Jacob and his family now settled in the land of Goshen, and Joseph
provided them with all things needful, not only with food and drink,
but also with clothing, and in his love and kindness he entertained his
father and his brethren daily at his own table.[330] He banished the
wrong done to him by his brethren from his mind, and he besought his
father to pray to God for them, that He should forgive their great
transgression. Touched by this noble sign of love, Jacob cried out, "O
Joseph, my child, thou hast conquered the heart of thy father
Jacob."[331]
Joseph had other virtues, besides. The title "the God- fearing one,"
borne only by him, Abraham, Job, and Obadiah, he gained by reason of
his kindness of heart and his generosity. Whatever he gave his
brethren, he gave with a "good eye," a liberal spirit. If it was bread
for food, it was sure to be abundant enough, not only to satisfy the
hunger of all, but also for the children to crumble, as is their
habit.[332]
But Joseph was more than a helper to his family. As a shepherd pastures
his flock, so he provided for the whole world during the years of
famine. The people cursed Pharaoh, who kept the stores of corn in his
treasure chambers for his own use, and they blessed Joseph, who took
thought for the famishing, and sold grain to all that came.[333] The
wealth which he acquired by these sales was lawful gain, for the prices
were raised, not by him, but by the Egyptians themselves.[334] One part
of his possessions, consisting of gold and silver and precious stones,
Joseph buried in four different places, in the desert near the Red Sea,
on the banks of the Euphrates, and in two spots in the desert in the
vicinity of Persia and Media.[335] Korah discovered one of the hiding-
places, and the Roman emperor Antoninus, the son of Severus, another.
The other two will never be found, because God has reserved the riches
they hold for the pious, to be enjoyed by them in the latter days, the
days of the Messiah.[336] The remainder of Joseph's possessions he gave
away, partly to his brethren and their families, and partly to Pharaoh,
who put them into his treasury.[337]
The wealth of the whole world flowed into Egypt at that time, and it
remained there until the exodus of the Israelites. They took it along,
leaving Egypt like a net without fish. The Israelites kept the treasure
until the time of Rehoboam, who was deprived of it by the Egyptian king
Shishak, and he in turn had to yield it to Zerah, the king of Ethiopia.
Once more it came into possession of the Jews when King Asa conquered
Zerah, but this time they held it for only a short while, for Asa
surrendered it to the Aramean king Ben-hadad, to induce him to break
his league with Baasha, the king of the Ten Tribes. The Ammonites, in
turn, captured it from Ben-hadad, only to lose it in their war with the
Jews under Jehoshaphat. Again it remained with the Jews, until the time
of King Ahaz, who sent it to Sennacherib as tribute money. Hezekiah won
it back, but Zedekiah, the last king of the Jews, lost it to the
Chaldeans, from whom it came to Persia, thence to the Greeks, and
finally to the Romans, and with the last it remained for all time.[338]
The people were soon left without means to purchase the corn they
needed. In a short time they had to part with their cattle, and when
the money thus secured was spent, they sold their land to Joseph, and
even their persons. Many of them would cover themselves with clay and
appear before Joseph, and say to him, "O lord king, see me and see my
possessions!" And so Joseph bought all the land of Egypt, and the
inhabitants became his tenants, and they gave a fifth of their
ingatherings unto joseph.[339]
The only class of the people permitted to remain in possession of their
land were the priests. Joseph owed them gratitude, for they had made it
possible for him to become the ruler over Egypt. The Egyptians had
hesitated to make him their viceroy, because they shrank from choosing
a man accused of adultery for so high an office. It was the priests
that made the suggestion to examine Joseph's torn garment, which his
mistress had submitted as evidence of his guilt, and see whether the
rent was in front or in back. If it was in back, it would show his
innocence—he had turned to flee, and his temptress had clutched him so
that the garment tore. But if the tear was in front, then it would be a
proof of his guilt—he had used violence with the woman, and she had
torn the mantle in her efforts to defend her honor. The angel Gabriel
came and transferred the rent from the fore part to the back, and the
Egyptians were convinced of Joseph's innocence, and their scruples
about raising him to the kingship were removed.[340]
As soon as the Egyptians learnt of the advantageous position of the
priests, they all tried to prove themselves members of the caste. But
Joseph investigated the lists in the archives, and determined the
estate of every citizen.
The priests were favored in another way. Beside remaining in possession
of their land, they received daily portions from Pharaoh, wherefore God
said, "The priests that serve idols receive all they need every day,
how much more do the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are My
priests, deserve that I should give them what they need every
day."[341]
The rest of the inhabitants of Egypt, who had to part with their land,
were not permitted to remain in their native provinces. Joseph removed
them from their own cities, and settled them in others. His purpose
herein was to prevent the Egyptians from speaking of his brethren
derogatorily as "exiles the sons of exiles"; he made them all equally
aliens.[342] For the same reason, God later, at the time of the going
forth of the Israelites from Egypt, caused all nations to change their
dwelling-places about, so that the Israelites could not be reproached
with having had to leave their home. And, finally, when Sermacherib
carried the Jews away from their land into exile, it also happened that
this king first mixed up the inhabitants of all the countries of the
world.[343]