†. Gen 45:9-11 . . Now hurry back to my father and say to him "This
is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt.
Come down to me; don't delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen
and be near me-- you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks
and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because
five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your
household and all who belong to you will become destitute."
Goshen was the fertile region in northeastern Egypt; situated to the west of
today's Suez Canal: a district of about 900 square miles; which is pretty
much the eastern half of the Nile delta.
Note : when Moses left Goshen, he didn't go directly to Palestine along the
coastal trade route; but took Yhvh's people a bit south first towards the
modern city of Suez (Ex 13:17-18). In his day, the Gulf Of Suez arm of the
Red Sea extended about 50 miles farther north than it does now. Lake
Timsah-- at the current town of Ismailia --and The Great Bitter Lake, and
the Little Bitter Lake are all that remain as witnesses to that portion of the
ancient sea bed.
†. Gen 45:12-13 . .You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother
Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. Tell my father
about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you
have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.
Jacob would want to know just exactly how the brothers learned Joseph's
Egyptian identity. By getting the news right from the horse's mouth, there
would be no reason for Jacob to doubt their story.
Joseph didn't refer to Jacob as "our" father; no, he made his association with
Jacob far more personal than that. He referred to Jacob as "my" father;
which reminds me of another's statement.
†. John 20:17 . . Go to my brethren, and say unto them: I ascend unto my
Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
†. Gen 45:14-15 . .Then he threw his arms around his brother
Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he
kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers
talked with him.
I seriously think the ten brothers were so consternated to the point of
paralyzing terror as to be rendered utterly mute until Joseph adequately
allayed their fears, and proved his good will towards them with all his
blubbering and hugging; and I also think they never took their eyes off his
hands the whole time, half expecting him to draw a jeweled dagger and
pierce it through each man's liver in turn.
There was a time when the older brothers were so infected with rivalry
towards Joseph that any conversation they had with him, if they had any at
all, was punctuated with hostility (Gen 37:4). I think you can safely bet that
at this point, their conversation is re-punctuated with supplication, humility,
hats in hand, and profuse apologies rather than hostility.
Joseph was an extremely magnanimous man; with a degree of self control
that is really quite amazing. If anybody in the Old Testament was justified to
nurse a grudge, it has to be him. Surely he deserves some recognition for
exemplifying at least one of Jesus' beatitudes.
†. Mtt 5:9 . . Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of
God.
There are some people in this world who are simply implacable. They refuse
to bury the hatchet and move on. No, for them, rivalry, revenge, spite,
retaliation, recriminations, stubbornness, and grudging are a way of life:
every disagreement is an act of war-- they're emotional and reactive, and
they thrive on criticism, sarcasm, chafing, carping, finding fault, thoughtless
remarks, demeaning comments, insults, contempt, ridicule, bickering, retort
upon retort, endless yeah-buts, telling other people off, and giving people a
piece of their mind.
It should go without saying that warlike people can't possibly be allowed into
heaven because God's home is a place of peace. It just wouldn't be fair to
the others to let confrontational people loose in paradise to wreck it for
everybody.
†. Gen 45:21-22a . .The sons of Israel did so; Joseph gave them
wagons as Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them with
provisions for the journey. To each of them, moreover, he gave a
change of clothing;
Their "change of clothing" wasn't just some fresh clothes. The changes were
actually garments suitable for formal occasions like an audience with a king,
or hob-nobbing with aristocrats (e.g. Gen 41:14, 2Kgs 25:27-30). So the
changes were pretty expensive; like Valentino suits.
†. Gen 45:22b . . but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of
silver and several changes of clothing.
You know, some people just never seem to learn. It was because of
favoritism that Joseph's brothers were provoked to malicious sibling rivalry
in the first place; and here he is repeating the very same mistake grandpa
Isaac made in chapter 25, and the very same mistake papa Jacob made in
chapter 37. Benjamin had done nothing to deserve preferential treatment
over and above his elder brothers. The only reason that Joseph treated him
better than the others is simply the fact that they shared the same mother;
that's all: which Webster's defines as nepotism.
†. Gen 45:23-24 . . And he sent to his father these things: ten jack
burros loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female burros
loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. So
he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them:
See that you are not distracted along the way.
Apparently the trade route from Egypt to Canaan offered diversions aplenty
to entertain grown men; which Joseph would like his brothers to avoid this
time around because he was anxious to get his dad moved into Egypt as
soon as was practical. In point of fact, time was of the essence what with
five more years of famine conditions yet to come; with each succeeding year
much worse than those preceding it. I think Joseph wanted his dad settled in
before the worst of it took hold of the region and put them all, including their
livestock, in very imminent danger of perishing.
†. Gen 45:25-26 . . So they went up out of Egypt and came to their
father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him: Joseph is still
alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt. Jacob was stunned and didn't
believe them.
He didn't believe them because for one thing; he was led to believe all these
years that Joseph was dead; hence Jacob was incredulous and one could
hardly blame him. As an example, suppose a total stranger should walk up
to your door some day and announce you won a 42 million-dollar Powerball
lottery. Now add that to the fact that you have never bought a Powerball
lottery ticket in your whole life. Would you begin jumping up and down and
shouting hallelujah? I don't think so. I think you would be skeptical; just as
skeptical as Jacob.
The actual Hebrew of Gen 45:26 says that Jacob's heart became sluggish;
viz: his blood pressure dropped and he quite literally paled. You have to
remember that Jacob was 135 years old at this point in his life, and would
live only another seventeen more (Gen 47:28). Older people don't do well
with shock; it can actually kill them.
†. Gen 45:26-28 . . But when they told him everything Joseph had
said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry
him back, their father Jacob's strength returned. And Israel said: I'm
convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I
die.
No doubt Jacob had to sit down-- more likely lay down with his feet elevated
--while his sons related their adventures in Egypt; and quite possibly it was
right then that they confessed to their selling Jacob's favorite son into
slavery. Better they tell him now than wait till he finds out later from Joseph.
Cont.
/
is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt.
Come down to me; don't delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen
and be near me-- you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks
and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because
five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your
household and all who belong to you will become destitute."
Goshen was the fertile region in northeastern Egypt; situated to the west of
today's Suez Canal: a district of about 900 square miles; which is pretty
much the eastern half of the Nile delta.
Note : when Moses left Goshen, he didn't go directly to Palestine along the
coastal trade route; but took Yhvh's people a bit south first towards the
modern city of Suez (Ex 13:17-18). In his day, the Gulf Of Suez arm of the
Red Sea extended about 50 miles farther north than it does now. Lake
Timsah-- at the current town of Ismailia --and The Great Bitter Lake, and
the Little Bitter Lake are all that remain as witnesses to that portion of the
ancient sea bed.
†. Gen 45:12-13 . .You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother
Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. Tell my father
about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you
have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.
Jacob would want to know just exactly how the brothers learned Joseph's
Egyptian identity. By getting the news right from the horse's mouth, there
would be no reason for Jacob to doubt their story.
Joseph didn't refer to Jacob as "our" father; no, he made his association with
Jacob far more personal than that. He referred to Jacob as "my" father;
which reminds me of another's statement.
†. John 20:17 . . Go to my brethren, and say unto them: I ascend unto my
Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
†. Gen 45:14-15 . .Then he threw his arms around his brother
Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he
kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers
talked with him.
I seriously think the ten brothers were so consternated to the point of
paralyzing terror as to be rendered utterly mute until Joseph adequately
allayed their fears, and proved his good will towards them with all his
blubbering and hugging; and I also think they never took their eyes off his
hands the whole time, half expecting him to draw a jeweled dagger and
pierce it through each man's liver in turn.
There was a time when the older brothers were so infected with rivalry
towards Joseph that any conversation they had with him, if they had any at
all, was punctuated with hostility (Gen 37:4). I think you can safely bet that
at this point, their conversation is re-punctuated with supplication, humility,
hats in hand, and profuse apologies rather than hostility.
Joseph was an extremely magnanimous man; with a degree of self control
that is really quite amazing. If anybody in the Old Testament was justified to
nurse a grudge, it has to be him. Surely he deserves some recognition for
exemplifying at least one of Jesus' beatitudes.
†. Mtt 5:9 . . Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of
God.
There are some people in this world who are simply implacable. They refuse
to bury the hatchet and move on. No, for them, rivalry, revenge, spite,
retaliation, recriminations, stubbornness, and grudging are a way of life:
every disagreement is an act of war-- they're emotional and reactive, and
they thrive on criticism, sarcasm, chafing, carping, finding fault, thoughtless
remarks, demeaning comments, insults, contempt, ridicule, bickering, retort
upon retort, endless yeah-buts, telling other people off, and giving people a
piece of their mind.
It should go without saying that warlike people can't possibly be allowed into
heaven because God's home is a place of peace. It just wouldn't be fair to
the others to let confrontational people loose in paradise to wreck it for
everybody.
†. Gen 45:21-22a . .The sons of Israel did so; Joseph gave them
wagons as Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them with
provisions for the journey. To each of them, moreover, he gave a
change of clothing;
Their "change of clothing" wasn't just some fresh clothes. The changes were
actually garments suitable for formal occasions like an audience with a king,
or hob-nobbing with aristocrats (e.g. Gen 41:14, 2Kgs 25:27-30). So the
changes were pretty expensive; like Valentino suits.
†. Gen 45:22b . . but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of
silver and several changes of clothing.
You know, some people just never seem to learn. It was because of
favoritism that Joseph's brothers were provoked to malicious sibling rivalry
in the first place; and here he is repeating the very same mistake grandpa
Isaac made in chapter 25, and the very same mistake papa Jacob made in
chapter 37. Benjamin had done nothing to deserve preferential treatment
over and above his elder brothers. The only reason that Joseph treated him
better than the others is simply the fact that they shared the same mother;
that's all: which Webster's defines as nepotism.
†. Gen 45:23-24 . . And he sent to his father these things: ten jack
burros loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female burros
loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. So
he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them:
See that you are not distracted along the way.
Apparently the trade route from Egypt to Canaan offered diversions aplenty
to entertain grown men; which Joseph would like his brothers to avoid this
time around because he was anxious to get his dad moved into Egypt as
soon as was practical. In point of fact, time was of the essence what with
five more years of famine conditions yet to come; with each succeeding year
much worse than those preceding it. I think Joseph wanted his dad settled in
before the worst of it took hold of the region and put them all, including their
livestock, in very imminent danger of perishing.
†. Gen 45:25-26 . . So they went up out of Egypt and came to their
father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him: Joseph is still
alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt. Jacob was stunned and didn't
believe them.
He didn't believe them because for one thing; he was led to believe all these
years that Joseph was dead; hence Jacob was incredulous and one could
hardly blame him. As an example, suppose a total stranger should walk up
to your door some day and announce you won a 42 million-dollar Powerball
lottery. Now add that to the fact that you have never bought a Powerball
lottery ticket in your whole life. Would you begin jumping up and down and
shouting hallelujah? I don't think so. I think you would be skeptical; just as
skeptical as Jacob.
The actual Hebrew of Gen 45:26 says that Jacob's heart became sluggish;
viz: his blood pressure dropped and he quite literally paled. You have to
remember that Jacob was 135 years old at this point in his life, and would
live only another seventeen more (Gen 47:28). Older people don't do well
with shock; it can actually kill them.
†. Gen 45:26-28 . . But when they told him everything Joseph had
said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry
him back, their father Jacob's strength returned. And Israel said: I'm
convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I
die.
No doubt Jacob had to sit down-- more likely lay down with his feet elevated
--while his sons related their adventures in Egypt; and quite possibly it was
right then that they confessed to their selling Jacob's favorite son into
slavery. Better they tell him now than wait till he finds out later from Joseph.
Cont.
/
