One of the sons of Jacob had become the Vizier of the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Joseph, the Hebrew slave who had been sold into bondage by his brothers, had risen to be the first minister of the king and the favourite of his sovereign.

He had foretold the coming years of plenty and dearth; but he had done more--he had pointed out how to anticipate the famine and make it subserve the interests of despotism.

He was not a seer only, he was a skilful administrator as well.

He had taken advantage of the years of scarcity to effect a revolution in the social and political constitution of Egypt.