Joseph's Story
Jacob had twelve sons
Joseph, second to youngest,
believed he had visions.
Even though he was not the strongest, tallest, and neither was born in August.
The dreams had his brothers to him bowing face down,
but they looked on it with a frown.
Jacob loved him the most,
so he gave him a beautiful coat,
and said he had the best son ever, not to boast.
Joseph loved it and asked his brothers, "Do you like my new coat"?
His brothers said no!
He has got to go!
They threw him in a pit,
and he gave up in a fit.
They dipped his coat in lamb's blood,
and when Jacob saw it, his heart dropped with a thud.
Reuben went back to Joseph, for he had tried to stop it,
but his brothers to their jealousy had submit.
The brother tangled his hair,
for he found Joseph was not there.
By Ismaelites he had been taken away,
to Egypt to stay.
Under Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard,
Joseph was sold and became a slave.
The Lord was with him, so no job was too hard.
Soon Potiphar put him in charge as long as he behaved.
The master's wife wanted to be with him, she really did,
but Joseph forbid.
Then she gave him the blame,
accusing him of wanting this helpless dame.
For this he was thrown in jail,
having no money to pay for bail.
But that The Lord was with him was seen by the warden,
so he put Joseph in charge, saving him from this dungeon.
Later the chief baker of the kitchen,
and the royal cupbearer were thrown into prison, not very sanguine.
For offending the Pharaoh,
he cast them in prison with a great bellow.
Joseph came to their cell in the morning light,
to find they had both had a dream last night,
so he offered to interpret.
In the cupbearer's dream, there were three vines
and he picked some grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's goblet.
The cupbearer accepted the translation with no whine,
for it meant in three days
he would become Pharaoh's cupbearer again, to stay.
In the baker's, he held three food-filled baskets
and birds were picking at the bread and briskets!
After, Joseph finally conclude,
"In three days you will lose the life you value".
He also told them to tell Pharaoh about him, so he could come too,
and in three days the interpretations came true.
But the cupbearer forgot,
and Joseph was left with flies to swat.
It was not until two years later
that he remembered the lonely swatter.
For Pharaoh had two dreams he could not understand
about seven cows and heads of grain in their cropland.
Then there were seven skinny cows and grain heads coming to a wane,
and they ate up the other cows and grain.
"This is what they mean", Joseph said,
"The healthy cows and grain stand for seven abundant years ahead,
but the waning cows and grain stand for seven years
filled with horrible famine and fears,
that would make Egypt into a dead man
without a plan".
Pharaoh put him in charge of Egypt
and Joseph saved up so much food for the famine that the numbers ran off script.
When the famine struck
people came to plentiful Egypt to fill their stomachs.
Who came there but his brothers,
but had left Benjamin behind with their father.
Joseph knew them but to him they did not recognize,
but he accused them of being spies but they answered with denies.
For three days he held them captive,
and then let them finally to home to return,
but kept Simeon and didn't allow him to be very active.
Unless with Benjamin they couldn't come back and things went downturn.
Secretly before they left Joseph gave back their silver,
and the brothers hurried away, afraid of being accused of being bilkers.
Jacob let Benjamin go hesitantly
and prayed they would travel safely.
When they came to Joseph again, they bowed before him,
and how could anyone know that then Joseph's dreams had been right.
Simeon was brought out, thankfully not missing a forelimb,
and Joseph invited them to stay the night.
They ate a great feast
with bacon, cheese, milk, and bread with no yeast.
The next day they set off to home,
but Joseph had secretly again gave back their silver,
and sent them off in the morning with a shalom.
But they would soon come back to the master,
for he had put his own cup into Benjamin's sack
and he had no idea what he was carrying on his back.
Later Joseph sent his servant to tell his brothers of their disrespect.
When the servant caught up, he told them,
"Whoever was found with the master's cup would become his slave to condemn".
They let him search their packs, because they did not suspect.
But when Judah saw that Benjamin had the cup, he said,
"Take me instead"!
When they went back, before Joseph they kneeled,
and Joseph could stand it no longer, his identity was revealed.
He told them, "God has sent me here by you,
to save Egypt and your land form famine, for he knew.
Tell our father about me".
When Pharaoh found out about Joseph's brothers, he accepted the news blithely.
The brothers to fetch their father and people went back to Canaan,
and Jacob was overjoyed to find his son not deadened.
God told him, "Do not be afraid to go away,
for your people will be brought back, because I never betray".
He took his children he had had by Leah, Rachel, and their servants,
along with much rich possessions for they were not peasants.
Joseph's family settled in Goshen,
and Pharaoh was happy to have more herdsmen.
To Pharaoh Jacob blessed,
and Joseph kept his family well feed even though nothing sprouted.
As the people paid for food, they found they had no more money!
Joseph told them to pay in livestock,
until he had every cow and sheep that was fluffy.
Then they asked, "How can pay if we have no flock"?
"Sell me your land".
So they did and he also gave grain seeds into every right-hand.
"Now go home with these and plant,
but one-fifth of what you grow shall be Pharaoh's
and if you refuse, you others shan't".
Everyone thanked Joseph and did not wallow.
Joseph went to see Jacob, for his father had something to say,
and the day was coming near to when Jacob's soul would go away.
He told Joseph, "Swear to me an oath.
Do not bury me in Egypt, that I loath,
bury me in Canaan with my ancestors.
I'm serious, believe me, I'm not a jester".
Joseph swore,
and later he heard his father was ill with no cure.
He took Manasseh and Ephraim, his two sons,
and Jacob said he would bless them, as down went the sun.
but in the blessing he put the younger, Ephraim, ahead
but Joseph wanted Manasseh, the older, instead.
But his father refused,
and Joseph was left bemused.
Later, Jacob with his sons assembled
gave them all blessings not getting one name jumbled,
and then he died,
as Joseph cried.
Joseph ordered his father embalmed,
during their seventy days of mourning,
and then they set off to bury him in Canaan, all a bit more calmed.
When they were setting him into his grave, everyone was solemn with a few children yawning.
Back to Egypt they returned,
but Joseph's brother's souls did not upturn.
They feared now that their father was gone Joseph would take revenge,
but he said, "Go to God, for I will not avenge".
Joseph stayed in Egypt until his soul ascend.
THE END.
Please Review