But then, Pharaoh’s cupbearer and his baker, who were in prison with Joseph, had strange dreams. Joseph had a gift for interpreting dreams, so he offered to interpret theirs. Joseph had good news and bad news. The cupbearer’s dream meant that he would be freed from prison and work for the Pharaoh again. But the baker? His dream of birds pecking at his head meant that he would be beheaded.

Both dreams came true, but the servant who got his job back didn’t remember to mention Joseph and his gift to the Pharaoh. So Joseph spent two more years in prison.

Then Pharaoh started having disturbing dreams. His servant remembered that Joseph could interpret dreams, and he told the Pharaoh about this. Joseph was brought out of prison to listen to the Pharaoh describe his dreams. In the first dream, seven sickly cows ate up seven fat and healthy cows. In the second dream, seven thin ears of corn swallowed up seven fat ears.

Joseph knew the meaning of these dreams right away, and he explained them to the Pharaoh. Egypt would enjoy seven years of prosperity and good crops. But these seven years of plenty would be followed by seven years when the crops failed and there would be no food for the people. Joseph told the Pharaoh that it was important to manage the country’s resources. During the seven prosperous years, they needed to store the extra food for the seven years when the crops would fail.

The Pharaoh was so impressed by Joseph that he put Joseph in charge of Egypt’s food. When the seven good years came, Joseph made certain that the country stored the extra for the hard years. Then the hard years came—the years of famine, when there was not enough food from the crops and the livestock. But Joseph’s plan had worked, and there was enough food stored up for everyone.

There was famine in the Promised Land of Canaan, too, where Joseph’s family still lived. Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt, so he sent all his sons there to get food for them. But he did not send his youngest son, Benjamin, who was Joseph’s younger brother.

When the sons of Jacob arrived in Egypt, Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him. Joseph noticed that his younger brother, Benjamin, was not with them. Joseph longed to see his younger brother after so many years! So he accused the brothers of being spies. They protested and told him they only came to buy food for their starving families. They described their large family to him, including their youngest brother, Benjamin, who had stayed at home.

Joseph made a deal with them. He would sell them the grain, but to prove they were not spies, they must leave one brother in Egypt, as a prisoner. Then they would return home and bring to him this younger brother they had spoken of, to prove that their story was true. Only when Joseph saw Benjamin would he free the brother who was in prison.

Reuben, the oldest, spoke to his brothers in their own language. He said that this seemed unfair, but it was what they deserved for selling Joseph years ago and causing such grief for their father, Jacob. Joseph understood every word. He heard Reuben admit his guilt. After all these years, Joseph knew that his brothers were sorry for how they had treated him. Joseph had to leave them for a few moments to cry in private.

Simeon agreed to stay in Egypt until the rest returned. They did, this time with Benjamin. They purchased grain, Simeon was released, and Joseph saw his younger brother. But still, Joseph did not tell them that he was their brother. He still wasn’t sure that his brothers had changed. He arranged another test for them. He gave his own silver cup to a servant and told the servant to hide the cup in one of Benjamin’s sacks of food.

After they had gone a little way toward home, the brothers were stopped by Egyptian officials. Someone, they said, had stolen Joseph’s silver cup. The brothers denied it, and they said that if they found the cup in any of their sacks, that person who owned the sack would die. The sacks were searched. They sifted through grain, and in Benjamin’s sack they found the silver cup.

Brokenhearted, the brothers returned to Joseph. Benjamin would not be killed, he said, but would remain in Egypt as his slave. The rest could go. Judah stepped forward. He told Joseph their family story, and how important Benjamin was to Jacob. If they returned to Canaan without him, Jacob would surely die. And so, Judah said, he would take his place. He could not bear to see his father suffer so.

Judah’s offer to take his little brother’s place showed Joseph that his brothers had learned compassion.

“I am your brother Joseph,” he said to them, “whom you sold into Egypt.”

The brothers were astonished and overjoyed. But they were also afraid. What would Joseph do to them? Here is what Joseph said to them:

“But now do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you. . . . So it was not really you but God who had me come here; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh.”

We know this from our lives, don’t we? Good changes have come out of moments that we thought at the time were nothing but bad. And they probably were bad. But God can use them to help us come closer to him, if we have an open heart, and if we trust God to care for us.

To read the whole story in the Bible, go to Genesis 37—50.

Think Quietly: What good did God bring out of Joseph’s suffering? What good does God bring out of Jesus’ suffering?

Pray Together: Lord of all, you are more powerful than any darkness. Help us find ways to bring good out of hard times.