Joseph is a very special story loved by millions of people all over the world. Joseph was a very Godly man, he was also honest, loving, moral and forgiving. All of these things can also be called integrity. Know what integrity means? It means to be of a sound moral principal. Moral means that you are capable of making the decisions between right and wrong. Joseph was a man of integrity. Joseph is especially special to Nanny because she has a son named Joseph and this page is dedicated to him.

THE STORY OF JOSEPH

Twelve sons were born to Jacob, who was now known as Israel. Joseph, born when Israel was an old man, became his father's favorite. When Joseph grew so much that he needed a new coat, his father had one made of the finest cloth money could buy. The coat had long sleeves and stripes of many colors - red, blue, purple. It was a coat fit for a prince. None of Joseph's older brothers had ever worn a coat like this one, and they were jealous of their younger brother.

It was bad enough that of all twelve sons, Israel loved Joseph the most. But when Joseph began talking about his strange dreams, the brothers grew very angry.

"I dreamed we were all stacks of wheat," Joseph said. "Your stacks bowed down to my stack." Another time the young boy dreamed that even the sun, the moon, and the stars bowed before him.

Finally, the brothers could stand it no longer. They made a plan to kill the young dreamer. But a band of traders passed nearby, so the brothers sold Joseph instead. They smeared animal blood on the fancy coat and took it home to Israel. The old man cried because he thought his favorite son was dead.

When the traders who bought Joseph arrived in Egypt, they sold him as a slave. The young Hebrew worked for a man named Potiphar, and tried to honor the Lord in all that he did. Potiphar saw Joseph's good work and placed him in charge of the entire household.

Joseph was a handsome man, and Potiphar's wife desired him. Even though Joseph ran from her, she lied and told Potiphar that the slave had tried to attack her. Joseph was arrested and spent two years in prison for something he did not do. But the Lord continued to be with Joseph. The jailer put the young man in charge of the other prisoners.

This was in the time that Pharaoh ruled in Egypt. While Joseph was in jail, two of Pharaoh's officers, his butler and baker, were arrested and sent to the same prison. Both men had troubling dreams and went to Joseph.

"God is the only one who can give you answers," Joseph said. After listening carefully, he told them the meaning of their dreams. One man, the baker, would die. The other man, the butler, would live to serve Pharaoh again. When the dreams came true exactly as Joseph said, everyone in the prison was amazed.

While Joseph was in prison, Pharaoh had two dreams that puzzled him. In his first dream he saw seven fat cows eating grass. Seven thin cows came and ate up the fat ones. In the second dream, seven thin ears of corn ate up seven full ears. None of Pharaoh's advisors knew what the dreams meant. The butler remembered Joseph's great ability, so Pharaoh summoned the young man.

Joseph explained that the seven fat cows and seven full ears of corn stood for seven years of plenty. They would be followed by seven years of hunger. Joseph said that Pharaoh should store up food so his people would not starve during the seven lean years.

When Joseph suggested that Egypt should start saving food for the seven lean years that were to come, Pharaoh saw that Joseph was very wise. He put the young man in charge of building huge storehouses and collecting grain from the people. For seven years, crops grew well, and Joseph set aside much food. But the time came when nothing would grow. People ate the last of their own grain and would have starved, but Joseph opened the storehouses and fed the people.

Except for Pharaoh, Joseph was the most powerful man in all of Egypt. He wore clothes of fine linen and a gold chain around his neck. When he rode in his chariot, people who had come from distant countries to buy food bowed before him.

Over in the land of Canaan, Israel's family had also run out of grain. When the old man heard that Egypt had food to sell, he sent his ten older sons to buy some. Joseph knew his brothers the minute they came to the palace. They only saw a powerful Egyptian officer.

When Joseph saw his older brothers, he decided to trick them. "You are spies!" he said. "I will not sell you any more grain until you bring your youngest brother to me. That way I will know you are honest men."

The brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin, the youngest son, and Joseph burst into tears. "I am your brother Joseph!" he told them. "You sold me as a slave, but God used me to save people's lives here in Egypt."

The brothers hugged and kissed each other. Joseph sent them back to Canaan to get their father and their families. When the old man, Israel, saw Joseph, he cried, "Now I can die in peace, for I have seen my son Joseph once more!"

WOW what a story, Israel was so happy to have all his children together and having them getting along. I bet you Mom and Dad feel the same way. Next time you feel that you have been wronged by your brother or sister be like Joseph a person of integrity. Forgive and Forget!!

EMAIL NANNY

 

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