Homily 62 #

On Holy and Great Wednesday of Passion Week, concerning the most beautiful Joseph: how he revealed himself to his brothers, and how his father Jacob came to Egypt with all his household.

When Potiphar, who had cast Joseph into prison, beheld that most glorious sight—how Joseph sat in Pharaoh’s chariot in great honor—he was greatly afraid. He withdrew in shame from the nobles and hurried home, trembling with fear. Entering his house, he said to his wife:

“Knowest thou, O woman, what a wondrous sign hath occurred today, one that filleth us with great dread? Joseph, our servant, hath been made ruler over us and over all the land of Egypt! Behold, he sitteth with glory in Pharaoh’s chariot and is honored by all. I, for fear and trembling, could not appear before him, but quietly slipped away from the nobles.”

Hearing this, Potiphar’s wife said to her husband:

“Fear not, but I shall this day confess openly unto thee my sin, which until now I have hidden. I loved Joseph passionately. Therefore I adorned myself daily and hourly, seeking to entice him and draw him to myself. Yet I could not attain that wicked desire—for he rejected all my words and would not hearken unto me. I seized him, trying to force him to lie with me, but he fled outside. The garment I showed thee then was the one he left behind when he escaped from my hand and ran out into the street.

And now I see that I have become the occasion of his power and great glory. For had I not loved Joseph, and had he not been thrown into prison, he would not have attained such honor. Therefore, I am now worthy to be praised by him, for I was the cause of his exaltation. Joseph is righteous and holy; he will not remember the evil that brought him good. Rise, then—go and bow before him together with the nobles.”

Then Potiphar arose and went in shame and bowed before Joseph along with all the nobles.

After this, the seven years of abundance came to an end, and famine began to spread across all the land. Jacob and his sons grew faint with hunger in the land of Canaan. When he heard that grain was being sold in Egypt, he said to his sons:

“Why do ye look one upon another? Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down thither and buy for us a little food, that we may live and not die.”

So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. And when they came, they bowed down before Joseph with their faces to the earth. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them—but they did not recognize him. He spoke harshly to them and said:

“From whence come ye?”

They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

But he said to them, “Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land are ye come.”

They replied, “Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all brothers, the children of one man. We were twelve in number; one of us was torn by wild beasts, being our father’s beloved, and our father still mourneth him to this day. The youngest remaineth now with our father.”

Joseph said to them, “This is what I said unto you, that ye are spies. Ye shall not depart hence unless your youngest brother, of whom ye spake, be brought unto me. Then I will believe that ye are honest men and not spies.”

So he cast them into prison for three days. Then, taking Simeon, he bound him before their eyes, and released the others. He commanded their sacks to be filled with grain, their money to be returned into their sacks, and provisions to be given them for the road. Thus he sent them away.

When they had departed with their grain and found the money in their sacks, they were greatly afraid. Returning to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they reported to him all that had happened.

Then Israel said, “Why have ye dealt so ill with me, as to tell the man that ye had yet another brother?”

And they said, “The man questioned us straitly about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father yet alive? Have ye another brother?’ And we answered him according to the truth. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

But Jacob said, “My son shall not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he alone is left. If mischief befall him on the way, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.”

As the famine worsened, Jacob said to his sons: “Go again and buy us a little food.” But Judah answered him, saying: “If thou wilt not send our brother with us, we will not go. For the man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.’”

Then Jacob said: “If it must be so, take gifts and double money with you, and take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man. And take back with you the money that was found in your sacks—it may have been an oversight. And may my God grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin.”

So they arose and went down into Egypt and stood before Joseph. When Joseph saw them, and Benjamin with them—his brother born of the same mother—he said to the steward of his house:

“Bring these men into the house, and kill an animal, and prepare it, for these men shall dine with me at noon.”

The steward did as Joseph had commanded and brought the men into Joseph’s house. When they saw that they were brought into the house, they were afraid and said:

“Because of the money that was returned in our sacks before, they have brought us in, to lay an accusation upon us and to fall upon us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

So they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door, saying:

“O sir, we indeed came down before to buy food. But when we came to the lodging place and opened our sacks, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack—our money in full weight. And we have brought it back with us. And we have brought other money to buy food. We know not who put the money in our sacks.”

But the steward said:

“Peace be unto you, fear not. Your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money.”

And he brought out Simeon unto them. Then he brought them water to wash their feet and gave fodder to their donkeys. They prepared their gifts until Joseph came at noon, for they had heard that they would eat there.

When Joseph came into the house, they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands and bowed themselves to the ground. And he asked them:

“Is it well with you? Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?”

They answered, “Thy servant our father is in good health; he is yet alive.” And Joseph said, “Blessed be that man of God.” And bowing themselves again, they worshipped.

Then Joseph lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin, his brother of the same mother, and said:

“Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?”

And he said, “God be gracious unto thee, my son.”

And Joseph’s heart was moved for his brother; his inward affections were stirred, and he sought a place to weep. He entered his chamber and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out, restraining himself, and said: “Set on bread.”

And they set food before him by himself, and for them separately, and for the Egyptians who ate with him separately; for the Egyptians may not eat with the Hebrews, for that is abomination unto them.

They sat before him—the eldest according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth—and the men marvelled at one another. Then he took portions from his own table and gave unto them. But Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and made merry with him.

Then Joseph commanded his steward, saying:

“Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in the mouth of his sack. And put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest, along with his grain money.” And he did as Joseph had spoken.

When morning dawned, the men were sent away with their donkeys. They had not gone far out of the city when Joseph said to his steward:

“Arise, follow after the men, and when thou hast overtaken them, say unto them: ‘Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Why have ye stolen my silver cup? Is not this it from which my lord drinketh, and whereby he divineth? Ye have done evil in so doing.’”

So the steward overtook them and spoke those words. And they said:

“Why speaketh my lord such words as these? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing! Behold, the money which we found in our sacks’ mouths we brought again unto thee from the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of thy lord’s house? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

He replied, “Let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my slave; the rest of you shall be blameless.”

Then they quickly laid down every man his sack and opened it. And he searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

Then they tore their garments, and Benjamin lifted up his voice with weeping, saying:

“God of my father knoweth, beholding all things invisibly and searching the hearts, that I have not stolen the cup now found in my sack. Woe is me, woe is me, O Rachel my mother! What hath come upon thy child? Joseph, as they say, was devoured by beasts—and now I have been made a thief in a foreign land and shall remain in bondage.”

Then each of them loaded his sack onto his donkey and they returned to the city. Judah and his brothers went in to Joseph and fell before him to the ground. Joseph said to them:

“What deed is this that ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?”

And Judah said:

“What shall we say unto my lord? or what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also with whom the cup is found.”

But Joseph said:

“God forbid that I should do so: the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.”

Then Judah came near and said:

“Let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant. Thou didst ask thy servants, saying, ‘Have ye a father or a brother?’ And we said: ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one, and his brother is dead. He alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.’ And thou saidst unto thy servants: ‘Bring him down unto me, that I may see him.’ And we said to my lord: ‘The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ But thou saidst unto thy servants: ‘Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.’

When our father sent us again to buy food, we said to him: ‘We will not go down, unless our youngest brother go with us.’ And he said: ‘Ye know that my wife bare me two sons. One went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since. And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.’

Now I became surety for the lad to my father, saying: ‘If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever.’ Now therefore, let me abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.”

Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all that stood by him, and he cried:

“Cause every man to go out from me.”

And there stood no man with him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud and said:

“I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live?”

And his brothers could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence.

Then Joseph said unto his brothers:

“Come near to me, I pray you.”

And they came near. And he said:

“I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”

Then he said:

“Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, ‘Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not. And I will nourish thee—for yet there are five years of famine—lest thou and thy household and all that thou hast come to poverty.’ Tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen. And bring him down quickly unto me.”

And he fell upon the neck of Benjamin his brother and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them.

Then Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. And to his father he sent likewise ten donkeys laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-donkeys laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. Then he sent his brothers away, and they departed. And he said unto them:

“See that ye fall not out by the way.”

They departed from Egypt and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father. And they told him, saying:

“Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.”

And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. Being pierced again with sorrow, he said:

“Why do ye trouble my soul? That sorrow for Joseph, little quenched in me, ye would now stir up again?”

But they told him all the words that Joseph had spoken to them. And when Benjamin came near and said to him:

“Truly, these words are so,”

Jacob saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of Jacob their father revived. And Israel said:

“It is enough. Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.”

And Israel rose up with all that he had and came into Egypt.

When Joseph heard that his father was coming, he harnessed his chariot and went out to meet Israel his father. And when Jacob saw Joseph approaching, he cast aside the burden of old age and dismounted from his chariot. But Joseph came on foot, and all the nobles with him. And as he drew near to his father Jacob, he fell upon his neck and wept greatly.

Then Israel said to Joseph: “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.”

And after seventy years, Jacob died in Egypt and was gathered to his fathers. Joseph fell upon his father’s face and wept bitterly over him, and kissed him. He commanded his servants, the embalmers, to prepare his father’s body for burial. The embalmers embalmed Israel, and forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are the days of embalming counted. And Egypt wept for him seventy days.

When the days of mourning were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s household, saying:

“If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying: ‘My father made me swear, saying, “In the grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me.” Now therefore let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.’”

Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.”

So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went all Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as Joseph’s household, his brothers, and all his father’s house. Only their flocks and herds they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great company.

And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation. And he made a mourning for his father seven days. And when the Canaanites saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said:

“This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians.” Wherefore the name of that place was called Abel-Mizraim, which is beyond Jordan.

His sons did for him as he had commanded them: they carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham bought as a possession for a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. Then Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

After the burial of their father, Joseph’s brothers, seeing that Jacob was dead, said among themselves:

“Peradventure Joseph will remember the wrong we did him and will repay us for all the evil we did unto him.”

So they came before Joseph and said to him:

“Thy father did command before he died, saying: ‘So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil.’ Now therefore, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father.”

And when Joseph heard these words, he wept. Then they came near again and said:

“Behold, we are thy servants.”

And Joseph said unto them:

“Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you and your little ones.” And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Thus Joseph and his brothers, and all his father’s house, dwelt in Egypt.

Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation, and also the children of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees.

And Joseph said unto his brothers:

“I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which He sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying:

“God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.”

So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old, and they embalmed him and laid him in a coffin in Egypt.

To Christ, through all these things, be glory, with the Father and the All-Holy Spirit—to Him be honor and dominion, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.