Genesis 41:48

He gathered up an the food of the seven years.

Under the supervision of Joseph one-fifth of all the ground, levied as ground tax, was gathered into the great public storehouses, which were located in each city. Such storehouses for grain appear on the Egyptian monuments, with all the processes for storing. crop.. man is represented, on. sculptured tomb at Elithya, taking an account of the number of bushels as they are measured by another who is subordinate. He is called Thutnope, the registrar of bushels. The figure of others is shown taking the grain in sacks and carrying it into storehouses. See Hengstenberg on Egypt.

PRACTICAL AND SUGGESTIVE.

Joseph was the first Hebrew who attained to the high position of prime minister in. foreign state, but not the only one. Daniel became prime minister of Darius at Babylon; Mordecai of Ahasuerus in Persia; Disraeli,. Hebrew, was prime minister of England, and Gambetta, also. Hebrew, was long the chief man in France.

The uplifting of Joseph from. state so lowly and hopeless is. proof that God never forgets those who do not forget him. He remembered God in his affliction and God remembered him. "All things work together for good to them that love God."

THE FAMINE IN EGYPT.--Out of the waters of the Nile came up the sacred buffaloes, or kine, in Pharaoh's dream, fit symbols of the leanness or the fertility of future years. The drought that withers up the herbage of the surrounding countries brings famine on Egypt also. The Nile, for so we must interpret the vision of Pharaoh and its fulfillment, from the failure of the Abyssinian rains, fell short of its due level. Twice only, in the eleventh and twelfth centuries of the Christian era, such. catastrophe is described by the Arabian historians in terms which give us. full conception of the calamity from which Joseph delivered the country. The first lasted, like that of Joseph, for seven years; of the other the most fearful details are given by an eye witness. "Then the year presented itself as. monster whose wrath must annihilate all the resources of life and all the means of subsistence. The famine begun.. large numbers emigrated... The poor ate carrion, corpses, dogs. They went farther and devoured even little children. The eating of human flesh became so common as to excite no surprise... As to the number of poor who perished from hunger and exhaustion God alone knows what it was.. traveler often passed through. large village without seeing. single living inhabitant.... The road between Egypt and Syria was like. vast field sown with human bodies, or rather like. plain that had just been swept by the scythe of the mower."-- Stanley.

Z APHNATH-PAANEAH.--A very remarkable confirmation of Biblical history occurs in connection with this last king, as told in the story of Joseph. Joseph is said to have been named Zaphnath-paaneah,. very unusual name, not Hebrew, and which has been variously translated by commentators. But the name occurs written in precisely the same form, in. proclamation of Kames, with the meaning of "Sustainer of the world," according to Lenormant, but, according to Brugsch, literally, "Governor of the District of the place of life," the latter being the name given to Tanis at one time.-- Osborn's Ancient Egypt in the Light of Modern Discovery.

POINTS FOR TEACHERS.

1. Review the causes of the exile of Joseph from his father's house and his own country. 2. Point out the chain of events which had brought him to the king's presence. 3. Delineate his interpretation of the king's dream and his counsel. 4. Bring out the facts of his exaltation; the meaning of the ring, the fine linen, riding in the second chariot, his marriage to the daughter of the priest of On. 5. Explain the reasons of Joseph's great success and present prosperity. His wicked brethren, the wicked wife of Potiphar, and other causes had all co-operated, but most of all his own virtues. 6. Point out Joseph as ruler, his work, how carried on, and why. 7. Describe an Egyptian famine. 8. Show how the providence of God watched over Joseph. 9. Show that while Joseph fed the body our Joseph, he of whom Joseph was. type, feeds the soul. How?