Name means: “See, a Son”; in Hebrew the name Reuben is a wordplay on “The Lord Has Seen My Oppression.”
Home: Born in Padan Aram; raised his family in Canaan; resettled with his father and brothers in Goshen, the eastern delta region of Egypt.
Family: Son of Jacob and Leah; father of four sons (Gen. 46:9). See “The Family of Jacob” at Gen. 35:22–26.
Occupation: Like his brothers, a shepherd (37:2, 12).
Best known as: Jacob’s eldest son and the one who intervened to spare the life of Joseph (37:21, 22); also remembered for committing incest with Bilhah, his father’s concubine (35:22), which cost him the double inheritance usually reserved for the firstborn (49:3, 4; Deut. 21:17). Reuben’s descendants, the Reubenites, were a pastoral people who grazed their vast livestock herds east of the river Jordan (Num. 32:1–33).
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Name means: “Praise.”
Home: Raised in Canaan; resettled with his father and brothers in Goshen, the eastern delta region of Egypt.
Family: Son of Jacob and Leah; father of five sons (Gen. 38:3–5; 46:12), including Perez and Zerah by Tamar, his son Er’s widow; through Perez, Judah was an ancestor of David (1 Chr. 2–4) and ultimately of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:23, 33). See “The Family of Jacob” at Gen. 35:22–26.
Occupation: Like his brothers, a shepherd (Gen. 37:2, 12).
Best known as: The father of the Jewish tribe through which Jesus the Messiah was born, and a leader among Jacob’s sons: for example, he helped save the life of Joseph (37:26, 27), was surety for the life of Benjamin (43:1–10), and negotiated the release of Benjamin in Egypt (44:16–34).
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Ironically, Joseph was sold to a band of Midianites, distant relatives of Joseph and his brothers through Abraham’s concubine Keturah (Gen. 25:1, 2). The Midianites lived as nomads in the desert region southeast of Canaan along the northern coast of the Red Sea. They were often linked with the Ishmaelites (37:27, 28; Judg. 7:25; 8:24), with whom they apparently shared the slave trade to Egypt. To learn more about the Midianites and their long history of hostility with the Israelites, see “The Midianites” at Numbers 25:17.
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From Burdens to Blessings
Raised by extended family in Red River Parish in rural Louisiana, Denver Moore (1937–2012) worked the fields as a twentieth-century slave for almost thirty years, even though slavery in America had supposedly ended when his grandparents were children. Moore and others like him might have fallen under the category of sharecroppers if the white farmers they worked with had not taken advantage of them at every turn. In his New York Times bestselling book, Same Kind of Different As Me, Moore explains:
The Man owned the land. Then he give you the cotton seeds, and the fertilizer … and everything else you need to get through the year. ’Cept he don’t really give it to you: He let you buy it at the store on credit … his store on his plantation that he owned.…
At the end of the year, when you bring in the cotton, you go to the Man and settle up. Supposably, you gon’ split that cotton right down the middle, or maybe sixty-forty. But by the time the crop comes in, you owe the Man so much on credit, your share of the crop gets eat up. And even if you don’t think you owe that much, or even if the crop was ’specially good that year, the Man weighs the cotton and writes down the figgers, and he the only one that can read the scale or the books.
So you done worked all year and the Man ain’t done nothin, but you still owe the Man. And wadn’t nothin you could do but work his land for another year to pay off that debt. What it come down to was: The Man didn’t just own the land. He owned you.
As a teenager, Moore once fixed a flat tire for a white woman. This selfless act was rewarded by cruelty when three white boys happened across them. Moore was roped by the neck and dragged behind a horse until he was half dead, and probably would have been dragged until he was fully dead but for the intervention of Moore’s white childhood friend.
As an adult, Moore hopped a freight train that took him to Fort Worth, Texas, where he quickly ended up sleeping on the streets. He moved on to Los Angeles, then back to Louisiana. After doing prison time for armed robbery, he returned to Fort Worth, again to live the life of the homeless.
Understandably, Moore was suspicious of white people, and it had been decades before he’d even spoken to a white woman. But in 1998, he met a white woman he called Miss Debbie, a volunteer with her husband Ron at the Union Gospel Mission. In the twenty-five years Moore had spent on the streets, Debbie was the first person to ask for his name. Ron pursued a friendship with the quiet, wary man, and Moore gradually became a member of their family.
Debbie Hall died two years later, but not before urging her husband to press on in his friendship with Moore. The former slave in turn pledged to carry on Debbie’s work on behalf of the homeless. Within one day of Moore’s speech at her memorial service, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars were donated toward a new building for the Union Gospel Mission. Millions more were given over the next few years.
After Debbie’s death, Denver Moore and Ron Hall co-authored Same Kind of Different As Me to tell of the hardships each had faced and the unique bond these hardships had formed between them, leading them into an unexpected, new way of life. They lectured together across the nation and were welcomed to a White House luncheon in 2008.
Wherever Moore spoke, he requested a simple introduction: “Tell ’em I’m a nobody that is tryin’ to tell everybody about Somebody that can save anybody.” Better than most, Moore understood Joseph’s words as he reflected on his life, begun in suffering, marked by cruelty, and redeemed by the Lord: “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20).
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Name means: “Palm.”
Not to be confused with: The daughter of David who was raped by her half brother Amnon (2 Sam. 13:8–20).
Home: Near the road to Timnah (Gen. 38:11–14).
Family: Wife of Judah’s son Er, who died (38:6, 7); was given to Judah’s son Onan, who would not consummate the marriage and also died (38:8–10); mother of twin sons Perez and Zerah by her father-in-law Judah (38:14–30).
Occupation: Homemaker.
Best known for: Tricking her father-in-law into impregnating her, probably as a way to avoid being without a husband and therefore without a livelihood (38:14, 26).
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Home: Egypt.
Family: Husband of an unidentified woman (Gen. 39:7).
Occupation: Captain of the guard, a military position under Pharaoh. Because Potiphar was an officer of Pharaoh (Gen. 39:1), his household may have been large, with numerous servants.
Best known as: The Egyptian to whom Joseph was sold as a slave (39:1) and whose wife tried to seduce and then framed the young Israelite.
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Joseph eventually rose to second-in-command over all of Egypt (Gen. 41:39–41), but in his early years in that foreign nation he was a household servant (39:2). Joseph could have complained about having to “waste” time in such a position. Yet he was so faithful in the assignment God had given him that his master Potiphar elevated him to second-in-command over his household (39:3–6), a position that offered excellent preparation for responsibilities that eventually came his way. As overseer of Potiphar’s household, Joseph likely had considerable management responsibility. When Joseph was imprisoned, he was assigned a similar role over his fellow inmates (39:20–23).
More: If you’ve ever felt impatient and frustrated with a lower level of responsibility, consider Joseph’s example, along with several others in Scripture. See “The Value of Preparation” at Ex. 2:11. To learn more about the job of managers in Bible times, see the entry for “Overseer” in the Jobs and Occupations index. See also “Codes of Conduct for the Christian Worker” at Col. 3:22—4:1.
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Joseph’s struggles and ultimate victory are an encouragement for anyone who labors in a less than perfect world. Unjustly jailed for spurning the advances of his boss’s wife (Gen. 39:6–18), he soon became a warden’s assistant in the prison where he was sent (39:21–23). His performance was so flawless that his keepers did not need to check his work. They trusted him implicitly.
As a slave, Joseph likely had no means of appeal. So he turned hardships into opportunities for diligence and focus. He maintained his pursuit of excellence by dedicating himself to the task at hand rather than focusing on how he had been framed.
Joseph’s example of patience in the midst of suffering does not mean we should ignore injustice. It was Joseph’s attitude of humility that God honored with achievements nothing less than amazing under the best of circumstances. Joseph, a foreign slave, rose to power and status as Egypt’s second-in-command (41:41–45).
Many employees work their hardest as long as circumstances reward their efforts. But their efforts slide when they work for a less-than-ideal boss, or if a company seems satisfied with mediocrity, or if they are treated unfairly. Yet God challenges us to excellence, and He notices how we work. While there is no guarantee God will grant us power and prestige if we honor Him in our work and pursue excellence, Scripture does promise this: “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance” (Col. 3:23, 24).
More: The books of Esther and Philemon offer stories of God’s people challenging unjust systems, and “Faith for Modern Life” in the front matter outlines how we can bring our faith to bear on society’s systems. Paul promised “the reward of the inheritance” to Christian slaves in Colosse (Col. 3:24), and by extension to all Christian workers. Find out what that means in “What’s In It for Us” at Eph. 1:11.
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One of Pharaoh’s officers is called a “butler,” but the position was probably similar to Nehemiah’s role as a cupbearer. This important assignment involved testing a ruler’s food to guard against poisoning. Cupbearers often became trusted confidants of the rulers they served. Find out more about the position in “Nehemiah the Cupbearer” at Nehemiah 1:11.
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The chief butler owed his life to Joseph, who had correctly interpreted his dream (Gen. 40:9–13). All that Joseph asked in return was to be remembered once the butler was reinstated to his position, and the account implies the butler agreed to this request. Yet once he was out of trouble, he forgot his promise. Not until two full years had gone by (41:1) and Pharaoh happened to have a puzzling dream of his own did the butler recall his commitment, apparently with some guilt (41:9).
We honor God not by our commitments to do things but by actually doing what we promise. Sliding into the pattern of “out of sight, out of mind” takes no effort at all. Yet God wants us to be people of our word (Matt. 5:37).
More: Honoring our commitments is one of the most critical things we can do as Christians at work. See “Your Workstyle” at Titus 2:9–11.
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The man identified as Pharaoh was probably a ruler in the Hyksos period of Egyptian history (1786–1570 B.C.). Pharaoh (meaning “Great House”) was not a name but a title given to Egyptian kings. We do not know the name of the pharaoh Joseph served or exactly when that king ruled.
We do know the Hyksos (“Rulers of Foreign Lands”) were Semitic-Asiatics who wrested control from earlier pharaohs, most likely through a coup. The Hyksos did not interfere with Egyptian culture. However, they ruled in a manner far more benevolent to outsiders than either their predecessors or successors, such as the oppressive pharaoh of Moses’ day. They are known for introducing the horse and chariot, the compound bow and battle ax, and advanced fortification techniques.
The most important link between pharaohs was not through blood but through religious tradition. The pharaoh was considered a god among men and a man among the gods, performing a priestly and magisterial role. Temples, statues, and pyramid tombs built to honor rulers attest to the strong religious link the Egyptians believed existed between dead kings, known as Royal Ancestors, and the gods as they supposedly worked together for the welfare of the Egyptians.
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Not only were Pharaoh’s magicians and wise men unable to interpret his dream, but Pharaoh himself was unable to explain it. This was a revealing weakness for a man believed to be a god by his people. Suddenly this “god” found himself in a quandary.
Later in Scripture, God ridicules the idols and false gods of the pagan nations because of their inability to foretell the future (Is. 41:21–24) or even to speak at all (Ps. 115:4–7). God alone knows “the end from the beginning” (Is. 46:10). He alone is God and knows the meaning of dreams, as Joseph pointed out (Gen. 41:16). Even Pharaoh came to realize that the ability to predict future events by interpreting dreams comes only from God’s indwelling Spirit (41:38).
Centuries later, a new pharaoh would rule Egypt (Ex. 1:8). He too would have to learn that God alone is God and that before Him the so-called gods of Egypt were impotent (see “Pharaoh’s Submission” at Ex. 12:29).
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When faith feels irrelevant to a tough work environment, we can turn to the life of Joseph.
Pharaoh appointed Joseph to command over Egypt. Some have equated his position with that of a prime minister, but he probably held far more authority than any modern prime minister since he was appointed to his rank rather than elected. He was the chief magistrate over Egypt, with wide-ranging powers, perhaps including oversight of legal, foreign, financial, military, civil, historical, agricultural, and commercial affairs.
Yet consider Joseph’s circumstances. He was cut off from his family. He was part of a culture that worshiped pagan gods, and apparently he alone worshiped the true God. He had no support system for his beliefs or values, no one to turn to for godly counsel as he made far-reaching decisions. His boss, Pharaoh, was considered a god by the Egyptians. Even Joseph’s own wife was an Egyptian, and his father-in-law was a priest of the sun-god.
Yet Joseph was able to diligently maintain his faith in this environment. Consider his strategies:
• He maintained his integrity. Joseph steadfastly resisted the sexual advances of Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:7–10), realizing that moral compromise would be an offense not only against his master, but worse, against God. He remained committed to what he knew was right despite the consequences.
• He did his best when his situation was at its worst. Unjustly thrown in prison, Joseph easily could have become bitter. He could have given up with the attitude, “What’s the use?” Instead, he kept doing what God had designed him to do—exercise authority with patience and wisdom, even in prison (39:22, 23).
• He carried out the task he was given. Promoted to Pharaoh’s right hand, Joseph was faithful in his responsibilities. He wisely planned for the coming famine and managed the Egyptian economy in a way that saved many lives (41:46–49, 53–57). He recognized that this work was what God wanted him to do, and do well.
• He used his power and influence compassionately. Second-in-command under Pharaoh, Joseph could have used his position to get back at his enemies—his brothers, the slave traders, Potiphar’s wife. But the record shows just the opposite: he used his power to bring about reconciliation (45:3–15; 50:20).
God used Joseph’s faithfulness to preserve the children of Jacob in order to fulfill His promise to Abraham (45:5–8). In the same way, God intends to use us in positions great and small to accomplish His purposes. It is therefore crucial that we honor God through our work. Like Joseph, we need to be people of whom there can be no doubt—we are those “in whom is the Spirit of God” (41:38).
More: Along with Daniel, Joseph stands among the best biblical models of how to honor God at work. (For others, see “Models of Faith in Hostile Societies” at Dan. 2:48, 49.) Joseph’s wisdom proved so great that Pharaoh gave him the Egyptian name Zaphnath-Paaneah (“God Speaks and He Lives” or possibly “Revealer of Secrets”). See Joseph’s profile at Gen. 37:3. A modern-day example of a believer who sought to honor God in his business endeavors is James Cash Penney; see here for an article on his life.
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Joseph’s well-executed strategy fed the entire Middle East during a seven-year famine. His economic strategies to alleviate world hunger and revitalize cities appear as background details in the larger account of how he reconciled with his brothers (Gen. 41:46—47:27). Yet his example invites us to work through business and political structures on behalf of human needs, particularly hunger.
Consider Joseph’s accomplishment. He leveraged the massive institutions of a pagan government to develop two seven-year plans, one for a budget surplus, another for a budget deficit. During years of plenty, Egypt set aside 20 percent of its harvest in preparation for years of scarcity, thanks to Joseph’s initiative (41:34–36). When the years of famine came as predicted, the nation faced unusually severe shortfalls of food, yet Joseph and the people found creative, cooperative ways to avoid hunger. He managed what today would be called a food cooperative, a world food bank, a land bank, and urban housing projects (47:13–26).
Joseph’s strategy utilized strong, centralized government control. The key, however, was not control but effective planning, a result of God’s hand working through Joseph to carry out His purposes.
There is a world of human need, great and small, that God wants to meet through us. He has given skills to each of us that He wants us to use to carry out meaningful service to others. Given the history of Joseph, it seems clear that God wants some of His people involved in businesses and governments for humanitarian purposes, as a public witness, and to make an international impact.
More: Your work has incredible dignity and value to God. It matters to Him. You are God’s coworker, placed here to accomplish His tasks. See “People at Work” at Ps. 8:6.
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All of us carry with us a mental picture of family. Some portraits are idealized, others painfully realistic, but all families fall short of perfection. Many families face bitter sorrow similar to what Jacob felt when his sons returned from Egypt. Despite the magnificent divine promises Jacob inherited from his parents and grandparents about land, descendants, and blessings (Gen. 12:1–3; 13:14–17; 15:18–21; 22:17, 18), Jacob’s own family caused him much disappointment (42:36).
Our own family experiences might seem to overshadow the fact that the family is God’s idea from start to finish (see “Inseparable Institutions: Family, State, and Church” at Gen. 2:23). As we consider what family is or is not, and how it should or should not function, we need to let God’s perspective shape our understanding. In Genesis, we discover not only God’s original intention for marriage (2:15–25) but also the painful realities of home life after the first couple chose to sin. The Bible’s earliest families provide an idea of what family life will be like for the rest of us; in their stories we find our own. The Bible is thus our most reliable source for developing hopes and expectations about family life.
As we shape our expectations for family, we need a heavy dose of realism, and the first lesson we can learn from the Bible’s prominent families is this: A family is a coalition of sinners who will be themselves. The families in Genesis exhibit dozens of examples of deeply flawed relationships:
Sibling Rivalries and Conflicts
• An elder brother kills his younger brother (Cain and Abel, 4:5–8).
• An older brother resents the arrival of a half brother who receives special treatment from his father (Ishmael and Isaac, 21:8, 9).
• Twins fight over parental favors and inheritance (Jacob and Esau, 27:5–45).
• Twins struggle over memories of past hurts (Jacob and Esau, chs. 32–33).
• Jealous siblings consider murdering their younger brother, then sell him into slavery (Jacob’s sons, ch. 37).
• A younger brother manipulates his older brothers to make them regret their earlier abuse of him (Joseph, chs. 43–44).
• Early competition and wrongdoing haunt a family for years, even after the father’s death (Jacob’s family, 50:15–21).
Lying and Deception
• Fear causes a husband to lie about his marriage (Abraham, 12:10–20).
• A wife deceives her husband because she favors one son over the other (Rebekah, 27:1–40).
• Fear causes another husband to lie about his marriage (Isaac, 26:1–11).
• A father-in-law deceives his prospective son-in-law in order to lock him into his job, resulting in a dispute over the terms of a marriage (Laban and Jacob, 29:1–10; 31:22–55).
• Sons manufacture a lie to cover up their treachery (Jacob’s sons, 37:25–35).
• A widow resorts to sexual trickery when her father-in-law fails to ensure that she is provided for (Tamar and Judah, ch. 38).
Spousal Abuse and Conflict
• Fear causes a husband to place his wife at risk in another man’s household and to ask her to lie whenever they are in danger (Abraham, 12:10–20; 20:12, 13).
• A wife tries to hold on to her husband’s love by bearing children for him (Leah, 29:31–35).
• A wife’s envy and frustration over childlessness leads to tension and conflict with her husband (Rachel, 30:1, 2).
Problems About Childbearing
• A childless couple takes desperate measures to fulfill their hopes for a son, resulting in conflict and the oppression of a woman and her child (Abraham and Sarah, 16:1–16).
• Barrenness and disappointed expectations lead women into denial, unbelief, and rivalries for their husband’s affection (Sarah, 18:1–15; Leah and Rachel, 29:31—30:24).
• A man fails to honor his obligation to his brother’s widow, resulting in the lack of an heir and leaving the woman without any means of support (Onan and Tamar, 38:27–30).
Problems of Wealth, Inheritance, and Possessions
• A blended family’s estate must be divided awkwardly, resulting in estrangement (Abraham, 25:5, 6).
• An older brother carelessly gives away his inheritance to his younger twin, causing himself great regret (Esau and Jacob, 25:27–34; Heb. 12:16, 17).
• A mother and son manipulate the family inheritance to their advantage (Rebekah and Jacob, Gen. 27:1–29).
• A man and his son-in-law strike a bargain to divide their property, with each scheming to take advantage of the other (Laban and Jacob, 30:25–43).
• Brothers compete with their brother-in-law for an inheritance, causing the in-law to run away (Laban’s sons and Jacob, 31:1–21).
Sexual Abuses
• Fear, depravity, and spiritual blindness cause a father to place his daughters at risk in a sexually depraved community (Lot and his daughters in Sodom, 19:1–14).
• Family pride and a fear of not marrying cause two daughters to commit incest with their father (Lot and his daughters, 19:30–38).
• A woman is raped, leading to the destruction of a city (Shechem, Dinah, and Dinah’s brothers, 34:1–31).
• A widowed woman resorts to prostitution to trick her father-in-law into providing for her (Tamar and Judah, 38:11–26).
• A wife tries to seduce her husband’s slave, then uses her husband’s power and position to retaliate when her advances are spurned (Potiphar’s wife and Joseph, 39:7–20).
Principal Families in Genesis*
Parents | Children |
Adam and Eve (Gen. 2:18–25; 4:1, 25; 5:4) | Cain, Abel, Seth, and many others |
Lamech and Adah (Gen. 4:19–21) | Jabal, Jubal |
Tubal-Cain, Naamah | |
Noah and his wife (Gen. 6:10) | Ham, Shem, Japheth |
Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 11:29; 21:1–7) | Isaac |
Abraham and Hagar (Gen. 16) | Ishmael |
Abraham and Keturah (Gen. 25:1) | Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, Shuah |
Lot and an unspecified wife (Gen. 19:8) | Two daughters |
Lot and his older daughter (Gen. 19:36, 37) | Moab |
Lot and his younger daughter (Gen. 19:38) | Ben-Ammi |
Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 24:1–66; 25:20–28) | Esau, Jacob |
Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:15–34; 30:17–21) | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah |
Jacob and Rachel (Gen. 29:15–34; 30:22–24; 35:16–18) | Joseph, Benjamin |
Jacob and Bilhah (Gen. 30:3–8) | Dan, Naphtali |
Jacob and Zilpah (Gen. 30:9–13) | Gad, Asher |
Judah and the daughter of Shua (Gen. 38:2–4) | Er, Onan, Shelah |
Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar (Gen. 38:6–30) | Perez, Zerah |
*This list shows only nuclear families. The term family as used in the Bible includes extended family reaching across generational and geographical lines.
Substance Abuse
• A father’s drunkenness becomes an occasion for sport for one of his sons and embarrassment for the other two (Noah, 9:20–23).
• Drunkenness combines with incest (Lot and his daughters, 19:30–38).
• A jealous wife uses a gift to entice her husband away from her rival (Leah, 30:14–16).
Retaliation and Vengeance
• Vengeance leads to extreme violence (Lamech, 4:23, 24).
• A mother’s jealousy for her son causes her to mistreat her servant (Sarah and Hagar, 21:8–20).
• Revenge goes beyond justice, resulting in the death of many innocent people and a permanent rift between a family and its neighbors (Jacob’s sons and the Shechemites, 34:13–31).
Stress Between Parents and Children
• A son creates a permanent break with his parents by killing his brother (Cain, 4:8, 16, 25).
• Parents’ favoritism creates competition between twin sons (Isaac and Rebekah, 25:27, 28).
• A son’s poor choice of wives causes grief for his parents (Esau, 26:34, 35; 27:46).
• A father’s unwillingness to let his daughter go and the daughter’s theft of family property lead to a difficult separation (Laban and Rachel, 30:25–27; 31:19, 20, 26–30, 43, 50).
• A father’s favoritism creates jealousy among his sons (Jacob, Joseph, and Joseph’s brothers, 37:3, 4).
• Treacherous sons create enormous grief for their father (Jacob’s sons, 37:31–35; 42:36–38).
The Genesis record is sobering. In light of these family stories, it might seem hopeless to try to build a healthy, happy, God-honoring home. But these problems are only part of the story. Family chaos and pain were neither God’s original design nor the final word. With God’s help, it is possible to create a home life that comes much closer to God’s intentions. Like Joseph, we can focus on God’s plan in the midst of hardship and achieve reconciliation and peace within our families (50:15–21). Through the teaching and encouragement of Scripture, we can work toward making our families into shelters of hope, love, caring, restoration, and blessing.
Ultimately, the good news of the gospel of Christ extends the sobering definition of a family to a more hope-filled statement: A family is a coalition of sinners who will be themselves, but who in Christ can respond to sin with forgiveness and change.
More: When Bakht Singh Chabra, a young man once vehemently opposed to Christianity, confessed that he had accepted Christ as his Savior, his parents abandoned him on the streets of Mumbai. Singh found strength in his new faith, however, and spread the gospel all over India. See here for an article on his life. For more about the Bible’s teaching on family, see the articles under “Family” in the Themes to Study index.
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Discovering God’s Purpose for You
The Bible offers us specific direction for a host of everyday concerns—relationships, work, ethics, the church, marriage and family, decision-making, and many others. But Scripture does not directly address every situation we encounter. When we open the Bible and cannot find obvious counsel, we need to learn how to understand God’s ways.
Many people in Scripture faced this problem. Sometimes God spoke to them directly to help them make sense of their circumstances. But often His purposes were not immediately obvious. They only became clear after considerable thought. What we would call theological reflection allowed people to look back at how God had worked in their lives.
Joseph’s remarks upon revealing himself to his brothers illustrate deep theological thought. Joseph wrestled with tough questions: Why did his jealous brothers disrupt his life? Why was he wrenched from his family and taken as a slave to Egypt? Why did he have to spend several years in prison on a fraudulent charge? Why should he suddenly find himself elevated to unparalleled power and prominence over one of the world’s great empires? Where was God in all of this? Why had He allowed any of this to happen? And now, as he faced his brothers, why should he show them mercy? Why should he not avenge the suffering they had caused him?
Joseph didn’t have a Bible to open for answers. Nor was he surrounded by wise, godly counselors. So he took what he knew of God and His past promises and used it to interpret his experience of the world. His conclusion? “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20).
That answer may sound naive. But it was not. Joseph never denied reality. He knew better than anyone that his enslavement and imprisonment were the result of wicked schemes. “You sold me here,” he reminded his brothers (45:5). But Joseph coped by reflecting on his sufferings and discerning God’s purposes in them: “God sent me before you to preserve life … to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives” (45:5, 7). Joseph saw the place of his pain in God’s divine plan.
This after-the-fact recognition of God’s will does not absolve wrongdoers of past sins, nor does it remove painful memories. But it validates hard experiences and makes sense of perplexing events. Even though we have a limited understanding and experience of God’s wisdom and glory, theological reflection weaves our human limitations into a broader tapestry.
Theological reflection is especially valuable if we live and work where the Bible is not upheld as a moral or theological compass. In such an environment, we need to think carefully about what God may be doing in, through, and around us.
Joseph was not the only person in the Bible who engaged in theological reflection. A number of people practiced this helpful habit.
Examples of Theological Reflection in Scripture
Character: Joseph (Gen. 45:5–8; 50:20)
Location: Egypt
Conclusion: God, not his brothers, sold him into slavery; God used Joseph’s hardships to preserve His people.
Character: Solomon (Eccl. 1:2)
Location: Jerusalem
Conclusion: Apart from God, all of life is “vanity”—emptiness and futility.
Character: Mordecai (Esth. 4:14)
Location: Persia
Conclusion: God enabled Esther to become the queen of Persia in order to spare His people from genocide.
Character: Paul (Philem. 15, 16)
Location: Writing to Philemon in Colosse
Conclusion: Onesimus the slave ran away in order that God might bring him to salvation and return him to his master as a brother in Christ (see “Asking Why” at Philem. 15, 16).
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Sometimes God puts a surprising opportunity in our path that could benefit our lives and the lives of others if we are brave enough to take it. It happened to Jacob and his sons when they migrated to Egypt. They wanted to escape the famine in Canaan, and they relocated at Joseph’s request. Once they arrived, unusual circumstances created a promising opportunity.
Joseph faced a problem: how to introduce his long-lost family to Pharaoh. Pharaoh held Joseph in high regard. But that might have ended with the news that Joseph’s father and brothers were shepherds and ranchers, occupations the Egyptians considered an “abomination” fit only for slaves. Their low social status became clear when the brothers returned to Egypt along with Benjamin and were forced to eat by themselves, away from the Egyptians (Gen. 43:32).
But Joseph turned this potential embarrassment into an opportunity. He instructed his brothers to boldly declare their occupation. He knew Pharaoh was unlikely to change his opinion of shepherds, but the ruler might allow the family to live by themselves in the area called Goshen.
The plan worked (47:1–6). In addition, Pharaoh’s respect for Joseph led the king to request that the brothers assume oversight of his own livestock. He still detested shepherds, but he apparently preferred to trust his animals to the kin of a man he trusted.
The assignment matched the skills and experience of the brothers, and like many immigrants around the world today, they did work that people in host cultures find unappealing, prospering as a result (47:27; compare Ex. 1:7).
More: Many people work at tasks that do not match their motivation or skills. See “Called by Name” at Ex. 31:1–11 and “You Are Unique” at Ps. 33:15.
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Goshen, the territory assigned to Jacob and his family, was probably more suited to grazing animals than to farming—a good fit for Jacob, the owner of many flocks (Gen. 46:28–34). See “Pithom, Raamses, and the Land of Goshen” at Ex. 1:7, 11.
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As Jacob neared death, he declared what would happen to his twelve sons “in the last days” (Gen. 49:1). His words for each son were revealing and accurate.
Name means: “See, a Son”
Outcome: Reuben paid a heavy price for his sin with Bilhah (Gen. 35:22). Though he was the firstborn son, he and his descendants did not receive his birthright (or double portion of the family inheritance), which instead went to Joseph’s two sons (48:8–16; 1 Chr. 5:1).
Son: Simeon (Gen. 49:5–7)
Name means: “Heard”
Outcome: Simeon and Levi spearheaded the massacre of Shechem’s family and city (Gen. 34:25). Over time, the tribe of Simeon was largely assimilated into the tribe of Judah.
Son: Levi (Gen. 49:5–7)
Name means: “Attached”
Outcome: Levi joined Simeon in the attack on Shechem (Gen. 34:25). His descendants were given no land of their own in Canaan though they were allowed to live in designated Levitical cities (see “The Levitical Cities” at Josh. 21:1–3).
Son: Judah (Gen. 49:8–12)
Name means: “Praise”
Outcome: Judah was a leader among his brothers, and his descendants became the tribe of kings and ultimately of the Messiah.
Son: Zebulun (Gen. 49:13)
Name means: “Dwelling”
Outcome: The tribe of Zebulun inherited much of the heavily traveled Galilee region, including Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus.
Son: Issachar (Gen. 49:14, 15)
Name means: “Wages”
Outcome: The tribe of Issachar inherited rich agricultural lands in the Valley of Jezreel (see the site’s profile at 2 Kin. 9:37). This caused them to prosper materially but compromise politically.
Son: Dan (Gen. 49:16–18)
Name means: “Judge”
Outcome: The tribe of Dan was reluctant to lend military support to the other tribes. When they were unable to conquer all of their allotted territory, a group of Danites migrated far to the north and conquered the isolated city of Laish, renaming it Dan (Judg. 18:29), which later became a principal center of idolatry (1 Kin. 12:28–30).
Son: Gad (Gen. 49:19)
Name means: “Troop” or “Fortune”
Outcome: The tribe of Gad inherited land east of the Jordan River but struggled to hold on to it.
Son: Asher (Gen. 49:20)
Name means: “Happy”
Outcome: The tribe of Asher benefited materially by their close proximity to the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon (see “The Phoenicians” at 2 Chr. 9:21).
Son: Naphtali (Gen. 49:21)
Name means: “My Wrestling”
Outcome: The tribe of Naphtali failed to completely drive out the Canaanites (Judg. 1:33). Their territory was ravaged by the Syrian king Ben-Hadad (1 Kin. 15:20), and later, they were the first Israelite tribe to be deported by the Assyrians (2 Kin. 15:29).
Son: Joseph (Gen. 49:22–26)
Name means: “He Will Add”
Outcome: Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh inherited the family birthright (Gen. 48:8–16; 1 Chr. 5:1). The tribe of Ephraim became especially prominent, and its name was used to designate the northern kingdom that one day rivaled Judah.
Son: Benjamin (Gen. 49:27)
Name means: “Son of the Right Hand” or “Son of the South”
Outcome: The tribe of Benjamin was renowned for its warriors, particularly left-handed slingers. It was the tribe of Saul, Israel’s first king, and later sided with Judah in the divided kingdom.
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Name means: “Attached”; may have to do with Leah’s hope of endearing herself to Jacob by bearing him three sons (Gen. 29:34); may have to do with the idea of being pledged for a debt or vow.
Not to be confused with: Levi the tax collector who followed Jesus, also known as Matthew.
Home: Originally Canaan, but relocated to Egypt with his family because of severe famine.
Family: Son of Jacob and Leah (29:34); father of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (46:11; Ex. 6:16). See “The Family of Jacob” at Gen. 35:22–26.
Reputation: Characterized by Jacob as cruel (Gen. 49:5), a trait displayed when Levi and Simeon joined to avenge the rape of their sister Dinah by persuading the men of Shechem to circumcise themselves and killing them while they recuperated (34:25–31).
Of special interest: Levi’s descendants were given great responsibility as Israel’s priests (Ex. 28:1) and assistants, called Levites. They received no inheritance in the Promised Land but instead were given a portion of the people’s tithes (see “Sharing the Wealth” at Num. 18:20–24) and settled in cities designated to them (see “The Levitical Cities” at Josh. 21:1–3).
Best known as: The ancestor of the tribe of Levi.
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Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi were so controlled by anger that their father cursed them for it. On the other hand, Jesus became angry when religious leaders tried to prevent Him from helping a disabled person because of their religious traditions (Mark 3:5). Paul cited Psalm 4:4 in exhorting his readers to “be angry, and do not sin” (Eph. 4:26). And Hebrews says the Holy Spirit was angry at the deadening effects of sin on the Hebrew patriarchs (Heb. 3:7–19).
Anger can be destructive, but Scripture clearly deems some expressions of anger as right and good. Here are some characteristics to consider:
• Good anger is often a response to injustice or pain. For example, Jesus grew angry at the misuse of the temple and the abuse of God’s people (John 2:13–17; compare Is. 10:1, 2). His anger was not self-serving or vindictive, and it furthered His purpose of mercy. God’s wrath against sin is another example of productive, righteous anger. The expression of His anger fell on Christ, who bore our judgment (John 3:16, 17).
• Good anger often develops slowly. It increases as it encounters more and more wrong (Is. 4:4; Nah. 1:1–11; James 1:19).
• Good anger takes prompt, measured action when action is necessary. It doesn’t let frustration fester and become destructive (Mic. 7:18; Eph. 4:26, 27).
• Good anger acts and then forgives. It doesn’t keep a scorecard of past wrongs (Ps. 103:9).
• Good anger grows from a sustained and thoughtful understanding of justice and mercy (Zech. 1:1–15). Impulsive anger is dangerous and should be avoided (Prov. 22:24; 29:22; 1 Cor. 13:4, 5).
Whether good or bad, anger is powerful (Ps. 18:7, Prov. 27:4; Jer. 10:10). It must be harnessed and used with calculated intent for good so that everyone benefits (Eph. 4:26).
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Jacob predicted that “the scepter shall not depart from Judah,” an indication that Judah would give rise to a royal line. He did. Both King David and Jesus descended from Judah, as the following table shows, alongside other famous offspring of Israel.
Tribal Identities
Tribe | Famous Descendants |
Reuben | |
Simeon | |
Levi | Aaron, Miriam, Moses, Eli, Ezra, John the Baptist |
Judah | Caleb, David, Solomon, Isaiah (?), Jesus Christ |
Dan | Samson |
Naphtali | Barak, Elijah (?) |
Gad | |
Asher | Anna |
Issachar | |
Zebulun | |
Joseph | Joshua, Gideon, Samuel |
Benjamin | Saul, Esther, Saul of Tarsus (Paul) |
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Being praised and told we are special. Receiving a family heirloom with special significance. Hearing wishes for a bright future. Gifts of goodness like these are examples of a blessing, not unlike the sacred words the elderly Jacob spoke to his twelve sons.
It was common for an Israelite father to pronounce a formal blessing on his children, especially the firstborn son. The pronouncement was meant to bestow goodwill and sometimes carried prophetic significance and conferred the weight of responsibility. Isaac gave the blessing of the firstborn to Jacob (Gen. 27:26–29). Jacob blessed two of his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh (48:8–20). Centuries later, an aged man named Simeon blessed the baby Jesus and His earthly parents (Luke 2:25–35).
Blessings were a cultural rite rather than a religious obligation. The Law did not mandate that parents pronounce a blessing. Yet the immense value of blessings still makes them gifts today. Our children and other loved ones benefit from hearing our formal declarations of their value and our thoughtful statements wishing them well. By bestowing blessings we can pass on our godly heritage, reminding others of their connections to family and to God.
More: The prophet Joel urged the people of his day to tell their descendants the story of what God had done among them. As God’s people we still need to tell what God has accomplished in us as individuals and as societies. See “Sharing the Story” at Joel 1:3.
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Joseph commanded that Jacob’s body be embalmed, perhaps to preserve it for the journey back to Canaan for burial (Gen. 50:12, 13). But it was unusual for the Hebrews to embalm the deceased. In fact, this reference to the practice of embalmment, a method for preserving the body from decay, is one of only two in the entire Bible (Joseph was also embalmed; 50:26). See “Funeral Preparations” at John 12:1–8 and “Ancient Burial Practices” at 1 Cor. 15:42.
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When Joseph’s brothers fell before him and pledged their service, they fulfilled two dreams Joseph had dreamed as a youth (Gen. 37:5–11). Joseph’s dreams were not mere wishes or aspirations born of arrogance. Rather, God sent a message to Joseph and his family so that when the dreams were fulfilled, all would know and remember who had brought it about (50:20).
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Joseph declared that God elevated him to power in Egypt “to save many people alive.” But those who benefited from Joseph’s work undoubtedly stretched far beyond what he imagined.
The people to be saved certainly included at least seventy persons in Jacob’s family (Gen. 46:27; Ex. 1:5). Joseph’s position in Egypt enabled him to save this clan from starvation (Gen. 45:5–8). Yet far more people benefited from his presence in Egypt. The Lord used Joseph to rescue Pharaoh and the Egyptians from famine (41:53–55). As a result of Joseph’s wise planning and management, people from every country in that part of the world found sustenance in Egypt (41:56, 57).
God’s goodness through Joseph did not stop there. The Israelites’ survival meant they eventually became a great nation (Ex. 1:7) in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:2; 15:5). Through the Israelites God brought Jesus into the world, making salvation available to every person and nation (12:3; John 3:17; Rom. 3:21–26, 29).
From this perspective we see that the “many people” far exceeded those whom Joseph probably had in mind. In fact, Christians today are counted among the many who benefit from the good purposes carried out by Joseph. His life makes clear that the Old Testament is not only about God’s dealings with the Israelites but also about God’s plan to reach the entire world. God’s purpose has always been to “save alive” as many people as possible by bringing them into right relationship with Him.
More: A crucial development in God’s long-term strategy to bring salvation to the world was the call of Abram. See “God’s Plan Moves Forward” at Gen. 11:10.
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Researchers say workers today can expect to change careers several times in their lives—not just jobs but careers. Yet career change is nothing new. As Joseph neared the end of his life, he could look back on a rich variety of jobs and positions, as recorded in Genesis 37–50.
Joseph’s Résumé
Position or Role: Errand boy/shepherd (Gen. 37:12–17)
Industry: Livestock
Location: Canaan
Position or Role: Slave (Gen. 37:28; 39:1)
Industry: Slave trade
Location: Southern Canaan and Egypt
Position or Role: Household servant (Gen. 39:2, 3)
Industry: Housekeeping
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Personal aide and manager (Gen. 39:4–6)
Industry: Estate Management
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Convict (Gen. 39:19, 20)
Industry: Prison
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Trusty (Gen. 39:21–23)
Industry: Prison security
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Advisor (Gen. 40:1—41:36)
Industry: Prison and government
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Resource manager (Gen. 41:33–55)
Industry: Government
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: International broker (Gen. 41:56—42:7)
Industry: International relations
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Immigration coordinator (Gen. 46:28—47:12, 27)
Industry: Government
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Crisis manager (Gen. 47:13–26)
Industry: Government
Location: Egypt
Position or Role: Land broker (Gen. 47:20)
Industry: Government
Location: Egypt
More: Keeping up with a rapidly changing work environment requires knowledge of ourselves. See “You Are Unique” at Ps. 33:15. Like Joseph, Moses held widely varying jobs. See “Career Paths” at Ex. 4:29.
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