Joseph Sees His Brothers is number 7 in the Life of Joseph series and is found in Genesis 42.
While Joseph was in prison, Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief
baker each had a dream. Joseph told them that only God can interpret the
dreams. Joseph explained what their dreams meant. The chief butler finally
remembered Joseph when Pharaoh couldn’t find anyone to interpret his dreams.
Joseph told Pharaoh that God interprets the dreams. Both of Pharaoh’s
dreams meant the same thing. There would be seven good, plentiful years of
crops. Then there would be seven years of extreme famine. Joseph said the
famine years would be so bad that the people would forget the previous good
years.
He told Pharaoh that he should pick a ‘discerning and wise
man’ to store one-fifth of every crop for the next seven good years. Then Egypt
would have enough food for the seven years of famine. Pharaoh decided Joseph
would be the man in charge of reserving the food. Joseph is second in command
in Egypt only after Pharaoh.
Joseph saved so much during the seven good years that he
stopped counting it! Now it is during the famine and anyone that wants grain has
to see Joseph. People started coming from other countries to purchase grain in
Egypt.
Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt and decided to send
his sons to buy some. He didn’t send Benjamin; so, ten of Joseph’s brothers
went to Egypt. Joseph was the governor over all the land of Egypt and the
brothers had to go to him to buy the grain. They bowed down before Joseph and
didn’t know who he was. But, Joseph recognized them. He treated them like
strangers.
Joseph told them they were spies and they denied it. They
said they were brothers from Canaan trying to buy grain. One brother was at
home and another brother is no more. Joseph put them in prison for three days
and said they would be tested.
Joseph went to talk to them and said to leave a brother and
the others could take the grain to their homes. They were to return with their
youngest brother and Joseph would release the brother that stayed behind. The
brothers talked and thought this was happening because of what they did to
Joseph. They didn’t know that Joseph could understand them and he cried when he
heard them talking.
Joseph kept Simeon and tied him up. Joseph commanded that
their bags be filled with grain and to put their money back in the bag, too.
They gave them supplies to return home. One of the brothers found his money when
they stopped to rest and to feed the donkeys. They were scared and wondered why
that happened to them.
They told Jacob what happened when they returned home. The
governor of Egypt said they were spies and they had to bring their youngest
brother back to release Simeon. The other brothers found their money in their
grain bags also! When they found their money in the grain bags, they were
really afraid.
Jacob did not want to let Benjamin return to Egypt when they
went again. He was afraid that he has lost Simeon and he lost Joseph. Reuben
promised that he would return with Simeon and Benjamin though when they went to
Egypt the next time.
This review pack includes the question and answer worksheet, a maze in color and black and white, a Word Search and a thought worksheet to discuss how Joseph might have felt when he saw his brothers and why would he make the choices that he did. There is a teacher's answer sheet for all the worksheets except for the thought worksheet since it is just thoughts and a conversation starter.
This poster and more would be a good addition for this lesson.
This is a variety pack for Genesis 39-46 since it covers so much!
There is a visual(s) for each event that is in these chapters.
Click here to download the pictures to color.
(These are the same as the visuals but are black & white.)
Click here to download the pictures to color.
(These are the same as the visuals but are black & white.)
No comments
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I appreciate it! They will be added as soon as they are approved.