Front matter (continued, part 10)
The Jewish people considered many places to be special because of what God had done for them there, places like Bethel, Mount Sinai, Jerusalem, the Jordan River, and Gilgal. Perhaps all of us have places that are especially meaningful to us because of spiritual experiences we had there, but a "holy site" must never take the place of the Holy God. To visit a special location and try to recapture old blessings is to live in the past. Let's ask God for new blessings and a new revelation of Himself!
Death (vv. 18a, 19). Rachel had said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die" (30:1). Now she would bear that second son, but in so doing would lay down her own life for the life of the child. We shouldn't interpret her death as a judgment from God either because of her rash statement or because she stole her father's idols.4 Life is a mosaic of lights and shadows, joys and sorrows, and the same baby that brought Rachel and her husband joy also brought tears.
We don't know when Rebekah's maid Deborah (24:59) became a part of Jacob's household, but her presence in the camp suggests that Jacob's mother was now dead. Deborah had stayed with Isaac until Jacob drew near to Hebron, and then she went to be with the boy she had helped to raise years before. Was she the one who broke the news to Jacob that Rebekah was dead? Jacob's tender treatment of this elderly servant is an example for all of us to follow.
Faith (v. 18b). Ben-oni means "son of my sorrow" or "son of my trouble," not a very favorable name for a man to carry through life, reminding him that his birth had helped cause his mother's death. Sorrow would overshadow his every birthday. But Jacob was always ready to rename something, so he called his new son Benjamin, which means "son of my right hand," that is, a son to be honored.5 The first king of Israel came from the tribe of Benjamin (1 Sam. 9) and the apostle Paul was also a Benjamite (Phil. 3:5).
God appeared to Jacob (vv. 9–15). In his first Bethel experience, Jacob had seen God and the angels in a dream (28:12), but now the Lord appeared to him in some special way and blessed him. God reaffirmed Jacob's new name "Israel" and His own name "God Almighty" (El-Shaddai; 17:1; 28:3; 43:14; 48:3; 49:25).3 He also reaffirmed the promises concerning the multiplying of Jacob's descendants and their possessing the land, assuring Jacob that nations and kings would be among his descendants. At that time, Jacob had only eleven sons, but God would give him one more son and abundantly bless all of them and increase their number.
Love (v. 20). More than twenty years before, Jacob had set up a pillar at Bethel to commemorate his meeting with God. Now he set up a pillar to memorialize his beloved wife Rachel. It was located "on the way to Ephrath," another name for Bethlehem. (Ephrath means "fruitful," and "Bethlehem" means "house of bread.") Tradition places Rachel's tomb about a mile north of Bethlehem, on the road to Jerusalem, but Jeremiah said it was near Ramah, five miles north of Jerusalem (Jer. 31:15).
Were it not for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the town would be remembered primarily for the death of Rachel. Because He came, we have "tiding of great joy" instead of tears of sorrow. Matthew connected Jeremiah's reference to Rachel with Herod's murder of the innocent children in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:18). The
As he had done years before at Bethel, Jacob set up a pillar and dedicated it to the Lord (28:18). He not only poured oil on the pillar, but he also poured out a drink offering of wine. The drink offering was a supplement to the regular sacrifices and was poured out on
Genesis 35—36
birth of Jesus brought joy ("Benjamin") and also sorrow (Ben-oni).
was one hundred and eighty years old. He lived the longest of all the patriarchs and yet less is recorded about his life than about his father, his sons, and his grandson Joseph.6
A new sorrow (35:21–22) The death of a dear wife is at least a normal human experience with no guilt attached, but what Reuben did was abnormal and stained with guilt and shame.
We trust that Isaac and Jacob experienced a complete reconciliation and that the old patriarch died "full of years" as did his father (25:8). Esau came from Mount Seir to pay his respects to his father and to assist Isaac in burying him in the cave of Machpelah (49:29–32). Esau was a man of the world and not a child of the covenant, but he was still Isaac's son and Jacob's brother, and he had every right to be there. Death is a human experience that brings human pain to our hearts, and caring for the dead is a responsibility for all the family—believers and unbelievers.
Reuben was Jacob's firstborn and therefore the oldest of his sons (29:31–32); he was most likely in his twenties. The childhood episode with the mandrakes may or may not indicate anything about his nature (30:14–15). Bilhah was Rachel's maid and had borne Jacob two sons, Dan and Naphtali (vv. 1–8). Perhaps the recent death of Rachel left Bilhah desiring to be back with Jacob again, and this was Reuben's opportunity to act. Since the text doesn't indicate that Reuben raped his father's wife, we assume she cooperated in the deed.
But Isaac's death changed Jacob's status: He was now the head of the family and the heir of the covenant blessings. He not only acquired Isaac's great wealth, but he also inherited all that was involved in the Abrahamic covenant. His God would be known as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
But Reuben's sin involved much more than the satisfying of a lustful appetite. For a son to take a father's wife in this manner was a declaration that he was now the head of the family. When Abner took King Saul's concubine, Saul's son and heir Ishbosheth protested because it meant Abner was usurping the crown (2 Sam. 3:6–11). When David succeeded Saul as king, he was given Saul's wives as his own (1 Sam. 12:8). Rebellious Absalom declared himself ruler by taking his father's concubines (2 Sam. 16:20–23), and Adonijah's request to have Abishag as his wife was the same as challenging Solomon's rights to the throne (1 Kings 2:13–25). It would appear, then, that Reuben's purpose was to take over the leadership of the family, which made his deed only that much more vile. Like the younger son in our Lord's parable, Reuben couldn't wait to get his inheritance (Luke 15:11–24). He had to have it now.
There's quite a contrast between the record of Jacob's family in 35:23–26, listing four wives and twelve sons, and the long list of people who belonged to Esau, recorded in chapter 36.
There are six lists of names, including sons (vv. 1–14, 20–28), chiefs (vv. 15–19, 29–30, 40–43), and kings (vv. 31–39); and there appears to be duplication. (Compare vv. 10–14 with 15–19, and 20–28 with 29–30.) Esau had his share of material blessings,7 but Jacob possessed the covenant blessings from the Lord.
Genesis 36 is a long chapter containing many names, but it's the end of the story as far as Esau is concerned! The Edomites are named in the Old Testament only because they're a part of the story of Israel. "Esau" and "Edom," the avowed enemies of the Jews, are mentioned over two hundred times in the Bible, but "Jacob" and "Israel" are found over two thousand times! Esau's son Eliphaz was the father of Amalek, and the Amalekites were also Israel's enemies (Ex. 17:8–16; Num. 14:39–45; Deut. 25:1719; 1 Sam. 15).
Jacob did nothing immediately, but surely his heart was broken by what his son had done. Reuben showed some character in protecting Joseph from death, but he wasn't able to save him from slavery (Gen. 37:20–30). Though Reuben was the firstborn, his brothers didn't seem to respect his leadership. In his old age, Jacob exposed Reuben's sin and deprived him of the rights of the firstborn, giving them to Joseph (48:1–14; 49:3–4; 1 Chron. 5:1–2). Those who teach that our dedication to the Lord automatically protects us from troubles and tears need to read this chapter carefully. Certainly God had forgiven Jacob, and certainly Jacob was walking with the Lord in faith and obedience. Nevertheless, he still had his share of trials. If we obey the Lord only for what we get out of it, and not because He is worthy of our love and obedience, then our hearts and motives are wrong. We become the kind of people Satan accused Job of being (Job 1:6—2:10).
Genesis 37 takes up the story, not of Esau, but of Jacob! "These are the generations of Jacob" (v. 2) is the tenth occasion for a "generation" statement in Genesis, and it introduces the story of Jacob's favorite son, Joseph. With all their weaknesses and faults, the sons of Jacob will carry on the work of God on earth and fulfill the covenant promises God made to Abraham.
1 If Jacob was seventy-seven years old when he left home, and since he remained twenty years with Laban, this means he was ninety-seven when he started for Bethel. Isaac was sixty years older than Jacob. Thus he was one hundred and fifty-seven when Jacob returned and still had twenty-three more years to live (35:28). Isaac's death is recorded in verses 27–29, but the sequence of events in the biblical record is not always chronological. (See note 6.)
A new standing (35:23—36:43) More than twenty years before, Isaac thought he was going to die (24:1–4), but death didn't come until he
Genesis 37
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and its song "Any Dream Will Do."
2 Paul used the image of clothing to teach "newness of life" for the Christian believer (Rom. 13:11–14; 1 Cor. 6:9–11; Eph. 4:17–32; Col. 3:8–17) as well as the new body we will receive when Christ returns (2 Cor. 5:1–5). 3 Hebrew scholars traditionally have interpreted El-Shaddai to mean "God Almighty" or "God All-Sufficient," relating it to the Hebrew word for "breast." Thus He is the God who nourishes and provides, who sustains and enables. Recent studies have suggested "the God of the mountain" (strength, stability) or "God my destroyer" (power against the enemy). 4 Some translate Ben-oni to mean "son of my sin," that is, stealing Laban's idols. The name has also been translated "son of the south" since Benjamin was the only son of Jacob not born in Padan Aram. He was also the only son named by his father. 5 Prophetic students see in these two names the two aspects of our Lord's life and ministry, His suffering (Ben-oni) and His glory (Benjamin). (See Luke 24:26 and 1 Peter 5:1.) 6 The events in chapters 37—40 occurred while Isaac was alive, even though his death is recorded here. If Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old when he went to Egypt (47:9) and Joseph was thirty-nine (41:46 [thirty years old] plus seven years of plenty and two years of famine [45:11]), then Jacob was ninety-one when Joseph was born. If Joseph was seventeen when he was taken to Egypt (37:2), then Jacob would have been in Canaan eleven years and was one hundred and eight years old. His father Isaac would have been one hundred and sixty-eight years old (25:26) and therefore still alive when Joseph was sold. Isaac would have died twelve years later, one year before Joseph was elevated to being second ruler in Egypt. 7 Jacob and Esau's separating from each other (vv. 6–8) reminds us of what happened to Abraham and Lot (13:5–11).
But Genesis 37—50 is much more than a piece of dramatic literature, for when you penetrate deeper, you discover a story abounding with profound theological implications. The hand of God is evident in every scene, ruling and overruling the decisions people make, and in the end, God builds a hero, saves a family, and creates a nation that will bring blessing to the whole world. Behind this story is the heart of the covenantmaking God, who always keeps His promises.
For the Christian believer, there's a third level to the story, for Joseph is one of the richest illustrations of Jesus Christ found in the Old Testament. Joseph is like Jesus in that he was beloved by his father and obedient to his will; hated and rejected by his own brethren and sold as a slave; falsely accused and unjustly punished; finally elevated from the place of suffering to a powerful throne, thus saving his people from death. The major difference, of course, is that Joseph was only reported to be dead, while Jesus Christ did give His life on the cross and was raised from the dead in order to save us.2
Genesis 37 unfolds the destructive dynamics of a family that knew the true and living God and yet sinned against Him and each other by what they said and did. The presence of Joseph in the home didn't create problems so much as reveal them. Consider the destructive forces at work in this family, forces that God in His grace overruled for their good. Where sin abounded, grace abounded more (Rom. 5:20).3
Hatred (37:1–4) "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133:1) But Jacob's family didn't enjoy the blessings of unity because from its inception the home was divided. Jacob's first two wives were rivals, and the addition of two concubines didn't diminish the tension. When you have in a home one father, four different mothers, and twelve sons, you have the ingredients for multiple problems. Unfortunately, Jacob came from a divided home and brought the infection with him. Why did the brothers hate Joseph so much?
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE Genesis 37 ENTER THE HERO T
he statement "These are the generations of Jacob" (v. 2) informs us that we're moving into a new section of the book of Genesis, which will be devoted to Jacob, whom we've already met while reading about "the generations of Isaac" (25:19). But the chief actor in the "Jacob" section of Genesis will be Joseph, who is mentioned twice as many times as is his father in the next fourteen chapters.1 Jacob won't be ignored, but it's Joseph who will occupy center stage.
Joseph had integrity (v. 2). The sons of Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali, and the sons of Zilpah were Gad and Asher, and Joseph apparently was their assistant or apprentice, learning how to care for the sheep. Nobody knew it at the time, but Joseph was destined for greater things, and yet he got his start as a servant (Matt. 25:21).
The history of Joseph can be read on at least three different levels. If we read it simply as literature, we discover a fascinating story involving a doting father, a pampered son, some jealous brothers, a conniving wife, and an international food crisis. It's no wonder that for centuries creative artists have turned to this story for inspiration. In 1742, Henry Fielding patterned the hero of Joseph Andrews after the biblical Joseph, and the next year, Handel produced his oratorio Joseph. Over a period of sixteen years, the German novelist Thomas Mann wrote four novels based on the life of Joseph. In our own day, we have the rock cantata Joseph and the
It wasn't easy for Joseph to work alongside his halfbrothers because their way of life was different from his. Were the boys robbing their father? Were they getting too involved with the ways of the people of the land? We don't know what evil things the men were doing, but whatever their sin was, Joseph felt that their father needed to know about it. Joseph also knew what the other brothers were doing and reported that to Jacob.
Genesis 37
John 2:9). Hatred in the heart is the moral equivalent of murder (Matt. 5:21–26). "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him" (1 John 3:15).
Did Joseph have the right to inform on his brothers? We've always held him in high esteem for his character, but in his youth, was he nothing but a teenage tattletale? He certainly had no authority over his brothers and wasn't accountable for their behavior, and he was in the fields to work with them, not to spy on them.
Envy (37:5–11) The author of a fourteenth-century preacher's manual wrote that envy was "the most precious daughter of the devil because it follows his footsteps by hindering good and promoting evil."4 The author might have added that Envy has a sister named Malice, and the two usually work together (Titus 3:3; 1 Peter 2:1). Envy causes inward pain when we see others succeed, and malice produces inward satisfaction when we see others fail. Envy and malice usually generate slander and unwarranted criticism, and when these two sins hide behind the veil of religious zeal and self-righteousness, the poison they produce is even more deadly.
Subsequent events proved that, young as he was, Joseph did have common sense and discernment. Thus whatever his brothers were doing must have been terribly wicked or Joseph wouldn't have mentioned it to his father. Perhaps Jacob suspected that his sons were doing evil things and asked Joseph what he knew. The boy certainly wasn't going to lie to his father, and when Jacob talked to his sons about their behavior, the men immediately knew who the informer was.
Joseph was the favorite son (vv. 3–4). Having experienced the sad consequences of favoritism in his boyhood home (25:28) and during his years with Laban (29:30), Jacob should have had more sense than to single out Joseph and pamper him. But Joseph was the son of his favorite wife, Rachel, and the human heart sometimes plays tricks with the mind and makes people do strange things. As Pascal wrote in his Pensees, "The heart has its reasons which reason cannot know." However, it still wasn't the wisest way to run the home.
British wit Max Beerbohm said, "People who insist on telling their dreams are among the terrors of the breakfast table." Should Joseph have told his dreams to the family, or was this just another evidence of his adolescent immaturity? The two dreams couldn't help but irritate the family and make things worse for him. After all, how could Joseph ever become a ruler, and why would his brothers bow down to him? The whole thing was preposterous. When Joseph reported the second dream, even his father became upset and rebuked him;5 but privately, Jacob pondered the dreams. After all, Jacob had received messages from God in dreams (Gen. 28:12ff.; 31:1–13); so perhaps it was the Lord who was speaking to Joseph.
We can't be sure what the famous "coat of many colours" (37:3) really looked like, although "richly ornamented robe" (niv) is probably as good a translation as any. Apart from verses 23 and 32, the only other place the Hebrew word is found in the Old Testament is in 2 Samuel 13:18 describing the garment of a king's daughter. Joseph's "coat" reached to the ankles and had long sleeves. It was the rich garment of a ruler and not what the well-dressed shepherd needed out in the fields.
Perhaps Joseph might have been more diplomatic in the way he reported his dreams, but surely he was right in sharing them with the family. This wasn't "adolescent enthusiasm"; it was the will of God. Had the brothers paid attention to these two dreams, they might have been better prepared for what happened to them twenty years later. If Jacob had grasped the significance of the dreams, he might have had the faith to believe that Joseph was still alive and that he would see him again. Of course, since we know the end of the story, it's easy for us to criticize.
However, Jacob had something more important than fashion in mind when he gave Joseph this special coat. It was probably his way of letting the family know that Joseph had been chosen to be his heir. Reuben had forfeited his firstborn status because of his sin with Bilhah (35:22), and his next son, Simeon, had been involved with Levi in slaughtering the men of Shechem. Furthermore, Jacob's first four sons had Leah as their mother, and Jacob hadn't intended to marry Leah. The full intent of his heart was to marry Rachel, but Laban had tricked him. Jacob might have reasoned, "In God's sight, Rachel was my first wife, and Joseph was her firstborn. Therefore, Joseph has the right to be treated as the firstborn."
Does God speak to us in dreams today? Or do we get our guidance only from the Spirit of God using the Word of God as we pray and seek God's will? In the Old Testament, you find a good number of divine communications through dreams, both to believers and unbelievers, but this doesn't seem to be the norm for New Testament Christians today. God communicated through dreams when He directed Joseph, the husband of Mary (Matt. 1:20–25; 2:12–13, 19–22), but there's no evidence that anybody else in the gospels or the book of Acts ever received divine guidance through dreams.6
If this is the way the brothers viewed the scenario, then it's no surprise that they hated Joseph. Jacob knew their true feelings and even brought it up when he was on his deathbed. "The archers have sorely grieved him [Joseph], and shot at him, and hated him" (49:23).
Hatred is a terrible sin because it generates other sins, "Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrong" (Prov. 10:12). "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness" (1
When people claim that God has sent them dreams for their instruction and guidance, or the instruction of others, we need to be careful, for dreams can be selfinduced or even influenced by Satan (Jer. 23:25–28).
Genesis 37
Missionaries have told us about people they've met whose first interest in Christ and the Bible came through dreams, but it was the Word of God that finally brought them to the Savior. Certainly God is sovereign and can use dreams to accomplish His will if no other means is available, but His normal way to communicate is through the Spirit teaching the Word (John 14:25–26; 16:12–15).
he got there, he learned that his brothers had moved thirteen miles north to Dothan, which meant another day's journey. When he came into their range of vision, they immediately recognized him afar off (he was wearing his special garment) and began to make their plans.
The combination of hatred and envy is lethal. It simmers in the heart and waits for the spark that will set off the explosion. The brothers didn't have to be tempted in order to decide to harm Joseph. All they needed was the opportunity, and it wasn't long in coming. Their derisive statement, "Here comes that dreamer!" (v. 19) could be translated, "Here comes the dream expert!" In this situation, Joseph's dreams got him into trouble, but thirteen years later, other people's dreams would get him out of trouble. "How unsearchable are his [God's] judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Rom. 11:33).
In the future, Joseph would be involved in interpreting other men's dreams (Gen. 40—41), but there's no indication that he understood his own two dreams at that time. As he waited in prison, no doubt the meaning of the dreams became clearer and encouraged him (Ps. 105:16–23). Understanding God's plan helped give him direction in his dealings with his brothers.
The immediate result of Joseph's sharing his dreams was that his brothers hated him even more and also envied him in their hearts.7 He was his father's favorite, chosen to receive the blessings of the firstborn, wearing a special garment, and now the recipient of strange dreams. Why should he be so special? What would happen next?
Which brother first suggested that they kill him?8 It wasn't Reuben, because his counsel was that they throw Joseph into a dry cistern. Reuben planned to come back and rescue his brother, but even if he succeeded, how could he take Joseph back home? Jacob would surely learn the truth about his sons, and his reaction would have created more problems in the family. That Reuben protected Joseph from death is commendable, especially since Reuben was the firstborn son whom Joseph replaced (1 Chron. 5:1).
Violence (37:12–18) Envy is one of the works of the flesh that comes out of the sinful heart of man (Mark 7:22; Gal. 5:21). Because of their envy, Joseph's brothers sold him to the merchants. (See Matt. 27:18 and Mark 15:10 for a parallel to Christ's sufferings.) Their growing hatred was the equivalent of murder (Matt. 5:21–26), and though they didn't actually kill Joseph with their hands, some of them had done the deed many times in their hearts.
Indifference (vv. 23–28). It must have given them great pleasure to strip Joseph of his special robe and then drop him into the empty cistern. Cisterns were usually quite deep and had long narrow openings that would be too high for a prisoner to reach. In order to get out, you'd need somebody to lower a rope and pull you up (Jer. 38).
Questions (vv. 12–17). As we read this section, several questions come to mind. First, why were Jacob's sons pasturing their flocks fifty miles from home when there was surely good grassland available closer to Hebron? Possible answer: They didn't want anybody from the family spying on them. Second question: Why did they return to the dangerous area near Shechem when Jacob's family had such a bad reputation among the citizens there (34:30)? Suggested answer: The brothers were involved with the people of the land in ways they didn't want Jacob to know about.
It's difficult to understand how the men could sit down and calmly eat a meal while their brother was suffering and begging them to set him free (Gen. 42:21). However, hearts that have been hardened by hatred and poisoned by thoughts of murder aren't likely to pay much attention to the cries of their victim. But then, think of what our Lord's own nation did to Him! All of us are potentially capable of doing what Joseph's brothers did, for "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9)
But there's a third question that's even more puzzling: Knowing that his sons hated Joseph, why did Jacob send him out to visit them alone and wearing the special garment that had aggravated them so much? One of Jacob's trusted servants could have performed the same task faster (Joseph got lost) and perhaps just as efficiently. The answer is that the providential hand of God was working to accomplish His divine purposes for Jacob and his family, and ultimately for the whole world. "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant" (Ps. 105:17). God had ordained that Joseph would go to Egypt, and this was the way He accomplished it.
Just then, the men spied a Midianite9 merchant train moving across the plain, and this gave Judah an idea. They could sell their brother as a slave and at the same time get rid of him and make some money. Since anybody taken to Egypt and sold for a slave wasn't likely to win his freedom and come back again, there was no danger that their plot would ever be discovered. They forgot that God was watching and was still in control. Jacob had inherited the covenant blessings and this made him a very special person in the eyes of God. The Lord had His divine purposes to fulfill, and "There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord" (Prov. 21:30 nkjv).
Conspiracy (vv. 18–24). It took Joseph perhaps three days to get from Hebron to Shechem, but when
Starting with Cain's murder of Abel, "man's
Genesis 37
inhumanity to man"10 is painfully recorded in both biblical and secular history. We're made in the image of God, and we belong to the same human family, and yet we can't seem to get along with one another. Everything from family feuds over lottery winnings to civil wars blamed on ancient injuries gives evidence that the world desperately needs a Savior who can make hearts new.
officers. Potiphar is called "captain of the guard" (37:36), which suggests he was head of Pharaoh's personal bodyguard and in charge of official executions. But the important thing wasn't that Joseph was connected with such a powerful man in Egypt. The important thing was that "the Lord was with Joseph and he prospered" (39:2).
The workings of God's providence are indeed awesome, and this ought to be a great source of encouragement to us in the difficult circumstances of life. "He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'" (Dan. 4:35). Jacob and Joseph never read Romans 8:28, but they experienced the truth of it and saw what the hand of God can do. If the promises worked for them, they will work for us today,for God and His Word have not changed.
Deception (37:29–36) Reuben was absent when his brothers sold Joseph, perhaps taking care of some problem with the sheep. Maybe he absented himself deliberately so they wouldn't suspect his hidden plan. When he visited the cistern, he was shocked to find that Joseph was gone. Thus he hurried back to the camp to find out what had happened. Certainly his attitude and actions made it clear to his brothers that his sympathies were with Joseph, for he tore his clothes like a man in mourning.
"He who covers his sins will not prosper" (Prov. 28:13 nkjv) is God's unchanging law, but people still think they can defy it and escape the consequences. Among Jacob's sons, one sin led to another as the men fabricated the evidence that would deceive their father into thinking that Joseph was dead, killed by a wild beast. Jacob would have no problem identifying the special robe, and he would have no way to test the blood. As tragic and treacherous as this deception was, Jacob was reaping what he himself had sown. Years before, he had killed a kid in order to deceive his father (Gen. 27:1–17), and now his own sons were following in his footsteps.
1 Thus far in Genesis, Joseph has been mentioned only five times (30:24–25; 33:2, 7; 35:24). In the next fourteen chapters, Jacob/Israel will be named sixty-two times and Joseph one hundred and thirty-three times. 2 While it's true that we have no New Testament authorization for calling Joseph a "type" of Jesus Christ, yet there are so many parallels between Jesus and Joseph that the evidence can't be ignored. The fact that some people have carried this to an extreme shouldn't prevent us from honestly examining the text and looking for our Lord (Luke 24:27; John 5:39). Only two places in the New Testament mention Joseph: Stephen's address (Acts 7:9–16; Heb. 11:21–22). 3 As Romans 6:1–2 makes clear, Romans 5:20 isn't an excuse for sin because those who sin suffered for what they do, even if God does overrule their disobedience for ultimate good, Joseph's brothers suffered more for their sins than Joseph did from their hatred or the consequences of their evil deeds. 4 Fasciculus Morum: A Fourteenth-Century Preacher's Handbook, translated by Siegfried Wenzel (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1989), 149. 5 When Jacob mentioned "your mother" (v. 10), he was referring to Leah, who had become the mother in the home since the death of Rachel. 6 We aren't expressly told that Pilate's wife's dream about Jesus (Matt. 27:19) was sent by God in order to communicate some truth through her to her husband. 7 Since Rachel had envied Leah (30:1), Jacob knew something about the effects of this sin in a home. 8 From the way Joseph later treated Simeon in Egypt (42:24), it may be that Simeon was the ringleader. We know he had a murderous streak in him (34:25). 9 The words "Ishmaelite" and "Midianite" were used interchangeably (Judg. 3:22–24). Mer-chants were called "Ishmaelites" because many Ishmaelites were engaged in trading. 10 Poet Robert Burns uses this telling phrase in the seventh stanza of his poem "Man Was Made to Mourn." 11 H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids: Baker
H. C. Leupold has translated 37:32, "And they sent the long-sleeved cloak and had it brought to their father."11 Unwilling to confront their father personally, the brothers sent a servant to Jacob to show him the "evidence" and tell him the lie that they had concocted. This was a brutal way to treat their father, but "the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel" (Prov. 12:10 nkjv).
Prone to jump to conclusions (Gen. 32:6–8), Jacob accepted the evidence, believed the story, and concluded that Joseph indeed was dead. He went into deep mourning, and twenty years later was still grieving over the death of Joseph (42:36). His family tried to comfort him12 but to no avail. His favorite son was dead, and Jacob would carry his grief with him to the grave.
Years later, Jacob would lament, "All these things are against me" (v. 36), when actually all these things were working for him (Rom. 8:28). This doesn't mean that God approved of or engineered the brothers' hatred and deception, or that they weren't responsible for what they did. It does mean that our God is so great that He can work out His purposes even when people are doing their worst. The greatest example of this is Calvary (Acts 3:12–26). Years later, Joseph would say, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20 nkjv).
God providentially brought Joseph safely to Egypt and saw to it that he was sold to one of Pharaoh's chief
Genesis 38—39
marry women of the land lest the "chosen seed" of Israel be polluted with idolatry and immorality (Gen. 24:3–4; 28:1–4).3 Joseph's brothers were doing things that their father disapproved of, but Joseph was still safer with them than with the people of the land. At least their presence reminded Joseph that he was a child of the covenant (see Rom. 12:1–2; 2 Cor. 6:14—7:1).
Book House, 1953), vol. 2, 972. In his Genesis, Robert Alter translates it "And they sent the ornamented tunic and had it brought to their father" (New York: W.W. Norton, 1996), 215. 12 As far as we know, Dinah was the only daughter in the family; so "daughters" in verse 35 means "daughters-in-law."
Grace. The story of the patriarchs in Genesis reminds us of the grace of God and His sovereignty in human life. The men and women who played a part in this important drama weren't perfect, and some of them were deliberately disobedient, and yet the Lord used them to accomplish His purposes. This doesn't mean that God approved of their sins, because their sins were ultimately revealed and judged. But it does mean that God can take the weak things of this world and accomplish His purposes (1 Cor. 1:26–31).
INTERLUDE: Genesis 38 JUDAH AND TAMAR T
he events in this chapter seem to interrupt the story, but actually they take place during the time of the "Joseph story." Joseph was seventeen when he was sold and thirty years old when he was elevated to the throne, which gives us thirteen years. When you add the seven years of plenty and the two years of famine, you have twenty-two years before Joseph was reconciled to his brothers. That's plenty of time for Judah to marry, beget three sons, bury two sons1 and a wife, and get involved with Tamar. If his marriage had occurred before Joseph's exile, you have even more time available.
Now back to the story of Joseph.
1 We don't know what sins Er committed to deserve divine judgment, but Onan's sin was his refusal to raise up a family to perpetuate his dead brother's name (Deut. 25:5–10; Ruth 4). This is called "levirate marriage" from the Latin word levir, which means "brother-in-law." The tense of the verbs in verse 9 indicate that whenever Onan and his wife had intercourse, he interrupted it so she couldn't get pregnant. This repeated refusal to obey God displeased the Lord, and God killed him. It's unfortunate that masturbation has been associated with Onan ("onanism") because it doesn't even enter into the story. 2 Three other women besides Mary are named in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1: Tamar (v. 3) and Rahab and Ruth (v. 5). It was unusual to name women in a Jewish genealogy and especially women such as these three. Tamar was a Canaanite who posed as a prostitute; Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho (Josh. 2); and Ruth was a Moabitess who converted to Judaism (Ruth 2). All three were Gentiles, and two of them (Tamar and Rahab) had unsavory reputations. What a demonstration of the grace of God! 3 God put a wall between the Jews and Gentiles, not because the Jews were better than other nations, but because they were different, set apart for His divine purposes. Once the Savior had come and died for the sins of the world, God made it clear that there is "no difference" (Acts 10; Rom. 3:22–23; 10:12).
Why is this story here? History. One of the major purposes of Genesis is to record the origin and development of the family of Jacob, the founder of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Israelites went down to Egypt a large family, and four centuries later they came out of Egypt a large nation. Since the tribe of Judah is the royal tribe from which the Messiah would come (49:10), anything related to Judah is vital to the story in Genesis. Without this chapter, you'd wonder at finding Tamar and Perez in our Lord's genealogy (Matt. 1:3).2 Perez was an ancestor of King David (Ruth 4:18–22) and therefore an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1).
Morality. But this chapter has some practical values as well. For one thing, it shows how dangerous it was for God's people to be in the land with the Canaanites. There was always the temptation to live like your neighbors instead of like the people of God.
There's also a dramatic contrast between Judah and Joseph. Joseph refused to compromise himself with Potiphar's wife (Gen. 39:7–20), but Judah casually slept with a strange woman he thought was a prostitute. We also see the continued "harvest" in the family because of deception. Jacob used a garment to deceive his father Isaac, and Judah and his brothers used a garment to deceive Jacob (37:32). Now Tamar used a garment to deceive Judah (Gen. 38:14)! We reap what we sow.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO Genesis 39—41 THE LORD MAKES THE DIFFERENCE T
VII. JOSEPH AND HIS MINISTRY (39:1— 50:26) The protecting of the Hebrew nation
he Egypt in which Joseph found himself was primarily a land of small villages inhabited by peasants who worked the land and raised grain and vegetables. Thanks to their system of irrigation, the annual flooding of the Nile River supplied ample water for both the crops and the cattle. There were some large cities such as On (Hieropolis), where Ra the sun god was honored, and Memphis, devoted to Apis, the
Covenant community. Judah got himself into trouble when he separated himself from his brothers and started to make friends with the Canaanites in the land. Like Samson, he saw a woman he liked and took her to be his wife (v. 2; Judg. 14). Both Abraham and Isaac had been careful to see to it that their sons didn't
Genesis 39
sacred bull, but most of the population lived in the small villages.
was a testimony to the true and living God. He was an honest and faithful worker, and the people he lived and worked with got the message. God took note of Joseph's character and conduct and made him a blessing, and unknown to Joseph, God planned to fulfill the dreams He had sent him. "Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men" (Prov. 22:29 nkjv).2
It was also a country shackled by religious superstition. The people recognized at least two thousand gods and goddesses, including Pharaoh himself, and the special emphasis was on preparing for the after-life when the god Osiris would judge one's deeds. In a very real sense, Egypt was a land devoted to death as much as to life.
But his faithful service wasn't only a blessing to the household, it was also a blessing to Joseph himself. Had he stayed home with his pampering father, Joseph might not have developed the kind of character that comes from hard work and obeying orders. God's method for building us is to give us a job to do and people to obey. He tests us as servants before He promotes us to being rulers (Matt. 25:21). Before He allows us to exercise authority, we have to be under authority and learn to obey.
The Egyptians were great builders, and the rulers conscripted both slaves and their own citizens for vast building projects. While the common people lived in mud brick houses, the important structures were constructed of stone. (Some of the pyramids contain stones that weigh as much as fifteen tons.) The government was a large bureaucracy, with many officials at various levels and thousands of scribes to keep the records.
Egyptian priests and wise men studied the heavens and the earth, developed a solar year calendar of 365 1/4 days, and became well known for their medicines. They also perfected the art of embalming. The Egyptians had horses and chariots, and they knew the art of war.
The description of Joseph in Genesis 39:6 prepares the way for the episode involving Potiphar's wife. Not only was Joseph godly, dependable, and efficient, but he was also handsome and well favored, qualities he inherited from his mother (29:17).
Overcoming great temptation (39:7–20) Joseph had suffered in a pit because of the hatred of his brothers, but now he would face an even greater danger because of the lust of an evil woman. "For a harlot is a deep pit, and a seductress is a narrow well" (Prov. 23:27 nkjv). Potiphar's wife treated Joseph in a humiliating way by inviting him into her bed. She may have reasoned, "After all, isn't he a Jew and a slave at that? And doesn't he work for my husband and therefore also work for me? Since my husband isn't here, I'm in charge, and Joseph is my employee. It's his job to take orders." She treated Joseph like a thing, not like a person; and when her advances were rejected, she turned against him.3
There were many Semitic slaves like Joseph in Egypt, but Joseph was very special because the Lord was with him (39:2–3). Because the Lord was with Joseph, he was a man of accomplishment, but what Joseph accomplished, we can accomplish if we trust in the Lord and seek to honor Him as he did.
Sharing God's blessing (39:1–6) When he was at home in Hebron, Joseph's brothers considered him to be a trouble-maker, but in Egypt, he was a source of blessing because God was with him. God promised Abraham that his descendants would bring blessing to other nations (12:1–3), and Joseph fulfilled that promise in Egypt. Like the blessed man described in Psalm 1, everything he did prospered (Ps. 1:3; see also Josh. 1:8). Joseph is a good example of a believer who trusted God and made the best of his difficult circumstances. He never read what Jeremiah wrote to the exiles in Babylon (Jer. 29:7) or what Peter wrote to the scattered Christians in the Roman Empire (1 Peter 2:13–20), but he certainly put those instructions into practice. Joseph would rather have been at home, but he made the best of his circumstances in Egypt, and God blessed him.
No matter how much people talk about "love" and defend sex outside of marriage, the experience is wrong, cheap, and demeaning. Fornication and adultery change a pure river into a sewer and transform free people into slaves and then animals (5:15–23; 7:21–23). What begins as "sweetness" soon turns into poison (5:1–14). Joseph wasn't about to sacrifice either his purity or his integrity just to please his master's wife.
It took a great deal of courage and determination for Joseph to fight this battle day after day, but he succeeded. He explained to her why he wouldn't cooperate: (1) She was another man's wife, and that man was his master; (2) he was trusted by his master and didn't want to violate that trust; (3) even if nobody else found out about it, God would know it and be displeased. All she asked for was a moment of pleasure, but to Joseph, this was a great wickedness against God (Gen. 39:9).
The blessing of the Lord was very evident to the people in Potiphar's household, and they knew that Joseph was the cause. "The Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake" (Gen. 39:5), just as God had blessed Laban's house because of Jacob (30:27, 30). Potiphar gradually turned more and more responsibility over to Joseph until Joseph was actually managing the entire household, except for the food Potiphar ate.1
Potiphar's wife probably arranged for the other servants to be out of the way on the day she launched her
Joseph was well liked by the people in Potiphar's house, and in pagan, idol-worshipping Egypt, Joseph
Genesis 39—40
fect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2–4 nkjv).
greatest attack, but at the same time she saw to it that they were near enough at hand for her to call them to see Joseph's garment. There are times when fleeing could be a mark of cowardice (Ps. 11:1–2; Neh. 6:11), but there are also times when fleeing is evidence of courage and integrity. Joseph was wise enough to follow the same advice Paul gave to Timothy, "Flee the evil desires of youth" (2 Tim. 2:22).
God often removes our "crutches" so we'll learn to walk by faith and trust Him alone. Two years later, God would use the cupbearer to help deliver Joseph from prison. Thus Joseph's request wasn't wasted. During those two years of waiting, Joseph clung to the dreams God had given him, just the way you and I would cling to His promises. God had promised that people would bow down to Joseph, and he believed God's promise. He didn't know how God would accomplish it or when it would happen, but he knew that God was faithful.
Self-control is an important factor in building character and preparing us for leadership. "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls" (Prov. 25:28 nkjv). When there are no walls, anything can get in or come out. Joseph exercised self-control, but Samson used his body to gratify his own pleasures, and Joseph ended up ruling on a throne, while Samson ended his life buried in a pile of rubble (Judg. 16:23–31).
Learning to interpret (40:1–13, 16–22). Since the king's prisoners were put into this prison, Joseph met some men who held high offices and had access to Pharaoh, among them Pharaoh's chief butler (cupbearer) and the royal baker. The cupbearer's job was to protect the king by making certain the king's wine was prepared and safe to drink (Neh. 1:11—2:1). Since he served in the very presence of Pharaoh, he was a powerful man with access to the king's ear. God brought these two men into Joseph's life so that He could ultimately set him free and give him the throne He had prepared for him.
For the second time in his life, Joseph lost a garment (Gen. 39:12; see also 37:23), but as the Puritan preacher said, "Joseph lost his coat but he kept his character." Since Potiphar was involved in the Egyptian judicial system, we wonder why he didn't try to put Joseph on trial or even execute him. Of course, God was in control, working out His wonderful plan for Joseph, Egypt, Joseph's family, and the world.4
Dreams played a very important part in the life of leaders in Egypt, and the ability to interpret dreams was a highly respected skill. So far, Joseph had pondered his own dreams, but this is the first time he interprets the dreams of others. The fact that he noticed the looks of dismay on the men's faces shows that he was a caring and discerning man, and the fact that Joseph gave God the glory (Gen. 40:8) shows he was a humble man.
Enduring injustice (39:21—40:23) Once again, it was the Lord who made the difference. Whether Joseph was a steward in Potiphar's house or an accused criminal in the prison, "the Lord was with Joseph" and gave him success.
Learning to wait (39:21–23). "They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons," said the psalmist (Ps. 105:18), but these experiences aren't mentioned in Genesis. Perhaps Joseph was bound for a short time, but it wasn't long before the prison warden released him and put him in charge of the other prisoners. Like Potiphar before him, the warden turned everything over to Joseph and watched the work prosper in his hands.
To "lift up your head" (vv. 13, 19) is a phrase that means "to have your case considered by the king, then be restored" (see 2 Kings 25:27; Jer. 52:31). But as far as the baker was concerned, the phrase had a double meaning, because Pharaoh would have him executed. The Egyptians didn't use the gallows; they beheaded the victim and then impaled his body on a stake ("tree"). So, in a dual sense, the baker's head was "lifted up."
God permitted Joseph to be treated unjustly and put in prison to help build his character and prepare him for the tasks that lay ahead. The prison would be a school where Joseph would learn to wait on the Lord until it was His time to vindicate him and fulfill his dreams. Joseph had time to think and pray and to ponder the meaning of the two dreams God had sent him. He would learn that God's delays are not God's denials.
Joseph's interpretations came true: The cupbearer was restored to his position, and the baker was executed. While Joseph was no doubt sorry for the baker, it must have encouraged him to see that his interpretation was accurate and that Pharaoh did reconsider cases and set people free.
Learning to trust (vv. 14–15, 23). As far as the Genesis record is concerned, there are only two instances of Joseph displaying unbelief; and this is the first one. (The second is in 48:8–20 when Joseph tried to tell Jacob how to bless the two grandsons.) Knowing that the cupbearer would be released and have access to Pharaoh, Joseph asked him to speak a good word for him and get him out of the prison. Joseph was putting his trust in what a man could do instead of depending on what God could do. He was getting impatient instead of waiting for God's time.
More than one servant of God has regretted rushing ahead of God's schedule and trying to get to the throne too soon. Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones used to say, "It's tragic when a person succeeds before he is ready for it." It's through faith and patience that we inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12; see 10:36), and the best way to learn patience is through tribulation (Rom. 5:3–4). "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its per-
Joseph didn't mention his brothers or accuse them
Genesis 40—41
We commend Joseph for his humility and desire to honor the true and living God (v. 16; see also 40:8; Dan. 2:27–28). He listened to Pharaoh describe his two dreams and then gave him the interpretation. It was a serious matter, for God had shown the ruler of Egypt what He planned to do for the next fourteen years, and Pharaoh was conscious of this fact. Now that he knew God's plan, Pharaoh was obligated to do what God wanted him to do.
of evil. He only said he was "stolen" (kidnapped) from home and therefore was not a slave but a free man who deserved better treatment. His use of the word "dungeon" in 40:15 (see also 41:14) doesn't necessarily mean that he and the other prisoners were in a terribly wretched place. They were confined in the jail for the king's prisoners (39:20), which is called "the house of the captain of the guard" (40:3), so it was certainly not a dungeon.5 It may well have been "house arrest." Joseph was speaking just as you and I would speak when we want people to sympathize with our plight: "This place is the pits!"
Knowing this, Joseph went beyond giving an interpretation to making suggestions to Pharaoh, and this took a great deal of faith and courage. But the Lord was using Joseph, and Pharaoh accepted his suggestions. First, Pharaoh must appoint an intelligent and wise man to oversee the land and its harvests. Second, he must give this man several commissioners who would be over different parts of the land and take one-fifth of each harvest for Pharaoh for the next seven years. Third, all this food must be put in storage to use when the years of famine arrived.
After his release and restoration, the cupbearer not only said nothing to Pharaoh about Joseph, but also he forgot Joseph completely! So much for turning to people for help instead of waiting on the Lord. "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. … Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the Lord, who remains faithful forever" (Ps. 146:3, 5–6).
God moved Pharaoh to choose Joseph (vv. 37–39). "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes" (Prov. 21:1 nkjv). Joseph's demeanor, his skill at interpreting dreams, and his wisdom in finding a solution to the problem of the famine all impressed Pharaoh and convinced him that Joseph was the man for the job. Thirteen years before, his brothers had stripped him of his special robe, but now Pharaoh gave him a robe of far greater significance. The signet ring and the gold chain were symbols of Joseph's authority as second in command in Egypt (see also Dan. 5:7, 16, 29).
Expecting God to work (41:1–44) Two years have passed, and Joseph is still working in the prison house, waiting for something to happen. But when things started to happen, events began to move quickly, for God's time had come to activate His plans for Joseph. If any chapter in Genesis reveals the sovereignty of God, it's this one.
God gave Pharaoh two dreams (vv. 1–8). God caused Pharaoh to have two dreams the same night, dreams that perplexed him and that his magicians (soothsayers) couldn't interpret. Note the repetition of the word "behold" in verses 1–7, emphasizing the vividness of the dreams and the rapidity of the sequence. Unlike King Nebuchadnezzar, he didn't forget his dreams (Dan. 2) but shared them with his wise men. These men may have been gifted at understanding dreams, but God so worked that they were unable to interpret them.
Note the series of statements prefaced with "and Pharaoh said." According to Genesis 41:38, Pharaoh spoke to the officials; and in verses 39–41, he spoke to Joseph and declared his position and authority. In verse 44, Pharaoh made the official proclamation to Joseph and all his officers, and the matter was settled. Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name, the meaning of which isn't clear,6 but Pharaoh continued to call him Joseph (v. 55).
Joseph was also given his own chariot with men going before him commanding the people to bow down to him just as they did to Pharaoh. If these unbelieving Egyptians bowed down to him, surely one day Joseph's own family would bow down, just as God had announced in his dreams.
God reminded the cupbearer about Joseph (vv. 9–13). Since the time had come for Joseph to be delivered from prison and given a throne, God prodded the cupbearer's memory so he could recall what had happened to him in prison. His report about Joseph's abilities to understand dreams was exactly what Pharaoh wanted to hear. The fact that Joseph was called a Hebrew (v. 12) didn't bother Pharaoh, because Semitic people were accepted in Egypt and even promoted to hold important positions in the government. Certainly Pharaoh would recall the dramatic events involving the baker and the cupbearer.
Finally, along with the ring, robe, gold chain, new name, and chariot, Joseph was given a wife,7 the daughter of one of the priests of the sun god Ra.8 The priests in Egypt were a powerful caste, and having an Egyptian wife would strengthen Joseph's relationship with the religious leaders in the land. I like to believe that Joseph taught her about the true and living God so that she, like Ruth, abandoned her false gods and came "under the wings" of Jehovah, the God of Israel (Ruth 1:14–22; 2:11–12).
God led Pharaoh to summon Joseph (vv. 14–36). Since the Egyptian people didn't wear beards in that day, as did the Hebrews, Joseph had to shave himself, change his clothes, and prepare to meet Pharaoh. For the third time in thirteen years, he gave up his garment, but this time he would gain the garment of a ruler.
Forgiving and forgetting the past (41:46–57) Over a period of thirteen years, God enabled Joseph to
Genesis 41—42
spiritual insight, patience, and love. That will be our theme for the next two studies.
accomplish some wonderful things. He brought blessing to Potiphar's house and to the people in the prison. He overcame temptation, and because of that, he endured false accusation and great injustice. Joseph was a man of faith who expected God to work, and he was ready and obedient when the call came. But there was one more achievement that in some ways was greatest of all: He was enabled by God's grace to wipe out the pains and bad memories of the past and make a new beginning.
1 The Egyptians didn't eat with the Hebrews (43:32). It wasn't so much a matter of diet as their exclusive attitude toward other peoples. 2 It's interesting to see how the life of Joseph illustrates the history of Israel. Like the nation of Israel, Joseph was a blessing to the Gentiles; he suffered at their hand, and he was accused and maligned; and yet he was delivered to become a ruler and help to save the nations. Daniel's experiences in Babylon parallel the experiences of Joseph in Egypt. Like Joseph, Daniel was taken from his home; his name was changed; he interpreted dreams; he was promoted; and he was a source of blessing to the Gentiles. 3 For a similar scenario, see 2 Samuel 13:1–22, and note how Amon's "love" turned into hatred. 4 Potiphar knew that Joseph was the reason for the prosperity of his household, and he may have questioned whether his wife was telling the truth. After all, the "evidence" was purely circumstantial, and it was her word against Joseph's. But Potiphar had to choose between justice and a happy home, and, after all, Joseph was a slave and a Jew. We wonder how Joseph dealt with Potiphar and his wife a few years later when he was the second ruler of the land. 5 Since the same Hebrew word translated "dungeon" is also translated "pit" in Genesis 37:22, 24, 28–29, perhaps Joseph was relating the two experiences in his own mind. 6 Suggestions are: "abundance of life," "the god speaks and he lives," "the man who knows things," and "sustainer of life." 7 Some see in Joseph's marriage a picture of our Lord Jesus marrying a Gentile bride during this time of His rejection by Israel. 8 On was named Hieropolis by the Greeks, which means "sacred city." It was dedicated to the worship of the sun god Ra. An old couplet says, "The sun god Ra, whose shrines once covered acres / Is filler now for crossword puzzle makers." But in Joseph's day, the priests of the sun god were highly respected.
Certainly a man who could interpret the dreams of others could interpret his own dreams. Joseph must have concluded that the famine would bring his brothers to Egypt, and that meant he would have to confront them with their sins against him and their father. He wanted his own heart to be clean and right before God so that he could be a blessing to them just as he'd been a blessing wherever God had placed him.
The name Manasseh means "forgetting." Joseph didn't forget his family or the events that occurred, but he did forget the pain and suffering that they caused. He realized that God meant it for good (50:20). Therefore, looking at the past from that perspective, he attained victory over his bad memories and bitterness. He could have carried a grudge in his heart because of the way his brothers had treated him, but grudges are like weeds in a lovely garden or germs in a healthy body: they just don't belong there.
The name Ephraim means "twice fruitful." Egypt had been a place of affliction for Joseph, but now he had two sons and was fruitful in the land. But even more, he would become fruitful as the second ruler of the land and be used of God to save many lives, including his own family and the nation of Israel.
It's a wonderful thing when we can come through times of trial with the kind of attitude Joseph had, burying past hurts and rejoicing in present blessings, being "forgetful" and "fruitful" at the same time. What a tragedy when people remember the painful things others have done to them, and all their lives carry bitterness that robs them of peace and joy. Just as Joseph laid aside his prison clothes and made a new beginning, so we frequently need to "take off" the old hurts and put on a new attitude of faith and love (Eph. 4:20–32; Col. 3:1–17).
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE Genesis 42—43 WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE W
Joseph's interpretation of the dreams proved accurate, and Egypt enjoyed seven years of bumper crops, a fifth of which were put into Pharaoh's storage cities. Then the famine came to that area of the Middle East, and Joseph provided the food that saved the lives of the people. But visitors started coming from other nations to get food, and Joseph knew that one day his brothers would arrive and bow down before him. Then would begin the greatest drama of all: restoring relationships in a divided home and healing wounds that had been festering for many years.
hile teaching Genesis over the "Back to the Bible" radio network, I received a critical letter from a listener who disagreed with my interpretation of Genesis 42—44. The listener felt that Joseph was wrong and even cruel in the way he dealt with his brothers. Instead of "wasting so much time," the listener suggested, Joseph should have immediately revealed himself to his brothers and brought about "instant reconciliation."
True reconciliation, however, requires sincere repentance and humble confession of sin, and often it takes time for a person to get to that place. I believe that Joseph dealt with his brothers in a patient, loving,
Joseph's conduct as a servant, prisoner, and official was exemplary, but the way he dealt with his brothers and brought them to repentance was a masterpiece of
Genesis 42
sovereign God was at work making sure the ten brothers went to Egypt and bowed down before Joseph. In the accomplishing of His divine purposes, God can use a famine, a kidnapping (2 Kings 5:2–3), a royal beauty contest (Est. 2), a sudden death (Ezek. 24:15ff.), a dream (Dan. 2), a plague (Joel 1), and even a government census (Luke 2:1–7). "Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him" (Ps. 115:3).
and wise way, and that's why his approach succeeded. God had to bring Joseph's brothers to the place where they admitted the evil things they had done to their brother and their father. Shallow repentance leads to an experience that isn't reconciliation at all. It's only a fragile truce.
From a human point of view, Joseph would have been happy for "instant reconciliation," because then he could have seen his father and his brother Benjamin much sooner. But like a skilled physician, Joseph was patient. He spoke and acted in such a way that the thoughts of his brothers' hearts were revealed and God finally brought them to true repentance.
Harsh words (vv. 6–14). As second ruler of the land, Joseph certainly didn't participate in each individual grain transaction because he had many important things to do. Furthermore, the food supply was stored in several cities (41:46–49), and Joseph had commissioners assisting him (vv. 34–36). No doubt he provided for the resident Egyptians in a routine manner, while the foreigners had to be screened carefully lest they had plans for invading the land (vv. 56–57). In the providence of God, Joseph was on hand when his ten brothers arrived to buy grain, and he recognized them.1
A time of testing (42:1–35) After the promised seven years of plenty, the years of famine came upon the Middle-Eastern world, but thanks to Joseph, there was abundant grain in Egypt. God had sent Joseph ahead (45:5; Ps. 105:17) to preserve his family so that one day the nation Israel could give the world Jesus Christ, the "Bread of Life" (John 6:48). These events took place during the first two years of the seven-year famine (Gen. 45:6). It was a time when Joseph's brothers had to experience several tests that were designed by God to bring them to repentance.
Even if they had expected to meet Joseph, which they didn't, the ten men wouldn't have recognized their brother. He was seventeen when they sold him, and in the ensuing twenty years he would have changed in appearance far more than his older brothers. Furthermore, he was now clean-shaven like an Egyptian, he was dressed like an Egyptian, and he spoke to them in the Egyptian language through an interpreter.
Hunger (vv. 1–2). Jacob had a large family (46:26) and many servants, and as the famine continued, it became more and more difficult to feed them. Certainly the brothers knew what their father knew, that there was grain in Egypt, but they didn't talk about it. Jacob noticed their strange attitude and asked, "Why do you keep staring at each other?" Why, indeed, did the brothers hesitate to talk about the problem or even offer to go to Egypt to purchase food?
When the ten men bowed before him, Joseph knew that the faithful God was beginning to fulfill the promises He had revealed in the two dreams (37:7, 9). It must have been difficult for Joseph to control his emotions as he spoke harshly to his brothers, because his natural desire would have been to speak to them in Hebrew and reveal who he was. But that would have ruined everything, for he knew that all eleven brothers had to bow before him. This meant that Benjamin would have to come with them on their next trip. Furthermore, Joseph's brothers had to be forced to face their sins and come to a place of honest confession, and that would take time.
For one thing, the trip to Egypt was long (250–300 miles) and dangerous, and a round trip could consume six weeks' time. Even after arriving in Egypt, the men couldn't be certain of a friendly reception. As "foreigners" from Canaan, they would be very vulnerable and could even be arrested and enslaved. If that happened to Jacob's sons, who would care for their families and their aged father?
Four times Joseph accused them of being in Egypt under false pretense (42:9, 12, 14, 16), and each time the ten brothers affirmed their innocence as "true men." Their statement "one is not" must have moved Joseph deeply, but he rejoiced to hear that his father and younger brother were both alive and well.
Perhaps too the memory of selling their innocent brother to traders going down to Egypt haunted Jacob's sons. The brothers had done that evil deed over thirty years ago and by now were convinced that Joseph was dead (Gen. 42:13), but they hadn't forgotten the scene (vv. 17–24). Conscience has a way of digging up the past and arousing doubts and fears within us.
Confinement (v. 17). Joseph put his brothers in confinement for three days, just to teach them what it was like to be prisoners and to give them time to think. The KJV translates the Hebrew word as "prison" in verse 17, but "in custody" would be closer to the original. The word translated "prison" in Genesis 39—40, describing Joseph's experiences, means a prison and not just being under guard or house arrest. Joseph suffered as a prisoner in a real prison, while his brothers were only confined under guard. But it taught them a lesson. When they were released three days later, the ten men were beginning to sense that God was dealing with them because of their sins (42:21).
As leader of the clan, Jacob made the decision to send everybody but Benjamin to Egypt to purchase food. After what had happened to Joseph, Jacob was no doubt suspicious of his sons, and that's why he kept Benjamin at home. Now that Joseph was gone, Jacob's youngest son was his only living link with his beloved Rachel, and the old father wasn't about to lose the second of his two favorite sons (v. 38).
What Jacob and his sons didn't know was that the
Genesis 42
of God," niv). Joseph was certainly kind to his brothers in spite of the severity of his speech and some of his actions, and what he did was for their good. His motivation was love and his purpose was to bring them to repentance and reconciliation. We need to remember this the next time we think God is treating us unjustly.
Surety (vv. 15–16, 18–20). Since the ten brothers insisted that they were honest men, Joseph gave them an opportunity to prove it. He ordered them to send one of their number to Canaan to bring Benjamin to Egypt. He would keep the other nine brothers in confinement until Benjamin arrived in Egypt to prove that their story was true.2
A time of tension (42:25—43:15) When the nine brothers prepared to leave Egypt, Joseph graciously provided food for their journey. It wasn't easy for them to leave Simeon behind, but they were sure they'd return for more grain and be able to bring Benjamin with them. It seemed that the clouds were starting to lift, but they didn't realize the tensions that were yet to come in their family in the days ahead.