chapter

JACOB BEFORE PHARAOH

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description: # JACOB BEFORE PHARAOH ## Overview This entity is a chapter titled *JACOB BEFORE PHARAOH*, extracted from a larger text document. It spans lines 412 to 467 of the source file and covers pages 62 to 69 of the original publication. The chapter recounts the biblical narrative of Jacob’s journey to Egypt, his reunion with his son Joseph, and his audience with Pharaoh. It includes both narrative retelling and moral reflection, emphasizing themes of humility, divine providence, and familial legacy. The chapter also contains an embedded image referenced as `img-0.jpeg` (arke:01KFXV7DK05RCTSQMF57J1N4QA) on page 69. ## Context The chapter is part of the [More Classics](arke:01KFXT0KM64XT6K8W52TDEE0YS) collection, which curates selections from the Western literary and religious canon. It was processed and structured by automated systems, including OCR and text segmentation tools, under the management of the Structure Extraction service (arke:01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H). The content appears to originate from a published volume of Bible stories, likely intended for educational or devotional use, given its reflective tone and historical comparisons. ## Contents The chapter details Joseph’s rise in Egypt, his reconciliation with his brothers, and the invitation extended by Pharaoh for Jacob and his family to settle in Goshen. It highlights Jacob’s humility upon receiving the news, demonstrated by his act of worship at Beersheba before departing Hebron. The narrative culminates in Jacob’s meeting with Pharaoh, where he blesses the king and describes his 130-year life as “few and evil,” underscoring his piety and modesty. The text also draws moral lessons by contrasting Jacob’s character with figures like Alexander the Great and Napoleon, illustrating how sudden prosperity can corrupt unless tempered by virtue. The final section reflects on Joseph’s integrity as the foundation for his family’s elevation, concluding that noble actions uplift entire communities.
description_generated_at: 2026-01-26T19:10:53.782Z
description_model: Qwen/Qwen3-235B-A22B-Instruct-2507
description_title: JACOB BEFORE PHARAOH
end_line: 467
extracted_at: 2026-01-26T19:08:53.928Z
extracted_by: structure-extraction-lambda
source_file: 01KFXVA454RTKCJEQJMP0QKNKY
start_line: 412
text: 291 # JACOB BEFORE PHARAOH 292 293 **19** **19** **20** **21** **22** **23** **24** **25** **26** **27** **28** **29** **30** **31** **32** **33** **34** **35** **36** **37** **38** **39** **40** **41** **42** **43** **44** **45** **46** **47** **48** **49** **50** **51** **52** **53** **54** **55** **56** **57** **58** **59** **60** **61** **62** **63** **64** **65** **66** **67** **68** **69**  294 48 295 296 the moment to be a mere incident in the life of that splendid court, but in reality it was an occurrence which changed the entire life of humanity. 297 298 The events which led to that singular scene have all the charm of romance, and yet they are really historical facts. Joseph had been in Egypt seventeen years, and in that time had risen from a slave boy to be the Governor over all the land, and second only to the King. The brothers who had sold him made several visits from their home in southern Palestine to Egypt to buy corn because of the famine then prevailing. Joseph carefully concealed from them the fact that he was their brother until the third visit, and then he made himself known to them—that he was none other than the brother whom they had sold long years before. This was not only a great surprise to them, but to the whole court, and very probably to the people of Egypt in general. 299 300 In due time the news reached the ears  301 49 302 303 of Pharaoh himself. He was delighted to know that the brothers of Joseph had come to his capital; and then he gave a signal proof of his confidence in Joseph and love for him, by directing him to tell his brothers to return home and bring back their father and all the household, promising that they should have for their future home the best of the land. Then Joseph gave special orders that wagons and food in abundance should be given his brothers for transporting the whole family from Palestine to Egypt, while to his father he sent a special gift of corn and bread and meat—in fact, a large supply of the “good things of Egypt.” 304 305 When the sons of Jacob reached home and told their father the wonderful news that Joseph was alive, and that the family was invited to Egypt, he could not believe them at first. But when they related to him the exact words of Joseph, and, above all, when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him and his family to Egypt, he believed them. He was  306 50 307 308 overwhelmed with joy. “It is enough,” he exclaimed. “Joseph, my son, is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die.” 309 310 It often happens that good fortune makes men blind to their former poor condition. They frequently imagine that they are the cause of their own prosperity, and have no reason to acknowledge their obligation to a merciful Providence. History abounds in proofs of the ease with which wonderful success makes people cease to practise the sterling virtues which had characterized the early period of their career. Alexander the Great was most exemplary and virtuous when a youth, and remained so until his brilliant achievements in India. Then he became intemperate, ceased to exercise any control over himself, and died in revelry. His great empire faded away like a mist in May. The young Napoleon of Marengo was a far purer character than when, later, he planned the Russian campaign, and expected to have all Europe at his feet.  311 51 312 313 The very first act of Jacob on leaving his old home in Hebron for his journey to Egypt proves that the wonderful news of Joseph being yet alive, and the invitation of the King of Egypt for him and the household to go to his country and settle down in the best of the land, did not elevate him a particle. He was just as humble as ever, and knew well that all this good-fortune had come to him through the divine mercy. Besides, he was not willing to keep this matter secret; he wanted to make it public. He therefore, after beginning the journey, took his family to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to God. His pause for worship proved him to be the true servant; otherwise he would have hurried off in great haste to accept the flattering offer of Pharaoh. The deliberation, the absence of all self-confidence, are beautiful examples of what the pure and noble character ought to be and to possess when sudden prosperity comes. 314 315 The richest country in Egypt was Go-  316 52 317 318 shen. It is that part of the land which lies between the eastern mouth of the Nile and the frontier of Palestine, and extends between the Mediterranean coast and the neighborhood of the Red Sea. Judah was sent on in advance to inform Joseph of the coming of Jacob and the family. Joseph let no time elapse before he made ready his chariot, and started off to greet his long-absent father. No happier meeting between father and son ever took place. Jacob was so overjoyed that he forgot all about Pharaoh’s invitation, and wanted to die. The fact that Joseph was alive, and not that he was the Governor of all Egypt, was the occasion of his joy. 319 320 There was something very peculiar in the plan which Joseph adopted of introducing the family to the King. He did not take his father first into the King’s presence, but five of his brethren. Pharaoh asked them what their occupation was, and when they told him that they were shepherds he assigned to them the  321 53 322 plentiful land of Goshen. He also gave special directions to Joseph as to placing the family in the “best of the land,” and appointing proper members of the household as rulers over the King’s cattle. 323 324 We now come to the culmination of this eventful history—Joseph leads his father into Pharaoh’s presence. There certainly never was so singular an audience between a great King and an humble old man. No sooner was Jacob before Pharaoh than he pronounced a blessing upon him. Pharaoh was struck with Jacob’s great age, and his question was, “How old art thou?” Every word which Jacob spoke was, like all the rest of his actions, plain, simple, humble. He said that his life was a pilgrimage; that it had lasted already one hundred and thirty years; that his days had been few and evil; and that he had but lived as long as his fathers. He then blessed Pharaoh again, and his affectionate son Joseph led him out of the King’s audience-hall.  325 54 326 327 Let us now look beyond the dramatic incident of Pharaoh’s reception of Jacob and his family, and his giving them a home in his country, and seek the cause which led to it, and the great and permanent result. Joseph had been a pure and noble man. No one ever passed successfully through more severe tests. He had been in prison, though unjustly, but was patient, devout, trustful. His good conduct opened the prison doors, brought him into Pharaoh’s presence, and made him Governor over all the land. Had he been corrupt or once yielded to improper influences, he would never have been elevated to an important position. 328 329 Besides, whenever a man acts nobly he helps his whole family. Almost every day we read of some one, often a son, bringing shame and disgrace not only upon himself, but upon his family. We never stand alone. We never go down or go up without taking our friends with us. Joseph could not be elevated without taking all the rest of the family up the stepway with him. So when  330 ![img-0.jpeg](arke:01KFXV7DK05RCTSQMF57J1N4QA)
title: JACOB BEFORE PHARAOH

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Version: 3
Created: 1/26/2026
Updated: 1/26/2026
Edited by: Description Service