When Reuben came back, the camels had passed on their way down to Egypt carrying Joseph with them. The pit was empty, Jacob's darling boy was gone! And when the cruel sons brought the coat of many colours, all stained with the blood of a kid, Jacob felt sure some evil beast had killed Joseph, and that he should go down to the grave mourning for him. Do you think those brothers ever had a truly happy moment for years and years? We read afterwards how they said one to another in Egypt, when God brought their sin to their remembrance: "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear." And how Reuben had answered them, "Did I not speak to you saying, 'Do not sin against the child,' and ye would not hear?" So the Midianites and their camels came down to Egypt, and Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and Captain of the Guard. It would take too long to tell you here, and you can read it for yourselves in the beautiful account of it in Genesis, chapter xxxix, how God took care of Joseph in every way. How he was raised to favour in his master's house; how he was falsely accused and cast into prison; how again after being put in fetters and irons (as we read in Psalm cv. 18), he was brought into the favour of the keeper of the prison; how he listened to the prisoners' dreams, and told them the meaning of them; how, in consequence of the interpretation of these dreams coming true, he was taken before Pharaoh to explain to the great king his dream; and how God gave Joseph an insight into the future that made him know that there would be seven years of plenty, and then seven years of famine; and how he advised Pharaoh to lay up a store of corn for the scarcity that was coming. [Illustration: He was taken before Pharaoh to explain to the great King his dream.] Pharaoh was so pleased with Joseph, and found his advice so good, that he raised him to great honour. He put his own ring on Joseph's hand and dressed him in beautiful clothes, and gave him a chariot to ride in, and made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. What Joseph had predicted surely came to pass; and when the scarcity came, all the nations around came to buy Pharaoh's corn, which Joseph had so carefully stored up; so that Pharaoh became very rich. Why do you suppose all this happened to Joseph? It was because God loved Joseph; he had been His faithful servant all his life. Because He had purposes of mercy not only to the brothers who had been so cruel, but to the world, in which a dreadful famine was coming; and also to the sorrowing father, who had lost the light of his eyes when Joseph was taken from him! Ah! If we only look out for God's ways, and ponder over them, we shall understand more of "the loving-kindness of the Lord."