Character Study: Joseph

Summary of Joseph's Life

Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, and the first son of Rachel. He is often referred to as a miracle child since Rachel had trouble conceiving. As such, he was favored by his father which contributed to jealousy from his brothers. Joseph also showed a prophetic gift with his dreams, was given a special coat (or tunic), and was known to tell on his brothers' bad behavior. Eventually, the brothers grew fed up with him and plotted to kill him. While his eldest brother, Reuben, only wanted to give him a bit of a scare, the other brothers got serious about teaching him a lesson and sold him into slavery while his eldest brother, Reuben, was gone. Joseph ended up in Egypt as a slave in the house of Potiphar. He is granted favor by God and favored by Potiphar during his tenure there. Unfortunately, Potiphar's wife attempts to seduce Joseph and when he refuses her advances, she cries rape. Due to her false accusations, he is thrown in prison. While in prison Joseph proves that he can interpret dreams; this gift comes in handy when Pharaoh needs a dream interpreted two years later. After successfully interpretting Pharaoh's dream, Joseph is made the second most powerful man in Egypt. He leads them in preparation for a great famine which ends up saving his family as well. During the famine, his brothers come to Egypt for food. Joseph tests the men before eventually reuniting the family in Egypt.

Unknowns

Joseph's Attitude

We know that Joseph prospered in Egypt and that he gave glory to YHWH when he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, but does that mean he never complained or felt down in the dumps about his situation? In modern literature, Joseph's story which spans only a few chapters in one book of the Bible, could have been it's own novel. In fact it could have been a triology! I can see it now: book one would cover his birth and strained relationship with his brothers, the cliff hanger would be when they sold him into slavery; book two would cover his adjustment to life as a slave and rise to honor in Potiphar's house, the cliff hanger would be Potiphar sending him to jail for allegedly attempting to rape Potiphar's wife; and book three would cover his life in prison and rise to power under Pharaoh, culminating in the satisfying conclusion of being reunited with his family. It's a whole epic triolgy, but the Bible only gives us the Cliff's Notes version so we don't know Joseph's thought process from beginning to end.

I find it hard to believe that he kept a sunny disposition the entire time he was in Egypt. He must have been angry at his brothers at some point. Even more so, despite their strained relationship, it's possible that he looked up to his older brothers before being sold off. From a pyschological viewpoint, their rejection and betrayal had to have some effect on him. When you factor in the fact that Potiphar turned on him at the behest of his wife and the cupbearer initially forgot about him after regaining his freedom, I imagine Joseph had major trust issues.

While we may never know how low Joseph's lowest moment were or how these betrayals affected him, it's important to think about for two reasons. First, our actions to those around us have consequences. Framing the story of Joseph around how the betrayal may have harmed Joseph psychologically instead of always thinking about the success he was rewarded with, can help us be more careful about how we treat others. Instead of thinking our treatment of others doesn't matter because ultimately God will make up for it, we are forced to think about what the person loses because of us. Second, it gives us freedom and wiggle room in our own struggles. When we are in our lows, we may feel pressure to handle every situation perfectly. However, many Biblical characters experienced depression and mental health issues due to the situations they were in. It doesn't mean we have less faith or that we've failed if we feel angry at people who wrong us or sad when we end up in what feel like hopeless situations. The true testament of our faith is that we don't stay angry and sad but that with the help of the Father, we find our way back to peace.

Testing His Brothers

Once, in a Bible study on the passages surrounding Joseph's test for his brothers, we got in to a disagreement about the motives of Joseph's behavior. One of the primary causes for our disagreement was that some were convinced Joseph was "very close" to Benjamin and wanted to ensure no harm had come upon him, while others weren't convinced Joseph even knew Benjamin existed. As I studied this discrepancy of thought, I found that the Bible never confirms—or denies—that Joseph has met his baby brother; thus no one actually knows whether or not Joseph knew Benjamin. This makes the appearance and subsequent testing of Joseph's brothers quiet an interesting study!

Scenario 1: Joseph Was Worried About Benjamin

Let's hypothesis that Joseph did know Benjamin. We know for a fact that Benjamin was not part of the group that sold Joseph off so in that regard we might assume they were on good terms. At 17 years old, it's also safe to assume Joseph knew that his mother was Jacob's favorite wife and may have put two and two together that the reason Jacob favored him was because he was the son of the favorite wife. The same bitterness Leah had toward Rachel may have existed among the other wives and may have spilled into their sons as well (compounding with jealousy toward Joseph's favored status). With that in mind, Joseph may have spent his entire time in Egypt wondering if the vitriol the brothers had displayed toward Joseph had now been transferred to young Benjamin. In such a case, it would be reasonable to interpret the test as a way of assuring no harm had come to Benjamin.

Though I was one of the people who initially believed Joseph had never met Benjamin, there are a few things I found interesting that could support the idea that Joseph did in fact know his brother:

1. Joseph is stirred by the presence of Benjamin but he doesn't inquire about their mother—this could be because traditionally women were of lesser status and it would be odd to inquire about the women; but if Benjamin was born while Joseph still lived with the family, he would already know his mother was dead
2. Benjamin is given a larger portition than the other brothers—this could be because he had nothing to do with selling Joseph or it could have been that he knew who he was.
3. Joseph places the "stolen" cup in Benjamin's bag as the final step in the test. If Benjamin was the younger brother of one of the other brothers, there would be no difference in the cup being found in his sack than in the others' sacks. Joseph had no reason to believe they wouldn't protect "one of their own" as he had been the outsider not just due to favoritism but also due to parentage. Joseph could only have ascribed this same "otherness" to Benjamin if he knew Benjamin was Rachel's son (though this could have come up in unrecorded conversation during the dinner). It is also possible that Joseph never attributed his mistreatment to parentage, but to age and thus chose Benjamin because he was the youngest and clearly the new favorite of Jacob.

Scenario 2: Joseph Was Still Angry

It is possible that all the anger Joseph ever felt toward his brothers bubbled to the surface when he saw them. He may have truly been trying to trip them up, catch them in a lie, and find an excuse to use his power to punish them.

Scenario 3: Joseph Just Wanted to Make Them Squirm

When the brothers first come to Egypt, they bring money to pay for the food the receive. Despite paying, all of their money is found returned to them when they open their sacks later. This means that Joseph either ordered someone to return their money or returned it himself. It also implies that despite their treatment of him, he had already forgiven them. While he may have forgiven them over the years, he wouldn't know how they felt about him or their actions toward him. For all he knew, he may have revealed himself and they may have taken the food and never returned. It is possible that even though his brothers mistreated him, he had missed them and wanted to ensure they would not leave if he revealed himself. By taking Simeon, he had leverage that they might return. In this case, Joseph's test is to see if he can truly trust them once he reveals himself.

Relating to Joseph

When studying about Joseph, I can't lie, in the first few pages of his story, I actually related to his brothers more. I could see them viewing Joseph as a "goody-goody" or a "teacher's pet" as we would day in today's culture. I don't imagine I would have been like Judah, plotting to sell him off, but I'm not certain in my youth I would have been the one trying to put a stop to everything. Most likely, I would have been like Reuben, determined to rough him up a little to make a point and then return him home unscathed. I had to stop and think about why I could understand the brother's point of view so easily because there is in fact a spiritual reason for that.

Amos 3:3 says "can two walk together lest they be agreed?" The fact is, when we are doing wrong, the person doing right agitates us. I remember in school when no one had done the homework and that one kid in class raised their hand to boast about how they had done the work so everyone else looked bad. In truth, it's not that kid's fault everyone else looks bad. Each child is responsible for his/her own work, the same way Joseph's brothers were responsible for their own behavior (re: the bad report he gave on them).

However, as someone who often pretended to have not studied or not completed an assignment for the "good" of the class, there is also an element of social solidarity. There was an awareness that while I might be able to pass the test, my peers would fail. One could argue that they deserve to fail, but another might argue the desire for everyone to pass together. Neither would be wrong in this particular case, it's merely a different viewpoint. In my childhood I often took the latter perspective, but Joseph likely would have taken the former.

From a spiritual perspective, I believe the former is more correct. I say that because we should not "go with the flow" or try to fit in to the world when it comes to spiritual matters. When God says speak, we should speak. When God comes back, I'm not going to pretend I'm not ready becasue other people are going to be condemned. In the spiritual sense, I'm going to be the kid who says "I did my homework! I'm ready for the test!" I'm going to be Joseph calling a spade a spade when it's time to file a bad report so that justice can be done. Joseph's story is meant to prepare us for the spiritual aspect of doing the right thing, and in my youth I wasn't there yet.

I appreciate the ability to understand both sides, though. It helps me to temper myself when trying to be more like Joseph.

Whitewashing the Bible

Jesus was not and is not a white man--neither were most of the people discussed in the Bible.

⁵“I am black and beautiful,
You daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
⁶ Do not stare at me because I am dark,
For the sun has tanned me. Song of Solomon 1:5-6 NASB

definition

Whitewash [1]

noun

1. : to alter (something) in a way that favors, features, or caters to white people: such as
   a : to portray (the past) in a way that increases the prominence, relevance, or impact of white people and minimizes or misrepresents that of nonwhite people
   b : to alter (an original story) by casting a white performer in a role based on a nonwhite person or fictional character

Genesis

• Adam is from the Hebrew word meaning red (Edom is from the same word)[2]
• Red, like red clay--remember Adam was created from the "dust of the ground" (Genesis 2)
• Dirt around the world actually matches human skintones (generally) and the dirt that would have been near Eden would have been the kind good for growing plants; this type of soil is dark brown or black
• If two people possess only recessive traits (e.g., blue eyes), the cannot create a baby with dominant traits (e.g., brown eyes)
• Two "pure" white people cannot give birth to a black baby
• Two "pure" black people however can have white babies; there are also black people in Africa with naturally blue eyes and blonde hair

The Non-Existant Curse of Ham

• To justify the mistreatment of Africans, "Christian" Europeans came up with the non-existant curse of Ham (it is actually Ham's son Canaan that is cursed in Genesis 9)
• The curse was said to be dark skin
• Below are some things to consider about this "theory"
  • Canaan actually settles in the Middle East, not sub-saharan Africa
  • The Canaanites intermarry with the Israelites—specifically, the entire line of Judah stems from a Canaanite woman (Genesis 38)—so if the curse is dark skin, the Israelites could not have been white
  • Cush, Mizraim, and Phut who eventually migrate into the main African continent are never cursed

Confusion of Nationality

• The Israelites and the Egyptians had to look similar because they're always being confused for each other
• Joseph's brothers don't notice he's Hebrew when they journey to Egypt during the famine. (Genesis 42:23)
• Pharaoh doesn't say anything about his daughter taking in a Hebrew baby when he's just ordered all of them killed
• The Midianites confuse Moses for an Egyptian (Exodus 2:19)
• Paul is confused as an Egyptian (Acts 21:38-39)
• Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus flee to Egypt to avoid Herod's decree; in fact the Israelites alway fled to Egypt iin times of trouble. Likely they blended in better, just as I would blend in better in Brazil than in Japan.

The Curse of Whiteness?

• DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to suggest that white people are white because they are cursed; it is merely to point out the irony of claiming a curse of blackness to inflict harm when the Bible suggests something closer to the opposite
• In 2 Kings 5 a man named Gehazi, and all his offspring, is cursed with leprosy--the description is that he turned "white as snow" (2 Kings 5:27)
• The leprosy of the Bible which is not the leprosy of today[3] is acutally associated with whiteness multiple times:
  • Miriam's leprosy is associated with turning white (Numbers 12:10)
  • Moses' white hand is called diseased (Exodus 4:6-7)

References

1. "Whitewash". Merriam Webster; visited February 2021
2. "Strong's H119. אָדַם". Blue Letter Bible; visited February 2021
3. Dr. Alan L. Gillen. "Biblical Leprosy: Shedding Light on the Disease that Shuns". Answers in Genesis. June 10, 2007

Would You Rather?: Fatherly Treatment

Would you rather is a fun game to play, particularly when getting to know someone. A person is asked to choose betwen two things of equal desiring—making it hard to decide and opening dialouge as to why the person chooses the option they choose. Recently I stumbled accross several versions of "Would You Rather?: Bible Edition" and found the questions quite intriguing. I've decided to answer one every Sabbath. Let me know your answer to today's "Would You Rather?" in the comment section.

Would you rather deceive you dad to receive a blessing or have your dad think you have been killed?

Answer: Deceive my dad for a blessing

Backstory

Jacob Deceives Isaac

Jacob and his twin brother Esau had a rocky relationship to say the least. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob (Genesis 25), however, I'm not sure if included the blessing or not (technically the blessing was the right of eldest, so a birthright). Regardless, when the time came for their father to deliver the blessing, Esau was notified and made plans to receive his blessing. Meanwhile Jacob went in to action to deceive the father into thinking he was his brother Esau—he even received the help from his mother. In the end Jacob receives the blessing through deceit, since his father believes him to be Esau during the bestowing process.[1]

Joseph's Death Faked

Joseph also had a poor relationship with his brothers. Joseph is the favored son by Jacob, and by telling on his brothers when they do wrong, he cements his elder brothers' dislike for him. The relationship becomes so strained that the brothers decide to sell him into slavery. After getting rid of Joseph, they need something to tell their father, so they concot a story about him being killed by animals. They even shred his coat as evidence of the attack.[2]

Rationale

This would you rather is hard; I'm not really sure which scenario is worse. Jacob is an active participant in what happens, but Joseph's situation is more painful for the father.

One thing to consider about Jacob's actions is that he deceived both his brother and his father. I am of the mindset that in selling his birthright, Esau technically sold the blessing and God's instructions told Isaac to bless Jacob (the younger son), which means Jacob with "right." Still, I think there is something to be said in how you handle these types of deception. Despite Esau verbally accepting Jacob's apology, the ramifications of this brotherly fued lasted through their descendents leading to the rift between the Israelites (descended from Jacob) and the Edomites (descended from Esau). We do not see how it affects Jacob's relationship with his father other than the fact that he is sent away to save his life.

And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. Genesis 25:23 KJV

Joseph, on the other hand, is almost blameless in his situation—I say almost because perhaps he could have been more self aware of the favoritism he was shown and sympathetic to his brothers' feelings, which may have kept them from getting quite as angry with him. Regardless, the concoted lie and Joseph's absence were all the fault of Joseph's brothers.

³¹And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; ³²And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. Genesis 37:31-32 KJV

From a self-responsibility standpoint, I would want to be Joseph. However, from a consequence standpoint, things get much trickier.

While Jacob's action did lead to him fleeing for his life, there doesn't appear to be an distress placed upon Isaac as a result. If Jacob hadn't fled, he wouldn't have met his wives, so something good did come from the event. The worst consequence is the fighting between Israel and Edom, but God prophesied that before the twins were born. Esau sold his birthright, so Jacob was always going to come out on top. I think Edom would have been at odds with Israel even if Jacob had gone about collecting the blessing in a more acceptable manner.

Joseph's situation had much larger consequences (for better and for worse). No parent wants to bury their child. I can only imagine the anguish Jacob felt upon being led to beleive that his second-youngest son, the miracle child of his most beloved wife, was dead. While the brothers may have been in less trouble than if they had outright confessed to selling him into slavery, I imagine Jacob lit into them for not protecting their little brother. Thus, the brothers had to live with the guilt of knowing what they did and still didn't gain favor in the father's eyes. Meanwhile, Joseph was enslaved. It may have worked out for the better in the end, but he spent a considerable time as a slave and a prisoner! Of course, if Joseph hadn't been sold into slavery, no one would have survived the famine, including his family.

I don't have siblings to steal from, but if I'm being honest, I probably have already misled my parents about sometihng to get what I wanted. I can't think of anything, but I definitely went behind my mom's back and convinced my grandmother to buy me a set of pens I wanted. It seems likely I would have said I needed something for school when I didn't or inferred I would do more chores if they bought something I wanted only to never do said chores. So, since I've probably already done that, I think I'm going to say I'd rather deceive my dad, even though Joseph's situation is the more noble of the two. (I asked my dad the inverse of this question after writing my response, and he said he would rather be deceived that to think his child was dead, so we're on the same page!)

Which would you rather do?

References and Footnotes

1. Genesis 27
2. Genesis 37
3. I found many versions of "Whould You Rather?: Scripture Edition"; this question was found in a version made by Megan Briggs of Church Leaders

The Overachiever

Season 1 Episode 38

When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him. Genesis 36:4 CSB

We all know that person who seemed to overachieve at everything (maybe we ever were/are that person). For some reason, these people tend to get under our skin, which makes the story of Joseph that much more relatable. Let's talk about both sides of Joseph's story and see what we can learn about ourselves.

Most Likely To Betray You

Season 1 Episode 35

³Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. ⁴“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.

“What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” ⁵So he threw the silver into the temple and departed. Then he went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:3-5 CSB

Betrayal is always unexpected, and it always hurts. The Bible has many instances of betrayal, from sibling rivalries to Judas betraying Jesus. We spend a lot of time talking about the person who was betrayed and vilifying the betrayer, but what happens when we realize we have plenty in common the betrayer? The root cause of betrayal is always selfishness and we all fall prey to the temptation of selfishness. In this episode, let's talk about how we can avoid the pitfalls that lead to betrayal.

References and Footnotes

Another example of betrayal in the Bible is David's betrayal of Uriah (sleeping with Bathsheba then having Uriah killed).

Joshua 16&17: Dividing the Land (Ephraim and Manasseh)

The lot for Joseph is divided between Ephraim and the remaining half of Manasseh.

Introduction

Joshua divides Joseph's lot for both the tribe of sons (Ephraim and the other half of Manasseh). Though Manasseh was the eldest, Ephraim's portion is given first. Manasseh still receives the largest portion of the two and possibly overall (only Judah's territory appears to be larger).
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The Tribe of Ephraim

Ephraim is given territory to the northwest of the Dead Sea. The territory Ephraim receives is much smaller than that of Manasseh. The only water source they seem to have in their borders is the Yarkon River. "The sea" is mentioned in Joshua 16:6, so depending on the location of Michmethah, perhaps there is a coastal city. Like Judah, there is a city in the territory the men of Ephraim didn't fully conquer: Gezer. The people of Gezer are not driven out or killed, but instead are forced to served as tribute to Israel. Scholars suggest that the Israelites spared the inhabitants not out of mercy, but out of covetousness and greed.^[1][2]
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The Tribe of Manasseh

Manasseh received a huge portion of the land, especially when you include the land east of the Jordan. Manasseh's son Machir is described as a man of war; he must have been a leader in the battles against Gilead and Bashon. Likely, this is why he received the land east of the Jordan. The western part of Manasseh is located southwest of East Manasseh, north of Ephraim extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean in between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Manasseh's western lot is divided into 10 portions. One of these portions is given to the daughters of Zelophehad, who were given permission to inherit ensuring Zelophehad's name continued. The back story for these women is given in Numbers 27. Looking at the map and back to Joshua 12:24, it is interesting to see that at least one town appears to have been named after Zelophehad's daughter Tirzah, just as Gilead was named for Machir's son.

Like Ephraim, Manasseh does not drive out all of the Canaanites.
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Extra Land

Photocredit: Holman KJV Study Bible pg. 391

Ephraim and Manasseh complain about having only one lot split between them. Joshua tells them to take the mountain and the land of the Perizzites as well. The men of the tribes are afraid and doubt their ability to conquer the Perizzites who are said to be giants with iron chariots. Joshua reminds them that if they have faith in God, they will be successful.
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References

1. Henry, Matthew. "Joshua 16". Bible Study Tools. 2014
2. Gills, John. "Joshua 16:10". Bible Study Tools. 2014

Genesis 37-50: The 12 Tribes of Israel

A look at the story of Joseph and more on the 12 tribes of Israel and how they came to be.

Introduction

The information in these chapters set up two major parts of Israelite history: the origin of the tribes of Israel, and how the Israelites came to be in Egypt. Here we discover some of the consequences of their previous actions, as well as learn about what prompted the Israelites to move to Egypt in the first place.
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Joseph

Joseph's story begins in Genesis 37 when Joseph is 17 years old. Our introduction to him includes the narative of him feeding the flock with his brothers—Bilhah and Zilpah's sons—and bringing back a bad report on them to their father. We learn that Jacob loves Joseph more than the other because he had him at an old age. This probably also had a lot to do with Jacob's love for Rachel as well. Rachel was Jacob's favorite wife, therefore it makes sense that her firstborn son would be Jacob's favorite child. To show his love for Joseph, Jacob makes him a special coat of many colors. The combination of this favoritism and Joseph's willingness to rat out the brothers' bad behavior, Joseph's brothers grow to hate him.
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Joseph's Dream

Joseph is given two dreams, both of which concern his family. In his first dream, Joseph and his brothers are binding sheaves when his brothers' sheaves make obeisance to his sheaf. The second dream features the sun, moon, and eleven stars. The sun, moon, and stars also make obeisance to Joseph in this dream. The stars clearly represent his 11 brethern, the sun and moon are thought to mean Joseph's mother and father. I also wonder if its possible that the sun and moon represent Israel and Egypt considering the people from all over the world come to him during the famine.
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Sold Into Slavery

One day, Jacob sends Joseph to check on is brothers, who despise him even more now that he's shared his dreams with them. When he gets to the field where they are supposed to feed the flock, his brothers are no where to be found. A man there informs Joseph that the brothers have moved so Joseph continues north to their new location. When his brothers see him approaching, they conspire against him. Reuben tells them not to kill him, suggesting they put in the pit instead. They take Joseph's coat and force him into the pit. As they feast at their triumph, they see Ishmeelites whom they think to sell Joseph to. Reuben, who is obviously not there when the brothers decide to sell Joseph, comes to the pit and is shocked to find it empty. Reuben questions the others and tears Joseph's coat in grief. When they take the torn coat back to Jacob, he assumes an animal has attacked and killed Joseph. Jacob is distraught and mourns for many days. Meanwhile the Ishmeelites sell Joseph to Potiphar, and officer of the pharaoh in Egypt.
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Joseph's Days as a Slave

God is with Joseph in Egypt so he prospers and is successful in all that he does as a slave. Potiphar (his master) takes note of this and promotes Joseph to overseer. Potiphar's wife also takes note of Joseph. She desire him and tells him to lie with her. Joseph refuses to betray his master and rebuffs her advances. However, Potiphar's wife does not give up. She gets Joseph alone, grabs his clothes and commands he sleep with her. Still unwilling to cross his master (and commit adultery), Joseph flees and is forced to leave behind his clothes. Angered at Joseph's refusal, Potiphar's wife tells the other slaves and eventually Potiphar, that Joseph has tried to rape her. She shows Joseph's clothes as proof. Potiphar has Joseph imprisoned to the same prison Pharaoh has his prisoners sent. God remains with Joseph in prison and he gains favor from the prison guard.
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Interpreting Dreams

While in prison, Joseph is joined by at least two other men. One served as the chief butler to the Pharaoh before being imprisoned and the other served as the chief baker for the Pharaoh before being imprisoned. Joseph overhears these two men talking about dreams they have been plagued by and wishing for the magicians of the land to divine the meanings of the dreams. Joseph tells the men that the interpretation of dreams belongs to God alone. He offers to hear and discern the meaning of their dreams, and eventually they oblige.
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The Butler's Dream

The butler is the first to seek Joseph's help in discerning the meaning of the dream. The butler tells Joseph that in the dream there are 3 branches which bud and bring forth grapes. The butler then presses the grapes into wine in the Pharaoh's cup and gives it to him. Joseph tells the butler that the branches represent 3 days. The dreams is interpreted to mean that in 3 days, Pharaoh will reinstate him. Joseph asks of the butler to remember him and tell Pharaoh about his circumstance (being wrongfully accused and locked away).
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The Baker's Dream

Hearing the positive outcome of the butler's dream, the baker decides to let Joseph hear his dream as well. In the baker's dream, there are 3 white baskets. Each basket is full of baked food and birds swoop to eat the food. Joseph explains that the baskets, like the branches, represent 3 days. However, the interpretation of the baker's dream is not as rosy as that of the butler's. Joseph predicts that the baker will be killed and the birds will eat his flesh.
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The Butler and Baker's Dreams Fulfilled

After 3 days, just as Joseph predicted, the butler and baker are summoned by the Pharaoh. The baker is killed and the birds feast on his flesh, while the butler is restored to his position. However, in all the excitement, the butler forgets to mention Joseph to Pharaoh, so Joseph is left in prison for 2 more years.
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The Pharaoh's Dream

Two years after Joseph's correct interpretations, Pharaoh himself is plagued with dreams and no one in the kingdom is able to discern the meaning of the dreams. It is at this time that butler remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh of his gift. Pharaoh had Joseph summoned from prison and brought before him to interpret the dream.

Pharaoh tells Joseph that he has been having 2 dreams consecutively. In the first dream 7 healthy and fat cows are grazing, but 7 unhealthy cows come up from the water to destroy the healthy cows. Pharaoh wakes, then falls asleep and dreams the second dream. In the second dream there are 7 ears of corn grow tall, producing full ears of corn until 7 thin ears of corn sprout up and devour the 7 full ears.

First, Joseph reminds Pharaoh that it is not him that interprets the dream, but God (this is an important thing to note as we see many of the patriarchs reminding those around them that they are simply instruments of God who is in control). Joseph informs the Pharaoh that he is having one dream, given twice to indicate the finality of God's decision (Joseph's 2 dreams were another example of God giving the same dream twice with different symbols). Joseph identifies the 7 healthy cows and full ears of corn as 7 years of plenty. The 7 unhealthy cows and thin ears of corn are 7 years of famine. Joseph determines that there will 7 years of great harvest and plenty in the land, followed by 7 years of famine. He suggests that Pharaoh choose officers across the land to store 1/5 of the harvest each year, to be used during the 7 years of famine.
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Joseph Appoint 2^nd in Command of All Eygpt

Pleased with Joseph's interpretation and plan, Pharaoh makes Joseph 2^nd in command, noting that only he (Pharaoh) will be higher than Joseph. With this power, Pharaoh also bestows a new name upon Joseph: Zaphnath-paaneah. The translation of this name is debated, ranging from "the man to whom mysteries are revealed" to "Then God Said Let Him Live."^[1] Along with his new name and position, Joseph is given Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, priest of On as a wife. Evidence of Joseph, the 7 years of plenty, and the 7 years of famine are thought to be found through Egyptian records of a man named Imhotep who shares many similarities with Joseph^[2][3]. Note Joseph is 30 years old when he goes before the pharaoh and becomes the second in command.
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Joseph Descendants

Joseph and Asenath have two sons. Their eldest son is named Manasseh and the youngest, Ephraim. Both sons are born before the famine begins.
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Family Reunion

The First Trip to Egypt

When the 7 years of famine roll in, the famine doesn't just effect Egypt. The famine spreads across the whole earth and other countries come to Joseph to buy supplies. Hearing that there is food in Egypt, Jacob sends his eldest sons to buy some, keeping Benjamin with him. He fears something terrible would happen to Benjamin and cannot bear the thought of losing Rachel's only other son. When the brothers arrive in Egypt Joseph recognizes them but they are unable to recognize him. Before they are able to decipher his identity, he disguises his face and voice. After pleading their case, Joseph accuses them of being spies come to scope out Egypt's reserves.

Joseph tells the brothers that he will detain nine of them brothers in Pharaoh's prison and allow one brother to go back to get Benjamin and provide proof of their story. He keeps them all in prison for three days, then softens the requirement to one brother staying imprisoned and the other nine returning for Benjamin. Before the brothers travel back they discuss amongst themselves their guilt for selling Joseph, believing Joseph to be an Egyptian unable to understand Hebrew. Possibly softened by their words, Joseph sends them off with full sacks of corn and their money (unbeknownst to the brothers).

On arrival to Canaan, they report the events to Jacob, confiding that Simeon is being held hostage until they return with Benjamin. Jacob maintains his stance that Benjamin cannot go to Egypt. Finding the money in their sacks only heightens their fears about returning. Pleading to go back to Egypt to get Simeon back, Reuben tells Jacob that he may slay Reuben's own two sons if they do not return with Benjamin. Jacob still says no.
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The Second Trip to Egypt

Time passes and Jacob's family have eaten all the corn they bought in Egypt but the famine is still worsening. Jacob discusses the possibility of them returning for more. The brothers remind Jacob that they cannot return without Benjamin. Judah stands to take responsibility for Benjamin. He tells Jacob he will bear the blame forever if Benjamin does no return to Canaan. This time, Jacob agrees and sends the to Egypt with gifts for the man they will face, not knowing he is sending these gifts to his own son. Jacob also has them take double the payment to repay the debt from the last trip.

Back in Egypt, Joseph sees Benjamin with them and decrees that they will all feast together. The brothers fear this is a trap to punish them for not paying the first time they visited. When they bring up the matter to the steward, he assures them everything is OK, suggesting the extra money to God. When Joseph arrives to the dinner, the brothers present him with the gifts and bow to him (as in the dream). Joseph inquires about their welfare and the welfare of Jacob. Seeing his brother touches him so deeply he has to go to his chambers so that he can weep alone. He then returns to the feast. We are told that the Egyptians do not join in the feast because they are against sitting at the table with Hebrews.

Joseph then brings about the final test for his brothers; he stashes his silver cup in Benjamin's bag. When they leave to return to Canaan, he sends the steward to catch them. When the steward catches up to the brothers, they are seized and searched. Upon finding the cup, they escort the brothers back to Egypt where Joseph confronts them. It is Judah who speaks for the group. Judah explains to Joseph how Jacob feels about Benjamin and offers to take Benjamin's punishment. This is the moment Joseph's heart is changed toward his brothers.
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Joseph Reveals Himself

Joseph sends the Egyptians away so that he may talk to his brothers in private. Once they are alone, he tells them that he is their brother Joseph. He goes on to state that selling him into slavery was God's will, that it was good, because it allowed him to prepare for their arrival. He also tells them he wishes them all to move to Egypt. Joseph is insistent that they feel no guilt for their actions and bring their flocks along with Jacob to live in Egypt. When he tells Pharaoh of his plan to move his family there, he agrees. Pharaoh sends wagons and provisions for the journey to Canaan and back.
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Israel in Egypt

Hearing the wonderful news that Joseph is alive, Jacob agree to go to Egypt. God tells him that He will go into Egypt with him and the Israelites will prosper. So Jacob, his sons, and their families all go to Egypt The total number of Israelites that make the journey is 70.

Jacob sends Judah ahead of them to tell Joseph they have reached Goshen, outside of Egypt. Joseph meets them by chariot and tells them they will have to meet with Pharaoh. He tells them when Pharaoh asks their profession, to say shepherding. Egyptians believe shepherding to an abomination, so the brothers should ask to settle in Goshen (also referred to as the best land in Egypt).

Joseph takes only five of his brothers to meet Pharaoh—possibly to conceal their true number and to seem less threatening. Joseph tells Pharaoh that his family are shepherds, and when, just as Joseph prediction, Pharaoh asks the brothers what their occupation is, they confirm Joseph's statements. The family asks to live in Goshen and Pharaoh agrees. Pharaoh appoints them to oversee the cattle of Egypt. The clan patriarch, Jacob, gets a special audience with Pharaoh. During their conversation, Jacob blesses him and the two discuss Jacob's old age. This is part of the fulfillment of God's promise that other families and nations would be blessed because of the Israelites.
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The Bread Famine

Soon, they begin to run out of bread and people clamor to buy Joseph's supply. When people run out of money, Joseph establishes a barter system in which he sells them breath for cattle, horse, and other animals. This goes on for a year, and when the run out of livestock, they begin to sell their land. Once they have absolutely nothing, they sell themselves into slavery for food. It is pointed out that all but the priests, who are given special provisions by Pharaoh, are effected by this. Joseph establishes tenant laws similar to sharecropping, in which the slaves are able to stay on their land, but must give one fifth of their crops to Pharaoh.
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Judah

Judah is the 4^th son of Jacob; he becomes Jacob's most trusted son after Reuben, Simeon, and Levi commit heinous acts.
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Judah's Descendants

Judah marries a Canaanite woman who is the daughter of Shuah. He has 3 sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. His eldest son, Er, marries a woman named Tamar. Er is said to be a very wicked man, so wicked that God smites him. During this time period, it was customary for the widower's brother to marry the widow if she had not born children. The children produced from the widower's brother and the widow would be considered descendants of the widower. Since this was the case with Tamar, Judah has his second oldest son, Onan, marry Tamar. Onan does not want to have a child with Tamar because it would be seen as Er's child. We are told that he "spilled his seed on the ground" instead, to this day the name for this is onanism. Onan's selfish acts angered God and so He killed Onan too.
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Deception of Judah and Tamar

With two sons dead, Judah feared sending his youngest son to marry Tamar. Instead he tells Tamar that Shelah is too young to marry her and bids her to return to her father's house until Shelah is of age. When Judah's wife dies, Tamar hears the news and goes to Timnath, where Judah goes for comfort. When Tamar sees that Shelah is a grown man, she changes out of her window's clothes, places a vail over her face, and sits out where Judah will pass alone. Seeing a woman with a covered face, Judah perceives her to be a prostitute. Judah asks to sleep with her, promising to send a kid from his flock for payment. Tamar tells Judah she needs some form of insurance, so she takes his signet, bracelet, and staff as a pledge that he will send the kid from the flock. Judah sends his servant to pay the unknown prostitute, but Tamar has put her widow's clothes back on and the prostitute cannot be found. Three months later, news of Tamar's pregnancy spreads to Judah. He is furious that she has strayed instead of waiting for his son, so he tries to have her punished by death. Tamar interrupts to tell them that the father of the baby is the man who owns the signet, staff, and bracelet. Recognizing his own possessions, Judah acknowledges his fault in the matter. Judah admits his wrong doing and professes saying Tamar was more righteous than he.
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Tamar and Judah's Sons

Tamar gives birth to the second set of twins mentioned in the Bible. Like Jacob and Esau, these twins also have an interesting birth story. When Tamar goes into labor, one baby begins coming out hand first. The midwife places a red ribbon around his arm, just before the baby takes his arm back into the womb. However, the other baby actually comes out first. Tamar names the first born son Pharez and the second Zarah. Matthew 1:3 tells us that Pharez is part of Jesus' lineage (note Matthew uses the Greek spellings of the names as opposed to the Hebrew spellings of Genesis).
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Jacob's Final Prophecies & Blessings

Jacob lives 17 more years after they move to Egypt. Near the end of his life, he asks to be buried with Isaac and Abraham in Canaan. Joseph promises that he will take him back for burial. Jacob then decides to bestow blessings upon his sons, he also prophesies on the fates of each son. Having adopted Manasseh and Ephraim at the time he meets them, they are also included in Jacob's blessing. Not only does he include them, but they receive their blessings first and replace Jacob's eldest sons in rank.
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Ephraim

Even though Ephraim is the younger of Joseph's sons, Jacob blesses him to be greater than Manasseh. Jacob pronounces the name of Abraham and Isaac upon them, guaranteeing the two Egyptian born Hebrews grow in Israelite culture instead of Egyptian.
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Manasseh

Manasseh is blessed second, even though he is the older brother. Joseph tries to correct his father's mistake, but Jacob says he knows what he is doing. It is possible he does this as he himself was the younger son.
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Reuben

Jacob blasts Reuben for defiling his father's bed. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah, one of Jacob's wives, which is not only a sin but angers Jacob.
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Simeon

Simeon is condemned for his part in the deaths of the men in Shechem after Dinah's rape. Jacob says he will be divided and scattered because of his cruelty. Jacob also tells him that his anger is cursed.
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Levi

Levi is given the same condemnation for his part in the deaths of the men in Shechem as his brother. Jacob says he will be divided and scattered because of his cruelty. Jacob also tells him that his anger is cursed.
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Judah

Jacob tells Judah that he is the one the brothers will praise, they will bow before him, and he will be stronger than his enemies. Judah is compared to a lion's cub. Judah is given told that the sceptre and lawgiving will not depart from the house of Judah until "Shiloh" come. Shiloh translates to "him to whom it belongs"^[4]. This is considered a messianic prophecy with the identity of Shiloh being the Messiah or Jesus Christ.
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Dan

Jacob tells Dan that he will judge the people of the tribes of Israel, but he will also be a serpent that causes trouble.
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Naphtali

Naphtali is compared to dear that has just been set free. He is predicted to give good words
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Gad

Gad is predicted to be overcome by some group, but Jacob assures him that in the end, Gad will overcome.
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Asher

Asher is prophesied to have fat bread and yield royal dainties—this is probably symbolic of wealth.
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Issachar

Issachar is compared to a donkey; Jacob says that he is crouched between two burdens. Issachar's land will be good, but he will become a servant.
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Zebulun

Zabulun is told that he will dwell in a haven of the sea and a haven for ships. The border of his land is to be unto Zidon.
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Joseph

Joseph is said to be a fruitful bough and said to be the stone of Israel. Jacob states that the blessing on Joseph are greatest that the are as a crown on his head.
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Benjamin

The youngest son of Joseph is compared to a wolf. He is to devour his prey then divide the spoil; this is symbolic of being warriors of whom the others would benefit from due to their protection.
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Deaths

Jacob's Death

After blessing his sons, Jacob repeats that he wishes to be buried in Canaan in the cave of Machpelah with his ancestors. Joseph has the Egyptians embalm Jacob which took 40 days. The period of mourning for the Egyptians is 70 days after the Jacob is embalmed. Once this passes, Joseph asks Pharaoh for permission to take Jacob back to Canaan as he promised. Pharaoh obliges and even sends his servants to accompany Joseph and his brothers. Joseph and his family mourn for 7 days out of Egypt, then returned to Egypt.

Joseph's brothers fear Joseph once again when their father dies. They repent again and bow for Joseph professing that they are servants of his—this is the second time they have fulfilled his dream of them bowing to him. Joseph, however, tells them not to fear. He reminds them again that they meant to cause evil, God created a situation of gain for their family.He promises to take care of his brothers as well as their families. Most importantly when the brothers offer themselves as servants, Joseph refuses stating that he will not take the place of God.
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Joseph's Death

At 110 years old, Joseph dies. He lived long enough to meet his great-grandchildren; we are also told that Joseph adopted some of his son's children. Joseph reminds everyone that God will come to call them back to Canaan eventually. Like Jacob, Joseph wants to be carried to Canaan, though he tells them to wait to transport his body until they are called back. Until then, they embalm him—an Egyptian custom—and place him in a coffin.Joseph and Jacob are the only people in the Bible to be embalmed.
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References

1. "Zaphnath-paaneah". Jewish Encyclopedia. 1906
2. Wyatt, Mary Nell and Wyatt, Ron. "Joseph was Imhotep of Egypt". 2015
3. Sweeny, Emmet. "Were Joseph and Imhotep of Egypt The Same Man?". The Genesis of Israel and Egypt. 2^nd Edition. 2001
4. Holman Publishers. The Holman Study Bible. pg 92. 2014