The Symbolism of Joseph

The Symbolism of Joseph

“Joseph is Rachael’s firstborn son,

And he I rejoice to ordain –

Ordain as Seer; a man with a gift

To behold Future’s chapters of pain.

He will see slavery; famine; death,

But by it, delivereth all!

I will give wisdom; mightily save

Through Joseph – by visions I call.

“Dream, Joseph, dream tonight –

Dream long of the stars!

The Sun and the Moon, they bow;

Thine brothers groveling stars are!

Thou standeth in the center;

The one to whom they kneel.

One day thee’ll be set above

And to thee they will appeal.

Dream, Joseph, dream again!

Dream long of the fields.

Behold there the readied sheaves

Your father’s abundant crop yields.

Bow they all, these sheaves of green

To thy golden sheaf of sheen.

“Brothers, yes! All this I saw!

Wonder: what could this mean?”

“Ha! Youngest – thou seeks fame!

How dare this be thy dream?”

They are stung and bitter-filled,

And their father is blind to see

That his greater favor upon Joseph

Has incurred jealousy!

He bids his servants lace a coat;

The Skilled alone it weave.

The garment is of colors, rich,

And long in length of sleeve.

Lo, My Son, the brothers go

To tend their father’s flock.

And Joseph follows nigh to help,

Adorned with colored frock.

The brothers watch him come close by,

And say, “Let’s kill the dreamer!”

But Reuben, eldest, saves his life;

Becomes a helpful schemer.

Into a cistern, Joseph’s thrown,

Where Reuben plots his rescue.

But before the next midday is come,

The brothers devise anew.

“Let us sell him,” they decide,

And trade with caravan

That moves t’ward distant Egypt

To profit by sale of man.

There Joseph is sold as slave;

To Pharaoh’s Captain, he is sold.

He will serve the greatest of men

In Land of stone, science and gold.

The Captain’s eyes he will fill;

Be honored with favour, entire.

But the Captain’s wife also eyes

Joseph – with lustful desire.

With evil intent she lures him close

And provokes her husband’s ire.

She blames Joseph for actions done

And brands him as a liar.

“In prison he is forgotten –

Forgotten? Not by I!

“I behold thee in the darkness;

Abandoned, thee’ll not die!

Trust Me and I’ll bless thee,

And favour thou wilt find

With the stern Head Jailor

Who pays authority no mind,

But places thee in power

O’er the prisoners beside.

He disbelieves the falsehoods

And knows thy faults implied!

And now release encroaches;

Two men I send thy way.

Tonight, I’ll show them visions;

Thou will interpret when thee pray.

The first dreams of his past rank

When he stood before the king,

Offering him grape juice

That he freshly squeezed to bring.”

“This is what it means, my friend:

Thou soon wilt be set free.

And when thou serves Pharaoh again,

Please remind the king of me!”

“The second is encouraged

And reveals the pressing thought –

He was carrying three bread baskets

While birds above him fought.

They swooped and bore off his head

Every slice of fresh-baked bread.”

“This is my interpretation,

That within the next three days,

Thou shalt face thine execution

And birds on thy flesh shalt graze.”

“Thus, all this comes to pass;

In Joseph My power displays!

“Is it time, Heavenly Father,

To save Israel from famine?”

“Yes, My Precious Son of glory,

I’ll deliver all that We may win!

“Dream, Pharaoh, dream tonight;

Dream long of the Nile –

Behold seven cows along the shore;

Fat and very docile.

But wait! – above the waves emerge

Seven more and fearsome cows.

Without warning; without trace –

Prompted by the sight, arouse –

And consume the healthy herd

But without a change are they!

Now, wake out of frightful nightmare;

Be comforted by thought of day.

“Dream on Pharaoh, dream again! –

This time thee eyes a field,

And seven healthy ears of corn

Are one stalk’s golden yield.

Yet, behind springs up a stalk

With seven ears of corn

That are thin – battered by

An eastly wind – and torn.

Wake up, Pharaoh; puzzle o’er

The double dreams thou’s dreamed.

Tell thy wisest and adept

To whom the Wondering stream.

They cannot answer any fears?

The meaning is elusive?

Cup -bearer, recall Joseph

Who said, by dream, thee’d live.”

“My king, I remember:

While I was out of favour,

A man in prison spoke to me

The symbols of my dreams!

What he beheld came to be:

I was restored before thee.

 This man to me, he seems to be

The one at whom God beams.”

Pharaoh demands Joseph brought

Before the stately throne.

There Interpretation’s begged;

Joseph denies it as his own.

“Lo, tis God’s!” he humbly says;

How sweet the blessed words!

I reveal Truth to such a man

Of crops and grazing herds:”

“The seven cows along the Nile;

The seven thin and evilly vile

Represent, each, seven years.

Egypt rejoices when she hears

The first seven plentifully brim;

But seven follow of famine.

This is why thou dreamt double:

To know God is warning trouble.

Therefore, prepare this Land of Kings

For coming Nature’s famine-wings.”

“Pharaoh is pleased, and raises up

Joseph as his Right in power;

Sets him o’er preparations made

For Drought’s forthcoming hour.

“Drought does come in seven years,

But Egypt stands secure.

Hunger does not haunt the gates

Nor Starvation beg a cure.

But far in distance lays Israel

With Famine beating down.

Ten brothers, fearing death,

Plan to face the Egypt Crown.

“We must travel nigh to Egypt

Lest we die of hunger here!

They have food – and plenty spare –

Though this famine is severe.”

And thus decided, tread towards

The land I chose to save;

To deliver who they cast aside

And sold to serve as slave.

“Behold, as thou doth supervise

The goods that thou doth sell,

My Joseph – look before thee –

‘Tis thy brothers – can’t thee tell?

They have come to buy thy food

And bless thine land of birth.

See them bow before thee;

Lying prostrate on the earth.

Is it not as thee predicted?

Art thou not of powerful worth?”

“My Father, see him standing there

Overwhelmed and torn.

He longs to tell them who he is,

But fears resenting scorn.

They do not recognize his face

Or see passed Egypt’s adorn,

 So he quickly tries a test;

Questions what they call their quest.”

“Thou art all spies! I hear but lies!

Thou cometh not for corn and bread!

It is the nakedness of land

And weak power that thou seek instead!

It is the truth? I need proof!

Bring thy youngest yet to me!

Only then will I believe,

And all eleven of thee be free;

In success, prosperously leave.”

“Lo, My Son, they heed him close

And hurry thus with Benjamin, lest

They fail to humor the lord’s request.

Behold, My Son, Joseph compose

Himself outside the meeting room.

Long he weeps for brothers lost

And for his mother, laid in tomb.

Yet, within him hope arises;

Invites his brethren there to sup.

And while they eat, plans a surprise;

Bids a slave hide golden cup

In the sack of youngest sojourner,

Benjamin, his mother’s son.

Then he orders his brothers near

And searches each and every one.

“Benjamin, thou hast robbed me!

Thou shalt die in prison cell!

All the rest – return empty-handed!

Rejoice that thou returneth well!”

“No, my lord, do not detain him!

I shall suffer in his stead.

Take my life; spare the young one.

He to Egypt I have led.”

“Watch them, Father, how they kneel;

Oldest first to beg mercy.

Joseph weeps in resonating voice

And cries, “Brethren, tis me!

Tis I, thine once sold brother

Whom thou hated, fierce and strong.

Benjamin! Son of my mother,

I have ached to see thee, long.

 Give God glory, brothers, with me!

Thou meant harm to me before.

But now I know God intended this

That Israel be restored.”

“He comprehends Our work, Father!

And recogniseth right!

We have again delivered Israel;

Brought them to a land of might.”

“Cometh, brothers, cometh here –

Bring to this land thy families!

Cometh with our father, also –

This will the King of Egypt please!”

“Behold them reunited, Son;

Behold the joy it brings!

They knoweth now that We design

They live in land of Kings.”

“Father, Joseph is the name

My earthly father will possess;

And he will be a Jacob’s son –

Another pattern, I confess!

Hallelujah, he has brought all –

All his family – to safe ground.

And so will I! – so will I!

What symbolism found!

I will lead My People homeward;

Forgive who have Me wronged.”

“Yes, My Son, so shall it be,

Yet is the end prolonged.

Israel shall be bound in slavery.

What thou hast said is true:

Joseph is a foreshadow of thee.

But what cometh next is also so –

A leader out of bondage, free!

My People are brought to a land;

I provide there graciously.

But in slavery they dwelleth still

Until I provide a way to Me.

And that Way is Thee, My Son –

Thou shalt be sold and treated wrong.

But in the end, triumphant stand!

Gather near, O Faithful Throng!”