encouraged by the apparently favorable interpretation of his colleague's. Perhaps we ought also to notice, in

evidence of the truthfulness of the narrative, how thoroughly Egyptian in all minute details is the imagery of

these dreams.

From the monuments the growth and use of the vine in Egypt, which had been denied by former opponents

of the Bible, have been abundantly proved. From the same source we also learn that bakery and

confectionery were carried to great perfection in Egypt, so that we can understand such an office as a royal

chief baker. Even the bearing of the baskets furnishes a characteristic trait: as in Egypt men carried loads on

their heads, and women on their shoulders.60

The event proved the correctness of Joseph's interpretation. On Pharaoh's birthday-feast, three days after

their dreams, the chief butler was restored to his office, but the chief baker was executed. When interpreting

his dream, Joseph had requested that, on the chief butler's restoration, he, who had himself suffered from a

wrongful charge, should think on him, who, at first "stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews," had so

long been unjustly kept in apparently hopeless confinement. This wording of Joseph's petition seems to

indicate that, at most, he only hoped to obtain liberty; and that probably he intended to return to his father's

house. So ignorant was he as yet of God's further designs with him! But what was a poor Hebrew slave in

prison to a proud Egyptian court official? It is only like human nature that, in the day of his prosperity, "the

chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him!"

Two other years now passed in prison - probably more dreary and, humanly speakin g, more hopeless than

those which had preceded. At length deliverance came, suddenly and unexpectedly. This time it was

Pharaoh who dreamed successively two dreams. In the first, seven fat kine were feeding among the rich

"marsh-grass" 61 on the banks "of the Nile." But presently up came from "the river" seven lean kine, which

devoured the well-favored, without, however, fattening by them. The second dream showed one stalk of

corn with seven ears, "full and good," when up sprang beside it another stalk, also with seven ears, but

"blasted with the east wind;" "and the thin ears devoured the seven good ears." So vivid had been the

dream that it seemed to Pharaoh like reality - "and Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream." Only a

dream! and yet the impression of its reality still haunted him, so that he sent for "the magicians of Egypt,

and all the wise men thereof" to interpret his dreams. But these sages were unable to suggest any

explanation satisfactory to the mind of Pharaoh; for we can scarcely believe that they did not attempt some

interpretation. In this perplexity, his memory quickened by Oriental terror at his master's disappointment, the

chief of the cup-bearers suddenly remembered his own and the chief baker's dreams just two years before,

and Joseph's interpretation of them. The event becomes all the more striking and also natural if we may take

the date literally as "at the end of two full years," or on the third anniversary of that birthday of Pharaoh.

Before proceeding, we notice some of the particulars which give the narrative its vivid coloring, and at the

same time wonderfully illustrate its historical truthfulness. And, first of all, we again mark the distinctly

Egyptian character of all. The "river" is "the Nile," the sacred stream of Egypt, on which its fertility

depended - and Pharaoh stands on its banks. Then the term which we have rendered "marsh-grass," or

"reed-grass," 62 is certainly an Egyptian word for which there is no Hebrew equivalent, because that to

which it applied was peculiar to the banks of the Nile.

Next, the whole complexion of the dreams is Egyptian, as we shall presently show. Moreover, it is remarkable

how closely recent independent inquiries have confirmed the scriptural expressions about "the magicians"

and "the wise men" of Egypt. It has been always known that there was a special priestly caste in Egypt, to

whom not only the religion but the science of the country was entrusted. But of late we have learned a great

deal more than this. We know not only that magic forme d part and parcel of the religion of Egypt, but we

have actually restored to us their ancient magical Ritual itself! We know their incantations and their amulets,

with a special reference to the dead; their belief in lucky and unlucky days and events, and even in the so-

called "evil eye." But what is most to our present purpose, we know that the care of the magical books was

entrusted to two classes of learned men, whose titles exactly correspond to what, for want of better

designation, is rendered as "magicians," or perhaps "scribes," and "wise men!" It was before this