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From Eternity Past
embittered the family relation; the children had grown up contentious,
impatient of control. The father’s life was darkened with anxiety and
grief.
There was one, however, of a widely different character—the elder
son of Rachel, Joseph, whose rare personal beauty seemed to reflect
an inward beauty of mind and heart. Pure, active, and joyous, the
lad gave evidence of moral earnestness and firmness. He listened
to his father’s instructions and loved to obey God. The qualities
that afterward distinguished him in Egypt—gentleness, fidelity, and
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truthfulness—were already manifest. His mother being dead, his
affections clung the more closely to the father. Jacob’s heart was
bound up in this child of his old age. He “loved Joseph more than all
his children.”
But this affection was to become a cause of trouble and sorrow.
Jacob unwisely manifested preference for Joseph, and this excited the
jealousy of his other sons. Joseph ventured gently to remonstrate with
them but only aroused still further their hatred and resentment. He
could not endure to see them sinning against God and laid the matter
before his father.
With deep emotion Jacob implored them not to bring reproach
upon his name and above all not to dishonor God by such disregard of
His precepts. Ashamed that their wickedness was known, the young
men seemed to be repentant but only concealed their real feelings,
which were rendered more bitter by this exposure.
The father’s gift to Joseph of a costly coat, usually worn by persons
of distinction, excited a suspicion that he intended to pass by his elder
children to bestow the birthright upon the son of Rachel.
The boy one day told them of a dream that he had had. “We
were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also
stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made
obeisance to my sheaf.”
“Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have domin-
ion over us?” exclaimed his brothers in envious anger.
Soon he had another dream which he also related: “Behold, the sun
and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.” The father,
who was present, spoke reprovingly, “Shall I and thy mother and thy
brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee?” Notwithstand-