Page:The Story of Joseph and His Brethren.djvu/41

38 called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh." Here is an event told more like a dream than a sober reality. Joseph, but a few minutes since immured in a dungeon, seemingly in filth and rags, is hastily cleaned and attired, and placed in the presence of Pharaoh, the richest and most powerful monarch of the East. But how noble yet simple is the deportment of Joseph in this mighty presence, but still more, how self-denying and true to his God, in his confidence of being able to give the true meaning of Pharaoh's dreams! When the king addressed him in complimentary terms, saying—"I have heard say of thee that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it, Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying. It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Great must have been the inducement in his position, if not to claim, at least not to disclaim, the power which was thus freely ascribed to him. We are all too prone to claim God's talents bestowed upon us as our own. We may learn a great lesson from Joseph's