly the sheaves of their parents and those of his brothers bowed to his sheaf, he told about his dream to his brothers, making them hate him more. A second dream, wherein the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed before him further motivated his brothers to kill him when the opportune time comes. They did not have to wait for long, while his brothers were grazing their flock in a place afar, Jacob instructed Joseph to bring provisions to them.
As his brothers saw him approaching, wearing his coats of many colors, they decided to slay him, but Reuben interceded for Joseph saying, " Let us not shed the blood of our brother, let us put him in a pit while we think of a way to do away with him." Intending to rescue him later.
So they lowered Joseph unto a pit. While his brothers are partaking of food that he brought them, they saw a caravan of traders coming towards their direction they decided to sell Joseph to the traders, they pulled him out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver. They took a goat from the flock, killed it, and dipped his coat of many colors that they rent, which they brought to Jacob. Upon seeing the bloody coat Jacob cried aloud in grief, " Surely this is his coat, he was devoured by a wild animal,"and he mourned for a long time and no one was able to console him.
Joseph was brought to Egypt by the traders where he was sold to Potiphar, captain of the Pharaoh's guards. The spirit of God was with Joseph, so that whatever he did prospered, and Potiphar's household was blessed, and he placed everything that he own with the exception of his wife and his food under the management of Joseph. It so happened that Joseph grew to be a handsome young man attracting the carnal desire of Potiphar's wife, and she entreated Joseph to lie in bed with her which he refused saying that he owe everything that he is to the kindness of his master. One day, Joseph went into Pothipar's house, it so happened that there is no one inside but Pothipar's wife, who immediately clung to his garment while pulling him inside her room, " lie with me" she entreated. But Joseph was able to ran outside, leaving his garment at the hands of Potiphar's wife.
Potiphar's wife went out of the house and holding Joseph's clothe said " They have brought with us a Hebrew to mock us, he tried to lie with me and ran out when I shouted for help " and she kept the clothe until Potiphar came home, and she told him the same story.
Believing his wife's story Potiphar remanded Joseph to the hands of the Pharaoh's chief jailer. But the Lord was with Joseph and the chief jailer appointed him to oversee all the prisoners and his works prospered.
It so happened that the Pharaoh's butler and baker were put to prison, one day they were troubled by their dreams the night before, Joseph saw them and inquired on what is troubling them. The two told Joseph about having dreams no one was able to interprete.
" Tell me of your dreams, and God willing, I will tell you of its meaning. "
The butler was the first to tell, " I dreamed about a vine where three buds grew into branches and bore fruit, I took the grapes and pressed them to the Pharaoh's cup and I gave the cup to the Pharaoh to drink."
" I will tell you of its meaning, but remember me when you have a chance to talk with the Pharaoh, for I am a Hebrew who was sold to slavery without cause, this is the meaning of your dream; the three branches are three days, in 3 days the Pharaoh will restore you to your former position."
The baker was encouraged by the interpretation of the butler's dream, he told his dream to Joseph. I dreamed that there were three white baskets upon my head, and the birds came to eat of the baked meats thereon."
" This is the meaning of your dream, the three baskets are three days, after three days the Pharaoh shall lift your head off and hang you upon a tree, and birds will eat off your head."
After three days, the Pharaoh celebrated his birthday and restored the butler to his position, while the baker was hanged, but the butler forgot about Joseph. After two years, the Pharaoh was troubled by two consecutive dreams the previous night, he summoned the magicians and wise men to interprete his dreams, but no one can give him the meaning, whereupon, the butler remembered Joseph, he went before the Pharaoh and said;
" My Lord, I have sinned gravely against someone, when you imprisoned your servant and the butler, we both dreamed dreams that no one can interprete, but there was a young Hebrew who interpreted our dreams correctly and he implored me to ask for your mercy upon him, but I forgot about it until now."
The Pharaoh commanded that Joseph be brought before him, and learning thus, Joseph shaved his beard and changed his garment then went before the Pharaoh, who told of his dreams about seven fat cows, who were devoured by seven thin cows, and the second dream about seven good corn ears which were devoured by seven thin corn ears.
" No man has the power to interprete dreams, but God has the power and He just revealed to you about His plans for the future to guide you, the two dreams are one, the seven fat cows and the seven good ears are seven years of abundance to precede seven years of famine, so let the pharaoh chose a man of wisdom and appoint him to gather the abundant harvest for the next seven years of plenty, for storing throughout Egypt, for consumption during the years of famine when not a single ear of corn shall be harvested."
The Pharaoh bowed before Joseph and ordered that he be dressed with royal raiment and appointed him as administrator of Egypt next in rank only to the Pharaoh.
And Joseph did gather all the excess grains during the seven years of plenty, then the famine began.
And the famine was throughout the lands including Canaan, where Jacob and his sons reside, and they heard that there was corn in Egypt. Jacob told his sons to go to Egypt and purchase corn that they may survive the famine, and they set out towards Egypt with the exception of Benjamin, the only true brother of Joseph on his mother side, Jacob, fearing that he might lose him too like Joseph. When Joseph saw his brothers, they did not recognized him, but he recognized them immediately, he feigned harshness and accused them of spying, which they denied, he also queried them about their father if he is still alive, and if they have another brother, which they answered truthfully.
In the end Joseph agreed to sell them corn provided that one of them will stay behind while the others will bring to him their younger brother, when his brothers opened their sacks of corn, they found their money inside and they were sorely afraid.
After sometime, their food was running out so Jacob told them to go back to Egypt and buy corn, but they hesitated and said they must bring Benjamin with them to Egypt, but Jacob was afraid to let Benjamin go, in the end, there is nothing they can do but bring Benjamin to Egypt.
Upon arriving at Joseph's palace his brothers approached Joseph's assistant and told him about the money, the man told them that it came from God because he has their money.
Upon seeing his brother Benjamin, Joseph could not control himself anymore, and told them, he is their brother whom they sold to slavery, which made his brothers afraid, after assuring them that everything is God's will to save their nation during the famine, he told them to return home for Jacob and their flocks because they will stay in Egypt for a long time.
So he sent men, wagons and provisions with them to take Jacob and all Hebrews and their cattle to Egypt where he presented them to the Pharaoh, after ascertaining that their livelihood is as shepherds, the Pharaoh gave them and to their children the land of

[kahwa nuruh]

this is a biblical story its interesting