is, the chief priest of the ancient ecclesiastical, literary, and probably also political capital of the land,70 "the

City of the Sun." This is the more noteworthy, as the chief of the priesthood was generally chosen from

among the nearest relatives of Pharaoh. Yet in all this story there is really nothing extraordinary. As Egypt

depends for its produce entirely on the waters of the Nile, the country has at all times been exposed to

terrible famines; and one which lasted for exactly seven years is recorded in A.D. 1064-1071, the horrors of

which show us the wisdom of Joseph's precautionary measures. Again, so far as the sudden elevation of

Joseph is concerned, Eastern history contains many such instances, and indeed, a Greek historian tells us of

an Egyptian king who made the son of a mason his own son-in-law, because he judged him the cleverest

man in the land. What is remarkable is the marvelous Divine appointment in all this, and the equally

marvelous Divine choice of means to bring it about.

Joseph was exactly thirty years old on his elevation, the same age, we note, on which our blessed Lord

entered on His ministry as "the Savior of the world," "the Supporter of life," and "the Revealer of secrets."

The history of Joseph's administration may be traced in a few sentences. During the seven years of plenty,

"he gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering," a notice which remarkably

agrees with "the representations of the monuments, which show that the contents of the granaries were

accurately noted by scribes when they were filled." Then, during the years of famine, he first sold corn to

the people for money. When all their money was exhausted, they proposed of their own accord to part with

their cattle to Pharaoh, and lastly with their land. In the latter case exception was made in favor of the

priestly caste, who derived their support directly from Pharaoh. Thus Pharaoh became absolute possessor

of all the money, all the cattle, and all the land of Egypt, and that at the people's own request. This

advantage wo uld be the greater, if there had been any tendency to dissatisfaction against the reigning

house as an alien race. Nor did Joseph abuse the power thus acquired. On the contrary, by a spontaneous

act of royal generosity he restored the land to the people on condition of their henceforth paying one-fifth

of the produce in lieu of all other taxation. Besides the considerations already stated in favor of such a

measure, it must be borne in mind that in Egypt, where all produce depends on the waters of the Nile, a

system of canals and irrigation, necessarily kept up at the expense of the State, would be a public

necessity.71 But the statement of Scripture, which excepts from this measure of public taxation "the land of

the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's," remarkably tallies with the account of secular historians.

Two things here stand out in the history of Joseph. The same gracious Hand of the Lord, which, during his

humiliation, had kept him from sin, disbelief, and despair, now preserved him in his exa ltation from pride, and

from lapsing into heathenism, to which his close connection with the chief priest of Egypt might easily have

led him. More than that, he considered himself "a stranger and a pilgrim" in Egypt. His heart was in his

father's home, with his father's God, and on his father's promises. Of both these facts there is abundant

evidence. His Egyptian wife bore him two sons "before the years of famine came." He gave to both of them

Hebrew, not Egyptian names. By the first, Manasseh, or "he that maketh forget," he wished to own the

goodness of God, who had made him forget his past sorrow and toil. By the second, Ephraim, or "double

fruitfulness," he distinctly recognized that, although Egypt was the land in which God had caused him "to

be fruitful," it was still, and must ever be, not the land of his joy but that of his "affliction!" If it be asked

why, in his prosperity, Joseph had not informed his father of his life and success, we answer, that in such a

history safety lay in quiet waiting upon God. If Joseph had learned the great lesson of his life, it was this,

that all in the past had been of God. Nor would He now interfere with further guidance on His part. The Lord

would show the way, and lead to the end.72 But as for him, he believed, and therefore made no haste. Thus

would God be glorified, and thus also would Joseph be kept in perfect peace, because he trusted in Him.