Ge 47:1 Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen."
2 And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.
3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers."
4 And they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen."
5 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.
6 "The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock."
The point of these verses is to show how God, in His providence, sustained and provided for Jacob and his sons. They were given the best of the land no less. And Moses' original readers should realize that God can do that to them too. In fact, the land that they were about to possess is a land of milk and honey.
Friday, December 21, 2018
Ge 46:28 Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen.
29 So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30 And Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive."
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, 'My brothers and those of my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
32 'And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.'
33 "So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, 'What is your occupation?'
34 "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."
Moses' point here in writing this to his original Israelite readers is to emphasize the separation their forefathers had with the Egyptians. Jacob and company dwelt in Goshen, a land which was situated on the border of Egypt, relatively far away from Egyptian culture and civilization.
Just as their forefathers separated from the Egyptians so should Moses' original Israelite readers keep themselves from the idolatry and pollution of Egypt, which some of the Israelites have imbibed.
29 So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30 And Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive."
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, 'My brothers and those of my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
32 'And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.'
33 "So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, 'What is your occupation?'
34 "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."
Moses' point here in writing this to his original Israelite readers is to emphasize the separation their forefathers had with the Egyptians. Jacob and company dwelt in Goshen, a land which was situated on the border of Egypt, relatively far away from Egyptian culture and civilization.
Just as their forefathers separated from the Egyptians so should Moses' original Israelite readers keep themselves from the idolatry and pollution of Egypt, which some of the Israelites have imbibed.
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Ge 46:5 Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
6 So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.
7 His sons and his sons' sons, his daughters and his sons' daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
8 Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob's firstborn.
9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel.
18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.
19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.
20 And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.
21 The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all.
23 The son of Dan was Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all.
26 All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six persons in all.
27 And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
God fulfills His Word. That's the point that Moses wants his original Israelite readers to learn here. Genesis was written when Israel numbered in the millions. And yet, as they read here, they would learn that when they first entered Egypt they were only seventy. "All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy."
The seventy became millions! God said that He would make them a great nation. God fulfills His Word.
6 So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.
7 His sons and his sons' sons, his daughters and his sons' daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
8 Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob's firstborn.
9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel.
18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.
19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.
20 And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.
21 The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22 These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all.
23 The son of Dan was Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all.
26 All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six persons in all.
27 And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
God fulfills His Word. That's the point that Moses wants his original Israelite readers to learn here. Genesis was written when Israel numbered in the millions. And yet, as they read here, they would learn that when they first entered Egypt they were only seventy. "All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy."
The seventy became millions! God said that He would make them a great nation. God fulfills His Word.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Ge 46:1 So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am."
3 So He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
4 "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes."
This was to encourage Jacob and to give him assurance that everything was in accordance to God's plan and program. This would also serve to encourage Moses' original readers to leave Egypt and return back to the promise land. That their leaving Egypt was in accordance to God's plan and program for them. Their return was what God told their forefather Jacob many many years ago, as seen in these verses.
2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am."
3 So He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
4 "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes."
This was to encourage Jacob and to give him assurance that everything was in accordance to God's plan and program. This would also serve to encourage Moses' original readers to leave Egypt and return back to the promise land. That their leaving Egypt was in accordance to God's plan and program for them. Their return was what God told their forefather Jacob many many years ago, as seen in these verses.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Ge 45:25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father.
26 And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt." And Jacob's heart stood still, because he did not believe them.
27 But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.
28 Then Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."
Israel like Jacob here should realize that God's Word will always be fulfilled. He knew about Joseph's dreams before. And yet, unbelief, held Jacob in misery all these years. Now, he found out that Joseph is still alive and that he is the governor of Egypt. God's Word came true!
Israel should repose their confidence in God and not in the circumstance of life and await His time.
Here, Jacob figuratively received his son Joseph back from the dead.
26 And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt." And Jacob's heart stood still, because he did not believe them.
27 But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.
28 Then Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."
Israel like Jacob here should realize that God's Word will always be fulfilled. He knew about Joseph's dreams before. And yet, unbelief, held Jacob in misery all these years. Now, he found out that Joseph is still alive and that he is the governor of Egypt. God's Word came true!
Israel should repose their confidence in God and not in the circumstance of life and await His time.
Here, Jacob figuratively received his son Joseph back from the dead.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Ge 45:16 Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come." So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.
17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan.
18 'Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.
19 'Now you are commanded-do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.
20 'Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"
21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.
22 He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.
23 And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey.
24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, "See that you do not become troubled along the way."
We see here the very important position that Joseph held in Egypt. He was that important that even Pharaoh was more than willing to have Joseph's family with him in Egypt. Probably, in Pharaoh's mind, there was a possibility that Joseph might not stay in Egypt for his family was not there. But when he learned of his family, he enthusiastically offered and invited Joseph's family to Egypt with him. Thereby ensuring Joseph's stay in Egypt.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that God is able to move any ruler to be favorable to them.
17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan.
18 'Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.
19 'Now you are commanded-do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.
20 'Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"
21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.
22 He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.
23 And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey.
24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, "See that you do not become troubled along the way."
We see here the very important position that Joseph held in Egypt. He was that important that even Pharaoh was more than willing to have Joseph's family with him in Egypt. Probably, in Pharaoh's mind, there was a possibility that Joseph might not stay in Egypt for his family was not there. But when he learned of his family, he enthusiastically offered and invited Joseph's family to Egypt with him. Thereby ensuring Joseph's stay in Egypt.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that God is able to move any ruler to be favorable to them.
Monday, July 9, 2018
Ge 45:1 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Make everyone go out from me!" So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2 And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
4 And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5 "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 "For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
7 "And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 "So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 "Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph: "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry.
10 "You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children's children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have.
11 "There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine."'
12 "And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
13 "So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here."
14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.
15 Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
Joseph's emphasis here is to make his brothers realize that what happened to him was under the providential hand of God. He emphasized it four times here in this section. Moses wants his original Israelite readers to realize that what also happened to them was under God's sovereign control, that He allowed and permitted it to happen. It was not that the gods of other nations, specifically Egypt, were more powerful. No, it was all under the control of God.
Israel must learn that their God is sovereignly in control.
2 And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
4 And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5 "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 "For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
7 "And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 "So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 "Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph: "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry.
10 "You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children's children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have.
11 "There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine."'
12 "And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
13 "So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here."
14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.
15 Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
Joseph's emphasis here is to make his brothers realize that what happened to him was under the providential hand of God. He emphasized it four times here in this section. Moses wants his original Israelite readers to realize that what also happened to them was under God's sovereign control, that He allowed and permitted it to happen. It was not that the gods of other nations, specifically Egypt, were more powerful. No, it was all under the control of God.
Israel must learn that their God is sovereignly in control.
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Ge 44:1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack.
2 "Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money." So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?
5 'Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.'"
6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.
7 And they said to him, "Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.
8 "Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?
9 "With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."
10 And he said, "Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless."
11 Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack.
12 So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground.
15 And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?"
16 Then Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord's slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found."
17 But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."
18 Then Judah came near to him and said: "O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh.
19 "My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'
20 "And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.'
21 "Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.'
22 "And we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'
23 "But you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you
shall see my face no more.'
24 "So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.
25 "And our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.'
26 "But we said, 'We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'
27 "Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons;
28 'and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn to pieces"; and I have not seen him since.
29 'But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.'
30 "Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life,
31 "it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
32 "For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.'
33 "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.
34 "For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?"
What a change in Judah here and the rest of his brothers! Judah was the ringleader of the brothers in selling Joseph into Egypt. But here, he became the surety for Benjamin.
Notice also the change among the brothers --- They said that whomever the silver cup was found, he will die and they will become slaves to Joseph. But when they met with Joseph, he did not accept their proposal. Instead, he said that "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."
They had the chance to get away from Egypt scot-free, saving their necks, while leaving their brother Benjamin behind, again, repeating the same cruel unconcern they had against Joseph years before. But they did not. They chose to remain behind and were willing to remain in Egypt as slaves with Benjamin.
Their spokesman, Judah, even went beyond by offering himself as the ransom for all his brothers "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers."
What Judah did was a picture of what Christ will do for His brethren, Israel, in the future. He gave Himself as a ransom for them.
The whole idea behind Joseph's scheme here was to test them as to whether they have repented of their sin. Likely, their jealousy was turned against Benjamin when he (Joseph) was taken out of the way when they sold him to Egypt years back; Benjamin being the next favorite son after Joseph. The brothers past the test!
Moses is trying to show his original Israelite readers here how they should relate to each other as brother tribes. They should exhibit this self-sacrificing concern for each other. That they should be loyal to each other.
This was the high point in Judah's life. It was because of this incident that he was rewarded with the leadership of the tribes of Israel. Rulership would now come out from the tribe of Judah; the Lord Jesus Christ was from Judah. Judah's attitude here pictured the ideal leader --- servant leadership. He took the lead here and yet he was willing to offer himself as a ransom for them.
2 "Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money." So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?
5 'Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.'"
6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.
7 And they said to him, "Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.
8 "Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?
9 "With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."
10 And he said, "Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless."
11 Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack.
12 So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground.
15 And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?"
16 Then Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord's slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found."
17 But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."
18 Then Judah came near to him and said: "O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh.
19 "My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'
20 "And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.'
21 "Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.'
22 "And we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'
23 "But you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you
shall see my face no more.'
24 "So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.
25 "And our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.'
26 "But we said, 'We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'
27 "Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons;
28 'and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn to pieces"; and I have not seen him since.
29 'But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.'
30 "Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life,
31 "it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
32 "For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.'
33 "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.
34 "For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?"
What a change in Judah here and the rest of his brothers! Judah was the ringleader of the brothers in selling Joseph into Egypt. But here, he became the surety for Benjamin.
Notice also the change among the brothers --- They said that whomever the silver cup was found, he will die and they will become slaves to Joseph. But when they met with Joseph, he did not accept their proposal. Instead, he said that "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."
They had the chance to get away from Egypt scot-free, saving their necks, while leaving their brother Benjamin behind, again, repeating the same cruel unconcern they had against Joseph years before. But they did not. They chose to remain behind and were willing to remain in Egypt as slaves with Benjamin.
Their spokesman, Judah, even went beyond by offering himself as the ransom for all his brothers "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers."
What Judah did was a picture of what Christ will do for His brethren, Israel, in the future. He gave Himself as a ransom for them.
The whole idea behind Joseph's scheme here was to test them as to whether they have repented of their sin. Likely, their jealousy was turned against Benjamin when he (Joseph) was taken out of the way when they sold him to Egypt years back; Benjamin being the next favorite son after Joseph. The brothers past the test!
Moses is trying to show his original Israelite readers here how they should relate to each other as brother tribes. They should exhibit this self-sacrificing concern for each other. That they should be loyal to each other.
This was the high point in Judah's life. It was because of this incident that he was rewarded with the leadership of the tribes of Israel. Rulership would now come out from the tribe of Judah; the Lord Jesus Christ was from Judah. Judah's attitude here pictured the ideal leader --- servant leadership. He took the lead here and yet he was willing to offer himself as a ransom for them.
Friday, June 22, 2018
Ge 43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land.
2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food."
3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
4 "If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 "But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
6 And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?"
7 But they said, "The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"
8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
9 "I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10 "For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time."
11 And their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man-a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
12 "Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.
13 "Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.
14 "And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!"
15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon."
17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
18 Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, "It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and fall upon us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys."
19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph's house, they talked with him at the door of the house,
20 and said, "O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food;
21 "but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand.
22 "And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."
23 But he said, "Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 So the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.
25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.
27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"
28 And they answered, "Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.
29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
30 Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there.
31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, "Serve the bread."
32 So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another.
34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin's serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that, they, as brother tribes should minister and share their blessings to each other. This is how they are to relate and treat each other.
Also, Moses is showing here the fulfillment of God's vision for Joseph. Israel must learn that God's prospects for them as a nation is reliable. Twice we read:
"... when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth."
"... And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves."
2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food."
3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
4 "If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 "But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
6 And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?"
7 But they said, "The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"
8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
9 "I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10 "For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time."
11 And their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man-a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
12 "Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.
13 "Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.
14 "And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!"
15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon."
17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
18 Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, "It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and fall upon us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys."
19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph's house, they talked with him at the door of the house,
20 and said, "O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food;
21 "but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand.
22 "And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."
23 But he said, "Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 So the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.
25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.
27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"
28 And they answered, "Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.
29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
30 Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there.
31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, "Serve the bread."
32 So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another.
34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin's serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that, they, as brother tribes should minister and share their blessings to each other. This is how they are to relate and treat each other.
Also, Moses is showing here the fulfillment of God's vision for Joseph. Israel must learn that God's prospects for them as a nation is reliable. Twice we read:
"... when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth."
"... And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves."
Friday, June 15, 2018
Ge 42:7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."
8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!"
10 And they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
11 "We are all one man's sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies."
12 But he said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land."
13 And they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more."
14 But Joseph said to them, "It is as I spoke to you, saying, 'You are spies!'
15 "In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
16 "Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!"
17 So he put them all together in prison three days.
18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God:
19 "If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.
20 "And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.
21 Then they said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us."
22 And Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us."
23 But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.
24 And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
When Joseph saw that there were only ten of them, he must have wondered about his father Jacob and his brother Benjamin. What happened to them? Are they still alive? They were included in his dreams. So he created a scenario by accusing them as spies. This way they would be forced to disclose their identity and he would be able to interrogate them about Jacob and Benjamin.
But in their reply he was informed that Jacob and Benjamin were still alive. Knowing their characters and what they did to him out of jealousy many years back, something which they could have done to Benjamin also, he concocted a scheme to test the veracity of their claims.
And here, he found the somewhat changed characters of his brothers. They were troubled and guilt-stricken about what they did to him and they were willing to sacrifice for their brethren; when Joseph suggested that one of them should remain for the rest "they did so." Joseph took Simeon because he must have insisted that he should be the one to stay behind.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that they (the twelve tribes) should care and feel for one another.
8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!"
10 And they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
11 "We are all one man's sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies."
12 But he said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land."
13 And they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more."
14 But Joseph said to them, "It is as I spoke to you, saying, 'You are spies!'
15 "In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
16 "Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!"
17 So he put them all together in prison three days.
18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God:
19 "If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.
20 "And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.
21 Then they said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us."
22 And Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us."
23 But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.
24 And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
When Joseph saw that there were only ten of them, he must have wondered about his father Jacob and his brother Benjamin. What happened to them? Are they still alive? They were included in his dreams. So he created a scenario by accusing them as spies. This way they would be forced to disclose their identity and he would be able to interrogate them about Jacob and Benjamin.
But in their reply he was informed that Jacob and Benjamin were still alive. Knowing their characters and what they did to him out of jealousy many years back, something which they could have done to Benjamin also, he concocted a scheme to test the veracity of their claims.
And here, he found the somewhat changed characters of his brothers. They were troubled and guilt-stricken about what they did to him and they were willing to sacrifice for their brethren; when Joseph suggested that one of them should remain for the rest "they did so." Joseph took Simeon because he must have insisted that he should be the one to stay behind.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that they (the twelve tribes) should care and feel for one another.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Ge 42:1 When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"
2 And he said, "Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die."
3 So Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
4 But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "Lest some calamity befall him."
5 And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.
God in His providence created the circumstances to bring about the dreams of Joseph to reality.
Ge 37:6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
7 "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."
And here they are, bowing to Joseph! Moses is showing his original Israelite readers that their God has the power to bring about His plans for them. If they only obey God, He can make the nations bow down to Israel as a nation.
De 28:13 "And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.
2 And he said, "Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die."
3 So Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
4 But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "Lest some calamity befall him."
5 And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.
God in His providence created the circumstances to bring about the dreams of Joseph to reality.
Ge 37:6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
7 "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."
And here they are, bowing to Joseph! Moses is showing his original Israelite readers that their God has the power to bring about His plans for them. If they only obey God, He can make the nations bow down to Israel as a nation.
De 28:13 "And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Ge 41:38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?"
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
40 "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you."
41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."
42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.
48 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.
49 Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.
50 And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.
51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: "For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house."
52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: "For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."
53 Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended,
54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do."
56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.
57 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that God can do for them what He did for Joseph. Because God was with Joseph, Joseph was promoted and exalted in Egypt. He also compensated for all the hard and painful things that Joseph underwent. And He made Joseph a blessing to the nations.
Israel should learn that with God they can be like Joseph too. Israel, if he would continue with God, will be exalted among the nations. He would be compensated for all the things they went through in Egypt when they were slaves. And God can make them a blessing to the nations as well.
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
40 "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you."
41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."
42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.
48 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.
49 Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.
50 And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.
51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: "For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house."
52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: "For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."
53 Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended,
54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do."
56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.
57 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.
Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here that God can do for them what He did for Joseph. Because God was with Joseph, Joseph was promoted and exalted in Egypt. He also compensated for all the hard and painful things that Joseph underwent. And He made Joseph a blessing to the nations.
Israel should learn that with God they can be like Joseph too. Israel, if he would continue with God, will be exalted among the nations. He would be compensated for all the things they went through in Egypt when they were slaves. And God can make them a blessing to the nations as well.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Ge 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, well-favored and fat-fleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass.
3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4 And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5 And he slept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven ears of grain came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6 And, behold, seven ears, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker:
11 and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12 And there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it.
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the brink of the river:
18 and, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored: and they fed in the reed-grass:
19 and, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20 and the lean and ill-favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21 and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up upon one stalk, full and good:
23 and, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears: and I told it unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: what God is about to do he hath declared unto Pharaoh.
26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27 And the seven lean and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind; they shall be seven years of famine.
28 That is the thing which I spake unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do he hath showed unto Pharaoh.
29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30 and there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31 and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine which followeth; for it shall be very grievous.
32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 "Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 "Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.
35 "And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 "Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine."
37 So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.
Again, Moses wants his original Israelite readers to realize and learn that it is God who holds the future and therefore the one who can foretell it. This was important because the sin of divination was a perennial temptation for Israel.
Also, Moses wants to show to his Israelite readers that God, their God, is sovereign even over Egypt. Even Pharaoh had to submit to the counsel of Joseph, God's spokesman!
2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, well-favored and fat-fleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass.
3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4 And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5 And he slept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven ears of grain came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6 And, behold, seven ears, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker:
11 and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12 And there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it.
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the brink of the river:
18 and, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored: and they fed in the reed-grass:
19 and, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20 and the lean and ill-favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21 and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up upon one stalk, full and good:
23 and, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears: and I told it unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: what God is about to do he hath declared unto Pharaoh.
26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27 And the seven lean and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind; they shall be seven years of famine.
28 That is the thing which I spake unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do he hath showed unto Pharaoh.
29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30 and there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31 and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine which followeth; for it shall be very grievous.
32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 "Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 "Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.
35 "And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 "Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine."
37 So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.
Again, Moses wants his original Israelite readers to realize and learn that it is God who holds the future and therefore the one who can foretell it. This was important because the sin of divination was a perennial temptation for Israel.
Also, Moses wants to show to his Israelite readers that God, their God, is sovereign even over Egypt. Even Pharaoh had to submit to the counsel of Joseph, God's spokesman!
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Ge 40:1 It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker.
3 So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.
5 Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man's dream in one night and each man's dream with its own interpretation.
6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad.
7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"
8 And they said to him, "We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please."
9 Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "Behold, in my dream a vine was before me,
10 "and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.
11 "Then Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand."
12 And Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.
13 "Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.
14 "But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.
15 "For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon."
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head.
17 "In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."
18 So Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.
19 "Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you."
20 Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
21 Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.
22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Moses wants to show his original Israelites here that it is God, their God, who can interpret dreams and reveal the future. "Do not interpretations belong to God?"
The paganistic nations around Israel believed in divination, that their gods can reveal to them things about the future. But here Moses wants his Israelite readers to learn through the life of Joseph that such knowledge belongs to their God. They need not consult other gods. Their God, the true God, is very much able to do it.
2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker.
3 So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.
5 Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man's dream in one night and each man's dream with its own interpretation.
6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad.
7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"
8 And they said to him, "We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please."
9 Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "Behold, in my dream a vine was before me,
10 "and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.
11 "Then Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand."
12 And Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.
13 "Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.
14 "But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.
15 "For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon."
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head.
17 "In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."
18 So Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.
19 "Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you."
20 Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
21 Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.
22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Moses wants to show his original Israelites here that it is God, their God, who can interpret dreams and reveal the future. "Do not interpretations belong to God?"
The paganistic nations around Israel believed in divination, that their gods can reveal to them things about the future. But here Moses wants his Israelite readers to learn through the life of Joseph that such knowledge belongs to their God. They need not consult other gods. Their God, the true God, is very much able to do it.
Monday, April 2, 2018
Ge 39:6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
7 And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."
8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.
9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.
11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside,
12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
13 And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside,
14 that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, "See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.
15 "And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside."
16 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home.
17 Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me;
18 "so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside."
19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, "Your servant did to me after this manner," that his anger was aroused.
20 Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.
23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.
Again, the point that Moses wants to show his original Israelite readers here is the blessedness of the Lord being with Joseph. "...the LORD was with Joseph...because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper."
Israel should then be faithful, just as Joseph was, with the Lord. They are not to turn to any nation like Egypt or any other god for blessing. The Lord being with them can bless and prosper them.
7 And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."
8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.
9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.
11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside,
12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
13 And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside,
14 that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, "See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.
15 "And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside."
16 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home.
17 Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me;
18 "so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside."
19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, "Your servant did to me after this manner," that his anger was aroused.
20 Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.
23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.
Again, the point that Moses wants to show his original Israelite readers here is the blessedness of the Lord being with Joseph. "...the LORD was with Joseph...because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper."
Israel should then be faithful, just as Joseph was, with the Lord. They are not to turn to any nation like Egypt or any other god for blessing. The Lord being with them can bless and prosper them.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Ge 39:1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate...
This chapter talks about God being with Joseph. Here in this section, we read that "The LORD was with Joseph."
Moses is teaching his original Israelite readers that just as God was with Joseph, who brought him blessing and promotion, so God being with them, as a nation, can also do the same. God, not the idols of pagan nations, can do it.
2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate...
This chapter talks about God being with Joseph. Here in this section, we read that "The LORD was with Joseph."
Moses is teaching his original Israelite readers that just as God was with Joseph, who brought him blessing and promotion, so God being with them, as a nation, can also do the same. God, not the idols of pagan nations, can do it.
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