Section 3 - Joesph - Prime Minister of Egypt
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CHAPTER 1 - THE GILDING OF JOSEPH
CHAPTER 2 - PHARAOH CHOOSES A GENTILE WIFE FOR JOSEPH
CHAPTER 3 - THE HEAVENS SHUT UP
CHAPTER 4 - JACOB’S RESPONSE TO THE FAMINE
CHAPTER 5 - JACOB’S DILEMMA AND THE SILENCE OF HIS SONS
CHAPTER 6 - JACOB’S NINE SONS COME HOME
CHAPTER 7 - JACOB WRESTLES AGAIN
CHAPTER 8 - PEACE AT LAST, - BUT NO PEACE
CHAPTER 9 - JACOB’S DETERMINATION WILL BE CHALLENGED
CHAPTER 10 - THE DREADFUL SUSPENSE TURNS TO JOY
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CHAPTER 1
THE GILDING OF JOSEPH
“And Pharaoh made Joseph ruler over all the land of Egypt”, Genesis 41:43.
FOCUS:
This wonderful Scriptural text, Genesis 41:43-49, describes to us remarkable events in Egyptian history. Joseph became “a man of gold” by Pharaoh’s gracious command and he gilded Pharaoh over and over again and repaid him for his own gilding - and it was so, as the prophecy foretold.
1. JOSEPH’S CHANGED APPEARANCE
Joseph was dressed in beautiful byssus; fine, white linen made from a special flax, later used for the Levitical priest garments (Exodus 39:28). The use of it by Joseph, Genesis 41:42, established him into the ruling class of Egypt. Joseph had thick gold chains about his neck (not fetters on his ankles), and the gold signet ring of Pharaoh, the king/priest royal insignia. The Hebrew indicates “to sink”, and so Joseph was entitled to sink his emblem, on all important documents. The fettered ankles are hard to remember right know that the golden chains adorn Joseph’s person.
Always it’s better to remember (“keep in mind” really) the sad times, for it enhances the feeling of blessing, and the knowledge that God is present always.
2. MIDRASH WRITING IN OTHER TEXTS ECHOING THIS TEXT
Later on, in Esther 8, we read of Mordecai receiving the gift of the King’s ring, verse 2, and his change of clothing to royal apparel, verse 15. “And the Jews had light, and joy, and gladness, and honour”, like Joseph.
This is evidence of Midrashic writing in Esther. That is, writing that is the opposite of where someone, or something is looking forward to some future person or event. It is a looking back, not forward. A hearkening back to familiar words and phrases, when they reappear in later books of the Bible, with different meanings, or in different contexts. It presupposes that authors are familiar, or even learned, about the previous texts. The author of Esther, a chronicler of the kings of Media and Persia, chapter 10:2, is so familiar with the work of Moses, in the descriptions of Joseph’s rewards in the foreign Egyptian court of Pharaoh, that he uses the same words for the rewards of Mordecai in the foreign Persian court of Ahasuerus. An example - “the man who the king delighted to honour”, Esther 6:11, uses the same Hebrew word as “the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh” of Genesis 41:37, There are many instances of Midrashic writing in Esther from Genesis 41.
Both the widows of Zarephath and Nain had their sons restored to life as both Elijah and Jesus “gave him back to his mother”. The same words are used in 1 Kings 17:22, and Luke 7:14. Obviously Luke (a gentile) is familiar with the Pentateuch, and uses a Midrash. Daniel is another example, and so many comparisons can be made between Joseph and Daniel. Elijah uses the Moses term, “Abraham, Isaac and Israel”, showing his knowledge of the text, in 1 Kings 18:36, when he entreats God to hear his prayer, against the prophets of Baal.
3. PREPARATION FOR THE FAT AND LEAN YEARS
It is entirely possible that the fat years, in Egypt, were not always fat, full of blessing, and the lean years were not always lean, and full of curses. Life swings around within the orbit of God’s plan (and the prophecies He gives us) so that life is not always extreme one way or the other. That is understood by us, and Joseph, during the fourteen years, lived life within the orbit of inexactitude as we know it, generally, in the first half towards the collection of food, and then in the end half towards the distribution of it. People’s view of history differ, neither one is right and one is wrong, it depends on the point of view, and on what corner one stands to view the passing facts. One cannot tell all - it would be a madness of detail. However the Scriptural detail of Joseph (unusually descriptive word pictures) and the archaeological finds, have tended to give us an almost unbalanced history in length, compared with the earlier parts of our patriarchal story. The chronicler and compiler (Moses and others) and God’s supervising inspiration, has deemed it necessary for our good. How interesting that we can, with ease, enter into the excitement of such a story each time we read it, even though the first tell wonder is gone!
Joseph, and the whole of the court, sailed back up the Nile to Nowet Amun where the little gnats flicked and flew about them all. These little gnats did, and do still cause blindness, but the people’s eyes were opened wide in wonder, as the court left On (where this story was probably played out) in their golden barques.
The wonder continued, as Joseph, riding in Pharaoh’s second chariot, travelled all the roads of the land of Egypt. The chariot displaying the royal insignia is recorded in monuments of the day. Runners ran in front shouting “Abrek” - “take care”, “move aside”, “make way”, “bow down” - what! “BOW DOWN”! Camels in the east still bow down and kneel to the command “Abrok”. And so it is entirely possible that our own Australian camels, imported from Afghanistan, would have heard the same command.
The journey around Egypt, of say fifty days, accompanied by all the grandees of Egypt, familiarised Joseph with the land, and what needed to be done. He soon settled in the palace in spacious quarters with everything for his comfort, set in beautiful gardens, with a lake and fountains to cool them, at the foot of the high, sand coloured desert hills. His ceremonial investiture and gilding proceeded without delay - the once purchased slave was surrounded by servants, bodyguards and fan bearers, and dressed in white linen, and inducted into the ruling class. The people called him “Adon” all his life, his slave status mysteriously ignored or abandoned, all by God’s commanding, of course.
His bruised and broken heart caused by so many injustices.
Undeserved treatment by his brothers,
Unfair abandonment by his family,
Untrue accusations by Potiphar’s wife,
And unexpected restrictions in prison,
had resulted in a crushed heart ready for remoulding, and from that remake came a golden vessel that surpassed all others.
A calloused and thick heart is a tarnished heart.
But this heart of Joseph’s is golden,
And gilded he is,
All under the supervising hand of God.
The extent of his responsibility was not measured by his great importance of godlike qualities, or family background, but because he was an extraordinary man. There were extraordinary circumstances that made such an ordinary boy, into an extraordinary man. He was forced to relinquish his family, but through all the years of family deprivation, he had not forgotten the fabric that makes for good family life, that leads to good community life, that makes an extraordinary ruler. He had emulated the good in others, and meticulously honed his self discipline. He had discarded what was unworthy or impure, and there was nothing redundant in his life. He knew that the land of Egypt had nurtured him, when his family had not, and he knew it would nurture them in the years to come. In the end it would not be Joseph who would liberate the oppressed in Egypt, but right now he felt love and respect for both the oppressors and the oppressed. He was to be the bell whether, who would lead his God loved family, to security and ease, so that they could, once more, worship Him in peace for a time.
4. JOSEPH IS GOLD
Thomas Mann gives us a wondrous imagined description of The Gilding Ceremony, in “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, page 184, where -
From the palace, the royal persons showed themselves at a high window, like a balcony. There were two royal persons, husband and wife, Pharaoh and his queen.
Lower down, on a little structure supported by columns, stood the favoured person to be gilded.
This time it was our loved Joseph, son of Jacob.
Their majesties, then, would lean out, and fling down gold presents of every shape and sort, handed to them by officers of the treasure house, who attended behind them, and passed to them from the piles of goodies.
It is highly likely that such a personage as Joseph would have that ceremony, and this would be a splendid way, for someone who had nothing, to gain power and eminence - people do respect wealth!
The scene was never forgotten by those who saw it for the colour and pomp of extravagance and ecstasy. The beautiful little structure, with banners flapping in the breeze, had beautifully painted woodwork, all framed against the blue sky. It may have been a temporary structure, and so a rare sight, to add to the excitement. It was enhanced by all the flung gold, which was so abundant that two slaves were necessary to help in the catching of it.
One got to keep the gold, so it was a very public way of enhancing a favoured one, and giving him the necessary status symbols to go with his new position.
And all the time the servants, dressed in gala aprons, fanned the royal personages and the fortunate recipient against the prevailing heat. The crowd, jumping and leaping for joy, with the more modest hopping from one foot to the other, were enthralled by it all. The scribes, in their bent over posture, (they all had bent backs), and with their discerning eyes wrote down everything they saw with their reeds - so we can know about it today from stone pictures and papyri.
The sand, and dryness of it all, has preserved the historical details, in papyri, well. The wind blows and sometimes there’s no need to dig. Egypt had little timber, (to be made into paper), and so water reeds were the obvious source for developing “paper”.
(See end chapter note for Digression)
5. EGYPTIAN OPULENCE AT THE JOSEPH TIME IN HISTORY
Even children’s story books today have authentic, historical and opulent details about Egypt at this time in its history - see Brian Wildsmith’s “Joseph”. Each page of the book is edged in gold. Still, the status and ceremony and opulence of the gilding, all for one man, would have stunned the Egyptian people, and after that, there would be no way they would question his authority on the long hard road of heavy taxes during the years of plenty.
The godlike majesties had crowns like legionnaire caps, cape like to protect their necks from the sun, enjoyed the gilding ceremony. They tossed gold beads, gold arm bands, gold daggers, gold fillets, collars, sceptres, vases, cups, and goblets, hatchets and many other such things, all glittering in the sun, and a great golden hoard for Joseph.
All this was done in excitement, joy and gratitude by Pharaoh and his queen. Certainly there was no negative emotion with which the Egyptians threw their gold at the departing Israelites under Moses, many years later. It is a sign of wisdom to give good counsel, but it is also a sign of wisdom to be able to receive it, and Pharaoh did that. Joseph honoured God before Pharaoh, and God honoured Joseph in the sight of Pharaoh. Pharaoh was gracious to accept it with humility. Pharaoh had acted quickly, the same day that Joseph had come from prison, to give him immense power. It may not have been possible later. That Joseph was next to Pharaoh in power, was not said to diminish Pharaoh, but to elevate Joseph in the eyes of the Egyptians, and to verify the positive answer that had accompanied the question in verse 38. This endorsement (by Pharaoh) prevented any criticism of Joseph, neither at this present time, nor in the future, when Joseph’s family would need that endorsement most.
Jacob amassed great wealth under Laban over many years. Joseph received it all at once and his eyes would blink and squint at the opulence of it all. Foreigners said that the streets of Thebes were paved with gold - what they meant was that it was like the dust in the street. It was more precious though than dust, and the bulk of it did not decrease its value. Later Joseph was to send a message to his father: “Tell the father of all my glory in Egypt”. Jacob would have been dismayed and yet proud of his son this day. He was thirty years old - like another precious Son - and twelve years lost to his father.
6. THREE PEOPLE - WHERE ARE THEY?
Three people we have forgotten.
Consider:
One is the butler,
* Was the butler busy trying to ingratiate himself with Joseph to win favours?
* Was he embarrassed that he had forgettery for so long?
The other two are Potiphar and his wife. Potiphar must have been astounded at the turn of events.
* Did Potiphar look at Joseph’s God blessed life, and knew for certain of his wife’s lie?
* Where was this wife?
* Was she frightened of retribution?
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Because we do not hear of them again does not mean that they are not all, at present, at court, as well, fulfilling their duties and in constant contact, perhaps, with Joseph. On the other hand as the Pharaoh changed, perhaps some court personnel did change. Potiphar and his wife may have moved, or been removed, from court. We do not know.
7. JOSEPH COMES INTO HIS KINGDOM
Joseph “came into his kingdom”, Luke 23:42, and had power over them all wherever they were, but we know there would be no retribution on them, from the gracious Joseph. It is interesting though to think of them again as this drama unfolds. In any case the Persian “musk and attar of roses” of a later love story fictitiously recorded between Joseph and Potiphar’s wife is utter nonsense, for we know the higher and more noble path that Joseph was to forge for his people. He would not take the track of a sickly romance of no substance.
The Scripture tells us that Pharaoh changed Joseph’s name to Zaphnath-paaneah for the meaning of which we have many choices:
“The revealers of secrets”,
(Joseph certainly was that, as a dream interpreter);
“Food of life”,
“Food of the living”,
“He who feeds the world”,
“He who feeds the living”,
“Deliverer of the world”,
“Saviour of the world”.
Uncanny, it is that the Egyptian Pharaoh gives him a title, which centuries later is one of the precious titles of our Lord.
(It is also possible to accept many other meanings of Joseph’s Egyptian name, as the lack of vowels in the writing of the time allows of several other meanings, not connected to the food providing role, such as, “He is alive”).
Consider:
* Was Joseph universally accepted as wise and wonderful in the beginning?
* Or did he became more so, as his predictions were fulfilled?
It is known that Pharaoh was also a priest, and could delegate those duties.
* Did he also delegate Joseph to be a priest?
* How much compromise would be in that if Joseph accepted it?
* Could he refuse?
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The storehouses stood at their normal capacity at first, while more and more were being built. The heavy tax (of twenty per cent of the corn - a fifth) took away the pleasure of plenty. Probably ten per cent was already committed to Pharaoh, which was a normal tax, and would have been no hardship in the time of plenty. So Joseph permanently rented out Pharaoh’s land to the people, doubling the former impost. If you were not a grain grower, there was still tax to be paid, in whatever was your employ. In the end though the grain stored became like the sand of the sea (like Abraham’s promised offspring). There was so much storing it was beyond measure and the bookkeeping could not keep up with the storing. It became “unnumbered”. This is a difficulty - for the Egyptians never gave up numbering, calculating and accounting, and were always writing down and recording. They held it as a fine preoccupation. Perhaps the enthusiasm and abundance of it all, caused the word “unnumbered” to be used, and so it is a picture word, and not literal.
The commissioners that Joseph sent over the borders to other countries brought back news of no preparation, just the pleasure of plenty. So through it all Joseph taught his senators wisdom (Psalm 105:22). We assume that the people trusted him well, and they really believed that the famine was coming. To think how Joseph would have managed to persuade them about a coming famine, is to doubt his authority, which was after all given by Pharaoh, and ultimately by God. No need for persuasion, just Joseph’s authority. Pharaoh rested, and relaxed in great respect from the people, and he continued to favour Joseph.
The storehouses of each city were enlarged and more were built. Corn bins were constructed on terraced platforms of pounded clay to keep the damp and mice away. Cat grease was smeared around all the openings. They had openings at the top to receive the corn and stout doors below to measure it out. There were also numerous underground pits, well lined with invisible and guarded entrances. Jacob had talked about Egypt being “the house of bondage”, and so it was. It would only be truly acceptable to the people when the years of famine began, and the Nile stopped flowing abundantly.
The builders were used to constructing huge public buildings, palaces, and tombs. Now they worked on buildings of necessity. When the workers had worked for Egypt, with their noses bent in great effort, then, of course, they had to pay taxes on what they had done, that is, on their salaries. They paid with skins, copper, wood, rope, paper, cotton and linen, and corn into the warehouses, and if they were unable, they paid with labour. But corn was the absolute essential requirement. The other payments probably helped with the building of the water resources and irrigation channels. The tax forced the farmers to keep everything well oiled and repaired, for they could not, dared not, fall behind in their regular payments, and they were compelled to produce well.
Joseph probably moved to Memfe because of the balance of the two lands and that it would be easier to oversee from there. His friend, Pharaoh, was probably sorry to see him go. Memfe held a commanding position both up and down stream of the river, and certainly was a more convenient city for the expected escalation of foreign trade that the commissioners needed to oversee. It was a metropolis of tombs. The little people of the city had a heritage of hard work (on the great pyramids long ago). Joseph’s house would be light, airy, and sunny with a garden, reception hall, fountains, and courts, with numerous Nubian and Egyptian servants, not far from present day Cairo.
It would be comforting to know that Joseph did remember the keeper of his prison and made him his house steward. The house steward was steward over water barks and wagons, horses, store rooms, house servants, scribes, and slaves. He would know the job well, but, remember Joseph would know it too, from Potiphar’s house. Management skills had been a priority in the development of Joseph’s career.
CONCLUSION:
Joseph is poised at the pinnacle of his career and is about to become the happiest of men. To think about it is to smile, for, after all, God has worked all things well for Joseph.
Digression:
Earlier in these studies there is an explanation of Sumerian writing, on clay tablets, in the section about Ur. It is described in tandem with Egyptian writing.
The “Time-Life History”, pages 37 to 53, has an excellent section on the history of writing in Sumer and Egypt. The difference is that the Sumerians used clay tablets, while the Egyptians had perfected the use of papyrus, - an early find is dated 1650 BC.
Only one per cent of the population (of 3 million at the time of Moses) were literate, for only the wealthy could attend school. Consequently, priests, scribes and all officials, who were necessarily literate, had great status. These scribes were also accountants and tax collectors. The scribes used a curved palette of wood with a little sliding door for a set of reed quills, and two recessions, one for red ink, and one for black ink. There was one on display in the Sydney “Life and Death under the Pharaohs” Exhibition, 1998. Letters were full of god references, as if every communication needed the blessing of the deities. Papyrus was made into sailcloth, (perhaps Moses’ basket was made of strong papyrus), sandals, maps, and writing paper. It was strong and it preserved well. The sheets were usually long and rectangular, banded together as books with animal leather covers, or pasted together for scrolls. These are now un pasted, and displayed in single sheets for better preservation, for that long time of preservation is now coming to an end. Arsenic trisulphide was used by the Egyptians to preserve the coloured pigments, especially yellow, but now an ideal conserving agent, (to preserve papyrus writing), has recently been discovered. Isinglass, a gelatine based material, made from fish swim bladders, sprayed on to the papyrus, can prevent the pigments used by the Egyptians, from fading, when exposed to light. The fragile papyri are now being uncovered in great numbers, and so it was imperative to discover some way to preserve them. It is exciting, that, sitting cross legged, with their scrolls on their knees, and with their permanently bent backs, the scribes recorded, for us, so much of what was common in Egypt, and well known by Joseph. The Sumerians first used writing in the land, Sumeria, (that the Greeks later called Mesopotamia), where the oldest forms of writing have been discovered on stone tablets. There is also a tablet at Nippur, found in Sumer, describing a flood from which only one man and his family emerged safely. It is one of the many ancient accounts that refer to the event in the Bible known to us as occurring in the days of Noah. So it is entirely possible that Noah’s stone record was preserved by Shem and passed on to Abraham, and was one of the family treasures, taken from Ur, and maybe wrapped in precious silk, and passed on to Isaac, soon to arrive in Egypt, with Jacob.
However the Egyptians began using papyrus made from water reeds, for documentation, soon after the flood. Writing was to prove a mighty goad to progress and vastly hastened the growth and spread of civilisation. Hieroglyphics, or picture writing, was common at this time and there are many tomb and statue records available, enough for people to learn the script and translate it for us. If the script did not contain vowels it is possible that many different meanings could be made out of each picture, but the very commonness of it, available today, has largely eliminated that difficulty. There were thousands of script signs. This script later became more sophisticated into what is called a Hieratic script. Block statues were common, with head and hands and feet details, but in a squat position, so that the record of the person, and the event, could be chiselled onto the lap space, and the front and back, and the sides of the statue. So writing and pictures were not only common on parchment. These parchments, and statues, and obelisks, and pillars with their inscriptions are plentiful today.
The Oriental Institute of Chicago is responsible for much of the archaeological work in Syria, Iraq and Egypt, making tremendous contributions to our knowledge of the past. They have now published dictionaries of the Hittite script, the Assyrian cuneiform, and the Egyptian Demotic script, that is, the people’s writing. They give the general meaning of every word, and the context in which it has been used. This enables scholars to draw their own conclusions as to the meaning, Diggings Magazine, April, 1999. The manuscripts about the letter “S” in Egyptian writing, has filled 150 manuscript pages, because reproductions of the actual pictures are used as well.
Not only did the Sumerians and the Egyptians have writing in common, but as the peoples moved across from the Mesopotamian and Palestinian fertile crescent valleys into Egypt, they came with wheeled vehicles, solid not spoked yet, which allowed them all good mobility, and more efficient farming and irrigation practices. They brought livestock, and seed for planting and grain storage ideas, and so agricultural surpluses, and a spirit of collective discipline, which was crucial for the development of civilisation at the time, was born, before the birth of Abram, around 2000 BC.
CHAPTER 2
PHARAOH CHOOSES A GENTILE WIFE FOR JOSEPH
“And he gave him to wife Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On”, Genesis 41: 45.
FOCUS:
Pharaoh, like God told Adam, told Joseph it was not good for him to be alone and that he should have a wife, “so that the heads and feet should be together in perfect peace”. In the matter of marriage, we would expect that Joseph would consult, once more, his Heavenly Father, Genesis 41:50-52.
1. JOSEPH’S EXTRAORDINARY BRIDE
God gave Adam a wife to be a helpmeet for him and later to be the mother of his children. Later after a great sin/sadness God added two children to this family: one a farmer, and one a shepherd. The shepherd was killed by the farmer and so another great sin/sadness befell this family. The first born of all the world was murdered. The first mother and the first father remembered their sin and their sadness.
Joseph, too, had been with the serpent, but she had not tempted him to sin. He had believed God, and kept himself from sin. He had been true to his master Potiphar, as he would continue to be true to his new master, Pharaoh, and do as he advised. Now God gave him an extraordinary bride. Her name was Asenath. So both the Egyptian names, of Joseph and his wife, have “nath” in them, meaning the blessing “of the goddess Neith”. Joseph could not gainsay this, and perhaps he was content that Neith, partner of Ra, Wisdom, was God anyway, whatever the Egyptians might think.
This wife for Joseph was the daughter of Poti-pherah, the High Priest of On, further north, down the Nile River from Memfe. She was, of course, expected to marry and mother, but her life had been one of virginity, therefore whoever married her performed the act almost of abductor from her priestly life. The parents may not have been comfortable that their daughter’s husband was not an Egyptian, but an Asiatic, and certainly not a sun worshipper, but who could argue with Pharaoh. You may be sure that mother was wringing her hands and saying: “what will everyone think?”
“Maiden” she was called, and was called upon to be that, until her marriage. In private, the relations between them and Joseph could be quite cordial, but in public, for public show, they had to allow the appearance of strained relations, for after all she was very special. Perhaps they would require that she should be restored to the priest’s house, after the marriage, but in fact, the contract only meant that she pay a yearly visit to her parents like any good daughter would.
Asenath was probably the grand daughter of that High Priest at On, that Joseph had seen as he passed through On with the Ishmaelites. She was sixteen years old. She, “who belongs to (the goddess) Neith”, whose emblem was a shield with two crossed arrows fastened upon it, wore a headdress, always adorned with a shield and arrows, - or such an ornament at her throat, or waist, or on her armbands. It emphasised her maidenhood, and we know from it that Joseph married a young virgin. How happy he would be that he resisted the assault on his virginity earlier. There is a portrait of this maiden in all her beauty, in amber. She, too, was summoned by Pharaoh, as Joseph had been, and was happy to go forward as wife for the highest in the land, and did not look back. It would be hard not to be joyful at such a union and smile at the blessing.
Comment:
H. A. Whittaker remarks in “Joseph, the Saviour” that there are, of course, other examples in Scripture where a Gentile bride is married to an Israelite, and she forsakes her own faith (Psalm 45). Neither Hebrews nor Egyptians were at this time as exclusive as they afterwards became. The precedent of Pharaoh selecting Sarah as a wife shows this, and of Abraham selecting, or accepting as a gift, Hagar, probably an Egyptian servant/concubine.
Stories abound where people try to equivocate on Joseph’s marriage to the daughter of the priest of On, making out that Asenath was secretly the child of the unhappy Dinah. That would not make much difference, for half of that child would be the child of Shechem and therefore no better. Asenath was an Egyptian, and whether we like it or not, Joseph’s children were half Egyptian. Likely she was a proselyte. We want her to be a proselyte.
Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel, the priest of Midian, descendants of Keturah. Jethro, another relation, became it appears a fearer of God, or at least, a man open to conviction when it presented itself to him. Joseph would have known that his own mother was not free of the tincture of idolatry, even though she came from “within” the family at Haran. He would also know of the marriages of his brothers, “outside”. We may wonder at Joseph’s special licence to marry “outside” his faith, considering his Godly position. Isaac and Jacob did not have that licence. Not that any of this, influences against the wise precaution of marrying “within the faith”. So we assume that what was evil and forbidden is, at this time, wise and prudent. As has been said, there are other examples in Scripture, when it was wise and prudent.
It was not wise and prudent for David to marry idolatrous wives, or Solomon, or Ahab, who married the wicked Jezebel. That marriage caused the prophet of God, Elijah, great trouble, as he struggled against her powerful prophets of Baal. The destruction that came upon these families was inevitable, and not one could say as Macduff did to Macbeth, as his children were destroyed, “Did heaven look on and never take their part?” For we know the consequences of our sin are played out on our families, as well. Heaven does prevent consequences sometimes, but not often. We can prevent dire consequences, as part of our resistance to sin. It is not for God to protect us from sin consequences, unless there is a special, God given dispensation to change His order of things.
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2. THE VEXED QUESTION OF JOSEPH’S PRIESTLY ROLE
It would seem remarkable that in his new position of high authority, Joseph did not ever put on the leopard skin coat and burn incense in the Temple of Aton. It would seem that he may have been required to do so occasionally. He was next to the sovereign and invested with power, and marrying the daughter of a priest, would probably be enrolled in the priestly ranks. Perhaps his power enabled him to distance himself from the priest, Poti-phera, “he whom the sun god, Ra, has given”. If not, he would be supremely confident that God would treat him with forbearance and consideration. Joseph was not Aton, but Adon, and the people so called him, and because Pharaoh considered Joseph’s God wise and prudent, perhaps the worship of Aton came closer at this time to the worship of God, for after all Ra (the sun) was created by God. Still this is a grey area and difficult for us to understand - we can make no opinion, nor equivocate, nor excuse Joseph. Neither can we regard it as a precedent. We must leave it with God.
It might be just as well that Jacob, perceiving Joseph as dead and permanently eighteen, did not see the wedding ceremony of this loved son of his. His horror hands would be flung up, and his opinion of this land of much mud would be confirmed. The stories about Egypt, told through the fathers, Abraham and Isaac, resided in his heart and made him tremble, even without knowledge of his once loved, now Egyptianised son.
3. THE WEDDING OF JOSEPH AND ASENATH
The women, at this marriage, were gowned and veiled in violet amidst the never ending spectacle. Processions of torches, with myrtle branches and wreaths, were being held aloft. Myrtle was considered sacred to love and death. The forbidden mystery for Joseph was about to be revealed and we would like to think that Joseph - Zaphnath-paaneah - and Asenath loved one another from the start.
Virginity met virginity, and out of this great ceremony they pledged their life to one another. Even though it was a state arranged marriage, love hopefully found itself. It often does in the prearranged. They were both set apart for one another and neither had defaulted on that.
We may wonder again at the absence of the use of this story of Joseph for young people, where increasing pre marital sex is accepted as normal. Here is a blessing crown for Joseph, after years of denial, beginning with his resistance of the attempted seduction by Potiphar’s wife.
4. JOSEPH’S JOY AT LAST
The moment makes us laugh and cry, for from the lamplight of this wedding night and the overhanging myrtle they sang, as Thomas Mann tastefully puts it, “the song of love with their heads and their feet together”. Joseph thanked God, and at last was comforted, like Isaac was, with Rebekah, after his mother’s death. Now Joseph’s first born son was conceived. Manasseh came in pain to make Asenath mother, and eased the pain for Joseph at last. His name means “God has helped me forget my toil, and misery”, or “God has made me forget all my connections, and my father’s house”. It does not mean that he gladly forgot them all, it means that Joseph has now ceased to suffer from homesickness, and was content with his lot. He, of course, still pined for his father, but not for Canaan. The Hebrew names of Asenath’s children probably mean that she was happily worshipping YHWH. It also means that Joseph thought the elegant Hebrew names essential in the scheme of things. Indeed they were, especially in the “monkey land” of Egypt, as it was often called by the nations round about. His second son’s name, Ephraim, means “double fruitfulness”, for he had at last left the stark misery of the desert (in his life). “Joseph was a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall”, said his dying father Jacob, blessing him in Genesis 49:22. There is the double birth, so Joseph indeed feels fruitful, after all the drought and dearth and famine in his life. Charles Swindoll makes the point that “Joseph is Manassehed and Ephraimed” now in his life, God removed “the sting of abandonment”, and “doubly blessed me”.
What joy, blessing, and fruitfulness is now part of his domestic life. He had none of his own for twelve years. His patience, industry, and sense of economy in the years of plenty had been -
Taught to him at home
Taught to him by the hairy Ishmaelites
Taught by Potiphar’s head servant
Taught to him by the prison administrator,
And now his domestic achievements had been bestowed by God.
His bad memories never defeated him, and his lengthy affliction did not discourage him, so that he is now ready and waiting to accept the blessings of God.
Each of us has reasons why we behave as we do. They are only that, and never excuses. If we choose to wallow in self pity because of our circumstances then we fail to reach our separate potential. Joseph chose to override his experiences, and shine above the dullness of the evils that befell him.
The names of Joseph’s two sons reflect the contrast between his present situation and when he first came to Egypt. So his blessed position must have given him great joy, for indeed he had been “gilded by God”. However, he would understand that the motives for this placement in Egypt were
- Sad jealousies, which led to
- The deliverance (God’s need for His people).
So there was necessity for Joseph’s separation from his family, and that his sons grew up far from their grandsire. Nevertheless, he would be content. He would feel he was part of that family at last with his two Hebrew named sons.
The probable Pharaoh at this time had only daughters - six, failing to produce a necessary male heir.
If we transport Joseph into our own cultural setting we would see him with a beautiful wife, two lovely children, expensive clothes, a beautifully appointed home, a luxurious car, a wonderful career position, stock holdings in the food industry, an expense account, and an unlimited budget, then we might wonder if he could survive as a servant of God. But he faithfully did.
(See end chapter note for Digression)
5. JACOB’S FAMILY AT HOME IN CANAAN
It may be of interest to state the background of the wives of the other sons of Jacob. Perhaps, then, Joseph’s wife’s heritage may be seen in better perspective.
1. Benjamin married Mahalia, daughter of Aram, grandson of Terah, and so descended from Abraham, or one of his brothers, and then Arbath, daughter of a man named Simron, a son of Abram (by some concubine).
2. Levi’s and
3. Issachar’s wives were held to be the grand daughters of Eber - they could have come from Assur or Elam.
4. Gad and
5. Naphtali had taken wives from Haran and Mesopotamia, but whether they were actually great grand daughters of Nahor, Abraham’s uncle is of some doubt.
6. Asher took a wife from the seed of Ishmael.
7. Zebulun took a Midianite. Midian was a son of Keturah, Abraham’s second wife.
8. Reuben married a Canaanite.
9. Judah married a Canaanite, Shuah, and had three sons. Two died, but then he had two more sons (twins) by Tamar, also a Canaanite.
10. Simeon had married a woman stolen from Shechem - also a Canaanite.
11. Dan took a Moabitess, descendant from Moab, who Lot’s daughter bore to her father.
Benjamin was, of course, Jacob’s favourite son, though Jacob probably never got over the fact that he saw in this son, the matricide instrument God used to take his dearly loved Rachel from him. However he would be consoled by Benjamin’s innocence in the matter of Joseph’s “death”, and perhaps after all, their relationship, even with the "death" of Joseph, was a healthy one.
Jacob was tormented by the thoughts and suspicions of fratricide committed by his other sons and even though Benjamin was grown now (a husband and father) he still kept him beside him and saw him daily, thus committing to his sensibility, daily, that the killing beast of Joseph (dare he think it) had ten heads and not eleven. A ten headed Cain. He would cherish this one head more dearly and the ten heads knew it. It may be argued that it was fewer than ten heads (who disposed of Joseph). God would know that, and they would too - but not Jacob. In his heart the dear boy of eighteen, Joseph, remained eighteen still (as do all of our children who die) and by the time that the famine came, he had convinced himself that he had “given” his son on that fateful Dothan trip twenty years ago. It was a surrender, (or so it became in his recollection) like Isaac was by Abraham, a sacrifice, a giving of the thing he most cherished, a giving to God. Perhaps over the years the taking of his son by God, or the giving of his son to God, merged from the first, until the second became more likely to him. Perhaps the yearning in his heart to freely love God caused him to confess that “yes - he, too, sacrificed willingly his beloved son”. The yearning sometimes won the day, and he loved God, and he loved his remaining sons - and did not think of the possible fratricide - such is the blessing of time healing - and his sons were dear to him again.
6. DYSFUNCTION AND SADNESS AND DEPRESSION AT HOME
We need to realise that all families are dysfunctional to a greater or smaller degree, at sometime or another, for we all sin. The family or system of relationships wax and wane, sometimes strong and sometimes weak, and everyone in a family is responsible for the dynamics that prevail. In the Jacob family, the waxing prevailed when he forgot the possible fratricide, and the injured or dead Joseph picture faded, but once the waning suspicion returned, Jacob’s depression descended again. The depression would have inhibited his aggression towards his sons, and it would have been easier to adapt his behaviour. Perhaps his supervision at this time became more Godly, and so he walked more nearly with God. The depression never really left him, until his days of contentment in Egypt. Those days were not far off now. As we know, the separation from his loved child was a cause of great sadness. When he did find Joseph again, his happiness unfolded out of the sadness cocoon, and he was at peace again. Sadness is a useful tool, for without it we would be without encouragement to retain our relationships with one another. It is the glue that keeps us from breaking our ties to one another. So, although it is said to be a negative emotion, it plays a critical role in our lives. Hopefully it motivated Jacob to renew and strengthen his relationships with his other sons.
Melancholy, a weariness and distress of the heart, became associated with the sin of sloth in the eighth century, but of course it is not so, for inertia is the physical manifestation of the depression disease. The answer is for people to maintain close bonds, and that is where a well functioning family can more easily help and heal depression. It is possible to learn from depression, but whether this peripatetic family was ever able to self analyse to gain from their life experiences, is extremely doubtful.
7. JACOB CALLS HIMSELF “ISRAEL”
Jacob at this time began to use his hard won, night struggle for the name - Israel. Despite it all, God had promised. For Israel when it sinned and was punished, always remained Israel, wherever it was. It is still Israel today even though it is far away from God, and wills God to abandon it still, by its very behaviour.
From Jacob’s daughters in law, Ishmaelites, Canaanites, Moabites, he could see around his knee, half of each child came from idolatrous nations - and all were included in God’s blessings promised, and each contributed to the stars and the sand of the sea for number. So he called himself Israel.
Here was a puzzle for Jacob. As he could no longer give the blessing birthright to his loved Joseph, and he wondered which one it could be
- Not Reuben, who had violated his concubine,
- Not Simeon or Levi who had behaved like heathen savages.
But Judah, his fourth son - maybe. Yes, Judah.
The horn of anointing could justly be poured upon the brow of Judah. But Judah had his own private grief. He was caught up in the guilt of his brothers, over the death of Joseph. He had a son, Shelah, the only son left to him. Like Jacob protected Benjamin, Judah protected Shelah, and because of it, got himself into a shameful situation with Tamar. Later he regarded her righteousness greater than his. Through the twins born between Tamar and Judah came Ruth, Jesse, David, Solomon and so to the Lord Jesus Christ. His older son’s presence in the family compound, and his two sons by Tamar, were a constant reminder of the shame he carried.
However this line of genealogy has nothing to do with the blessing/birthright question (see 1 Chronicles 5:1 and 2), but we are still left with Jacob’s present choice of Judah. We must wait until his end to see what the final choice will be.
CONCLUSION:
Meantime Joseph’s cup was overflowing with good things and he never wanted anything to change that overflowing cup, ever again. It was a sparkling cup, and the reflected light illuminated everything around him. Joseph had already turned golden, and he had a golden cup, but he also had a silver cup. Both cups were very precious to him.
Digression:
JOSEPH AND ASENATH IN ANCIENT LITERATURE
We are indebted to Randall Chesnutt of The Anchor Bible Dictionary for the information about an interesting piece of ancient literature connected to this story.
“Joseph and Asenath” is the name of an apocryphal Jewish romance which recounts the conversion of the gentile Asenath to the God of Israel, her marriage to the patriarch Joseph, and the conflicts surrounding that conversion. This is a Midrashic elaboration of the slight mention of the story in Genesis 41, (of Joseph’s marriage). It has a 5th Century date, but is thought to be produced at the turn of the era, about the time of our Lord. It is common in 16 Greek manuscripts, almost certainly composed in Greek. However Semitisms abound in it, with a distinct Septuagintal influence and it is replete with Hellenistic Judaisms. Attempts to relate it to the Essenes, or any of the mystics, or Gnostic groups have been thwarted, but it was composed in the setting of the conflicts over table fellowship, intermarriage with gentiles, (that is, other than between Jewish Christians), the perception about converts, and the struggle to maintain a distinctive Jewish identity. There is speech concerning those “who worship God”, and the assertion that conversion meant utter repudiation of idols, and that marriage to a converted gentile was no concession to idolatry. The apocryphon seems to have been composed in Egypt, for not only is it in the Biblical story framework in Egypt, but in the milieu in which the author and his community actually lived. For instance, the writer’s contemporary view of the Egyptian goddess, Neith, seems to have influenced the portrayal of Asenath at some points. The date depends on being after the composition of the Septuagint, around 200 BC, (nobody is quite sure of that date), because of the extensive dependence on it, and prior to the annihilation of the Jews under programs in Egypt AD 115. There are some more historical specifics, that can pinpoint it even closer, but for the purpose of the “Kith and Kin” text here, this is enough.
The fact of it being missionary propaganda, designed to help win gentiles to the faith, (it seems that it is especially concerned to extol Jewish life), is understood by some, as its purpose, but the assumption of a patriarchal knowledge of their history, and scriptural familiarity, leads others to think that it was for those who stood very close to Judaism. Whoever it was written for, it does seek to enhance the status of gentile converts within the Jewish community. The author even has an angel of God appear in the story to endorse the principal of conversion and marriage, with complete acceptance and honour.
There is no concession to idolatry in the story, for Asenath becomes “the daughter of the Most High” to marry the “Son of God”, thus rejecting exonomy. Other familiar, Johanine and Pauline expressions such as “bread of life” and “cup of blessing”, reflect conceptions of God, sin, repentance, and salvation, and images of conversions and new creations, emerging from the death to life patterns, with prayers as well. The “bread of life”, the “cup of immortality”, the “ointment of incorruption”, are all formally referred to, and may be references to some sort of ancient meal, or their own everyday Jewish meal, which always had a solemn religious character, or even to the entire Jewish way of life. The triad of bread, cup and ointment is reminiscent of grain, wine and oil, and as such are regarded, by Jewish tradition, to be the staples of Jewish life, but the most susceptible to impurity by association with idolatry. Whether the triad represents some special Jewish ritual, as has been said, set firmly against pagan rites, or simply representing the staples of Jewish commodities of life, pitted against the defiling food drink and oil of the gentile rituals, is open to discussion. Asenath never receives any bread, or cup, or ointment, but only the honeycomb, which represented her access to the “bread of life”, and we are told that she had drunk from “the cup of immortality” and that she had been anointed with the “ointment of incorruption”. The honeycomb probably represented the later manna or food from God. The then/now paradigms, illustrate the importance of this story for the first century Jews.
The blessings are affirmed and articulated and emphasise that Jew by birth is unimportant. Membership is not determined by ethnic descent, but by acknowledgment of the true God and by proper conduct, and appropriate witness to others, thus avoiding the argument of Gentile impurity.
The first part of the story is more acceptable to us, than the second, only because it falls into the category of the literature we are used to, (for we find figure difficult to manage), but it is all interesting.
Chapters 1 to 21 of “Joseph and Aseneth” deal in the beginning with the exceptionally beautiful and virginal daughter of the priest of Heliopolis, refusing arrogantly her father’s request to marry Joseph, a high Egyptian official who is about to visit the district. When she sees the handsome man she falls in love with him. But Joseph spurns her advances, because he worships God, and she worships dead and dumb idols. There is an antithetic description of the two types of worship.
Joseph prays for her conversion and when he returns in a week, she has repudiated her idols, and penitently turned to the God of Israel. An angel visits her, and acknowledges her conversion, and describes to her the blessings that now accrue to her, the foremost of which are life and immortality. So she symbolically eats the mysterious honeycomb, (immortal angel food). Joseph kisses her and the marriage is performed by Pharaoh, and from the union there are two sons.
In the second part of the story, over eight chapters, the Pharaoh’s son becomes jealous of the power and might of Joseph, and enlists the likely aid of Joseph’s brothers, Dan, Gad, Naphtali and Asher, to murder Joseph, and abduct Aseneth, (significantly Bilhah’s and Zilpah’s sons). The plot fails significantly because of timely intervention and the strenuous efforts of some of Joseph’s other brothers, especially Simeon, Levi and Benjamin, (Leah’s and Rachel’s sons). Pharaoh’s son is mortally wounded during the conflict; and when his grief stricken father, the Pharaoh also dies, Joseph becomes king of Egypt.
It is interesting to know that the Jews in the first century made capital of this story. However we need to emphasis that whatever they thought, and whatever we think, and however much they/we wish it to be so, we are not told by Moses of Asenath’s conversion.
CHAPTER 3
THE HEAVENS SHUT UP
“And Joseph opened all the storehouses of Egypt ... And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn”, Genesis 41:56, 57.
FOCUS:
The dearth years are recorded in Genesis 41:53-57.
1. FAMINE IN AND AROUND EGYPT
The famine is terrible,
The flood had been in Noah’s day.
Flood and famine,
Saviours both were Noah and Joseph.
At each catastrophe
The outcome depended on
One chosen faithful man.
Comment:
The children of Egypt were wise and well instructed, but they might have been surprised to know that the wonderful River Nile that supported them so well in those seven years of plenty came from the Ethiopian Alps and from the Great Lakes of tropical Africa, and not from under the ground, but from above the ground - rain. The source of the Nile has been a quest for explorers, right up to the 20th century, only now, of course, it can be easily distinguished and pinpointed, from the satellite photographs of the earth. It flowed across the hills, for 6,632 kilometres into the gorges and filled the water-courses so full of liquid mud that when it died away at the end of summer the crust of mud left behind was greatly fertile and made for good corn.
The Land of Mud,
The Land of Black Earth,
The Black Soil,
The Fertile Soil of Kemt,
- are all apt descriptions of the Egypt of the flood plain.
These heavy rains that fell in Ethiopia and tropical Africa depended upon the cloud bursts from clouds over the Mediterranean Sea. They were driven by westerly winds into the Abyssinian Mountains. Also, the well being of Canaan and the surrounding lands depended upon the rains that came twice a year. (Canaan is poor in springs and only the river served their water needs as well as the wells they could sometimes dig. But water was/is always a problem.) Everything depends on the rain. If it does not rain in Canaan, there are no downpours in Ethiopia and Africa, and then the torrents do not tumble down to the Nile (and back out at the Mediterranean.) We see an enormous connection between the sources and courses of water. God rules it all. It failed in Canaan also, for seven years.
The Egyptian habit of careful, preventative preservation for the future had got into Joseph’s bones and into his flesh. The highest office in the land is always blamed for national failure, but not here. His successful planning brought great admiration and he was called “Adon” still. The Khamsin, the scorching south easterly, blew all summer hot and dry, and the ears and the harvest were no more. There were no fat cows and there were no fat ears. There was no west, rain bearing wind.
However the preparation in Egypt, under Joseph, for the great drought, had been remarkable. The seven years of plenty must have been bliss, a perpetuity of bliss. But like all things, in the cycle of life, the bliss ended.
It had to be a God given drought, for Egypt always had food in the time of drought. The Nile never failed, by ordinary circumstance. Later, when God threatened those nations with famine that if they did not come down to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles, they would be punished, He thought it necessary to insert a clause to obviate the hopes of the Egyptians, that they would never feel such a calamity, for they would say that they always had food, Zechariah 14:16-18.
It must have been a matter of great excitement in 1908 when Brugsch Bey discovered inscriptions which tell how for seven successive years the Nile did not overflow and vegetation withered and failed, that the land was devoid of crops and that during these years famine and misery devastated the land of Egypt. The date is somewhere around 1700 BC the last year of the famine. The chronologist, Ussher, used by the Authorised Version compilers, pronounced the last year of plenty as 1708 BC. The actual year date, (for there are differing points of view), is not important, only the story with its lessons for us. In the many and varied histories of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt dates are as many and as varied - there is no definite proof, but discoveries are still being made, and ultimately there may be proof. We believe in the authenticity of Scripture and know that the sequence of events is generally correct, and that is our real concern. The Companion Bible, “Chronological Chart, Appendix 50” is a good indication of dates with a detailed sequence of events. That it all happened is a matter of tremendous impact and not easily trifled with by unbelievers. The information in The Companion Bible demonstrates clearly how important it is to keep up with 20th century research in Biblical studies, and the newer commentaries, as well as the older 19th century ones.
********************
2. ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW ABOUT FAMINES
There is now another theory about the seven year famine.
It is now thought by some, that it may have been a flooding of the Nile that brought the seven year famine upon Egypt, for there is evidence of a great flood, in Egypt, too late in history to be Noah’s flood.
(See end chapter note for Digression 1)
However in our story there was a food shortage and famine in far away Canaan, certainly not from flood, which was to serve God’s purpose in moving the increasingly immovable Jacob. The two catalysts could be co initiators of the famine in both places.
Consider:
* Was the Canaan famine caused by lack of rain in Canaan, because of an oversupply of rain falling in Egypt?
* Or did corn come on the trade routes from Egypt to Canaan, and when the flood famine came in Egypt the trade route supply dried up, and caused famine in Canaan?
* Or could famine have been caused by a combination of circumstances, flood and drought?
********************
3. JOSEPH’S FAITH IN EGYPT
For seven years Joseph maintained his faith in God that all that he was achieving in stored grain was not a useless exercise. He had no network, and alone he stood. His perspicacity endeared him to Pharaoh and to the people, and persuaded them of his authenticity, as a messenger from on High. We hope that Asenath supported that view of him.
(See end chapter note for Digression 2)
Consider:
* Like the Arab proverb, did Joseph make his life like a little onion, or make his life like a little honey?
* What would be this balance of tears (onions) and joy (honey)?
* What was the intensity of his prayer for his lost family?
* In our prayer life are we required to accept, rather than continually ask for the solution?
* Do we fall into the trap of laying a problem with God, and then returning to the request, over and over, that is, continually and intensively importuning?
* Are there differences in requests, that either call for laying it down at Jesus feet and withdrawing, - and being an importunate?
* Can we create a balance in our daily prayers for our families, and just remind God of our desperate prayer request, but still lay it down with Him?
It would be possible to do this for a lifetime, if it was necessary, and to die with it on our lips, in full assurance that God would heal it in our absence.
********************
Joseph’s heart must have been built until now, with a combination of faith and fear. We assume that with time the fear had lessened, and the experiences of faith strengthened his faith. There is no evidence of blunted faith. It appears that Joseph was never torn from God’s keeping, but abided in His love and was safe. God it was who calmed the original fear, and gave him faith.
Consider:
* Did Joseph consider the snaring woman, as a fearful thing?
* Were the chains that she tried to put about Joseph, fearful things?
* Did he regard the gods of Egypt with fear?
* Did he continue to ask for faith to take away the fear?
* Or did he accept after the initial prayers?
********************
The idolaters
“Cut a tree out of the forest,
And a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
They adorn it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with hammer and nails,
So it will not totter.
Like scarecrows in a melon patch,
Their idols cannot speak;
They must be carried,
Because they cannot walk”
Jeremiah 10:3-5.
God continues in Jeremiah “Do not fear them, they can do no harm, nor can they do any good”. Still these idols were regarded with awe, by those round about. But Joseph escaped, for he was a man who pleased God, Ecclesiastes 7:26.
Joseph was self made, and self unmade. He learned and unlearned by himself, with only God as his “hiding place”, Psalm 32:7, by whom his weakness, (fear) could be converted, and he could say, “I am strong”.
So he was strong by himself. This is no recommendation to try the experience. The surviving men, who built the Burma railway, as Japanese prisoners of war in 1942, say they could not have survived without a mate, each to help the other, whenever the need arose. Yet some go off to try to be self sufficient, just with God as their mainstay, and do manage to do just that.
Perhaps Joseph was a quality imitator of those around him, knowing the good and eschewing the evil. He would have adapted and copied, and added value, and made his life work for God. This time in Joseph’s life, when he was increasingly important in the land of Egypt, and still alone, became an astonishing connecting of events, divinely administered. Nothing was trifling, or accidental or minute, or of inconsiderable consequence.
Comment:
Egypt was a mighty nation, in the 17th century BC. It is not until Ezekiel’s time, when he prophesies their demise. In 580 BC, NIV Study Bible, Ezekiel 30-32, that their power wanes. It is a long lasting link in the mighty chain, not only for the saving of this patriarchal family, and their establishment in the land of Canaan, but in the chastisement for the sins of His people. God graciously intervened in Egypt’s history, and they knew it not.
It does not mean that, to be of consequence in God’s plan, we must be part of a big picture. We remember the swallow that falls and God noticing, Matthew 10:29. The best of things work for the growing good of the world. If every person left the world a better place, enormous good would come. What people do to improve the world, hinges on unhistorical acts! Yet history is made and their goodness sometimes prevails over the wickedness, which evil beings multiply around them. Mankind is advanced by small steps, and we can be part of that. We can spread goodness, and that is as important to God as the Josephs of the big picture. The little picture is where we all are, probably.
It is of no less value to God if we fill a little space with goodness. The road of amazing grace is scattered with few believers, so there’s plenty of room for work for Him. We may not be able to fly off in aid relief to a war torn country, but we can alleviate the suffering we see here now, today.
Sin is falling short of what one is able to accomplish in his name, failing to use our talents. It is failure to stretch to our totality, to the pursuit of the absolute, to our unlimited self - in our families, in our neighbourhoods, in our schools, in our jobs, in our worship. Love for God, love for our fellows, helps lift our spirit above where we might rest it.
It makes our little picture golden, that is, a splendid thing. It is an ennobling thing that we can do for ourselves.
We then can be a “man of gold” - like Joseph - in a little picture. The witness for God in the gold is the whole purpose of our being. With our acceptance of Him in baptism, we accept, also, the responsibility to witness to His name. Surely it is not so difficult to remember that how we act is how we teach about Him. Again, surely it is not so difficult to remember that the more we become like Him, the more we tell people about our faith in Him.
I slept
- And dreamed that life was joy
I awoke
- And found that life was duty
I acted
- And, behold, duty was joy.
This old Asian proverb spells out for us the joy of duty. The young need to know of it, when they think that duty is hard and loveless and never ending.
The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference. Indifference to humanity, a neglect of duty, really sins of omission - public prayers for sins of omission used to be quite frequent, but not much heard these days. Omission sins will never brighten a picture, but they may cloud the bright picture.
Delight in God’s Law, and love for Him will certainly brighten it. Everyone can make a difference. Pray that we be not indifferent. Joseph never was, and that helped achieve God’s plan. He said, like Martin Luther King, “I have a vision” (for the blacks of America). Some men and women do have visions, to make things better, or to build wondrous things. It is a wonderful thing to pursue a vision. They are always accompanied by brickbats, and hardly ever bouquets. To stand out or lead, is to be tall, and attract the cutting knife. Joseph had the natural elasticity and buoyancy of youth, which did help him, and his healthy fellowship with God steeled his sense of morality. He did not give his soul in bondage to the pack, he was not invaded by the will to be mediocre, he sparked the treasure that was his life and multiplied it for Him. Everyone has the power to choose. Everyone can decide on a positive response. Children, who are terminally ill, are required to behave properly, for their own well being. It is no good to a child, any child, to allow churlish behaviour, whatever the circumstances. So, even in great illness, a positive response can bring relief. “I can be joyful, strong, confident, productive, independent and Godly, so that I can be flexible, peaceful and healthy”. This is more so then in spiritual weakness. Everyone has to know his/her own philosophy of life, and live by it.
CONCLUSION:
The example of the patience of Joseph, as he waits for God to solve his family problem, (which will mean the seven years famine bringing his family to Egypt), is telling for us all. The last of necessary patience is what is required now. The bag bundle is nearly empty and God refills it again for the last lap.
Digression 1:
The evidence for flood causing famine is indicated in the great flood of Bangladesh in 1998 that caused the homelessness of 25 million of the population of 124 million people. The devastation was exacerbated by the fact of food shortages. Two rice crops were destroyed, the one about to be harvested, and the one that could not be planted in time, because the land was still under too much water. If the phenomenon only happened once, and with no humanitarian aid coming from outside the country, the catastrophe may easily cause seven years of famine.
Digression 2:
When Britain colonised India, an extensive network of railways was built. Not only were the rails used to carry out the jewels and spices, but they were also used to carry about the Englishmen and their messages to one another, (together with the telegraph lines), so that colonisation proceeded smoothly. It was considered essential that the remote stations be kept in touch with the news of the English king and country and friends and family. To be with out that nourishment, was considered debilitating. The Siberian railway was built for the same purpose, for the Russian Tsar to keep in touch with his eastern subjects. These great lines of communication also prevented the invaders from slipping into the culture of the invaded, and so be lost to their original culture. These transport lines also served to transport prisoners and relocate whole ethnic unwanted communities to populate hitherto wastelands or replace forced marches of people to more easily managed locations. So there was a political intent as well.
Joseph had none of these privileges, far away from home and hearth, and no reference point to cling to. No word, no visitors, no reminders of the culture of the patriarchs, so alone, so long alone, 20 years.
In our own times there are people who are willing to make seemingly unbearable sacrifices in the name of humanity and Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi’s sacrifice of her family shows that humanity’s need is a greater prize than the inner voice, which cries out for comfort and security and normality. Nelson Mandella of South Africa, Vaclav Havel of Czechoslovakia, Andrei Sakharov and Nathan Scharansky of Russia, are all human stories worth reading, whose strength in the face of enormous opposition did not flinch from service to the needs of their people, above their own comfort.
CHAPTER 4
JACOB’S RESPONSE TO THE FAMINE
“Behold, I have heard there is corn in Egypt”, Genesis 42:2.
FOCUS:
Jacob’s terrible suffering over the parched earth and subsequent famine in Canaan, forces him to seek relief in Egypt, Genesis 42:1 and 2, and he considers sending his sons.
1. THE OLD FIRM IS CRUMBLING AS A RESULT OF THE DROUGHT
God, for a time, suspended His help to Jacob and his family in Canaan “he shut the heavens” so that it did not rain and the ground yielded no produce. It wasn’t the first time, and it wasn’t the last time that He did that (Hosea 2). The firm, of Jacob and Sons - Shepherds, Sheep and Sheep Products, watched as the land flowing with milk and honey now became desolate in drought. Psalm 107:33-34, NIV, “He turned the rivers into a desert, flowing springs, into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there”, and their business failed.
The family firm in Canaan had experienced famine before, in Abram’s day. It is clear there were some reserves, or some things continued to grow, for there is the matter of the compensating presents that Jacob later sent to Pharaoh.
Consider:
* Did Jacob have stored provender and valuables and trinkets purchased from The Midianite/Ishmaelite Trading Company as they passed by over the years?
* Was the dearth of food, retribution for the wickedness of Canaan?
* Or was it to move the family of God to better pasture - or both?
* Why is it over the centuries that when great trouble comes to Jewish families in Germany, Russia and Argentina, and other places, have they not moved to where God wants them to go?
* Why did God leave Jacob without a message, from Joseph, or even from Himself, at this crucial time?
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2. HOOKS IN JAWS
With everything made easy, visas to Israel (from Russia) ready to go, they still stay in their millions and compound their wealth. God has “put hooks in their jaws”, Ezekiel 29:4, but they struggle against Him, and so they do not get caught in the net that would sweep them back to Israel. They do not respond to God’s wishes. The mute and silent witness, of their unrepentant return to Israel, moves on, without so many of that nation that could benefit, if they returned. It does take hooks in jaws to bring them to where God wants them, and it will continue to happen, and that is what happened to Jacob and his family.
(See end chapter note for Digression 1)
Well, Jacob responded to the hook in his jaw, but not at once.
For them,
In the beginning
There was a sense of shrinkage,
As they went from the known way,
Through a valley of sorrow,
Back and forth,
Bringing and taking sorrow,
Until,
At last,
With the sense of sin restored in the ten,
Te father,
Jacob,
Captured
Some of the joy
That had eluded him
For 20 years,
and he went down into Egypt, in time.
God’s people now “were but a few men in number, yea, very few, and strangers in the land” of Canaan, Psalm 105:12-24.
They had been kept safe, for God “suffered no man to do them wrong: and he reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread”.
So they were safe,
But they were hungry,
And their business was insolvent,
And the juices of their life had dried up,
They shrunk, and they dried out.
“Israel came into Egypt and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies”, Psalm 105. They took refuge in Egypt from the trials and evil in Canaan, in the crucible of development at the time. Comparisons over which civilisation is more or less evil, really matter not, evil is evil.
When he eventually went down into Egypt, Jacob basked in the glory of his son who had conceived a wondrous plan to be the saviour of the world. Egypt was full of corn, and the cats were kept busy, as the mice and the rats did play.
3. DEARTH AND DEATH IN CANAAN
When the sun was in the Leo constellation of the Zodiac in Egypt the River Nile always flooded. The flood began at the end of May and continued to rise until September. It reached Memphis (just near Cairo) a month later, The river’s ever swelling path of over 6,500 kilometres from a spring in the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea brought the soil which helped to make Egypt the granary of the world. The country is so dependent on this single lifeline and is therefore the reservoir of the gift of the long and mighty Nile. The soil is born of the flood and all that country needs is soil, water and sun. The Aswan Dam has now banked up the sediment and so the salt sea is invading the delta and spoiling the sardine catch and the growth there. The sediment no longer replenishes the shoreline as it did up until 1960. The flood is/was the most important event in the Egyptian calendar. Well, in 1708 BC it did not flow.
As far away as Canaan they felt the pressure also for -
The fig tree did not blossom,
Neither was there fruit in the vine.
The labour of the olive fell
And the fields yielded no meat.
The flock was cut off from the field
And there was no herd in the stall,
There was no herd in the stall. Habakkuk 3:17.
Jacob and Sons - Shepherds, Sheep and Sheep Products could not sustain their herds, and the stalls were empty.
“Food for the sheep”, they worried,
“Why even our own food stocks are low”, they said.
“The cupboard is bare!”
The dearth was in all lands, Genesis 41:54, and with dearth was death.
4. A FIXED PRICE FOR CORN IN EGYPT
Far away in Egypt Joseph sold corn, he fixed the price. It was fair, for the corn growers never saved up corn for probable famine, they sold all to get as much cash as they could, like selfish businessmen everywhere. Now they cried out with nothing to eat. Joseph did not open the granaries, until the people could be trusted to value the corn (because of their pangs of hunger). There are records in tombs, of generous officials who gave to the poor, the widow, the small, and never pressed after the poor peasants for their arrears. Their debts were carried by the state. The grain business was supervised by a staff of ten thousand scribes and under scribes. In “The Ancient World” by Caldwell, they are called “the Eyes of the King of Upper Egypt, the Ears of the King of Lower Egypt”, page 57. They reached out all over Egypt and back again to Joseph. He reaped the gold and silver from the rich landowners and sold the grain, only on condition that they upgraded their irrigation system so that in future they were more equipped for drought and did not muddle along in inefficiency. The mighty pyramid, tomb and monument building had caused the neglect of the irrigation systems, which would have made a more profitable economy. But devotion to such building, like the building of the huge cathedrals all over Europe at a much later date, was a helpful political tool, and balanced against the long term common good, politics was considered much more important. Those who lived in the shadow of a cathedral (or who had helped to build it) were easy devotees, coerced, if not willing, for employment, housing, hinged on the devotions. Birmingham, not a cathedral city, allowed more free thinking and discussion - from which some small denominations grew.
Joseph rewarded the cry of the poor with bread, and we remember the character of Joseph, his sympathy for the poor and downcast - and he reached the pinnacle of his career, a wise and just ruler. He was raised up to be a common benefactor to all mankind, and so his wisdom and justice extended far outside the Egyptian borders. Circumstances of human misery, or not, depends on liberality or exploitation. Mild or rigid, kind or severe, Joseph decided, for he was in charge. The containment, or the constriction of his previous years, did not contract his horizons, as it does for some. He was not full of bitterness, nor was he shrunk in ability. In fact, he allowed it to enrich him, so that he was more than ready for the enormous task.
From Canaan, Megiddo, Shahuren, Ascalon and as far away as Syria and Lebanon, came envoys and rulers bargaining for food to feed their people. At this time the gateman at Thel was instructed to list everybody - every person that came through into Egypt must have a name - no unnamed sand man or pit man now, for everyone had their name recorded, and their ancestry. Joseph required it, and because they did it well, enjoying their record keeping reputation, Joseph was able to scan the daily lists. He had heard the news of Genesis 42:5.
Consider:
* Why was Joseph anxious?
* What was he looking for?
* Who might come?
* Did he know now how it would all come to pass, or was he just concerned for his family’s bread supply?
* Did he hope for his father’s wisdom, when faced with this concern, feeling sure someone from the family would soon appear at the Egyptian frontier gate at Thel?
* Or did certain knowledge replace that “feeling”?
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(See end chapter note for Digression 2)
However some historians of Israel, speaking of its origins, make nothing of the miraculous events of our story. The Bible is no history book (to them). There is no mention in papyri (yet) of Joseph. So to them it is all tradition, until proved by ancient documentation to be true.
On returning to our Biblical account we have the record (substantiated in history) of food in Egypt. It was there for the taking, if you could get to it, and had the price to pay. Jacob did. He’d learned his lessons well in the Laban years. He had a thriving business, thanks to the years of plenty. He realised though, that even if he was prudent, he and his family would soon need help. The underground cisterns and wells were not being replenished with the essential water. The drought and the parched land, he feared, would continue and the rain would not fall.
Consider:
Surely it would have been recorded if God had told Jacob to go down into Egypt. There would have been none of the toing and froing of the following chapters, if God had spoken to him. He would have gone down at once.
* So did God whisper in his ear?
* Or did He put a painful hook in his jaw to tell him to go to Egypt?
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CONCLUSION:
Jacob knew of others who had been commanded not to go into Egypt, Genesis 26:2, so he was unsure. God would have reassured him if he had asked Him, but he did not, and so he was left to respond to the whisper or the hook.
Digression 1:
It is interesting to note in “The Prophets and the Rise of Judaism”, Lods, pages 304-312, in the River Nile on the Island of Elephantine, (see Chapter 17) a southern frontier post between Egypt and Ethiopia, a Jewish colony was present in the mid 400’s BC, when Egypt was in decline. The Temple existed at the same time as Nehemiah and Ezra were striving to re establish the true worship of YHWH in Jerusalem. How the Jews arrived in Elephantine is uncertain. It is thought that they fled to southern Egypt, after Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC, or perhaps as a garrison of soldiers sent by an invading army - Persia or Assyria, although we do know now, that Jews have been in Ethiopia since ancient times. In any case the Egyptian Pharaoh of the time allowed them to build the Temple which was later destroyed. Depending how the references to YHWH in the Aramaic papyri, are interpreted, it is possible to conclude that the Ark of the Covenant was present at some time there, in that Elephantine Temple. Some archaeologists believe that this is the reason for the existence of the Temple there - God’s dwelling place, Biblical Archaeology Magazine May/June 1995 “Did the Ark stop in Elephantine?” The papyrus which was discovered in 1901, in Elephantine, tells of intermarriage, and the worship of YHWH combined with that of Egypt, and elsewhere, which would have scandalised God’s earnest prophets back in Jerusalem. This did not stop the Jews at Elephantine appealing to Jerusalem to help them in the re erection of their temple. The Egyptians, worshipping the rams, looked with great disfavour, on the blood sacrifices, with which the Jews sought to honour YHWH. It was deicide to them. The Elephantine Jews wrote to the Persian satrap of Judah, to the High Priest and his colleagues, (duplicate copies of which were found), sometimes with a sum of gold, but there is no evidence of replies. It is a fair assumption that Nehemiah, and Ezra, inspiring reformist attitudes in the Jews at Jerusalem, may have felt that the destruction of the schismatic temple at Upper Egypt was chastisement well deserved, and maybe heaven sent, for they would have been better off in Jerusalem.
The Jews in Persia, at the time of Esther, escaped the evil that had befallen them, by God’s grace, even though they had resisted the call, by Nehemiah and Ezra, to return to Jerusalem. They disobeyed God’s message through the prophets, and received blessings in Persia. It seems here that, in this case, God turned away the consequences.
The attitude of Jews to persecution has not often been that they thought of it as heaven sent, rather man made; it’s as if they think that God does not notice their perverse ways.
In an interesting address given by an orthodox rabbi recently, he admitted, under significant questioning, that their persecution was the hand of God upon them, rather than just Christian persecution, for their crucifixion of Christ. (The Pope has now apologised to Jews for making that accusation). The rabbi stated, that all that would change, at the appearance of their Messiah, (for us, a second coming), when all Jews would recognise him, including unbelieving Jews, and repent, and be saved, and blessed, - that is, universal salvation for Jews alive at the time. We may consider whether it is possible for all Jews to repent at the time of our Lord’s coming. Of course, God will turn hearts of stone, if and when He wants, if His conditions are met. Perhaps there are differing views within their faith in the matter of blame for atrocities. It is difficult then to address what they think of their present position on their covenant relationship to God.
Again, at a recent visit to the Sydney Great Synagogue in a question session, the spokesperson declared that they did think the hand of God had been upon them for their turning away from God. This particular Sadducee like member also proclaimed that they had no reason to hope for any future after death, for death was final for all. They never considered a literal resurrection, for their life now is the only chance for anyone to worship God. The covenant of God with their forefathers, (the patriarchs, who will be resurrected, and soon to inherit the Promised Land, when the Word of the Lord will go forth from Jerusalem), does not impress those Jews as of any great importance. This rabbi, and so his flock, believe that all the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled. The Jews themselves do not esteem the New Testament prophecies. So then, in their unbelief, “they are not” His “sheep”, for “they do not hear” His “voice”, John 10:26-27.
Digression 2:
In our times, in 1950, Mao Tsetung, the powerful Chinese ruler actually caused a famine in that great country. It was human error, no material disaster, misrule, and 43 million people (of 1 billion) died.
The crippled tree,
The birdless summer
And the mortal flower,
of Han Suyin’s documented books on China, did happen “in all lands”, 3,000 years before, by God’s design. We need to consider, how far God extends His design. We do believe that God designs events in the land of China, and so we assume that the events there have a rippling effect that can be felt in the Middle East, or anywhere around the world.
In that sense the Chinese are mentioned in Revelation, as a mongol race of people, moving south west into Turkey over centuries, to have effect eventually on His people.
CHAPTER 5
JACOB’S DILEMMA AND THE SILENCE OF HIS SONS
“Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, ... get you down thither and buy for us from thence, that we may live and not die”, Genesis 42:1, 2.
FOCUS:
Jacob knew that now it was a life and death matter. He urged his sons down into Egypt. Perhaps, knowing Joseph had gone down to Egypt, they would have preferred that they be sent somewhere else, Genesis 42:1-28.
1. TEN CAIN HEADS GO DOWN INTO EGYPT
However the ten heads went, the ten guilty ones, the ten “Cain” heads, for Jacob kept his loved Benjamin, lest “mischief befall him”. Benjamin, a grown man with a family of his own, was now a priceless treasure to Jacob - the only true remembrance of his loved Rachel. He was 22 years old. And so the next episode of this intriguing story is played out in Genesis 42.
Consider:
If we were without the history of this family, we may be tempted to question -
* Why did God not warn Jacob of the impending famine, so that he could store up grain?
* Why was he not blessed like Isaac was in the time of famine, Genesis 26:1-5?
* How did Egypt have enough for its own needs in this dreadful famine, but also enough for all the nations round about?
* Why did not Joseph send a famine saving message?
* Why did Jacob have to rely on hearsay to get the message?
* What if he had never heard?
It all seems difficult to understand, until we reflect that God needs not to give account to any about His matters, and His far sightedness is greater than our near sight. The big picture is all embracing.
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We know from our journey the path Jacob’s sons probably took, for we went with The Midianite/Ishmaelite Trading Company which took Joseph. These ten Cain heads saw the scenery changes, the evidence of world events, wars, and now the strongholds, walled cities and fields outside which the people toiled till sunset. They saw the influence of Egypt on Canaan and pointed the noses of their asses in that direction, and they came to Gaza.
Comment:
In the National Geographic Magazine, December 1982, Trude Dothan tells of the excitement of an archaeological dig at Gaza, uncovering first an Egyptian fort with walls over 2 metres thick (mid 13th century BC) and then an Egyptian pool and palace, part of an Egyptian outpost and stronghold (mid 14th century BC). Gaza truly was an Egyptian outpost for hundreds of years. These digs have been possible because of recent cooperation between Israel and Egypt in their search for a mutual past. The mud brick homes constructed then and now, prove suitable still.
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We know the dangers of the Sinai Desert, and the relief of Jacob’s ten sons, at reaching the gates of Egypt, on the eastern border of the Nile delta - Thel. This providential care would have extended to all those in the caravan. The lack of difficulty and trouble surprised them all. It took about seventeen days. The journey was imperative and not to be trusted to servants. These sons were not idle, nor were they cowards, but no doubt skilled in business and therefore with skills able to deal with this new foreign travel. Their age and number (ten) ensured that they were credible. Here, at Thel, they were interrogated, as we are still at the frontier gates (at Thel) in our world today.
2. BORDER ENTRY FOR JACOB’S SONS
“Name?
Age?
Trade?
Origin? Born where?
Father’s Name?
Grandfather’s Name?
Mother’s Family Name?
What means of support?
Reason for Visit?
What have you brought with you?
Open your bags and show us”.
And the immigration officers proceeded to investigate, just as they do today. Jacob’s ten sons had come with money and/or (barter) goods and they each had their own sack and money bag, probably made of linen. We know they brought silver, at least. Joseph heard about it from the ears of the King of Lower Egypt and planned their welcome. He had to, because he wanted their presence in his court. His excitement rose by the hour.
Consider:
* Was it sorrow bringing, or joy capturing for Joseph, for they are all equalised by God?
* Experiences of life are not thought of by God of much consequence, we may say?
* They are all time and chance, noted, but not predestined, bad or good?
Joseph desperately wanted this to turn good. He knew they would bow down; everyone did, or was made to.
* Would it be sorrowful or joyful for the brothers?
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Well, it wasn’t as straightforward as he thought it would be, as life often teaches us, for they didn’t all come. There was that little piece of cultivable land adjacent to the Sinai desert on the eastern arm of the Nile, a wadi used by the Egyptians to “detain” flocks and herds. Well, that’s no use to his family yet. They’ve come - to immediately return - to buy corn. There’s no Jacob, no Benjamin, they’re still in the grove of Mamre at Kirjath Arba in Hebron - for that is what the ten listed as origin - sons of Yitzschak.
3. TEN SONS OF JACOB ENTER INTO EGYPT
Still, it was, at least -
The ten sheaves,
And ten stars.
We will assume it is ten. There is a question of whether ten men could have carried enough provisions for the large family and retinue of servants and their families, back in Canaan. Perhaps there were more than ten.
Maybe they still had some corn and wished only to supplement it, or
Perhaps some servants and their families had been let go, as they could not feed them.
The purpose of the story requires the ten brothers, so we will say that ten came into Egypt.
Joseph sent a messenger to have the ten separated from the throng of people with whom they travelled. He asked that they be sent on to Memfe, to the head office. They were not to be given corn in one of the border cities. He asked that their journey be comfortable in Egypt as they made their way - as they were none of them young, all over forty years - and had endured already, a long and difficult journey. They would be anxious to be away again, home to Canaan so the delay would worry them, Joseph knew. The matter of language had to be settled. Joseph should not let his brothers know he could speak their language, though he knew it well and taught his children. So he needed to enlist the aid of his steward. They must not recognise him at first; if they think it, they must distrust their own eyes. There was terrible anxiety for Jacob, about his father and whether he was still alive, and what had happened to the family since he last saw them, and what about Benjamin absence form the family of sons. These questions gnawed at his mind over the three days it took them to reach him.
Now is the time.
Joseph had waited and waited for this moment. He had the best secret service agents in the realm at his disposal, but he had waited for the right moment. He knew that to act would have jeopardised his whole dream outcome. So unlike his parents and grandparents and great grandparents, who tried to force God’s will, he patiently waited.
But now is the time.
His riches and honour and fame had not altered his desire to do God’s will, and he knew that God’s plan was not in this Land of Mud, but in another country where he would never go to live, but where his bones would eventually reside. This request, casually recorded in Hebrews 11:22 is the only New Testament mention, but he so nearly reminds us of the one whose message is most mentioned in that Testament.
Joseph decided to be formal, not friendly, but assertive. He would greet them with suspicion and investigate - pretend he thought they were spies. Of course, he was, at once, again, troubled over the moral position of his brothers, of whether to discount the dastardly deed, because it was needed for the good result. It was the old question of whether the end justified the means.
Life constantly puts these questions to us - means/ends. Saviours past, here, or in the future, Noah, Joseph, Jesus, these all disposed to save God’s people from their sins. Others, perpetrators of dastardly evil plans, are always guilty, whether the plan was in God’s will, or not, for means does not ever justify the end. There always should be recognition of iniquity and sin, and then repentance just the same. Or is it all too remote, and meaningless, and too hard? “Well we never did that thing”, that is, “stole the children”. “We don’t need to say sorry”. Those implicated in taking the wrong, or at least taking the ill advised path, those that have reaped the benefits, can all say “sorry” or even if we just feel sad that our culture was responsible, it is helpful to say “sorry”.
Joseph could have suddenly, at this time, wavered in the faith that had sustained him for so long. As soon as Joseph saw and heard them, he knew his task of bringing them to repentance would not be an easy one. He knew better than to think it was not worth all the trouble, and to let it go, and say nothing. He persevered, with God’s help, and his brothers were better for it.
Forgiveness does not mean a brush off of the sin, it means much more than that, even though the new and dictated path turns out to be a blessing in disguise. How often God uses the wrath of man to accomplish His purpose, but sometimes there is an unexpected means and outcome. The unexpected blessing does not negate the sin that made it so, and Joseph needs to see their reactions and accept their confession before he can reassure them, for then he (and God) will see that they need to find forgiveness.
The ten - the wolf pack - as he had last seen them - stood before him, aged now, solemn, fearful and anxious. They touched their foreheads to the ground, but not eleven sheaves, only ten. They scarcely lifted their eyes to the glory before them. Joseph had been watching for over a year for them to appear, Genesis 45:6. Joseph knew them all, and had long decided what to do.
4. JOSEPH’S PRETENCE IN FRONT OF HIS BROTHERS
He remembered the 20 pieces of silver worth in their eyes on that day so long ago. It is difficult to assess how much he knew or guessed about the torn garment, stained with blood, the means of the lie. His heart was full of laughing, and weeping, and dismay, and was now overflowing with mixed emotions. His cup was so full and running over. It was difficult to hide his feelings and his tearful eyes from them.
He turned away, and the necessary pauses for the interpretation, to keep up the pretence, gave him time to compose himself. To them he was an aristocratic heathen, and they were immune to any other thought of him. He was now a clean cut adult, 39 years old, dressed like a high ranking Egyptian official - a person of great authority.
So Joseph took up where his immigration officials had left off.
“Why have you come?”
“Our herds are enfeebled and there is little nourishment in our land. They are beginning to die of low fever. Our father is worried that more diseases will come to strike us all in this terrible time. Need is not only the honoured guest at our table, but need is hiding in the cupboards as well. We and our father run the respected Canaan business Jacob and Sons - Shepherds, Sheep and Sheep Products, and it is with difficulty that we continue”.
Joseph continued the interrogation and they continued to plead their cause.
“If you are the sons of one man why are you all so different?”
“For we are the sons of one father, but our mothers are different. There are four from two, and six from one. But we were twelve, for one from another, is at home with our father, and the other from that one, is now not”.
Now he knows, Joseph knows that his father is still alive.
Joseph also knows the equivocation in “the other is now not”. Perhaps they now believed their own lie, that Joseph was dead. The pretence goes on.
“Were you treated well from the fortress of Thel?”
“Yes, so gracious and kind has Egypt been to us since we passed the King’s gate”.
Now Joseph turned their gratitude for Egyptian courtesy, into a suspicion.
“Why”, he lies, “we have cared for you so well, because we believe that you are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land, how that we may be invaded, or how our corn could be taken off”.
The Hittites from the north across the Mediterranean, often sent spies into Egypt, and were in constant feud with them, and this route, from Canaan, was the most likely overland route that spies would take. Semitics were known to have excellent spies, but every nation uses spies. Joseph makes the accusation three times, until he gets the information he wants. Meanwhile the brothers become very agitated. “We are true men”, they said, knowing full well that they were not.
Well, it did not seem to matter, whatever their protests they could not establish their innocence, when their supposed plan was put before them. They bit their lips, and looked at their feet, and turned a motley colour, and stood on one foot and then the other. Their pride and resentment at the imputation, was swallowed up in fear. It certainly looked bad for them.
Clear proof of their innocence of the charge of spying may have rested in their proclamation in verse 11. Hardly would a sensible spy runner risk ten of his sons, on such a perilous mission as espionage. Moses used spies (Promised Land), and Joshua (Jericho), and it was a legitimate though dangerous occupation. Ten travelling together, though, hardly seemed sensible. However, they needed to prove that they were the ten sons of one man, for their protestations seemed not enough.
Joseph could have sent servants to verify their story, but the onus was not on Joseph to prove the story. Presumed guilty, awaiting to be proved innocent. He put it onto the brothers, which of course suited his purpose.
Joseph them turned the screw and said,
“Prove that you are not spies, by returning to Hebron, and bring down that son that you have left behind with your father at home. Only one of you shall return, and the rest of you shall stay here in prison until the return”.
Hostages, what! Hostages and insurance!
“Why, this man won’t take our honourable word”, they felt, in frustration.
Joseph swears by the life of Pharaoh, verse 16. We hope, for Joseph’s sake, it is not an oath that Pharaoh will die if they are proved spies. Rather let us understand it as a strong expression like “as thy soul liveth”, or “mark my words”. Of course he knew they were not spies, and that Pharaoh would not die because of that, but that is no excuse to use a venerated oath. Jephthah learned that hard lesson, Judges 11.
Joseph is entitled to feel indignation, but perhaps in his position of authority, he did not.
“Woe is us”, his brothers thought, and remembered the 20 years of mourning that their father Jacob, had felt over Joseph, until the father was mourned out. They knew this depriving of Benjamin would kill him. They thought of the seventeen days at the very least, of return, and another seventeen days back again with Benjamin and another seventeen days to return with corn. That would be over fifty one days, without the corn to save their families. It was no dark and muddy pit, like Joseph’s pit, that they were thrown into for three days; it was a civilised Egyptian prison - for three days, Genesis 42:17. They were in it, to make up their minds.
Others had been in the pit for three days, Jonah, Our Lord. We can make comparisons or contradictions out of that, if we wish.
5. THE BROTHERS’ SELF CONDEMNATION
The ten thought about this man, beautiful and beshadowed, stimulating and disturbing, kindly, yet cruel, sympathetic, yet accusatory, business like, yet ruthless, and so harsh with them, when they had put on such a good front. It puzzled them.
They squatted on their ankle bones, and considered their life situation. It was an unreasonable suspicion, yet they considered that it was the same sort of reasonable suspicion that they had lived under at home. But this suspicion looks like incarceration or execution to them. And, dare they think of it, retribution for their sin of disposing of Joseph.
They did not know why Joseph’s image came to their mind, and together with that image came their guilt again. They fell into a trap, and so they were trapped.
Comment:
God does not forget sin, not does he allow the sinner to forget his/her sin. David, forgiven of God for his sin, could not forget, and the consequences of that sin affected his whole family, to remind him, if he did think about forgetting. We can forgive and forget, but consequences mostly remain. David was aware of his condemnation almost immediately, for he said “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die”, 2 Samuel 11:5. Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man”. In 1 Kings 20:39-43, King Ahab also condemns himself. The king of Israel said to him (the disguised prophet) “You deserve to die”, (for not carrying out God’s instructions). The prophet then said to the king of Israel, “You have passed sentence on yourself”.
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These brothers might have been younger when their Joseph sin occurred. They reflected on the sin, and wished now that God had punished them then. They began to see that the suspicion cloud that their father had laid upon them was not their punishment, though they thought it had been. That punishment has been reserved for them now, when their blood could be exacted for Joseph’s blood, so they reasoned.
These brothers have equivocated for 20 years, hardly condemnation in their own eyes, yet they had a suspicious cloud hanging over them, and they had found that very difficult to shake. Now their equivocation was dimmed, as they remembered Joseph’s pleading for mercy. Now evil had befallen them, because of their sin. Their conscience had been asleep in the graveyard of memory, but now, as it began to awake, they began to take personal responsibility for their guilt, verses 21 and 22.
Reuben is quick to emphasis the point of his dissent from the evil deed. He does not think of his allowing the lie to Jacob to continue. Also his offence against his father, in the matter of Bilhah, is no small matter, but now, with more wisdom, he tries at this stage to move forward the repentance of his younger siblings, and to call in question their destruction of a boy of seventeen, when they did not make allowance for that boy’s lack of wisdom and experience.
It is difficult to decide which blood Reuben meant, in verse 22, the animal’s blood or Joseph’s blood, for which the accounting would be required.
#. It was Reuben who prevented the actual shedding of Joseph’s blood at the pit, but for the father, with the animal blood trick, Joseph was dead, and Reuben was party to that lie. Reuben had allowed the father to think Joseph’s blood was shed, so indeed Joseph’s blood
was shed. So then Reuben is guilty of murder.
# Judah also had pleaded for Joseph’s life, that blood be not shed, and had suggested The Midianite/Ishmaelite Trading Company, but in allowing the lie, he also was guilty of shed blood, that is of murder.
# The other eight had been also silent, so had they had the blood guilt of murder, as well.
So, we need to consider whether we agree with the three foregoing statements, that God does take the intention of shedding blood, that is the intention to murder Joseph, for the deed, even if the course was changed and he was not murdered.
They were never adequately punished for the murder, as Cain had been. They never openly repented of it until long afterwards. They were worse than Cain heads.
1. They had been unjustly imprisoned, but they themselves had unjustly imprisoned Joseph.
2. They could not forget their guilt.
3. They had, with pleasure, gratified their envy at Dothan, and did not realise the guilt that they were contracting,
4. And the sorrow that they prepared for their father, and for themselves.
5. As they had turned a deaf ear then, the Egyptian lord is turning a deaf ear now.
6. Now that they were in trouble, they would have given a great deal to recover that degree of innocence, that they pretended that they had to this great man.
7. The guilt began to assume a greater sense of suffering, than the injustice of their present position,
8. And perhaps their present suffering is greater than the suffering that they imposed on Joseph.
9. The combined guilt of sin does not diminish the sin, and
10. We need to remember that, if others take part in our sin, we are no less guilty, and cannot hide, or diminish the sin in the eyes of God.
11. As they had sinned against Joseph, they had sinned against Jacob, and
12. As we sin against our brethren, we also sin against God
13. We do not only affect ourselves in our sin.
14. For with our sin we draw in our tail all those who are dear to us, in the sin against our brother,
15. We can never say, I can do this because it does not affect anyone else. Everything we do, does.
The remedy is obvious to us all.
a. Repair the commission, or the omission, if you are able, and turn again to the Heavenly Father whom you have also offended.
b. He will not turn a deaf ear.
c. Your space for repentance and improvement needs to be as prolonged as you can make it, before you are snuffed out.
d. Confession and repentance must never be postponed.
Consider:
* How did they decide who it would be to go to Jacob and ask for Benjamin to travel to Egypt?
* Who would it be, who had enough influence with Jacob?
********************
This seems to them, like blackmail of some sort,
“What could our family possibly have that this man wants?” they asked themselves during the three days in discussing Joseph’s proposition. Joseph knew what it was like to be in an Egyptian prison for three days. (This fact leads scholars to presume that Joseph was in the well pit for three days.) While they were in prison, they began to think of all the possibilities. Perhaps with them as hostages, the lord would send spies to get the truth about them. Well, he would soon see that he need not have kept them as hostages. It was like an insurance debt that had to be paid, to keep Egypt free from spies, but they had not had any warning of that.
Joseph had three days to better compose himself, and think of a more equitable plan. When they had made their decision, alas, they found this mercurial man had changed, reversed really, the plans.
6. JOSEPH REVERSED THE PLAN
Speaking through an interpreter Joseph tells his brothers, “This do and live; for I fear God. If ye be true men, …”. He would need to take care that the interpreter used the correct word “Elohim”, for they could still assume that he meant an Egyptian god.
Then, “One man returning could not carry enough food for the family. The holding of nine would serve no useful purpose”. So he would give them enough food for the eleven families and the father, but keep one brother instead. So the terms improve. But there is still the question they ask themselves, “insurance, hostage, blackmail, what is it?”
Joseph would know that by this generous provision, and the keeping of only one, the story would take longer to be told, and he would be longer in the Land of Mud, without them. He knew, that Jacob, now corn filled again, would perceive the losing of one would not be enough to sacrifice his Benjamin. He would put off the evil day, till the corn was gone and the lamp burned low, again. Well, Joseph’s faith in God, that the tale would be told, would sustain him till then, and so be it. He would have faith that Jacob would live, to see his son in Egypt, that the true story would yet be told. Joseph had been patient, he could be patient still.
They prostrated themselves on the floor of Joseph’s chamber for suspicion made much bowing necessary. They looked indeed like sheaves of wheat with hollow ears, but there were still only ten sheaves. And Joseph turned away with tears in his eyes as he heard, and understood, the chastisement from Reuben’s lips. The interpreter must now have departed, for they would never have spoken so if they thought they would be understood outside the present family circle. He now knew that Reuben had tried to save him so he turned from the first born to the next, Simeon.
Consider:
* Was it Simeon, because of the cruel Shechem incident?
* Did intercession with God, during the three days, direct him to keep Simeon?
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Joseph demanded that Simeon be the one to stay. They watched as he was led away, bound to prison, (we hope for Simeon’s sake that Joseph made it a more relaxed imprisonment, like Potiphar’s sympathy made it so for Joseph). It was that melancholy spectacle that remained with them on the homeward journey and one which was meant to entice them to hurry their return with Benjamin.
They were heavy of heart and knew that God had asked them, “Where is your brother Abel?”
These “Cain heads” had no answer, for they kept their secret still. Their lives had been saved, but now they had another burden on their minds. Another of their father’s sons was disposed of - we know though that before long it would be three.
“How long can this go on, before our father, Jacob, dies of grief?” they wondered.
So their sacks were filled to overflowing. It would have been Joseph’s own gift, and not from Pharaoh’s treasury, for he would not be a corruptible minister. It was like heaping “coals of fire” upon (his enemy) their heads, Romans 12:20, but with a purpose, - to bring about their contrition.
“Use none of it for sowing for the drought will continue”, Joseph told them. “How does he know?” they thought.
He, at last, advises them about the drought, and he did know of its course. The overflowing sacks would prolong their absence, but it was necessary advice, for to plant corn, would be wasteful, in Joseph’s eyes, as he knew the end (of the drought) from the beginning. He sent food enough for the journey home as well, Genesis 42:25. Joseph’s steward, who knew the story and the little trick that Joseph had planned, and supervised it all, would have emphasised to them the importance of returning with their “little” brother, and set them on their way. Benjamin was now twenty two years old and was the father of ten sons, Genesis 46:21, The Companion Bible, together with the time chart, “Chronological Chart, Appendix 50”. Remarkable, that he had such a large family.
7. SURPRISE AND PUZZLE AND FEAR AGAIN
At nightfall a good way on towards the Bitter Lakes they came to a camping ground with a flat, pleasant, convenient spot beside a palm, and sheltered by a lime cliff. There was a well, and there they tethered their pack animals and asses and proceeded to make a fire on the blackened spot where many a traveller had done before them. They thought they would rest at this “inn” for the night. There would be no food or fodder, but they carried their own.
Ah, it was not to be - no rest for them this night.
There are anguished cries, for on top of one shepherd’s bag of corn, one son of Jacob finds the purchase price, in his linen money bag. And so it was that every man on opening his sac found his bundle of money, in his own money bag. Each must have brought his own money supply from Jacob, for his own separate purchases. Well, their hearts sank for here, again, is good luck/bad luck. This is incomprehensible, uncanny. To have their money returned makes for a good feeling, but the good is distorted with the bad feeling, that the spy suspicion still hangs over them, until they disprove it.
They ask themselves,
“How do other families deal with suspicion?”
“What did we do to encourage this suspicion?”
“What could we have done to dispel suspicion?”
“Should we have paid extra?”
“But now we have not paid anything”,
and with their money in their hands, they worried.
Fear, that’s what they feel, and Joseph had seen that fear was a good means to bring them to repentance. Again they feel God is punishing them. “What is this, that God is doing to us?” and remembered that they were after all children of Israel, and sons of God. A look from Reuben confirmed that he was thinking as they were.
Instinctively they thought, at first, that they should return with the money, but then, they remembered that Simeon was there - as their guarantor, a hostage. Better to keep going. They had their secret still and there was no tell tale “Cain” mark on them. Oh, how we seek to run away from God. We tell ourselves, and tell ourselves that all will be well, equivocating also, but it is no use.
CONCLUSION:
Instinctively also, they had to perpetuate their deceit, so they decided to keep their fear from Jacob, and tell him only what was necessary. They would be patient until the time was right to return for Simeon. By then the famine might be over, and they would be in a much better bargaining position with the feared ruler of Egypt.
CHAPTER 6
JACOB’S NINE SONS COME HOME
“And they came unto Jacob their father ... and told him all that befell them”, Genesis 42:29.
FOCUS:
Strange things have happened to these Cain heads in Egypt, they think they know why, but they are not sure. They cannot voice those fears to their father yet they need to return to Egypt. But Jacob holds out and refuses to let them take Benjamin. Jacob is not yet ripe for the picking, Genesis 42:29-38 and 43:1-10.
1. SIMEON IS NOT
Jacob saw at once, as he stood at the tent door waiting their dismounting. He saw at once that there were only nine - yes plenty of corn - but anguish, only nine.
Simeon is not there.
Simeon is missing.
“Have you sold my son for bread?”
was the accusation. The little suspicion cloud was still there. And those nine took the long way round with their father hoping his terrified countenance would soften with the telling, as we all do at the confessional.
“What!
My son a hostage!
Blackmail, that’s what it is!
Bondage in Egypt, that’s what that man wants!
He wants to make slaves of us all!
Well we won’t submit to that!”
Jacob is first angry, and then afraid.
“Just ask God to explain, Jacob, He will tell you somehow. He did twice before when you were afraid of Esau”. But Jacob does not hear his angel tell him to place his trust in God.
For five verses in Genesis 42, we have the perspicuous, well practised story told in as placatory manner as is possible, under the circumstances. But underneath they are like Jacob, afraid, especially when Jacob’s bundled money reappeared from all the money bags in all the sacks. They all argue in their minds whether it is accident, oversight or design.
1. Jacob’s business honour would be affronted by his sons obtaining the corn for nothing. He would be angry that he and his family now stood in a bad light in Egypt (from whence only the corn could come) and just when Jacob and Sons - Shepherds, Sheep and Sheep Products is at last beginning to gain respectability again.
2. And what! They were accused of being international spies!
3. Jacob would be overwhelmed that he’d lost another son - yes, maybe alive in Egypt, but now that Jacob was so discredited there, Simeon might as well be dead.
Any parent of recalcitrant sons (or daughters) can picture the scene, while the refraction is maintained. And these sons stubbornly maintained their silence about their private doubts of the campaign that seemed to be punishment for their Joseph sin. Confession and forgiveness and healing are no where in sight - yet. The age, or the longevity of a sin, make it harder to erase, for memories fade and cloud over, or dilute. These sons were not teenagers, and the sin was very old.
“Joseph is not, Simeon is not and you wish to take Benjamin? All is against me”. And Jacob feels God has rejected him. Despairing and disappointed, there is no comfort from God. He feels bereaved of his children and says so. He does not yet know them to be guilty, so it is an angry reflection because of his distress.
Comment:
C. S. Lewis, remembering his lack of faith in God, talks of feeling that the door is shut, no one answers the knock and there are no lights in the window. One might as well turn away, for it does no good to linger. The longer one waits, the more emphatic and ridiculous it becomes. No one comes, for it is an empty house. The door is slammed and then bolted on the inside. It is silent, “did anyone ever live there?” It seemed as if they did so once, “Shadowlands”, page 13.
********************
For Jacob it is the same. He also indulges in self pity. His horizontal and negative reaction forges to the fore. He is uneasy, the clouds are dark, and his heart is heavy, and his mouth is dry, no more juice, and fear flies once more in at the door. He has been hoping that all would be well, but the fear place is still warm, and so it takes up the old place again in Jacob’s heart. His sons tell only the truth, albeit selective truth, but the Lord of Egypt appears to be an imperious, insolent, overbearing tyrant, who uses his power to crush poor men in need beneath his feet. Certainly the bowl of faith that is Jacob is still being crushed, no new bowl made from it yet. Jacob can only think the very worst of his sons’ Egyptian experience. The very reverse is true, as Jacob later finds out. He may have a have a little flash of doubt that the rash and daring Simeon is innocently in prison. “He is sure to have done something, and they have not told me”, he may think.
If he knew the other lies, he would certainly doubt their story. He did not know, and therefore was ignorant that the imprisonment was for the haughty Simeon’s own good, by a wise and merciful ruler. They had no temptation to lie to their father on this occasion, so it is no evidence of renewed integrity, but Jacob still did not know.
However, we can detect a softening of the sons, at least in Reuben and Judah, for they wish to take on personal suffering rather than have a repeating of the grief that they themselves had preciously afflicted.
2. REUBEN HAS A PLAN
Reuben, anxious to convince his father to send Benjamin to Egypt with him, not with the other eight, but only with him in his hand, pledges the lives of his two sons, and says, “Slay my two sons if I do not bring back Benjamin to you”. Death should not be made a byword, it was an unseemly offer. If it was not an invitation to murder his sons at the failure of the mission, it could have been put in a better light. “I am responsible for only two children, my brethren have many. I can more easily be replaced. For their sakes, let Benjamin go, and I will guard him with my life, if necessary”, is a suggestion. Then the sacrifice would be Reuben and his fatherless children. Maybe it is the English text that puts it badly, picking up only the nuance, that Reuben is willing to sacrifice his sons. Maybe we are meant to think of Reuben’s statement as a strong assurance that he feels that all will be well, rather than a rash promise. However, whatever, Jacob would have found no satisfaction in the slaughter of his two grandchildren, for the sake of his next lost favourite son.
In Genesis 46:19, we read of four sons of Reuben, so we wonder why he says two, and which two he has in mind.
Jacob must have cringed under this suggestion. That he would decimate Israel, by avenging the life of Benjamin, on two of Reuben’s sons, is unthinkable. He cannot rid himself of the thought that Reuben is irresponsible, now on the lives of Joseph and Simeon, so he could not do much better with Benjamin. Now, together with this suggestion, he sees his first born son as unreliable.
“Benjamin shall not go”, said Jacob, and meant it. “Joseph is dead and he alone is left to me”, he said. “You will be the death of me”. Benjamin must have been aware of the difference Jacob made between these two sons and the other ten.
Consider:
* Was it a burden to Benjamin?
* Did this episode continue the jealousies in this family, which had long been present?
* Did he realise that the matricide, that had been his birth, threatened to bring Jacob with sorrow to his grave?
* What did Leah, if she was still alive, think about Jacob’s preferences?
* Is the harping of Jacob about his partiality for Benjamin above them all, part of the punishment for the fratricide?
* Is it wise that Jacob loads down his children with his own grief?
* How often do we do the Jacob thing, (horizontal and negative) and press the panic button, showing our ugly side?
* So, how often are we glad that our biography is not in print?
* How often are we like this with our precious possessions?
********************
It is a worry that Jacob speaks so vehemently about his love for the one, and his disgust for the other ten, while still unknowing of the deceit. It seems Jacob’s ardent affection for the remaining son of Rachel, overpowers his wisdom and grace, and uncovers the favouritism again. They did not expect the same degree of affection, but they did expect kindness. Jacob may have never have prayed for wisdom to guide his family and help his relationships. Wisdom is so necessary in this life of ours and we should daily request it. We do not read of Jacob requesting it, yet with so many wives and mothers in the family circle, this speech, rather than a wisdom speech, seems set to ignite once more the jealousy flame. So, the effects of polygamy continue to destabilise the family.
Jacob said, “Absolutely not”, and later had to eat his words.
Comment:
If we will not give in to a child’s request, or a young one’s need for change, or a new and valid idea, then we do not countenance change, and it may all come to naught, the big negative. God may will it otherwise, and then we are left blowing in the wind, alone.
Seeing things only from the human view, a negative and horizontal position has no focus. When God is taken into consideration the position changes to vertical and things begin to flow naturally again. Vertical and positive growth will never falter. It is a strong force that we cannot reckon with. We had better learn that.
Charles Swindoll asks us to consider, how often do we make “hurry up decisions”, and find ourselves sitting out on a branch, sawing off and throwing over the weak limbs of faith round about us. We are just too proud to say we have made a mistake. And again, he asks whether we are “joy killers”, “grace killers”, or “creativity killers” in his book, “On the Job Integrity”, pages 169-188.
Not only do we keep making our bad judgement calls, sticking to our guns, but we promote fear and unhappiness through our family, amongst our friends, and even in our worship circles. We are reluctant even to allow the historic two step as the way forward out of history, that is, two forward and one back, we wish to turn the clock back, one forward, one back - to where we were. We are confident that enthusiasm for reform will only last for a time, and with our curmudgeon spirit, we wait out the exuberance of youth, cruelly gloating that it’s only a matter of time, when their ideas will turn to dust in their mouths. It is a tabescent way to behave, not Godly productive. We are resistant, reluctant, suspicious and closed people, and certainly would not help them to bring their ideas to fruition. Sometimes we, not pausing to consider, deny change, until nothing, or nobody is left, and then we justify ourselves, “well, we’ll be more pure now”.
We need to recognise our closed negative personality, and strive to break the horizontal habit, and to think vertical, and open up to new ideas.
Maybe God put them there.
Maybe God gave us the young people to do just that.
We may pray:
“For strength to be contagiously enthusiastic,
To begin a new way of thinking and living.
For strength that we may open up
To life’s challenges and risks,
And the changes that come, Amen”.
********************
3. JACOB PERSISTS AND RESISTS
So the ten bide their time, and take their punishment, and greatly care for Benjamin when he is in their care. And Jacob slashes around, endlessly reinforcing his point, “Never”. “Never”. “Absolutely not”.
Perhaps these sons could argue that Benjamin would be safe as he had been sent for, by the Lord of Egypt. He would not be suspected of spying. The lord had promised to dismiss him in safety, if only they could produce him.
Still Jacob had to grow ripe for the picking of his loved son. He may never have guessed how much they embellished and supplemented the truth, but because he had for a very long time, a little seed of doubt, he was cautious now.
4. ANOTHER DILEMMA
Months passed by, shrinking time to us, it seems so little, but to them measuring out, carefully, the corn, each day, and the time “went slowly”, for Jacob willed it so. God continued to turn the screw to bring about His will. Simeon still was not. Judah watched his father slowly ripen as the corn was measured out, and when Jacob spoke again of going to Egypt for more corn, for Israel must be saved; Judah was ready with his reply:
“That is the best thing to do, but you know that the harsh ruler told not to see his face again until we brought Benjamin with us”.
It was an imposed condition of trade for this Hebrew family, a restricted licence. Jacob knew that it would come to this, and stuck in this unhappy situation he says,
“Wherefore dealt you so ill with me as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?”
Deceit rears its ugly head again. We really don’t want to hear this from Jacob.
“Why did you not deceive the man, why did you have to tell the truth? Could you not have lied?”
So the brothers chime in,
“He asked us! He asked us about you all!”
and excusing themselves, instead of pushing the propriety of it all, for they had begun to see it as a blessing, maybe not a curse after all.
The seared consciences of Jacob’s sons had behaved better in Egypt than the learned response that their father had taught them. He did not see his own sin, he would not listen to their reasoned responses, he cut them off before they were finished, he finished their sentences for them, he called them rebellious, and so, of course, they sunk into rebellion. We recognise ourselves and our teenage children, and are grateful to God that He supplemented our deficient wisdom, when He saw that it was necessary.
Jacob has accepted the beast and its blood instead of his son Joseph, and does not refer to that absence or to Simeon’s absence, now, but struggles for his son Benjamin. Jacob was tormented over the “death” of Joseph, and did not consider that God would raise his son, as faithful Abraham had done.
Consider:
* Is this God asking for the sacrifice of another son?
* Is it God asking Jacob again, for a display of faith?
* Without the gift of hindsight, would we say that it is too much for God to ask?
********************
How often we struggle with God for a loved one like Jacob is now. Sometimes He says “yes” and He “heals” whatever it is that troubles us, that is, He agrees that we can keep our “Benjamin”, but sometimes we have to accept the “no” answer, and “let him go”, and our heart, for a time, cracks.
5. JUDAH HAS A PLAN
Judah it is, now, his fourth son, who pledges himself, asking that Benjamin may be put in his hand. Reuben’s clumsy suggestion of his two sons slain for Benjamin does not arise again.
Judah’s impassioned plea is mature and more manly than Reuben’s. It is persuasive, and seeks to reassure Jacob. Jacob still hesitates, for Benjamin is the only link left with his beloved Rachel.
But Judah knew that if they had gone earlier -
They would now have corn aplenty
And Simeon,
And Benjamin,
And all would have been well, as far as the famine was concerned.
“Trust me”, Judah asked Jacob, “I have been there. The man is not evil”.
“Blame me”, he said, “if it does not work out”. Blame is like yelling in the darkness for it to be light, it does no good. But maybe Judah thought it made Jacob feel better. And since Tamar, Judah’s heart may have been touched. His wisdom may have increased and as well his faith as he recognised his unrighteousness.
The father had been a tough nut to crack,
1. First denial and delay,
2. Then blame and deceit,
3. And now tolerance and uncertainty.
4. It still was not an unwavering faith.
5. Or the abandonment of self and a returning to God, which God so badly wanted of Jacob.
6. THE REWARD FOR JUDAH
The tribe of Judah henceforth became pre eminent, and from him the Jews were named. He provided the seed line for the Lord Jesus Christ, though right now, Judah hung in the balance with his father, while his father decided.
CONCLUSION:
We feel blessed, that one of Jacob’s sons has been blessed, to provide an answer to a terrible dilemma. He has caught the whisper of God.
CHAPTER 7
JACOB WRESTLES AGAIN
“If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved”, Genesis 43:14.
FOCUS:
Jacob, in this Jabbok like experience, where he wrestled and wrestled for the right answer, gave in and allowed his nine sons to take Benjamin to Egypt, Genesis 43:11-34. There is still no reassurance from God. There might have been an answer to his dilemma, had he asked.
1. JACOB’S HOUSEHOLD OF FEAR
Jacob would have worried more, if he had pre knowledge of the events of Genesis 44, (both chapters describe the events to be discussed now). He would have felt great joy for the events of Genesis 45: 1-24. But until he sees his sons once more, he is in ignorance.
We know -
He needs to send (eleven) sheaves, and eleven stars.
It is not yet time for the sun and the moon.
But there is fear seated beside the fireplace,
And need at the table,
And hunger in the cupboard.
Distress and stress could cause Jacob take to collapse only that God has a plan for him.
Jacob sent what he could from his meagre stores as a sweetener, like he did with Esau years before. It did not indicate ignorance or disregard, for at such a time it was a valuable gift. He sent balm (balsam) honey (probably grape honey from Hebron and still famous as an export to Egypt, as date and bee honey were plentiful in Egypt), spices (gum-tragacananth), myrrh (labdanum), nuts (pistachio nuts which favoured the dry ground of Canaan rather than Egypt. The kernel was eaten by itself, or as a flavour for savoury meats), almonds (also not grown in Egypt). This sweetener came from his storehouse and must have been very precious, unless there had been a little rain, enough rain to grow such things in limited quantities.
Trading may have ceased, so Jacob knew that the gifts would be precious in Egypt. He also knew that his sons had to bring a gift to this superior personage in Egypt.
Apart though from all this protocol, it was a gift to win favour. Jacob did not pull his sons around him and put it all in the hands of God. He would not say, “Perhaps I was wrong, let’s see what God wants us to do”. He had now a guarded faith, but was not yet abandoned to God, for he needed insurance.
He sent double the money, probably the returned money and money for more corn.
2. AT LAST JACOB PLEADS WITH GOD
He cries in anguish for God Almighty to bless his sons, verse 14, and we cry with him, for, at last, we hear the pleading to the Lord, for which we have been longing. He cries, (and we understand), for there is still no sign from God. It is probably because God has been waiting to hear the anguished cry for help.
This journey, like the others he sought reassurance for, is indeed blessed, before its return to him, but it is not like Bethel or Peniel for God is there, but not yet heard reassuring Jacob of peace, and a good outcome, there is only his anguished cry.
There are not a few poignant stories in these patriarchal sagas, and this is a significant one. Jacob’s cry of “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved”, is one of pathos, and total resignation now to God’s will, for -
Jacob is now left with no sons.
No more Jacob and Sons - Shepherds, Sheep and Sheep Products.
Now Jacob’s wires are down, and his heart is covered with the snows of pessimism, and his mind with the ice of cynicism. God never promised fine days with blue skies and a rose garden, but this seems more than anyone should be asked to bear. Still, it is not for us to criticise the blessings of or the cursings of God, and Jacob could do nothing but endure God’s plan for him.
It is a matter of great sadness that the sons depart, not hearing the hopeful prayer for blessing that Jacob cries to “El Shaddai”, for the almighty and all powerful, for He of unlimited strength and boundless mercy, to be with them, to have compassion on them, to be with them as He had been with their grandfathers - but with his lowly statement of resignation, a willingness to accept the worst possible scenario.
Esther later used the same type of expression (Esther 4:16), “If I perish, I perish”.
Jacob wrestles again with God,
But then is still.
Resignation now,
And depression sets in again.
3. THE DEPARTURE OF BENJAMIN - GREAT SADNESS BUT PLEASURE ALSO
Benjamin, knowing not of the deceit, watched the careful preparation of his brothers as they dutifully and meticulously carried out Jacob’s suggestions for the journey.
So this eager, excited, son of death, thought of by some as “the mother slayer”, sets out, with the nine early next morning so as to be at Gaza, the Egyptian outpost, ready for the caravan that would begin to cross the desert that day. We can imagine how Benjamin took leave of Jacob.
“Don’t worry father, everything will be right, we will return safely, you will see”, as is the confident and inexperienced youth that we know and hear so often. Benjamin had no doubt heard all about the Land of Mud and he was full of excitement and apprehension.
It was for Jacob, like
Relinquishing his dearest possession,
All that was left
Of his hard won, loved wife, Rachel.
His heart was breaking
And the pangs that stabbed his body
Bring again the shadowlands, for
Jacob is sure that God has forsaken him.
Yet immediately his mind turns
To the promises from God
That he will be blessed
And multiplied.
And so we, too,
In matters of great trial
Swing emotionally from faith to fear,
And doubt to faith again.
“Why is light given to those in misery,
And life to the bitter of soul,
To those who long for death
That does not come,
Who search for it,
More than for hidden treasure,
Who are filled with gladness and rejoice,
When they reach the grave?”
We have all known those who wish only for death, for life is too hard for them, Job 3:20 -22. This whole chapter in Job is one of depression, and Jacob knew it too, as Job did. The faith, fear see-saw so often ends in fear, and as it flies in the window, it settles like a pall and engulfs all around it. Fear now takes the place of Jacob’s sons, for he has none, none left, but he has got fear to accompany him in his day light and night shadow hours. It may be possible to heighten faith with doubt, but it may be a dangerous thing to do. We need to turn to other strategies to strengthen faith and lessen the doubt. The lessons of Job help us all in our life and death struggles.
4. JOSEPH HEARS THE NEWS HE HAS BEEN LONGING FOR
So in due course Joseph heard that his brothers had passed through the frontier gate at Thel, once more, and with them was a twenty something young man - eager and excited by all he saw, yet heavily protected by the nine.
Joseph -
In patience,
Had trusted himself to time
And circumstance,
To bring him his loved brother.
Time carries no burden,
As the sun and its shadow
Move slowly on,
Without interference or delay.
An ever moving stream,
Moving relentlessly onward,
Neither slow nor fast,
As time does for us, still, today.
God provided the circumstance,
That pressed the now situation
Of Jacob’s overwhelming sadness,
And Joseph’s overflowing pleasure.
Sadness against pleasure,
Emotion against emotion,
Father against son,
Son longing for father.
5. PROTECTION NOW - NOT DESTRUCTION
The protection of the nine for Benjamin was three pronged.
1. The fear of the great man of Pharaoh through whom they could only receive corn and Simeon’s return.
2. Fear of their father Jacob, that if they failed they would be responsible for his grey hairs being brought with this final sorrow to his grave.
3. Fear of failing again - they wanted to make good their sin of destroying one of Jacob’s stems, by preserving this Benjamin stem.
This terrible episode had arisen from the past, and they wanted, and needed, to relax the grip of retribution that seemed to hold them like a vice.
6. JOSEPH’S DREAM FULFILMENT AT LAST
The astonished men were invited to Joseph’s house, where they found his steward, but they would not go in without some reassurances. Joseph had instructed his servant what to say to them, perhaps even in the manner of their own religion. Immediately they began to plead their case, for they thought special treatment (evil) had been accorded to them, because they had not paid for the last lot of corn, (that is, money found in sacks after the purchase). Guilt deadens enjoyment for us all, it embitters sorrow, it raises fearful apprehensions, and we need to seek the removal of the source of the misery. For the moment their guilt was assuaged, only to return soon afterwards.
They knew that The old slave buying Midianite/Ishmaelite Trading Company was travelling to Egypt long ago, surely they wondered,
“Is Joseph was still alive somewhere in this city, and capable of making more trouble for us?”
They knew that God knew, that they were not responsible for the parcels of silver that were returned in their sacks, but they also knew that God knew of their deceitful sin, so they feared God was using this situation for their punishment. Balancing it all out, God was punishing them - now with their lives. They feared death, or slavery.
Their lives were required of them now, they reasoned - when in fact Joseph had prepared a noon day feast. “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies”. Surely his, Joseph’s cup, did run over. However, the cup was also to be a tool of retribution.
The steward heard their distress, and calmed them. “Peace be to you”. In other words, “Shalom”, (it was for him a learned Hebrew salutation), “Your God, and your father’s God, has given you treasure in your sacks, I had your money”, and they entered in to the house, greatly relieved. It may be that this steward had learned of their father’s God from Simeon, who would not have been confined to a cold and cruel prison, by Joseph. Or perhaps the steward heard from Joseph, for God sent Joseph to Egypt to teach Pharaoh’s senators wisdom, Psalm 105:22. Whatever, an Egyptian servant witnessed to them about their God. It is a foreshadowing of the time when the Jew would lose his place as God’s vocal representative, and be replaced by the Gentile. “Yes I have your money”, said the Egyptian. It all adds to the possibility of Eber witnessing to Abram way back there in Ur. They had not expected to find vertical perspective here in Egypt. Guilt had kept them from seeing God’s hand in their lives, the grain in abundance, the money in abundance, the protection and mercy and unmerited favour in abundance, for they lived in the horizontal perspective. Now to add to their delight at this pronouncement and unexpected turn of events, Simeon was led before them. How well he had fared, only anxious at their long delayed return. He understood though, Jacob’s reticence.
This good servant, of a good master, shared in the pleasure that the eleven had for one another. This scenario is a lesson for us in good employment practices and shows that goodness often carries along with it part of its own reward.
So they washed their feet, and were happy that their asses were fed. This is another careful and caring hospitable Hebrew/Eastern practice. Their beautiful Canaanitish gifts for Joseph were laid out on a side table in Joseph’s dining room, and they noted the flowers and fruit and tableware set for the meal. Simeon had come from prison to palace, this day, and was unaware that his brother had long ago trodden the same path, from prison pit to palace.
When Joseph returned home at noon, they touched the floor with the brow of their heads. Aha ha.
The eleven sheaves bow down to the chief sheaf!
They were here to buy corn so there was fitness also in the dream representation
as sheaves.
They were eleven stars also, and would, by Abraham's covenant, become (much more, as the sand of the sea) and as the stars in the heaven.
As Joseph approached and saw them all, he ordered his servants to prepare a meal, that is, slay an animal for meat, verse 16. No refrigeration, no meat on hand for a feast for eleven extras, but Joseph’s own slaughter house quickly dispatched and butchered an animal for beef pieces. But there were plenty of juicy dates, and figs, and grapes, grown on Joseph’s estate, and apples as well, relatively new in Egypt, and unknown to the Hebrews. There were cucumbers, beans, lettuce, all dressed in oil. Joseph hunted pigeons, duck and quails, and all these dishes were served with onions and garlic, and accompanied with loaves of bread, and beer, and red and white wine, sweetened with honey. The meal would be served by about 30 servants carrying alabaster platters. Meals were eaten with fingers, with attendants providing clean water between courses for hand washing. The gifts reminded Joseph of the overwhelming gifts for Esau, at that meeting between the twins so long ago, which he observed as a young boy. His father was the giver then as well. In a flash the thought was gone, as quickly as it had come, for here was his loved little brother, his dear mother’s son.
It was the sight of his brother Benjamin that gives us one of the most eloquent statements in Scripture, Genesis 43:29. Here was his only blood relation, same father, same mother.
He acknowledged Benjamin, probably speaking to him in his retained Hebrew tongue and custom, as the new brother amongst them, and blesses him, “God be gracious unto thee, my son”. The Hebrew salutation may have evoked a question in their minds, but really events needed to be monitored so closely at this time, that the thought flashed, and was dismissed. Better to give attention to getting this meeting exactly right.
Benjamin’s presence was the ransom for more corn, and to collect the brother Simeon, who had been left behind as insurance. The brothers showed no jealousy in Joseph’s interest in Benjamin, however he was aware and carefully noted, that they cherished him (Benjamin).
The walls of Joseph’s composure collapsed, for he was suddenly overwhelmed by it all. He had to rush to his bed chamber to compose himself. He would have remembered the loving attachments of Rachel and himself, and later her other son, to their afflicted father. He remembered all the loneliness, all the frustrations, all the outpourings of his soul, like the river pouring into the lake, and overflowing the dam. God knew of all this in Joseph’s life, no one else did. God never tells, God never tells what we say to Him. In that great safe place we can pour out our hearts, and here Joseph went to release his pent up emotions. To his brothers it must have all been inexplicable, but he could not reveal himself until he had proved their true affection for Benjamin. Unresolved guilt on the part of the brothers magnified their anxiety, and suspicion pulsated and activated their apprehension once more. Another tiny question emerged, and was dismissed, “Why are we being treated so well?”
7. THERE IS JOY NOW AND SWEETNESS FOR THE BROTHERS
But Joseph’s grief and bitter tears of the past years had now turned to joy and sweetness. As he refreshes himself he realises that he feels differently about his brothers.
On Joseph’s return after washing his face, and clearing the emotion overflow, the meal begins with three groups most probably all separate, the Egyptians, the eleven brothers and Joseph alone. Abominations all around, probably though, at this stage, the eleven would have compromised themselves, and eaten with anyone. Joseph probably ordered the seating arrangement of his brothers, from the oldest to the youngest - Joseph had no wish, nor purpose, nor need to usurp Reuben’s inheritance, and Reuben would have later appreciated this, Genesis 43:33. The brothers marvelled that so much was known of them, that their ages and family position was known. Benjamin was served more food, five times more than the others. More in quantity, or more in variety, it is not entirely explained. There was already a plentiful supply at the table.
We may consider H. A. Whittaker’s question in “Joseph, the Saviour”, whether Reuben had a double portion because he was the firstborn. We really cannot tell, but it is an interesting consideration, under the circumstances, now prevailing in this family.
Five times more for the youngest, Benjamin, was not meant to offend, and was not to be regarded as a precedent, but a test for envy, or perhaps it was just an overflowing of love. Joseph knew that they would not dispute the preciousness of Benjamin, as it had taken them so much effort to get him down to Egypt.
Comment:
The Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews for social and religious reasons. Hebrews confirmed their covenants with their God by slaying animals that were holy and sacred to the Egyptians. The Egyptians would not touch a knife that had been used by a Greek, for the food would then be polluted. They hated the Greeks. So hatred of other nationals was an acceptable abhorrence. As well there were religious observances to be followed at meal times in all nationals. Better and more convenient to eat separately. Pity that some Christians are ashamed of acknowledging God at their table, and do not follow this wise religious observance at meal times.
Joseph for his own reasons preferred to eat alone. Similar caste distinctions still exist in India, especially over who works at what jobs, and who sits with whom. Women sit at a meal last, after everyone has been served, if they sit at all.
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8. A JOYOUS SHARED MEAL
The Egyptians sat, the Hebrews reclined, though you may be sure these brothers sat up straight at this meal, at least to start with. They may have felt shamed by the man who they assumed had been reared in spiritual darkness in Egypt, yet appeared to appreciate and understand their customs.
They ate without stint and drank more than they should and were “merry”. Hopefully they drank to exhilaration and cheerful enjoyment, not to intoxication, verse 34. Hopefully their own father would not have been shamed by them, if he could have seen them.
The conversation, no doubt, would have been turned to events in Canaan, and explanations of family history. Out of the abundance of their hearts, their mouths would speak, when the opportunity arose. There would be no poison, or chaff at this feast, for they were all glad.
Joseph never told them lies about his identity, for they never asked, or guessed. He just preserved his disguise until he felt it the right time. He, with integrity and forgiveness, laid on for them a banquet of grace.
Comment:
a. We have in mind our guilt, and He demonstrates His incredible generosity and mercy, and we are freed.
b. We plead our case, and He speaks kindly to us, and promises us peace.
c. We try to fend off His anger, bargaining with Him, thinking our works, and sincere efforts will pay out our debt, but He never even considers our attempts important enough to mention.
d. We are conscious of our sin, and we are forgiven.
e. We expect deserved punishment, and we are seated at His table.
f. We fear the consequences, and are served more than we can ever take in.
g. What we had in mind was earning just enough to silence our guilt, but what He had in mind was overwhelming us with such abundance that we realise we can never, ever repay.
Consider that He longs so much for us, and wants us to long for Him. He prepares His table with rich blessings even in the presence of our enemies, and fills our cup to overflowing with His goodness and mercy, til the end of our days.
It’s like, “Sit down, grace is being served”.
Of love we can say that it is the only gift that truly belongs to us, that we can give to others. Nothing else is truly ours that we can give, only love we can give as a gift to others.
Grace is not like love. Grace is something that we are given. Grace is a gift given to us. However, grace is not a gift to be despised, like, I can sin and grace will abound, or I need not do my duty and He will understand and His grace will be given to me.
Grace can never be earned, not bought, nor deserved, nor can you get it in any way, you do not have to do anything to get it, you have to be given it, but you do have to reach out and take it. So, there is, after all, and act on our behalf. We need to act that we can be offered it, and then be ready to receive it as it passes by. Maybe being able to reach out and take it, is in itself a gift. Well, maybe we need to develop this gift. Books like Frederick Bruechner’s “Wishful Thinking, a Theological ABC” can help in this area.
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CONCLUSION:
God said to Moses, “Write a careful and detailed record of Joseph’s life so that future generations can spend a lot of time with him”. Surely it was because there is so much goodness in his story, because of Joseph’s faith, and wisdom, and Godly attitude, and grace, and all that would be valuable lessons for us in our lives.
CHAPTER 8
PEACE AT LAST, - BUT NO PEACE
“Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?” Genesis 44:4.
FOCUS:
There is great joy amongst Jacob’s sons, but there is still one more deceit to be played upon them, in order to brighten their tarnished images, Genesis 44:1-34.
1. “WE MANAGED THAT WELL”, THEY CONGRATULATE THEMSELVES
Now the events of Genesis 44, sour this exultant note that spurs the brothers on their homeward journey. They think they cannot solve the Joseph problem, but they have Simeon back, and they never lost Benjamin. They are at least eleven, and that is perhaps the best that they can ever do.
Early next morning the eleven set out on their asses with filled corn sacks. Again Joseph’s steward had returned their money, but as well, Joseph’s silver, overflowing cup was placed, hidden, in Benjamin’s sack.
Unknowing of the Joseph’s furtive instructions, these shepherd brothers could only be pleased with the outcome.
1. They carried food for twelve houses, eleven brothers and Jacob, and set out feeling honourably discharged of the charge of espionage.
2. They had returned the money, that had mysteriously accompanied them home, from the original purchase of corn.
3. Benjamin and Simeon were in the caravan with them, (the hostage returned and the insurance debt paid) and if the next seventeen days, more or less, went well, perhaps Jacob could feel that they had redeemed their long ago sin of losing Joseph.
4. They knew now, like Cain had come to know, that they were their brother’s keeper.
Consider:
* Considering that Benjamin knew nothing of the brother’s deception of Jacob, did his mind struggle to deal with the deception by Joseph?
* Did Benjamin recognise any signs of blood brotherhood?
* Was Benjamin now torn between his father Jacob, and something inexplicable in this Egyptian experience?
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Joseph’s steward, accompanied by soldiers, hastened after the little band and caught up with them not far from the city (of Memphe or Zoan) not too far. Perhaps Joseph had in mind that he did not want to prolong the returning misery.
2. “BUT WHY ARE THEY PURSUING US?”
The brothers were surprised to see Joseph’s steward. But now, at once, they were frightened at his accusation of theft. “You have repaid evil for good, so that I had to come after you to retrieve my master’s silver cup”. Fear again hammers on the anvil of repentance, and they move further towards the required shape.
Horrified, the brothers listen to the accusation, “You were there, when the cup was last seen”. The brothers offer the death of the thief, and the rest of them to return as slaves for life, if the cup be found amongst them. Jacob had rashly offered Laban the same in Genesis 31.32. It was the old death penalty for theft, in the code under which they lived. Sure, they are, like their father Jacob was, that nothing has been stolen. The bags were all unloaded for the search, beginning at the eldest brother’s bag and continuing, with suspense, until the youngest brother’s bag was reached and searched. When the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, they rent their clothes in anguish and saddled their asses for the return to Joseph’s house, heavy in heart and fearful. Their money back in their sacks made it all worse, yet it tempered the “sin” of Benjamin, making them all culpable. It was a clever ploy of Joseph, to include them all, in the accusation so that they would not be too angry with Benjamin, and leave him in Egypt in disgust.
Consider:
* Did they berate Benjamin as they went?
* “Why are you a thief?”
Laban had followed Jacob and Rachel from Haran when she had taken her father’s idols.
* Would they not think that this could be the same sort of situation; an inherited propensity for stealing?
* Would they say, “Are you a thief, like your mother was?”
* Or did they believe Benjamin, and understand that it all a mistake, or a trick?
* Did their father’s accusation of blackmail against this lord come to their minds?
* Did they think, “Well we are not thieves, but we have many other sins for punishment, and we have to deal wisely with this”.
So, like us all, they swing from accusation, to sympathy and back again. They are vexed and anxious.
* Benjamin had been highly favoured the previous day, why repay that with low behaviour, and steal something; ingratitude surely?
* Well, deception was all around them; were they suffering from their delusions?
* Or were they not deluded, seeing a clear path of torment ahead?
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The brothers would hardly have seen it as a test that Joseph had planned, to see whether they would react in the Dothan like way again. And Joseph’s steward carried out Joseph’s plan faithfully, presumably, not knowing the purpose. He did not appear to soften the penalty, Genesis 44:10, “Ye shall be blameless”, from demanding all of them return, to accepting only Benjamin, and returning him as the thief to Egypt.
3. JOSEPH’S SPECIAL CUP
The silver cup was usually a cup of divination, but the use of the term to the brothers may have only been to keep up the illusion of his master’s Egyptian facade. We may disagree with the commentary of Ellicott here, that if Joseph practised divination, it was because his goodness did not raise him above the reach of the superstitions of the time. Joseph himself says to his steward, to tell the brothers, that he uses the cup for divining, indicating its value.
Consider:
* Was that just to embellish the facade?
* Or was it indeed a truism in Joseph’s life?
* Is divination acceptable?
* Is there a difference between magic and holy divination?
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Comment:
To gaze into a bowl of water, that may, or may not have oil poured out on it (forming a suggestive pattern), until we are wearied, in a half stupor and devoid of intellect, and until we are reduced to a dreamlike state, may be the prerequisite for divination. Whether that can be divinely used by God is another matter. Still we would not be bold enough to question God’s use of a babbling Endor witch, or Balaam’s talking ass, or a friendly Eden serpent, so God could also use a bowl of Nile water if He so wished.
Laban practised divination and told Jacob (Genesis 30:27) that he had learned by divination that God had blessed him because Jacob had been with him. H. A. Whittaker in “Joseph, the Saviour" notes that the word for cup has a holy meaning rather than magic, page 65. The word is translated “bowl” in Exodus to do with the furnishings of the tabernacle, and then in Jeremiah, of a “pot”. This helps, but does not conclude the point. Perhaps the word “gabia” refers only to shape. There is still the instruction of Joseph for the steward’s word “divineth”, Genesis 44:5.
In any case, stealing from a palace meant restoration thirty times over, or death, but probably slavery for life. Joseph had the power of death over all men, a wearing of, or holding the “ankh”. Kings and queens and gods were allowed to carry this symbol, and had the power to give, or take away life from lesser mortals. The symbol, like a cross, but with a loop at the top, rather like a stick figure of the human figure, is seen in many of the death and burial rituals, or on coffins, where relatives pleaded the cause of their dead, for continued life in the afterlife. They buried them with furniture and jewels and clothes and food to help in their afterlife comfort. The fact that these objects are all still there, unused, for us to view, remind us of the futility of it all.
a. This symbol later came through these pagan practices to the Coptic Christian church, and
b. then the Christian plain cross with a hanging image of the Lord Jesus Christ, became the symbol of death for sin, and
c. then as an empty cross particularly, the symbol of life and hope and the resurrection. For the symbol of his ascension, the cross was bare.
It is the Christian cross, but now it has lost the loop at the top. It was in use long before the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ who was indeed crucified on a cross.
Servants must have carried the ankh to Joseph, at this time of sentence determination for Benjamin. Joseph was not Aton, but Adon, and worthy, therefore, in quite another sense, to wear the symbol.
At this time silver was more valued than gold, but that trend was later reversed. So the brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, and now the other favourite son of Jacob was headed for slavery at their hands. In effect the ruler is saying that, “you took the cup as payment, the price was your brother, and you forgot to leave the payment”. 20 pieces of silver, or a silver cup, it keeps coming back to haunt them. But this is a trick. It is not what they meant. It is not what happened.
They would long to escape, but they decided on a better, more noble course, which retrieved them from everlasting contempt in the eyes of Joseph and Jacob. However, danger is sometimes safety, and what looks like certain death, is sometimes life.
Danger/death,
Safety/life.
But the problem for them was which is the right path. And they chose well. God will always help us decide the path of righteousness.
4. THE HUMILIATING RETURN
The steward had suggested only Benjamin’s return to Egypt but the brothers would have none of that. They will plead Benjamin’s cause in Egypt. Jealousy has left them now. However, Joseph, initiating the test, did not know that the ten would return. He desperately hoped they would, and not send Benjamin alone to the Egyptian pit. This was the final test of their vulnerable characters, and on this point rested the future relationship Joseph would have with his brothers. Discipline makes repentance sound and lasting - so Joseph waited.
Well, Joseph’s joy, our joy too, is overflowing, for all of them returned. Dominance over sin, when we see it, gives us great joy. Temptation flung aside, saving one’s own skin ignored, doing what has to be done, has its own reward, but is a joy to others as well.
So, in Joseph’s reception hall, they await their sentence. Once more as he enters they throw their foreheads to the ground. This is one more step towards their rehabilitation, with God, with Joseph and with their father. Joseph must be remembering the seven Jacob bowings to Esau, which he witnessed so long ago when they passed over Peniel. These Esau like brothers, were also present (with the exception of Benjamin) and they have reversed the situation. There will be seven bowings down, or more, here as well in this great adulation of Pharaoh’s representative. If so, we are a long way from the conclusion of the matter, for we need to wait until after the burial of Jacob in the last chapter of Genesis.
5. JUDAH TURNS GOLD
Once upright again, it is Judah who begins to speak. Benjamin’s thoughts, or words, are not recorded. He must have been astounded at what he now hears.
Joseph has reiterated again that he does not inhumanely want them all to stay as slaves, he only wants Benjamin. We must remember that in these famine days, many of the poor families from afar, trying to buy corn, would be bargaining for bread, with the lives of their children, consigning them to slavery. So the pressure to leave Jacob’s loved one in the pit, is still there, and the screw is turned once more - third son now.
Judah is in a cleft stick. If he insists on the innocence of Benjamin, or justifies it, or excuses it, he incriminates the steward, and by implication, the servants of Joseph and Pharaoh, whose favour they needed. He dared not speak of planted evidence. He hopes to ameliorate the situation by identifying them all in the incident, in verse 16, “We are thy lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup was found”, that is, “appearances are strong against us all”, probably because of the money in the sacks as well, though Joseph does not use this circumstance. Thomas said of Jesus, “Let us also go (to Bethany near the threatening Jerusalem), that we may die with him”, John 11:16. Perhaps Judah felt, like Thomas, that life was of no more value, with the death, or imprisonment, of the special one. They did not wish to be loosed from the slave obligation that they had voluntarily taken, if the cup was found in any one of their sacks, unless their brother could be liberated as well. Judah could not say Benjamin was innocent, though he thought he was, and the punishment must then extend to many innocent persons, who were in any case guilty of a far off sin, and therefore in need of punishment, or forgiveness. However Judah is overcome by them being the instrument of an innocent occasion of sin on their brother Benjamin, and would gladly prevent it. He knows Benjamin would not be in Egypt if he had not persuaded Jacob. All this consideration brings about a remarkable speech. Judah’s dismissal of Joseph’s suggestion, “Get you up in peace unto your father” (without Benjamin), verse 17, is ignored, and this must please Joseph.
Judah’s speech is pure pathos. His vertical perspective is in place now. It is a grand speech ending in great magnanimity. It is unsurpassed in the Old Testament as a speech of intercession. It is intercession to a higher being for the life of his brother.
Judah is here an intercessor/mediator long before Levi was.
In Hebrews 7:14, Paul notes the mediation ability of Judah, though not in attendance, at the altar, like Levi was, for it was through Judah that the Lord Jesus Christ, our mediator, sprang, and from him that the name of “Jew”, for his people, has prevailed down the centuries.
Judah uncovers his guilt and confesses. He confesses for them all, for he says,
“God has found the iniquity of thy servants”.
What joy, for Reuben’s admission of guilt, Genesis 42:22, discussed on page 96 of Swindoll’s “Joseph”, is here embellished by Judah. Swindoll records that Leupold, calls Judah’s utterance “unexcelled in the Old Testament”, page 140. This is because of Judah’s complete reversal from the cruel intentions for Joseph in Genesis 37.
In their return to the city they have consigned themselves to Egypt, slavery, death, if the “lord” wills. Judah, not thinking horizontally of his own skin, stays vertical. He nobly offers only himself for them all. Judah’s impassioned pledge to Jacob, on leaving Canaan with Benjamin, is now vindicated. He really did mean what he said to Jacob, and Jacob, if he had known, might be proud of this son. He now takes all the blame as he promised Jacob. Not only does he relieve his guilt of the statement long ago, “lo, here comes the dreamer, let’s be rid of him”, and plead for his young brother, but he pleads for his father as well. He once had not cared what his father thought. His repentance is obvious. It is the long awaited state that Joseph, and God had been waiting for, and from now on the sin, that we have so long discussed, with its acknowledgment and confession, and their repentance, and their forgiveness, at last begins to take shape. It will in the end include Jacob, and then at last it will be done with.
In this long and beautiful speech, (verses 18-34), Judah retells the story with a touch of divine grace. He gives full expression to his concern for the health of Jacob, with his father’s anguish over Benjamin’s departure. Maybe Joseph is now fearful that Jacob’s health may be in jeopardy, and that his insistence upon Benjamin’s presence in Egypt, may kill his father, now at home sonless. Twelve there were, and now none, all twelve in the Land of Death.
Judah tells Joseph how indispensable Benjamin is to Jacob. The speech is not flattering to Judah, but he does not shrink from the telling. He graciously and generously and affectionately gives himself, for the supposed sin of Benjamin, for his father’s sake. He is willing to be a slave, because his father, Jacob, loved Benjamin better than Jacob did him (Judah), quite a turn around of the Dothan attitude.
“My father’s life is bound up in the life of the lad", he said, "if he does not return with us, my father shall surely die and we will be the cause of his grey hairs brought down to the grave”.
And pleading with this Lord of Egypt he asks to take the blame, so that the bondage of Benjamin may be excused. Perhaps he now sees his own sins as a reason why Jacob had a favourite son. Judah has a family in Canaan, yet he offers his own bondage, trading his own liberty. We would not want to reduce the value of his gift by saying that Judah may not have had a wife in Canaan, and is a widower, so is not bound to return. Judah does trade his family, as well as himself, his remaining son Shelah and his twin grandsons, Pharez and Zarah. He trades his sheltered life with his father, for imprisonment or death in the Land of Mud. Another gave himself willingly for men, down the generations, one of Judah’s own children. So Judah enshrines himself, and shines like gold. He is now gilded, like Joseph was.
Joseph, recognising the guilt, the outpouring of Judah and the will to be faithful and good, in earnest service, sees the finger of God pointing now to reconciliation, and pardon of the brothers with expressions of love. They had been brought back to Dothan, convicted of sin, and repentance was there as well. They were ready to make compelling confessions. They were now different men. Their geographical and horizontal latitude was no longer a concern, for their spiritual attitude had now been activated, and their vertical connections to God were now being strengthened. This gracious speech would have clinched in Joseph’s mind the idea of bringing them all to Egypt. The sting of the injustices had long gone from Joseph, for after all each time he called his son, Manasseh, he would have reinforced the fact that he had covenanted with God to “forget” what his brothers had done to him. From now on, even after the death of their father, Joseph reassures them that he does not hold them accountable.
What more forcible illustration is it possible for God to give to all of his children, to all succeeding generations that trouble, far from being evidence of desertion, is a means God employs with his children to lay a solid foundation for future happiness? Trouble, trouble had brewed and bubbled. Troubled the ten had been for twenty years, under the cloud of suspicion, and now at last with all admitted, the sun shone through, and the cloud lifted.
Comment:
Some scholars have a problem with the Spirit of God taking time to record so much detail in Genesis 44, but surely it is a lesson in the mundane and trivial, for all of our lives are important in the record that God holds.
It is agreed, that long conversations are recorded in these chapters, which are remarkable for detail. It is, as has been said, for some purpose. As well, it may be that perhaps the narrator to Moses is different from that of the earlier events, and so the style, just as worthy and important, has changed.
If we do not accept this method of writing the inspired Scripture, it is difficult to explain the seemingly unbalanced narrative.
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6. THE BROTHERS’ CONFESSION
Which brings us to the confession and we are searching for what we know was there.
Judah did not confess it all for he only said his father’s opinion about the wild animal taking his first loved son. The confession is not here, and it is not recorded in Genesis 45. He knows not though, that this is the man to whom he should confess, for he thinks of him as a Prime Minister of Egypt, who he has asked to bend down his ear, for the impassioned plea.
Yet we cannot proceed without asserting that it must have happened when Joseph drew them around him, and he revealed himself, and they kissed and hugged. “His brethren talked with him”, verse 15. This poignant moment is not revealed in detail and we must assume that in it all, so much was thought and said that would not be recorded. Joseph would have remembered the hugs (neck falling) and kisses between his father and his brother Esau. The confession of Cain is not recorded, nor the confession of Esau for us to read, but through certain clues, we are able to assume it. The brothers would have had uppermost in their minds, not the Esau/Jacob scene which they also witnessed, with the exception of Benjamin, but how their sin was to be dealt with by this brother. So the confession must have been there. The story could otherwise not been told, without the outpouring of guilt and Joseph’s acknowledgment and forgiveness. We hear the forgiveness, so the confession of guilt must have been there.
However, there cannot be an eucatastrophe until Jacob is included in the confession, and he also registers forgiveness.
It is no good being sorry in secret, like their sin was secret, with lies still feeding the story. The truth must out - all of it - to all concerned, for the cleansing to occur. This is a big lesson in forgiveness for us all.
The “deaths” of Dinah, Rachel and Joseph had almost been too much for Jacob, and with God offering no explanation for the voids in his life, he had been without hope. His omission to plead with God for his release is telling, especially when his two previous pleadings, at Bethel and Peniel, had brought him relief. A word from God, or the secret revealed, would have ended the grief over Joseph, but it would have ended the chastisement as well “whereof we are all partakers”. The only way for Jacob to understand his house was a pack of cards, and that God was in control, was for God to knock it down. Jacob was brought to his knees through deceit and suspicion, and he needs raising up again. He, and his sons, were all ripe for the picking of confession and forgiveness, and a changed direction in life.
CONCLUSION:
Now with the imminent return of Jacob’s eleven sons he, too, will hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Until now he has lived with fear, his constant companion.
CHAPTER 9
JACOB’S DETERMINATION WILL NOW BE CHALLENGED
“So he sent his brethren away, and they departed”, Genesis 45:24.
FOCUS:
After Joseph revealed himself and made peace with his brothers he sent them home once more, this time with great hopes that they would all soon come to him bringing their father, Jacob, to Egypt, Genesis 45:18.
The Bible compilers have chosen to begin chapter 45, with the wondrous revelation of Joseph, to his brothers. It is known as a remarkable event by many artists, who have sought to record it - the 18th century valuable Gobelin tapestry, for one, now hanging in the Great Hall of Sydney University. The eleven are now not tarnished and the twelve children of Israel gather around one another in a wondrous embrace, Genesis 45:1-24.
1. A GREAT REVELATION
Joseph now knows that the brothers would save Benjamin, and so were different than their former selves. So he prepares for the revelation by sending all who those who are Egyptian out of the room.
This may have been, because this was such a private matter. On the other hand, maybe the servants would not be so forgiving about what had befallen their lord, and secrecy was important. By now Joseph wept, “No tears of bitterness”, only sweet flowing joy, and with all the loud weeping twelve, all his household, and all Egypt heard, and knew of his brothers (but not necessarily the sin). There may become a time, when ill treatment of an “Egyptian”, could be called into account, so perhaps it was unwise to let it all be known.
Joseph said to his brothers,
“I am Joseph”, “AAA-NEE YO-SAPHE”.
He spoke to them for the first time in Hebrew. And here is another of those moments in this story that words cannot describe, and with a lump in our throat we pause to consider the implication for these eleven.
He had probably been known to them by his Egyptian name, Zaphnath-paaneah. But, in their astonishment, and their revived guilt the brothers could not answer his next question, “doth my father yet live?”
They felt they had seen a ghost. Shame and terror and self reproach overtook them. They were now all vulnerable to this great man for retribution. Joseph was 39 years old. Now, they are worried what the great man will do to them.
All Jacob’s known sons are now together here in Egypt. If the worst comes to the worst, Jacob will never know what happened to them.
Joseph had heard of his father through the solicitude of Judah’s speech (verses 18-34) and his wish to substitute for Benjamin, on account of Jacob’s grief. But we often wish good news repeated, and, for example, never weary of the story of the raising of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. So he asks about Jacob.
Only Benjamin was without guilt, and the other emotions associated with that, for he had never known, other than that a wild animal had taken this brother. He had, though, borne the collective guilt, by implication, and the punishing reception in Egypt, and Joseph, knowing, would want to relieve him of that. So he then said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt”.
It was -
Tears for lost years,
Tears of reconciliation,
Tears of thanksgiving for life unscathed,
Tears of hope for the future.
This is a Biblical example of the healing power of tears, for all men of all time.
From the fast falling eventide,
And out of the deepest darkness,
With no one to help,
Help came to the helpless.
A presence every passing hour,
A guide and stay,
Through cloud and sunshine,
Triumphant still.
No foe to fear,
With thee at hand to bless,
For thou didst,
“Abide with me”.
We now hope that all of them feel and pray these sentiments, not only Joseph, who understood so well.
So now they are twelve once more. Dumbfounded they are. Joseph’s drawing of them close, at the stunned silence, was a wise course. It is recommended today in times of great stress or trauma. The Hebrew (for this response) indicates an intimate setting for the family response.
2. THE UNBURDENING OF GUILT
Joseph then, in three verses,
Takes away their guilt,
He releases them from the sin.
He overshadows the terrible contrasts
Which have washed this family of God.
When they tried to rehearse their wrongs,
He graciously said,
“We are not going there”,
“For God,
It was who organised it all”.
That was then, this is now.
“God is glorified in it all”.
Charles Swindoll remembers a one line sermon, “Greatness is revealed mainly in our attitudes”, and he quotes former USA President Thomas Jefferson, “When the heart is right, the feet are swift”. Precisely!
Consider:
* Are you moving towards people, or away from them?
* Are you engaged in the business of healing, or hurting?
* Are you bringing joy, or squelching it?
* Can you see God in your location, though you may want it different?
* Can you see God in your situation, though you want to run from it?
* Can you peer through the evil, and see God at work?
Joseph could answer, "Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes".
* You want to be great as well?
Well, all of this had made Joseph great, and full of grace.
********************
3. GOODNESS PREVAILS AGAIN IN JACOB’S FAMILY
In the presence of this faith filled life, and with graciousness all around them, these brothers made amends. This is where the confession must have taken place, with an offer that they will do the same for Jacob.
The love,
And the hate,
The blessings,
And the cursings,
The heavenly family,
The fraternal strife,
The maternal strife,
And the paternal strife,
And with it the paternal grief,
And the guilt,
And the prideful,
And the penitent,
And the fall,
And the struggle to rise,
The ungodly,
And the Godly,
From balancing out all their adult lives,
They are at last to be at peace.
This song of mankind (even for us) is crystallised,
And then nullified in this saviour’s words,
“Do not grieve, for God sent me before you to preserve life. Through me you will be saved”.
Joseph’s speech is the Old Testament foreshadowing and counterpart of Romans 8:28, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him”. He said it again after his father’s death, when his brothers test him again to see if he is vengeful yet. We can say, “We know”, but we must really believe it. One needs to keep in mind the big picture, as Joseph did, and then it is certainly true.
The brothers did not confound the dream expert, or his dreams, by selling him into slavery, they really made possible the dream fulfilment, and now, at last twenty years later, they are made to see the advantage of that.
There is no difficulty here with the reconciliation, for the wronged one is so effusive with his expressions of forgiveness. They feel forgiven, though it is not the end of their doubts, which surface later in their dealings with Joseph, that is, at the death of Jacob, when it almost breaks Joseph’s heart that their vengeance fear is there still. It’s as if guilt clings to the side of the boat, clawing for a stranglehold, long after grace has come on board and begun to steer. We need to say, “Push off guilt, it is enough”.
They were all in different degrees responsible for the sin and therefore able to accuse each other. It would be helpful if they could forgive one another, and even themselves. But we never really forgive ourselves.
Joseph reassures them,
“I have saved you in two years of famine, - and for the next five, when there will be no corn harvested, (nor “earing”, an old English word for “ploughing”), you’ll be saved by a great deliverance. God has blessed me here enormously for I have become a father to Pharaoh”.
This is a term used for almost one thousand years till Joseph’s time, for chief ministers or viziers of oriental kings, “head of court”, and a name of honour.
There are three names of honour here,
Father to Pharaoh,
Lord of all his house,
and in verse 8,
A ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Seven years would be enough time for any nation, especially a sojourning one, to dwindle away during famine, so the “nation”, is to be saved by immigration, verse 7. Joseph confidentially alludes to them as a “remnant”; for he knows that they will live to produce a great people.
Of course there were endless questions to be asked and the conversation was quite different to the guarded comments of their earlier dealings with this man. There is no need for an interpreter now, “I am speaking to you”, verse 12. Now the conversation overran with thankfulness for the providence of God, and with the joy at having found each other again. There is at last, no hostility, and fear, but fellowship and friendship, the first for over 20 years. They are avoiding, mutual recriminations, and fault finding and equivocation.
They are now Cain heads in Cain like reformation. As they knew of Joseph’s sale into Egypt, the surprise of the ten would not be as great as that of their father, who thought him dead. So they knew they had to take great care with Jacob.
4. THE GRAND PLAN
“Hurry home to my father and tell him that I am alive and that I am a ruler over all Egypt, by God’s arrangement. Bring your wives and children and your children’s children, your servants and your flocks and herds and come and live in Egypt in Goshen, where you will be near me and where I can nourish you, and keep you from poverty for the rest of the famine”.
Other tribes and nations that “come down” would be in poverty and servitude to Egypt. Nepotism called for here.
“You see, look at Benjamin and look at me again. You can tell that we are from the same mother and father. We are from the same stem. I am your brother Joseph. Go and tell my father all of this.”
Joseph fell on Benjamin - he was 22 years old, and a father many times over - and they kissed and hugged one another. Then he kissed all the brothers, and wept more with them, “Like a flooded wadi” they all were, but he did not want them to be grieved any more. Then they all sat down, and had a good talk, and it is here that the details of the guilt, the confession, the repentance and forgiveness must have taken place. The cleansing is at last almost over, (except for the telling to Jacob). Heartfelt it all is, hearts are always feeling hopeless, or hopeful, we don’t remain for long neutral, feeling neither one nor the other, and now it is for them hopeful, weeping floods of hopeful tears.
Joseph is anxious that Jacob understands the new situation. As they all are, he is worried about Jacob. They decide that Benjamin would be the best one to explain the whole story to him. Perhaps that is one of the main reasons why Benjamin had been required in Egypt.
Joseph would probably have liked to keep Benjamin, but his depriving of himself, would give greater pleasure to his father, on the sons’ return.
There is the command to Isaac (Genesis 26:2) when there was famine in the land, “Go not down into Egypt”, which prefaced the great promises to Isaac (of Abraham). Jacob had the same promises, yet he was now to be asked to “sojourn in Egypt”. Joseph must have known the difficulties his brothers would have with Jacob, though with the changed circumstances he hoped he would understand quickly. They were to be invited “gerim” guests, and that made the difference. That was a point not to be missed, so as to support claims that may be needed to be made in the future.
5. PREPARATION FOR THE TWO JOURNEYS
It was a splendid testimony to Joseph’s good standing in Egypt that Pharaoh sent an endorsing message to Jacob to come at once and bring all the family and animals. He adds that they are to leave their possessions in Canaan for all that could be had in Egypt - the best of goods in Egypt. Joseph may not have been so generous to his family, for enough nepotism had already been displayed to the Egyptians, if Pharaoh had not commanded it.
Perhaps Pharaoh noting Joseph’s wisdom, thought that wisdom ran in the family, and that he would be multiplying it, in asking for them all to come. But that thought takes away from the appreciativity and generosity of Pharaoh, and gives him a less than noble motive.
So Joseph gave them provisions for the journey and new clothes for each brother, (remember, they had rent their clothes at the theft accusation, before their return to the palace). Benjamin was given five sets of clothes and 300 shekels of silver. Clothes and money again, a deja vu feeling, a coat and silver were involved all those years ago. Then, years ago, they took the coat, and as well received money from the sale of Joseph.
Stripped/sold,
Clothes and money,
But Joseph,
In his compassion,
Does it the other way.
Charity/gift
Clothes and money
To the offending Cain heads,
Now like Cain,
Forgiven.
Consider:
* When did Joseph forgive them?
* Did he ever lay this sin to their charge?
********************
The fashion of clothes does not much change in eastern countries, and it is still a custom to testify love to friends, and others, by presents of garments. They are not useless gifts, and, with care, last much longer than a season. With Benjamin’s gift, Joseph testified publicly his high regard for the other son of his mother. He paid his brothers a compliment, in that he showed his confidence in them to see to the safety of this great treasure (Benjamin) of his father. He had been undone by his coat of divers colours, but Joseph now believed that there was a revolution in their temper, and he knew that they would never, in any circumstance, bring again on themselves the guilt of which they were now ashamed. So he gave Benjamin more than one “coat of diverse colours”.
Hard necessity compelled these brothers to accept the generosity of the one who they formerly despised, and his sweet reasoning persuaded them to comply. What a tremendous lesson in goodness to all when entertaining, like as if they may, or may not be angels, for we know not to whom we might, one day, owe great obligation. They had been entertained by a messenger from God.
There were ten asses loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female asses loaded with corn and bread and meat for the two journeys, there and back. There were Egyptian wagons to convey the family to Egypt - wagons like this, with two wheels and oxen, were unknown in Canaan. Horses were now introduced into Egypt, but may have had restricted uses, for example, chariots only, light and swift. There were two reasons for this wonderful procession. Joseph knew that Jacob needed clear proof of his existence, and he also wanted his family to travel through all the surrounding peoples and to arrive in Egypt in style - not like the Semitic nomads pictured in “Treasures from Bible Times”, by Alan Millard, pages 58 and 59, where a tomb decoration shows black haired, and bearded Asiatics, dressed in multicoloured printed, one-shouldered gowns, (they are bringing galena for black eye paint for the darker skinned Egyptians) and they are walking with a few asses and only their little children ride the ass saddle basket.
Imagine the curiosity this train from Joseph and Pharaoh was to arouse as it wound its way back to Jacob. Joseph made these preparations for he wanted the crowd of over seventy souls, to look like the invited guests they were. The conveyances, the clothes the travel accoutrements, were not to be their own, they were to be Egyptian. So the long train set off to join the trade caravan with which they would ride through the desert.
Then the last “goodbyes” were said and Joseph then asked them not to quarrel over -
Who was to blame,
Who was to tell Jacob,
Or how to explain away the guilt.
Human nature stays pretty much the same, and we recognise ourselves in all centuries in between. It’s hard to improve on depravity. These brothers were richer and more blessed now with worldly goods, and, “who knows how they will behave now”, worried Joseph. Benjamin suddenly had more than they did, and Joseph could only insure against their ill will by specifically asking them.
Joseph had heard them quarrelling, not only long ago, but recently. It was a lesson in anticipation that parents often miss, for even if the children hate to hear the parental reminder, but it is then in their heads when the temptation comes. Maybe it comes easiest to those parents, who are always ready for the worst in life, and spoil the happy anticipations of the future with dark forebodings. Less of that, for them, and more of “anticipation” for the others, might be a better way.
Any of us, all of us, hear siblings arguing - neither wishing to take guilt, nobody taking responsibility or consequences. It’s a mature concept to accept responsibility for mischief, as Judah had done in seeking Jacob’s blessing on the journey, and Joseph was not sure whether his other brothers had moved on to that maturity.
In any case all of their arguing would not change the fact that it was really all God’s work, not theirs, for God was in the business of missioning using Joseph. They had not been very skilled at it, and God had found a unique way to have His will done on the earth.
And off they went, returning to Canaan. The journey took a shorter time than previously for they had the wagons to help. No walking at all this time.
They flew from today in fear, and met their yesterday.
They were driven by doubt, and fell into the arms of hope.
They came to beg of a stranger, and found themselves feasted by a brother.
Their Cain/Esau like murderous intent had evolved through their own recognition of sin, to a blessing for them.
It is safe to assume that God has been in all of this wondrous plan of the life of Joseph. There is not much time and chance in this story.
These brothers did it wrong when they learned wrong. Joseph did it RIGHT when he learned it WRONG. The modelling to Joseph by his brothers had been appalling, yet he was shining and golden.
CONCLUSION:
Don’t let any of us think that we can use the excuse of bad modelling for our sins. They may be reasons, never excuses. If one person can get it right after so much wrong then the case rests. If only we can stop blaming influences outside of us and begin to see our own weaknesses and sins as anti Christ, then we'll reduce our potential for damage, and we will be golden too. It doesn’t hurt to think of reasons why our behaviour has dulled, but to overcome, in the face of impelling circumstances, is really golden.
CHAPTER_10
THE DREADFUL SUSPENSE TURNS TO JOY
“And they told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt”, Genesis 45:26.
FOCUS:
Jacob, at this time, back in Hebron, was at the culmination of his sorrow - with no sons. He wondered if he really did deserve this for his conduct to his father and his brother so long ago. Surely that deception, which had pursued him for so long, had caused him enough sorrow to atone for the sin. But he is to find great joy, Genesis 45:25-28.
1. JACOB’S EQUIVOCATION
1. He’d been tried and tested in the furnace and he thought cleansed, purified and strengthened.
2. Now he was fearfully suspicious and it seemed his hope was deferred.
3. It was the greatest suspense of his life - not knowing the end.
4. Here again, like Joseph, like us, is fear/faith.
5. His nervous wait might still bring joy and blessing, surely it will not be dashed again.
6. Surely his house of cards is down, and it is only God who will save him.
Dark foreboding and nervous anxiety, without reason, is the lot of parents when we worry over much about our loved ones, watching them leave the house in joy and anticipation, and mentally seeing them return on a stretcher. “You worry too much”, they say, but we know from the statistics and life’s experience, that it does happen. So even if the object of our anxiety is not one of God’s children, we can still lay the burden of anxiousness on Him, and pray “as the Lord wills”. It does not remove the anxiety, or the foreboding, but it gives relief when the fear/faith balance evens up a bit. It probably did for Joseph, and he fell into faithfulness, but for Jacob he mainly fell into faithlessness. “Lord, remind me that nothing is going to happen to me today, which you and I together cannot handle”. We can self encourage.
2. JACOB’S DETERMINATION - NOW WHAT TO DO?
Sorrow and sighing and sadness flew away for Jacob, and joy again was released, for there stood the eleven, that is, the nine, and the one, and the loved one. Simeon and Benjamin were there - and there is more news? “Well, what can it be?"
Jacob’s heart stood still.
His heart ceased to beat for a second,
He drew in his breath and held it,
And then again his heart thumped in unbelief
And in weakness he was chilled
With a renewed sense of the Joseph loss,
Until he heard all their words,
And saw the wagons of Egypt.
Then Jacob’s fainting,
Turned to Israel’s strength,
And he remembered Abraham’s promises
And the covenant,
And saw that the furnace of sorrow
Had forged a golden chain,
To link them all together again.
We understand Jacob’s faint, and that his spirit was revived (verse 27). Our hearts are spilling over for the thought of this mighty scene, with the talking, and the laughing, and the hugging, and the neck falling, and the kissing, and the wondering, and the doubting, and the tears - and then the faithfulness. If our hearts are full and overflowing at this point, we can hardly imagine how Jacob must have felt. Perhaps he had a mild coronary.
The son raised from the dead. Even Jesus’ disciples had doubted his aliveness after the crucifixion. All Jacob’s prayers, even when he thought his son was dead, had now been answered. He could not have prayed, over those long years, for Joseph by name, believing him in the grave, so we wonder what Jacob’s prayers would have been. We hesitate to think that he did not pray at all.
Jacob had resolutely left Laban after a great struggle and with a Godly purpose he’d settled in Canaan in response to God’s promises to him, and his father, and his grandfather. He had faced Esau, and at last Isaac again, to do God’s will. He stood at his tent door, at one minute resolute that that’s where God wanted him to be. He’d borne the disappointments of his sons and the damage at Shechem. He’d borne the death of Rachel and Joseph. He’d shared the shame of Judah over Tamar. He’d given into the famine and sent his loved ones to the Land of Mud and Death, for food. He’d even let Benjamin go too, all in the name of God, who was working out His blessings, making the family numerous, here in Canaan. It had all been in the best years of his life, and he hoped to rest at peace here in Canaan. He expected a peaceful departure in death, to be buried at Machpelah.
But, no, not that, he was not to be allowed even that, for standing before him were the wagons of Pharaoh, and the plenty of Egypt beckoned him.
Doubt?
No - banish the doubt.
The parched land around about him whispered farewell and his long lost son called from an alien land. But conflict, for a moment, rose in his mind, a sort of uncertainty. He was no longer the naysayer, but yea, well, yea, that’s altogether too frightening.
His sons were home, he had corn aplenty, and God wanted him here,
“Didn’t He - didn’t He?”
“Did you say Joseph is alive?”
His mind could hardly grasp it.
“But Abraham went to Egypt, and he found himself in great danger. Isaac had been forbidden to go. Egypt was a heathen land, full of idolatry and decadence and gross forms of human behaviour”, he thinks.
But here was Pharaoh’s wagons and Pharaoh’s invitation.
“Joseph, Joseph? What do you say? How is Joseph in Egypt?”
This is incredulity, hopeful incredulity.
All this flashed in his mind, and with his spluttered questions, he began, at last, to clearly understand. No “absolutely not” this time, the evidence of God’s will was overwhelming. So with the thought of Joseph he resolutely stated, “I will go”. He yea says the move to Egypt.
It was a momentous resolution, considering his previous solidarity, his sorrow, his earthly pain. It had all absorbed him (it does us sometimes). He was growing in strength without knowing it, but here was relief, at last. “All (dark and light) things work together for good, to them who love God”, Romans 8:28. Out of his dungeon, out of his locked door, he found his dazzling Damascus road.
Jacob began to climb clear of his wrong beginnings, for out of the ruin of the deceit, and the indignity, and disappointment, and disillusionment, which had burnt down to coal and ashes in his mouth, something rose, like a phoenix, peace and faith and hope. There was a smile in his mind’s eye, and he was at last thinking vertically.
He realised that there had been -
Progress in the pauses
Joy in the valleys
Music in the malady
Beauty with the beast
And flight,
Where he thought all was still.
When his dreams began to fade,
God shone a clear light,
And he was ready to go down into Egypt.
Jacob,
Whose throat was full up with sorrow,
So that he could swallow no more,
Had torn his heart.
He’d lain horizontal,
And nursed his clicky, arthritic hip.
Now he cleared his mindset,
And bowed his head.
He became positive and vertical.
He asked God for guidance,
And lifted up his eyes,
And so he,
With them all,
Stretched out his neck like a migrating swan,
and turned towards Egypt.
Jacob moved the family business, Jacob and Sons - Shepherds, Sheep and Sheep Products to Egypt, for everyone came.
It is interesting to note, at this time, the name changes Jacob/Israel in the Scriptures, in Genesis 45:28, for “Israel said, I will go and see him before I die” and in Genesis 46:5 these sons of Jacob, or Jacob and Sons, become “the sons of Israel”. Perhaps there will be a company name change in Egypt.
The fortunes of Jacob seem restored (Psalm 85:1). Ah, but that captivity (from which they will be restored, in Deuteronomy 30:3, NIV verse comment) has not even yet begun and the misfortunes have yet to run their course. What a blessing that Jacob can not see round the corner, for the holocausts ahead, many of them will be far worse. The Amazing Technicolour Coat sorrow pales in insignificance, when compared to what is to come. There will be a great song unto the Lord, and a glorious triumph, when the horse and his rider will be thrown into the sea, but before then, there will be great torment, and harm, and danger, and light turned into darkness, and a trembling and fearful journeying from the Egypt, to which Jacob turns his face. We remember the words about weeping in a blind cage, and darkness seemingly an endless state. For Jacob’s family it was so. They had endured one blind cage (of their own making), but a far greater one was to emerge, under a new Pharaoh who knew them not.
Rudyard Kipling in “The Conundrum of the Workshops”, 1890, has a poem about the perceived advantages of being able to have all knowledge.
“Now if we could win to the Eden tree
Where the four great rivers flow,
And the wreath of Eve is red on the turf,
As she left it long ago,
And if we could come where the sentry slept,
And softly scurry through,
By the favour of God,
We might know as much as our father Adam knew.”
Consider:
* Adam before the fall?
* Do we want to have all knowledge?
* Why?
* Is the taint of sin, too much for us to bear?
********************
3. JACOB DEALS WITH THE BROTHERS’ GUILT
Now for the confession!
After Jacob had grasped the significance of travelling to Egypt, and the great joy of understanding that Joseph was, indeed alive, the brothers, with great courage, had to finish the terrible task that they had set themselves. It could not be a conclusion without the confession, and the healing could not begin. We need to pause in our story, to imagine Jacob’s reaction, to their confession.
Consider:
* How many days did Jacob swing from turmoil to peace?
* Was it any use to be angry?
* How long before Jacob could say, “Well, never mind now, I forgive you, and I love you”.
********************
The painful sound of tears, like pieces falling off his broken heart, was now no more, and his heart began to mend. This battered heart had battled on for years in a precarious state, until a great jolt had electrified it at the mention of Joseph. The coronary began to heal, as the stress was lifted from his shoulders.
Joseph’s brothers, at the point of Jacob’s absolution of them, would seem to be totally healed. These brothers had existed with selective forgetting. In dysfunctional families, abuse is sometimes never recalled without emotion, or recalled with self blame, “I was such an awful child, and I deserved it”. The true situation is pushed too far back in memory and mind, to be recognised for its true worth. The impact is so emphatically expunged from right perception and judgment that it is eventually removed from conscious memory and dysfunction festers along. Better to pause, remedy and heal.
Abominable behaviour has to be acknowledged. If leaders of families or communities, or nations give false or incomplete historical information, people are short changed. A distorted idea, or equivocation about one’s history with misinformation, is harmful, and only prolongs the wickedness. People have a right to know their history, even if it is bad, it gives people a chance to apologise, to compensate, to rectify and learn by their mistakes. Elders should never say, “Leave it to God’s judgement, it is too hard for us to sort out, or solve”.
The brothers had to acknowledge the pain that they had caused Jacob and Joseph, in such a conscious collaborative effort. The incident had drowned in their minds and Jacob’s suspicion was the only reminder. When Joseph confronted them, the guilt surfaced and they began the healing process. The power of the repressed secret was finally broken when they confessed to Jacob. Cain like, and Esau like, they realised their need for forgiveness for their murderous intent upon their loved brother. Confrontation does not change what has been done, but it can stop the repetition of the process. The perpetrator gains a sense of relief (from guilt), and can repent.
4. RECONCILIATION EACH TO THE OTHER
We cannot force people to change, to confess, to forgive, to apologise, to be loving and kind. God gave free will to all His creation. That is the ultimate in letting go, for God, for He does not force anyone to become a believer, to follow the “Christ like” way. He let Adam and Eve go their own way. He allowed that, though sad He is to see people go their own way. We cannot force people to pay for the evil they do, however much we would like to. God will, in His time. If people change to a Christlike way they cannot live their lives over, and must live, albeit by His grace, with the consequences of lives they have led. There are no excuses for not working through the unfair assignments in life, either for a repented sinner, or for the receiver of the unrepented acts. It is part of our accountability to God, and God will judge our behaviour according to the circumstance.
Recovery for a dysfunctional family is never easy. For the ten sons of Jacob to heal this family, after twenty years of carrying a selective secret, would have been almost impossible without the intervention of God. God is there, for all those who want to do it right when they have done it wrong. His strength, His power, His care, guidance and healing hand is there for us if we but ask. The ten may not have asked, but the healing was necessary for the plan of God.
Support groups for dysfunctioning families or family members, is a known value. Anyone can begin a support group in the community, for a dysfunction inside it. Problems need to be confronted, learned about, educated for, addressed, and prayed for. When problems arise and people ask for advice and help, to sweep it under the carpet is unhealthy, unhelpful and even sinful. If healing is to occur, (Galatians 6), we need not a place of suffering, that will encourage the dysfunction into succeeding generations, but a place of nurture and growth and loving care and understanding. Psychological weights can entangle us all, we are all affected at one time or another, in one way or another and we all need to improve our own behaviour patterns to improve the effectiveness of our gifts for Him.
CONCLUSION:
Now Jacob had a huge support group to help him move down to Egypt. There must have been an enormous amount of love and care, and with the forgiveness, came renewed vigour to do things better, to support one another, and, hopefully, to walk with God. The children of Israel were about to begin their first march, and so the preparation began.
SOURCES - BOOK FOUR
Section 1: Pit to Potiphar
Chapter 1
1. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers” Series, Berlin Books, Vienna, 1936, translated from the German by H. T. Lowe-Porter, Sphere Books, London, 1968.
2. Edersheim, Alfred, Jewish Historian, Missionary and Paster, 1825-1889, cited by Swindoll, Charles - “Joseph”, Word, Tennessee, USA, 1998, ISBN 0 8499 1342 X.
3. NIV Study Bible, Scripture taken form the Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright, 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zonderman Bible Publishers, Michigan, 49506, USA - “Verse Comment”.
4. Times - “Concise Atlas of the Bible”, James Prichard, editor, Times Books, Harper Collins, London, 1991, ISBN 0 7230 0345 9.
5. Auden, W. H. - “Funeral Blues” from “The Ascent of F6” by Auden and Underwood, Faber and Faber, London, UK, 1936.
6. Goren, Avner - “The Nawamis”, Contemporary Jewish Archaeologist, Museum of Bedouin Culture, 1982, quoted in Bible Archaeology Review.
7. Churchill, Winston - “History of the English Speaking People”, Cassell, London, 1962.
8. Hale, Thomas - “A Couple in Nepal” (Missioners), A Koorong Bookshop Pack (3), 1990, ISBN 000 032 6799.
9. Nepalese Tourist Brochure, 1988.
10. Bible Archaeology Review Magazine, Red Oak, IA, USA, ISSN 00989444.
11. Diggings Magazine, Sydney, editor David Down, Sydney, Australia, ISSN 1320 4424.
Chapter 2
1. Companion Bible - “Chronological Chart, Appendix 50”, Lamp Press, London, n. d.
2. British Museum - “Ginger” display, 1978.
3. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Young Joseph”, Berlin Books, Vienna, 1936, translated from the German by H. T. Lowe-Porter, Sphere Books, London, 1968.
4. Ellicott, John Charles - “Commentary”, Cassell and Company, London, 1884.
5. Time-Life History of the World 3000-1500 BC - “The Age of the God Kings”, Time Life Books, Amsterdam, 1987, ISBN 070540970 8, referred to as “Time-Life History”,
6. Gag, Wanda - “Millions of Cats”, Coward, McCann and Geoghegan Inc., New York, 1929.
7. Journal Newspaper, Comic Strip, “Felix the Cat”, New York, USA, 929-1945.
8. Australian Museum - “Life and Death Under the Pharaohs”, 1998.
9. Diggings Magazine, January, 1999, op cit.
10. NIV Study Bible - “Ancient Manuscript” - “The Book of the Dead”, “Ancient Texts Relating to the Old Testament”, Zonderman, New Jersey, USA, 1983.
Chapter 3
1. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph in Egypt”, Berlin Books, Vienna, 1936, translated from the German by H. T. Lowe-Porter, Sphere Books, London, 1968.
2. NIV Study Bible - “Verse Comment”, op cit.
3. Young, Robert - “Analytical Concordance”, 9th impress, 7th edition, Religious Tract Society, London, n. d.
4. Companion Bible - “Verse Comment”, op cit.
Chapter 4
1. Ritmeyer, Leen - “Reconstruction of Arad”, The Times Concise Atlas of the Bible, op cit.
2. The Times Concise Atlas of the Bible - “The Sale of Joseph and His Entry into Egypt”, op cit.
3. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph in Egypt”, op cit.
Section 2: Potiphar to Pit Two
Chapter 1
1. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, Berlin Books, Vienna, 1936, translated from the German by H. T. Lowe-Porter, Sphere Books, London, 1968.
2. New Bible Dictionary, edited by Douglas, J. D., Inter-Varsity Press, London, 1968, ISBN 85110 608 0.
3. NIV Study Bible - “Verse Comment”, op cit.
Chapter 2
1. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, op cit.
2. Wildsmith, Brian - “Joseph”, Oxford University Press, UK, 1997, ISBN 0 19 279018 8.
3. Millard, Alan - “Treasures of Bible Times”, Lion Publishing, London, 1985, ISBN 0 85648 587 X.
4. Wilkinson, John - “Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians”, Collins, London, UK, 1857.
5. Thomas, John - “Chronikon Hebraikon - Chronology of the Scriptures”, together with “Distribution of the World’s Races”, “Repeopling of the Earth and the four Universal Empires”, Birmingham, UK, compiled 1865.
6. Carnavan Collection - “Egyptian Artefacts”, Museum, New York, USA.
7. Times - “Concise Atlas of the Bible”, op cit.
8. Companion Bible - “Chronological Chart, (Appendix 50)”, op cit.
9. Speaker’s - “Commentary”, Bishops and Clergy of the Anglican Church, John Murray, London, 1887.
10. Ellicott, Charles John - “Commentary”, Cassell and Company, London, 1884
11. Swindoll, Charles - “Joseph”, op cit.
12. Yeats, W. B. - “He wishes for the cloths of Heaven” in “The Wind among the Reeds”, 1899.
13. Dylan, Thomas, Welsh poet - “Poem on His Birthday”, 1949.
Chapter 3
1. The Koran, translated in 1734, from the original by G. Sale, Everyman’s Library, G. M. Dent and Company, London, UK, 1909.
2. Speaker’s - “Commentary”, Bishops and Clergy of the Anglican Church, John Murray, London, 1887.
3. Ellicott, Charles John - “Commentary”, Cassell and Company, London, 1884
4. Abou-Saif, Laila - “Middle East Journal, 1990”, (a woman’s journey into the heart of the Arab world), Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, USA, ISBN 0 684 19136 9
5. Shakespeare, William - “King Lear”, 1604.
6. Porter, Eleanor H. - “Pollyanna and Other Stories”, (The Glad Books), Page, Boston, USA, 1913.
7. Lewis, C. S. - Letters of C. S. Lewis, “A Grief Observed”, Faber and Faber, London UK, 1940.
8. Webber, Andrew Lloyd - “A Story of a Dream Coat”, “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”, words by Tim Rice, Novello, Copyright, 1979.
9. De La Mare, Walter (1873-1956) - “Silver”.
10. Paterson, A. B. - “Clancy of the Overflow”, the Bulletin, 1889.
11. Times - “Concise Atlas of the Bible”, op cit.
12. Wildsmith, Brian - “Joseph”, op cit.
13. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, op cit.
14. Summers, Anne - “The Colonisation of Women in Australia”, citing Carolyn Chisholm, Penguin, Australia, 1975, ISBN 0 14 02 1832 7.
15. Boyd, Arthur - 20th Century Australian artist, Religious paintings of the 1940’s.
Chapter 4
1. Ellicott, Charles John - “Commentary” op cit.
2. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, op cit.
3. Chang, Jung, “Wild Swans, Three Daughters of China”, Flamingo, Harper Collins, London, 1991, ISBN 0 00 637492 1.
4. Keneally, Thomas - “Schindler’s List”, Hodder and Stoughton, London, UK, 1982, 0 34 027 8382.
5. Anatoli, A - “Babi Yar”, Sphere Books, London, UK, 1970, Copyright.
6. Companion Bible, “Verse Comment”, op cit.
7. Johnson, Barbara - “Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy”, Word Books, Nelson, UK, 1993, ISBN 1 86258 273 4.
8. NIV Study Bible, “Introduction to Genesis”, op cit.
9. Mackay, Hugh, Commentator, 1999.
Chapter 5
1. Wilson, Jeremy T. E. - “Authorised Biography of T. E. Lawrence”, Heinemann, London, 1989, ISBN 04 3487 2350.
2. Verdi - “Aida”, opera set in 1000 BC, composed in 1869.
3. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, op cit.
4. Companion Bible - “Verse Comment”, op cit.
5. NIV Study Bible - “Verse Comment”, op cit.
6. Dowell, Susan - “They Two Shall Be One - Monogamy in History and Religion”, Collins Religious Division, London, 1990, Copyright, ISBN 0 00 5992115 X.
Chapter 6
1. NIV Study Bible “Verse Comment”, op cit.
2. Blaikie William - “Heroes of Israel”, Thomas Nelson and Sons, London, UK, 1894.
Section 3: Joseph- Prime Minister of Egypt
Chapter 1
1. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, op cit.
2. Time-Life History - “The Age of the God Kings”, op cit
3. Australian Museum - “Life and Death Under the Pharaohs”, 1998.
4. Wildsmith, Brian - “Joseph”, op cit.
Chapter 2
1. Whittaker, H. A. - “Joseph the Saviour”, Christadelphian Office Publication, Birmingham, UK, 1980.
2. Shakespeare, William - “Macbeth”, 1605.
3. Mann, Thomas - “Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph the Provider”, op cit.
4. Swindoll, Charles - “Joseph”, op cit.
5. Anchor Bible Dictionary, Chesnutt, Randall - “Joseph and Asenath”, Editor in Chief - David Noel Freedman, Double Day, New York, 1992, ISBN 0 385 19351 3.
Chapter 3
1. Bey, Brugsh - Archaeologist, 1908.
2. Companion Bible - “Chronological Chart, Appendix 50”, with reference to Usshur, historian, quoted by Swindoll, Charles - “Joseph”, op cit.
3. NIV Study Bible - “Verse Comment”, op cit.
4. King, Martin Luther, Civil Rights Activist, USA, 1956-68.
Chapter 4
1. Lods, Adolphe - “The Prophets and the Rise of Judaism”, translated by S. H. Hooke, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1937.
2. Bible Archaeology Review Magazine, Red Oak, IA, USA, May/June 1995, ISSN 0098 9444.
3. Caldwell, W. E. - “The Ancient World”, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, USA, reprinted 1960, ISBN 21243 0119.
Chapter 5
1. National Geographic Magazine, Dothan, Trude - “Lost Outposts of the Egyptian Empire”, December, 1982, Printed by National Geographic Society, Washington, USA, ISSN, 0027 9358.
2. Companion Bible - “Verse Comment”, and “Chronological Chart Appendix 50”, op cit.
Chapter 6
1. Lewis, C. S. - “Shadowlands”, edited by Sibley, Brian, Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1985, ISBN 0 340 38516 2.
2. Swindoll, Charles - “Joseph”, op cit.
Chapter 7
1. Whittaker, H. A. “Joseph the Saviour”, op cit.
2. Bruechner, Frederick - “Wishful Thinking, A Theological ABC”, Harper and Row, New York, USA, 1973.
Chapter 8
1. Ellicott, Charles, John - “Commentary”, op cit.
2. Whittaker, H. A. - “Joseph, the Saviour”, op cit.
3. Swindoll, Charles - “Joseph”, op cit.
Chapter 9
1. Swindoll, Charles - “Joseph”, op cit.
2. Millard, Ian - “Treasures from Bible Times”, op cit.
Chapter 10
1. Kipling, Rudyard, English poet, “The Conundrum of the Workshops”, 1890.
