YUSUF

(JOSEPH)

PROPHET YUSUF (JOSEPH)

      As the years passed the sons of Prophet Ibrahim grew to maturity.  They were men of righteousness, who learned a great deal from their father.

      Isma'eel was the oldest who helped his father build the Ka'ba.  He also was the one who was almost sacrificed, but Allah saved him, and He made the occasion an example to stop sacrificing people.  Isma'eel was privileged to be a Prophet as chosen by Allah to carry on the teachings of Prophet Ibrahim.  He was in and around the area of Mecca. Most of the people living there became believers, and they lived a pious and moral life style.

      As to Ibrahim's other son, Ishaaq (Isaac) he also grew to be very pious and to have learned a great deal from his father.  Allah (swt) also privileged Ishaaq with the Prophethood.  Ishaaq carried on the Directives of Allah in his local area, Palestine.  The son of Ishaaq was Ya'qoob (Jacob) who was also privileged to the Prophethood after his father passed away.

      Prophet Ya'qoob (Jacob) had twelve sons one of whom was Yusuf

 (Joseph):  Yusuf experienced many events and happenings in his lifetime.

     The area of Palestine was chosen by Allah (swt) to have Prophets Ibrahim, Loot, Ishaaq, Ya'qoob, and Yusuf, among others to preach and show Allah's Way.

WHAT HAPPENED TO PROPHET YUSUF?  

      Yusuf was one of twelve boys.  He was smart, handsome, and very pleasant.  His father, Prophet Ya'qoob, loved Yusuf very much.  He paid more attention to Yusuf than any other of his children.  Yusuf was simply a person with a congenial, charming personality.

► Yusuf's brothers became jealous and envied the very close relation­ship between Yusuf and their father, since they thought Yusuf was the favorite son.  Their jealousy became intense, and they wanted to change things, so they united against him with a plan to get rid of him.

► As a young boy Yusuf had an intriguing dream.  He rushed to his father to tell him all about it.  His dream was that there were eleven stars, along with the moon and the sun, all kneeling for him.  The dream made Yusuf excited, it was vivid in his mind.  Yusuf's heart beat fast with excitement as he told his father about it.  (Surah  12:  Ayah  4-6.)

► Upon hearing Yusuf, Prophet Ya'qoob whis­pered, "Keep this dream a secret, don't mention it to your brothers otherwise they may plot against you.  Allah will give you wisdom and grace, and He will make you able to understand the events well, and to be a man of goodness."

► Prophet Ya'qoob could interpret Yusuf's dream that Yusuf was going to be chosen by the Almighty; that his eleven brothers (the stars in the dream) and his father and mother (the sun and the moon) were going to be needing Yusuf in the future; and that they would look up to him in his position of eminence.

DID HIS BROTHERS HURT HIM?

      Yusuf's brothers did not like it that Yusuf was the favored son, and they resented the care and attention their father was giving him.  Their jealousy was deep and their envy burned inside.  They wanted to get rid of him, but how!

      They talked and planned, and one of them suggested killing him!  But that was a terrible thing to do, after all he was their brother.  They discarded the idea as unacceptable.

      Then, one day, one of them said, "Let us throw him in a pit!"  The more the boys thought about it the more they liked it, since it would take Yusuf away from home without killing him.

      The boys then put forth a plan and agreed on how to approach their father.  They were to persuade Ya'qoob to allow them to take Yusuf out to the fields to play and then execute their plan.

THE BROTHERS GO TO THEIR FATHER

      It was a relaxing day with bright sunshine and a cool breeze.  Cautiously, the boys whispered to each other and headed to their father.  They pleaded per­suasively, telling Ya'qoob how enjoyable it would be to take Yusuf with them.  They wanted to go to the fields with Yusuf and share with him the joy of playing together.  They persisted so much as to make their father suspicious.  Ya'qoob suspected some foul play, yet he didn't want to deny Yusuf the fun of the occasion.  Finally Ya'qoob agreed reluctantly and cautioned them to be careful for safety's sake.

IN THE DEPTH OF THE PIT  

      Up the hills and down the valleys they roamed, the twelve of them, along with their sheep and dogs.  The brothers were nervous except for the unsuspecting Yusuf and one close brother.

► The occasion was pleasant and the trip was like a picnic.  They ran and played, chased each other, and they joked and laughed.  Yet while Yusuf was having a good time, the others were tense and nervous.  The area was far from home but not off the roadway of the caravans.

► While the boys were playing they sneakily surrounded Yusuf.  They knew there was a deep pit nearby, what is called an open well.  As the laughter and excitement intensified, and poor unsuspecting Yusuf was near the well, a brother gave Yusuf a push, a sharp push toward the well.

► Yusuf fell in the well screaming and terrified.  He was frightened and very  scared as he crouched in the dark bottom of the pit.

► Yusuf screamed in pain, fear and agony.  He was hurting all over and feeling faint.  There was no food nor water, since the well was dry.  Yusuf smelled the musty area due to the mildew, and the well was dark and scary.

► Despite Yusuf's screams he heard nothing from above and started to feel very lonesome, all he could hear was the echo of his voice.  He felt betrayed, tricked, and cheated. (Surah  12:  Ayah  11-18.)

THE ELEVEN BOYS RETURNED

      By now the eleven boys felt very guilty, not only for having lied to their father to let him trust Yusuf in their care, but also for having betrayed Yusuf in such a manner.  Besides, now they have to lie about Yusuf to their father again.  Only one of the eleven boys was close to Yusuf, he was his brother from the same mother.

      Feeling vary bad, the boys walked back hesitatingly, each reflecting on the terrible thing he did.  Upon reaching their home they entered as a group with each wearing a mask of guilt on his face.

      They put on an act, crying and sobbing and swearing that Yusuf was eaten by wolves, and somehow what was left of him was only his shirt splattered with blood.

      "Oh look father, how terrible it was!  We didn't play with him all the time, and he was far away from us for a while.  When we went to look for him we saw nothing of him except his bloody shirt.  Oh how bad we feel!  Oh how terrible!" They tried to present their lies the best they could, shedding crocodile tears, but their father was too smart to believe them.

      It was easy for Prophet Ya'qoob to sense their deception.  He instinctively knew they plotted something evil against Yusuf.  He told them he did not believe them and would rather patiently wait until the family becomes united by Allah's Will.

        Ya'qoob became morose, very sad, and cried a lot for his lost son.  He was very distressed and in anguish, his eyesight began to fail, then he became blind. (Surah  12:  Ayah  7-20.)

WHAT HAPPENED TO YUSUF THEN?  

      Being vigorous and youthful, Yusuf tried many times to climb out of the well but to no avail.  Finally, rather than giving up, he sat in the well asking for Allah's help.  He prayed and prayed with great feeling and after a while he heard dogs barking in the distance.  This was followed by approaching footsteps of a caravan, and Yusuf's heart pounded in excitement as he prayed that the caravan would come to his aid.

      Someone shouted that water was needed and another man rushed to the well to get some.  The man lowered his bucket into the well expecting to hear the splash of water, but instead Yusuf clung to it with all of his strength.  The man above thought it strange the bucket was so heavy, and yet there was no splash of water.  He pulled hard at the bucket, with Yusuf holding on to it and going up and up.  What a relief!

      Finally, Yusuf was above ground; the man who pulled him up had the startle of his life! Yusuf was happy that he was saved, and he informed the man of the circumstances, gratefully thanking Allah and the man for saving him. (Surah  12:  Ayah  7-20.)

WHAT DID THEY DO TO YUSUF THEN?

      Yusuf and the man returned to the caravan surprising everyone.  Yusuf was taken with them to far away Egypt.  The caravan moved slowly crossing the hot desert, and the rugged terrain of the mountains.

       Upon arriving in Egypt Yusuf was sold as a slave.  Yusuf now away from his family and the love of his father, was sold as a slave to be in the house of an affluent dignitary, to be of service to him and his family.  He was to help in the house with the chores. (Surah  12:  Ayah  21.)

YUSUF ENTICED  

      Yusuf was a handsome, attractive young man.  He was charming and irresistible to many.  Yusuf was a good man whom Allah (swt) elevated and honored through His love, grace, and protec­tion.

      As time passed, Yusuf found himself liked by everybody.  The lady of the house fell in love with Yusuf, and she could hardly shake him out of her mind.  Her love for him grew as time passed, yet Yusuf did not have any feelings for her or any other woman.  He kept remembering how far away he was from home while fulfilling his duty of helping in the master's house.

      One day, while the master was away, Yusuf and the master's wife were alone in the house.  The master's wife approach­ed Yusuf, wanting to be very close to him.  Being a decent man, Yusuf did not want to have anything to do with her.  She tried to seduce him, but Yusuf was a faithful man and he simply refused.

      With insistence she chased after him.  His heart beating fast, Yusuf ran toward the door to escape.  She tried to grab him but could only get hold of the back of his shirt, tearing it.

      Precisely at that moment, and unexpectedly, the door was opened by the entering master.  The husband was shocked beyond compare to see his wife chasing Yusuf.  His face grew red with anger, he was livid, and as mad as could be.  He suspected his wife had evil intentions toward Yusuf.

WHAT DID THE MASTER DO?

      The master's wife was embarrassed to no end.  She said, lying to her husband, "What would you do for someone who wanted to do evil things to your wife?" She was quick to put on an act, trying to put the blame on Yusuf instead.

      Yusuf was most surprised by the accusation and defended himself vigorously saying, "What she said is not true, on the contrary, she wanted me badly for herself."

       Still fuming with anger the master wanted to find the truth.  A friend of his suggested to look at Yusuf's torn shirt; if it was torn at the back then she was lying and she was the one to blame.  When they looked at the shirt, sure enough Yusuf was found to be innocent, since the shirt was torn at the back. (Surah  12:  Ayah  23-29.)

      The incident made people gossip about the woman's integrity, and how she was madly in love with her slave, Yusuf.  The whole town kept talking, they said many bad things.  Yusuf kept to himself asking only Allah to protect him.

THE PARTY  

      Because the master's wife became the focus of gossip, she devised a special plan.  She wanted to show the women how hard it was to resist Yusuf's charm.

     She gave a party in which the women were invited.  They were talking, enjoying themselves, and having a good time.

      After their meal the dessert was served.  The master's wife handed a sharp knife and a bowl of fruits to each guest.  The ladies were peeling the fruits with the knives while busily engaged in conversation.

      At that very moment the master's wife asked Yusuf to enter the room.  The door squeaked, and as Yusuf entered, a sudden silence fell upon the room.  As Yusuf stood by the door the ladies looked at him with mouths gaping open and hearts violently beating, such were Yusuf's charm and attractive looks.  They had never seen such a captivating man before.  Being so taken, they forgot about the sharp knives in their hands.

      Each lady then felt blood dripping from her hand after unknowingly cutting herself. "Oh, dear!" each exclaimed, "See what we have done to ourselves!"  They were so preoccupied with Yusuf's charm that they cut themselves unknowingly!

      From a corner in the room came the loud laugh of the master's wife.  She reminded them, "Didn't I say to you he is so irresistible, so charming, so captivating?  How can anyone blame me?"

        The ladies adored Yusuf and understood the problem the master's wife faced. (Surah  12:  Ayah  31-32.)

WHAT THEN?

      Yusuf found himself in a precarious position—being chased by women.  He, as a righteous man, did not want to have anything to do with their evil thoughts.  Yet they loved him, and they were after him, and it was quite a predicament.

      As time passed, and as the problem intensified, Yusuf prayed to Allah to have the protection of being in jail.  (Surah  12:  Ayah  33.)  That he be away from the ladies—relatively safe for his chastity.  Yusuf was the victim of his own charm!

      See how good a man Yusuf was, and how he wanted Allah's protection and help?!  He even wanted to be in jail rather than commit adul­tery!

WAS YUSUF IMPRISONED?  

        The masters of the town, seeing their wives enraptured with Yusuf, didn't like the situation so Yusuf was put in jail without committing any crime.

► Yusuf remained in the prison for several years where he made many friends, and began to teach about Allah and Allah's Directives.  He tried to educate the prisone­rs to be righteous although life was hard in prison with many criminals.

► The jail was filthy, dark, and with hardly any windows.  Many prisoners were there because they did bad things, and many had bad habits, used foul language, and were of bad manners.  They lied, cheated, and did evil things, and it was within this medium that Yusuf found himself.  He was the good man, the decent man, the noble man.

► One day, while eating breakfast, two prisoners approached Yusuf asking him to interpret their odd dreams.  Because they heard Yusuf preach and liked what he said, they held him in high respect—they knew he was different from others.

      The first prisoner asked, "I saw in a dream that I was pressing wine."

     The second prisoner said, "And I saw in my dream that on my head was a basket of bread, and the birds were eating from it."

► Yusuf asked them to wait until lunch and he would tell them what their dreams meant.  During this time Yusuf knew they would become anxious and listen more attentively.  Noontime approached and the two prisoners rushed to Yusuf.  Yusuf then said, "The one who was pressing wine will be released from prison and he will serve wine to his master.  But as to the other, he will be taken out of prison to be hanged for the crime he did."

► In return for his favor, Yusuf requested the first person to mention him to the master when released.  Yusuf had the hope that maybe, he too, could be released from prison.

► Not too long after that, the two prisoners were released.  The first one went to the service of his master in Pharaoh's court, while the other was hanged, just as Yusuf interpreted their dreams.  (Surah  12:  Ayah  36-42.)

WAS YUSUF RELEASED?

      The ex-prisoner in Pharaoh's court forgot about Yusuf for some time.  He was busy with his new life and happy to be out of jail.  Yusuf, however, remained in jail and continued preaching Allah's Directives.

      One day, the King of Egypt had a strange dream.  He dreamt that seven fat cows were being eaten by seven others, which were thin and emaciated.  He also dreamt there were seven ears of corn, green and lush, along with seven others, thin and shriveled.

      Being curious, the king wanted an interpretation.  Priests, magicians, and wise men were puzzled and could not explain the meaning of the dream.  Many said it was a frivolous dream, a passing dream, having no meaning.

      It was at this moment that the ex-pris­oner remembered Yusuf.  Right away he said, "I know of the very man you need.  He is knowledgeable and had accurately interpreted my dream.  The man was different from all others.  He is an exceptional person."

      Upon hearing this the King became curious, and he ordered his servant to look for Yusuf. (Surah  12:  Ayah  43-49.)

FROM PRISON TO FREEDOM  

      The King's servant ran to the prison, not sure if Yusuf would be there.  The prison was as dark as could be, smelly and dirty.  He searched for Yusuf but couldn't find him.  He became desperate, worrying that he may not find Yusuf, or that Yusuf may not remember him, or Yusuf may be angry with him.

      Finally, luck was with him and he found Yusuf.  Yusuf was older by now and more dignified looking.  He rushed to Yusuf apologizing for having forgotten to have mentioned him to the King.  Then the man asked Yusuf for an interpretation of the King's dream.

      Yusuf was silent for a while before answering.  He then replied, "There will be seven years of rich harvest in the country.  It is better to store as much of the harvest as possible, since afterwards there will be seven years of famine.  The King will desperately need what he saved."

      The ex-prisoner thanked and left Yusuf, ran to the King's courtroom, and told them what Yusuf had said.  Everyone was quite impressed, especial­ly the King.

THE KING RELEASES HIM

      The King immediately ordered releasing Yusuf from jail and to bring him to his court.  The guards obeyed the order and brought Yusuf to the King—at last Yusuf was free!

      Yusuf and the King discussed various subjects and the King was extremely impressed by Yusuf's personal­ity and intelligence.  Yusuf was not content by being released however, he wanted to clear his name of any crime.  He told the king about his innocence and why he was placed in jail.

      The King decided to have a trial, and all women who previously gave trouble to Yusuf were brought to the court.  They all confessed to the innocence of Yusuf and his name was cleared to his satisfaction.

       That was not all.  The King appointed Yusuf to an eminent position in the government; Yusuf became the executive of the store-houses in Egypt for the whole country! (Surah  12:  Ayah  43-57.)

THE FAT AND LEAN YEARS

      As years passed, good weather produced bumper crops.  The harvest was so abundant that the store-houses were completely full.  Of course, being brilliant, Yusuf managed the job very well, and people had the highest respect for him.  The seven rich years saw abundance of harvest.

      Then came the time of lean years.  There was a severe drought and very little grew on the land.  The people found themselves facing a famine.  Thanks to Yusuf, the store-houses were full with grain, which was used to help the people.  Seven years of hardship were endured; the people suffered from very hard times.

BACK IN PALESTINE AND YA'QOOB  

      Ya'qoob, Yusuf's father, was still very sad as he missed Yusuf very much, though was assured by Allah that he would see Yusuf again.  But the years passed and there were no words about the whereabouts of Yusuf.  And although Yusuf's brothers aged they never forgot the criminal act they did to Yusuf and the unhappiness they brought to the family.  They had a simmering guilt gnawing in their hearts.

      Palestine suffered from the famine just as much as Egypt, and there seemed to be little food available.  The people suffered, and Ya'qoob's family was no exception.  They heard that Egypt had huge store-houses with food and grain and the food was sold at very reasonable prices.

      Ya'qoob's sons prepared a caravan, and after saying goodbye to their father they headed toward Egypt to buy grain and food.

FACE TO FACE WITH YUSUF

      From among the multitude buying grain Yusuf recognized his brothers and their caravan right away, and his heart beat violently.  When the brothers approached Yusuf he did not tell them who he was, and they did not recognize him.

      Yusuf was very nice to them; he sold the grain at a low price, and chatted with them for a while.  They were very pleased for the good treatment received from Yusuf, it was exceptionally nice, they thought.  As they were leaving, Yusuf requested, "If you come back, bring with you a half-brother of yours."  He then said, "If you don't bring him, I'll see to it that we will not sell you anymore in the future."

BACK TO THEIR FATHER, YA'QOOB  

      Yusuf's brothers headed back to Palestine with the grain loaded on camels.  They continually talked about Egypt, and how friendly the executive of the store-houses was.  The caravan trudged slowly forward across the desert, and they felt weary when they arrived home.

      They talked en­thusiastically about Egypt, especially about the executive running the store-houses, and the excellent deal he made with them.  They also mentioned his demand to see their half-brother.

      Upon hearing the request Ya'qoob became tense.  He immediately responded, "I don't want to have the same thing happen to this young man; Yusuf's memory is still fresh in mind".

      When they opened the grain sacs they were taken aback—they found their money in the sacs.  They thought the executive was absolutely grand.  This made them insist that their youngest brother go with them if ever they returned to Egypt to buy more grain.  They kept assuring Ya'qoob that it would be very safe.  The brothers even gave their sacred oath to bring back the young one.

      When it was time for them to return to Egypt again, their father hesitatingly agreed before letting the youngest go.  Ya'qoob was quite worried, and rightfully so, since he couldn't trust them due to what happened to Yusuf years earlier. (Surah  12:  Ayah  58-68.)

THEIR SECOND TRIP  

      It took many weeks for them to reach Egypt, and after arriving the brothers went directly to the main store-houses.  Yusuf, of course, knew who they were and he greeted them warmly.  He chatted with them and asked them to rest.  As there was some hustle and bustle, Yusuf took aside his younger brother and told him that he was Yusuf, the one thrown into the well.  So taken by surprise, his brother jumped with excitement, he could hardly believe his ears!

     Yusuf then shared with him his plan to expose the brothers' deceit and asked him not to tell.

  When the grain was being put in the sacs, by previous arran­gement the workers put the King's sliver cup in the sac.  The drinking cup of the King was made of silver.  The cup was held in high esteem, and because of this, it was specifically put in the sac belonging to Yusuf's younger brother.

      Just as the caravan was ready to leave someone by Yusuf's side shouted, "Hey people, the King's drinking cup is missing!" Everyone was caught by surprise.  Yusuf's brothers then said, "We are not thieves, and we came here to do no evil.  He whom you find to have stolen the King's cup should be punished.  He may be your servant, if you so wish."

      Everyone agreed with this proposal and they started to look for the King's cup.  They looked through a few sacs but could not find it.  When they came to the sac belonging to the youngest brother, they found the cup right inside.

      Confusion followed.  The brothers tried to convince Yusuf not to keep the boy, but Yusuf absolutely refused.  The brothers became very upset, and to such an extent that their oldest decided not to return home, not able to face father Ya'qoob with the bad news.  He simply could not face him with this heartbreaking problem.  The brothers vividly remembered their evil work of pushing Yusuf into the well, and the grief that followed. (Surah  12:  Ayah  69-79)

BACK TO YA'QOOB  

      The caravan again returned to Palestine, but only nine of the eleven boys were there (the youngest had to be kept with Yusuf, the oldest was too embarrassed to return).  They broke the bad news to their father, yet Ya'qoob did not become very upset.  He knew his son well, that he wouldn't steal.  He rightfully suspected a plot, and that something big was to happen soon.  Prophet Ya'qoob grieved but never despaired, and he relied on Allah (swt) for patience and mercy.

      Time passed and the family was in need of food again.  They had to travel to Egypt for a third time.  The nine boys were preparing for the trip, but before leaving Prophet Ya'qoob said, "Keep looking for Yusuf and his brother, and despair not of Allah's mercy."

FOR THE THIRD TIME IN EGYPT  

      This time the brothers had very little money as life had been hard.  They felt bad since their oldest and youngest brothers along with Yusuf were missing.

      At the store-houses in Egypt they asked if they could be helped.  They asked the kind executive Yusuf if he could be generous with them.  They explained they had little money and their days had been hard.  The brothers looked pathetic, wearing tattered clothes and appearing psychologically as well as physically low.

      Yusuf had a tender and loving heart, he felt sorry for his brothers and asked them to sit with him.  Yusuf then broke the news of who he was, and a look of incredible surprise showed on the brothers, with their eyes wide open and mouths gaping.  They had a sinking feeling inside, they knew well what they had done to him years earlier.  What a dirty trick it was, and how generously he is treating them now.

      The brothers asked him to forgive them, and Yusuf in return asked the Almighty to forgive them.  His heart was heavy with sadness, because of what he heard about father's condition; Yusuf became even more anxious to see his father now and live together.  He asked his brothers to take his shirt to their father, stating it will help their father see again.

THE SHIRT  

      The brothers felt very happy, now that Yusuf is alive, has held such an eminent position, had forgiven them, and that all twelve brothers were together again.  The caravan was loaded with grain, and they were anxious to arrive at home.  They wanted to rush to their father, Prophet Ya'qoob, to give him the joyous news that Yusuf was alive and well.

      The caravan traveled fast as the brothers sang Allah's praise.  Finally, they saw their home on the horizon.

      Prophet Ya'qoob sensed something, something sweet.  He noticed the sweet scent of Yusuf and the special happy spirit of his sons.

      The men entered their home excitedly and placed the shirt of Yusuf on Prophet Ya'qoob's face.  Lo and behold, his eyesight came back, Ya'qoob could see again!!  What a delight and how marvelous!  Grateful to Allah, Ya'qoob took a deep sigh of relief and fell in prayer.

    The boys told him all about Yusuf, the hard times he went through, and how Allah had elevated him to distinction and eminence.  They asked their father to forgive them, they were deeply sorry for all the trouble they caused.  The Prophet forgave them and asked Allah to help them all. (Surah  12:  Ayah  80-93.)

IN EGYPT, AT LAST ALL WERE UNITED

      The family decided to move to Egypt to live with Yusuf.  Yusuf's mother was the sister of Ya'qoob's first wife, and she married Ya'qoob after her sister died.

      In Egypt, Yusuf was good to his family, as he did everything possible to make them comfortable and happy.

      Yusuf was an elevated one, a Prophet of Allah, and he preached the religion of Allah constantly.  He called for the people to be righteous, be they in prison or free.  He had full faith in the Almighty and he carried His message well and faithfully.

      Yusuf lived the rest of his life in Egypt and he performed all his preaching in Egypt.  He was a man with a compassionate heart and loved to see people do well and live decently.

 QUESTIONS   

1. Who is the father of Yusuf?

2. Describe Yusuf's dream.

3. Why did Yusuf's father ask Yusuf to keep the dream a secret?

4. What did the brothers of Yusuf do to Yusuf and why?

5. How was Yusuf saved from the dry well?

6. How did Yusuf's father feel about Yusuf as the boys lied to him?

7. What happened to Yusuf once he was rescued from the well?

8. Who tried to seduce Yusuf?

9. What happened between the wife of the master and Yusuf?

10. In what condition did the master discover his wife and Yusuf?

11. Was Yusuf or the master's wife guilty?

12. What did the master's wife do when she invited other ladies to her party?

13. Explain what the ladies did in the party when they saw Yusuf?

14. Why did Yusuf ask Allah to safeguard him in the prison?

15. While in the prison did Yusuf preach about Allah and His Directives?

16. Describe the story of the two prisoners' dreams?

17. Was Yusuf's interpretation of the prisoners dreams correct?

18. What was the King's dream?

19. Who interpreted the King's dream accurately?

20. What does it mean that seven lean cows were eating seven fat ones?

21. The King released Yusuf from prison, but Yusuf wanted to have his name cleared.  How was that done?

22. What position was Yusuf given in Egypt?

23. Because of the famine, who came from Palestine to Egypt to buy grain?

24. Did Yusuf's brothers recognize Yusuf?

25. When they went back the brothers found their money inside the sacks. Why was that  and what for?

26. With the second trip to Egypt Yusuf's younger brother was to be with them.  Who insisted on that?

27. Did the younger brother stay with Yusuf, and how was that done?

28. The oldest brother of Yusuf was too ashamed to return to Palestine.  Why?

29. With the third trip to Egypt Yusuf revealed his identity to his brothers.  What did the brothers ask of him first and foremost?

30. Explain the significance of Yusuf's shirt.

31. Who became blind due to grief about Yusuf?

32. Whose blindness disappeared once the shirt was laid on him?

33. Did the family finally get together, and did Yusuf's dream become realized?

HIGHLIGHTS OF YUSUF