Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors
In Canaan, Jacob and his sons, did live and tend their sheep.
For Joseph, Jacob’s teenage son, he felt a love so deep.
And so he made a gift for him, a multi-colored coat.
His brethren fumed with jealousy, ill words were all they spoke.
Then Joseph fanned their fires of hate, as he conveyed a dream,
And in it they did bow to him, he yet would rule supreme.
And so his brethren did conspire, they took him in their arms
That they might end young Joseph's life, yet Reuben was alarmed.
“Shed not his blood,” he counseled them. “Let's cast him in this hole.”
They stripped him of his precious coat, then threw him down below.
Then passed that way some merchantmen, his brethren they did pay
To purchase Joseph as a slave, they carried him away.
With Joseph gone, they took his coat, in goat’s blood it was dipped.
With coat in hand, his brethren left, and made their homeward trip.
And when their father saw the coat, great tears he then did shed,
And rent his clothes and mourned his son, believing Joseph dead.
And so to Egypt, Joseph went, the house of Potiphar.
The Lord was with him, though a slave, and Joseph was preferred.
The wife of Potiphar, did try, to bring him to her bed.
This wickedness he did refuse, from her he promptly fled.
The wife of Potiphar proclaimed, that Joseph, he had sinned.
So Potiphar, enraged by this, to prison, shut him in.
And favor, Joseph, found again, with blessings from the Lord.
He prospered as a leader there, so great was his reward.
And while imprisoned, Joseph did, interpret others’ dreams,
Until at last, he found himself, before great Egypt's king.
For Pharaoh too, had dreamed a dream. Could Joseph understand?
He could indeed, he prophesied, a famine in the land.
And Joseph counseled Pharaoh then, to find a leader true,
To help survive this coming ill, and know just what to do.
Then Joseph who had been a slave, became a slave no more,
As Pharaoh raised him up to rule, and gather food to store.
So seven years of plenty came, and Joseph gathered corn.
And then came famine great and cruel, that left the land forlorn.
To Egypt many made their way, that they might perish not
To Joseph keeper of the stores, that precious grain be bought.
Now Jacob being hungered too, to Egypt sent his sons.
But he let not his youngest go, he kept back Benjamin.
And when his brethren did appear, they recognized him not
Yet Joseph knew his brethren still, for he had not forgot.
But he did not reveal himself, his voice he did disguise.
To test his brethren's character, he branded them as spies.
“We are not spies,” they did protest. “We’re brothers, family.
Our youngest brother is at home, another is deceased.”
And Joseph feigning disbelief, to verify their tale,
He took his brother, Simeon, and locked him up in jail.
“Oh bring your youngest brother here, that I may see this youth
And then shall Simeon be freed, for I shall know the truth.”
And so with purchased grain they left. To Jacob, they returned.
But as for taking Benjamin, his heart was quite concerned.
“My son shall not go down with you, for Joseph, met his doom.
And if I now lose Benjamin, I'll die, by grief consumed.”
At last though Jacob did relent, persuaded by their plan.
“Arise and take your brother now and go unto this man.”
And so with Benjamin they went, to Egypt they did go.
And Joseph did behold his face, his brother he did know.
Unto his servant, Joseph said, “Go now prepare a feast.”
And by his word, was Simeon, from prison then released.
Now Joseph did inquire of them, about their father's life
And finding that he yet did live, he hid himself and cried.
And now at last, it came to pass, that he, by stratagem,
Did meet with them behind closed doors, revealed himself to them.
And unto Jacob they returned, “Thy son is yet alive.”
And unto Joseph he did go, his spirit was revived.
Oh do not doubt when hardships come, oh let your hearts not fail.
If you'll press on, as Joseph did, through faith you'll yet prevail.
In time, the trials you endure, with faith upon our Lord,
Shall be a blessing on your heads, a heavenly reward.