The Dramatization of Bible Stories Part 4

_Several:_ Yea, yea, slay him! Destroy him! He shall dream no more such dreams!

_Simeon:_ Behold, this dreamer cometh near! Come, now, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, "Some evil beast hath devoured him," and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

_Reuben:_ Let us not kill him. Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him.

[REUBEN _goes away._]

[JOSEPH _runs up._ GAD _lays one hand roughly on his shoulder._]

_Gad:_ How comes it that thou art here? What is thy business?

_Joseph:_ My father commanded me and said, "Go, I pray thee, and see whether it be well with thy brethren and well with the flocks; and bring me word again." So he sent me out of the vale of Hebron, and I came to Shechem. And you were not there, and I came on after you and found you here. What troubleth you? Hath aught happened to the flocks?

_Simeon:_ Hear his tale! This dreamer of dreams! So he would reign over us, would he! Strip him of his coat of many colors! This favored son!

[_Brothers bind_ JOSEPH _and cast him into the pit._]

_Joseph:_ What have I done to deserve this?

[_Brothers sit down again to eat their bread._]

_Gad:_ Behold, I see a caravan!

_Simeon:_ From what country?

_Gad:_ It is a company of Ishmaelites, from Gilead, with their camels, bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going down into Egypt.

_Judah:_ What doth it profit if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.

_Several:_ So be it.

_Gad:_ Hail the caravan, and bargain with these men.

_Simeon_ [_salutes the head man of the caravan; the brothers listen attentively;_ GAD _brings_ JOSEPH _out of the pit_]: What wilt thou give us in exchange for this lad? We would sell him.

_Merchant_ [_looks_ JOSEPH _over, then consults with his men_]: Twenty pieces of silver will we give for him.

_Simeon_ [_to the brothers_]: These merchants will give us twenty pieces of silver for this dreamer.

_All:_ Sell him! Sell him!

[JOSEPH _is taken over by the merchants and they all move on. The brothers are dividing out the money._]

_Gad:_ The lad is gone with the merchants, but what excuse shall we make unto our father?

_Simeon:_ Say unto him that a wild beast hath devoured him.

Here is his coat of many colors--we will kill a goat and dip the coat in the blood! Then our father, Jacob, will grieve for his son!

_All:_ As thou sayest, so let us do!

[_Brothers move off stage, discussing the money._ REUBEN _comes back. He runs and looks in the pit. He tears his clothes when he finds that_ JOSEPH _is not there._]

_Reuben:_ The child is not, and I, whither shall I go?

SCENE II

PLACE: Egypt. In Pharaoh's palace.

CHARACTERS: Pharaoh, Joseph, Wise Men, Chief Butler, Servants.

[_Pharaoh is sitting on his throne; many wise men come in and bow down before him._]

_Pharaoh:_ Arise, O wise men of Egypt! I have sent for you this day because of a dream which troubleth me.

[_Men stand up._]

_Wise Men:_ What is thy dream, O King?

_King:_ I dreamed, and, behold, I stood by a river, and there came up out of the river seven fat cows, and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean. And the ill-favored and lean cows did eat up the seven well-favored and fat cows. Then did I awake, but the second time I slept and dreamed. And, behold, seven good ears of corn came up upon one stalk, and, behold, seven thin ears sprung up after them, and the seven thin ears devoured the seven full ears.

And I awoke again, and, behold, it was a dream. Now, is there one among you who can tell me the meaning of these dreams, for my spirit is troubled because of them?

[_The wise men in turn come out and bow before the king and say_]:

_First Wise Man:_ O my lord King, thy dream troubleth me, but I am not able to interpret it.

_Second Wise Man:_ O King, also, I cannot tell thee the meaning of thy dream.

_Third Wise Man:_ Most gracious King, I, also, am unable to interpret thy dream.

_Fourth Wise Man:_ O great Pharaoh, I regret that I am unable to help thee.

_Pharaoh_ [_angrily_]: Are ye called the wise men of Egypt, and yet are ye not able to interpret a dream?

[_The chief butler comes forward and falls before the king._]

_Butler:_ O great King, I am only thy chief butler, but I beg of thee allow me to speak.

_King:_ Speak, butler, what wouldst thou say?

_Butler:_ O King, I do remember my faults this day. When Pharaoh was wroth with his servants and put me in prison, both me and the chief baker, behold, we dreamed a dream in one night, and there was a young man, a Hebrew, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dream. And it came to pa.s.s as he interpreted unto us, for I was restored unto mine office and the baker was hanged.

_Pharaoh:_ Send for this young Hebrew; bring him into my presence. [_Servant goes out for_ JOSEPH.] Butler, who is this boy that interpreted thy dream?

_Butler:_ His name is Joseph, O King. He was brought down from Canaan by a caravan and was sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. But he displeased Potiphar, so he was thrown into prison at the time thy servants were there.

[_Enter_ JOSEPH. _He falls on his face before_ PHARAOH.]

_Pharaoh:_ I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it, and I have heard say of thee that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.