Page:The Story of Joseph and His Brethren.djvu/22

Rh to thee to the earth?" These two dreams thus foreshadowed two distinct events. The first had reference to his brethren only, and was fulfilled when they went down to Egypt to buy corn, when they made obeisance to Joseph, as their sheaves had done to his in his dream. The second referred to the whole family, and was fulfilled when Jacob and all his household removed from Canaan, and went down and dwelt in Egypt under the rule and dominion of Joseph, as they had rightly understood his dreams to foretell.

Not long after the time when Joseph had his dreams, his brethren had an opportunity of manifesting their hatred against him in a way that seemed likely, as it was intended, to prevent their fulfilment, but which an overruling Providence made the very means of their accomplishment.