JOSEPH The Life of Joseph (Gen 37:2 b - 51:26) In this section we have the life of Joseph from beginning to end. It quite clearly bears within it the stamp of a deep knowledge of Egypt, its customs and its background, and could not have been written by anyone who did not have that deep knowledge,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.' In contrast with Esau Jacob remains in the promised land. This is the crucially important statement that keeps Jacob firmly established as the inheritor of the promises. He remains where God purposes are being outwork... [ Continue Reading ]
Genesis 37:2 A “This is the family history of Jacob.” This verse is extremely important as establishing that ‘toledoth' means family history. It is clearly a colophon identifying the tablet to which it refers and in our view equally clearly refers backwards. The following narrative begins with ‘J... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And his brothers said, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” And they hated him yet even more. The brothers recognised the significance of the dream. As sons to the slave wives (Genesis 37:2) they took it very badly. Joseph was even dreaming of his superiority... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold I have dreamed yet a dream, and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.” Again he dreams and again he cannot keep it to himself. The meaning of the dream is made clear in the next verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he told it to his father and to his brothers, and his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that you have dreamed. Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?” ' This time he not only told it to his brothers with whom he worked bu... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in his mind.' There is here an interesting contrast. Quite understandably his brothers, who were already on bad terms with him, took his dreams badly. If they signified anything they signified his feeling of superiority over them... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And his brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.' Over the years things and circumstances change. It may be that Joseph was now not sent with them because of how they felt about him, but it is equally likely that he was kept at home simply because of his father's needs (he was ‘the s... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Israel said to Joseph, “Aren't your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” And he said to him, “Go now. See whether it is well with your brothers and well with the flock, and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the Val... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Reuben heard it and he delivered him out of their hand. And he said, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this cistern which is in the wilderness but lay no hand on him.” (This was so that he could deliver him from their hand and restore him to his... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And it happened when Joseph had come to his brothers that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colours that he was wearing, and took him and threw him into the cistern. And the cistern was empty. There was no water in it.' The foul deed is done, although not as foul as it would have... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Judah said to his brothers, “What profit do we gain if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him for he is our brother, our flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.' There is still disagreement about what is to be... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the Midianites, merchantmen, passed by and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph to Egypt.' The ‘they' is the brothers. They had seen the caravan in the distance and now it approaches to pass th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Reuben returned to the cistern, and behold, Joseph was not in the cistern, and he tore his clothes, and he returned to his brothers and said, “The child is not, and as for me, where shall I go? Reuben has quite clearly been away for some unknown reason. It may that he was sickened by their des... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they took Joseph's coat and killed a he-goat and dipped the coat in the blood. And they sent the coat of many colours and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Decide now whether it is your son's coat or not.” And he recognised it and said, “It is my son's coat. An evil... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son for many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I will go down to the grave (sheol) to my son mourning.” And his father wept for him.' An... [ Continue Reading ]