139 RE-TELLING A STORY JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN PART ONE Joseph, the son of Jacob, was sold by his ten brethren into Egypt. And Joseph gained great favor in the eyes of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so that he was made governor and ruled over all the land of Egypt. Then for seven years there was great abundance of food throughout the land, and Joseph gathered up the food and stored it in the cities, for he knew that the years of famine would come. And when the seven years of plenty were ended, and the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said, people from all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn. But Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, he sent Joseph's ten brethren thither to buy corn. Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. So they came unto Joseph. But Joseph did not reveal himself unto them. He called them spies, and, said, If ye be true men, bring your youngest brother unto me. So keeping one of them, he gave corn to the others and sent them back to their own country to bring Benjamin down into Egypt. after a time And he said, When they returned with Benjamin, Joseph made himself known unto them. I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God sent me before you to preserve life. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not. And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye: lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; and take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Read the story carefully. Tell the story as it is given in your book. Some of the Bible story is omitted here. Who can tell part of the story from memory? Perhaps the following questions may help you to remember. 1. Why did Joseph's brethren sell him into Egypt? 2. How did he gain favor with Pharoah, king of Egypt? 3. How did the brothers persuade Jacob to let them take Benjamin into Egypt? 4. What happened when they returned to Egypt with Benjamin? NOTE: In the Bible, conversation is printed without quotation marks. 140 ACTING THE STORY JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN PART TWO And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen. And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to Goshen to meet Israel, his father, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; and the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? that ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians. Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: the land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren to dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, as Pharaoh had commanded. Read the story carefully. Prepare to act the story in two scenes: Scene one: The Meeting of Joseph and his Father. Scene two: The Presentation of Joseph's Brethren and Father to Pharaoh. 1. Where does the first scene take place? 2. Who are the speakers? 3. What other characters will you have on the stage? 4. What will the others be doing? 5. Where does the second scene take place? 6. Who are on the stage at first? 7. Who are the speakers? 8. Where is Jacob during the first part of the scene? 9. Make a speech for Pharaoh, inquiring where Jacob is. 10. Make a speech for Joseph, in answer to Pharaoh's question. 11. Make a speech for Pharaoh, bidding Joseph bring his father to Pharaoh. 12. What might Pharaoh say to Joseph's brethren while he is out of the room? 13. Can you think of a verse from the Bible for Jacob's blessing? |