Activity
Act out the story of Joseph in Egypt. Here is a sample of the script we used (click the picture below to see our video)
Israel: Boys, I need you to go into Egypt and go get food for our family. We are all starving! I’ll keep Benjamin here, because I don’t want him to die, like your brother Joseph did.
Sons: Okay, Dad!
In Egypt…
Joseph: Here is your food for your family. (Gives a bundle of food to townsperson). Next!
Joseph’s brothers step up and bow
Joseph: (Looks surprised) (Talks in a deep voice) Whence come ye?
Judah: From the land of Canaan to buy food
Joseph: You are spies to see how bad the famine is here!
Ruben: Nay my lord, but we are here to buy food. We are all brothers. We are servants not spies.
Joseph: No, you are spies to see how naked the land is!
Simeon: No! We are all brothers. Our youngest brother stayed home with our dad, and another one of our brother’s died.
Joseph: I still think you are spies, and if you want to prove that you are not spies, send one of you to go get your youngest brother and bring him here. For now, all of you will be in prison!
3 Days Later
Joseph: Okay. I’ll make a deal. One of you stay here, and the rest of you can go take food to your families. If you want your brother back, prove you are not spies by bringing me your youngest brother.
Simeon: I feel guilty for what we did to Joseph. We saw how sad and scared he was, when we sold him, and we ignored him.
Ruben: I told you not to do that, and you didn’t listen. Now we are being punished!
Joseph: (turn and cry)(Take their money, and then fill their bags and put the money back in) (Put Simeon in jail)
When They Arrive Home…
Rueben: What?! My money is still in my bag!
Judah: Mine too! What is that God has done to us?
Israel and Benjamin Enter
Rueben: Dad, the man who is lord of the land thought that we were spies. We told him that we weren’t, but he wouldn’t listen.
Judah: We told him that we were brothers, and that our youngest brother stayed home.
Ruben: So, he took Simeon and said that he will keep him until we prove that we are not spies, by bringing Benjamin to see him.
Israel: First Joseph died, now Simeon is in prison, and now, you want to take away Benjamin? My heart can’t take it. No!
Rueben: Let me take Benjamin, if I don’t bring him back to you, you could take my two oldest sons.
Israel: No! My son shall not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he is the only son left from my Rachel. If anything happens to him, I will just die!
A While Later…
Israel: All the food we had is gone. You need to go back to Egypt to buy more food.
Judah: That man said that we cannot have any more food, unless we bring Benjamin with us.
Israel: Why did you tell him that you had another brother?
Judah: He asked us about our families. He asked us if our father was well, and if we had any other brothers.
Ruben How were we supposed to know he would ask to see him?
Judah: Please let us take Benjamin, or we will all die. Let me take him, and I will be responsible for whatever happens to him.
Israel: Okay. Take all your best fruits with you as a little present, so that he will not take any more of my sons.
When they got to Egypt…
Joseph: (looks happy to see Benjamin) Bring these men to my house. They will eat lunch with me.
Rueben: Uh, Sir. We are very sorry, but when we got home last time, we found all our money in our sacks of food. Tell your master to forgive us. We brought enough money to pay for the food we are getting today and for the food we got last time.
Servant: Peace be unto you. God put that money in your sacks. Here is your brother. (Release Simeon)
At Lunch
Joseph: How are you today?
Brothers: Good.
Joseph: How is your father?
Ruben: He is in good health.
Joseph: Is this your younger brother that you told me about?
Judah: Yes. It is.
Joseph: (Leaves the room, cries, and washes his face)
Servant: (Brings out food. Benjamin gets a huge plate)
Joseph: (To Servant) fill these people’s bags with food and put the youngest’s cup in his bag.
Joseph’s brothers take bags and leave.
Joseph: (to servant) Go catch up to them and tell them that someone took a cup from the table, and you need to check their bags.
Servant: (to Joseph’s brothers) Whomever has the cup will be put to death. Open your bags. (Checks each bag and pulls it out of Benjamin’s.
Back at Joseph’s house…
Judah: You cannot harm my father’s son. It will kill him if he loses another son.
Joseph: I won’t kill him. I’ll just make him my servant. You can go back home now.
Judah: You don’t understand. Benjamin’s brother is dead, and his mother is dead. He is the only one that our father has left from his mother. If he gets taken away, then our father would die of sadness. Take me instead.
Joseph: All servants leave. (Joseph takes off disguise) I am Joseph. Is Dad still alive?
Brothers: Look surprised
Joseph: I am Joseph. The brother you sold into Egypt. Don’t be angry with yourselves. I forgive you. I can see that Heavenly Father made this all happen so that I could be here to get food for our family, during this famine. Go home and get all your families and come live closer in the town of Goshen. I will take care of you.
Brothers hug each other
Back in Canaan
Rueben: Dad! Joseph is alive. He is the governor over all of Egypt.
Israel: I don’t believe it.
Judah: Look at the wagon he sent for you, Dad!
Israel: Joseph my son is yet alive! I will go see him before I die!
Discussion
Discuss how forgiveness blessed Joseph’s family, and how it can bless your family.
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