sleep he had a singular dream. The first was, that while the
brothers were all in the harvest-field at work his sheaf suddenly rose
upright, and the sheaves of the eleven brethren stood up and bowed to
his own. The intimation that he was to rule over them made them angry,
and they hated him.

Soon after Joseph's sleep he was disturbed by another dream. The sun,
moon, and eleven stars, rendered homage to him. The interpretation of
this was the same as that of the other, with the addition of his father
and mother, who also bowed before him.

It may seem strange that Joseph should relate any thing so complimentary
to himself. But he evidently did it in no boasting mood. He simply
narrated the extraordinary dreams, without the least idea of what was
before him.

But God saw what he did hot know, that their jealousy and enmity would
be overruled for the temporal salvation of the family and nation.

The venerable, thoughtful father, silently pondered over the singular
experience of Joseph.

The elder sons were shepherds, and fed their flocks in Shechem. How
beautiful the ingenious, dutiful character of Joseph now appears! His
father called him to go and find his brethren, to see how they were
getting along. "Here am I," was his response. That is to say: "Although
my brethren hate me, I am ready to serve you, and do any thing for
them." He went to Shechem, but they had left; and the boy wandered about
in the field looking for them. A citizen happened to see him, and was
evidently interested in the beautiful stranger, bewildered and alone,
and asked what he wanted. Joseph told him the truth of the case, when
the man said that his brothers had taken their flocks to Dotham, a few
miles distant.

He started for that place, and while a "great way off," they saw and
knew him. The conspiracy was instantly formed to dispose of the
"dreamer."

The first proposition was to kill him, but Reuben would not agree to the
cruel suggestion. His plan was to cast the lad into a deep pit, till he
could manage to get him back to his father. This less bloody way of
disposing of Joseph was accepted, and when he came near they took off
the "coat of many colors" the doting father had given him, and putting
him in a pit without water which happened to be at hand, dipping it in
blood to make his father think a beast killed him, they took it home.
Scarcely was the interesting boy weeping in his prison before a caravan
of Ishmaelites, and then of