184 MULTIPLIED EXCEEDINGLY. 



Joseph became a great man, he obtained permission 

 to send for his father and his brethren. The clan of 

 seventy persons with their women and their slaves, 

 came across the desert by the route of the Syrian 

 caravan. The old Arab, in his coarse woollen gown, 

 and with his staff in his hand, was ushered into the 

 royal presence. He gave the king his blessing in the 

 solemn manner of the East, and after a short conver- 

 sation, was dismissed with a splendid gift of land. 

 When Jacob died, his embalmed corpse was carried up 

 to Canaan with an Egyptian escort, and buried in the 

 cave which Abraham had bought. Joseph had mar- 

 ried the daughter of a priest of Heliopolis, but his 

 two sons did not become Egyptians ; they were for- 

 mally admitted into the family by Jacob himself be- 

 fore he died. 



When Joseph also died, the connection between the 

 Israelites and the court came to an end. They led 

 the life of shepherds in the fertile pasture lands which 

 had been bestowed upon them by the king. In course 

 of time the twelve families expanded into twelve 

 tribes ; and the tribe itself became a nation. The 

 government at Memphis observed the rapid increase 

 of this people with alarm. The Israelites belonged 

 to the same race as the hated Hyskos, or shepherd 

 kings. With their long beards and flowing robes, they 

 reminded the Egyptians of the old oppressors. It was 

 argued that the Bedouins might again invade Egypt ; 

 and in that case the Israelites would take their side. 

 By way of precaution the Israelites were treated as 

 prisoners of war, disarmed, and employed on the 

 public works. And as they still continued to increase, 

 it was ordered that all their male children should be 

 killed. It was doubtless the intention of the govern- 



