is caused by God to dream a dream, which none of the magicians could interpret, that this "young Hebrew servant to the captain of the guard," may be sent for from his prison, to declare its meaning. 14. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 15. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. "Before honour comes humility," and delightful is it to behold in Joseph how this plant of grace had prospered amid the damps and darkness of a dungeon. If "the dew lies longest in the shade," no doubt there are situations of obscurity and shadow, in which God's grace oftentimes remains the longest, and affects the human heart the most powerfully and the most durably; when, if exposed to the scorching rays of the sun of prosperity, it might have speedily passed away. While, perhaps, it is not too much to assert, that the shepherd-life of Moses, and the prison-life of Joseph, were those portions of their existence, to which in after days they looked back with the deepest gratitude, from the eminences they had gained, and sighed to think how less than little, prosperity had done for their souls. [Here may be read from verse 17 to verse 24, inclusive.] EXPOSITION LXV. GENESIS xli. 25-57. 25. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 27. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. 28. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh. 29. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31. And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. 32. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. 33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. 35. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. 37. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 38. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? 39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. 44. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. 45. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah, priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. Thus was Joseph at length placed in the position for which he had so long been qualifying. It pleased God to endow him with the supernatural power of interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh; and the grateful monarch, in return, sets him over all the land of Egypt, and makes him to ride in the second chariot of the kingdom, and causes the heralds to cry before him, "Bow the knee." But even now, in this his highest exaltation, the Almighty does not place his servant in a situation of ease and idleness. He bestows upon him, indeed, affluence and rank, but with these he combines duties, requiring the most unwearied energy and the most anxious care and perseverance. God had revealed to Joseph, that seven years of plenty should precede the seven years of famine; the former, if well employed, would enable him to prepare for the latter; but if wasted or neglected, would assuredly be succeeded by starvation and death. The fate of a whole country, therefore, humanly speaking, hung upon the industry and foresight of an individual, and Joseph, riding in the second chariot of Egypt, was an infinitely more laborious man than he could ever have been had he remained amid the sheepfolds of his father. There is scarcely anything more obvious in the pages of God's revealed word, than the divine dislike to idleness, self-indulgence, and sloth : and it is practically important, that Christians should well observe and meditate upon this. How many are there, and we are speaking now of real Christians, especially in the higher ranks of life, who do not appear to have ever observed the fact, that all revelation calls them to activity and industry. Born to a competency of this world's goods, they feel freed from that necessity of exertion which influences other men, and they do not sufficiently acquaint themselves with the will of God, and the mind of the Spirit, to per |