The Prophet Joseph 4

(12-57-102)

          The events took place as Joseph had predicted. The people of Egypt enjoyed the seven years of prosperity. In these seven years, the crops were copious, and the yield from the grapes and fruits were abundant.  After these seven years, the demon of famine attacked Egypt.  The farmers, for months and years, looked hopefully at the sky for clouds. The sky never gave a drop of water to the parched, thirsty earth.  The demons of famine jeered at the devastated land, leafless trees, and dry river.

          The hope for life clustered around the granaries which Joseph had built.  The grain he preserved in abundance was useful for this hard time.  There are always some members in a society who want to be rich at the expense of others.  When they saw that staples were scarce in the market, these members started to raise the price of grain.  These capitalists did not mind exchanging the misery of people for gold.

          When the news of this black market trend reached Joseph, he established an inquiry department.  The purpose of this department was to ascertain the real number of people and then give them grain according to their needs.  Joseph announced throughout the country that each citizen could purchase grain from the government, up to the load of a camel, at a controlled price based on family size.  In case of false or exaggerated claims no grain would be given.  Joseph himself supervised this department.

          Return of the brothers

          One day Joseph saw ten of his brothers in the line buying grain.  He recognized them but they were not aware of his presence.  It was beyond their wildest imagination to think that Joseph had acquired such a powerful status.  At the inquiry, they said that they were eleven brothers.  At the time of their departure, Joseph told them, “You see I am a good host; I give full measures, so next time when you come bring your other brother also.  Otherwise your claim will be considered false. I will neither talk to you nor give you any grain.”  He ordered his employees to put the money the brothers had paid for the grain back in their sacks.   

          The brothers reached home and told the whole story to their father. “We cannot buy more grain without Joseph’s brother,” said one of them.  As they opened the sacks, and found the money they had paid returned to them, they were pleased.

          The grain lasted for a short period of time.  The brothers urged their father to send the younger brother with them.  Jacob was old; there was no grain to eat so, he succumbed to their wish.   He allowed them to take the young boy with them after taking an oath in the name of God.  Jacob also advised them to enter the city by different doors so that the people would not become suspicious of them.

          The brothers entered the Egyptian city and went to the granary to buy grain.  In the meanwhile Joseph told his brother about himself. “Do not take to heart their behavior.  I am with you.”  As the brothers were busy buying grain, one of them put the royal cup in Joseph’s brother’s sack.  He thought that if they were successful in smuggling the royal cup, they would have a valuable item.  In case they were not successful, Joseph’s brother would be blamed for theft and earn a bad name.

          On their journey back home, the caravan was stopped by the people who were looking for the royal cup.  “Stop the caravan! You are thieves!”

          “What have we stolen that you are calling us thieves?” said one of them.

          “The royal cup has disappeared.  The king has announced one camel load of grain for the one who retrieves it,” said the officer.

          “We came here before and we have done no misdeed,” said one of the brothers.

          “What is the punishment for the one who has committed such a crime according to your law?” asked the officer.

          “He himself is the penalty for the crime,” they said.    

          When the sacks were opened, the officer found the royal cup in Joseph’s brother saddle-bag.  Seeing this, one of the brothers said, “It is not strange he stole the royal cup; his real brother was a thief like him.”  This remarked pierced the heart of Joseph, who had come there to investigate the matter.  Joseph did not utter a word in his defense. He only declared, “You all belong to one family. Although Joseph was your step-brother, still he was your brother.  What you are saying about him is applicable to you also.  Only God knows the truth about your fabrications.” After saying this he left the place.

          The brothers followed him and begged him to take one of them in place of Joseph’s brother. “Our father is very old,” said one of them. “He is very fond of him.  Please keep one of us and leave him,” they implored.  Joseph refused the request and said, “I cannot set free the criminal and keep an innocent person in his place.”

          After Joseph’s refusal, the brothers got together to discuss and solve the problem.  The eldest one said, “I am not going back with you. I have no courage to face my father. He took an oath from us to protect Joseph’s brother.  We made a mistake about Joseph before.  I am going to stay here until my father calls me back or God decides something else for me.  You all go and tell my father that his beloved son committed a theft in a foreign country. We were unable to do anything.  He can ask the fellow travelers.”

          The brothers reached home and told the story to their father.  Jacob said, “What are you saying? He committed a theft?  You are very pleased with this concocted story, but I will remain patient as I was in Joseph’s case.”