Section VII Joseph, the Man Whom God Preserved
Genesis 37:1—50:26
The narrative of Joseph's trials and triumphs is one of the best loved stories of the OT. With c. 37, the focus of the Book of Genesis shifts from Jacob to his favorite son. Joseph at first appears as a typical spoiled child. He lacked an easy rapport with his brothers, who regarded him as an insufferable informer to their father. And his dreams, which Joseph told with relish, were effective in creating strong hostile feelings toward him. As a result, a series of tragedies overwhelmed Joseph, finally sending him to a dismal prison. But Joseph was a young man of strong faith, and God had not forgotten him. A sudden turn of events brought him to power in one of the great nations of the ancient Near East.
From his new position of power, Joseph was able to help his family when they came to Egypt for grain. He was also able to chastise his brothers and then to forgive them. As a result, a grief-burdened Jacob found new hope and a new joy in life; also his family found a new home in the land of Goshen in Egypt.
Deceit had played an unsavory role in Jacob's youthful dealings with Isaac and with Esau, also in Laban's relationships with him. Now it was to reenter the family circle through the tension which had built up between Jacob's older sons and Joseph. The suffering it left in its wake was to follow Jacob for many years, due to the cruel sale of Joseph to foreigners by his brothers.
1. Joseph's Favored Position (37:1-4)
Jacob's father, Isaac, had the weakness of preferring one of his sons above another (25:28). Now Jacob (1) himself was doing the same, perhaps because Joseph reminded him of Rachel. The result was a rift between Joseph (2), who was now seventeen years old, and his half brothers. Part of their resentment seems justified, for Joseph was given to tattling, especially on the less favored sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. Added to this was Jacob's provision of a special attire for Joseph which set him off from the others.
How to translate the Hebrew ketonet passim, which KJV has as coat of many colours (3), has long been a problem. There is no question about ketonet; it means “coat, tunic, or undergarment.” The other word, passim, has the meaning of “extremity,” or “wrist,” and perhaps “ankles.” Hence some translators have used the phrase “coat of sleeves.” In II Sam. 13:18 the same Hebrew phrase occurs as descriptive of the special garments worn by Tamar and other daughters of the king.
There is a parallel expression in Akkadian, kitu (kutinnu) pisannu. It designates a robe, decorated with gold ornaments, which was placed on images of goddesses. This has led some recent scholars to suggest the translation, “ornamented tunic.”1 In any case, the garment set Joseph off from the others. The half brothers recognized it as a mark of distinction, and hated him (4) for it.
2. Dreams That Aggravated (37:5-11)
Perhaps it was innocent naiveté, or it might have been an artless arrogance—nevertheless Joseph (5) loved to tell his half brothers of unusual dreams which he experienced. It served only to increase their hatred of him.
On the surface, the first dream (5-8) which Joseph told was harmless. The dream was a harvesting scene, but the sheaves (7) set up by his half brothers made obeisance to Joseph's sheaf. His listeners immediately caught the implication and indignantly asked, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? (8) To them the answer could only be an emphatic No. Little did they realize that it would indeed come true.
The other dream (9) had to do with objects in the sky. The sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to Joseph. Hearing an account of the dream, Jacob rebuked (10) the boy, for he understood that the sun symbolized him, the moon represented Rachel, and the eleven stars his other sons. But the father was sobered by the story and observed the saying (11), i.e., kept it in his memory.
3. The Errand Boy (37:12-22)
In the highlands of central Palestine, flocks range over a great expanse of territory to find forage. Jacob's sons had been out for some time, pasturing near Shechem (13) and he desired information concerning their welfare. He doubtless remembered dangers due to revenge for his sons' attack on the people of the land (cf. 34:24-30). Jacob therefore sent Joseph (13) on the trip to Shechem (14), which would be about 60 miles from Hebron (see map 2). From a friendly man at Shechem, Joseph discovered that the flocks had moved on to Dothan (17), about 20 miles farther to the northwest.
When Joseph appeared on the horizon, the brothers quickly conspired against him (18). They had murderous intent but plotted that no one should discover their involvement. Their alibi would be that some evil beast hath devoured him (20). They hoped thus to nullify the predictive force of Joseph's dreams. But one of the brothers disagreed. Reuben (21) would not listen to plans to shed blood, and talked them into imprisoning the boy in a pit (22), or cistern, nearby. He intended to secretly release Joseph, so he could return to his father.
4. The Nefarious Sale (37:23-28)
Joseph must have been surprised and shocked to be treated so brutally by his half brothers. In moments he was stript of his clothing (23) and lowered into an empty cistern (24).
While the brothers were eating, a company of Ishmeelites (25) approached. They were transporting goods from Gilead, which is the highlands east of the Jordan River (see map 2). The shipment included spicery (tragacanth gum, which exudes from a low bush); balm, which is harvested by cutting incisions in the bark of the mastic tree; and myrrh, another gum which exudes from the leaves of the cistus rose.2 The Egyptians bought these for their embalming industry and for medicine.
Judah (26), who had no stomach for his brothers' plans, persuaded them to sell Joseph to the merchantmen (28). The fact that the name Midianites appears here and in v. 36, whereas Ishmeelites occurs in 25 and in the last part of 28, has been confusing to many readers. Some scholars have assumed that two stories of the incident have been interwoven here. However, these are simply two names for the same men—descendents of Abraham and of nomadic and trader habits. Midianites are identified as Ishmaelites again in Judg. 8:22-24.
When the caravan arrived at the brothers' camp, they (the brothers, not the Midianites) raised the boy from the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver (28). These were not coins but pieces of metal weighed in balances. Compare this price with the values expressed in Lev. 27:3-7. The normal price of a slave in Moses' time was 30 pieces of silver (Exod. 21:32; Zech. 11:12; cf. Matt. 26:15). The caravan took Joseph into Egypt
5. The Lie and the Agony (37:29-36)
While the brothers were eating, Reuben (29) evidently had been caring for the flock as a ruse so that he could secretly release Joseph. But when he finally got to the pit, he was shocked to find Joseph gone. He was so overwhelmed with grief that he rent (tore) bis clothes. He expressed his grief to the others (30) but they ignored him. To cover their deed, they killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat (31) which belonged to Joseph in the blood. This they brought to their father, knowing he would assume that Joseph had been killed by an evil beast (33).
Jacob's reaction was immediate and painful. Following the custom of his day, as had Reuben (29), Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins (34). His expressions of prolonged sorrow alarmed the family and they tried to comfort him (35). Ironically, they could have allayed some of his sorrow by telling him the truth of the matter, but even Reuben did not divulge the secret. Meanwhile Joseph had been sold (36) to an Egyptian officer called Potiphar.
B. THE MORAL LAXITY OF JUDAH, 38:1-30
This story seems like an intrusion into the story of Joseph. Perhaps it was inserted here to clarify why Judah, who figured significantly in the story later, was disqualified to be the fourth-generation leader in the covenant with God. It strikingly reveals the acute moral temptations which living among the Canaanites brought into the lives of Jacob's sons.
The events of the story cover a period of time parallel to Joseph's trials and triumphs in Egypt, and offer a partial explanation for the final move to Egypt. If the integrity of the covenant people was to be preserved, they must, for a time, be removed from the corruption of Canaan's religious and social life.
1. A Marriage Lacking Covenant Convictions (38:1-5)
In his dealings with his Canaanite (2) neighbors, Judah one day saw a Canaanite girl who attracted him. He married Shuah and in due time she gave birth to three sons, Er (3), Onan (4), and Shelah (5). These all grew up heavily influenced by the lax moral standards of their Canaanite mother and her relatives.
2. A Levirate Marriage Gone Awry (38:6-11)
When Er was old enough to be married, normally in the mid-teens, Judah obtained a Canaanite girl called Tamar (6) as a wife for him. But Er was a wicked (7) fellow and met an early death before a child was born to the couple. The text indicates that the boy's death was an act of divine judgment.
The custom of levirate marriage was widely practiced among people of the ancient Near East because great importance was placed on preserving the name of the eldest son by means of a son.3 If the oldest son died prematurely without a son, it was the responsibility of the next oldest son to take the widow as his own wife. However, the children born to this union would legally belong to the dead brother rather than to the actual father.
In this instance the next oldest son, Onan (8), refused to carry through with his responsibility. He showed disdain for Er and contempt for Tamar in a shameful manner. His punishment was death, ordained by the Lord (10). The third boy was too young for marriage yet, so Judah (11) told Tamar to wait in her father's house. But Judah could not resist the suggestion that she may have been at fault for his other sons' deaths.
3. Judah's Evasion of Responsibility (38:12-23)
After proper mourning for his deceased wife, Judah was busy shearing sheep with his friend and possibly his father-in-law, Hirah (cf. w. 1-2). Tamar (13), tired of waiting for Shelah (14), who was now fully grown, decided to force Judah to act.
She was much more concerned about the legal aspects of her situation than with morals. The common law held that she had the right to have children by a brother, or at least a relative, of her dead husband. In fact, she had an obligation to provide a son for him. Since Judah seemed to be deliberately keeping Shelah from her, she decided to involve Judah himself. She had no legal recourse to courts, so she depended on clever deception.
Making careful note of Judah's movements, she saw that he was going alone to Enaim or Enam (Josh. 15:34). An open place (14) is more correctly a translation of the town's name, Enaim. At exactly the right moment she changed clothes for a veil, the garment of a common harlot (15, zonah). She stationed herself by the roadway to lure Judah, who reacted just as she thought he would. Tamar was not so interested in pay—the kid from the flock (17)—as she was in obtaining something from Judah that would positively identify him later. She insisted on and got his signet (18), which was a seal, probably cylindrical in shape with a hole through the center lengthwise and a distinctive device carved on it. The bracelets, or better, “strings,” were passed through the seal to suspend it about the neck. She also got a staff which the leader of a clan or tribe carried as a symbol of authority. No one could mistake the ownership of these items.
After the affair was completed, Tamar returned home immediately and put on the garments of her widowhood (19), and Judah returned to his flocks. Judah was sensitive, perhaps with an underlying sense of guilt, about personally taking the kid (20) to the supposed harlot, so he sent it by a friend. The Adullamite friend did not inquire about the location of a common prostitute (zonah) but for a Canaanite temple prostitute (qedeshah), who had a higher status in Canaanite social circles. Everyone professed ignorance of such a person in the vicinity. So the Adullamite reported back to Judah, who immediately realized that he could be shamed (23, blackmailed) by the person who possessed the articles which identified him. Judah seemed frustrated and nonplussed. In self-justification he said to his friend, “You see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her” (RSV).
4. The Trap Sprung (38:24-26)
Three months after this incident (24) the rumor came to Judah that Tamar was with child. Clearly she had been unfaithful to her obligations to Judah's remaining son. This infuriated Judah and he demanded that she be publicly burnt alive (cf. Lev. 21:9 and Deut. 22:20-24).
When Tamar was brought out for execution, she requested only one privilege, the identification of the man who owned certain objects in her possession. As soon as Judah (26) saw them, he realized what Tamar had done and how his own moral looseness had made him vulnerable to her devices. He admitted that he was the man responsible for her condition.
Judah's remark, She has been more righteous than I (26), provides an interesting sidelight on the meaning of the Hebrew term tsedeqah. Basically it has the legal connotation of “being in the right” or “having a just cause.” To us Tamar was morally shameless, but in a technical sense, within the levirate marriage law, she was in the right. She had obtained a child by the man who was responsible for seeing to it that a relative of her husband be given to her as a substitute husband. Judah was publicly shown to be derelict in his duty of giving Shelah to Tamar, and to have been the man responsible for making pregnant the woman he had angrily condemned to death. Obviously, neither could come up to the highest concepts of righteousness in the Bible, but Judah was more in the wrong than Tamar.
5. Tamar's Twins (38:27-30)
The account of the birth of the children describes an unusual incident which gave rise to the names of Judah's twin sons. The hand of one twin appeared and was marked with a scarlet thread (28), but the hand drew back and the other child was born first. The name, Pharez (29), means “to make a breach,” or “to forge through,” so it designated his aggressive character. The meaning of the other name is uncertain. It was through Pharez that the line of descent ran to Boaz, to David, and to Jesus Christ (I Chron. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:3-16; Luke 3:23-33).
C. JOSEPH'S TRIALS IN EGYPT, 39:1—40:23
Joseph's reactions to stress and misfortune were remarkably different from those expressed by his brothers when they were faced with difficult situations. They had reacted with strong negative feelings involving jealousy, lust, and hatred which issued in murder (34:25), in incest (35:22), in plots to kill, then to sell into slavery (37:20-28), in callous deception of their father (37: 31-33), and in irresponsible immorality (38:15-26).
In contrast, Joseph was a young man of remarkable moral strength who did not give way to bitterness, self-pity, or despair. Instead, he overcame his difficulties with a courageous sense of responsibility and of high moral values. In every situation he demonstrated confidence in God, kindly wisdom in his dealings with others, and honesty in regard to every trust bestowed upon him.
1. Imprisoned on a False Charge (39:1-20)
Joseph's new Egyptian master, Potiphar (1), soon noticed the unusual qualities of his new slave's character and entrusted more and more of his household tasks to him. The testimony of the text is that the Lord was with Joseph (2) and that even the pagan master observed this fact. As a result, the Word says that Joseph found grace in his sight (4). This expression means that Potiphar reacted with benevolence and kindliness toward Joseph and elevated him to a more personal relationship of service in the affairs of the household. With the raise in status there was an enlargement of responsibility, which Joseph met with skill, so that through Joseph the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house (5), i.e., the affairs of the master prospered.
The phrase well favoured (6) speaks of Joseph's fine appearance and sets the stage for the incident that follows. It illustrates well the dangers of high office in a pagan home. The master's wife (7) was a pampered and impulsive person with nothing to do. She lacked moral standards, and when her husband was away found other men altogether too attractive. Joseph soon became a mark of her attentions and at the first opportunity was propositioned by her.
In contrast to Judah (38:16), Joseph resisted the invitation. He gave a reasoned explanation of how his position with its burden of accountability would make such an act a violation of trust. Wotteth not (8) means “knows not.” Above all that, it would be a great wickedness, and sin against God (9). The woman didn't see it that way, so continued to tease and invite him. Finally, at an advantageous moment she became insistent, grabbing his garment (12) to pull him toward her. Joseph got free and ran from the house, but in doing so he left his garment behind, which she used effectively against him. When she called unto the men of her house (14), she accused the Hebrew (taking full advantage of race prejudice) of improper advances and claimed that she had resisted by crying out with a loud voice. She repeated this charge to her husband later, and as a result Joseph was put in prison. The fact that Joseph was not immediately killed suggests that the master (20), though angry, was not wholly convinced of his wife's innocence in the matter.4
2. An Interpreter of Dreams (39:21—40:23)
Joseph's control of his own attitudes was important. But the writer of this story understood that his good rapport with the keeper of the prison (21) was due to the Lord's mercy (chesed). This word is intimately tied up with the covenant relationship and it thus becomes clear that Joseph had been selected by God as Jacob's successor in the covenant framework. Soon Joseph was in charge of many details of prison life. This was also due to the fact that the Lord was with him, and made it to prosper (23). More than attitude control and efficient work was involved. In Joseph's life there was an all-important plus, God's active concern and mercy.
Being a servant in the court of the king of Egypt (1) was risky business. Soon two of the king's servants arrived in ward (3, in prison ), due to some unnamed indiscretions. They were put in Joseph's care.
One night each of the new prisoners had a dream (5) which puzzled and depressed him. According to the interpretation of his dream is better “each dream with its own meaning” (RSV). They told Joseph, who in turn offered to assist, saying, Do not interpretations belong to God? (8) Whereupon each related his dream.
The chief butler (9) said that his dream was of a vine, which had three branches (10) that produced ripe grapes. The butler took the Pharaoh's cup (11), squeezed the juice of the grapes into it, and put it into the Pharaoh's hand. Joseph's interpretation was that the three branches are three days (12), and that within that time the butler would be restored to his old job. Lift up thine head (13) is better “release you” (Moffatt) or “summon you” (Smith-Goodspeed).
Joseph took advantage of the moment to make a personal appeal that, when reinstated, the butler would shew kindness (14) by mentioning to the Pharaoh the injustices which had put Joseph in prison in Egypt. He hoped that this would lead to his release.
The chief baker (16) next told his dream, in which he was carrying three white baskets (16, salley hori). White is a good translation of this term if it is understood to refer to white bread, but the same phrase can mean “wicker baskets.” Again the number three designated three days (18). But this man would not be restored. He would also be summoned by the Pharaoh, but as RSV puts it, “Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!” The birds (17) pecking at the baked goods gave this ill omen, for they would consume his flesh (19) while his body was hanged on a tree. The term lifted up the head (20) is employed the third time to denote release from prison. The fate of each man was as Joseph had predicted. However, to Joseph's dismay, the man whose life was spared forgat him (23).
D. JOSEPH'S DRAMATIC RISE TO POWER, 41:1-57
Joseph's case seemed hopeless until two full years later (1) the Pharaoh had a dream which defied the interpretative prowess of Egypt's best diviners. The impasse caused the butler to remember Joseph, who, when brought to the Pharaoh, accurately revealed the dream's secret. He was rewarded not by simply being released from prison but by being elevated to a position of power which was next to the Pharaoh himself.
1. The Cryptic Dream (41:1-8)
The Pharaoh's dream was deceptively simple. Standing by the river (1) which, in Egypt, could be only the Nile River, the Pharaoh saw seven well favoured kine (2), or cows, come out of the water and feed in a nearby meadow. Seven other (3) cows came from the water also, but were leanfleshed. What was unusual was that these lean cows ate up the fat cows.
The Pharaoh wakened, but falling asleep again he dreamed (5) that seven ears of corn (5) appeared, coming forth from one stalk. The word corn is the British term for grain, such as wheat or barley, not the American corn. Rank (5) here has the sense of being vigorous and healthy. In contrast to their good condition, seven (6) other heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, grew up and consumed the healthy grain.
Disturbed by the dreams, the Pharaoh called for all the magicians and wise men (8, diviners). Relating the dreams to them, the Pharaoh sought for an explanation, but none could provide one. Such dreams were understood to possess secret messages concerning future events and it was important that they be decoded.
2. The Secret Made Knoum (41:9-36)
It was at this juncture that the chief butler (9) called to mind the occasion in the prison when he and the baker (10) had dreamed and Joseph had correctly interpreted their dreams for them. According to the interpretation of his dream (11) is better “a dream with its own meaning” (RSV). The butler told Pharaoh the story. Joseph was sent for, and after hastily preparing for an audience with the Pharaoh (14), he was ushered into his presence. When told that he had a reputation as an interpreter of dreams, Joseph protested that he did not possess the power in himself but in God (16). The pagan diviners boasted of innate powers, though oftentimes in conjunction with some god or goddess. Joseph, like all believers in the one true God, regarded predictions of the future to be a divine gift. Accurate predictions could be dispensed only as God chose to grant them to His servants.5 God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace (16), is translated by Moffatt, “It is God's answer that will answer to Pharaoh.”
Pharaoh (17) related the content of the dreams with a few touches of personal reaction. He had been particularly impressed with the scrawny kine (19) which ate up the fat (20) ones with no resulting change in their physical appearance. None of his magicians (24) had been able to decipher the dreams.
Joseph (25) had no difficulty giving an interpretation. But in doing so he pointedly noted that the one true God (ha elohim, the Heb. term has the emphatic definite article which denotes distinctiveness) was going to act in Egypt. This was an amazing testimony in the presence of the monarch who was regarded by his people as the sun god in physical form, yet who was in this case helpless. This true God had shewed Pharaoh what he was about to do.
The two dreams were really a unit with a message related to future crop conditions in Egypt. The seven good kine (26) and the seven good ears symbolized seven years of abundant harvests. Their opposite kind represented seven years of famine, which would follow the seven years of great plenty (29).
Rain is not a significant factor in Egypt's climate, being almost completely absent in Upper Egypt. The prophecy, therefore, could only mean that the floods of the Nile River, which occur in the summer months and fertilize the valley, would be functioning normally for seven years. But for the following seven years they would be inadequate for Egypt's crops to mature properly. For ages, Egypt's food supply has been dependent on the Nile floods, which have not always been sufficient for agricultural needs.6
Joseph noted that, since both dreams meant the same thing, the situation was urgent, for the thing is established by God (32) and would happen soon. Joseph then proceeded to give the Pharaoh some practical advice which was not strictly a part of the interpretation. He suggested that a man discreet and wise (33) be given responsibility of gathering and storing all excess grain during the seven plenteous years (34) in order that there would be food during the seven years of famine (36).
3. The Surprise Appointment (41:37-45)
In a council meeting, Pharaoh and his servants (37) decided that Joseph's interpretation and advice were excellent. Pharaoh (38) characterized him as a man in whom the Spirit of God is, and reported to Joseph (39) that they had agreed he should be the man to supervise the grain storage plan. His rank would be next to Pharaoh himself in power and authority.
To symbolize Joseph's new office, Pharaoh gave him his ring (42) which bore the seal of authority, clothed him in fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. A chariot (43) was assigned to him and he was paraded publicly with the proclamation that he was to be honored by the populace. The next act was to change his name (45) to Zaphnath-paaneah, which means “abundance of life,” or “the god speaks and he lives.” Finally, Joseph was married to a girl from a high-ranking family of the priestly city of On (45). This city was called Heliopolis by the Greeks; it is still a suburb of modern Cairo. The girl's name was Asenath, meaning “one belonging to the goddess Neith.”7 Joseph was thrust into intimate contact with Egypt's paganism, but he was not overcome by it.
4. The Crop Conservation Project (41:46-57)
Joseph had been taken to Egypt when he was only 17 (37:2). He had been in Egypt for 13 years, and was still a young man of thirty years (46), when he became the second most powerful ruler in Egypt. He knew exactly what to do. During the years of abundant harvest, he gathered all grain beyond the people's immediate needs and stored it in a number of Egypt's cities (48). Brought forth by handfuls (47) is better “brought forth abundantly” (RSV). During this time two sons (50) were born. The first was named Manasseh (51, “forgetting”) as a testimony that God had erased from Joseph's soul thoughts of sadness about his years of toil, and all my father's house. The second son was named Ephraim (52, “double fruitfulness”) as a witness to God's provisions of mercy in the land of my affliction.
“The Song of an Exile” is given in 41:50-52. (1) Forgetfulness of toil, 51; (2) Fruitfulness in times of hardship, 52 (W. T. Purkiser).
When the seven years of dearth (54) came, Egypt was prepared with a large supply of food stored for the emergency. But the drouth reached beyond Egypt to Palestine and other neighboring countries. Within Egypt itself, people were soon hungry and pled for food, which Joseph provided according to a plan already worked out. The people were permitted to purchase the stored grain and so had enough to eat. People from other countries heard of Egypt's supply and came in order to buy corn (57, grain).
E. MYSTERIOUS PROBLEMS IN EGYPT, 42:1—45:28
The drouth drove Jacob's family to buy grain outside of Canaan and the only place that had an excess supply was Egypt. But when Jacob's sons came to Egypt they ran into unexpected difficulties. For some reason the vizier, or premier, made seemingly unjust charges against them and issued demands which defied ready explanation. But the vizier knew with whom he was dealing and was determined to extract the utmost advantage from the fact that Jacob's sons did not know him.
The affair ended in an unexpected and dramatic way. It was an ending which convinced Joseph of his brothers' change of heart; it surprised them by revealing that the brother they had sold was the man of authority who stood before them; and it over-joyed a burdened and grief-stricken father who heard with wonder that the boy he thought dead was alive.
1. Suspicion and Accusation (42:1-28)
In view of the drouth Jacob remonstrated with his sons, “Why stand looking at each other?” (1, Moffatt) So ten sons were dispatched to buy corn (grain) in Egypt (3). The youngest was kept at home, for Jacob was loath to let Benjamin (4) go, lest peradventure mischief befall him. The father's reluctance reveals both his painful memory of Joseph's disappearance and a lingering, gnawing fear that the others deeply disliked Rachel's sons.
To obtain grain they had to secure permission from the man in charge of the program, especially since they were foreigners. Instantly Joseph knew (7) who they were and decided to make himself as strange to them as possible, putting them through an unfriendly interrogation. He accused them of being spies (9), but they protested that they were true men (11). The nakedness of the land (9) is better “how defenceless the land is” (Moffatt). They regarded themselves as honest, a claim which must have caused Joseph to laugh silently to himself. As Joseph persisted in his accusations, they provided an accurate account of the situation in their family. The fact that Benjamin was not with them gave Joseph an opportunity to apply pressure. He did not mete out revenge, yet he used his authority to test them severely and to cause them to reveal their true selves. That is it (14) means, “It is as I said to you, you are spies” (RSV).
The accusation that they were spies was intended to bring out their purpose for coming to Egypt; their imprisonment was to impress them with the extent of his power over them. Joseph's demand that they send someone to fetch Benjamin was designed to uncover their real attitude toward his full brother, the other son of Rachel. By the life of Pharaoh (15) is a kind of oath, “as sure as the Pharaoh lives” (Moffatt).
After three days (17) he changed his tactics somewhat, for he had devised new ways to carry out his test. Calling them to his presence, he said that they could go home. But one must remain as a hostage, until their youngest brother (20) was brought to Egypt. This development revealed a collective conscience that was both tender and frightened. The memory of what they had done to Joseph had become more acute with the years. Doubtless Reuben (22) had worked on that conscience many times, and he now reminded them that justice was catching up with them.
Joseph had been conversing with them through an interpreter (23), so they had no way of knowing that he understood their conversation in their native tongue. But he heard their words and was moved so deeply he had to leave, for his emotion could not be contained. Privately, he wept (24), probably with relief and some joy that hardness and hate had given way to soul distress over their past sin. The selection of Simeon as the hostage may be an indication that he had been the ringleader of the plot against Joseph.
Without the brothers knowing it, Joseph gave orders that the money (25) paid for the grain be placed in each man's sack. At the first stop on the way home, the money was discovered when one sack was opened to get grain for the animals (27). The explanation for this turn of affairs was beyond them, but they fearfully suspected that God (28) had something to do with it.
The brothers had a strange tale to relate to their father (29). On hearing of the Egyptian's demand for Benjamin, his retention of Simeon, and the mysterious refund of money, Jacob became almost hysterical in his grief and fear. He accused his sons of responsibility for all his misfortunes, his loss of Joseph (36), of Simeon, and now of the threatened loss of Benjamin.
Reuben (37) sought to allay Jacob's fears by offering to give his two sons as hostages who could be put to death if he did not bring Benjamin back safely from Egypt. But Jacob could not be convinced. He had a deep distrust of his older sons and a fearful concern for the only remaining son of his beloved Rachel. To lose Benjamin would bring Jacob in sorrow to the grave (38).
2. The Fear-filled Return to Egypt (43:1-34)
The continuation of the famine (1) forced Jacob's family to go to Egypt (2) the second time for grain. Judah (3) insisted that they dared not go without Benjamin. Israel (6, Jacob) could but weakly protest that they should not have told Pharaoh's officer about Benjamin. But Judah (8), like his brother Reuben (42:37), offered to be surety (9), i.e., guaranteed, that Benjamin would return safely.
Facing bravely what seemed the inevitable, Israel (11) instructed his sons to take a present to the man, consisting of some of the delicacies of Canaan. They were to take back double money (12) for the first purchase, just in case the refund was really an oversight. The old father concluded with a note of resigned trust in the mercy of God Almighty (14) that his sons would be returned—but he was now ready to accept their loss, if it came to that.
When Joseph saw Benjamin (16), he was satisfied that his brothers were greatly changed in their attitudes and ordered his servants to prepare a banquet for them. The brothers were mystified about the trip to the officer's house (18) and immediately suspected that harm would come to them. They feared that they would be accused of stealing the money that was in their sacks and then be enslaved. As a precaution they sought to explain to the steward of Joseph's house (19) that they had been puzzled about the money and now had it to return to Joseph. They further assured him that they had other funds to pay for more food. Money in full weight (21) is interpreted “our money in full” (Smith-Goodspeed).
The steward's reply must have surprised and further mystified them. He spoke to them kindly and admitted that he had been responsible for the money in their sacks—“I received your money” (23, RSV). They did not know it but they had just given proof that they were not the greedy men who had sold their brother for 20 pieces of silver. They were indeed acting like honest men.
Simeon (23) was brought from the prison and joined the others. All were properly taken care of, including their animals. Anxiously they waited with present in hand for Joseph's arrival for the noon meal (25). They presented the gift, bowing humbly at his feet. Questioning them about their father, Joseph saw his brother Benjamin (29) again. It was too much. Choked with emotion, he left his brothers, and in the quiet of his room he wept (30). Finally he gained control of his emotions, washed his face (31), and returned to the dining room.
In typical Eastern style, they ate in separate groups according to rank and ethnic distinctions. The Egyptians (32) were particularly careful to keep themselves separate from the others, being strongly prejudiced against the Hebrews.8 As the meal continued, so did the pattern of inexplicable incidents. They found themselves seated in order from the eldest to the youngest (33). Also Joseph not only shared some of his food with them but made Benjamin's mess, i.e., portion of food, five times more than theirs. (34). Otherwise the occasion was a merry one (34).
3. The Mysterious Refund (44:1-13)
Joseph was not yet finished with his brothers. They had already demonstrated to his satisfaction that they were telling the truth about his family in Canaan. They had been honest in regard to the money replaced in their bags. Jacob had entrusted Benjamin to their care and he had arrived safely, but the length of time between their trips must have suggested to him that Jacob had been very unwilling to let Benjamin come. Joseph intended now to test the extent of their trustworthiness in regard to his brother. He wanted to see whether they would abandon Benjamin, as they had abandoned him.
To gain this information he instructed the steward (1) to replace the money in the sacks for the second time. But in Benjamin's sack he was to hide Joseph's personal silver cup (2). After the caravan had left, he sent his steward (4) to accuse them of stealing the cup. He divineth (5) means to foretell future events or to discover hidden knowledge.
Like Jacob with Laban (31:32), the brothers vehemently denied the charge of stealing and boldly asserted that whoever should do such a thing ought to die (9), and they themselves would be willing to become bondmen, i.e., slaves. To their amazement and chagrin, the cup was found in Benjamin's sack (12).
4. The Accusation and the Plea (44:14-34)
The brothers were completely crushed by the new developments and fell before Joseph on the ground (14). Wot ye not (15) would be, Do you not know? In deep agony, utterly unable to defend themselves, they said, God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants (16). Joseph then appeared to relent somewhat, for he offered to let them go free. Benjamin, though, would have to remain as a slave. On the surface it looked like a merciful gesture, for it gave them an opportunity to leave without any charges or any punishment leveled against them.
But Judah (18) could not leave without his brother Benjamin. Approaching the Egyptian officer, he poured from his soul a plea which stands as a literary masterpiece.
Judah first reviewed the case up to that moment. He recalled that the Egyptian official had inquired of their family, had discovered that the youngest was very dear to their father, and then had demanded that he be brought to Egypt. Although this would cause great pain to him, they had told their father (24) of the demand. Judah skillfully played on the pathos of the father, who had lost his most dearly loved son and was loath to let the other son of his beloved wife go, fearing his loss also. He stressed Jacob's words, If … mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave (29). The words were designed to make the greatest possible emotional appeal to the man before him. Next, Judah emphasized his own pledge to his father (32) to bring the boy back or bear the blame … for ever. To prove the earnestness of that pledge, Judah offered to become a slave himself in order that Benjamin might go home. His last thrust was personal, for to go home to see his father die of grief would be too painful. He would rather live as a slave.
To Joseph, the change he saw in Judah must have been amazing. This was the man who had urged his brothers to sell Joseph as a slave, and now he was willing to become a slave himself, and thus to defend Benjamin with his life. Judah, who had aided in deceiving Jacob about Joseph's death, was now standing bravely loyal to Jacob at great personal cost. He had not dared to take a stand openly against his brothers when the plot was being hatched, but now he was boldly standing before a man of great power. Previously greed and passion had guided his life, but now he was willing to pay a supreme sacrifice for the sake of another.
5. The Startling Disclosure (45:1-15)
Judah's plea gained its purpose; it deeply affected the man before him who held so much power over their lives. Stirred with emotion, Joseph (1) ordered all others out of the room and then began to weep loudly, to the amazement of everyone. His doubting heart was satisfied; his brothers were no longer the heartless men who had sold him into slavery.
Dramatically he announced, I am Joseph (3), and asked again about his father. The brothers were speechless, unable to believe what they had just heard. If this was Joseph, surely he would punish them. But Joseph reassured them, requesting that they not berate themselves for what they had done to him, for God did send me before you to preserve life (5).
Now it could be seen by Joseph that God had overruled the evil intent of his brothers. God had made it possible for him as a high official in Egypt to open the way for his family to move out of drouth-stricken Canaan to the land where he had stored food for the famine. His brothers had thought to get rid of him by selling him as a slave. But God had used him to save them from starvation. Neither … earing nor harvest (6) would be “neither plowing nor harvest” (RSV). Made me a father to Pharaoh (8) is better “has made me Pharaoh's prime minister, head of all his palace” (Moffatt). By transforming evil intent into good and by providing strength during distress, God showed that His ultimate purpose is redemptive and that His relationships with men are informed with love.
Joseph gave in detail his plans to have the entire family move to the land of Goshen (10; see map 3). Verse 12 is rendered clearly by Smith-Goodspeed, “You can see for yourselves and my brother Benjamin for himself that it is I who speak to you.” Then throwing aside lordly dignity, he embraced his brother Benjamin (14) and they wept together. This he did with each of his brethren (15), following which they talked with him.
The road to full reconciliation had been painful for both Joseph and his brothers. The brothers had to face up to their guilt, confess their sins (42:21-22), and recognize that God was punishing them (42:28). They had to plead for mercy (44:27-32) and demonstrate that they actually were changed men (44: 33-34). For Joseph, the ordeal was also painful. He had to assure himself of their new sincerity by putting them through embarrassing situations, some of which would bring pain to his father. He had to maintain his disguise as an Egyptian, though he yearned to make himself known. When the hour of unveiling came, his rank and his power made it difficult for his brothers to believe that he was Joseph and that he really was forgiving them.
6. Orders to Move (45:16-24)
The fame (16, news) that the men who came from Canaan were in fact the brothers of the vizier of Egypt stirred the royal court. When it reached the ears of Pharaoh, he responded with an order that Joseph's family should take back food and wagons (19) in order to transport the entire clan to Egypt. The expression regard not your stuff (20) means, “Never mind your goods” (Smith-Goodspeed). Joseph took charge of equipping his brothers for the move. To each he gave gifts, but he showered Benjamin (22) with an overabundance, and sent a great amount for his father (23). See that ye fall not out by the way (24), means, “Do not quarrel on the road” (Moffatt).
7. The Son Who Was Dead Is Alive (45:25-28)
The return home was different this time. There were no mysteries and no disconcerting demands, only unbelievable news. Word that Joseph (26) actually was alive was almost a greater shock than the news that he had been killed by a beast. Only the detailed story of what happened in Egypt and the wagons (27) which had been sent loaded with food and gifts convinced Jacob. Then his spirit … revived (27). Jacob's burning desire for Joseph was to see him before I die (28).
Already the aftermath of forgiveness and reconciliation could be traced. An abundance of food was available without price. Jacob's life had been spared due to Benjamin's return and the news that Joseph was alive. Family unity had been restored, and freedom from guilt and fear was realized.
F. THE NEW HOME IN EGYPT, 46:1—47:31
In spite of the news that Joseph was in Egypt, it was not easy for Jacob to leave Canaan, for it was the Promised Land. But with divine permission, Jacob made the move with his sizable retinue, received a joyous welcome from Joseph, and saw his family settled in a well-watered and productive portion of the delta of the Nile. It was a blissful conclusion to a life full of mistakes, adventures, tension, adversity, sorrow, and joy, and above all, it had been a life full of the mercies of God.
1. Jacob Received Permission to Move (46:1-7)
Evidently Jacob and his family had kept their headquarters at Hebron (37:14; see map 2). On hearing the astounding news that Joseph was alive and was a high official in Egypt, Israel (1, Jacob) set out at once for Egypt. As he traveled toward Beersheba, Jacob probably remembered that his grandfather Abraham had gone through an unpleasant experience in Egypt (12:10 ff.), and that God had told Isaac not to go to Egypt (26:2). He must also have recalled that God had told Abraham that his descendents would one day reside there (15:13-16).
With mingled thoughts, therefore, Jacob worshiped, offering sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. Though not recorded, a prayer for guidance and protection doubtless was offered at this time. God's answer did not come until the nightfall, but the word was positive: Go down into Egypt (3). The message also contained promises. Jacob's family would become a great nation; God would bring Jacob up again (4), being with him always; and Joseph would put his hand upon thine eyes, i.e., be present at his death.
Jacob arose from that place with all doubts settled. This was not a new God but the only true God, who had appeared to his father. In the Hebrew, the definite article ha distinguishes this speaking God from all false gods. Everything and everyone connected with Jacob moved toward Egypt and soon arrived at its borders.
A momentous turn of events had occurred in the life of the patriarch and his family, and God's stamp of approval was upon it. God's purpose seemed to be to preserve the patriarch's family as a unit, by separating it from the spiritual rot of Canaanite immorality and idolatry. Already, several of the older sons had been tainted by that rot. The Egyptians would be sufficiently different, so that intermarriage and idolatry would not have so strong an appeal as in Canaan. Yet Jacob's descendents would be closely associated with the positive achievements of culture. They would be living beside the main international trade routes of the day.
2. A Register of Jacob's Sons (46:8-27)
In this list, the family of Jacob is separated according to the mothers; the number of children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren is totaled. Since Judah's sons Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan (12), it can be assumed that Dinah and Jacob or some unnamed second daughter or daughter-in-law are included in the total of thirty and three (15).
A granddaughter of Jacob and Leah (15) is mentioned in connection with Asher (17), son of Zilpah (18), giving a grand total of sixteen souls in this branch of the family. Besides the two sons of Joseph (20), 10 sons are assigned to Benjamin (21), though he was still young. Perhaps multiple births were a characteristic of his family. The Greek translation gives three sons, six grandsons, and one great-grandson to Benjamin, an improbable situation for one so young.
The two sons of Bilhah are listed as having five sons between them. The total of all those recorded here is 70 people, but the actual count of 66 omits Jacob, Joseph, and his two sons. The wives of none of the men are counted, and only one daughter and one granddaughter are clearly included in the total.
The reference in Acts 7:14 to Jacob's move to Egypt mentions 75 people; it follows the Greek translation, which includes five more descendents of Joseph through his sons.
3. The Dramatic Father-Son Meeting (46:28-34)
Jacob sent Judah (28), the new leader of the brethren, on ahead to work out details of the settlement in Egypt and to arrange for the best possible occasion for the reunion of father and son.
Being a high official, Joseph had access to Egypt's best means of transportation, a chariot (29), and he was not long in reaching his father. They embraced each other and wept … a good while. When the embrace was completed, the aged Israel (30, Jacob) was ready to die, as though the entire goal of his life had just been achieved. His son who was lost had been found.
Joseph turned his attention to the great need immediately before them, to gain formal approval of Goshen (34) as the part of Egypt in which Jacob's family would reside. Because he had intimate knowledge of royal procedures in Egypt, Joseph gave detailed instructions concerning how to approach Pharaoh (33). The situation was delicate because the Egyptians (34) rated shepherds as of low social status, and it must be made clear that their visit would be temporary. The Egyptian records show that this was not the first time people from Canaan had come to Egypt in famine years. Probably no other group had had as high representation before Pharaoh as did Jacob's family.
4. Permit for Temporary Residency (47:1-6)
In modern terms, it might be said that Joseph gave Jacob's family visas for entrance. But a permit for temporary residence of some years must come from Pharaoh himself (1). Knowing Egyptian procedures, Joseph himself made proper approaches to Pharaoh. The five brothers selected (2) made the plea that Joseph had coached them to make. However, they stressed the fact that dire necessity had motivated them to move to Egypt (4).
The Pharaoh was impressed and, happily, permission was granted to live in the land of Goshen. Pharaoh also made an unexpected request. Jacob's family was offered employment privileges in the Egyptian economy—“If you know of capable men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock” (6, Berk.)
5. The Man of God Meets Pharaoh (47:7-12)
The next step was to introduce Jacob to the Pharaoh (7), an incident filled with interesting contrasts. The Pharaoh was regarded as a divine being, the son of the sun and ruler over a polytheistic nation.9 Jacob had personally met the one true God several times and was in a covenant relationship with Him. The Pharaoh had the power to receive or to reject Jacob now, but Jacob had a promise from the true God that He would bring the Israelites back to Canaan again, and no Pharaoh could prevent it. The Pharaoh was supposed to have power over all aspects of Egypt's life. But it was Joseph, Jacob's son, who actually ran the country during its time of crisis. In time the line of Pharaoh was to be destroyed, but Jacob's descendents and their religious faith are still powerful today.
Pharaoh noticed that Jacob was an old man, whose age was much beyond the life-span of the average Egyptian. When asked, How old art thou? (8) Jacob gave his age but did not boast. Men of long life have their memories of tragedy. Also, even an hundred and thirty years (9) were few compared to those of Jacob's ancestors. Here was another contrast between the short-lived man-god and the longevity of a man of God.
On entering and on leaving Pharaoh's presence, Jacob blessed him (7, 10). Heb. 7:7 declares that “without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.”
Under Joseph's watchful eye Jacob's family fared well. All things needful were provided for them. The land of Rameses (11) was a title for Goshen common at the time when the Pentateuch was written.
6. Joseph's Welfare Program (47:13-26)
The drouth, which in Egypt (13) would be the failure of the Nile River to flood the land at its regular time in the summer, continued to leave the people without a harvest. Joseph's grain-storage plan proved to be invaluable. But the dole was not handed out gratis. Food must be purchased with whatever property was available. Coins or printed currency were not known in Joseph's time, so the money (14) brought in by the people was probably precious metals and jewels. When these were gone, cattle (16) were turned in to the government, then privately owned land, and finally the people became serfs in exchange for bread (19).
In theory, all land, cattle, and people belonged to the Pharaoh, and in certain periods of Egypt's history this was the actual situation. But there had been periods of royal weakness when private property and enterprise held sway. The famine was a means by which the ancient absolutism was reestablished. There was only one exception. The land of the priests (22) could not be touched by the ruling class.
To temper the hardships of the people (23), Joseph granted seed to them with the understanding that one-fifth of the increase was to be turned over to the government. This is much less than the 50 percent or more that sharecroppers often pay, and it is a lower tax than many citizens in civilized countries pay today.
7. Joseph's Vow to His Father (47:27-31)
For seventeen years (28) the patriarch lived in Egypt, seeing his family prosper in the country of Goshen (27). Feeling the end drawing near, he called … Joseph (29) to his side. Israel must be certain that his remains would be placed in the cave of Machpelah. Using terms common to the covenant language, such as grace and deal kindly and truly, he requested that Joseph solemnly vow to bury him in Canaan in accordance with God's promises recorded in 28:13-15 and in 35:11-12. When Joseph took his vow, he followed custom (see 24:2) by placing his hand under Jacob's thigh. It was a high moment of faith for Jacob and, as soon as Joseph committed himself, the dying patriarch worshiped. The KJV states that Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head (31). Heb. 11:21, following the Greek Septuagint, reads “leaning upon the top of his staff.” In the Hebrew language the difference is mittah, “bed,” and matteh, “staff.” Only consonants were written in Hebrew manuscripts, so the difference arises from two separate traditions of pronunciation.
G. ANTICIPATIONS OF THE FUTURE, 48:1—50:26
The final chapters of Genesis are rooted in both the crises of death in the present, or immediate future, and the long-range future of the descendents of Jacob. Always it is stressed that the land of Egypt is not the permanent home of these people. They must have their eyes on Canaan. To emphasize this point, Jacob was buried in the family burial cave and Joseph was embalmed for future burial in Canaan.
1. Jacob's Adoption of Joseph's Sons (48:1-22)
A turn for the worse in Jacob's health brought Joseph (1) and his two sons to the aged man's bedside. With difficulty Jacob sat up to receive them. It was an important meeting, about which father and son evidently had talked previously.
Jacob's memories harked back to that eventful moment at Luz (3, Bethel; see 28:10-22). At that time God Almighty had appeared to him, becoming personally real and conveying the covenant promises to him. Now Jacob intended to pass these covenant promises, along with attendant obligations, to his descendents. He had already come to know the will of God concerning which son would be singled out for this privilege, but had told no one.
Jacob's first step was to adopt Joseph's two sons as his own. In fact he placed them on a par with Reuben and Simeon (5), his two oldest sons.10 Jacob had never forgotten his loss of Rachel, so he intended to honor her by elevating these grandchildren to the status of sons and eventually as tribes in Israel. However, Joseph's name would be perpetuated through other sons apt to be born (6). Ephrath (7) is an older name for Bethlehem, which is inserted by the writer to make the location clear.
Jacob's dim eyes (10) now noticed two other figures in the room. Ascertaining that they were Ephraim and Manasseh, he performed the ritualistic gestures of adoption which were customary among his people. Legitimate sons were received by the father by placing them between his knees (12); so also were these adopted sons recognized.
The next step was the formal act of pronouncing the blessing which was to Jacob's people irrevocable. Not knowing his father's intentions, Joseph arranged his sons according to custom, i.e., the oldest son opposite the tribal father's right hand (13). Jacob anticipated this move, so crossing his hands, he pronounced the covenant blessing on the youngest, Ephraim (14). From that moment Ephraim was to be the covenant representative before God. Dissatisfied with his father's actions, Joseph tried to change the position of Jacob's hands, only to be told that what had been done was intentional. Wittingly (14) would be “knowingly.” For the third time, the younger son in the Une of the patriarchs had taken the place of an older son (see 17:19-20; 27:27-29).
In the blessing, Jacob testified of the Angel which redeemed me from all evil (16). This is the first time the word “redeem” (go'el) appears in the Scriptures. It is rooted in the obligation of a kinsman to buy back the mortgaged property of an unfortunate relative, or to buy the relative back from slavery (Lev. 25:25-55).
Jacob had come to see his own dishonesty with Esau, and his troubles with Laban as an evil which threatened to entrap him. But God had helped him to settle things with Laban, and to effect a reconciliation with Esau. God had also brought him out of the evil ways of his own older sons, and had given Joseph back to him. These were the acts of God which had brought hope and joy to his heart. He looked upon these events as redemptive, for he owed everything to what God had done for him. He who had worked so effectually in the past would surely bless the lads and work redemption for these grandchildren.
In addition to the special blessing upon Ephraim (17), blessing was also given to Manasseh (cf. 27:39-40). The form of this blessing, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh (20), is still used among Jewish people. Moreover, Jacob gave Joseph the promise that he too would return to Canaan someday (21), for it was God's will. Furthermore, Joseph was to have a portion (22) of that land for his own. It was located by Shechem. No other record remains of the battle with the Amorite which is connected with Jacob's ownership of this parcel of land. However, Josh. 24:32 states that Joseph's embalmed body was buried on a plot of ground which was purchased from “the sons of Hamor” (see also John 4:5-6).
2. Jacob's Blessings on His Sons (49:1-28)
Except for the first verse, this portion of Scripture is poetic in form, rich in parallelism of thought, wordplay, and metaphor. It was a solemn hour, for the patriarch was dispensing his final will and testament before dying.
There is a strong tinge of irony in Jacob's address to Reuben ( 3). As the firstborn, his was a place of high privilege and responsibility. He should have been a leader of might, strength, dignity, and power. But Reuben had turned his back on the highest and had stooped to the very lowest level. He had sought to demonstrate his leadership by defiling his father's bed (4) in a gross act of incest (cf. 35:22). Jacob had not forgotten and now Reuben was to pay a high price for his folly.
“The Tragedy of Spiritual Instability” is illustrated in Jacob's words about Reuben: (1) A man of great possibilities, 3; (2) Reuben's lost excellence, shalt not excel, 4; (3) The fatal flaw, unstable as water, 4 (W. T. Purkiser).
Simeon and Levi (5) are grouped together, for they had led the bloody massacre of Shechem (34:25-29). Jacob's shock, when he heard of this incident, is vividly depicted in this condemnation of their rash act. Moffatt renders it: “Their plans, my soul, never share; heart of mine, join not their council!” Neither was to have a tribal territory in Canaan, but would be scattered among the others (see Josh. 19:1-9 and 21:1-42).
Judah (8) had proved himself to be a better man in maturity than in youth and, prior to moving to Egypt, had demonstrated his leadership ability. The name means “praise” and so he was to be the praise of Jacob's family as their military and political leader. His courage would be like that of a lion (9); but above all, royalty would issue from Judah's tribe (I Sam. 16:1-13; II Sam. 2:1-4; 5:1-5).
A great deal of controversy has swirled about the word Shi-lob. (10), which can be understood as meaning “rest” or “rest giver.” This is the name of the town where the ark rested until Samuel's time (I Sam. 4:1-22). But since that site was never important in Judah's history, there seems to be no tie to this prophecy in v. 10. An early Aramaic translation reads “until Messiah comes,” and this interpretation has held a strong place in Jewish and Christian understanding of the text. The Greek, the Samaritan, and the Targum of Onkelos give a reading pointing to a Hebrew compound word meaning, literally, “which is his” (cf. Ezek. 21:27). This also was understood to have Messianic import, but it has been challenged.11
Evangelical Christians have been quite united in seeing Christ as the fulfillment of this prediction which came from Jacob's lips. So understood, this prophecy meant that beyond the tribes of Israel the people of the world would become obedient to the One who was to come.12 Smith's translation has caught the mood of royalty in this description of Judah's leadership:
“He tethers his ass to the vine,
And his ass's colt to the choicest vine;
He washes his garments in wine,
And his robes in the blood of grapes;
His eyes are darker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk” (Smith-Goodspeed).
The main characteristic of Zebulun (13) was association with sea commerce. These people would be energetic traders.
Issachar (14) was to be related to the laborer's task and he would do his work faithfully if not imaginatively. He was to be the epitome of “Mr. Taxpayer.”
The name Dan (16) means “judge.” But what a poor one he was to be! Instead of justice, treachery was to mark his decisions, which would afflict the plaintiff like the poison of the adder (17). As Jacob uttered this pronouncement, he could not help but cry with pain, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord (18).
The words about the next three sons were short. Gad (19) was to be oppressed, but would overcome finally. Asher (20) would be prosperous, having a surplus of food. Naphtali (21) would know freedom and would be blessed with the ability to utter goodly words.
In contrast to these three, Jacob overflowed with predictions of a fruitful future for Joseph (22). Persecuted though he had been, this son was sustained by the mighty God of Jacob (24). This was the God who had been Jacob's own shepherd, Protector, and stone of Israel throughout his life. The Almighty (25) would be liberal with His blessings, five of which are enumerated. Joseph was unlike any of bis brethren (26). Moffatt renders parts of 24-25 meaningfully:
“Jacob's Mighty One upholds him,
Israel's Strength sustains him—
ay, your father's God who aids you,
God Almighty who will bless you …”
In 49:22-26, G. B. Williamson points out “Joseph, a Fruitful Bough.” (1) Joseph's tribulations, 23; cf. 37:17-36; (2) Joseph's temptation, 24; cf. 39:7-20; 40:14, 23; (3) Joseph's triumph, 25-26; cf. 4:39-46.
Benjamin (27) is described as wolflike, “devouring prey in the morning and dividing spoil at evening” (Smith-Goodspeed). Violence would attend his acquisition of wealth.
3. Jacob's Death (49:29-33)
Having completed his blessings, Jacob made known the wish he had earlier revealed to Joseph (47:29-31). He was to be buried in the cave… of Machpelah (29-30), which had been purchased by Abraham (23:1-20). It was the grave of his ancestors and of Leah (31), his wife. Jacob wanted to be sure that in life and in death his sons were to have their eyes on Canaan as their true home.
The last detail had been cared for and there was no need to tarry. Jacob … was gathered unto his people (33), as were Abraham and Isaac before him.
4. The Burial of Jacob (50:1-14)
Joseph (1) was overwhelmed with emotion. Casting dignity of high office aside, he wept upon the lifeless form of his father. But he also knew his duty. In death, Jacob was to have the best. For forty days (3) the body was in the process of being embalmed, and 30 more days were spent in mourning, something which had not happened to Abraham or to Isaac.
Joseph next went to the house of Pharaoh (4), i.e., the proper officials of the court, to explain the vow to which Jacob had committed him and to seek permission to perform the vow. A promise was made that Joseph would come again (5). The request was passed on to Pharaoh (6), who granted permission to leave the country and, more significantly, assigned a group of official representatives to attend the funeral.
The sizable company of Israelites and Egyptians made their way to the cave of Machpelah. At the threshingfloor of Atad (10), presumably close by the burial cave, seven days of mourning for Jacob were observed.
The native Canaanites (11) were overwhelmed by the presence of so many officials from Egypt and their mourning over Jacob, whom they knew well. Their reaction was to rename the threshing floor Abel-mizraim, which means “the mourning of the Egyptians.” Interment in the cave of the field of Machpelah (13) was formally carried out and the funeral retinue returned to Egypt.
5. The Fearful Brothers (50:15-21)
Jacob's death brought to the surface fears which had been submerged in his sons' minds for several years. Would Joseph unleash reprisals against them as soon as Jacob died? They could not believe that he had ever fully forgiven them. Together they determined to make clear that they were indeed sincere in their contrition for past deeds, though that contrition had never been voiced (cf. 45:4-15).
Discreetly, the brothers sent a message to Joseph before they sought for an interview. For the first time in the biblical record a plea for forgiveness is openly stated, though Jacob's words to Esau, “to find grace in thy sight” (33:8, 10), approach this. The contents of the note touched Joseph's heart, and another deeply moving scene of reconciliation took place. The prostrate forms of the brothers remind one of Joseph's dream against which they had bitterly reacted (37:5-8). Though Joseph possessed supreme human power to achieve vengeance, his soul was swayed by a greater influence, the readiness to forgive. The one true God had overruled human hate and had meant it unto good … to save much people alive (20). The kindness of Joseph cast out the nagging fears, and the brothers parted truly united in mutual respect and love.
6. Joseph's Last Request (50:22-26)
The time had come for the fourth of the great patriarchs to die. Death held no terror for either Abraham (25:7-11), Isaac (35:27-29), or Jacob (49:28-33). The same was true of Joseph. As with Jacob, so Joseph must make certain his remains would eventually be laid to rest in the Promised Land.
Gathering his brethren (24), Joseph reiterated his father's faith that Canaan was the true home of the Israelites. He gained from them an oath, Ye shall carry up my bones from hence (25). That cared for, Joseph died peacefully, being an hundred and ten years old (26). He was embalmed, placed in a coffin, and, for the time being, his mummy remained with his brethren in Egypt.
From 50:22-26, Alexander Maclaren expounds the theme of “Joseph's Faith.” (1) Faith is always the same though knowledge varies; (2) Faith has its noblest office in detaching us from the present; (3) Faith makes men energetic in the duties of the present.