Joseph, Son of JacobJoseph, Son of Jacob
Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob and the first son of Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel, is the biblical hero in the drama of Genesis 37-50. Joseph's favored status and his coat of many colors, a gift from his father, caused his brothers to be jealous, and they staged his accidental "death." Joseph was actually taken to Khemet (Egypt), where his ability to interpret dreams brought him into favor with the pharaoh. Joseph became a high Khemet (Egyptian) official. When, during a famine, his unsuspecting brothers sought grain in Khemet (Egypt), the forgiving Joseph whom his brothers did not at first recognizeÑarranged a family reunion. Thus the whole family of Jacob moved to Khemet (Egypt) and lived there until the Exodus.
2002 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia
(Gen 37 RSV) Jacob (pictured left) dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. {2} This is the history of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad with the sons of
Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought an ill report of them to their father. {3} Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. {4} But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. {5} Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more. {6} He said to them, "Hear this dream which I have dreamed: {7} behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose and stood upright; and behold, your sheaves gathered round it, and bowed down to my sheaf." {8} His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to have dominion over us?" So they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words. {9} Then he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me." {10} But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?" {11} And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. {12} Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. {13} And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am." {14} So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers, and with the flock; and bring me word again." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. {15} And a man found him wandering in the fields; and the man asked him, "What are you seeking?" {16} "I am seeking my brothers," he said, "tell me, I pray you, where they are pasturing the flock." {17} And the man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. {18} They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. {19} They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer. {20} Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams." {21} But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life." {22} And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him" -- that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. {23} So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; {24} and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it. {25} Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. {26} Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? {27} Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers heeded him. {28} Then Midianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt. {29} When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes {30} and returned to his brothers, and said, "The lad is gone; and I, where shall I go?" {31} Then they took Joseph's robe, and killed a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood; {32} and they sent the long robe with sleeves and brought it to their father, and said, "This we have found; see now whether it is your son's robe or not." {33} And he recognized it, and said, "It is my son's robe; a wild beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces." {34} Then Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. {35} All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him. {36} Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in
Khemet (Egypt) to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
(Gen 39 RSV) Now Joseph was taken down to Khemet (Egypt), and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an
Khemetan (Egyptian), bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. {2} The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian, {3} and his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. {4} So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. {5} From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the
Khemetan's (Egyptian's) house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had, in house and field. {6} So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge; and having him he had no concern for anything but the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. {7} And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, "Lie with me." {8} But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Lo, having me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand; {9} he is not greater in this house than I am; nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" {10} And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie with her or to be with her. {11} But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, {12} she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and got out of the house. {13} And when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had fled out of the house, {14} she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice; {15} and when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled and got out of the house." {16} Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, {17} and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me; {18} but as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled out of the house." {19} When his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled. {20} And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. {21} But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. {22} And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's care all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatever was done there, he was the doer of it; {23} the keeper of the prison paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph's care, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.
Jacob's twelve sons by his five wives:
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Joseph
Benjamin
Sons of Jacob and Rachel |
Naphtali
Manessah
Son of Jacob Bihah Son of Jacob & Asenath |
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Simeon
Levi
Son of Jacob & Leah Son of Jacob & Silpah |
Zebulon
Issachar
Sons of Jacob & Leah |
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Judah
Reuben
Sons of Jacob and Leah |
Gad
Asher
Son of Jacob & Zilpah Son of Jacob & Leah |
Joseph, Son of Jacob
The Rev. Robert C. Wisnewski, Jr.
What would it be like to be the 11th, but most favorite and tremendously gifted, son of the man whose name the entire nation of Israel took its name? What would it be like to have such a place of favor and prominence? What would it be like to be the 10 elder brothers of this most favorite son? What would it be like to be part of this family from whom all the tribes of Israel descend, a family of great coherence, yet a family also of struggle and conflict? And what, in your mind, does God hope to accomplish through this family, through this favored and gifted son of Jacob called Joseph? What is the lesson God intends for all of humanity through this man Joseph? Listen to the story again this night and seek to learn something new about its purpose and your purpose here in God's creation. Remember that Holy Scripture is not just history, not just the telling of how God and his people have related to each other; Holy Scripture also contains for us all things necessary for life and salvation. This story speaks of God's action then and God's action now as well. Listen to the story and allow God to form in you a new learning.
The story of Joseph takes virtually all of the last 14 chapters of Genesis to tell. Perhaps next to Jesus, the Bible spends more time telling Joseph's story than that of any other figure. The circumstances of his birth are important to remember so that we can understand what is to follow. Remember that Jacob was the younger son of Isaac, that he was chosen to receive his father's blessing ahead of his elder brother Esau, that Jacob and Esau had great conflict between them and that Jacob fled after receiving his father's blessing. In his time of fleeing, Jacob had a dream that his descendants would be as numerous as the grains of dust.
Jacob traveled on and came to a well where he saw and became infatuated with Rachel. He asked for Rachel's hand in marriage yet her father Laban forced him to take Leah as his wife before he could take Rachel as wife. Jacob served Laban for 14 years in order to receive Rachel, his favorite. God saw that Leah was not as favored as Rachel in Jacob's eye and determined to make Leah fertile while Rachel remained barren.
Jacob had sons through Leah. Reuben, then Simeon, then Levi, then Judah were born. Rachel saw these sons and was
envious. She gave her servant Bilhah to her husband so that she may have sons at least through her. Bilhah bore Dan and then Naphtali. Then
Rachel gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob. Through her Gad was born, then Asher. Then Leah bore another son, Issachar and a sixth son, Zebulun. Then finally,
Rachel gained God's compassion and bore a son Joseph, the name meaning "May the Lord add to me another son!"
After all these sons were born, Jacob asked his father-in-law, Laban, if he could leave and go back to his own home. Laban was not willing for that to occur, so Jacob had to flee with all his family.
On the journey back to the land of his father, Isaac, Jacob wrestles with a angel and is named Israel which means "one who strives with God." As he moves further in his journey homeward, Esau comes out to meet him and they are reconciled. Jacob eventually returns home in time to bury his father and mother. And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. Here we pick up the story as it is printed for you beginning in the 37th chapter.
When Joseph was 17, he brought an ill report of his brothers to Jacob. Joseph had already found great favor in his father's eyes, having even received a colorful garment which he and he alone was entitled to wear. It was a constant reminder to his brothers that he was the favorite son, rather like one child being given an expensive sports cars while the others had to ride with friends or use the family minivan to get around. We're not told what the brothers have done exactly, only that Joseph squealed on them and that they didn't like it. Some families have the rule that when one sibling squeals on another, both of them receive punishment. Jacob didn't operate that way though and the brothers grew to hate Joseph. He was luckier than they were and more gifted as well. They lived in his shadow and that was hard.
Perhaps there is a lesson here for us to learn. When we feel poorly about our station in life, less gifted, less fortunate, rather than taking that to God in our prayers, we often try to take others down a notch thinking that will make us feel better. It never does, only bringing guilt and shame on top of the feelings of lowliness which already exist. We're about to hear the story of the brothers attempting to take Joseph down a notch so they will feel better. But it doesn't work for them either. When we feel lowly, it is best to take that to God rather than angrily acting that out in our relationships. When we take our pain to God, he can heal us. When we try to hurt others when we are hurting, trouble comes in big doses.
When I took the call to be rector of St. Mary's in Columbia, it was a time of great excitement in my life. Mary Ward and I moved with our then two and a half year old daughter and, boom, I was off on my great adventure. Each night I would come home brimming over with excitement. Meanwhile it was a time of struggle for Mary Ward. She had left a place and people she loved. She also had a couple of miscarriages and experienced some deep pain from that. And, while she went through that difficult time, I kept coming home every night all excited, my world going great guns. I know my great exhilaration in those days was a constant reminder to her that she was in a hard place. And I will always be grateful that she didn't not try to kill me or take me down a notch. Through an admirable and long process, she took her life to God and let God do his work of healing. I made many mistakes in those times as I was selfishly focussed on how great things were going for me. Eventually, God did some healing in me too and we both grew closer to God and to each other. The same thing will happen here with Joseph and his brothers yet they've got to go through the struggle to get to the healing.
The brothers hate Joseph because his life is great and theirs isn't so great. Certainly it is true that mistakes are made on both sides and that the situation seemed pretty much unavoidable. Joseph has two dreams telling him that his brothers have a lesser station in life, that he has been called to a special place of favor. And he makes the great mistake of telling his dream to his brother. Perhaps he forgets that dreams most often are gifts to us to help us appreciate our lives. It could be argued that Joseph uses his dreams to make sure the brothers know they are not as blessed as he is.
When we receive blessings, we are to receive them humbly. Our blessings do not show that others are less deserving, only that we have been gifted in a particular way. Blessings are gifts, not rewards for good behavior. Humans often ask, "Why me?", when we get things in life which hurt. We may more appropriately ask, "Why me?, when blessings come. Learning to receive blessings gracefully and humbly is an important part of life. And Joseph is not quite there yet.
The brothers are all out one day, tending the flocks, having traveled some distance to get greener pastures for food. Joseph is not with them and I'm sure they are wondering why they have to do all the work while he stays home. Jacob, for some reason, calls Joseph to him and tells him to go check on his brothers and come back with news about how things are going with them. They see him coming and someone pipes up, "Well here comes Daddy's favorite boy, the one with the fancy coat and the great dreams. Life would be a lot better without him here to remind us of how great he is. Let's get rid of him. Let's kill him. We'll just tell Dad that a wild beast killed him. Nobody will ever know." Reuben, the eldest and perhaps the more responsible of the brothers, says that he doesn't think they should kill him but he sure likes the idea of getting rid of the brother. He talks them into sparing his life and being content with just throwing him into a pit. That way his blood won't be on their hands.
It is dangerous for us to determine that a human life is to be taken to correct a problem in our lives. Perhaps it is true, in certain times of war or with certain criminals, that a human life must be taken. But such a judgment on our part is always dangerous.
When Joseph gets to them, they grab him and take his fancy sports car - his colorful coat - and they throw him into the pit. Then they go on about their business. Later on, as they are eating their meal, they see a band of travelers passing by on their way to
Khemet (Egypt). This area here is the major thoroughfare from the Far East to
Afrika. Judah has what he thinks is a great idea, one which will get rid of Joseph but one which will spare them having his blood on their hands: he suggests they sell Joseph to these travelers. The brothers agree with the selfish plan.
One day, as a very young priest, I confessed to an elder clergyman that when I gave a sermon I was sometimes more concerned with being perceived as a good preacher than I was with actually giving a good sermon that would help others. As I confessed my selfishness to him, I was amazed at his response. "Interesting," he said, "how God will use our selfishness to get a good a sermon out of us."
All things work together for the good, even our selfishness. God uses it all to weave his work. We can't avoid being selfish but we can work harder at being aware of our selfishness and we can give thanks to God for being able to use even that to accomplish his purpose. Through the selfish act of Judah and the brothers, Joseph is spared and the story continues. God is not willing for the story to stop here.
The brothers pull Joseph up out of the pit and sell him to the travelers who take him to
Khemet (Egypt) with them. Here we discover that Reuben, the eldest brother is not in on the act, at least not yet. He comes to the pit and sees Joseph is gone and he panics, also selfishly. "What is going to happen to me?" he asks. "You have done something with Joseph and now my life is going to be ruined. Dad is going to be mad at me because I'm in charge here." He's not worried about Joseph; he's worried about himself. And now he gets in on the act.
The coat of Joseph is taken and dipped in the blood of a goat and sent to Jacob with the message that they have found Joseph's coat and assume he must be dead. Jacob is crushed with the loss of his favorite son, inconsolably crushed, and the brothers let him suffer in the lie they have told. I must wonder, at this point, what the lie began to do to them. They had to live with this lie for a long time and that has to do something to their spiritual and emotional well being. There is a price to pay for carrying such a burden. They have sold their brother; they have crushed their father; their selfishness awaits them each morning.
Meanwhile Joseph is taken by the travelers to Khemet (Egypt) where he is sold to an officer of Pharaoh. Here we have to remember that Joseph has a way of coming out on top of every situation. Though it sounds like a horrible thing that has happened, Joseph actually comes out very well. He prospers. Perhaps you know people who just seem to have great things happen all around them, ones especially fortunate. If you do, I suggest you hang around them as much as you can. The story tells us, "the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands." He is made an overseer in the
Khemetan (Egyptian) political and financial circles. And he is so good looking and charming that his boss's wife wants him instead of her husband. There is often a price to pay for giftedness and Joseph finds himself in a pickle. He resists the boss's wife's attention and she takes that very personally and, not getting what she wants, determines to destroy Joseph. Even though it is not so, she tells her husband that Joseph has tried to sleep with her but that she was able to fend him off. The boss takes the side of his wife and puts Joseph in prison.
That is an interesting act of mercy on the officer's part. By law and common practice, he could have had Joseph killed yet he just imprisons him. God isn't finished yet with Joseph and perhaps he moves to soften the officer's heart.
Again, put in a most difficult place, Joseph comes out just fine. Turns out that the prison keeper takes a liking to Joseph and rewards him with special favor. Everybody likes Joseph except the ones who feel he is gifted at their expense!
Joseph becomes famous and valuable to Pharaoh for his ability to interpret dreams. He is taken from prison and rewarded with responsibility as a result of these interpretations of dreams. One dream of Pharaoh seems most important in the story, a dream which Joseph interprets to mean that there will be seven good and plenteous years of the crops followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh pays particular attention to the dream and believes the years of plenteousness must be used wisely to prepare for the years of famine. He selects Joseph to manage a project whereby the extra produce will be stored for future use.
Certainly there is a good lesson here, that our times of blessing must be appreciated and lived into fully so that times of difficulty later on may be endured more easily. We are to be good stewards of our blessings, not taking them for granted or wasting them. In many ways it is impossible to take today's blessings and store them for later but I can practice being aware of God's blessings in times of plenty so that I am more likely to be attuned to his blessings in times of famine. God's blessings never cease though sometimes his blessings are more comfortable for us. Enjoy the comfortable times but remember they are gifts not rewards. In times of famine, look for God's blessings as well because they are there.
By now, we are told, Joseph is 30 years old. He has a wife and two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and the famine strikes. The famine is widespread and people from all over hear that there is food in
Khemet (Egypt). When people are hungry they seek places of feeding and the word spreads when such a place is found. Physically hungry people come here because they have heard we have financial resources to help. Spiritually hungry people come here because they have heard we have resources to help with that aspect of life as well. In that way we are a storehouse of God's blessings and we can help others.
The word gets back to Jacob, in the land of Canaan, that there is food in Egypt. He sends the brothers there to bring back food before the famine gets too bad. By now he has had his 12th son, Benjamin, who, as the other son of Rachel, is Joseph's only full brother.
I'll pause here to comment on another potential lesson. When you are in a time of difficulty, a time of spiritual famine, trust that the food you need is somewhere and that it will be given to you. You may have to travel a distance to get it, may have to go to a foreign place, but God will give you the food you need. Listen to the ways in which you are hungry and describe that hunger to God on a daily basis. Listen to the ways in which God says, "the food you need is in this place or that". And then go to the places where it seems you should go to find the food. Life involves being hungry and then being fed, both of those places being places of value in our spiritual growth. We are not supposed to be either hungry or satisfied all the time.
The brothers come to Khemet (Egypt) seeking the food of which they have heard. And, of course, they come to Joseph to get the food. When we have done wrong, we eventually have to face the wrong. We can hide for a while but we will face it. And often it is in the seeking of spiritual feeding that we have to face our misdeeds. Part of being fed spiritually involves facing our sinfulness and it usually takes a while for us to recognize our sinfulness.
Joseph sees his brothers and recognizes them though they don't recognize him. Joseph isn't gracious to them right off. He accuses them of being spies from another land coming to see how
Khemet (Egypt) might be destroyed. They deny it and Joseph demands that their younger brother be brought to him as proof that they are not spies. He keeps Simeon as guarantee that they will return and sends them back to Canaan to get Benjamin. Softening a bit, he has their bags filled with grain for the journey and for their father and he also puts the money they had with them back in their bags. As they are sent out they discover the food and their money and they are curious about this blessing.
The brothers get home and tell Jacob what has happened. Very reluctantly Jacob agrees to allow his son Benjamin to be taken with the others. The brothers return, with Benjamin, and Joseph rewards them with a feast. When they are brought to the house for the feast, they are frightened and think Joseph has gathered them all together to kill them. We do that with God sometimes: we come to him thinking he wants to destroy us when really what he desires is to give us his feast. We can't seem to trust that God cares for us, that we are his family, and that, despite our undeserving actions, he will feed us with abundance.
Simeon is brought in for the feast and now we have the 12 brothers, all together for the first time, feasting at the table of Joseph in
Khemet (Egypt). And they don't even know that they are all brothers!
They are given provisions and sent back home. Yet Joseph still is testing them, not completely willing to let go of the past hurt, still growing, still being formed by God. Joseph puts a silver cup in Benjamin's pack and sends them home. Then he sends a guard after them, accusing them of stealing. They are surprised but find the cup when they open the pack. They return to Joseph now assuming their lives will be required to pay for the stolen cup. They offer to be enslaved to pay for the act.
Joseph then softens more completely when he hears the hurt the brothers tell him of leaving their father and now having the life of their youngest brother threatened. Joseph tells them who he is, finally, and the brothers are now even more frightened. Joseph hears a confession from them of the horrible thing they did in selling him. Joseph is able to say to them, perhaps now knowing that all things do work together for the good, that they did not send him here, God sent him here so that things could be brought to this point. He tells them to bring their father to
Khemet (Egypt) so that they may all partake of God's plenteousness.
Jacob is brought to Egypt, the family is reunited. Things go well for Joseph, and because of him, for Pharaoh as well. The family is rewarded with food and security and later on Jacob, the father, draws near to death. He asks to be taken out of Egypt to be buried and his wish is granted. Jacob blesses Joseph's sons before he dies. There is great reconciliation in the family and Jacob dies reunited with his 12 sons.
In my sermon during my first Lent here at St. John's, I chose as my text, this story of Joseph, for it speaks to me of the great healing available to each of us. We all grow up in difficult circumstances. And we all grow up thinking that our families, our parents, our circumstances, will be the ones who will give us all that we need. An important part of growing up spiritually is realizing that our families cannot give us what we ultimately need. Only God can do that for us. In certain ways we all have to go to Egypt to gain this healing. We have to separate from our families or, better put, we have to separate from our belief that our families can provide this for us. We have to come to God as ourselves and seek healing and growth with him.
Mary Ward gave me a great gift when we were married and that gift, though we didn't know it at the time, was that she didn't give me a wedding band. You'll note that I now have one but I didn't get it at the wedding. We had the really old fashioned one ring ceremony. Her thought was that I didn't really like jewelry so why give me one? Well eventually she gave me one, 14 years later, perhaps after I had proven myself worthy of it. The gift of the ring, when I touch it now, is twofold. It reminds me of the great gift I have in my marriage. But I also remember, when I touch it, that I haven't always had it, that it came later. My relationship with God comes first. It is that which feeds my marriage. My marriage can't replace that, ever.
Great hurt occurs in families due to this belief that the family must provide all for each other. We resent not getting it. We resent those who appear to have more of it than we do. Each of us must go to Egypt, separate, and go to God for the feeding that only he can give.
God works through families but only God can give us the salvation we yearn for. God works through our deeds and misdeeds, through our times of hunger and times of plenty, to bring us closer to the place where we may receive his great gift for us. God works in our lives to bring us salvation. Your journey is a good one, difficult though it may be. It is in your journey that God will speak to you in the way in which you need.
Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia
Joseph
1. Jacobs Age at His Birth'. Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46). The seven plenteous years and two years of the famine had passed when Jacob went into Egypt (30+7+2=39) (Genesis 41:46,53,54; Genesis 45:4-6; Genesis 47:1-9). Jacob was one hundred thirty years old when he entered Egypt (Genesis 47:1-9). Jacob was, therefore, (130 - 39 = 91) ninety-one years old at the birth of Joseph.
2. Early Life. Joseph was the son of Rachel (the second wife of Jacob after
1st wife Halsa), born to Jacob in his old age (Genesis 30:1-24), and was therefore the favorite (Genesis 37:3; Joseph had two remarkable dreams, resulting in the estrangement of his brothers and the suspicion of his father (Genesis 37:5-11). His brothers sold him into slavery, and deceived their father by dipping the coat of many colors into the blood of a goat, assuring him that they had found it (Genesis 37:15-35).
3. Lessons from Jacobs Mourning'. Jacob mourned for Joseph, believing that he was dead (Genesis 37:31-35). We may learn from this,
1. to be careful about acting on the testimony of prejudiced witnesses,
2. and that a lie conscientiously believed and acted upon will produce substantially the same effects as the truth.
4. Early Life in Egypt. Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. (Genesis 39:1; Acts 7:9). On a false charge he was thrown into prison. In prison he enjoyed the confidence of the keeper, and interpreted the dreams of the butler and baker (Genesis 39:21-23; Genesis 40:1-23).
5. Pharaohs Dreams'. The king had two dreams:
1. He stood by the river and saw seven well-favored and fat-fleshed kine come up out of the river and feed in a meadow, and seven other kine that were ill-favored and lean-fleshed followed and devoured them.
2. He beheld seven ears of corn upon one stalk, rank and good, and they were followed by seven thin and blasted ears by which they were devoured (Genesis 41:1-7).
6. Josephs Interpretation'. The wise men failed to give the king's mind any relief, and Pharaoh, on the suggestion of the chief butler, called for Joseph, who declared that the dreams were one, and predicted that there would immediately follow seven years of plenty, succeeded by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:8-32).
7. His Elevation. Pharaoh immediately clothed Joseph in royal vestures, made him ride in the second chariot, and required the people to prostrate themselves before him (Genesis 41:33-45).
8. His Marriage. Pharaoh gave him the name Zaphnathpaaneah (preserver of the age, or revealer of secrets), and also gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, to wife. By this union were two sons (Genesis 41:44-52).
9. Preparation for the Famine. Joseph immediately began to make preparations for the famine. He gathered corn "as the sands of the sea" and stored it in the cities (Genesis 41:47-52).
10. Famine in Egypt. The famine began as Joseph had predicted and covered the entire land of Egypt (Genesis 41:53-57).
11. Famine in Canaan. The famine extended to Canaan (Genesis 42:1,2 Acts 7:11). Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy corn. Joseph recognized them, but they did not know him. He supplied their wants, and they returned to their home (Genesis 42:3-38). On their return to Egypt, Joseph made himself known to them and sent for his father to come to Egypt (Genesis 43:1-34; Genesis 44:1-34; Genesis 45:1-24; Acts 7:12,14). Jacob received the news of Joseph's glory with incredulity (Genesis 45:25-28).
12. Lessons from Josephs Brothers'. We may learn from this,
1. to investigate thoroughly before coming to a conclusion,
2. and that after a man is once settled in error, it takes a tremendous influence to deliver him from it.
13. Jacobs Descent into Egypt'. Jacob at once departed for Egypt accompanied by his entire family; they also took their possessions (Genesis 46:1-26).
14. Harmony of Genesis 46:26; Deuteronomy 10:22; Acts 7:14. The first passage counts the direct descendants (sixty-six) of Jacob who went with him into Egypt (Genesis 46:26). The second counts the sixty-six, Jacob, Joseph, and his two sons (Deuteronomy 10:22). The third counts the seventy, and five of Joseph's "kindred" whose names are not given.
15. Jacobs Introduction to Pharaoh'. Joseph introduced his father to Pharaoh, who received him with respect. Jacob in return blessed Pharaoh twice, and departed from his presence (Genesis 47:7-10).
16. Settled in Goshen. Jacob and his family were given permission to dwell in Goshen where they enjoyed peace, plenty, and general prosperity (Genesis 47:1-27).
17. Date.
1. It was twenty-five years from the death of Terah to the birth of Isaac (Genesis 11:32; Genesis 12:1-5; Genesis 21:5; Acts 7:1-4).
2. It was sixty years from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob (Genesis 25:26).
3. It was one hundred thirty years from the birth of Jacob to his introduction to Pharaoh. (25 + 60 + 130 = 215) (Genesis 47:7-10).
The settling of the Hebrews in Egypt was therefore two hundred fifteen years after the death of Terah or Abram's entrance into Canaan.
18. Last Days of Jacob. The closing of Jacob's life was distinguished by
(a) obtaining a promise from Joseph to bury him with his fathers (Genesis 47:26-31); (b) reminding Joseph of the promises of God (Genesis 48:1-4); (c) adopting Joseph's two sons (Genesis 48:5,6); (d) placing Ephraim before Manasseh (Genesis 48:8-20); (e) predicting the restoration of his family to Canaan (Genesis 48:21); (f) giving Joseph an extra portion of his estate (Genesis 48:21,22); (g) prophesying of the coming Shiloh (Genesis 48:8-12; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:1-5); (h) blessing all his sons (Genesis 49:1-28).
19. Death and Burial of Jacob. Jacob died in Egypt, was embalmed by Joseph's orders, carried to Canaan, and buried with great honors and great lamentation (Genesis 50:1-13; Acts 7:15,16).
20. Last Days of Joseph. Joseph's last days were distinguished by
1. forgiving his brothers;
2. enjoying the pleasures of family relation;
3. predicting the restoration of his brethren to the land of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
4. and taking a pledge of his brethren to carry his bones with them on their departure (Genesis 50:15-26).
LINKS:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Encyclopedias/CondensedBiblicalCyclopedia/cbe.cgi?number=T24
www.onlineislamicstore.com/b5322.htm
www.stjohnsmontgomery.org/lessons/bible/joseph.html