GENESIS 41
JOSEPH FINDS FAVOR WITH PHARAOH BY INTERPRETING HIS DREAMS
Two years later, Joseph remains imprisoned.
Pharaoh has a dream, where seven plump cows are eaten by seven skinny cows. In the same night, he has another dream where seven plump stalks of grain are eaten by seven thin stalks of grain.
Pharaoh wants to know the meaning of the dreams. The cupbearer finally remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh about his ability to interpret the dreams.
Joseph is released and Pharaoh describes the dreams to him. Joseph interprets that there will be seven years of plenty and then another seven years of famine. God is warning Pharaoh and telling him to prepare.
Joseph suggests that Pharaoh should appoint a wise man to oversee Egypt and help them ration the food to prepare for the upcoming famine. Pharaoh thinks that Joseph himself is the wise man for the job, so Joseph is put into a very powerful position, second in command over all Egypt.
For the next seven years, Joseph collects one-fifth of the food and stores it accordingly to prepare for the seven-year famine. When the famine starts, people from other nations come to Egypt because they are the only ones prepared for the famine.
Joseph has two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
GENESIS 42
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS TRAVEL TO EGYPT DURING THE FAMINE
During the famine, ten of Joseph’s brothers travel to Egypt to buy grain. Benjamin stays back because Jacob wants to keep him safe. Benjamin is the only other son of Rachel, making him Joseph’s only full brother.
When the brothers arrive, they do not recognize Joseph, who is in charge of the land and all of the food.
Joseph recognizes his brothers but accuses them of being spies and tells them they need to bring their youngest brother to Egypt to prove that they are honest men. Before he lets them go, he keeps them in captivity for three days. Reuben, the one who had earlier hoped to rescue Joseph, says “I told you we shouldn’t have sold our brother as a slave, now we’re paying for what we’ve done!” An interpreter tells Joseph what was said, and he weeps.
Then, Joseph lets all his brothers go except Simeon. Joseph says he’ll release Simeon when they bring back Benjamin.
On their way back, they notice that the money they used to pay for the grain is in their bags again! It was Joseph who had done this, but they were confused and scared about how this happened. Even though they have betrayed him, Joseph still provides for his brothers.
When they get back to Jacob and tell him what happened, Jacob is angry and afraid. He refuses to let Benjamin go, not wanting to risk the only son of Rachel he believed was still alive.
GENESIS 43
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS RETURN TO EGYPT WITH BENJAMIN
After running out of food, Jacob allows his sons to go back to Egypt, this time bringing Benjamin. He sends the brothers back with twice the money they brought last time. When they get there, they try to reconcile any problems with the money and offer to pay it again, but Joseph’s servant assures them they are not indebted.
When they arrive in Egypt, Joseph invites them into his home for a meal and releases Simeon. Joseph steps aside to weep upon seeing his brother Benjamin.
Joseph sits them down in order from oldest to youngest, and they are amazed that this stranger knows their ages. They have still not recognized Joseph! At dinner, Benjamin is favored by Joseph and given five times more than anyone else.
GENESIS 44
THE SILVER CUP FOUND IN BENJAMIN’S BAG
Joseph asks a servant to put more money in each of his brothers’ bags and to also put a silver cup in Benjamin’s bag.
Once the brothers start traveling back to Canaan, Joseph sends his men after them to accuse them of stealing. They search the bags, one by one, starting with the oldest and ending with Benjamin, where they find the silver cup. Joseph creates a stressful and suspenseful situation for his brothers.
They all go back to Egypt and stand before Joseph. Judah, who promised to protect Benjamin, stands up for him and begs Joseph to spare him. Judah, the one who originally wanted to sell his younger brother Joseph into slavery, now stands before Joseph and asks for mercy for his youngest brother, Benjamin.
GENESIS 45
JOSEPH REVEALS HIS IDENTITY TO HIS BROTHERS
Joseph is moved by Judah’s compassion for Benjamin, so he reveals himself to his brothers, saying “I am your brother Joseph!” They are shocked and dismayed by this news.
Joseph forgives his brothers for selling him into slavery and tells them not to be angry or distressed with themselves. He says that it was God’s plan all along for this to happen and that now he is able to provide for the family during the famine.
Joseph embraces Benjamin, his only full brother, and weeps with him.
Joseph tells his brothers that he will provide for them and that they will have everything they need. He tells them to go back to Canaan, get their families, and come back to Egypt for the remaining five years of the famine.
The brothers travel back to Canaan to tell Jacob the news. He can hardly believe it and decides he must go see Joseph again before he dies.
GENESIS 46
JACOB GOES TO EGYPT TO SEE JOSEPH
God speaks to Jacob through a vision in Beersheba and tells Jacob not to be afraid to go to Egypt. God reminds him of His promise to make him a great nation and tells Jacob He will be with him in Egypt. Jacob packs up his gigantic family of sixty-six direct descendants, and heads to Egypt.
Jacob and Joseph are reunited, and they weep together.
GENESIS 47
JOSEPH PROVIDES FOR HIS FAMILY DURING THE FAMINE
Joseph introduces Jacob and five of his brothers to Pharaoh. Joseph provides his family with land, food, and livestock in the land of Goshen near Egypt.
As the famine worsens, the Egyptians run out of money and begin trading their livestock and land for food. Only the priests are spared because Pharaoh provides for them directly.
Jacob is getting old and knows he will die soon, so he asks Joseph to bury him in Canaan where his ancestors are buried, not Egypt.
GENESIS 48
JACOB BLESSES MANASSEH + EPHRAIM
Jacob is getting old and passes on his blessings and inheritance. He gives his grandsons, the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, the same inheritance as his own children.
While blessing them, Jacob crosses his arms and gives the greater blessing to Ephraim, the younger, instead of Manasseh, the firstborn. Joseph tries to correct him, but Jacob insists on Ephraim receiving the greater blessing.
GENESIS 49
JACOB BLESSES HIS SONS
After blessing his grandsons, Jacob blesses his sons and tells them what will become of their future.
Even though Reuben is the firstborn, he is no longer the first to the inheritance because he previously slept with Jacob’s concubine. Simeon and Levi murdered many people, trying to avenge their sister Dinah after she was raped, and Jacob says he wants nothing to do with their violent ways.
Jacob says that Judah will be praised and that he will defeat his enemies. Jesus will eventually come from the line of Judah, so this is truer than Jacob realizes!
Zebulun will live and work by the sea, Issachar will become a servant, Dan will be a judge, Gad will be attacked and overcome his enemies, Asher will make great food, Naphtali will have beautiful children, Joseph will be fruitful and strong, Benjamin will be like a wolf devouring his prey.
GENESIS 50
THE DEATH OF JACOB + JOSEPH
Jacob dies and his sons embalm him and bury him in the cave of Machpelah, where he previously asked to be buried.
The brothers worry that Joseph is carrying a grudge and waiting to take revenge once Jacob has died. Joseph does not take revenge on his brothers but instead praises God for using him in incredible ways. Joseph says to his brothers “what you meant for evil, God meant for good” What a response!
Joseph dies in Egypt and is embalmed, but his remains are later brought to Canaan with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham per his request (See Exodus 13:19 and Joshua 24:32).
Genesis 50:20 - As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.