there was corn in Egypt, and sent ten of his sons thither to purchase food; but Benjamin, the youngest, he sent not with them, for he remembered the loss of his favorite Joseph, and feared that similar mischief should befall him.

When the sons of Jacob reached Egypt, and stood before Joseph, he remembered them, but they knew not him; yet he did not, at first, make himself known to them, but spoke roughly and asked them whence they came. He then pretended to take them for spies; but they told him they were all sons of one man, and one was left with their father in Canaan, and one was not.

Upon this, Joseph ordered them to be put in prison for three days: he then set them at liberty on condition that Simeon should be left behind, while the others returned with food for their families; making them promise that, when they came again, they should bring their brother Benjamin.

On their way home, they found their money had been put again into their sacks: then they thought that all this. trouble was come upon them to punish them for their cruelty to their brother, whom they supposed to be dead.

When they reached home, their father was very much grieved, and said, 'Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and yet ye will take Benjamin away.'

When they had eaten all the corn which they had brought

from Egypt, Jacob asked them to go again, yet they dared not, unless he would allow their young brother to go with them. This grieved him exceedingly; but at length he consented. Judah took him under his care, and at length they stood before Joseph a second time, who, when he saw his brother Benjamin, ordered that they should eat meat with him.

Simeon was then brought to them, and they were seated m order, from the eldest to the youngest; but Joseph sent his young brother a mess five times as large as the others. When they had eaten, he ordered their money to be put again into their sacks, and his silver cup into the sack of the youngest. The next morning, as soon as it was light, they set out on their way home: but before they were far on the road, he sent his steward after them, who pretended that they had stolen the cup, and said that he in whose sack it was found should die. What was their sorrow, then, when it was found in Benjamin's sack! They thought of their poor father's grief, and felt that, if any harm came to their brother, they dare not see his face again.

They all went back to Joseph, and told him how it had grieved their father to part with his darling son, and that it was only because they were starving that he at length consented to let him go. Then Joseph could not refrain any longer from making himself known unto them; and he

caused all his servants to go out of the place, and when he was left with his brothers, he said, 'I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?'

Then they were much afraid, when they found that the powerful ruler of the land of Egypt was their poor despised brother; for they thought he might punish them for their wicked conduct. But he forgave them, and kissed them, and fell upon Benjamin's neck and wept aloud.

When Pharaoh heard that Joseph's brothers were come, he told them to go back to Canaan, and fetch their father, and come and live in Egypt, for the good of the land was before them.

They did so; and you may be sure the meeting between Joseph and his father was very affecting; and, because shepherds might not dwell among the Egyptians, Pharaoh gave them the land of Goshen for a dwelling-place, and they prospered exceedingly.

ABOUT MOSES AND THE ISRAELITES.

THE family of Joseph lived for some time very happily in Egypt. At length Jacob died; and on his death-bed, he called all his sons round him, gave each his blessing, and foretold that the sceptre should not depart from Judah, until Shiloh came; meaning that of one of the family of Judah, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, should be born.

He also charged his sons not to bury him in Egypt, but to carry his body to his native country, and bury him by his fathers, Abraham and Isaac; which they did.

And when Joseph was an hundred and ten years old, he died. He foretold, before his death, that the Lord would visit the children of Israel, who were much increased and becoming a great people; and would bring them again into that land which had been promised to Abraham and his children forever: and he told them, whenever this should come to pass, to carry his bones with them.

After this, there arose another king, of Egypt also named Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph, and who feared lest the children of Israel should grow too mighty, and take part with his enemies, and fight against him and his people.