Genesis Wrap-Up

The beginning has come to an end. Soon we embark on a new journey. But first let's recap a few arbitrary points about Genesis that I thought important to bring up. Feel free to suggest more!

When the Firstborn is Not Heir

While the firstborn is traditionally the favored son, frequently this is not the case in Genesis. The writers seem to be saying, “Hey, this is unique; this is different. Check out what we’re doing here by supporting the underdog.” Examples:

God favors Abel’s offering over Cain’s.

• Though the only child of Sarah, Isaac is the second-born of Abraham.
• Though Esau is born before Jacob and is his father’s favorite, Jacob manages to steal his brother’s birthright and blessing.
• Joseph is the firstborn of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, but is not Jacob’s firstborn child.
• Perez (of Tamar and Judah): Though Zerah’s hand comes out before his twin Perez’s, it is Perez who is born first.

Jacob the Builder

Jacob is the great builder of Genesis. He works with stones and makes pillars all over the place. Here are some examples with which you may do what you like:

Dreams at Bethel and erects a pillar (28.18)

• Moves the stone at the well near Haran (29.10)
• Sets up a pillar at Galeed as a sign of a covenant with Laban. In an alternative interwoven version it is a heap of stones (31.45)
• Erects an altar in Shechem, called El-Elohe-Israel (33.20)
• Erects an altar at Bethel (35.7), specifically a pillar (35.14)
• Sets up a pillar to mark Rachel’s grave (35.20)

Herd the Word

As Joseph’s brothers explain to Pharaoh in Genesis 47.4: “Your servants are shepherds, as our ancestors were.” Indeed this seems to be a preferred occupation of these people. Who was the original sheepkeeper? Abel, of course! He was favored over his brother the farmer. And though Cain killed Abel, this passage sets a precedent for favoring future shepherds.

Barren Women

For some reason, a high percentage of matriarchs are barren, a paradoxical state of affairs when you consider the divine promise of progeny. However, if God controls a woman's fertility, any child of that woman is God-given. The children come according to God's actions. These children have a history with God that most children do no have - and are therefore better members of the divine line. The procession from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to his descendants is very controlled. Births are meaningful because they are a blessing from God.

Up the Down Staircase

A common theme of Genesis that will resonate in the following chapters is the idea of descent into Egypt and return to Canaan. Characters frequently are driven “down” into Egypt due to famine or other reasons, and then come back “up” into Canaan.

At the end of Genesis the Israelites are all in Egypt, loved very much by Pharaoh. But something must change as the next book is ominously titled…Exodus. [Okay, it is not exactly fair to say that the book is ominously titled “Exodus.” That is the Greek title, a later addition that concerns the thematic content of the article. The Hebrew title translates to “These are the names,” referring to the first few words of the text, which is how the books of the Pentateuch (first five books) is named in Hebrew.]

But seriously, we’re going to have to follow people upwards out of Egypt at some point in the near future.

Genesis 49.1-50.26

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons / Jacob’s Death and Burial / Joseph Forgives His Brothers / Joseph’s Death

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons: Genesis 49.1-28

Jacob calls his sons and says, “Gather around, that I may tell you what will happen to you in the days to come. Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob; listen to Israel your father” (Gen. 49.1-2). Jacob’s last words to his sons consist of prophetic blessings and curses. These pre-date the bible as old tribal blessings and curses.

Reuben

Curse. Though the first born, “first fruits” of Jacob’s vigor, Reuben is “unstable as water,” and will lose his prestige for having sex with Bilhah on his father’s bed (way back in Genesis 35.22). Israel heard of Reuben’s actions then, but waited until he was on his deathbed to deliver the curse.

Simeon and Levi

Both cursed. The brothers committed a mass murder in the city of Shechem to avenge the rape of Dinah. “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel” (Gen. 49.7).

Judah

Blessing. Judah is given a grand blessing. He will defeat his enemies and his brothers will bow down to him. He is mighty like a lion. The scepter will not depart from him until he gains tribute. People will be obedient to him. Then something different:

Binding his foal to the vine 

and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

he washes his garments in wine,

and his robe in the blood of grapes;

his eyes are darker than wine,

and his teeth whiter than milk.

That is quite a piece of poetry!

Zebulun

Neither curse nor blessing. He will settle by the see and be a haven for ships. He will border Sidon, a Phoenician port.

Isaachar

Curse. Though he is “a strong donkey,” he settles in a pleasant land and becomes a slave.

Dan

Blessing. He will be a judge among the Israelites and as fierce as a snake.

…and then there is an interpolation in the middle of the blessings:

I wait for your salvation, O Lord.

…the blessings continue: 

Gad

Short statement, neither curse nor blessing. He “shall be raided by raiders, but he shall raid at their heels.”

Asher

Short blessing. He will be a culinary masher, providing rich food and royal delicacies.

Naphtali

Short blessing. His speech and/or children will be beautiful: “Naphtali is  does let loose that bears lovely fawns” (alternative: “that gives beautiful words”).

Joseph

Extended blessing. He is a fruitful bough (though he has only two children). He remains strong in the face of battle. His strength in battle comes from God. Well, why don’t I just put down the blessing in its entirety?

Joseph is a fruitful bough,  

a fruitful bough by a spring;

his branches run over the wall. 

The archers fiercely attacked him;

they shot at him and pressed him hard. 

Yet his bow remained taut,

and his arms were made agile

by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, 

by the God of your father, who will help you,

by the Almighty who will bless you

with blessings of heaven above,

blessings of the deep that lies beneath,

blessings of the breasts and of the womb. 

The blessings of your father

are stronger than the blessings of the eternal mountains,

the bounties of the everlasting hills;

may they be on the head of Joseph,

on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.

Quite an extensive blessing with quite an extensive collection of epithets for God. Joseph is quite set apart from his brothers.

Benjamin

Short statement, neither curse nor blesseing. Poor Ben has to feel pretty badly, receiving a short statement after the grand one that Joseph received. He is a ravenous wolf, devouring pray by morning and dividing the spoil by evening.

The section closes, “All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, blessing each one of them with a suitable blessing” (Gen. 49.28).

Jacob’s Death and Burial: Genesis 49.29-50.14

Envelope Structure

Envelope structure is a literary device in which text is bracketed by a certain phrase. In this way, a narrative unit is differentiated from what is outside the “envelope.” One appears hear, stretching from Gen. 49.29 to 49.33:

Then he charged them, saying to them, ‘I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my ancestors—in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave in the field at Machpelah, near Mamre, in the land of Canaan, in the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried; there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried; and there I buried Leah— the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.’ When Jacob ended his charge to his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

Notice that the repetition of the phrases charge and gather to [my/his] people. These set off the narrative unit of the description of the burial site.

Aftermath

Joseph weeps over his father and kisses him. Then he has his father’s body prepared in the Egyptian way. Israel is embalmed – a process that takes forty days. The fact that this is allowed – and that the Egyptians wept a total of seventy days over the body, demonstrates tremendous Joseph’s prestige in Egypt. The rest of the narrative only highlights this fact.

Joseph asks and is granted Pharaoh’s permission to bury Israel in Canaan. A huge party follows him with chariots and charioteers. Present are all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of Pharaoh’s household, and the elders of Egypt, as well as all of Israel’s household. Only the children, flocks and herds are left in Goshen.

The party laments Israel seven days at the threshing floor of Atad. When the Canaanites see this, they dub the place Abel—mizraim (mourning/meadow of Egypt). It is likely that this portion comes from a different tradition of Israel’s burial, as Israel is not actually buried here.

Rather, he is buried in the cave of the field at Machpelah, the field that Abraham bought. After this, the party returns to Egypt. 

Joseph Forgives His Brothers: Genesis 50.15-21

Joseph’s brothers are still afraid that Joseph will seek revenge after all these years, so they play one final trick. They tell Joseph that Israel asked on his deathbed that Joseph forgive his brothers’ crime. Joseph then weeps; his brothers still do not understand that he does not seek vengeance. The brothers weep too, fearing for their lives.

Joseph, as usual, chalks it all up to God “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today” (Gen. 50.19-20).

Joseph’s Death: Genesis 50.22-26

Joseph lives one hundred ten years, seeing his great-grandchildren by both of his sons. When he is about to die, Joseph tells his brothers of the divine blessing, that God will bring the Israelites out of the land into the land he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Joseph has the Israelites swear that when God comes, his bones should be carried to the promised land. Until that time, however, he is embalmed and placed in a coffin.

It is remarkable how utterly Egyptian Joseph is. As the black sheep of his family he made a name for himself in Egypt (not entirely his fault), married Egyptian women, and is buried there. He is not brought back immediately to his ancestral homeland. Joseph, so important to the Genesis story, seems more an Egyptian than an Israelite. yet because he maintains his faith in the God Elohim, he is an honorable and just character.

Tomorrow: Genesis recap!

Genesis 47.13-48.22

The Famine in Egypt Worsens / The Last Days of Jacob / Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons

The Famine in Egypt Worsens: Genesis 47.13-26

The famine is so bad that there is no food at all, except for what Joseph stored in Egypt. The people of Egypt and Canaan spend all their money on food. After this, Joseph exchanges food for livestock. That food lasts for a year of the famine. After that the people are broke and without livestock, so Joseph buys the land the people live on, making the residents of Egypt slaves to Pharaoh. The priests, who live on a fixed income from Pharaoh, kept their land, but the rest of Egypt is enslaved. In exchange for their enslavement, Joseph gives seed to the Egyptians, who must give one-fifth of the harvest to Pharaoh. “So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. The land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s” (Gen. 47.26).

In this passage Joseph, who is the favorite of his father, the former favorite of Potiphar, the former favorite of the jailer, the current favorite of Pharaoh, is characterized as having even greater power. Now he does not simply exchange food for money, but cattle and land as well. He even enslaves all of Egypt! With control over the people’s food, Joseph is the strongest political figure in Egypt, at least as strong as and perhaps stronger than Pharaoh himself.

Of course, the Joseph’s power is predicated on a supportive Pharaoh who approves his actions. This sets up a bitter irony for the following chapter, Exodus, in which the political situation of the family of Israel is completely reversed.

The Last Days of Jacob: Genesis 47.27-31

“Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; and they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly” (Gen. 47.27).

Jacob/Israel dies at the age of one hundred forty-seven, having spent seventeen years in Goshen.

But before that happens, Israel has Joseph make a patriarchal pledge to him. The method is similar to Abraham’s command to his servant in Genesis 24: Joseph is to put his hand under Israel’s thigh and swear to him, an act which conveys the power of the patriarch in both a figurative and literal (by proximity) sense. Israel’s request is that he is not buried in Egypt: “When I lie down with my ancestors, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place” (Gen. 47.29-30). Joseph swears it. Then Israel bows himself on the head of the bed.

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons: Genesis 48.1-22

Hinted at in the last verse of Genesis 47, Israel is ill. Joseph is told this, and takes his two sons with him to Jacob. Jacob summons the strength to sit up in his death bed and tell Joseph of the blessing of progeny and land that he received from God at Luz: (In part) “I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your offspring after you for a perpetual holding” (Gen. 48.4).

Jacob then adopts Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s sons, as his own. This way they might be tribes of Israel, like Reuben and Simeon. Their offspring, instead, will be Joseph’s. The reasoning for this is a bit strange. Jacob refers to the death of Rachel, so perhaps the children are adopted to compensate for the children that Jacob never had with her. If that is the case, Jacob could have taken Benjamin’s sons instead. After all, Rachel died delivering Benjamin. If that were the case, though, there would be a lot of children being blessed in this scene. And future verses listing Ephraim and Manasseh as members of Israel would not make much sense. Likely the adoption is related to Jacob’s favoritism towards Joseph.

Joseph feigns blindness, but has one last trick up his sleeve. He is a trickster even on the death bed. The scene plays well off of Jacob’s other deathbed blessing trick, in which he tricks his father Isaac, lying on his deathbed, into bestowing the blessing of the firstborn on him instead. Even dying and blind like his father, Jacob has a trick up his sleeve. After Jacob kisses and embraces Joseph’s sons, he (ironically?) tells Joseph, “I did not expect to see your face; and here God has let me see your children also” (Gen. 48.11).

Joseph then places (the younger) Ephraim at Israel’s left hand and (the firstborn) Manasseh at his right. The blessing should favor the firstborn, and therefore be given with the right hand. But Jacob pulls the old switcheroo, crossing his hands to that he places his right hand on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh. Jacob the blesses Joseph:

The God before whom my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 

the angel who has redeemed me from all harm, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac;

and let them grow into a multitude on the earth.

(Gen. 48.15-16)

Joseph is displeased by his father’s crisscrossed hands. He grabs Jacob’s right hand to put it on Manasseh’s, correcting him so that he may bless the first born. Jacob refuses, telling his son that Manasseh will have a great nation, but Ephraim will be greater. Jacob knows a bit about the second son being greater than the first; in fact, it is a very common theme in Genesis.

Israel tells Joseph that he is about to die, but that the blessing will be fulfilled. He then gives his favorite son one more portion than his brothers receive, “the portion that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow” (Gen. 48.22).

Tomorrow: More blessings.

Genesis 46.1-47.12

Israel Brings His Family to Egypt / Jacob Settles in Goshen

Israel Brings His Family to Egypt: Genesis 46.1-27

Israel heads with all his possessions to the sacred Beer-sheba, where he offers sacrifices “to the God of his father Isaac” (Gen. 46.1). This is the territory Jacob knew in the last days of his father, when he stole his brother’s blessing. It was where God commanded Isaac to settle. Now Israel receives a command from God to settle elsewhere: “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s own hand shall close your eyes” (Gen. 46.3-4). In addition to the patriarchal blessing of progeny and protection, God also offers a new blessing: that the man will live long enough that his favorite son will witness his death.

The sons of Israel carry their father, their children, and their wives to Egypt in Pharaoh’s wagons. What follows is a genealogy of the Israelites who came into Egypt.

Genealogy and Math

“All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own offspring, not including the wives of his sons, were sixty-six persons in all” (Gen. 46.26).

Children of Leah:     33 (34 according to the list of names)

Children of Zilpah:   16 (17 according to the list of names)

Children of Rachel: 14

Children of Bilhah:     7

Total Children =       70 (72 according to the list of names)

Leah’s total might be 33 because Shaul is the son of a Canaanite woman, and therefore may be subject to exclusion.

Zilpah’s total might be 16 because Serah is a girl. So it goes.

Since Joseph and his offspring did not come into Egypt, and Judah’s sons Er and Onan are dead, we can subtract 5, bringing us to 65. To bring the total to 66 we must include Joseph in the count, even though he is already there. Note also that this tally does not include the matriarchs: Leah, Zilpah, Rachel, and Bilhah.

“The children of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy” (Gen. 46.27).

Presumably, then, this includes the four matriarchs, as 66 + 4 = 70. It excludes Jacob because it is his house.

Why 70 children? Because 70 is a number that represents completeness. Israel’s family is whole (=70) when they enter Egypt. It is symbolic and literal: a name corresponds to every member of the family to add up to a number that itself represents completeness.

Jacob Settles in Goshen: Genesis 46.28-47.12

Remember how Jacob sent his servants ahead of him bearing gifts for Esau when he was afraid his brother would kill him? (Gen. 32) He does this again, sending Judah ahead of him to meet Joseph and lead the way into Goshen. In fact, the scene plays out in much the same way. Joseph meets his father in a chariot: “He presented himself to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while” (Gen. 46.29). Compare to Genesis 33.4: “But Esau ran to meet him [Jacob], and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” Apparently this is how you are supposed to greet Jacob after not seeing him for a long time.

Israel declares that he can die happy, having seen his son is alive. That is a pretty touching sentiment.

Joseph tells his father’s household that he will go to Pharaoh and tell him that the family has come. He will say that the men are shepherds, and when Pharaoh asks their occupation, they should answer: “Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our ancestors” (Gen. 46.34). The brothers are not to say they are shepherds; apparently shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians.

Huh.

In any case, it reveals a bit of the family history and helps to characterize them: these are a people who tend flocks.

Joseph tells Pharaoh about his family settling in Goshen, and selects five of his brothers to present to him. They tell Pharaoh that indeed they are shepherds, just like their ancestors. They continue that they have come to reside as aliens, for the famine has destroyed the pastures of Canaan. Pharaoh apparently does not have a problem with shepherds after all. He tells Joseph:

Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land; let them live in the land of Goshen; and if you know that there are capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.

(Gen. 47.5-6)

Joseph’s service to Pharaoh is rewarded with the best of the land of Egypt for his family. This band of aliens receives, through diplomacy, the best portion of Egypt.

Joseph then brings Jacob before Pharaoh. Jacob blesses Pharaoh, and Pharaoh asks his age. Jacob answers truthfully, if a bit cynically: “The years of my earthly sojourn are one hundred thirty; few and hard have been the years of my life. They do not compare with the years of the life of my ancestors during their long sojourn” (Gen. 47.9). Jacob blesses Pharaoh again and leaves. Two blessings? These display Jacob’s superiority over Pharaoh. Normally it would be Pharaoh who blesses others, but Jacob, father of Joseph, instead asserts his authority with blessings, which Pharaoh apparently accepts.

Joseph then settles his father and brothers in the land of Rameses, the P-source equivelant to Goshen.

Joseph is apparently not only benevolent towards his family, but a good administrator as well. He provides “his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their dependents” (Gen. 47.12).

Genesis 44.1-45.28

Joseph Detains Benjamin / Joseph’s Identity Revealed

Joseph Detains Benjamin: Genesis 44.1-34

Joseph’s brothers again head home from Egypt, still unaware of their brother’s identity. Before they leave, however, Joseph has a steward put each man’s money back into his sack, along with the food. In addition, Joseph has his silver cup placed in Benjamin’s sack. Joseph has his steward pursue his brothers shortly after they leave, with a message that one of them has done the Pharaoh’s governor a wrong by stealing his silver cup, the one he uses for divination.

The servant heads out and stops the party. The brothers say the money at the top of their sacks they brought themselves. Furthermore, they would not steal their lord’s gold; if any of them is found with it, let him die and the others become slaves. The steward, however, says that the one it is found with should become  slave, and the rest would go free. They are searched in order of their age, oldest to youngest. The cup is founding Benjamin’s sack. At this the brothers tear their clothes (the same action as their father at the discovery of Joseph’s “death.” The brothers load up their donkeys and head back to Joseph’s house.

The brothers again fall on the ground before Joseph. Joseph rebukes them: Why did you do this? Didn’t you know I can practice divination? Judah responds, “God has found out the guilt of your servants” (Gen. 44.16). Therefore all of them should be Joseph’s slaves. It is not God who is punishing the brothers for their guilt, but rather Joseph himself, a sort of intermediary of God. In any case, though, Joseph demands that only Benjamin should be his slave, for the cup was found in his bag only. The rest should return to their father. This should be even harder on them, as Judah has pledged his honor on the safe return of Benjamin.

Judah steps up to Joseph and recounts the entire history from the brothers’ first journey to Egypt to the present. In doing so he informs Joseph about his father’s sadness: 

Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.

(Gen. 44.30-31)

Judah asks that he instead becomes a slave to Joseph, so that his father will not die of sorrow.

Joseph’s Identity Revealed: Genesis 45.1-28

Overcoem with emotion, Joseph orders his servants out of the room and reveals himself to his brothers. He weeps so loudly that the Egyptians and even Pharaoh hear him. At first his brothers are afraid. When Joseph reveals, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” his brothers are dismayed and cannot answer him (Gen. 45.3). Joseph, after all, still has the power to get revenge for that ill-conceived transaction with the Ishmaelites years ago. Joseph beckons his brother’s closer and reveals his name again. He bids them not to be distressed or angry with themselves; it was an act of God that they should appear before him. Joseph will save them and their families from poverty and starvation. “So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt” (Gen. 45.8). Joseph is a very powerful man in Egypt, the father of Pharaoh himself!

Joseph asks his brothers to go up to Jacob and bring him down to Egypt for the remaining five years of the famine. Jacob’s family will settle in Goshen, near Joseph, who will provide for them.

So is it Joseph’s powers of divination or rather editorial insight that guides Pharaoh’s decision regarding Joseph’s brothers? Upon hearing that Joseph’s brother have arrived, he tells Joseph to move his family to Egypt, so that they may be given “the best of the land o Egypt, and you may enjoy the fat of the land…for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours” (Gen. 45.18-19).

Joseph’s brothers head out with wagons, twenty donkeys laden with goods and provisions for the return journey, and a new set of garments for each man. Benjamin, however, receives five sets of garments as well as three hundred pieces of silver and gold to compensate for the “stolen” silver cup. Presumably the brothers have learned their lesson and do not begrudge Benjamin for this favoritism. Nevertheless, Joseph tells his brothers as they leave, “Do not quarrel along the way” (Gen. 45.24).

The revelations of Joseph’s existence to Jacob parallels the revelation of Joseph’s identity to his brothers. At first Jacob is stunned and does not believe that his son is ruler over Egypt, let alone alive. After some explication and viewing the wagons of goods, Israel says in his classic pessimistic fashion, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go see him before I die” (Gen. 45.28).

Tomorrow: Israel sees his son Joseph before he dies.

Genesis 43.1-34

Return to Egypt

Return to Egypt: Genesis 43.1-34

The famine is now severe in Canaan, and having eaten all their food, the brothers have to once again return to Egypt for more. Note the recurring theme of famine leading people into Egypt – Abraham did the same thing in Genesis 12 and Isaac is warned specifically not to go there in Genesis 26, when the land is struck with another famine. Despite Egypt’s abundance, the patriarchal line seems determined to stay in Canaan.

Israel (Jacob) tells his sons to head to Egypt, but Judah recalls the warning that Joseph gave them: “You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you” (Gen. 43.5). Joseph never explicitly states this in the bible, so perhaps Judah is telling it this way to his father in order to convince him. Israel asks (/whines /laments?): “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” (Gen. 43.6). The sons reply that the man questioned them very thoughtfully with specific questions about their family. How could they have known the information would backfire like that?

Judah then offers himself as collateral. Genesis 42 has Reuben offer his children to be slain if the brothers do not return with Reuben. In this chapter, however, Judah offers to “bear the blame forever” (Gen. 43.9).

Israel relents and tells them to load up with choice fruits, balm, honey, gum, resin, pistachios, and almonds. They should also take back the money that might have been given back to them as an oversight. Oh, and they take Benjamin with them. The caravan must have looked something like the caravan of Ishmaelites that took Joseph down to Egypt originally. There is therefore a sort of symmetry to the brothers’ penance.

When Joseph sees his brothers returning with Benjamin, he has an animal slaughtered for a feast at noon.

A steward goes to the brothers and leads them to Joseph’s house. The brothers are concerned this is because of the money they found in their sacks on their return trip. Surely it was all a trick so that the man might enslave them and steal their donkeys. They tell the steward about the money, but the man reassures them, “your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money” (Gen. 43.23). Well, actually it was Joseph, but Joseph does frequently act as a mouthpiece of God, having oracular dreams and interpreting dreams with the help of God.

The steward brings the brothers into the house, gives them water to wash their feet and feeds their donkeys. The brothers then prepare their present for Joseph which they will present at the dinner party at noon.

When Joseph arrives, his brothers offer him the present and bow down to him again. Joseph inquires about their father, who he discovers is alive and well. The brothers bow again and do obeisance.

Joseph looks at Benjamin and declares, “God be gracious to you, my son!” before running out of the room to weep, full of affection (Gen. 43.29). When he has gained control of himself and washed his face he walks back in and orders the meal to be served. However, he cannot eat with his brothers because of a sort of Egyptian kosher law: it is considered an abomination for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews. Joseph is in a strange place here: a Hebrew eating as an Egyptian, and a brother eating separately from the rest of his family. 

Joseph has portions from his table brought to his brothers. And though Benjamin’s portions are five times as much as any of the others, they bear him no resentment. Perhaps the brothers have finally learned how to get along.

Genesis 42.1-38

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt / Joseph’s Brothers Return to Canaan

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt: Genesis 42.1-25

When last we left our hero, there was a severe famine in the land, but Joseph, appointed overseer of the land and guided by an interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, wisely stockpiled grain before the famine. Now Egypt is a food bank for the area.

Jacob learns that there is grain in Egypt, and sends ten of his sons down to Egypt to buy grain. Benjamin stays behind. As Rachel’s only “remaining” son, he serves as a surrogate for Joseph, and Jacob wants to keep him from harm.

Joseph’s brothers arrive in Egypt and bow before Joseph, fulfilling the dream Joseph had of their sheaves of grain bowing down before his (see Gen. 37). The brothers do not recognize Joseph, and who would expect him to be in that position anyway?  But Joseph recognizes them, and deals with them harshly, perhaps seeking retribution for the transaction that occurred years ago.

Here is the conversation, featuring only the quotations, with the narration removed. This portion relies so much on dialogue that it is perfectly comprehensible without narration.

Joseph: “Where do you come from?”

Brothers: “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

Joseph: “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

Brothers: “No, my lord; your servants have come to buy food. We are all sons of one man; we are honest men; your servants have never been spies.”

Joseph: “No, you have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

Brothers: “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of a certain man in the land of Canaan; the youngest, however, is now with our father, and one is no more.”

Joseph: “It is just as I have said to you; you are spies! Here is how you shall be tested: as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here! Let one of you go and bring your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison, in order that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh lives, surely you are spies.” 

The brothers are imprisoned for three days.

Check this out:

The brothers’ answers go from vague to specific. First they state their homeland and purpose. Next they state their subservience and purpose and family. Finally they state their subservience and state the specifics of their family. Joseph gets them to open up more and more. Each answer from the brothers intensifies the understanding of the previous one. Joseph, on the other hand, splits his initial accusation as a way to answer his brothers. First he accuses them of being spies who have come to see the nakedness of the land. Next, he accuses his brothers only of coming to see the nakedness of the land. Finally, he accuses them of being only spies. The brothers follow a logical pattern from broad to specific, whereas Joseph starts broad, and applies each part of his accusation separately in response to his brothers.

On the third day, Joseph has a change of heart, “for I fear God” (Gen. 42.18) (Not On or any other Egyptian god, but God himself). Nine of the brothers are allowed to return home with grain, but one is to remain imprisoned until the nine brothers return with Benjamin. The other brothers realize, “Alas, we are paying the penalty for what we did to our brother; we saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this anguish is upon us” (Gen. 42.21). Reuben, of course, points out that he told his brothers not to sell Joseph.

Joseph’s retribution is indeed appropriate, forcing his brothers to leave behind one of themselves, just as they left him. 

That irony is compounded by another irony; it is not until verse 23 that the text mentions Joseph is speaking through an interpreter. This whole time Joseph has been able to understand his brothers in his native tongue, but has not been able to speak with them. Joseph is so overcome he turns away and weeps, but when he returns he binds Simeon and puts him in prison.

Joseph has his brothers’ sacks filled with grain, and sneaks their money back into their bags.

Joseph’s Brothers Return to Canaan: Genesis 42.26-38

One of the brothers opens his sack to feed his donkey, and finds his money inside. Uh-oh. Now maybe the man who dealt so harshly with them will accuse them of stealing as well. “What is this that God has done to us?” they wonder (Gen. 42.28).

The brothers get back and tell Jacob of everything that has happened. As they empty their sacks, each discovers the money that Joseph slipped back into the sacks. Wait, hasn’t this already happened? Yes. That’s the E-source reiterating the early J-source story.

Jacob does not take the news so well: “I am the one you have bereaved of children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has happened to me!” (Gen. 42.36). Reuben offers that Jacob may kill Reuben’s two sons if he does not bring Simeon back. Essentially he is guaranteeing the return of Jacob’s son with two of Jacob’s grandsons. Think about that for a minute.

In any case, the pitiable Jacob refuses to let Benjamin return, as he is the last remaining son of Rachel. “If harm should come to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol” (Gen. 42.38). This is the second time he has made such a remark regarding mourning a son of Rachel.

Tomorrow: Back to Egypt.

Genesis 41.1-57

Joesph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream / Joseph’s Rise to Power

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream: Genesis 41.1-36

Joseph remains in jail two years after interpreting the baker’s and cupbearer’s dreams. Pharaoh has a couple of dreams one night that demand an interpreter.

In the first dream, Pharaoh is standing by the Nile, where seven sleek and fat cows are grazing in the reeds. Seven ugly thin cows come up from the Nile and eat the sleek fat cows. Pharaoh awakes, then falls back asleep. He dreams again. This time seven ears of thin and blighted corn swallow up seven ears of plump and full corn.

In the morning Pharaoh is troubled, so he sends for the magicians and wise men of Egypt to interpret his dream. No one can, though. Then the chief cupbearer remembers Joseph.

Joseph is brought out of the dungeon. After shaving and changing he appears before Pharaoh. Pharaoh tells Joseph that he has heard Joseph can interpret dreams. Joseph responds, “It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (Gen. 41.16). (Compare to Genesis 40.8, speaking to the prisoners: Do not interpretations belong to God?). Joseph simultaneously removes responsibility from himself in dream interpretation and displays his humility.

Pharaoh recites his dream, and Joseph gives the following interpretation: The dreams represent the same thing. There will be seven years of abundance in Egypt, followed by seven years of famine. Having interpreted the dream, Joseph gives Pharaoh a bit of practical advice: Pharaoh should appoint a wise and discerning man to ensure that Egypt does not suffer during the famine. Pharaoh should appoint men to oversee the land, taking one-fifth of the produce over the seven years of plenty, and saving it for the years of famine. These should be overseen by the wise and discerning man.

Joseph’s Rise to Power: Genesis 41.37-57

Someone wise and discerning… Who could possibly fit that description? Oh, wait. Joseph! So Joseph, who was overseer of Potiphar’s household and the jail, is now administrator of Pharaoh’s kingdom. Pharaoh tells Joseph: “All my people shall order themselves as you command; only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you” (Gen. 41.40).

Pharaoh gives Joseph his signet ring, arrays him in garments of fine linen, and give him a gold chair to wear. Joseph now gets to ride around in a chariot. People bow when they see him. Pharaoh bestows the name Zaphenath-paneah (a name having something to do with the concept of “life”) on Joseph and gives him a wife, Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Does that name sound familiar? It is just close enough to Potiphar to make you wonder…

So Joseph goes from city to city ensuring that each is storing grain to survive the impending famine. “So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance – like the sand of the sea – that he stopped measuring it; it was beyond measure” (Gen. 40.49). Joseph is an achiever. He excels at everything he does!

Joseph has two sons before the famine. The first is named Manasseh (making to forget) for Joseph says, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house” (Gen. 40.51). The second is named Ephraim (to be fruitful) “for God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes” (Gen. 41.53).

A the end of seven years of plenty comes, as God predicted, seven years of famine. The whole world is hungry. Egypt is hungry too, and when people complain to Pharaoh he directs them to Joseph. Joseph opens the storehouses and sells the grain to the people of Egypt. Then people in the rest of the world hear. Soon the whole world is flocking to Egypt for some of Josephs grain.

Interpretation

“Thus Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.”

(Gen. 41.45)

That is the gist of this story. Joseph thrives wherever he is, in whatever adversity there is. He is the man behind the scenes pulling the strings, but not in a malevolent sense. He is simply powerful and a shrewd politician and eloquent speaker. Joseph’s success as a leader in three different scenarios sets him up as a powerful and important figure. But his success is not the only formulaic aspect of his story.

Note that there are three sets of double dreams within the Joseph narrative. The first comes in Genesis 37 when Joseph has two dreams of people bowing down to him. These dreams exhibit intensification. The first has only Joseph’s brothers bowing down to him, but the second has his mother and father as well. The second is also laden with celestial, rather than worldly, imagery, a sign with supernatural significance and force.

The second set of dreams occurs in Genesis 40. Here the two prisoners’ dreams exhibit antithesis. Though the dreams are very similar in imagery, they have very different meanings.

The third set of dreams is Pharaoh’s dreams in Genesis 41. These dreams are synonymous. They mean the same thing. As Joseph notes, “And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about” (Gen. 41.32).

It is Joseph’s power of channeling God’s interpretation that gives him authority over Egypt. He is not only his father’s favorite, but apparently a favorite of God as well.

Sweet dreams!

Genesis 40.1-23

The Dreams of Two Prisoners

The Dreams of Two Prisoners: Genesis 40.1-23

When last we left our hero Joseph, he was sitting in jail without a chance of trial, having been accused of trying to sleep with/rape Potiphar’s wife.

Joseph is eventually joined by Pharaoh’s cupbearer and chief baker, who both offended the king. Since Joseph is in such good favor with the captain of the guard, the two men fall under Joseph’s care.

One night the baker and cupbearer have similar-seeming dreams, each of which has its own meaning. Joseph asks them in the morning why they look troubled, and they explain that there is no one to interpret the dreams. Joseph replies, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me” (Gen.40.8).

The chief cupbearer dreamed of a vine with three branches. It budded, blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. The cupbearer pressed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed it in Pharaoh’s hand. Joseph interprets the dream thus. Within three days (represented by the branches) the cupbearer will again place the cup in Pharaoh’s hand like he used to. Joseph entreats the man to mention him to Pharaoh so he might be released. After all, he has been stolen from his homeland and did nothing to deserve imprisonment.

Seeing a favorable interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream, the chief baker presents his dream. He has three cake baskets on his head. In the topmost basket are all sorts of baked goods that birds are eating. Joseph presents his interpretation. In three days (represented by the baskets) Pharaoh will lift the disembodied head of the baker and hang it on a pole, where birds will pick at the flesh.

Three days later, Pharaoh has a feast for all his servants in honor of his birthday, “and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants” (Gen. 40.20). 

“He restored the chief cupbearer to his cupbearing, an he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand; but the chief baker he hanged, just as Joseph had interpreted to them” (Gen. 40.21-22).

But the cupbearer forgets about Joseph, the man who saved him.

Check out Genesis 40.20, in which Pharaoh lifts up the heads of his servants. That’s a great image. Excellent use of foreshadowing. The two are released from, which is what lifting their heads up means, but the image of lifting the head also refers back to the interpretation of the chief baker’s dream. Since we do not know if Joseph’s prediction is correct, the phrase offers an arresting moment of ambiguity before the fates of the two men are disclosed.

Tomorrow: Pharaoh dreams too!

Genesis 39.1-23

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

A Word on Bookends

Today we are going to discuss bookends. “But Chris,” you say, “this is the bible. In cyberspace. What do we need bookends for?” Well, we need them to frame narratives.

Genesis 37 ends with the Midianites/Ishmaelites (because of the J/E-interweaving, the two are interchangeable) selling Joseph to Potiphar in Egypt: 

Meanwhile the Midianites [Ishmaelites] had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.

(Gen. 37.36).

The following chapter, Genesis 38, consists of an aside regarding Judah and Tamar. Only it is not really an aside. It contains very important messages about familial duty, the wrath of God, and what to do when you inadvertently have sex with your widowed daughter-in-law, who is promised to your son. It was inserted for a reason. How do we know this? Well, the fact that it is an interjection that is completely out of place is a good indication. Also, check out the first line of Genesis 39:

Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, and Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites [Midianites] who had brought him down there.

(Gen. 39.1)

See the similarities between the last line of chapter 37 and the first line of 39? They are like matching bookends. The latter reintroduces the reader to the story using language similar to the formal. This reintroduction would not be necessary if the narrative were continuous. So why is the interrupted? One theory is that the story between the two bookends (end of 37 and beginning of 39) was felt to be necessary, but did not quite fit, so it was inserted into the text. But because it shifts the narrative, the narrative must be shifted back when the interrupting story ends. Very elegant. Chapter numbers are a late addition to the bible. They tend to help make sense in identifying these interrupting passages, however, because the interrupting passage will generally take up one chapter within a longer narrative.

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife: Genesis 39.1-23

Joseph is owned by Potiphar, a captain of the Egyptian guard. Joseph’s true master, however, is the Lord, who makes him successful. Potiphar realizes this and appoints Joseph to oversee his house. The Lord blesses this too, and Potiphar’s family lives a pretty good life.

Joseph is a pretty good looking guy, and Potiphar’s wife wants him. Badly. But Joseph refuses, as she is the one thing that Potiphar denies him. Furthermore, to sleep with her would be a sin against God. But that doesn’t stop Potiphar’s wife from begging for sex.

One day Potiphar’s wife desperately grabs Josephb’s garments in an attempt to get him to sleep with her. He runs away, leaving his clothing behind. Potiphar then tells the members of the family that he tried to sleep with her, but ran when she cried out, leaving his clothes behind.

Potiphar is understandably enraged, and throws Joseph into prison. But even in prison the Lord is kind to Joseph, and Joseph gains favor with the chief jailor. That jailor falls under the same spell as Potiphar, and appoints Joseph as overseer of all the prisoners. “…[A]nd whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper” (Gen. 39.23).

Genesis 38.1-30

Judah and Tamar

Judah and Tamar: Genesis 38.1-30

The bible is full of quirks. Example: For the previous 37 chapters, it has been considered bad to intermarry. Sarai, Rebekah and Rachel all come from the same family, which is the same as Abraham’s. But here in chapter 38 is a story that condones intermarriage. And prostitution. But that’s okay if you’re not married…right?

Judah heads down to Canaan and settles near an Adullamite named Hirah. He marries the daughter of a man named Shua and has a son with her, whom he names Er. She conceives two more times, bearing Onan and Shelah. Judah gave a woman named Tamar to his son Er as a wife.

Er’ is wicked, so the Lord puts him to death. Judah tells Onan to fulfill the duty of brother-in-law by providing an heir to the dead Er. To do this, naturally, he must sleep with Shua and help raise the child. Onan knows that the offspring would not be “his,” so “he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother” (Gen. 38.9). The Lord is angered over Onan’s wicked disregard for sexual and familial duty, so Onan is killed also. Fearing Tamar would die as well, Judah tells Tamar to return to her home, when Shelah can honor Er by producing a child with Tamar.

Judah’s wife dies, and after he finishes mourning, he goes up to Timnah to his sheepshearers. Tamar is told this, and decides to remove her garments of widowhood, put on a veil, and wrap herself up, and sit on the road outside the city. Judah sees her and picks her up, thinking she is a prostitute with her veiled face. He promises a kid from his flock in exchange for her services, but Tamar demands his signet and cord and staff as a pledge until the kid arrives. After the act is done, she returns to wearing her garments of widowhood.

Judah sends a friend with the kid, but the friend cannot find the “temple prostitute” (the most polite way of saying it). Judah tells his friend they should keep this to themselves so that they are not made fun of.

Three months later…surprise! Tamar has “played the whore” and is pregnant (Gen. 38.24). Judah demands she be brought to him, so that she can be burned. She sends word to her father-in-law that it is the owner of a certain signet, cord and staff that made her pregnant. Oops, acknowledges Judah, “She is more in the right and I, singe I did not give her to my son Shelah” (Gen. 38.26). He does not sleep with her again.

Judah’s wife delivers twin sons. During labor, one puts out a hand, and the midwife ties a crimson thread around it to identify the son. But the infant draws back his hand, and his brother comes out first. This one (the one without the thread) is named Perez (a breach). The brother with the crimson thread is called Zerah (brightness).

So here is the deal: Don’t be wicked, be sure to fulfill your brotherly duty, don’t sleep with the woman your son is supposed to fulfill his brotherly duty with, and always keep a deposit when the check’s in the mail.