Till Shiloh Comes by Gilbert Morris Read Free Book Online

burden he could never look people directly in the eye. “They’ll be all right. They’ll marry and give you grandsons,” he said gruffly, trying to comfort Judah.
    Judah shook his head, then changed the subject as if it were painful. “Have you talked yet with Joseph about that coat of his?”
    â€œNot yet, but I will.”
    â€œYou have to. He’s making a show of it before all of us.”
    â€œFather said he can only wear it on special occasions.”
    â€œSpecial occasions!” Judah spat bitterly. “For him a special occasion is any occasion he wants. He’s wearing it all the time now, and you know what that coat means.”
    â€œYou mean it’s a sign that Joseph is our father’s favorite, the one to whom he may give the blessing of the firstborn?”
    â€œYes. Oh, brother, I’ve never spoken of it, but what a terrible thing it was that you had to sin with Bilhah. Why didn’t you go off and find a prostitute instead?”
    Reuben bowed his head and ground his teeth together. “I was insane,” he said. “I don’t know what came over me. It was just the one time.”
    â€œThe one time was enough. If you hadn’t done that, you would have received the blessing of the firstborn. But now it’s obvious that Father thinks only of Joseph.”
    â€œI’ll talk to him about wearing that coat.”
    â€œDo it now. There he is. Go on. Do it now!”
    Reuben turned and walked away, his back straight as he approached Joseph, who was indeed strutting around in his colorful coat. The sunlight caught it, and as beautiful as it was, Reuben thought, I wish Father had never given him such a thing. He should’ve known what Joseph would do with it . “Joseph, come here.”
    Joseph turned with surprise, and a smile crossed his face. He was actually fond of Reuben, even though he thought him slow of mind, and when he came over to him, he had to lean his head backward and look up. “What is it, my brother?”
    â€œI must speak with you about that coat.”
    â€œIt’s so beautiful! Don’t you think so, Reuben?”
    â€œYou should not wear it. Didn’t Father command you to only wear it on special occasions?”
    Joseph did not want to be reminded of this. He had decided to wear the coat every day, regardless of his father’s wishes. “What does it matter whether I wear it today or not? Father gave it to me, so I can decide when I wear it.”
    â€œI don’t care who gave it to you. Can’t you see that you’re offending all of your brothers?”
    â€œI’m offending you? Why should it offend you because I wear a beautiful coat?”
    Joseph had little difficulty beating Reuben at the game of words. Words flowed from Joseph in an endless stream without need for thought. He was intelligent and witty, and it was child’s play for him to speak circles around his big brother until Reuben could only stand there tongue-tied. “So don’t worry about it, my brother,” Joseph went on. “You are making this a bigger issue than it should be.”
    Reuben could not answer. He knew something was wrong with what Joseph was doing, but to put the matter into words was beyond him. Joseph had mastered the magic of words, whether spoken or written, and Reuben could only say in a brokenhearted tone, “Joseph … Joseph, can you not see that by wearing that coat you insult all of your brothers? I beg you to put it away before it becomes a snare. It has lifted your heart up with pride.” Without another word, Reuben turned and walked away.
    Joseph watched him go, troubled for a moment, but it was only fleeting. He finally turned away, laughing and saying to himself, “Reuben worries too much.”
    ****
    Jacob had not known at first what to make of the young woman named Tamar. She had joined his tribe when she was only twelve, an orphan with no one to care