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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3
would not be satisfied until he was given into their hands, that they
might put him to a shameful death. He died for the guilty race, and,
while suffering the most cruel torture, meekly forgave his murderers.
He rose from the dead, ascended up to his Father, and received all
power and authority, and returned to the earth again to impart it to his
disciples. He gave gifts unto men. And all who have ever come to
him repentant, confessing their sins, he has received into his favor, and
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freely pardoned them. And if they remain true to him, he will exalt
them to his throne, and make them his heirs to the inheritance which
he has purchased with his own blood.
The children of Israel were not slaves. They had never sold their
cattle, their lands, and themselves to Pharaoh for food, as many of
the Egyptians had done. They had been granted a portion of land
wherein to dwell, with their flocks and cattle, on account of the service
Joseph had been to the kingdom. Pharaoh appreciated his wisdom in
the management of all things connected with the kingdom, especially
in the preparations for the long years of famine which came upon the
land of Egypt. He felt that the whole kingdom was indebted for their
prosperity to the wise management of Joseph; and as a token of his
gratitude he said to Joseph, “The land of Egypt is before thee. In the
best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell. In the land
of Goshen let them dwell. And if thou knowest any men of activity
among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. And Joseph placed
his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of
Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had
commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and
all his father’s household, with bread according to their families.”
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No tax was required of Joseph’s father and brethren by the king
of Egypt, and Joseph was allowed the privilege of supplying them
liberally with food. The king said to his rulers, Are we not indebted to
the God of Joseph, and to him, for this liberal supply of food? Was it
not because of his wisdom that we laid in so abundantly? While other
lands are perishing, we have enough! His management has greatly
enriched the kingdom.
“And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and
multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with
them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not