"And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brethren hearkened unto him. And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt." Genesis 37:26-28 ASV
<p>Illustration of the sale of Joseph by his brothers to the Midianites, who took Joseph to Egypt.

Joseph Sold for Twenty Pieces of Silver

"And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come,…

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household: and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbor next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old: ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at even. And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it." Exodus 12:1-8
<p>Illustration of a Hebrew family celebrating the first passover in Egypt. The family gathers at the table as one man marks the lintel of his door with blood.

Celebration of the First Passover

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the…

"And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up against Israel. And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude. And he proudly entered into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, and the table of proposition, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament that was before the temple: and he broke them all in pieces." 1 Maccabees 1:21-23 DRA
<p>Illustration of Antiochus IV in the temple in Jerusalem. Engraving by William Colley Wrankmore.

Antiochus in the Temple

"And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up…

"Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt." Matthew 2:13-14 ASV
<p>Illustration of Joseph leading a donkey carrying Mary and the baby Jesus into Egypt. The family is fleeing from King Herod. Joseph holds a staff in his hand and palm trees are depicted on the left.

The Flight into Egypt - Mary, Joseph, and Jesus Flee from King Herod

"Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise…

"Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brethren hearkened unto him. And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt." Genesis 37:27-28 ASV
Illustration of Joseph being pulled away by the Ishmaelites as his brothers collect the silver they are owed. The cistern can be seen in the foreground, with a rope coming up out of the opening. A man is in the distant background (left), possibly Reuben. Three of the brothers take part in the money exchange. Two brothers sit nearby, one holds a cloak. Several goats, including a kid, sit and stand nearby. Camels wait in the background.

Joseph's Brother Sell Him into Slavery after Pulling Him Out of the Cistern

"Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother,…

"48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left off numbering; for it was without number." Genesis 41:48-49 ASV
<p>
Illustration of Joseph riding through Egypt's streets in a chariot with a herald leading the horse and announcing him. He holds several sheaves of wheat with his left arm and is collecting more from the people. A small child is handing him more sheaves. Pharaoh and four other royals emerge from a doorway behind Joseph and Pharaoh is pointing to him. An obelisk is visible in the background.

Joseph Collects Wheat as Governor of Egypt in Preparation for the Famine

"48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up…

"Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood before him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren." Genesis 45:1 ASV
<p> Illustration of Joseph finally revealing himself to his brothers as they stand around him in awe. He leans over and hugs Benjamin. Six of the brothers kneel on the ground in front of Joseph. A seat or throne can be seen partially on the left. Through the two large open windows, a pyramid, camels, palm trees, buildings, and an obelisk are visible.

Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers and Embraces Benjamin

"Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood before him; and he cried, Cause every…

"And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive." Genesis 46:29-30
<p>Illustration of Joseph as he embraces Jacob. All of Jacob's family and people stand behind him. They are dressed as shepherds and bring sheep with them. Horses and Egyptians stand behind Joseph. Two of the Egyptians hold parasols. A pyramid can be seen in the background of the direction from which Joseph has come.

Joseph Greets His Father Jacob and His Family

"And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he presented…

"And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it." Exodus 2:3-5 ASV
<p>Illustration of Miriam, Moses' sister, kneeling over him as he lies in a basket on the edge of the river. Pharaoh's daughter approaches with four of her handmaids. Two handmaids are holding feathered fans. Pharaoh's daughter is wearing a crown.

Moses is Found by Pharaoh's Daughter as Miriam Watches

"And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime…

"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." Exodus 12:13 ASV
<p>Illustration of the angel of death passing by the door of an Israelite home. The door is marked on the top side with the smeared blood of an unblemished lamb. The angel hovers over the ground and carries a sword in his right hand. Inside the house, a family can be seen gathered around the table with the slaughtered lamb on it. They are observing the first Passover. Behind the angel, a child lies dead in the street. Two obelisks and a pyramid are in the background.

The Death Angel Passes Over an Israelite Door Marked with the Blood of a Lamb

"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I…

"And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and Jehovah overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into the sea; there remained not so much as one of them." Exodus 14:27-28 ASV
<p>Pharaoh and his armies are destroyed by the returning water of the Red Sea. Men, chariots, weapons, and horses are tossed by waves. Moses and the Israelites stand on dry land in the background. Moses has his staff raised over the waters. A single strike of lightning streaks the sky.

The Red Sea Swallows Pharaoh and His Army

"And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning…

"...behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son." Matthew 2:13-15
<p>Illustration of Joseph leading a donkey that is carrying Mary as she holds baby Jesus in her arms. They are travelling on a road made of stone and Joseph is carrying a staff. The donkey is laden with a basket and small container. The city of Bethlehem is in the background. An angel came to Joseph while he was sleeping and told him to flee from Herod who had ordered all of the infants in the area be killed.

Joseph Leads Mary and Jesus on the Road to Egypt as They Flee from King Herod

"...behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young…

"A contrivance extensively employed in Egypt and the East, generally for raising water. It consists of a long stout rod suspended on a frame at about one fifth of its length from the end. The short end is weighted so as to serve as the counterpoise of a lever, and from the long end a bucket is suspended by a rope. The shadoof is extensively used in Egypt for lifting water from the Nile for irrigation" &mdash;Whitney, 1889
<p>This illustration shows two men using a shadoof to raise water. There is a sailboat in the background.

Shadoofs, Two Men Raising Water

"A contrivance extensively employed in Egypt and the East, generally for raising water. It consists…