Joseph the Dictator
(Including Questions with Proposed Answers)
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
I. The Need (chapter 42, verses 1-4)
II. The Facts (verses 5-6)
III. Recognition and Election (verses 6-17)
IV. Joseph’s Threat (verses 18-20)
V. Truth Comes Out (verses 21-24)
VI. The Sad Journey (verses 24-26)
VII. Shock! (verses 27-28)
VIII. Another Version (verses 29-34)
IX. More Silver! (verses 35-38)
X. Out of Food Again (chapter 43, verses 1-14)
XI. Finally! (verse 15)
XII. Lunch at Pharaoh’s (verses 15-17)
XIII. Fears Speak (verses 17-18)
XIV. Confession (verses 19-23)
XV. Simeon and Preparations (verses 23-25)
XVI. Joseph’s Joy (verses 26-30)
XVII. Restraint (verse 31)
XVIII. Lunch (verses 31-34)
XIX. The Set-Up (chapter 44, verses 1-2)
XX. The Chase (verses 3-5)
XXI. Accusation and Defense (verses 6-10)
XXII. The Goblet (verses 11-13)
XXIII. Facing Angry Joseph (verses 13-17)
XXIV. Confession (verses 18-34)
XXV. Unrestrained (chapter 45, verses 1-2)
XXVI. Revelation and Resolution (verses 3-15)
XXVII. Pharaoh’s Joy (verses 16-21)
XXVIII. Road Goods (verses 21-24)
XXIX. Frozen (verses 25-28)
XXX. Yehovah Speaks (chapter 46, verses 1-4)
XXXI. Wagon Train (verses 5-7)
XXXII. Genealogy (verses 8-27)
XXXIII. Directions and Emotions (verses 28-29)
XXXIV. How to Tell Pharaoh (verses 30-34)
XXXV. Speaking to Pharaoh (chapter 47, verses 1-4)
XXXVI. Pharaoh speaks to Joseph (verses 5-6)
XXXVII. Blessing (verses 7-10)
XXXVIII. Joseph the Father (verses 11-12)
XXXIX. The Silver (verses 13-14)
XL. The Cattle (verses 15-17)
XLI. The Soil (verses 18-22)
XLII. Distribution (verses 23-25)
XLIII. The Statute (verse 26)
XLIV. Prosperity (verses 27-28)
XLV. Grace and Truth (verses 29-31)
Background and Printed Text: Genesis 42:1-Genesis 47:31
Genesis 42:1 And Jacob saw that there was grain-breaking in Egypt. And Jacob said to his sons, “Why do ye look at yourselves?” 2And he said, “Behold, I heard that there is breaking in Egypt. Descend ye thereward and break ye to us from there. And we have lived. And we will not die.” 3And Joseph’s ten brethren descended to break grain from Egypt. 4And Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brethren. For he said, “Lest harm will suddenly-meet him.”
5And the sons of Israel came to break in the midst of the comers. For the famine was in the land of Merchant [Canaan]. 6And Joseph: he is the sultan over the land. He is the ‘breaker’ to all people of the land.
And Joseph’s brethren came. And they prostrated to him faces landward. 7And Joseph saw his brothers. And he recognized them. And he estranged himself unto them. And he spoke hardnesses with them. And he said unto them, “From where did ye come?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to break food.” 8And Joseph recognized his brothers. And they, they didn’t recognize him. 9And Joseph remembered the dreams that he dreamed to them. And he said unto them, “Ye are spies! Ye came to see the nakedness of the land!” 10And they said unto him, “No, my lord! And thy slaves came to break food! 11All of us—we are sons of one man! We are established! Thy slaves were not spies.” 12And he said unto them, “No! For ye have come to see the nakedness of the land!” 13And they said, “Thy slaves are twelve. We are brothers—sons of one man in the land of Canaan. And behold, the youngest is with our father today. And the one is not.” 14And Joseph said unto them, “He is what I spoke unto you, saying, ‘Ye are spies!’ 15Ye shall be proven via this. Pharaoh lives!—if ye shall exit from this except via the coming of your little brother here! 16Send ye one from you. And he took your brother. And ye, ye were imprisoned! And your words were proved! Is the truth with you? And if not, Pharaoh lives! For ye are spies!” 17And he gathered them unto guard three days.
18And Joseph said unto them in the third day, “Do ye this and live. I fear the gods! 19If ye are established, your one brother shall be bound in the house of your guard. And ye, walk-ye! Bring-ye the breaking of famine of your houses! 20And ye shall bring your little brother unto me. And your speeches shall be verified. And ye shall not die!” And they did so.
21And they said a man unto his brother, “But we are guilty-[ones] concerning our brother—that we saw the tribulation of his being during his beseeching unto us! And we did not hearken. Therefore this tribulation came unto us!” 22And Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I say unto you, saying, ‘Do not sin via the child,’ and ye did not hearken! And indeed, his blood—behold—is being researched!” 23And they did not know that Joseph hearkened. For the translator is between them. 24And he circled from upon them. And he wept.
And he returned unto them. And he spoke unto them. And he took Shimon from with them. And he bound him to their eyes. 25And Joseph commanded. And they filled their vessels grain, and to restore their silver, a man unto his sack, and to give provision to them to (for) the way. And he did so to them. 26And they lifted their breaking upon their asses. And they walked from there.
27And the one opened his sack to give provender to his ass in the inn. And he saw his silver. And behold, he is in the mouth of his container! 28And he said unto his brethren, “My silver is returned, and also behold, into my container!” And their heart exited! And they were terrified, a man unto his brother, saying, “What is this Elohim did to us?”
29And they came unto Jacob their father toward the land of Canaan. And they told to him all the happenings with them saying, 30 “The man—lords of the land—spoke hardnesses with us! And he gave us as spies of the land! 31And we said unto him, ‘We are established! We were not spies! 32Twelve are we—brothers—sons of our father. One is not, and the little-[one] is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’ 33And the man—lords of the land—said unto us, ‘I will know via this that ye are established. Rest-ye your one brother with me. And take-ye the famine of your houses. And walk! 34And bring your little brother unto me. And I knew that ye are not spies because ye are established! I will give your brother to you. And ye shall trade [in] the land.’”
35And he was. They are emptying their sacks. And behold, a man a bundle of his silver is in his sack! And they saw the bundles of their silver—they and their father! And they feared! 36And Jacob their father said unto them, “Ye have bereaved me! Joseph is not, and Shimon is not! And ye shall take Benjamin? All of hers were upon me!” 37And Reuben said unto his father to say, “Thou wilt kill my two sons if I will not bring him unto thee! Give her him upon my hand. And I, I will return him unto thee.” 38And he said, “My son shall not descend with you! For his brother is dead. And he remained alone. And hurt shall happen to him in the way that ye shall walk via her! And ye shall descend my gray-hairs via sorrow Sheolward!”
Chapter 43
And the famine is heavy in the land. 2And he was just-as they finished to eat the breaking that they brought from Egypt. And their father said unto them, “Return. Break for us a little food.” 3And Judah spoke unto him, saying, “Testifying, the man testified into us, saying, ‘Ye shall not see my faces without your brother with you!’ 4If thou art sending our brother with us, we will descend. And we will break food to thee. 5And if thou art not sending, we will not descend. For the man said unto us, ‘Ye shall not see my faces without your brother with you!’” 6And Israel said, “Why bad-did ye to me to tell to the man yet a brother is to you?” 7And they said, “Asking, the man asked to us and to our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father yet alive? Is there a brother to you?’ And we told him upon the mouth of these sayings. Knowing, will we know that he will say, ‘Descend ye your brother!’?” 8And Judah said unto Israel his father, “Send the youth with me. And we have arisen. And we have walked. And we have lived. And we will not die—also we, also thou, also our little one. 9I, I will be his surety. Thou shalt seek him from my hand if I didn’t bring him unto thee. And I will present him to thy faces. And I shall sin to thee all the days. 10For if we had not what?-what?ed ourselves… for now we returned this two-strokes!” 11And their father Israel said unto them, “If established where, do ye this. Take ye from the prune of the land in your vessels. And descend ye a rest to the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds. 12And take ye silver repeated in your hand. And the silver brought in the mouth of your sacks—ye shall return in your hand. Perhaps he is an oversight. 13And take ye your brother. And arise ye. Return ye unto the man. 14And El Shaddai shall give wombings to you to the faces of the man. And he shall send your other brother and Benjamin to you. And I—just as I have been bereaved, I have been bereaved.”
15And the men took this rest. And they took the repeat of silver in their hand, and Benjamin. And they arose. And they descended Egypt.
And they stood to the faces of Joseph. 16And Joseph saw Benjamin with them. And he said to whoever is over his house, “Bring the men to home. And slaughter a slaughter. And establish. For the men shall eat with me in noon.” 17And the man did just as Joseph said.
And the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18And the men feared because they were brought to Joseph’s house. And they said, “We are brought concerning the speech of the silver returned in our sacks at the first to make-ourselves-roll concerning us and to make-ourselves-fall upon us and to take us to slaves, and our asses!”
19And they approached unto the man who is over the house of Joseph. And they spoke unto him, the opening of the house. 20And they said, “Via me, my sir, descending, we descended at the beginning to break food. 21And he was. For we came unto the inn. And we opened our sacks. And behold, a man’s silver is in the mouth of his sack—our silver via his weight! And we returned him via our hand. 22And we descended other silver in our hand to break food. We didn’t know who put our silver in our sacks.” 23And he said, “Peace to you. Fear ye not. Your Gods and the Gods of your father gave treasure to you in your sacks. Your silver came unto me.”
And he exited Shimon unto them. 24And the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. And he gave water. And they washed their feet. And he gave their provender to their asses. 25And they established the rest unto the coming of Joseph at noon. For they heard that they shall eat bread there.
26And Joseph came home. And they brought the rest that is in their hand to him, to the house. And they prostrated themselves to him to the land. 27And he asked to them for peace. And he said, “Is peace of your father the elder of whom ye said? Is there yet life to him?” 28And they answered, “Peace is to thy slave, to our father. There is yet life to him.” And they bowed. And they prostrated. 29And he carried his eyes. And he saw Benjamin his brother, son of his mother. And he said, “Is this your brother the little whom ye said unto me?” And he said, “Elohim will favour thee, my son.” 30And Joseph hastened. For his wombs yearned unto his brother. And he sought to weep. And he came to the chamber. And he wept there.
31And he washed his faces. And he exited. And he restrained himself.
And he said, “Set ye bread!” 32And they set to him by himself and to them by themselves and to the Egyptians eating with him by themselves. (For the Egyptians will not be able to eat bread with the Hebrews. For he is an abomination to the Egyptians.) 33And they sat to his faces, the firstborn according to his firstbornship and the youngest according to his youth. And the men ‘what?ed’ themselves a man unto his neighbour. 34And he carried portions unto them from with his faces. And Benjamin’s portion was multiplied five hands from the portions of all of them. And they drank. And they were tipsy with him.
Chapter 44
And he commanded whoever is over his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks of food just as they will be able to carry. And put silver of a man into his sack’s mouth. 2And thou wilt put my goblet—the silver goblet—in the mouth of the sack of the little, and the silver of his break.” And he did according to the speech that Joseph spoke.
3The morning is light. And they sent the men, they and their asses. 4They exited the city. They didn’t distance, and Joseph said to whoever is over his house, “Arise! Pursue after the men and overtake them. And say unto them, ‘Why ‘peaced’ ye bad under good? 5Is not this in which my lord will drink? And he, divining, will divine via him! Ye bad-did what ye did!”
6And he overtook them. And he spoke these same words unto them. 7And they said unto him, “Why will my lord speak according to these words? Profanity to thy slaves from doing according to this speech! 8Behold, we returned unto thee the silver that we found in the mouth of our sacks from the land of Canaan. And how shall we steal silver or gold from thy lord’s house? 9With whom he will be found from thy servants, and he shall die! And we, we also shall be slaves to my lord!” 10And he said, “And also now he is established according to your speeches! He with whom he shall be found will be a slave to me! And ye, ye shall be innocent.”
11And they hurried. And they descended, a man with his sack to the land. And they opened a man his sack. 12And he dug. He began in the big and he finished in the little. And he found the goblet in Benjamin’s sack. 13And they tore their clothes.
And a man loaded upon his ass. And they returned to the city. 14And Judah came, and his brethren to Joseph’s house. (And he, he is still there!) And they fell to his faces landward. 15And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that ye did? Did ye not know that, divining, a man who is as I will divine?” 16And Judah said, “What will we say unto my lord? What will we speak? And what will we justify ourselves? The Elohim found the iniquity of thy slaves. Behold, we are slaves to my lord—also we and also whom the goblet is found in his hand.” 17And he said, “Profanity to me from doing this! The man in whose hand the goblet is found—he shall be a slave to me! And ye—ascend ye to peace unto your father!”
18And Judah neared unto him. And he said, “Via me, my lord. Thy slave shall speak, na, a speech in my lord’s ears. And thy nose shall not burn via thy slave. For like thee, like Pharaoh. 19My lord asked his slaves, saying, ‘Have ye a father or a brother?’ 20And we said unto my lord, ‘We have an old father and a little child of his old age. And his brother is dead. And he alone is left of his mother. And his father loved him.’ 21And thou said unto thy slaves, ‘Ascend-ye him unto me and I have set my eyes upon him.’ 22And we said unto my lord, ‘The youth will not be able to leave his father. And he shall leave his father, and he shall die.’ 23And thou said unto thy slaves, ‘If your little brother will not descend with you, ye shall not gather to see my faces!’ 24And he was, for we ascended unto thy slave my father. And we told to him the speeches of my lord. 25And our father said, ‘Return ye. Break for us a little food.’ 26And we said, ‘We will not be able to descend. If our little brother is with us, and will we descend. For we will not be able to see the man’s faces, and our little brother is not with us.’ 27And thy slave my father said unto us, ‘Ye know that my woman bare me two. 28And the one went out from with me. And I said, ‘But he was torn! He was torn!’ And I didn’t see him unto now. 29And ye shall take also this from with my faces? And harm will happen to him! And ye shall bring down my gray hairs via bad to Sheol!’ 30And now, as I come to thy slave my father, and the youth is not with us—and his being is bundled up in his being—31and he shall be, as his seeing that the youth is not, and he will die. And thy slaves shall descend the gray hairs of thy slave our father via sorrow to Sheol. 32For thy slave is surety with the youth from with my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him unto thee… And I shall sin to my father all the days!’ 33And now, sit thy slave, na, under the youth, a slave to my lord. And the youth shall ascend with his brethren. 34For how shall I ascend to my father, and the youth is not with me?—lest I shall see via bad that shall find my father!”
Chapter 45
1And Joseph was not able to restrain himself to all who are positioned by him. And he called, “Exit-ye every man from by me!” And a man didn’t stand with him in Joseph’s making known unto his brothers. 2And he gave his voice via weeping. And the Egyptians hearkened. And the house of Pharaoh hearkened.
3And Joseph said unto his brethren, “I am Joseph! Does my father yet live?” And his brethren were not able to answer him. For they quaked from his faces. 4And Joseph said unto his brothers, “Draw-ye near to me, na.” And they neared. And he said, “I am Joseph your brother whom ye sold me Egyptward. 5And now, be ye not labour-pained. And he shall not be hot in your eyes that ye sold me here. For Elohim sent me to your faces to keep-alive! 6For this two-year the famine is in the midst of the land. And further are five years that there is not plowing and harvest. 7And Elohim sent me to your faces to put a remnant to you in the land and to keep-alive to you to a big escape! 8And now, ye did not send me here, but the Elohim! And He put me to a father to Pharaoh and to a lord to all his house, and a ruler in all the land of Egypt! 9Hurry ye! And ascend ye unto my father! And ye shall say unto him, ‘Thus said thy son Joseph, “Elohim put me to a lord to all Egypt! Descend-thou unto me! Do not stand! 10And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen. And thou shalt be near unto me—thou and thy children and thy children’s children and thy flock and thy herd and all that is to thee! 11And I will all-all-thee there—for further five years are famine—lest thou will be impoverished, and thy house and all that is to thee.’ 12And behold, your eyes see—and the eyes of my brother Benjamin—that my mouth is the speaker unto you! 13And ye shall tell to my father all my glory in Egypt and all that ye saw. And ye shall hurry. And ye shall descend my father here!” 14And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s necks. And he wept. And Benjamin wept upon his necks. 15And he kissed to all his brethren. And he wept upon them. And afterward his brethren spoke with him.
16And the voice was heard [in] Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers came!” And he was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his slaves. 17And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “Say unto thy brethren, ‘This do ye. Saddle up your stupid-beasts. And walk-ye—come ye to the land of Canaan! 18And take-ye your father and your houses. And come unto me. And I gave her to you—the good of the land of Egypt. And ye shall eat the fat of the land! 19And thou, thou art commanded! Do ye this! Take-ye oxcarts to you from the land of Egypt to your little one and to your women. And ye shall carry your father. And ye shall come! 20And your eye shall not spare concerning your utensils. For the good of all the land of Egypt—he is to you!’” 21And the children of Israel did so.
And Joseph gave oxcarts to them according to the mouth of Pharaoh. And he gave provision to them to the way. 22He gave to all of them changes of raiment to a man. And he gave to Benjamin three hundred of silver and five changes of raiment. 23And he sent to his father as this: ten asses carrying from the good of Egypt and ten she asses carrying grain and bread and nourishment to his father to the way. 24And he sent his brethren. And they walked. And he said unto them, “Do not be violently-angry in the way!”
25And they ascended from Egypt. And they came, the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father. 26And they told to him, saying, “Joseph is yet alive,” and that “he is governor in all the land of Egypt!” And Jacob’s heart froze, for he didn’t believe to them. 27And they spoke all the words of Joseph that he spoke unto them unto him. And he saw the oxcarts that Joseph sent to carry him. And the spirit of Jacob their father lived. 28And Israel said, “Much! Joseph my son is yet alive! I will walk! And I have seen him before I will die!”
Chapter 46
And Israel journeyed, and all that is to him. And he came Beershevaward. And he sacrificed sacrifices to the Gods of his father, Isaac. 2And Elohim said to Israel via visions of the night. And He said, “Jacob! Jacob!” And he said, “Behold, I!” 3And He said, “I am the Mighty-[One] Gods of thy father. Fear thou not from descending Egyptward. For I will put thee there to a big race. 4I, I will descend with thee Egyptward. And I, I will also ascend thee ascending. And Joseph will put his hand upon thine eyes.”
5And Jacob arose from Beersheva. And the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father and their little one and their women in oxcarts that Pharaoh sent to carry him. 6And they took their cattle and their stuff that they stuffed in the land of Canaan. And they came Egyptward—Jacob and all his seed with him— 7his sons and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters and his sons’ daughters and all his seed—he brought with him Egyptward.
8And these are the names of the children of Israel coming Egyptward—Jacob and his sons:
They-Saw-A-Son [Reuben], Jacob’s firstborn. 9And the sons of They-Saw-A-Son [Reuben]:
Dedicated [Hanoch] and Miracled [Phallu] and Trumpet-Sounding [Hezron] and My-Vineyard [Carmi].
10And the sons of Hearkening [Shimon]: Sea-And-Mighty-[one] [Yemuel] and Right [Yamin] and I-Will-Be-Majesty [Ohad] and He-Will-Establish [Yakhin] and He-Dazzled [Zohar] and He-Was-Asked [Shaul] son of a Merchantess [Canaanitess].
11And the sons of My-Joined-[One] [Levi]: Exile [Gershon], Dullness-Of [Kohat] and My-Bitter-[one] [Merari].
12And the sons of He-Confessed-Yehovah [Judah]: Awake [Er] and Their-Lust [Onan] and That-Is-To-Her [Shelah] and Breach [Pharez] and Sunrise [Zarah]. (And Awake [Er] and Their-Lust [Onan] died in the land of Merchant [Canaan].) And the sons of Breach [Pharez] are Trumpet-Sounding [Hezron] and Compassioned [Hamul].
13And the sons of There-Is-A-Wage [Issachar]: Worm [Tola] and Corner [Phuvah] and He-Is-Shrilly-Crying [Job] and Guarding [Shimron].
14And the sons of They-Cohabited [Zebulun]: Sullenness-Descended [Sered] and Might [Elon] and A-Mighty-One-Shall-Whirl [Yahle-el].
15These are the sons of Weary [Leah] whom she childed to Jacob in High Extension [Padan-Aram], and his daughter Her-Adjudicator [Dinah]. Every being of his sons and his daughters are thirty and three.
16And the sons of Troop [Gad]: Lookout [Ziphion] and My-Solemnities [Haggi], He-Sharpens-Me [Shuni] and Without-Purpose [Ezbon], My-Wakefulness [Eri] and I-Will-Descend-Me [Arodi] and I-Will-See-To-Me [Areli].
17And the sons of Happiness [Asher]: He-Will-Reckon [Yimnah] and He-Will-Equal-Her [Ishuah] and He-Will-Equal-Me [Isui] and Via-Her-Shout [Beriah] and Prince-Blew [Serah] their sister. And the sons of Via-Her-Shout [Beriah]: Friend [Hever] and My-King-Is-Mighty-One [Malchiel].
18These are the sons of Her-Trickling [Zilpah] whom White [Laban] gave to Weary [Leah] his daughter. And she childed these to He-Will-Heel [Jacob], sixteen beings.
19The sons of Ewe [Raquel] He-Will-Heel’s [Jacob’s] woman: He-Will-Gather [Joseph] and Son-Of-My-Right [Benjamin]. 20And he was childed to He-Will-Gather [Joseph] in the land of Egypt whom Where-Is-The-Bush [Asnat] the daughter of My-Unrestricted-Bow [Poti Pherah] priest of Lust [On] childed to him with Forgetter [Manasseh] and I-Will-Be-Fruitful-There [Ephraim].
21And the sons of Benjamin: He-Swallowed [Belah] and Firstborn [Bekher] and I-Will-Cluster [Ashbel], He-Saw-A-Sojourner [Gera] and Their-[fem.]-Pleasant-[one] [Naaman], My-Brother [Ekhi] and Head [Rosh], Memphis-ites [Muppim] and Enveloped-[ones] [Huppim] and I-Will-Descend [Ard].
22These are the sons of Ewe [Raquel] whom he childed to Jacob. All the beings are fourteen.
23And the sons of Adjudication [Dan]: Hastening-[ones] [Hushim].
24And the sons of My-Wrestling [Naphtali]: Mighty-[one]-Shall-Divide-[in half] [Yahze-el] and My-Defender [Guni] and He-Will-Form [Yetzer] and Vengeance-Peace [Shillem].
25These are the sons of Via-Languishing [Bilhah] whom White [Laban] gave unto Ewe [Raquel] his daughter. And she childed these unto He-Will-Heel [Jacob]. All the beings are seven. 26Each being that came to Jacob Egyptward, exiters of his side (besides Jacob’s sons’ women)—each being is sixty and six.
27And the sons of Joseph that he childed to him in Egypt are two being(s). All the being to the House of Jacob that came Egyptward is seventy.
28And he sent Judah to his faces unto Joseph to teach to his faces Goshenward. And they came landward Goshen. 29And Joseph hitched his chariot. And he ascended to meet Israel his father Goshenward. And he was seen unto him. And he fell upon his necks. And he wept more upon his necks.
30And Israel said unto Joseph, “I shall die the stroke after my seeing thy faces! For thou art yet alive!” 31And Joseph said unto his brethren and unto his father’s house, “I will ascend! And I have told to Pharaoh! And I have said unto him, ‘My brethren and my father’s house who are in the land of Canaan came unto me! 32And the men are shepherds of a flock. For they were cattlemen. And they brought their flock and their herd and all that they have!’ 33And he shall be for Pharaoh shall call to you. And he shall say, ‘What is your doing?’ 34And ye shall say, ‘Thy slaves were cattlemen from our youths and until now—also we, also our fathers’—in order that ye will dwell in the land of Goshen. For every shepherd of a flock is an abomination unto the Egyptians.”
Chapter 47
And Joseph came. And he told to Pharaoh. And he said, “My father and my brethren and their flock and their herd, and all that they have have come from the land of Canaan. And behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” 2And he took five men from the fringe of his brethren. And he presented them unto Pharaoh. 3And Pharaoh said unto his brothers, “What is your doing?” And they said unto Pharaoh, “Thy slaves are a shepherd of a flock—also we, also our fathers.” 4And they said unto Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land because thy slaves have no pasturage for the flock. For the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan. And now, na, thy slaves shall dwell in the land of Goshen.”
5And Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph, saying, “Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee! 6The land of Egypt is before thee! Make thy father and brethren to settle in the best of the land! They shall dwell in the land of Goshen! And if thou hast known, and if there are among them men of valiance, and set them princes of my cattle!”
7And Joseph brought Jacob his father. And he stood him to the faces of Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of thy lives?” 9And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years. The days of the years of my lives were few and bad. And they didn’t reach the days of the years of the lives of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.” 10And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And he exited from to the faces of Pharaoh.
11And Joseph sat with his father and with his brethren. And he gave to them a possession in the land of Egypt via the best of the land—in the land of Raamses—as Pharaoh had commanded. 12And Joseph ‘all-alled’ his father and his brethren and all his father’s house, bread to the mouth of the little-one.
13And no bread is in all the land. For the famine is very heavy. And the land of Egypt hung, and the land of Canaan, from the faces of the famine. 14And Joseph collected all the silver that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan via the breaking that they are breaking. And Joseph brought the silver to Pharaoh’s house.
15And silver finished from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan. And all Egyptians came unto Joseph to say, “Render bread to us!” and “Why shall we die straight-in-front-of thee? For silver doesn’t exist.” 16And Joseph said, “Render your cattle. And I gave her to you via your cattle if silver doesn’t exist.” 17And they brought their cattle unto Joseph. And Joseph gave to them bread via horses and via cattle of the flock and via cattle of the herd and via asses. And he led them via bread via all their cattle in that year.
18And that year finished. And they came unto him in the second year. And they said to him, “We will not hide from my lord, but rather the silver finished. And livestock of the beast is unto my lord. No remainder is to the faces of my lord except if our bodies and our soil. 19Why shall we die to thine eyes—also we, also our soil? Buy us and our soil via bread. And we, we were, and our soil, slaves to Pharaoh. And give seed. And we lived. And we will not die. And the soil will not be desolate.” 20And Joseph bought all the soil of Egypt to Pharaoh. For the Egyptians sold, a man his field. For the famine gripped upon them. And the land became to Pharaoh. 21And the people—he caused him to cross over to cities from the end of the border of Egypt and unto his end. 22Only he didn’t acquire the soil of the priests. For a statute is to the priests from with Pharaoh. And they will eat their statute that Pharaoh gave to them. Therefore they didn’t sell their soil.
23And He-Will-Gather [Joseph] said unto the people, “Behold I acquired you today and your soil to Pharaoh. Hey! Seed is to you! And ye shall seed the soil! 24And he shall be via bringings. And ye shall give a fifth to Pharaoh. And four of the hands will be to you to seed the field and to your eating and to whomever is in your houses and to the eating to your Top (little-one). 25And they said, “Thou caused-us-to-live. We will find favour in the eyes of my lord. And we will be slaves to Pharaoh.”
26And He-Will-Gather [Joseph] put her to a statute unto this day upon the soil of Egypt: “To Pharaoh, to a fifth.” Only the soil of the priests, them alone, she was not to Pharaoh.
27And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they grasped in her. And they were fruitful. And they multiplied very much.
28And He-Will-Heel [Jacob] lived in the land of Egypt seventeen year(s). And the days of He-Will-Heel [Jacob], years of his lives, were seven years and forty and one hundred year(s).
29And the days of Israel to die approached. And he called to his son, to He-Will-Gather [Joseph]. And he said to him, “If, na, I found favour in thine eyes, put, na, thy hand under my side. And thou shalt do grace and truth with me. Do not, na, entomb me in Egypt. 30And I will lie with my fathers. And thou wilt carry me from Egypt. And thou wilt entomb me in their tomb.” And he said, “I, I will do as thy speech.” 31And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. And Israel prostrated upon the head of the bed.
I. The Need (chapter 42, verses 1-4)
Jacob observed that there was grain breaking in Egypt. He said to his sons, “Why do ye look at yourselves?” He continued, “Behold, I heard that there is breaking in Egypt. Descend ye thereward and break ye to us from there. And we have lived. And we will not die.”
Joseph’s ten brothers went down to break grain from Egypt. Jacob made sure to not send Benjamin with his brothers, saying, “Lest harm will suddenly-meet him.”
Questions
1. How did Jacob see that there was grain breaking in Egypt? He found out from others that Egypt had grain that was reasonably obtainable.
2. Why did Jacob say to his sons, “Why do ye look at yourselves”? What did he mean by this? They were looking at each other, not knowing what to do. The idea of going to Egypt would have been a rather scary idea for them; they were not used to foreign travel. Though Egypt was not far away, the cultures in Egypt were very different.
3. How was Jacob affected by this famine? The famine affected him in the following ways:
- He could grow no field crops. They didn’t grow.
- His cattle and sheep had terrible difficulties finding anything to eat; this meant that Jacob would have to sell cattle and sheep at very low prices, since so many would be selling cattle and sheep. It is better to slaughter the animals than to have them starve.
- All food-giving plants, like trees and bushes, were suffering unless they were watered from underground springs. These would make guarding these food sources and their saved food supplies very important. Violent folks would attack weak groups to steal their food.
- Traveling was dangerous, since attacking a traveling group was an easy way to obtain food right away.
4. What does the word thereward mean? This is a made-up word meaning toward there; Hebrew uses a word meaning thereward.
5. What does breaking mean in these texts? This is dividing a large quantity of grain or other items that can be stored in large storage into portions that are smaller and that can be used by individuals and groups.
6. Why would going to Egypt be descending? The Biblical pattern is to view Jerusalem as the highest point. Any place in Israel—the land that will later be Israel is considered higher than surrounding locations. This is actually prophetic, since most of Israel will be higher than surrounding locations during the Millennium.
The expression used for anyone becoming a citizen of the modern State of Israel is “making aliyah,” which actually means, “making ascension,” or “going up.”
7. Why is “and we have lived” in the past tense? This is the Biblical Hebrew way of describing effect in a cause-and-effect statement. In this case, if the brothers will descend to Egypt and break grain (the cause), the effect will be that they have lived. We would say, “And we shall live,” but that show the certainty that the Bible shows.
8. Why does Jacob say both, “We have lived” and “we will not die”? “We have lived” shows what will happen in the near time. “We will not die” has to do with the group of which Jacob is the head, and its being in danger of dying out—of going extinct. Jacob was considering the near time and the far future.
9. Was Jacob superstitious that harm would come to Benjamin if he sent him? Jacob was not superstitious. He already saw the death of one son: of Joseph. He didn’t desire to lose another son, a son from the same deceased mother (Raquel) to some happening.
Jacob didn’t exactly trust the ten brothers. Their reactions to Joseph’s disappearance didn’t sit right with Jacob.
10. Why wasn’t Jacob concerned and worried about his other ten sons who were present? They were grown men, and they were not young. They were well-able to take care of themselves. They were married and had children of their own.
II. The Facts (verses 5-6)
Israel’s sons came to break in the midst of other folks who came. The famine also hit the land of Canaan.
Joseph is now sultan over the land, and he is the one who breaks grain to all people of the land.
Questions
1. What does “the sons of Israel came to break in the midst of the comers” mean? Many others came because all needed food. Israel’s sons were among many others who sought food from Egypt.
2. What is a sultan? A sultan is a ruler. Joseph was both a slave and a ruler over Egypt.
3. The text states that Zaphnat Paaneah (remember, this is the Egyptian name given to Joseph) is the breaker to all people of the land. Does this mean that he personally oversaw every amount of food given out during this time of famine? No; he had slaves that laboured on his behalf in these areas. Zaphnat Paaneah had much help, since so many issues had to be resoved. He also had to make certain that corruption didn’t occur during this famine. While he had been under the Chief Executioner before, now he was over the Chief Executioner. It is my personal belief that they both had a love for each other, and therefore a great respect. Any corruption during a famine can easily lead to death. Everyone except Pharaoh feared Zaphnat Paaneah.
III. Recognition and Election (verses 6-17)
Joseph’s brothers came. They prostrated to Joseph with their faces toward the land. Joseph saw and recognized his brothers. He determined to appear a total stranger to them.
He spoke hardnesses with them—he spoke harshly. He said to them, “From where did ye come?” They responded, “From the land of Canaan to break food.” The text again states that Joseph recognized his brothers; they didn’t recognize him.
Joseph then remembered dreams that he dreamed to them.
He then accused them: “Ye are spies! Ye came to see the nakedness of the land!” They responded, “No, my lord! And thy slaves came to break food! All of us—we are sons of one man! We are established! Thy slaves were not spies.” Joseph contradicted them: “No! For ye have come to see the nakedness of the land!” They again tried to explain: “Thy slaves are twelve. We are brothers—sons of one man in the land of Canaan. And behold, the youngest is with our father today. And the one is not.”
Joseph determined to put them to a test after accusing them: “He is what I spoke unto you, saying, ‘Ye are spies!’” He continued, “Ye shall be proved via this. Pharaoh lives!—if ye shall exit from this except via the coming of your little brother here!” Joseph then stated that one of the ten brothers would be sent to fetch the other brother, and the other nine brothers would be prisoners! If these things didn’t prove true, that would establish them as spies.
He then imprisoned them for three days.
Questions
1. What does prostrate mean? It means to lay down flat. It can be on one’s back, but this is not normal for the act before another person; that is usually on the belly.
2. Why did they prostrate to him ‘faces landward’? This shows that they put their faces to the ground so that they were not looking straight at Zaphnat Paaneah; this would be disrespectful. Instead, they looked to the ground, to the land, while they lay flat. This way, Zaphnat Paaneah could do whatever he desired with them. It is a position of total surrender, total subservience.
3. How did Joseph recognize his brothers after so many years?
- They were dressed in similar clothing to what they had been dressed before. Their clothing was cultural.
- Some still looked very similar, since they had been adults when they put him into the dry pit.
- Joseph had not forgotten the language of his family. He would recognize their words and wording.
4. Why did Joseph estrange himself unto them? Joseph desired to see how they would respond to him without knowing who he is. If Joseph had made himself known to them, they might have taken the food, returned to Jacob, and lie to him about food being available so that they would not have to tell Jacob that Joseph lived. Joseph knew of what they were capable; they had covered up his being alive, though Joseph didn’t know that.
Joseph estranged himself because he had to learn certain things from them without their feeling pressed to lie.
Joseph is a type—a person who is real, but whose experiences and words perfectly match another who is also real and far more important. Joseph is a type of Messiah Yeshua, and these brothers are a type of Israelis in the future. Yeshua will do with Israelis during a far future time of great Tribulation as Joseph did with his brothers.
5. What does hardnesses mean, and why did he speak hardnesses with them? Hardnesses are rough and gruff speeches. They are the way a person speaks and acts who desires to be viewed as without feeling, without limitations, and who desires to be feared.
He spoke hardnesses with them because:
- He desired for them to fear so that they would give true answers (even if they tried to hide certain facts). Folks who are intimidated (made timid) tend to say more than they really want to say.
- He desired to loosen them up so that they would speak openly with each other. They didn’t know that Zaphnat Paaneah understood Hebrew.
- He also spoke hardnesses to them so that they wouldn’t happenstancially recognize him. He played a role as Zaphnat Paaneah.
6. Did the slaves who worked for Zaphnat Paaneah know that Joseph was behaving differently with these men? Those slaves of Joseph studied Joseph as if their lives depended on that study, because they did. All who worked for Pharaoh and for Pharaoh’s higher officers knew that they could be arrested and killed, as what happened to the Prince of the Bakers. Therefore, they knew that Zaphnat Paaneah was behaving in a very different manner.
7. The question, “From where did ye come,” doesn’t seem like a harsh question. Was it a harsh question? This is a matter of the tone of voice. The next few verses show that Zaphnat Paaneah said this will great harshness.
8. Was Joseph being vindictive, getting back at his brothers for mistreating him now that he was a ruler in Egypt? No, Joseph was not. He had no vindictive part in his character. He is playing a role, but he desires no harm to them. He must be very careful to orchestrate (arrange) for his family to have food during this time. He cannot just tell things straight, yet, because he doesn’t know how others will take this new information. Joseph is a slave; he isn’t free to do what he might desire.
9. Why does the text again state, “Joseph recognized his brothers”? This is for emphasis; it is also to tell the reader that Joseph knew exactly what he was doing. It also shows that Joseph was very emotionally touched by these events. His recognition will later lead him to weep.
The next part states that they didn’t recognize him. This is so important for future events with Yeshua and the Israelis.
10. The text reads, “And Joseph remembered the dreams that he dreamed to them.” Explain what to them means and indicates. This means that the dreams were not so much to Joseph when Yehovah gave them through Joseph, but the dreams were to the brothers from Yehovah. Thus, those dreams could be the means of their having faith if they were desiring to have faith.
11. Zaphnat Paaneah said, “Ye are spies! Ye came to see the nakedness of the land!” Is he lying? No; he was throwing accusation at them in order to cause them to speak. If Zaphnat Paaneah had said this to others and not to them, he would have been lying.
12. Why did Joseph make these accusations? He desire for them to feel entrapped so that they would speak truth to him and to each other. He also desired for them to greatly fear lying—both here and elsewhere—so that he could save their lives.
13. What does “Ye came to see the nakedness of the land” mean? Any part of anything that is naked is exposed to open viewing. The human body is covered in several places in order to keep its nakedness from being seen because those parts are far more susceptible to harm than are the tougher parts that are not hidden. The same is true of a land. Many parts of the land can be shown, but certain parts are very susceptible to harm if attacked. These parts are kept hidden. For example, an arsenal filled with explosives like bombs is very susceptible to attack; one explosion can destroy the entire area. Secret installations are kept covered; they are not naked.
14. These brothers referred to themselves as Zaphnat Paaneah’s slaves. Were they lying? They were not lying, and they were not exaggerating. By coming to Egypt, they voluntarily came to serve the land and its leaders in order to obtain food. Declaring themselves slaves is what they had to do to obtain anything from Egypt. That is true in many cultures today.
15. Why did the brothers tell Zaphnat Paaneah more information, like, “All of us—we are sons of one man,” and “we are established”? In general, folks who want to be believed begin speaking more, thinking that the more they say, the more likely they will be believed. This usually doesn’t work. They also thought that it would be obvious that they were not spies if they came from the same family; spies do not usually come all from one family.
They claimed, “We are established,” as if to say that they have plenty of witnesses that they are truly citizens of the land from which they come, and their work and behaviour is well know in their area.
16. Why did the brothers volunteer that they had two other brothers—one who is at home, and one “who is not”? He had already told them that there were twelve, though there were ten present. They felt they had to account for the other two who are missing. They were also trying to be personal with him, hoping he would see them in a better light.
17. What did they mean by “one is not”? They meant that he was either dead or had been gone for a long time without their knowing where. They were not about to admit how that happened.
18. Who is He in, “He is what I spoke unto you, saying, ‘Ye are spies!’”? He refers to the speech that Zaphnat Paaneah had said to them. In other words, “The speech is what I spoke unto you saying, ‘Ye are spies.’” Everything in Hebrew is either masculine or feminine; a speech is masculine.
19. Why would Zaphnat Paaneah think that this proves that they are spies? He doesn’t really think they are spies; he knows who they are. He is putting them under great pressure so that they will demonstrate their willingness to do right.
20. Is Joseph playing a game with them? Joseph knows the answers. He wants his brothers to do right. It appears as a game, except that most who participate in a game know that it is a game. Zaphnat Paaneah is being very threatening and is causing much fear. When folks cause others fear, that isn’t a game. What Joseph is doing will be what Messiah Yeshua later does to the Israelis during the Tribulation. That also won’t be a game, though it is done as if it were a game. Joseph is not cruel. This ‘game,’ then, is designed to save lives. It is very serious.
21. Why did Zaphnat Paaneah say, “Pharaoh lives”? In Egypt, Pharaoh was considered a god. When folks vow, they often mention the god who secures the vow. Saying “Pharaoh lives” is the security of the vow that Zaphnat Paaneah is making: “Pharaoh lives!—if ye shall exit from this except via the coming of your little brother here!” He is threatening them with the power of the god Pharaoh.
22. What did Zaphnat Paaneah mean by, “if ye shall exit from this except via the coming of your little brother here”? The word if in Hebrew (and apparently in Egyptian) acts like a strong negative: “You certainly won’t…” He is telling them, “Ye are not getting out of here unless ye bring your little brother.”
23. Why didn’t Joseph just tell who he was and get them to send for their father and little brother? Joseph’s goal is for them to do what Joseph knows is best for the entire family. If they don’t fear Zaphnat Paaneah enough, they might go home and lie about what occurred. He is putting fear into them so that they will speak the truth enough to get their father and brother here. He has dealt with them before, and he knows that they can lie very well.
24. Verse 16 states, “Send ye one from you. And he took your brother. And ye, ye were imprisoned!” What was Zaphat Paaneah’s plan in this verse? His plan was to send only one to get the little brother, and to keep the rest as spy prisoners.
25. What did Zaphnat Paaneah mean by, “And if not, Pharaoh lives! For ye are spies”? If they can’t prove that they have a little brother, Zaphnat Paaneah will know that they are spies, and will vow by god Pharaoh that they have been proven spies. They must bring little brother.
26. What did Zaphnat Paaneah do with all ten brothers, for how long, and why? He put them unto guard (in prison) three days so that they would gather fear. He must obtain their fear in order to benefit them.
IV. Joseph’s Threat (verses 18-20)
On the third day, Joseph told them, “Do ye this and live. I fear the gods! If ye are established, your one brother shall be bound in the house of your guard. And ye, walk-ye! Bring-ye the breaking of famine of your houses! And ye shall bring your little brother unto me. And your speeches shall be verified. And ye shall not die!”
They did what Joseph said in this new plan.
Questions
1. What did Zaphnat Paaneah mean by, “Do ye this and live”? He was threatening them: if they want to live, they have to bring their other brother. If they don’t, the famine will kill them, and the brother in prison will be executed as a spy.
2. What gods did Zaphnat Paaneah fear? Joseph, of course, feared Yehovah, but that isn’t what he meant for them to understand. He feared the Egyptian gods (Joseph, of course, didn’t, but Zaphnat Paaneah was Egyptian, and he needed to portray himself as a Egyptian fearer of Egyptian gods).
3. What did he mean by, “If ye are established, your one brother shall be bound in the house of your guard”? Being established means that they have a reputation and witnesses that they are truly whom they claim to be. Anyone who is unestablished cannot prove who he or she is. An unestablished person would easily be viewed as a spy.
Thus, putting one brother in prison under guard will give them time to show that they are indeed established. The brother is being kept for surety—that is, as if his life will guarantee that they will come back and bring their proof.
Joseph knew that the one brother kept in prison would not be a strong enough incentive for them all to return, but he knew that the famine would be.
4. What does “And ye, walk-ye! Bring-ye the breaking of famine of your houses” mean? The command, walk ye, is telling them to get going. The second part means that they are to take food stuffs of the famine to their houses. They will travel with food for their families.
5. Did they bring their little brother to Zaphnat Paaneah? We haven’t gotten there yet!
V. Truth Comes Out (verses 21-24)
They began to talk to each other while still in the presence of Joseph: “But we are guilty-[ones] concerning our brother—that we saw the tribulation of his being during his beseeching unto us! And we did not hearken. Therefore this tribulation came unto us!”
Reuben answered, “Didn’t I say unto you, saying, ‘Do not sin via the child,’ and ye did not hearken! And indeed, his blood—behold—is being researched!” They had no idea that Joseph heard and understood every word, since a translator translated between Joseph and them.
Joseph then circled “from upon” (from beside) them. When he was no longer in their range, he wept.
Questions
1. Why did they start talking about being guilty ones concerning their missing brother when Joseph didn’t say a word about him?
- First, they realize that they will have to explain something to their father.
- Secondly, they have felt guilty for a long time; folks who feel guilty sometimes figure that some higher power is going after them when things begin to go wrong. This is superstition. They don’t know what is occurring, but they are very superstitious.
- Thirdly, they finally want to talk about what occurred before, and how it bothered them when Joseph shouted for them to help.
2. What did they mean by “the tribulation of his being”? The word tribulation means continuous trouble. His being consists of his body, soul and spirit. They saw that Joseph was troubled by what they were doing—not just physically, but in all other ways. Yet, they refused to hearken to him.
3. What does beseech mean? It means to beg or to ask with all emotion, with all hope, and with urgency.
4. What does “Therefore this tribulation came unto us” show about them? Things usually come to them as if it is always about them. They are suffering tribulation because of what they did, according to their own minds. They see this as a form of vengeance for what they did to Joseph. This is also superstitious, since they have no evidence that the God of Jacob would do this.
5. Reuben stated, “Didn’t I say unto you, saying, ‘Do not sin via the child,’ and ye did not hearken! And indeed, his blood—behold—is being researched!” What is he doing? He is blaming the other brothers, and making himself look like he is far less guilty than they!
6. Is Reuben right, saying that he really isn’t as guilty, because he warned them? He is not right; he is far more guilty than the rest! He could always have gone after his brother, and he could have secured his release. Instead, he took comfort in the lie that they all made regarding Joseph’s death. Reuben is the firstborn; the firstborn always has greater responsibility for the rest of the siblings than any of the other siblings.
7. Who is doing the research, according to Reuben, and what does this mean? Reuben didn’t say who was doing the research, but it would have to be a god. The idea of blood being researched means that one who has been slain (killed), whose blood has been shed is now being investigated to find the murderer(s). They think that some god is investigating the murder of Joseph, and is putting pressure on them because they are guilty. They think that all of this is now come upon them because they murdered their brother.
8. Why didn’t they know that Joseph (Zaphnat Paaneah) hearkened (that is, listened and understood)? Joseph spoke Egyptian, and language that the brothers didn’t understand. Joseph didn’t speak in Hebrew. Instead, he had translators who translated what he said to them and what they said to him. Joseph’s dress, language, rank and looks were totally unrecognizable to them.
9. What does “and he circled from upon them” mean? “From upon” means that he left them to go to another place. He circled out of the room. He went to a private room so that he could weep.
10. Why did Joseph weep when he heard what his brothers said? He wept for the following reasons:
- He heard his brothers discussing what they had done to him (without solicitation—that is, asking for it), and he heard the details of what they had discussed on that day.
- He saw how it was still fresh in their minds, and was haunting them.
- Joseph loved his brothers very much; hearing their admissions was very hard for him.
- Joseph desired to make himself known to them, but at the right time; it wasn’t yet.
- Joseph felt the strength of their struggles with their consciences.
11. Why wasn’t Joseph just furious with his brothers over what they did and how they did it, including refusing to undo it? He wasn’t furious because he knew that Yehovah arranged it to save their lives. He saw that because of the dream and because of what occurred. The dream that Joseph had indicated the position he would have, but didn’t indicate about a famine. Joseph knew that Yehovah blessed everything that Joseph touched; he therefore knew that he was in Egypt for a life-saving purpose. He could not be furious because he knew that Yehovah used it to save lives.
Knowledge of these things didn’t lessen the pain of missing his family and being a slave in a foreign land. Joseph suffered terribly while he brought blessing on these pagan idolaters. Yet, Joseph’s character was such that he was sought out wherever he was, and he was able to minister. A person who is able to do very well even while suffering mental anguish is a person who shows excellent characteristics of God.
The characters of his brothers were unchanged; they were just as much scoundrels now as they were before. Joseph, however, had the character that was so excellent. He desired benefits for his brothers regardless of their characters.
VI. The Sad Journey (verses 24-26)
Joseph then returned to them. He spoke more words, and then he took Shimon from their group. He bound him in front of them.
Joseph then commanded, and Joseph’s slaves filled their vessels with grain. He also commanded that their silver be returned to them by placing it in the sack of each person. He also commanded provision to them for the journey. They lifted the grain breaking upon their asses, and they walked from there.
Questions
1. The text states, “And he spoke unto them.” What did he say? The text doesn’t tell what he said. I suspect that it had something to do with binding Shimon to put into prison, and sending them on their way.
2. Why did Zaphnat Paaneah bind Shimon “to their eyes” (in their viewing)? He desired for this to the picture they had in their minds as they journeyed so that they would desire to come and gain his freedom. He also desired for them to remember what happened to him so that they would finally get their guilt out of their system and show true love for their brothers.
The fear they had when they were bound for three days would now continue with them. He had to maintain that fear so that they would do what he said when he finally exposed his identity to them.
3. Whom did Zaphnat Paaneah command to fill the vessels of the brother with grain, to place their silver in the vessels, and to give them provision for the way? Zaphnat Paaneah had slaves who did what he commanded them. They did the grain filling and the rest of his command.
4. Why did Zaphnat Paaneah place their silver in their sacks? Wasn’t that silver for payment for the food? Even Zaphnat Paaneah’s slaves didn’t know why he did this; he never explained himself to them. He has a plan, and the silver in the sacks will be part of the plan!
5. Did Zaphnat Paaneah normally give provision to folks for their journeys? I don’t know if this was normal, or if folks normally purchased their own provisions for their journeys.
6. The provision for the journey was for what purpose? Among other things, it was for the animals! Food for animals had to be provided; the famine left very little wild plant materials for the animals to eat!
7. Did they ride their asses? Asses are not usually very large animals. They can carry a person, but these asses had to carry food grains and other edible things. Their loads were high; carrying a person would be too much. Thus, the brothers either walked beside the animals or they rode asses that had much smaller loads. Since the text states that they walked from there, I suspect that they walked with the animals, but they may have ridden other animals. Folks were very used to walking back then.
VII. Shock! (verses 27-28)
At an inn (much like a stable), one of the brothers opened up his sack to give provender (food for animals) to his ass. He saw his silver! It was right there, in the mouth of his container!
He said unto his brothers, “My silver is returned, and also behold, into my container!” Their heart exited—they lost their mind! They were terrified. They asked each other, “What is this Elohim did to us?”
Questions
1. What is provender? It is animal food especially for field and grazing animals (like horses, asses, mules, oxen, etc.). Hay is an example of provender.
2. Was the brother who found his silver returned and in the mouth of his container happy about this discovery? No, he wasn’t! This terrified him and his brothers.
3. Why did they react so badly about the silver being in the container? It gave the appearance of their stealing the money. They had already been accused of being spies; they would now appear to be thieves.
4. Why did they ask, “What is this Elohim did to us?” They thought that this must be the work of Elohim the Gods of Jacob on account of what they did to Joseph years ago. They couldn’t account for all these things going wrong without considering it an act of vengeance from Elohim.
VIII. Another Version (verses 29-34)
They came unto Jacob as they headed toward te land of Canaan. They told him all the events that happened to them: “The man—lords of the land—spoke hardnesses with us! And he gave us as spies of the land! And we said unto him, ‘We are established! We were not spies! Twelve are we—brothers—sons of our father. One is not, and the little-[one] is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’ And the man—lords of the land—said unto us, ‘I will know via this that ye are established. Rest-ye your one brother with me. And take-ye the famine of your houses. And walk! And bring your little brother unto me. And I knew that ye are not spies because ye are established! I will give your brother to you. And ye shall trade [in] the land.’”
Questions
1. Did they tell their father what occurred with excitement, with dread, or with as little detail as possible to avoid discussing it? They seemed to tell him these things with excitement! They had a great adventure (except for Shimon who was in prison). They gave all the details—even details that they should have realized would greatly upset their father.
2. According to the brothers, the man, the lords of the land, said unto them, “Rest-ye your one brother with me. And take-ye the famine of your houses. And walk!” Is this accurate? It is not accurate! He didn’t say, “Rest ye your one brother with me;” instead, he said, “your one brother shall be bound in the house of your guard.” They were not telling Jacob the truth.
3. Did he say, “bring your little brother unto me. And I knew that ye are not spies because ye are established”? No, he didn’t. He said, “And ye shall bring your little brother unto me. And your speeches shall be verified. And ye shall not die!” They kept that part from him.
4. Did he ever say, “I will give your brother to you, and ye shall trade [in] the land”? Everything Zaphnat Paaneah said was threatening. The way they are telling the events leaves out all threat.
5. Were they lying by telling these events the way they were? They were lying when they said what Zaphnat Paaneah didn’t say, and they were lying when they turned his words around to mean the opposite of what he said. They were used to lying, and they continued now. They spoke parts that were truth. A mixture of truth and lying equals lying.
6. Did Jacob suspect them of lying? Jacob knew that something was wrong, as the next paragraph will show.
IX. More Silver! (verses 35-38)
The next event occurred while they emptied their sacks. Each one had a bundle of his silver in his own sack! They all saw the silver, including Jacob. They feared!
Jacob finally responded, “Ye have bereaved me! Joseph is not, and Shimon is not! And ye shall take Benjamin? All of hers were upon me!”
Reuben responded to his father, “Thou wilt kill my two sons if I will not bring him unto thee! Give her him upon my hand. And I, I will return him unto thee.”
Jacob’s reply was strong: “My son shall not descend with you! For his brother is dead. And he remained alone. And hurt shall happen to him in the way that ye shall walk in her! And ye shall descend my gray-hairs via sorrow Sheolward!”
Questions
1. What does “And he was” mean? This means that the event about to be described happened (next).
2. Why did they fear when silver was in each person’s sack, since they had already feared when one of them had silver in the sack? Why was this worse? Now, they all could be accused of being thieves! It was as if they had all snuck over to where their silver had been placed, and had intentionally stolen it in order to not have to pay for the grain! They didn’t know how they would return the silver. Though they knew they hadn’t done it, Zaphnat Paaneah would think they were all thieves rather than being established!
3. Why did Jacob react by saying, “Ye have bereaved me! Joseph is not, and Shimon is not”? What does that have to do with finding the silver in the sacks? Jacob knew they were liars. He saw the silver, and he figured that they had done something underhanded, especially with Shimon being gone. Jacob thought they must have had something to do with Joseph’s disappearance, and now Shimon was also gone, and they were back. This brought memories of the sorrow over Joseph, and Jacob accused them of bereaving him (of causing him to lose a loved one by death).
4. What did Jacob mean by, “And ye shall take Benjamin?” Jacob was telling them that they would not take Benjamin! Jacob’s sons disappear when they are alone with these brothers!
5. Explain what “All of hers were upon me” means: I first must determine who her is in hers. I am thinking that her refers to Raquel. If it does, it means that all of Raquel’s children were upon me. Now, the word upon is often used as against in the Bible. If one person is upon another in the Bible, by coming right up close as if to pounce on the person, that is being against that person: in his face! If this holds for this text, it would mean that all of Raquel’s children were against him—that is, that the brothers held Raquel’s children, Joseph and Benjamin, against Jacob, resenting his great love for Raquel, and thus for her children. I am not certain that this is what he meant. What are your thoughts?
6. Reuben made an offer: “Thou wilt kill my two sons if I will not bring him unto thee!” Was this a good and reasonable offer? No, it wasn’t. It was a stupid offer. A grandfather is as much the father of his grandchildren as a father is of his children! Jacob was a father to Reuben’s children as much as Reuben was. Offering to kill any of his grandchildren to cover the loss of his children made no sense whatsoever. Reuben had no useful sense in the most important matters.
7. Reuben added, “Give her him upon my hand.” Who is her? I propose that her refers to the responsibility. (She shows up again in verse 38: “that ye shall walk via her.”)
8. Reuben offered to return him unto Jacob. Was this a good offer? Jacob didn’t consider it a good offer. Reuben never returned with Joseph…
9. Why did Jacob say, “My son shall not descend with you” instead of “My son shall not descend with thee”? Jacob did not desire for Benjamin to go with them—not just with Reuben. He didn’t trust the whole group of them. They hadn’t returned with Shimon; why should or would he trust them to certainly return with Benjamin?
10. Jacob said, “For his brother is dead. And he remained alone.” What did he mean by this? Joseph and Benjamin are not half-brothers; they are both from the same mother as well as father. Benjamin’s brother, Joseph, is dead, and Benjamin remains alone. Jacob did not desire to take any chances at losing Benjamin.
11. What did Jacob mean by, “And hurt shall happen to him in the way that ye shall walk via her”? If her does represent responsibility, Jacob would be saying that harm will happen to Benjamin in the way that they will behave (one’s walk is one’s behaviour, also) as well as travel by means of the responsibility they have for Benjamin. Jacob figures that they will find a way to somehow ‘lose’ Benjamin as they ‘lost’ Joseph.
12. What did Jacob mean by, “And ye shall descend my gray-hairs via sorrow Sheolward”? To descend is to cause to go down. The gray hairs shows Jacob’s age and appearance. Causing these gray hairs to go down via sorrow ‘Sheolward’ (toward and to Sheol) is making those hairs accompany Jacob himself as he dies and goes to Sheol. In other words, the sorrow would kill him.
13. Where is Sheol? Sheol is in the very heart of the planet Earth, according to the Bible. It is a chamber in the very middle of the planet where folks who died went to await their resurrections and their judgments.
14. What was and is Sheol? Sheol is a chamber with two sides and a great gulf, a large and empty space, between the two sides. One side is the chamber for those who have Salvation, and thus the waters of Lives; the other side is the chamber for those who don’t have Salvation, and thus suffer terrible thirst and heat from the flame that is there. The good side is called Paradise, and is the very Garden of Eden that used to be on the planet’s surface, where Adam and Eve lived for a short time. It is a beautiful and excellent place. The bad side is called torments, and has no water; all on this side await terrible futures in the Lake of Fire and Burning Sulfur. There always many, many more on the bad side than on the good side.
Once Messiah Yeshua rose from the dead, Paradise was transferred to the heavens where it now is. Sheol therefore has the one chamber that is torments. Nearly all humans go there; very few care enough to believe and to obtain Salvation. Many very religious folks die and go to Sheol to await judgment. Only those who are willing to receive the love of the Truth can be saved from everlasting torments: everlasting death. Yet, anyone who is willing to receive the love of the Truth can and will be saved, and will go to the Paradise of Yehovah.
X. Out of Food Again (chapter 43, verses 1-14)
In the meantime, they did nothing for the one brother. The famine was very heavy in the land. They finally finished the food supplied they had brought from Egypt.
Jacob told them to return and to break a little food for Jacob and his group.
Judah spoke up: “Testifying, the man testified into us, saying, ‘Ye shall not see my faces without your brother with you!’” Then Judah bluntly stated, “If thou art sending our brother with us, we will descend. And we will break food to thee. And if thou art not sending, we will not descend. For the man said unto us, ‘Ye shall not see my faces without your brother with you!’”
Now Jacob finally asked, “Why bad-did ye to me to tell to the man yet a brother is to you?” They replied, “Asking, the man asked to us and to our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father yet alive? Is there a brother to you?’ And we told him upon the mouth of these sayings. Knowing, will we know that he will say, ‘Descend ye your brother!’?”
Judah continued to try to convince his father: “Send the youth with me. And we have arisen. And we have walked. And we have lived. And we will not die—also we, also thou, also our little one. I, I will be his surety. Thou shalt seek him from my hand if I didn’t bring him unto thee. And I will present him to thy faces.”
Judah then said, “And I shall sin to thee all the days,” referring to what would happen if Judah didn’t return the child.
Judah continued, “For if we had not what?-what?ed ourselves… for now we returned this two-strokes!” In other words, we could have already been back.
Israel responded, “If established where, do ye this. Take ye from the prune (a plant cutting) of the land in your vessels. And descend ye a rest to the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds.”
He continued, “take ye silver repeated in your hand. And the silver brought in the mouth of your sacks—ye shall return in your hand. Perhaps he is an oversight.”
He then stated, “take ye your brother. And arise ye. Return ye unto the man. And El Shaddai shall give wombings to you to the faces of the man. And he shall send your other brother and Benjamin to you. And I—just as I have been bereaved, I have been bereaved.”
Questions
1. Why does Hebrew use heavy for things like famine? Anything that is heavy is important. The Hebrew language says much in a very short way. This way, documents don’t have to be so long.
If a famine is heavy or important, it is not small; it is very big.
English slang often uses expressions that fit the Hebrew language very well. During 1960s, some hippies used to say, “That’s heavy!” when they heard something they considered deep or important.
2. Who is he in, “And he was just as they finished to eat…”? He refers to the event about to be described. This next event occurred just as they finished eating what they had brought from Egypt.
3. How much time elapsed (went by) between their coming home with the grain and their running out of grain? The text doesn’t tell us. I am thinking that they would have had enough grain to take them into the next season, which means about a quarter of a year: about three months.
4. Did Jacob only desire a little food? He was interested in enough for a few months. The famine was not ending. His view of a little food would be much food to us, but small compared to the food supplies found in Egypt.
5. What does “testified into us” mean? It is giving them ‘the score.’ To testify is to say something as if under oath, including being in court. It is something that the person testifying is claiming to be exactly true. Testifying into someone is telling that person in the strongest terms what the case is, what will occur, what the score is. It is getting right up and personal with the person being told.
6. Why did Judah say, “Testifying, the man testified” using the word testify twice? When a word is used twice like this, it shows that the wording is very strong. Usually, translators only put the word down once, and put surely in front of it. For example, look at the following texts:
Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, “Ye shall not surely die.”
The Hebrew language doesn’t say surely, but instead the two verses would be worded like this:
Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, dying, thou shalt die!”
Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, “Dying, ye shall not die.”
It makes it very strong—almost a threat, in some cases.
7. Why is faces plural in, “Ye shall not see my faces…”? The face has many expressions, curves, and angles. In the Bible, faces is always plural. The only way anyone or anything could have just one face would be if it were totally flat!
8. Did they have to see Zaphnat Paaneah’s faces in order to get grain? Most folks never saw Zaphnat Paaneah, but instead saw one or several of his slaves. He couldn’t oversee every person coming for grain. He made an exception for these brothers; they had to come to him, or they would get no grain.
9. Did Zaphnat Paaneah really say this about seeing his faces? No—that is, the text doesn’t record this. Instead, he said, “And ye shall bring your little brother unto me. And your speeches shall be verified. And ye shall not die!” Judah was not about to say this to Jacob, his father; Jacob would never have permitted Benjamin to travel. This would have made Zaphnat Paaneah seem like a ruthless and violent leader.
Judah either lied, or the text didn’t tell us these other words. If Joseph didn’t say what Judah said, Judah increased the lie by claiming that Zaphnat Paaneah testified this.
10. Judah said, “If thou art sending our brother with us, we will descend. And we will break food to thee.” What was Judah implying by adding, “to thee”? He is implying that their going down to Egypt to break grain is doing their father a favour—not for themselves, but for him (Jacob). This is so typical of folks to try to make it look like they are doing someone a favour when the favour is really for them.
11. What does “Why bad-did ye to me to tell to the man yet a brother is to you” mean? Jacob is saying something close to this: “Why did you even have to inform Zaphnat Paaneah that you had another brother back here, doing me harm?”
12. Was this question above that Jacob asked a good question? This is the type of question that does no good. They already did it; the reason won’t help. These men might learn to do better and be wiser next time, but they probably don’t have the sense. Their ways of wording things so that they are never to blame has worked for them, as far as they are concerned.
13. The brothers said that Zaphnat Paaneah had asked them about their kindred, saying, “Is your father yet alive.” Is this true? It is not true. He accused them of being a spy; he would have no reason to ask about their father being alive. The brothers are lying—what they do best!
14. Did Jacob know that these brothers, his sons, were lying to him? He knew them very well. He knew when they were lying, because liars who lie in groups behave a certain way when they lie, and a parent who has studied them will know the difference. Even a liar gives away lying if another studies that liar long enough.
Long ago, Jacob used to hear the reports of these brothers, and then he would ask Joseph what occurred. He learned back then how good they were at lying, at turning a description around to make themselves look innocent, and everyone else look guilty. Jacob knew they were lying.
Another way that he could tell that they were lying was in the issue of Shimon, the brother left behind, and the way they had been filled with terror over finding the silver in their sacks. If Zaphnat Paaneah had been as kind and thoughtful as they claimed, they wouldn’t have been filled with terror.
15. The brothers claimed that Zaphnat Paaneah asked them, “Is there a brother to you?” Is this true? It isn’t true. They were lying also about this. They volunteered everything that Zaphnat Paaneah knew about them.
16. What does “And we told him upon the mouth of these sayings” mean? This means that they gave their information when Zaphnat Paaneah said what he said (upon the mouth of the sayings of Zaphnat Paaneah).
17. What is another way of wording this: “Knowing, will we know that he will say, ‘Descend ye your brother!’?” Another way of wording it is, “How would we know that he would say, ‘Bring down your brother’?” The expression, “Knowing, will we know…” means, will we certainly know…? They were right about this one point. They couldn’t have foreseen that Zaphnat Paaneah would do that.
18. What is Judah doing by saying, “Send the youth with me. And we have arisen. And we have walked. And we have lived. And we will not die—also we, also thou, also our little one”? He is becoming impatient with his father. He is also making the issue clear: Send us, and we will not die. The reference to “our little one” doesn’t just refer to one very young child, but to every very young child. Everyone’s life depends on getting food from Egypt.
19. Explain “I, I will be his surety. Thou shalt seek him from my hand if I didn’t bring him unto thee. And I will present him to thy faces. And I shall sin to thee all the days”: Judah starts by saying, “I will be his surety. A surety is something of value that guarantees that a promise will be kept. Judah himself will be that valuable thing who will act as a guarantee that Benjamin will return.
The next part is, “Thou shalt seek him from my hand if I didn’t bring him unto thee.” This means that Judah guarantees that he will personally bring back the child, and he guarantees this with his own life. Seeking him from Judah’s hand means that Judah will be the one responsible if the child doesn’t return, and Jacob will investigate Judah as the one who is fully responsible.
“I will present him to thy faces” means that Judah will personally give the child back to Jacob.
“I shall sin to thee all the days” means that Judah will be a continuous and unforgiven sinner to Jacob as long as Jacob lives if Judah doesn’t bring the child back to Jacob.
20. Verse 10 starts out, “For if we had not what?-what?ed ourselves…” What does this mean? To what?-what? oneself means to stand there or sit there doing nothing but asking questions, like, “What about this?” and “What about that?” “What are we going to do?” It is asking questions because the person’s mind is so upset with the unknown and with all the problems that have suddenly come.
21. What did Judah mean by “for now we returned this two strokes”? He meant that ‘we’ could have returned twice (“two strokes”) by now if we all didn’t just sit here as ask what-if questions.
22. What is Judah trying to do with these words? Judah is doing the same thing folks do today. He wants to show his father as unreasonable, and wants to get all to act (without thinking too carefully). He is blaming his father for not being willing to send Benjamin instead of considering carefully his father’s feelings and their own behaviours that brought this on.
23. What did Jacob mean by, “If established where, do ye this”? “If established where,” I propose, means, “If ye know where ye must go, …” The second part is a command: “do ye this.” This is what I am telling you to do.
24. What is the prune of the land? It is what has been preserved from the land, usually through drying. Some fruits are very sweet. Making prunes of those fruits by drying increases the sweetness.
We we know of as prunes are made from dried plums. Raisins are also prunes make from dried grapes. Dried apricots are prunes of apricots. Those dried fruits can be used in baking pies. Thus, if a person likes plums, prunes can be used to make a plum pie long after the harvest of the plums.
25. How did they keep bugs from eating their dried fruits in those days? Vessels made of baked clay (pottery) preserve dried fruits very well. Their very nature is to conduct moisture outside so that anything dried in them is kept dried and from bugs.
26. What kinds of fruits did they have at that time that they could dry into prunes? I only know of a few; I am certain that they had many more. I know they had grapes that could be turned to raisins, they had figs that could be turned to dried figs and fig cakes (like fig Newtons), they had dates from date palms, they had plums, apricots and apples, and there were many others.
Bring as many dried fruits as you can to a Sunday School class to show the prune of our land.
27. Jacob told them to “descend ye a rest to the man.” What did he mean? This word (for rest) indicates something that a person places in front of another person to recieve. Therefore, it is being rested in front of that person. This is what a child will do if a child has made something.
28. What is balm? It is some product produced by pressing or obtaining liquid out of a plant. This is the way that maple syrup is obtained, since it is made from a cut in a maple tree that then leaks its sap; the sap is collected and sweetened. Folks obtain other liquids by squeezing plant parts with great pressure. This is how olive oil is obtained. There are many squeezed or sapped products from plants; these are balms.
Some balms are known for helping with healing or for stopping itches and pain.
29. How is honey made? Honey bees make honey. They gather pollen from flowers. Pollen is very small seed-like structures that contain genetic information that can be transferred when the pollen lands in the right place at the right time. Bees collect the pollen on their bodies, but they also find sweet liquids that lure them to the flowers so that they will become covered with pollen. They drink that sweet liquid, but they do not have a straw. They have very different mouth parts than we have by which they collect that liquid. When they get home to the hive, they regirgitate it—that is, they spit it up. That sweet liquid has been combined with bee spit to form honey. All honeys are made in this way. It is clean, free of all living microscopic creatures, and can be very healthful to humans.
30. What are spices? Spices can come from many different plants and plant parts. Some come from seeds, and others come from pods (bean-like pods), while others come from stems. Spices give flavour to foods.
See how many spices you can name. There is a section in the grocery store where many spices are sold.
31. What is myrrh? Myrrh is used for incense. That means that it is put on hot coals or hot location to smoke, giving off a smell that covers other smells. It is used to this day to diminish the terrible smell of a dead person. It is made from the sap of a desert bush.
32. The text separates nuts and almonds. Aren’t almonds nuts? Almonds are seeds found inside of a number of fruits that are related. An apricot and a peach have almonds inside them. The almond tree also sets a fruit that is just like a peach, but there isn’t much fruit set. The tree is mainly used to grow the seeds inside the fruit; these seeds are almonds.
You can go to the grocery store and purchase almonds near Thanksgiving. Make sure they are in the shell. You can then plant the almonds that are still in the shell, and some of them will germinate (that is, begin a new plant), and will grow into almond trees. You must be patient; this takes about three weeks. I have done this, and am growing almond trees from seeds.
33. What kind of nuts grow in the land where Jacob was? There are many nuts that grow in different parts of Israel. Cashews, filberts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, etc. easily grow in Israel.
34. If they needed food, why did they send food as a gift? Would Zaphnat Paaneah accept their meager gifts of food? The gifts of food and taking gifts were a part of many cultures. Though Egypt had food, the speacialty items from various locations were so often welcome. They were there to ask for regular foods; they brought speacialty foods with them that normally would not be meals, but treats.
35. What did Jacob mean by, “take ye silver repeated in your hand”? He was commanding them to take the same amount of the silver that was found in their sacks to pay for the new food supplies.
36. Why does the text twice mention “in your hand” when your is plural and hand is singular? The hand in the Bible is the power and the ability of a person, of a group, of a location, of a kingdom. The brothers as a group also had one hand. Anything or anyone that does any kind of work or action is said to have a hand (in Biblical terms).
37. Why did Jacob tell them to return the silver found in their sacks by carrying it in their hand? If it is in their hand, they will give it first and right away, showing that they are not hiding it from Zaphnat Paaneah.
38. What is an oversight? In this case, it is something that was overlooked in the process of doling out the grain—at least that is what Jacob hopes it was.
39. Jacob finally said, “And take ye your brother.” Why did he change his mind? He knew he had no other choice. Even if his sons were lying, this still had to be done to obtain food.
40. The text states, “Return ye unto the man.” How is that like modern slang? The expression, the man, is used today! “He is the man!” It shows him as important and as the one with authority.
41. Jacob next stated, “And El Shaddai shall give wombings to you to the faces of the man.” What was Jacob doing and saying when he said this? Wasn’t this a very great turn-around for Jacob? Jacob was prophesying. This wasn’t a wish; it was a statement as if Jacob knew that this would be the result. It was a confident statement.
42. Explain “And El Shaddai shall give wombings to you to the faces of the man.”
El Shaddai means mighty one, my breasts. It refers to a breastfeeding child’s view of his or her mother. That view has everything to do with consolation, with true comfort, with nourishment, with happiness, and with security.
Giving wombings means to give to a person like an adult gives to a child being held and consoled on the womb externally—that is, being held in the lap, which is the womb. The idea is one of consolation and security. For an adult, such wombings will be in the form of special favour that will be shown so that the ones being wombed will be treated very well and as if they are close relationships who are greatly loved.
In the faces of the man means that this will occur directly in front of the man, referring to Zaphnat Paaneah.
43. Jacob also prophesied, “And he shall send your other brother and Benjamin to you.” Identify the other brother, and explain how Jacob knew this. The other brother is Shimon. Jacob is prophesying that both brothers will be sent to the remaining brothers.
44. Jacob continued, “And I—just as I have been bereaved, I have been bereaved.” About what was Jacob speaking? At first, it appears that Jacob is finally accepting the fact that Joseph is dead. I didn’t take it this way. Instead, I noticed that this wording is very similar to wording that another person used in a similar situation in the Bible:
Esther 4:16 “And when I have perished, I have perished.”
This is what Hadassah thought would happen to her if she came before the king and he didn’t hold out his scepter, since the law of the land at that time was to put to death anyone who showed up before the king without the king acknowledging that person. It is a statement of resignation—that is, deciding that there is no way to change what will occur, and what must be done must be done.
If this is correct, Jacob became resigned to the idea that he might also lose Benjamin. Yet, he prophesied that he wouldn’t!
XI. Finally! (verse 15)
The men took this rest—the gifts of the best of the land that they would rest in front of the Sultan. They also took the repeat of silver in their hand, and they took Benjamin. They arose and descended Egypt.
Questions
1. Did Jacob pray with them before they journeyed? The Bible doesn’t tend to record such actions except where it is vital for learning and for later events. I can only express an opinion, and that isn’t worth anything. I can say this, though; Jacob knew his sons were not spiritual. He also would have known how they would have looked upon his prayer, had he prayed. The text doesn’t say if Jacob prayed later while they were gone. He was in mourning again (that is, it was as if he felt the loss of Joseph all over again); he might not have known how to pray.
Prayer is so often a religious (and therefore worthless) act. A wise person won’t pray in a religious way.
XII. Lunch at Pharaoh’s (verses 15-17)
They stood right in front of Joseph. Joseph saw Benjamin with them. He commanded the one over his house, “Bring the men to home. And slaughter a slaughter. And establish. For the men shall eat with me in noon.” The man did exactly what Joseph said.
Questions
1. What would Joseph’s reaction be to seeing Benjamin? Joseph was very emotional. He had to act quickly to restrain from showing that emotion. Thus, he gave commands to bring them to his home.
2. Why didn’t the Bible mention the name of the person who is over Joseph’s house? These texts are prophetic. Giving the name of that person would have distracted readers from considering that these things refer to what is to come (though almost no readers have figured that these texts refer to what is yet to come). The Bible has a number of texts in which a key player is unnamed.
I propose that this unnamed and almost hidden individual is a type of the Spirit of Yehovah.
The name would have been an Egyptian name.
3. What was to be slaughtered? An animal (perhaps a calf) was slaughtered.
4. When Zaphnat Paaneah brought them to his home, what was he doing? Zaphnat Paaneah did not make it a habit of bringing food seekers to his own personal home. This was an act that was very intimidating, yet very personal. It is how Yeshua will deal with the Jews during the Tribulation, where the home is Mount Zion.
XIII. Fears Speak (verses 17-18)
The man brought the men to Joseph’s house. This caused the men fear. They tried to figure out why they were brought there: “We are brought concerning the speech of the silver returned in our sacks at the first to make-ourselves-roll (to make us give details) concerning us and to make-ourselves-fall upon us (to entrap us) and to take us to slaves, and our asses!”
Questions
1. Why did they fear being brought to Zaphnat Paaneah’s house? They thought that it was a trap. (They were good at entrapping, and now they fear being entrapped.) They feared because:
- They still had the silver that was returned in their sacks
- They feared being forced to confess
- They feared being caused to attack each other
- They feared being taken as slaves
- They feared losing their asses
2. What does “we are brought concerning the speech of the silver” mean? In Hebrew, the word speech is used to mean the following: a speech, a matter, a word, a thing/item, a situation. A speech refers to a description of something or the contents of what was said. “We are brought concerning the speech of the silver” comes into English as “we are brought concerning the matter of the silver.” (Money talks, in this case!)
3. What does “to make ourselves roll” mean? To roll is to act like a ball or a stone on a downhill slope; once it gets going, it keeps going.Once these brothers began speaking about themselves, they spoke and spoke, giving more information that could be used against them. Thus, they were confessing against themselves.
An idiomatic expression is a series of words used in a way that might not make sense at first, but is understood by hearers, like, “that’s cool!” when temperature has nothing to do with what is being described. English has an idiomatic expression like this: “He rolled on them.” It means that he turned against them to give information against them (usually in exchange for his life or his property). The same expression is used in Hebrew. The brothers were concerned that they were being put in a position of saying more things against themselves that Zaphnat Paaneah would use against them to get them to do what they didn’t want to do.
4. What does “to make ourselves fall upon us” mean? To fall upon anyone in the Bible is to attack that person. That can include killing the person, but it can also mean to do that person harm.
The brothers feared that Zaphnat Paaneah was setting the brothers up to attack each other to save themselves. Once they were weakened, they could then be taken as slaves, and their asses could be confiscated.
XIV. Confession (verses 19-23)
They approached the man who is over Joseph’s house to try to explain their situation. They spoke to him, the one who is the opening of the house. They explained, “Via me, my sir, descending, we descended at the beginning to break food. And he was. For we came unto the inn. And we opened our sacks. And behold, a man’s silver is in the mouth of his sack—our silver via his weight! And we returned him via our hand. And we descended other silver in our hand to break food. We didn’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”
This man’s response was very strange: “Peace to you. Fear ye not. Your Gods and the Gods of your father gave treasure to you in your sacks. Your silver came unto me.”
Questions
1. What does “they spoke unto him, the opening of the house” mean? This carries two vital meanings in the Bible: the man himself is the one who has the authority to open the house, and the man is standing at the opening of the house—like at the front door. Both meanings are very important in other texts.
2. Why did they speak to the man at this location? They didn’t want to go further into the house until they had discussed things that gave them fear. They instead wanted to speak of their fears right then and there, and not wait.
3. They started their discussion by saying “via me, my sir.” What does that mean? The expression “via me” literally means by way of me, and expresses that they give their word that this is what happened! It is like saying, “I promise that this is what happened, sir.”
4. What does “our silver via his weight” mean? This means that each amount of silver was exactly the weight of silver that they had paid. The brothers found the exact amounts of silver in their sacks that they had paid for the grain.
Silver was used as money. It was weighed out rather than counted out, since making coins of the same shapes and sizes was not commonly done. Any piece of silver of any size and shape was weighed to see how much silver was present. That way, the pieces of silver could differ, but the amount of silver would be measured.
5. Zaphnat Paaneah’s slave told them, “Peace to you. Fear ye not.” What does this mean, and why did he say this? The expression “peace to you” means that there is no desire to do any harm or damage to them; they don’t need to be concerned. When anyone doesn’t have peace, that person is either worried or sick, or feels like an enemy. When anyone has peace, that person isn’t worried, is well, and doesn’t feel like an enemy (or like the other person is an enemy).
The command, “Fear ye not,” tells the group that they are not going to be harmed; nothing bad is being planned against them.
The slave who said this to the brothers knew Zaphnat Paaneah very well. He knew that Zaphnat Paaneah was a righteous man who treated all persons very well.
6. Did the slave who spoke with the brothers know what Zaphnat Paaneah was planning to do? No! He had no idea what Zaphnat Paaneah planned! He was just as mystified as the brothers were!
7. The slave man said, “Your Gods and the Gods of your father gave treasure to you in your sacks.” Who are these Gods, and how did the man know that these Gods had done this? The man spoke of their Gods as if they are the same Gods as those of their fathers. (That wasn’t true at this time; it will be true for their children centuries later during the Tribulation. At this time, these brothers didn’t believe in the Gods of their fathers Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.)
These Gods are Yehovah, Yeshua (Salvation), El Shaddai, the Angel Yehovah, and a number of other different persons who are all One God and are all the Same God. (He appears in different ways as needed so that His appearance will do the most good for those who see Him.)
This slave studied Zaphnat Paaneah very well. He came to know the Gods of Zaphnat Paaneah, though Egyptians had their own gods (who were false gods). This slave knew that the gods of Zaphnat Paaneah gave treasure into their sacks because he believed in Zaphnat Paaneah and in his righteousness. He knew that Zaphnat Paaneah didn’t make mistakes in decisions he made, like when he decided to place the silver back into their sacks.
I cannot tell if the slave of Zaphnat Paaneah believed in the Gods of Zaphnat Paaneah or not. He speaks as if he knows these Gods very well.
8. Why did the slave say, “Your sliver came unto me”? This let them know that placing the silver into the sacks was intentionally done; it was not a mistake or an oversight.
XV. Shimon and Preparations (verses 23-25)
The man then brought Shimon from prison to them. He brought the brothers to Joseph’s house. He gave water, and they washed their feet. He gave their provender to their asses.
The brothers fixed up the ‘rest’ that they would give to Joseph who would be coming at noon. They heard that they would be eating food there.
Questions
1. What does “he exited Shimon unto them” mean? This means that he caused Shimon to exit from prison to come to them.
2. How did the slave know to bring Shimon from the prison to the brothers??? This slave didn’t know what Zaphnat Paaneah planned, but he knew Zaphnat Paaneah. While Zaphnat Paaneah might have told him to do this, the text doesn’t give me that impression.
3. Verse 24 states that the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. Weren’t they already there? They must have been outside of the house, approaching it while they spoke! The slave also brought Shimon out of prison to join with them before they came inside the house.
4. Why did he give them water? He gave them water so that they would wash their feet.
5. What is so important about washing their feet? Most folks did much walking in those days. Summers could be very hot, and they lived either in or near to desert locations and grasslands. They wore open shoes that they called sandalim, which we call sandals. When they would walk, very small sand dust came up into their sandals and got their feet very gritty. That feeling of grit makes a person feel tired, and also wore the skin down—sometimes to the point of hurting. A pleasure was to wash that grit off the feet. Thus, arriving guests were given water to wash the grit off the feet.
6. What again is provender? It is food for animals (like hay).
7. What does “they established the rest unto the coming of Joseph at noon” mean? This means that they took the items that they planned to rest in front of Zaphnat Paaneah as a gift, and they arranged them so that they looked presentable while they waited for Zaphnat Paaneah to arrive at noon.
8. From whom did they hear that they should eat bread there? They must have heard this from the slave (or from one of the other slaves).
XVI. Joseph’s Joy (verses 26-30)
Joseph arrived home. They brought the ‘rest’ that they had in their hand to him, to the house. They prostrated themselves to him, to the land. Joseph asked to them for peace (he asked them if things were going well with them).
He said, “Is peace of your father the elder of whom ye said? Is there yet life to him?”
They answered, “Peace is to thy slave, to our father. There is yet life to him.” They then bowed, and then prostrated.
Joseph carried his eyes over to Benjamin who was his full brother, the son of his own mother. He then asked, “Is this your brother the little whom ye said unto me?” Before they had time to reply, he said, “Elohim will favour thee, my son.” This caused a great emotional reaction in Joseph. He hurried, since his wombs yearned unto his brother. He sought to weep. He came to the chamber where he could be alone, and he wept there.
Questions
1. What does prostrate mean? It means to lie down flat. This is usually done to show that the one lying down flat is a servant (slave) of the one before whom he or she is lying down.
2. Explain what “to the land” means in “they prostrated themselves to him to the land”: This means that they lay down flat with their faces facing the soil (the land). They were not looking up, but rather were looking downward.
3. What does “he asked to them for peace” mean? Zaphnat Paaneah asked them directly for peace—that is, whether they had peace or not. If they had peace, that meant that their health was fine, their time coming was fine, they were not in trouble, and all things were going well. If they didn’t have peace, any one of many situations went wrong.
4. What did Zaphnat Paaneah mean by, “Is peace of your father the elder of whom ye said?” He is inquiring about the health of their father, whether their father is faring well in life, business, etc. It is a general question that can open many responses.
5. What did he mean by, “Is there yet life to him?” He is asking if the elder man is still alive.
6. Why didn’t Zaphnat Paaneah wait for them to respond to the question about their father’s peace before asking about whether there was life to him? Joseph is having a difficult time holding back his emotions. He is asking questions without waiting for the answers because he so wants to know.
Also, in these cultures, one person would often make multiple statements or ask multiple questions, and then would wait for responses without interruption.
7. What does “he carried his eyes” mean? This means that he scanned the room visually, looking around.
8. Right after Zaphnat Paaneah asked, “Is this your brother the little whom ye said unto me?” he then said, “Elohim will favour thee, my son.” Why didn’t he give time for the brothers to answer? He is giving himself away, though they didn’t recognize it. He knew the answer to his question, since he recognized his brother whom he had not seen for about 17 years.
9. What did he mean by “Elohim will favour thee”? That is prophetic statement. It wasn’t just a wish; it was a blessing. The only blessings that are truly good and beneficial must be prophetic.
10. What did Joseph hasten to do (verse 30)? He hastened (hurried) to leave the room because he began to weep, and he didn’t want them seeing it.
11. How could Joseph be at the same time such a very tough man and a dictator of the land, and yet be so easily emotional over these things? Humans can be very tough in one area and very soft in another. A truly good dictator over a country must also be a very gentle and emotional person. Cruel dictators separate themselves from soft emotions, and therefore do not love their people whom they must serve.
12. What does “his wombs yearned unto his brother” mean? While women have wombs, many cultures do not consider a man having a womb since a man doesn’t have the equipment for bearing children. The Bible, however, doesn’t view things this way. A man has a womb as much as a woman, but it is normally expressed outside of the body instead of inside. If a man takes a child into his lap to console the little child, he is taking the child to his womb.
This text refers to wombs, as if there is more than one; and there is. Joseph’s entire insides longed to hug and hold the brother he had so greatly missed.
XVII. Restraint (verse 31)
Joseph washed his face, since he had been doing a great deal of weeping. He then went out, and he determined to restrain himself from weeping.
Questions
1. Why did he wash his faces, and how many faces does he have? He has many faces: a sad face, a happy face, and stern face, and cold face… All humans have more than one face. Besides this, the word for faces means turns. Our faces have many turns; there is a turn around the chin; there is a turn up the cheek, etc. No one’s face is flat.
Joseph washed his faces because he didn’t want to give the appearance that he had been weeping.
2. How long did he weep before he reentered the room? It may have been short, but I propose that it was long. I propose that he may have wept for more than ten minutes. This has been building up for years. If he has stopped weeping too soon, he would not have succeeded in restraining himself once he saw his brothers again—especially Benjamin.
3. How can one restrain from showing emotions when seeing someone or something will bring those emotions on so strongly? Avoiding looking straight at the person or object that will bring on the emotions helps keep the emotions from coming out. That is why so many adults and some youths learn to not look folks straight into the eyes. They avoid, because they feel soft at heart if they look straight.
XVIII. Lunch (verses 31-34)
Joseph commanded his slaves, “Set ye bread!” Other Egyptians were there who would also eat with Joseph. The slaves knew to set food for Joseph by himself. They also set food for these men by themselves, and set food for the Egyptians who ate in their own group. Egyptians could not eat food with Hebrews, since eating with them was considered an abomination.
The seating order was set with the firstborn first and the youngest at the far end.
Joseph’s brothers asked themselves many “What” questions to see if they could figure what was occurring. Joseph served them portions from the food in front of him. Benjamin, the youngest, was given a portion that was five hands wider than all of the rest.
They drank, and they became tipsy.
Questions
1. Why did Zaphnat Paaneah come into the room with the command, “Set he bread”? This helped him continue as Zaphnat Paaneah, the commander and ruler over the entire land of Egypt, rather than being the emotional Joseph, brother of these brothers whom he loved.
2. Did Zaphnat Paaneah sit and eat with other Egyptians when he ate meals on a daily basis? No, he didn’t. He always ate at a table alone (except perhaps with his own wife and children) since he was a Hebrew. Every Hebrew was an abomination to the Egyptians at that time; they were shepherds. Thus, though Zaphnat Paaneah had the greatest rank below the Pharaoh, he still ate alone, though in the same room as those under his authority.
3. Why did Joseph sit with his brothers? It would have been totally wrong, since he wasn’t Joseph in this role, but instead was Zaphnat Paaneah.
4. Was there a seating order assigned to the brothers? Yes, there was. The order was according to birth.
5. Who seated them, and how did this person know whom to place where? I don’t know whether anyone seated them or whether they seated themselves, being used to sitting in this order.
6. What does ‘what?’ed’ themselves mean? English has no expression like this. The Hebrew word for what is mah. This word can be turned into a verb: to ‘what’ onself. This means to ask, “What about this?” and “What about this?” “What’s going to happen to us?” What’s going to happen to our stuff?” “Why is he doing this?” Don’t forget that they didn’t know that Zaphnat Paaneah understood Hebrew. The brothers asked each other these questions as well as talking to themselves. This shows a great deal of fear, anxiety, confusion, and consternation (being upset and confused at the same time).
7. Who served the food to the brothers, and why? What was so shocking was that Zaphnat Paaneah himself served them their portions from his own table—“from with his faces.”
I propose that he did this to serve them himself. The Egyptians in that room watched this with fascination and without understanding.
8. Why did Zaphnat Paaneah give Benjamin five hands more food? He was making a point by giving Benjamin that much more. That is why he personally served them.
I don’t know the significance of five hands, except that it is the width of the food on the plate. One hand of food would be filling; five hands would be very large.
9. What does tipsy mean? It is just short of being drunk. It makes a person often feel somewhat light-headed and even humorous. The person can become silly and more vocal. (Some become less vocal and sadder when they are tipsy.) They really drank the wine and/or strong drink.
10. They were tipsy with him. Who is him? They were tipsy with Zaphnat Paaneah! He also became tipsy.
XIX. The Set-Up (chapter 44, verses 1-2)
Joseph gave orders privately to the man over his house: “Fill the men’s sacks of food just as they will be able to carry. And put silver of a man into his sack’s mouth. And thou wilt put my goblet—the silver goblet—in the mouth of the sack of the little, and the silver of his break.” The man did just what Joseph spoke.
Questions
1. What is a goblet? It is a fancy cup—one that is designed specially, and is often valuable to its owner. Zaphnat Paaneah’s goblet made of silver would have been very valuable in the land of Egypt and very recognizeable.
2. What is the silver of his break? That is the money value of the amount of grain broken to him—that is, measured out to him.
3. Why didn’t Zaphnat Paaneah’s slave ask Zaphnat Paaneah what he was doing? Asking questions of a master was often not very wise; obedience was what slaves did. Slaves could think independently, but they needed to know their masters very well before doing this, since they might get beaten for it. Zaphnat Paaneah’s slave knew him very well, and was pleasing to him.
XX. The Chase (verses 3-5)
The morning now has light. The Egyptians sent the men along with their loaded asses. They exited the city, but didn’t get far when Joseph said to the man in charge of his house, “Arise! Pursue after the men and overtake them. And say unto them, ‘Why ‘peaced’ ye bad under good? Is not this in which my lord will drink? And he, divining, will divine via him! Ye bad-did what ye did!”
Questions
1. Who sent the men? Zaphnat Paaneah’s slaves sent them. This sending is not unfriendly; it is usually a kindness to those being sent, indicating peace.
2. What does “Why ‘peaced’ ye bad under good” mean? The word peace is being used as if it is a verb—an action word! The word peace can include paying someone back for something that the person did, regardless of whether it is good or bad! Thus, it also includes the idea of vengeance.
In this case, the question is close to this: “Why did ye pay me back (recompense me) with bad in the place of (under) good (that I did to you)?”
3. Did they pay back Zaphnat Paaneah’s kindness with bad? What does bad mean in the Bible? Bad is anything that is harmful, destructive or hurtful, while good is anything that is beneficial, constructive and helpful.
They didn’t pay Zaphnat Paaneah with bad, but he is accusing them of this.
4. What is this in, “Is not this in which my lord will drink”? It is the silver goblet.
5. What does divine mean in “he, divining, wil divine via him”? This means to use divination: to obtain information by asking demons (including demons who act as if they are familiar dead folks) and by using objects such as tea leaves, tarot cards or constellations in order to tell fortunes. It is using hidden powers to gather information. (Such information is usually partly right and partly wrong, and is worded in ways that give folks what they want to hear rather than what is true.)
6. Did Zaphnat Paaneah really divine using that goblet? Since Zaphnat Paaneah is really Joseph, and Joseph feared Yehovah, he would never participate in asking demons, tea leaves, tarot cards, or any other occult (hidden) actions to obtain truth.
Since Joseph’s brothers don’t know that Zaphnat Paaneah is Joseph, they will think that he really does use that goblet to get information.
7. What does “Ye bad-did what ye did” mean? This means that they did a very bad thing by what they did (by supposedly stealing Zaphnat Paaneah’s goblet).
XXI. Accusation and Defense (verses 6-10)
He caught up to them and spoke exactly what Joseph told him to speak. They responded, “Why will my lord speak according to these words? Profanity to thy slaves from doing according to this speech! Behold, we returned unto thee the silver that we found in the mouth of our sacks from the land of Canaan. And how shall we steal silver or gold from thy lord’s house? With whom he will be found from thy servants, and he shall die! And we, we also shall be slaves to my lord!” Joseph’s slave responded, “And also now he is established according to your speeches! He with whom he shall be found will be a slave to me! And ye, ye shall be innocent.”
Questions
1. What does profanity mean in this text? This word comes from a root word in Hebrew meaning to be pierced, bored through—that is, having a hole cut into it. It is the Hebrew way of expressing that something is profane—that is, it is unowned. Thus, profanity is the opposite of holy/sanctified.
We use the word profanity in another way, since we are speaking of ‘cuss words.’ Such words are considered profanity, as if being profane were terrible. It really refers to just being unowned. A person who uses profanity shows that he or she isn’t owned by a regular god. Some sailors are noted for their use of cuss words; they demonstrate that they are not the property of Yehovah (or any regular god); they are unowned. If they were the property of Yehovah (or a regular god), they would use words much more wisely, and not declare themselves unowned. Many youths of today and far more adults use ‘cuss words’ because they don’t consider ownership by a god as truly important in regular life. They may attend church, but they are not centered on any god during the week.
Every word considered a profanity has a proper and good use. Some have very few proper and good uses, but all words are useful at some time. It is when a person uses words disconnected from their meanings when they are very emotional that they turn words into ‘cuss words,’ and also when they show themselves to be profane—that is, unowned.
2. What does the expression, “profanity to thy slaves” mean? They were using the word profanity in much the same way that folks use ‘cuss words’ today. What it meant was this: “If we did according to what you described, it would prove that we are unowned.” That would be a great insult to them for doing such a terrible deed.
3. When they said, “With whom he will be found from thy servants, and he shall die,” what were they saying? They were so certain that the silver goblet was not in their sacks, that they determined that death would be pronounced and carried out on the person in whose sack the goblet was located. In other words, they cursed the person to death who would have taken that goblet.
4. What else did they add to the curse for the goblet being found? They added that they would become slaves if the goblet was found in any of their sacks.
5. The man replied, “And also now he is established according to your speeches!” What was he saying? He was agreeing to their curses!
6. Did he truly agree to carry out their curses? He didn’t. He changed their curses in the next statement so that they were reduced to one person being his slave if that person had the goblet, and the rest of the brothers would be free.
XXII. The Goblet (verses 11-13)
They hurried to descend from the asses, each one with his sack. They each opened their sacks. The slave dug. He began in the sack of the big (older brother) and finished in the sack of the little, the sack of Benjamin. He found the goblet in Benjamin’s sack. The brothers tore their clothes.
Questions
1. Who did the digging? The same slave who put the goblet into Benjamin’s sack did the digging.
2. If he knew in which sack it was located, why did the man start with the eldest and work his way down to the youngest? The Scriptures don’t tell why. It was proposed that if he had started with the sack where it was located, that would make them suspicious that he had planted it.
This slave understood a little of what Zaphnat Paaneah was doing by this time. He therefore knew how to play along in order to heighten the fear, yet to not mistreat these men. He didn’t know who they were or why Zaphnat Paaneah was doing all this.
3. Why did they tear their clothes? What did this mean? At this time and in these cultures, this was how folks responded when terrible things occurred or were described to them when they cared very much. This could be an act of grief or of great consternation (fear and confusion mixed).
4. After they tore their clothes, did anyone sew them back together again? The Bible never says anything about sewing the clothes again. Clothing was very expensive; a new garment that was hand-sewn would have cost the same in the currency of the day as a brand-new automobile costs today. (Yehovah caused the clothing of the Israelis who came out of Egypt to last 40 years, including the shoes. If clothing had been cheap, this would not have been necessary.)
Folks had to know how to sew clothes by hand, or to know someone who knew, since garments do get torn. I propose that they did sew their garments after tearing them.
XXIII. Facing Angry Joseph (verses 13-17)
Each one loaded his ass. They returned to the city. Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house where Joseph remained. They fell to his faces toward the land.
Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that ye did? Did ye not know that, divining, a man who is as I will divine?”
Judah didn’t know what to say: “What will we say unto my lord? What will we speak? And what will we justify ourselves? The Elohim found the iniquity of thy slaves. Behold, we are slaves to my lord, also we and also whom the goblet is found in his hand.”
Joseph’s response was, “Profanity to me from doing this! The man in whose hand the goblet is found—he shall be a slave to me! And ye—ascend ye to peace unto your father!”
Questions
1. The text states, “a man loaded upon his ass.” Did just one man do this? This is describing what each man did, not just one man.
2. The text states, “And Judah came, and his brethren to Joseph’s house.” Why is Judah mentioned who isn’t the firstborn, and isn’t even likely the strongest instead of mentioning Reuben who is the firstborn, and who is supposedly the leader? Judah already took the lead among the brothers, sons of Israel. This lead will last throughout the Bible. Judah is better at speaking, and Judah will be the toughest of the tribes of Israel, though not the strongest or the most in number.
3. Why does the text mention, “And he, he is still there”? This shows the surprise that the brothers had. Zaphnat Paaneah was a busy man; yet this goblet thing must have greatly bothered him for him to wait for their return!—at least, that is what Joseph desired them to think.
4. Zaphnat Paaneah said, “Did ye not know that, divining, a man who is as I will divine?” Would a man in his position divine (that is, use demons and fortune telling to know what to do and how to deal with other folks)? The advisor to the pharaoh normally did this! Joseph, of course, does not use these means. The brothers don’t know that, though.
5. What did Judah mean by “And what will we justify ourselves?” We would say, “And how will we justify ourselves?” Hebrew uses what in the same way as we would use how.
6. Judah continued, “The Elohim found the iniquity of thy slaves.” What is iniquity, and what iniquity did they have? The word iniquity means true and genuine guilt for a sin that a person or a group did that has never been removed or forgiven. The guilt continues on even if the person or group no longer sins in that way. The guilt will not be removed until confession occurs, and the person or group with authority to forgive and remove that iniquity does so.
The only iniquity that Judah could be describing is that of abandoning Joseph during their plot to sell him, once they found that he was gone. They never went looking for him; they instead lied to their papa claiming he was dead.
Judah said, “The Elohim found the iniquity…” Judah therefore saw all this as the work of Elohim regarding what they did to Joseph.
7. Judah seemed willing for all the brothers including Benjamin to become slaves to Zaphnat Paaneah. Why? Judah figured that this was the appropriate price for what they did. He was willing for all of them to give in to the act of Elohim.
8. Zaphnat Paaneah responded, “Profanity to me from doing this!” Why did he react so strongly? Even while playing the character of Zaphnat Paaneah before his brothers, Joseph refused to do an injustice to a group for what one person (Benjamin) had done (Zaphnat Paaneah was accusing him of stealing Zaphnat Paaneah’s goblet).
9. Who else said, “The man in whose hand the goblet is found—he shall be a slave to me”? The man, the slave of Zaphnat Paaneah, also said this (without being coached by Zaphnat Paaneah, as far as I could tell). They thought alike even though the slave man didn’t know the plan.
10. Would Joseph really have sent his brothers back to their father while keeping Benjamin? He would have! That would have been a very good way to get Jacob to personally come to Joseph! That isn’t the way it worked, however.
XXIV. Confession (verses 18-34)
Judah came near to Joseph. He said, “Via me, my lord. Thy slave shall speak, na, a word in my lord’s ears. And thy nose shall not burn via thy slave. For like thee, like Pharaoh.”
Judah then brought up Joseph’s previous question. “My lord asked his slaves, saying, ‘Have ye a father or a brother?’ And we said unto my lord, ‘We have an old father and a little child of his old age. And his brother is dead. And he alone is left of his mother. And his father loved him.’”
This is when Joseph had said, “Ascend-ye him unto me and I have set my eyes upon him.”
Judah continued, “And we said unto my lord, ‘The youth will not be able to leave his father. And he shall leave his father, and he shall die.’”
Judah recalled the threat that this man had made: “And thou said unto thy slaves, ‘If your little brother will not descend with you, ye shall not gather to see my faces!’”
Judah told how his brothers and he ascended unto Jacob, calling him “thy slave my father.” They told him this man’s speeches.
Later, Jacob had said, “Return ye. Break for us a little food.” The brothers responded, “We will not be able to descend. If our little brother is with us, and will we descend. For we will not be able to see the man’s faces, and our little brother is not with us.”
Judah then gave details that readers of Genesis would not otherwise know: “And thy slave my father said unto us, ‘Ye know that my woman bare me two. And the one went out from with me. And I said, ‘But he was torn! He was torn!’ And I didn’t see him unto now. And ye shall take also this from with my faces? And harm will happen to him! And ye shall bring down my gray hairs via bad to Sheol!’”
Now Judah put a moral dilemma in front of this man (Joseph): “And now, as I come to thy slave my father, and the youth is not with us—and his being is bundled up in his being, and he shall be, as his seeing that the youth is not, and he will die. And thy slaves shall descend the gray hairs of thy slave our father via sorrow to Sheol. For thy slave is surety with the youth from with my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him unto thee, and I shall sin to my father all the days!’”
Judah had an idea that he proposed to this man: “And now, sit thy slave, na, under (in stead of) the youth, a slave to my lord. And the youth shall ascend with his brethren. For how shall I ascend to my father, and the youth is not with me?—lest I shall see via bad that shall find my father!”
Questions
1. What gave Judah the boldness to approach a man as great, powerful, dangerous and high in rank as Zaphnat Paaneah? Judah knew that he couldn’t return to his father without Benjamin. It was better for him to risk death than to be the means of killing his father with this terrible news.
2. What did Judah mean by “Via me, my lord”? This expression is the Hebrew very short way of saying, “It’s my fault; these things happened via (by means of) me.”
3. What does na mean in Hebrew? It is a word that doesn’t have a meaning, but instead indicates that what is being said isn’t harsh or a demand. It is being stated with softness.
4. What does “thy nose shall not burn via thy slave” mean? The nose shows anger. If the nose burns, it reddens and becomes very hot because the person is very angry (like what happens when a bull becomes angry, though it usually has a black nose and not a red nose).
Judah was requesting that Zaphnat Paaneah would not become angry at what he was about to explain.
5. What did Judah mean by “For like thee, like Pharaoh”? He was telling Zaphnat Paaneah that he considered him the same as Pharaoh. (Perhaps he hoped to soften Zaphnat Paaneah this way.)
6. According to Judah, “My lord asked his slaves, saying, ‘Have ye a father or a brother?’” Did that happen? I don’t remember that this occurred.
7. If it didn’t happen, why didn’t Zaphnat Paaneah interrupt him to tell him that he did no such thing? Joseph is listening for himself. He wants to hear what his brother has to say.
8. Who is the second he in “And he shall leave his father, and he shall die”? This refers to the child’s father, Jacob. Benjamin is an adult at this time and isn’t in danger of dying. Jacob, on the other hand, is an elderly man. Losing his youngest child could easily kill him.
9. Judah said regarding Jacob, “his being is bundled up in his being.” Identify both pronouns his, and explain what this means. The first his is Jacob; the second is Benjamin. Thus, it is stating, “Jacob’s being is bundled up in Benjamin’s being.”
Being bundled up means that they are so wrapped up in the lives of each other, that it is as if they cannot do well without each other. They are emotionally attached to each other. They often spend time together. In one modern expression, they are an item.
10. What does “as his seeing that the youth is not, and he will die” mean? This means that Jacob will die when he sees that Benjamin didn’t return with the rest.
11. Who will be responsible for the death of Jacob, according to verse 31? The answer is found in this statement: “And thy slaves shall descend the gray hairs of thy slave our father via sorrow to Sheol.” Those slaves are the brothers who come back to Jacob without Benjamin. They will be responsible for causing Jacob’s gray hairs to descend in sorrow to Sheol.
12. What, again, is Sheol? It is a large, open chamber in the very middle of the planet earth where all who died went to await judgment. Both Saints and non-saints went there. Saints now go to the heavens and non-saints still go to Sheol.
Sheol is a place of torment for non-saints. They are very thirsty, and there is no water; there is a flame that all feel. There is an angel who is also named Sheol; she is over this chamber. She is a demonic angel—that is, an angel who rebelled against Yehovah. Demons like Sheol obey because they fear being locked up. She is responsible for the care of those who are tormented in the chamber. All these folks in Sheol are waiting for judgment before they will be cast into the Lake of Fire and Burning Sulfur.
13. Judah continued, “For thy slave is surety with the youth from with my father.” What does this mean? The word surety means something of value that is given to the one to whom a debt is owed, and that is like a guarantee that a debt will be paid. Judah is surety for Benjamin. That is explained in the next statement: “If I don’t bring him unto thee, and I shall sin to my father all the days!”
14. What does “If I don’t bring him unto thee… And I shall sin to my father all the days” mean? Judah was telling Zaphnat Paaneah what he had said to his papa: “If I don’t bring him unto thee…” Judah then said to Zaphnat Paaneah, “And I shall sin to may father all the days,” meaning that his father will see him as always sinning every day continually just by being alive and doing anything if he doesn’t bring Benjamin back to his father.
15. Judah next said, “And now, sit thy slave, na, under the youth, a slave to my lord.” What did he mean? He meant that Judah himself would take the place of Benjamin as a slave. Sitting him under the youth means to have him take the place of the youth, to be a slave instead of the youth. Judah was willing to take his brother’s place.
16. In what way did Judah’s attitude greatly change regarding Benjamin from his attitude regarding Joseph? Judah knew that Jacob his father favoured Benjamin. Judah and the other ten brothers had been furious with Joseph and Jacob over Jacob’s favouring Joseph years ago. They had determined to separate Joseph forever from their father and from them. Judah now is willing to be separated from his father if he can keep Benjamin with his father. That is such a switch.
17. What does “lest I shall see via bad that shall find my father” mean? Judah did not want to see the results of the harm (bad) that would happen to his father if he came home without Benjamin. Seeing via bad means seeing by means of the harm—seeing the results of the harm.
XXV. Unrestrained (chapter 45, verses 1-2)
Joseph could no longer keep himself from showing emotions. He called to all his slaves, “Exit-ye every man from by me!” No man remained while he made himself known unto his brothers. And he began to weep out loud. The Egyptians listened to this, and the house of Pharaoh also listened.
Questions
1. What does “Joseph was not able to restrain himself” mean? He was not able to stop his emotions from showing. He was very emotionally affected by Judah’s willingness to replace his brother in slavery.
2. When Zaphnat Paaneah commanded, “Exit-ye every man from by me,” why didn’t the brothers also obey and exit? Zaphnat Paaneah spoke Egyptian! His brothers didn’t understand Egyptian, and therefore didn’t understand the command. Joseph spoke the command in Egyptian in order to be alone with his brothers.
3. What does “he gave his voice via weeping” mean, and when did he do this? This means that he wept out loud, now, without restraining himself. He did this after he told his brothers who he was.
4. What were Zaphnat Paaneah’s slaves doing during this time? They were listening in on these events in the next room! All the house of Pharaoh was listening!
5. Why were all these folks listening in on Zaphnat Paaneah’s weeping? The whole Egyptian state relied on this one man. Whatever he did was more important than anything anyone else could do. When they heard him weeping and showing such emotions, they wanted to know what was happening and why. Their very lives depended on these things since no one could replace this Hebrew man.
XXVI. Revelation and Resolution (verses 3-15)
Joseph said unto his brethren, “I am Joseph! Does my father yet live?” His brothers were unable to answer him. They were so terrified of him that they quaked—they shook where they stood. Joseph then said unto his brothers, “Draw-ye near to me, na.” They came near. He said, “I am Joseph your brother whom ye sold me Egyptward.”
He then said, “And now, be ye not labour-pained. And he shall not be hot in your eyes (showing much anger) that ye sold me here. For Elohim sent me to your faces to keep-alive!”
Joseph kept speaking, knowing that this alone would finally remove their terror. He explained, “For this two-year the famine is in the midst of the land. And further are five years that there is not plowing and harvest.”
Joseph again mentioned Elohim: “And Elohim sent me to your faces to put a remnant to you in the land and to keep-alive to you to a big escape! And now, ye did not send me here, but the Elohim! And He put me to a father to Pharaoh and to a lord to all his house, and a ruler in all the land of Egypt!”
Joseph now commanded them what to do: “Descend-thou unto me! Do not stand! And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen. And thou shalt be near unto me—thou and thy children and thy children’s children and thy flock and thy herd and all that is to thee! And I will all-all-thee there—for further five years are famine—lest thou will be impoverished, and thy house and all that is to thee.”
Joseph truly wanted them to recognize him: “And behold, your eyes see—and the eyes of my brother Benjamin—that my mouth is the speaker unto you! And ye shall tell to my father all my glory in Egypt and all that ye saw.”
Joseph now began to hurry them: “And ye shall hurry. And ye shall descend my father here!”
Joseph now gave Benjamin a hug. He wept, and Benjamin also wept hugging Joseph. Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. His brothers finally spoke with him after this.
Questions
1. Joseph knew that his father was alive because Judah just described how returning home without him would kill his father. Why did Zaphnat Paaneah now as Joseph ask, “Does my father yet live?” I can think of two reasons. One is that the answer would include more details of his father, which he greatly wanted to hear. Each could give their versions of how their father fared in life.
Another reason that I can figure is this: Joseph was so glad and relieved that his father was still alive, that the question is rhetorical—that is, it is a question that doesn’t have to have a response, but is important to ask. He was so pleased that his father still lived, and he wanted to know more about his situation.
2. Why weren’t his brothers able to answer him at first? The text states that they quaked from his faces. This means that they violently shook from looking at his faces. They greatly feared what he, Zaphnat Paaneah was doing to them. Now, he identifies himself as Joseph! That is very spooky!
3. Why did Joseph tell them to draw near to him? He wanted them to recognize him and to be close. Had he desired to do them harm, he wouldn’t have told them to come close to him.
4. Why did Joseph say, “I am Joseph your brother whom ye sold me Egyptward”? Wouldn’t this blame cause them to fear him more? This had the opposite affect. It brought them to reality. This wasn’t a trick of a diviner with a cup; this was the speech of a brother whose voice they now recognized. You see, he spoke to them in Hebrew, and in the very form of Hebrew that is part of their own family.
He also showed that he knew something that no one else knew or could have known.
5. Did Joseph speak the truth when he said, “Ye sold me Egyptward”? Yes! They did sell him toward Egypt! They were in the process when others beat them to it, but the Spirit of Yehovah Who gave the Bible stated that they sold Joseph toward Egypt!
Acts 7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him.
When anyone plots, even if that person doesn’t succeed and just had decided on how to do the plot, that person is just as guilty as one who carried out the plot!
The only way Joseph could have known that his brothers planned to sell him to Egypt was by carefully considering what took place. They did the following:
- They stripped him of his clothing
- The put him into a pit
- They put him in a pit that had no water
- They left him
Next, he was taken by the Midianites and sold to the Ishmaelites. The brothers never came for him. Thus, Joseph concluded that their plan was for him to be sold as a slave to Egypt; otherwise, they would have come and they would have searched for him. Joseph also figured that the reason why his father didn’t come looking for him to purchase him out of slavery was because his brothers never told him.
6. What did Joseph mean by “be ye not labour-pained”? The Bible considers this form of pain as just like what a woman experiences when she is birthing a baby. Anyone who is labour-pained is suffering from very hard work and pain at the same time, while not knowing what will happen next. These brothers were now terrified, thinking many things without knowing what to do. Joseph desired that they quit being concerned about their situations, and that they quit blaming each other.
7. What did Joseph mean by “he shall not be hot in your eyes that ye sold me here”? Joseph knew that they would be very angry with each other and with themselves. That anger is expressed by heat. If they are angry with each other, that heat can show up as a redness in the eyes!
8. What does “to your faces” mean in, “Elohim sent me to your faces to keep alive”? The Bible consistently uses terms that are better understood from a young child’s perspective. Whatever is to the faces of a child is in front of the child. In this case, this refers to timing and not position—that is, in front of is before. Elohim sent Joseph before them (in advance of their going Egypt) to keep many alive.
9. What was Elohim’s part in all these things according to verse 5? Joseph stated that Elohim sent him to his brothers’ faces (in front of his brothers) to keep alive! It was Elohim who sent Joseph to Egypt.
10. If Elohim sent Joseph there, are the brothers a lot less guilty of selling him to Egypt? No. They are not less guilty. What they did was kidnapping and selling into slavery (though they never got paid to do the second part—selling him into slavery). Elohim caused Joseph to come into Egypt, and the brothers sinfully caused their brother to be sold to Egypt.
11. Does this mean that Yehovah can use sin and sinning to bring good things? Readers of the Bible mighty easily draw that conclusion, but it isn’t true. Yehovah does use what man does on occasion, but to state that He uses sin and sinning to bring about good is to make Him participant in that sin. He will do according to His will, and that includes never desiring any human being to sin. Sin is always against Him even if it is against someone else.
Instead, Yehovah will take some victims of sin (which Joseph was—that is, a victim), and He can turn that victimization into benefit. No person will ever be able to justify his/her own sin by claiming, “Well, the results were good.”
Another way of looking at this is this: Yehovah is never strapped by a person’s sin. Thus, He can bring about what is good in spite of the sin of any person.
12. What did this famine stop from occurring during the seven years, according to verse 6? This famine stopped both plowing and harvest. This is unusual, since folks can still plow in the middle of a famine. They may not get any crop yield, but they can plow.
13. What does “to put a remnant to you” mean? A remnant is usually a smaller part of a whole amount, but it can be the whole amount if it is saved from being destroyed. It means a remainder of anything or any group. In this case, putting a remnant is making sure there is a remainder—that is, that the brothers and the family stay alive. Yehovah sent Joseph to keep Joseph’s family alive. The entire Middle East was saved for the sake of this one family, most of whose members had no fear of Yehovah.
14. Joseph continued, “and to keep alive to you to a big escape.” What did he mean by “to a big escape”? When anyone gets away from enemies or keeps alive when death would normally have resulted, that is called an escape in the Bible. A big escape is one that is very obvious to everyone and is quite miraculous—one that is not expected. (A deliverance is different; that is when a person or God rescues someone from capture, sickness or death.)
15. Joseph said, “ye did not send me here, but the Elohim.” Was Joseph removing all responsibility for his being there from off them, again making them innocent of any wrongdoing? The brothers had no intention of sending Joseph to become the leader of Egypt. They didn’t desire to send him to Pharaoh; they desired to send him to Sheol. He will not give them the credit for acquiring this position. On the other hand, Joseph did desire for them to know that Elohim sent Joseph to this position. (They still did wrong.)
16. What three positions did Elohim give to Joseph, according to verse 8? He caused him to be:
- a father to Pharaoh
- a lord to all Pharaoh’s house
- a ruler in all the land of Egypt
17. What did Joseph mean when he said that he was “a father to Pharaoh”? How different were their ages? Their ages were probably pretty close. Joseph may have been a little older. Pharaoh was glad to have Joseph run things and relieve him of his own responsibilities in the land of Egypt!
Being a father to Pharaoh included the following:
- Telling Pharaoh what to do
- Telling Pharaoh how to do it
- Helping Pharaoh make decisions
- Relieving Pharaoh of heavy responsibilities
- Making sure that all things went well for Pharaoh, if possible
- Treating Pharaoh as if he is a son, though Pharaoh is the ruler of the land.
The two of them developed a friendship that was like father and son.
18. What did Joseph mean when he said to tell his father, “Do not stand”? This is like saying, Do not delay. We might say, “Don’t just stand there,” but that doesn’t show the respect that Do not stand shows.
19. Why was Joseph suddenly in such a hurry to get his father to come? Joseph knew that the famine would eventually bring his father, brothers, and their dependents to poverty. If they would come to Egypt, they could prosper even in the famine. Joseph could then watch over his family to make certain that they did well.
20. Joseph mentioned the Land of Goshen. Was that land in Egypt special? It was either among the best land in Egypt, or it was the very best land in Egypt. It was good for cattle and sheep as well as farmers.
21. What is a lord in the Bible? It is a person who rules over persons. It can be over family members and it can be over slaves; it can be a commander in the military, and it can be the leader of a country. Anyone who rules over others telling them what to do, where to go, when to go, and how to do things is a lord. A woman can also be a lord, but she isn’t called a lord in English; she is called a lady. The word lord means sir. The word lady often stays the same: “my lady” or “my ladyship.” We use ma’am, which isshort for madam. This term is also used in modern English for a woman who is over prostitutes.
22. Joseph said in Hebrew, “I will all-all thee there.” What does the verb to all-all in Hebrew mean? That means that Joseph will take care of all that they need: food, clothing, shelter, land, supplies, medicine, help, etc.
23. Why did Joseph say, “And behold, your eyes see—and the eyes of my brother Benjamin—that my mouth is the speaker unto you”? Joseph was assuring them that this was no trick; he really was speaking to them, and not some ghost. He wanted them to read his lips to know that he himself really was speaking to them.
The magicians in Egypt knew ventriloquism—how to throw their voices without moving their lips, like some puppeteers do. The brothers might have thought that this was a trick that Zaphnat Paaneah was doing; thus, he had them watch his lips.
24. Did the other slaves listening at the opening of the door understand what Zaphnat Paaneah was saying? At least one did: the main slave who interpreted and who went after them over the goblet.
Slaves in those days who served in high positions were often very educated and lived well so that they were not willing participants in overthrows of leaders. A happy slave is much more likely to be faithful than a slave who is kept ignorant, uneducated and in the dark.
25. Wasn’t Joseph bragging about telling his father all his glory? He wasn’t bragging. He knew that the shock of hearing about him being alive would be very great, and Jacob might not be able to take the news. If, however, Jacob had something exciting ahead—not only the chance to see his son, but to see the importance that Elohim gave to him, this might be enough for Jacob to look forward to the trip, and to come with joy. Without this, good news sometimes is so shocking, that folks have suffered harm over it.
26. What does “he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s necks” mean? This means that Joseph suddenly took hold of Benjamin, hugged him around the neck, and kissed him on the neck in several places. While this seems odd in our cultures, it was not at all odd in cultures of the Middle East. Open affection is not unusual or wrong.
27. What does Benjamin’s weeping show regarding Benjamin? It shows that he loved his brother and that he had missed his brother greatly. It also shows that Benjamin had switched out of shock, and was now responding family member to family member. He was probably the only one who would give him an honest demonstration of affection. The other brothers were still very worried about this terrible news that they were standing in front of the brother they had determined to either kill or sell. They also would have realized that they faced trouble from their father. Since Benjamin is with them, however, they know the truth will now be exposed.
28. The text tells us that Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. It doesn’t say that they kissed him and wept upon him. Why? They very likely didn’t feel much like hugging and kissing; they probably felt more like disappearing.
29. The text shows that something is missing—something that the brothers never said to Joseph. What is missing, and why is it missing? None of the brothers ever admitted to Joseph what they did, and that it was wrong. None turned toward Joseph. I propose that they felt that the years between had been bitter to them because of Joseph—they had blamed him for their problems with their father. If I am right, they still held strong feelings toward Joseph.
Many in all periods of time become angry and bitter over what they experience to such a degree, that when a person against whom they hold bitterness does them a kindness, they hate the person even more and reject the kindness.
30. If the brothers spoke afterward, about what did they speak, and what does that tell about the brothers? The text doesn’t say about what they spoke. The fact that they spoke tells that the brothers finally realized this truly is Joseph.
XXVII. Pharaoh’s Joy (verses 16-21)
A voice was heard in Pharaoh’s house: “Joseph’s brothers came!” This was very good news in the eyes of Pharaoh and his slaves.
Pharaoh told Joseph what to say to his brothers: “This do ye. Saddle up your stupid-beasts. And walk-ye—come ye to the land of Canaan! And take-ye your father and your houses. And come unto me. And I gave her to you—the good of the land of Egypt. And ye shall eat the fat of the land! And thou, thou art commanded!”
Pharaoh then had an additional idea: “Do ye this! Take-ye oxcarts to you from the land of Egypt to your little one and to your women. And ye shall carry your father. And ye shall come! And your eye shall not spare concerning your utensils. For the good of all the land of Egypt—he is to you!”
The children of Israel did as Pharaoh commanded Joseph to tell them.
Questions
1. Why were Pharaoh and his slaves pleased about the arrival of Joseph’s brothers? They loved Joseph. He had proven such an excellent and gracious leader, wise in his decisions and uncorrupt in his dealings. Joseph served them with all that he had, and he cared for them. They, in turn, cared for him.
This is curious, but normal: Pharaoh and his slaves loved Joseph far more than ten of Joseph’s brothers.
2. Why did Pharaoh refer to the asses as stupid beasts? This was normal Egyptian expression for what we sometimes call dumb animals. It was not an insult to the asses, but was a normal expression.
3. Pharaoh told Joseph to tell his brothers to take their father and their houses. How can they take houses? A house in Hebrew can refer to a hard structure in which a family lives, but it more often refers to a group of relatives who have connections with each other that are known and strong. For example, the Bible speaks later of the House of David. It refers to all who are part of that very large group—a large tribe that could become a race.
4. Why did the Pharaoh embrace Joseph’s father’s entire set of houses? The answer comes later; Pharaoh is thinking ahead.
5. What is the good of the land of Egypt? The good of the land of Egypt will be the food! They can come and eat to their hearts’ desires. This should remove the fear of starvation and death, and give them an exciting reason to come without worrying about leaving loved ones behind in a land that will still suffer the terrible affects of famine. In our modern way, he said, “Ya’ll come!”
6. What is the fat of the land? It is the very best of all fruits vegetables, nuts, cattle, etc. They will live as if they are wealthy without paying for it.
7. Does the fat of the land mean that there was some production in the fields of farmers during this famine? I cannot prove it, since a text above states that there was no harvest or sowing during the famine. Most famines will have some production still occurring. This famine was very heavy. Yet, there still were productive areas, else all the fruit trees would have died (for example).
8. Why did Pharaoh speak so strongly to Zaphnat Paaneah when he said, “And thou, thou art commanded”? Pharaoh knew that Joseph would not take advantage of his position; he would do the minimum just as he had always done for himself. Pharaoh was very aware of Joseph’s refusal to be corrupt. Pharaoh strongly desired for Joseph to obey in this case; therefore he commanded him as a slave to obey.
9. Pharaoh continued with, “Do ye this!” What was happening to Pharaoh that caused him to say this? He is coming up with new ideas and new commands for Joseph so that his families will come in Egyptian luxury.
10. Why did Pharaoh command him to take oxcarts? What are special about them? Oxen were really good work animals for transportation, and the carts that were well-made gave a considerably smoother ride than riding an ass. These oxcarts were the stretch-limos of the day! Mothers and children could ride together, since the carts had much more room. Those riding in these carts traveled much more safely since folks feared attacking a high-ranking official with all the guards. These oxcarts needed drivers, too! Helpers would accompany the carts.
11. Why is only one little one mentioned in verse 19? The Hebrew language and apparently the Egyptian language make large numbers of items singular in some cases. Pharaoh assumed that there were many little ones, so he switched to the singular number. This is used in many places in the Bible.
12. Where in the United States is the expression carry used in the very same way as it is used in verse 19? In many parts of the South, folks use carry to mean to drive someone in an automobile. Instead of saying, “Will you pick him up and bring him here,” a person in those cultures will often say, “Will you carry him here?” The Hebrew language uses the same expression.
13. Why did the pharaoh say, “your eye shall not spare concerning your utensils”? He told them not to worry about having to carry/bring all their utensils. They would obtain new ones in the land so that they didn’t have to be burdened with much heavy equipment (like large cooking pots, etc.). He said this so that they could leave sooner and arrive sooner.
The next statement, “For the good of all the land of Egypt—he is to you,” must therefore include the hardware produced in the land, like the beautiful pottery, the beautiful cooking utensils, etc. See an exhibition of a pharaoh in Egypt at a museum when it comes by, and you will see the beautiful things that the Egyptians made for the home.
14. What is so significant about the statement, “And the children of Israel did so”? They actually obeyed and did what they were told to do. That has been what Yehovah has desired from the Israelis from the very beginning.
XXVIII. Road Goods (verses 21-24)
Joseph gave oxcarts to them according to the mouth (command) of Pharaoh. He also gave provision to them to be used on the way. He gave each one a change of clothing, and he gave five changes of clothing and three hundred silver coins.
Joseph sent to his father
- ten asses carrying from the good of Egypt,
- ten she-asses carrying grain and food and nourishment to his father and to be used on the way
- his brothers.
They walked. Joseph warned them, “Do not be violently-angry in the way!”
Questions
1. Why did Joseph give them changes of raiment? Changes of clothing were so very expensive (unless they were just rags, which these weren’t). He was serious when he said that he would ‘all-all’ them. They needed to be able to travel soon, and not have to deal with laundry issues. This was a great kindness.
2. Why did he give Benjamin that much silver and those many changes of raiment? He greatly loved and missed his younger brother (though they both were no longer that young). He wanted to give him a gift, and the gift he gave was very expensive. Benjamin could always use the changes of clothing; they were Egyptian-made, and I expect that they were very beautiful.
3. Didn’t Joseph fear that the brothers would again become jealous of all the favour being shown to Benjamin? He didn’t fear this. He heard enough to know that the brothers were thinking along very different lines, now. They were happy just to get Benjamin back to his father!
4. Why did Joseph send so much on ten asses and ten she asses when he looked to their traveling soon? Joseph desired that provisions for the animals and the persons who were coming would already be prepared, thus stopping delays to their travels. Besides this, Jacob wasn’t alone. A total of about seventy persons will be coming to Egypt; the food and supplies will take care of all of them so that they all can travel sooner.
5. What is the difference in the carrying capacity (how much they can carry) between an ass and a she ass? An ass (a male ass) can carry quite a bit for its size. An ass usually isn’t as big as a horse, and is far smaller than a camel. A she-ass was different and was valued in a different way. I can guess that a male ass can carry more than a she-ass, but it would be a guess. A person who works with asses might know the answer. The same is true regarding riding an ass; the female may give a different ride than the male, but I don’t know. She asses can birth more asses; that is a great advantage to the female.
This text describes the male asses carrying from the good of Egypt. This load would be heavy. The text describes the she asses carrying grain and bread and nourishment. Those loads can be lighter, depending on the grain form. Stalks of grain are lightweight, for example.
6. The text says, “And he sent his brethren.” How does that differ from the times when they left before? This was far more personal, and it was in peace. He again would miss them as they went on their journey.
7. Why did Joseph command, “Do not be violently-angry in the way”? Joseph knew that they would begin blaming each other with great anger once they were on the road. One would blame another for what they did to Joseph, and how much trouble they now were bringing upon themselves when they told their father the truth. Joseph desired them to keep from doing this, since it would only hurt relationships between these men. He also knew that they might end up physically fighting with one another.
Joseph knew that humility and confession was not part of them. The only time they confessed what they did was when they were discussing it with each other. They were not going to admit their own wrongs to each other.
8. Did they do what Joseph said? I cannot prove that they did, but I expect that they were silent on the way. They didn’t look forward to telling Jacob.
XXIX. Frozen (verses 25-28)
They ascended from Egypt. They came unto Jacob their father who was in the land of Canaan.
They told him, “Joseph is yet alive,” and that “he is governor in all the land of Egypt!”
This news was shocking. Jacob’s heart (mind) froze. He didn’t believe them.
They then spoke all the words of Joseph that he spoke unto them unto him. Jacob saw the oxcarts that Joseph had sent to carry him. Now, Jacob believed them. The spirit of Jacob lived.
Israel said, “Much! Joseph my son is yet alive!”
He also said, “I will walk! And I have seen him before I will die!”
Questions
1. The brothers told their father, “Joseph is yet alive,” and that “he is governor in all the land of Egypt!” How were they acting and what were they doing by wording it this way? They made it sound like they were so happy! They made it sound like this was a great surprise! He wasn’t dead, after all! Their telling their father that he is governor in all the land of Egypt was a distraction from the memory of what they told their father, indicating that he was dead. I propose that the brothers planned how they would present this to their father so that it sounded like they all were so happy at this news. No one said anything negative about Joseph or about what had taken place.
2. What does “Jacob’s heart froze” mean? The heart is normally the mind in the Bible. If this is also true here, Jacob’s mind froze: he didn’t know how or what to think about this news.
The heart can refer to the blood-pumping organ of the human body, though this will be rarer than referring to the mind. If this is the case, it would be like our saying, “Jacob’s heart stopped!”
Since the next line states, “for he didn’t believe to them” (he didn’t believe them), I don’t think it was the stoppage of his heart. That would have happened if he truly did believe them, and if he then went into shock. Instead, Jacob is thinking that they are lying to him, and he is wondering why they are lying to him.
3. Did their speaking all the words that Joseph told them to say help Jacob to see that Joseph really was alive? The words they said didn’t register in Jacob’s mind. He still thought that they were lying.
4. What made it so that Jacob did believe them? When he saw that Egyptian-made oxcarts sent to carry him, Jacob knew that Joseph was alive.
5. The text states, “And the spirit of Jacob their father lived.” What does that mean? The spirit of a person can also be the breath of a person. Jacob quit breathing while they told him about Joseph. Once he saw the oxcarts, he knew that his sons could not have obtained those on their own. They were very expensive, as were the oxen. Jacob began to breathe normally; his breath (and his thoughts) lived.
6. Why did Israel say, “Much”? This is like saying, “It is too much!” in a very happy way.
7. When Jacob said, “I have seen him before I will die,” was he saying that he would die right after seeing him? No. He was saying that he desired to see him before he died without thinking that he would necessarily die right after seeing him.
XXX. Yehovah Speaks (chapter 46, verses 1-4)
Israel journeyed; he brought everyone and everything that he had.
He sacrificed sacrifices to the Gods of his father, Isaac.
Elohim spoke to him using visions of the night. He called Jacob’s name twice, and Jacob responded.
Elohim told him, “I am the Mighty-[One] Gods of thy father. Fear thou not from descending Egyptward. For I will put thee there to a big race.”
He then said, “I, I will descend with thee Egyptward. And I, I will also ascend thee ascending. And Joseph will put his hand upon thine eyes.”
Questions
1. Why is the name Israel being used in these texts? This will remind some readers that this will be the experience of the people of Israel during the Tribulation.
Yehovah uses both names Jacob and Israel throughout the Bible, though He stated in a definite way that the name Jacob will no longer be used. This way, Yehovah shows that this prophecy is not yet fulfilled.
2. Where was Jacob living at this time? He was living in Beersheva located in southern Israel in the hot grassland. (Map Copyright Access Foundation; Zaine Ridling, Ph.D. Editor)
3. Why specify in the text that he sacrificed sacrifices to the Gods of his father, Isaac? This text confirms that the Gods of Israel/Jacob was the same as the Gods of Isaac. Yehovah knew that questions of the sameness of the Gods would arise at some time to readers of the Bible, so He placed this to assure readers that they are the same.
He also did this because the wording is the same as in other texts. Jacob said,
Genesis 31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
Identifying the Gods to whom these folks sacrificed is very important in the Bible. Laban did not have the same set of Gods, though he spoke of Yehovah as being his own god. Yehovah wasn’t. This will be important for future events when the Israelis turn to this very different Gods: Yehovah.
4. Why was a sacrifice needed at all? Why did Israel do a sacrifice? Whenever these Saints went to a new place or another place in a major move, and whenever they saw a great deliverance from Yehovah, they did sacrifices. This was because they were both grateful and were doing a type. Every sacrifice is a type. This move that Israel made will be repeated in the future, and Saints will die in order for this to be accomplished. This will be a sacrifice to the Gods of Isaac.
5. Does this text declare that Isaac’s Gods and Israel’s Gods are the same Gods? Yes.
6. What are visions of the night? They are not dreams. A vision is fully interactive; the person who sees the vision can fully participate in that vision with all senses working. A dream, on the other hand, is more akin to a movie; the person can see it but can’t interact with it.
Visions of the night are night visions—that is, they are more than one, and they occur at night.
7. How many visions did Israel see? The text only described one: the one recorded here. The text didn’t state how many he saw.
8. Why doesn’t this first statement say what Elohim said? He will state what He said; this introduces the means: that is, that Elohim said what He said via visions of the night.
9. Why did He call him Jacob when He spoke to him? One reason is to show that the name and person of Jacob is just as much in His favour as the name and person of Israel. Many today want to claim to be Israel, because they figure that Israel is blessed. Fewer desire to identify with the name Jacob, because many believe that Jacob is a supplanting, sinful, deceitful person. Such usage shows that Elohim makes no such distinction.
The man’s name was Jacob; it still was Jacob. The change in the name hasn’t yet occurred.
10. Why did He call Jacob’s name twice? This gives a sense of urgency. If Yehovah says something twice, it is being underscored. This is the very same wording that Elohim used to call Avraham to not slaughter Isaac.
From these texts, Jacob feared to descend toward Egypt.
11. Why did Elohim identify Himself as the Mighty One, Gods of His father? The use of mighty one is because of the fear of descending to Egypt. This is an expression of Elohim’s ability to fight and to protect. Every identification of God in the Bible is always very specific to the circumstance for which that identification takes place.
Jacob had sacrificed “to the Gods of his father.” Elohim’s response was, “I am the Mighty-[One] Gods of thy father” in response to his sacrifice. The father can be Isaac, and he also can be Avraham.
12. Why is this a vision when nothing seen is described, but only words are used? This vision is a speaking one. It is interactive, but nothing physical that Jacob saw was described in the text. Yet, interactive means that both do and say things to each other; Jacob didn’t say anything. It was as if it were Elohim speaking to him without anything else. Yet the Bible records it as visions of the night. (I don’t know why this was stated this way, but I know it is very important.)
13. Why would Jacob have feared to descend to Egypt? Jacob knew that Yehovah had told Avraham and Isaac to dwell in the land of Canaan, since that land would be the land given to them. If Jacob moved out of the land, the promise of Elohim might not seem to be one he believed. He wasn’t certain that his leaving would be an act of faithlessness against the promises of Elohim. This Mighty One of Isaac therefore told him to go and to not fear. He also made more promises to him.
14. What does “For I will put thee there to a big race” mean? He will grow in number until he is a large race among the races.
15. Why did Elohim bring Jacob and his house to Egypt, according to this promise? This was the circumstance by which this small group would grow to a big race. That is not so easy to do when the group is unprotected and liable to be absorbed by attacking groups. This was like a plant in a greenhouse. It can grow much faster, having conditions that are better for fast growth.
16. What was Elohim promising when He said, “I, I will descend with thee Egyptward,” and why did He say that? Isn’t He everywhere? He was reassuring him that He will be with him for his benefit; in other words, it is most definitely the will of Elohim.
17. Why did Elohim add, “I, I will also ascend thee, ascending”? First, the double use of ‘I’ in this is to stress that point: Elohim Himself will ascend him. The double use of ascend also stresses the importance of this.
The ascending He is describing is back to the land of Israel. One always ascends to Israel no matter where the person originated.
18. When will Mighty One, Gods of Isaac ascend Jacob (to Israel)? This is prophetic. It has never happened, and it will not happen for many centuries from now. This is a future event when part of Israel will go up out of Egypt to Mount Zion during the Tribulation.
19. What does “Joseph will put his hand upon thine eyes” mean? This is closing the eyes when a person has died. Some die with their eyes closed, and others with their eyes open. Even those who die with their eyes closed—sometimes their eyes open during rigor mortis (stiffness of death).
Thus, Joseph will be there when his papa dies.
XXXI. Wagon Train (verses 5-7)
Jacob left Beersheva. His sons carried (transported) Jacob, their little one (their children), and their women in Pharaoh’s oxcarts that Pharaoh had sent to carry Jacob.
The brothers took their cattle and their possessions (their stuff) that they had gathered (stuffed) in the land of Canaan.
They traveled toward Egypt. All of Jacob’s seed were with him including his sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters—all his progeny.
Questions
1. What does stuff that they stuffed mean? These are the things that they acquired and collected, the things they valued for any reason.
2. How many of Jacob’s relatives came with him? It doesn’t give the number. Some of the girls from Jacob may have married already, and would be in other families, but the text describes them as coming:
- Jacob’s sons
- Jacob’s son’s sons
- Jacob’s daughters
- Jacob’s son’s daughters
- All Jacob’s seed
3. How many daughters did Jacob have? We know about Dinah. No other daughter is mentioned that I have seen; yet the text has this plural. Daughters are often not mentioned unless their character, heroism, or some major act is part of the telling of the events. That doesn’t mean that they were unimportant; it means that the events did not need to mention them.
4. What seed are beyond his sons, his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters through his sons? What aren’t mentioned are the little one (that is, the little ones): the great grandchildren.
XXXII. Genealogy (verses 8-27)
The names of Jacob’s children and grandchildren are listed next in a table. In some cases, information about the mother of a grandchild is also given. For example, Simeon made a baby with a Canaanite woman (verse 10). In other cases, daughters were born who were not named. I placed a ‘0’ in front of names of persons who did not go with Jacob (either because they died or because he was already in Egypt). Jacob’s sons’ women (wives) are not counted on this table.
|
Number
|
Number into Egypt
|
Name Meaning
|
Hebrew Name
|
Father
|
Mother/Grandmother
|
Other
|
|
1
|
0 (Jacob is not included in the list of those who came with Jacob)
|
They-Saw-A-Son
|
Reuben
|
Jacob
|
Leah
|
Jacob’s firstborn
|
|
2
|
1
|
Dedicated
|
Hanoch
|
Reuben
|
Leah
|
|
|
3
|
2
|
Miracled
|
Phallu
|
Reuben
|
Leah
|
|
|
4
|
3
|
Trumpet-Sounding
|
Hezron
|
Reuben
|
Leah
|
|
|
5
|
4
|
My-Vineyard
|
Carmi
|
Reuben
|
Leah
|
|
|
6
|
5
|
Hearkening
|
Shimon
|
Jacob
|
Leah
|
|
|
7
|
6
|
Sea-And-Mighty-[one]
|
Yemuel
|
Shimon
|
Leah
|
|
|
8
|
7
|
Right
|
Yamin
|
Shimon
|
Leah
|
|
|
9
|
8
|
I-Will-Be-Majesty
|
Ohad
|
Shimon
|
Leah
|
|
|
10
|
9
|
He-Will-Establish
|
Yakhin
|
Shimon
|
Leah
|
|
|
11
|
10
|
He-Dazzled
|
Zohar
|
Shimon
|
Leah
|
|
|
12
|
11
|
He-Was-Asked
|
Shaul
|
Shimon
|
Leah
|
son of a Merchantess [Canaanitess]
|
|
13
|
12
|
My-Joined-[One]
|
Levi
|
Jacob
|
Leah
|
|
|
14
|
13
|
Exile
|
Gershon
|
Levi
|
Leah
|
|
|
15
|
14
|
Dullness-Of
|
Kohat
|
Levi
|
Leah
|
|
|
16
|
15
|
My-Bitter-[one]
|
Merari
|
Levi
|
Leah
|
|
|
17
|
16
|
He-Confessed-Yehovah
|
Judah
|
Jacob
|
Leah
|
|
|
0
|
17
|
Awake
|
Er
|
Judah
|
Leah
|
Died in Canaan
|
|
0
|
0
|
Their-Lust
|
Onan
|
Judah
|
Leah
|
Died in Canaan
|
|
18
|
0
|
That-Is-To-Her
|
Shelah
|
Judah
|
Leah
|
|
|
19
|
18
|
Breach
|
Pharez
|
Judah
|
Leah
|
|
|
20
|
19
|
Sunrise
|
Zarah
|
Judah
|
Leah
|
|
|
21
|
20
|
Trumpet-Sounding
|
Hezron
|
Pharez
|
Leah
|
|
|
22
|
21
|
Compassioned
|
Hamul
|
Pharez
|
Leah
|
|
|
23
|
22
|
There-Is-A-Wage
|
Issachar
|
Jacob
|
Leah
|
|
|
24
|
23
|
Worm
|
Tola
|
Issachar
|
Leah
|
|
|
25
|
24
|
Corner
|
Phuvah
|
Issachar
|
Leah
|
|
|
26
|
25
|
He-Is-Shrilly-Crying
|
Job
|
Issachar
|
Leah
|
|
|
27
|
26
|
Guarding
|
Shimron
|
Issachar
|
Leah
|
|
|
28
|
27
|
They-Cohabited
|
Zebulun
|
Jacob
|
Leah
|
|
|
29
|
28
|
Sullenness-Descended
|
Sered
|
Zebulun
|
Leah
|
|
|
30
|
29
|
Might
|
Elon
|
Zebulun
|
Leah
|
|
|
31
|
30
|
A-Mighty-One-Shall-Whirl
|
Yahle-el
|
Zebulun
|
Leah
|
|
|
32
|
31
|
Her-Adjudicator
|
Dinah
|
Jacob
|
Leah
|
|
|
33
|
32
|
(Unknown Daughter)
|
|
|
Leah
|
|
|
34 (1)
|
33
|
Troop
|
Gad
|
Jacob
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
35
|
34
|
Lookout
|
Ziphion
|
Gad
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
36
|
35
|
My-Solemnities
|
Haggi
|
Gad
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
37
|
36
|
He-Sharpens-Me
|
Shuni
|
Gad
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
38 (5)
|
37
|
Without-Purpose
|
Ezbon
|
Gad
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
39
|
38
|
My-Wakefulness
|
Eri
|
Gad
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
40
|
39
|
I-Will-Descend-Me
|
Arodi
|
Gad
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
41
|
40
|
I-Will-See-To-Me
|
Areli
|
Gad
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
42
|
41
|
Happiness
|
Asher
|
Jacob
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
43 (10)
|
42
|
He-Will-Reckon
|
Yimnah
|
Asher
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
44
|
43
|
He-Will-Equal-Her
|
Ishuah
|
Asher
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
45
|
44
|
He-Will-Equal-Me
|
Isui
|
Asher
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
46
|
45
|
Via-Her-Shout
|
Beriah
|
Asher
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
47
|
46
|
Prince-Blew
|
Serah
|
Asher
|
Zilpah
|
their sister
|
|
48
|
47
|
Friend
|
Hever
|
Beriah
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
49 (16)
|
48
|
My-King-Is-Mighty-One
|
Malchiel
|
Beriah
|
Zilpah
|
|
|
50 (1)
|
49
|
He-Will-Gather
|
Joseph
|
Jacob
|
Raquel
|
|
|
51
|
50
|
Forgetter
|
Manasseh
|
Joseph
|
Raquel
|
|
|
52
|
51
|
I-Will-Be-Fruitful-There
|
Ephraim
|
Joseph
|
Raquel
|
|
|
53
|
0
|
Son-Of-My-Right
|
Benjamin
|
Jacob
|
Raquel
|
|
|
54 (5)
|
0
|
He-Swallowed
|
Belah
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
55
|
0
|
Firstborn
|
Bekher
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
56
|
52
|
I-Will-Cluster
|
Ashbel
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
57
|
53
|
He-Saw-A-Sojourner
|
Gera
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
58
|
54
|
Their-[fem]-Pleasant-[one]
|
Naaman
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
59 (10)
|
55
|
My-Brother
|
Ekhi
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
60
|
56
|
Head
|
Rosh
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
61
|
57
|
Memphis-ites
|
Muppim
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
62
|
58
|
Enveloped-[ones]
|
Huppim
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
63 (14)
|
59
|
I-Will-Descend
|
Ard
|
Benjamin
|
Raquel
|
|
|
64 (1)
|
60
|
Adjudication
|
Dan
|
Jacob
|
Bilhah
|
|
|
65
|
61
|
Hastening-[ones]
|
Hushim
|
Dan
|
Bilhah
|
|
|
66
|
62
|
My-Wrestling
|
Naphtali
|
Jacob
|
Bilhah
|
|
|
67
|
63
|
Mighty-[one]-Shall-Divide-[in half]
|
Yahze-el
|
Naphtali
|
Bilhah
|
|
|
68 (5)
|
64
|
My-Defender
|
Guni
|
Naphtali
|
Bilhah
|
|
|
69
|
65
|
He-Will-Form
|
Yetzer
|
Naphtali
|
Bilhah
|
|
|
70 (7)
.
|
66
|
Vengeance-Peace
|
Shillem
|
Naphtali
|
Bilhah
|
|
Questions
1. Why did the Bible list the individual names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt? Yehovah lists names when those names are very important. I previously proposed that the meanings of the names give prophecy of the End Times as if they are another chapter in the Bible when they are strung together in order. The Hebrew language is unusual because it permits this to be done without violating grammar rules of the language. While I won’t string the names together in this one section, leaving that for you to try, I will be interested in what you see if you do string them together. I have provided proposed meanings for each name listed.
2. Verse 15 states, “Every being of his sons and his daughters are thirty and three.” Yet in the table that I did, I came up with only 32 (see the table). How did the writer of Genesis get 33? First, never assume that the writer of a book of the Bible is the same as the author of that book. An author is the one who writes or designs something directly from his or her knowledge. The writer might be the author, but the writer might also be someone else who writes what the author says to write. The writer is more like a secretary in this case.
The writer didn’t get 33; the author said that there were 33. Since daughters are sometimes not mentioned in texts, I propose that there was another daughter. Since sons and daughters in this text include grandsons and granddaughters, I concluded that an unmentioned daughter was part of the number.
3. Why aren’t daughters normally listed in Biblical genealogies (in Biblical birth lines)? Is it because the Bible doesn’t consider women very important? No; the Bible considers women very important. The lineages, however, go through the males, and thus many more men are mentioned regardless of whether they were bad or good. If the Bible just listed everyone, the Bible would be very big and would not only consider what is very important information that Yehovah desires to tell.
4. Look at the table to see how verse 26 arrived at 66 beings. (No Question)
XXXIII. Directions and Emotions (verses 28-29)
Jacob sent Judah to his faces (on ahead, in this case) unto Joseph to teach to his faces (face to face) toward Goshen—how to get there and what to do.
They came to the land of Goshen. Joseph hitched his chariot and went down (ascended) to meet Israel his father toward Goshen.
Joseph was finally seen by Jacob. And Joseph fell upon Jacob’s necks. He wept upon his necks for quite a while.
Questions
1. Explain what “And he sent Judah to his faces unto Joseph to teach to his faces Goshenward” means: “He sent Judah to his faces” means that he (Jacob) sent Judah in front of him as if Judah is a scout. We would say that Judah went on ahead. “…to teach to his faces Goshenward” means that Jacob sent Judah as a scout to teach Jacob, in front of Jacob, the way to Goshen. Thus, Judah became Jacob’s scout and obtainer of information.
2. In verse 29, the text states, “Joseph hitched his chariot.” Wasn’t Joseph too high in rank to be hitching his own chariot? Joseph was a slave. He also had years of experience with Potiphar learning to hitch a chariot. Hitching his own chariot was not difficult for him, and it wasn’t beneath him.
3. Who are he and him in, “And he was seen unto him”? He, Joseph, was seen unto him, unto, or by, Jacob. Jacob finally saw Joseph. This is one case where it could also be reversed: that Joseph finally was able to see Jacob!
4. Who fell upon whose necks in verse 29? Joseph fell upon Jacob’s necks with a great big hug. He had been waiting to see his papa for all these years.
5. Why did Joseph do so much weeping? Joseph was very emotional. That was a useful tool to him for strength. Emotions help a person remain strong in many cases. Joseph didn’t mind being emotional when he wasn’t playing a role.
In some cultures, showing emotions is considered being weak. Hiding emotions, however, is often from fear that weakness will show. Some of the toughest persons who have lived have had no difficulty showing emotions when this is beneficial (that is, when it is good and helpful).
XXXIV. How to Tell Pharaoh (verses 30-34)
Israel told Joseph, “I shall die the stroke (this time) after my seeing thy faces! For thou art yet alive!”
Joseph then informed his brothers and his father’s house, “I will ascend! And I have told to Pharaoh! And I have said unto him, ‘My brethren and my father’s house who are in the land of Canaan came unto me!’”
After this, Joseph will say, “The men are shepherds of a flock. For they were cattlemen. And they brought their flock and their herd and all that they have.” Joseph knew that Pharaoh would call to them to ask them questions like this: “What is your doing?”—that is, “What is your occupation?”
He now explains to his brothers what they need to say: “Thy slaves were cattlemen from our youths and until now—also we, also our fathers” in order for them to dwell in the land of Goshen. For Joseph explained, “every shepherd of a flock is an abomination unto the Egyptians.”
Questions
1. Israel said to Joseph, “I shall die the stroke after my seeing thy faces! For thou art yet alive!” What did he mean? The stroke means this time, since time was considered passing in strokes—like the ticking of a clock. Only, this was stated centuries before any clock would tick! Thus, Israel was saying that his death would now be after he had finally seen Joseph. He was very happy to see his son while he was still alive.
2. What does “What is your doing” mean? This means, What occupations/work do you have?
3. Joseph tells his brothers to tell Pharaoh, “Thy slaves were cattlemen from our youths and until now—also we, also our fathers.” He doesn’t tell them to say that they are shepherds even though Joseph will tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds. Why didn’t Joseph tell them about their being shepherds? Shepherds are an abomination to the Egyptians. Anything that is an abomination is morally or ethically disgusting—that is, it is disgusting because they consider being a shepherd totally wrong. Joseph knew that they felt this way, so he didn’t want them telling Pharaoh this.
4. Why did Joseph want his brothers to describe themselves as cattlemen? If they are cattlemen, they can live in the land of Goshen.
5. What does this text tell about the land of Goshen without directly stating it? This text tells the reader that the land of Goshen is cattle country! It must be one place where there is good grass for cattle.
6. Why was every shepherd of a flock an abomination unto the Egyptians? I don’t know the history of the relationships of the earliest of the Egyptians with shepherds. I can only guess that shepherds at one time led their sheep into the area that was early Egypt, and the sheep may have done damage to crops—or the shepherds might have offended the Egyptians. I have another guess, too: that the Egyptians liked to be very clean and to smell good, and shepherds were usually very dirty, and smelled like sheep and goats—a smell that some dislike. These are only guesses.
XXXV. Speaking to Pharaoh (chapter 47, verses 1-4)
Joseph came and told Pharaoh. He explained, “My father and my brethren and their flock and their herd, and all that they have have come from the land of Canaan. And behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” Joseph then picked five of his brothers from the fringe, and he presented them to Pharaoh.
Pharaoh asked them, “What is your doing?” They responded to Pharaoh, “Thy slaves are a shepherd of a flock—also we, also our fathers.” They continued, “We have come to sojourn in the land because thy slaves have no pasturage for the flock. For the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan. And now, na, thy slaves shall dwell in the land of Goshen.”
Questions
1. Verse 2 states, “And he took five men from the fringe of his brethren.” What does this mean? Imagine that some of the brethren are in a circle. They are on the edge of the circle—on the fringe of the circle. He chose five men from that fringe—from that edge.
2. Why didn’t Joseph take all his brethren to see Pharaoh? Joseph knew that Pharaoh was busy; he only needed to see a few of Joseph’s brothers to have his questions answered. Besides this, the more brothers who are present, the greater is the possibility that a brother will say or do something that isn’t good in Pharaoh’s or Joseph’s eyes.
3. In verse 3, the brothers answered exactly as Joseph did not tell them to answer; they answered that they are a shepherd of a flock—not only they, but their fathers. Why did they answer Pharaoh this way? My impression is that these brothers were now afraid to say anything that wasn’t the direct truth! Even hiding information made them very nervous!
4. Joseph’s brothers basically asked to dwell in the land of Goshen. Wasn’t this being just too bold? Sometimes folks speak boldly when they are nervous. They say too much. These brothers said far too much. Goshen was the best land in Egypt, and these men were shepherds—abominations to the Egyptians!
5. What does “na” mean in Hebrew? It is a softener in Hebrew, showing that a statement that can sound demanding isn’t demanding.
XXXVI. Pharaoh speaks to Joseph (verses 5-6)
Pharaoh then spoke to Joseph: “Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee! The land of Egypt is before thee! Make thy father and brethren to settle in the best of the land! They shall dwell in the land of Goshen!”
Pharaoh then had another idea: “And if thou hast known, and if there are among them men of valiance, and set them princes of my cattle!”
Questions
1. Pharaoh said, “Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee! 6The land of Egypt is before thee! Make thy father and brethren to settle in the best of the land! They shall dwell in the land of Goshen!” What was Pharaoh showing about how he felt toward Joseph’s brothers? Pharaoh was excited! He wasn’t bothered by what they were or what they had said. He was so pleased that they had come!
2. What does verse 6 tell about the land of Goshen? It is the best of the land of Egypt!
3. Why did Pharaoh desire for them to dwell in the very best of the land of Egypt? Pharaoh loved Joseph! He therefore favoured Joseph’s brothers.
4. For what was Pharaoh asking when he said, “And if thou hast known, and if there are among them men of valiance, and set them princes of my cattle”? He wanted some of Joseph’s brothers to tend his own cattle (he now had very large numbers of cattle because cattlemen brought their animals to trade for food) if any of them are qualified—that is, if any of them are men of valiance.
5. What is a man of valiance? This is a man who lives as if he were militarily trained! He will be strong, able to endure hardships without being bothered, able to receive commands from authority and able to give good commands, and he will be resourceful—able to quickly think of good ways to solve problems. Military training often does this for folks.
6. How can a person become a prince of cattle? A person who is a prince of cattle is the head man over the cowboys who tend the cattle.
XXXVII. Blessing (verses 7-10)
Joseph next brought his father Jacob, and he stood him to the faces of Pharaoh (in front of him).
Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of thy lives?” Jacob replied, “The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years.”
Jacob then explained, “The days of the years of my lives were few and bad. And they didn’t reach the days of the years of the lives of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.”
Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
He then exited from being in front of him.
Questions
1. What does “he stood him to the faces of Pharaoh” mean? This means that he brought his father Jacob to present him straight in front of Pharaoh so that Pharaoh could meet him.
2. How could Jacob bless Pharaoh? The word bless comes from the word for knee, and therefore also includes kneeling. I don’t think Pharaoh kneeled before Jacob, but this is what blessing pictures.
Jacob spoke words that were from Yehovah to Pharaoh—words that were the benefits that Yehovah would do to Pharaoh. While Jacob was blessing Pharaoh, he was prophesying. (If the words he spoke were only wishes, they would not be blessings. They had to be words that would come to pass in order to be a blessing.)
3. What was very strange about Jacob blessing Pharaoh? Pharaoh is supposed to be a god himself according to the Egyptians! Yet, here was a shepherd, the abomination of the Egyptians, blessing a god—Pharaoh! The whole event was very strange. Pharaoh happily received that blessing!
4. Why did Pharaoh ask, “How many are the days of the years of thy lives,” instead of something simpler like, “How old art thou,” or, “How many years hast thou lived?” This question is far more specific! It is like asking, “Just how old art thou,” but asks for an answer in years of days! If I were to ask, “How old art thou,” the person might respond, “I am very old!” That wouldn’t tell me the age in years, but only how old. Pharaoh’s question looked for an answer with numbers (a numerical answer).
5. Pharaoh asked about the days of the years of Jacob’s lives, but Jacob answered, “The days of the years of my sojournings.” Why did he answer Pharaoh that way? He was giving Pharaoh more information. A cattleman/shepherd must be on the move a number of times every year. Jacob finally settled (in Beersheva), but most of his life was spent as a sojourner—a person who is on the way somewhere, but isn’t there yet.
6. Jacob next declared, “The days of the years of my lives were few and bad.” Yet, he just blessed Pharaoh. How can one whose life had been bad bless another?? Jacob couldn’t bless Pharaoh, but he could speak Yehovah’s words to bless Pharaoh! If Jacob had been the only source of Pharaoh’s blessing, Pharaoh would not have been blessed; Pharaoh had much more than Jacob, and Pharaoh was doing well. Yehovah could bless Pharaoh, however, and that is was occurred. Jacob was just the spokesman for Yehovah.
7. Jacob continued, “And they (the days of the years of Jacob’s lives) didn’t reach the days of the years of the lives of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.” How could Jacob know this, since Jacob hadn’t died yet? Jacob was speaking the words that Yehovah gave to him. He spoke the Truth.
8. In what ways were the days of Jacob’s lives bad? Jacob suffered much under Laban. His own brother sought to murder him. Most of his sons turned out to be cruel and liars. His wife Raquel died early. He never obtained an inheritance from his father. I don’t think he saw his mother alive once he left home. His days were bad.
9. Why does the text again state that Jacob blessed Pharaoh? Yehovah determined that it was important for readers to know that Yehovah through Jacob blessed a pagan king who was also a god among his people. If Yehovah blesses a pagan, Saints who have opportunities to bless and benefit pagans (folks who have or are other gods that are false gods) in ways that are good must do the same thing.
This also shows that Pharaoh received the blessing from him after hearing that Jacob was a man whose lives had been bad (that is, filled with harmful and hurtful events).
10. What does “And he exited from to the faces of Pharaoh” mean? We don’t use from to in English, but Hebrew does. This combines two ideas: Jacob exited from the faces of Pharaoh—from standing before Pharaoh, and Jacob had been to the faces of Pharaoh—that is, right in front of him.
XXXVIII. Joseph the Father (verses 11-12)
Joseph sat with his father and with his brethren; he had business to discuss. He gave them a possession in the land of Egypt by means of the best of the land; it was in the land of Pharaoh Raamses. This is as Pharaoh had commanded.
Joseph ‘all-alled’—that is, he provided everything for his father and his brethren, including all his father’s house right down to the bread (food) to the mouth of the little one.
Questions
1. What is the significance of Joseph sitting with his father and his brothers? Joseph is now behaving as a family member. When they ate with him before they knew who he was, Joseph didn’t sit with them; he was Zaphnat Paaneah, lord over all the land. He is now family.
This is what Messiah Yeshua will do with the Israelis during the Millennium.
2. Who is Raamses? He was one of the great Pharaohs of Egypt. The land of Raamses must have been excellent land.
3. What does “Joseph ‘all-alled’ his father and his brethren and all his father’s house” mean? This means that Joseph took care of everything they needed. If they needed cooking utensils, he provided them. If they needed materials for anything, he provided the materials. He freely supplied them as if he owned the store.
4. What does “bread to the mouth of the little one” mean? Joseph even supplied the very food that the youngest child needed.
5. Why did Joseph do all this? Joseph demonstrated his love for his entire family by doing this.
XXXIX. The Silver (verses 13-14)
There is no bread in all the land. The famine is very heavy. The lands of Egypt and Canaan hung from the faces of the famine—that is, they drooped, like a person who has no energy and is terribly thirsty.
Joseph collected all the silver found in the lands of Egypt and Canaan by the means of the Egyptians breaking grain and food stocks to folks who came. Joseph then brought the silver to Pharaoh’s house.
Questions
1. If there is no bread in all the land, what are folks eating? This is speaking about what was grown from the land, not what is available, since Zaphnat Paaneah has plenty of bread to give to the people. All crops failed during this time.
2. The text states that the land of Egypt hung. What does that mean? When crop failures occur over a large area and famine is also occurring, the air feels different on a daily basis. Plants seem to droop; animals become weak unless they have food, and humans can feel that terrible feeling in the air. The whole land becomes like a plant: it just seems to droop. This is described in Hebrew as hanging.
3. How can a famine have faces? Hebrew describes objects as having faces. Even events such as a famine have faces in the Hebrew. It is as if famine were a person looking toward the lands that would have famine. Everywhere the famine looks, famine occurs.
Famine isn’t a person; it is a series of events that cause food to not be produced in the normal amounts. A lack of rain, a plant disease outbreak, too much rain, too much heat, too cold a summer, or an attack by locusts can cause famine, as well as a huge wildfire. If a person is in an area where a famine is ongoing, then travels to a place just outside of the famine area, the feel of the air is totally different. Famine causes humans to be tired even if they have the food they need. The faces of famine seem to be everywhere in places where a famine is occurring.
4. Why did Joseph collect silver? He charged folks for the food he sold to them. His prices for the various food items were not too high; that would have brought folks to violence. His prices were normal. Since the famine, all suffered, being unable to make livings by working.
If there is no food production and if the cattle must be sold, all other parts of the economy likewise fall off. A fisherman cannot sell fish because folks who would normally have money to buy the fish are using it to buy food—food they would normally be selling to others or trading with others. A person who normally makes money making leather items from cattle now must sell the cattle; he can’t make money without the cattle. A person who makes pottery can’t sell the pottery; folks aren’t buying pottery because they don’t have the money. All become poor.
Folks spent all the silver they had to purchase food. They brought it to Zaphnat Paaneah; he collected it as he broke grains and other food items to them.
5. What did Joseph do with the silver? He brought it to Pharaoh’s house. Thus, Pharaoh became incredibly wealthy—and all because of Joseph.
XL. The Cattle (verses 15-17)
The silver finally ran out in Egypt and Canaan. The Egyptians came to Joseph saying, “Render bread to us!” and “Why shall we die straight in front of thee? For silver doesn’t exist!” Joseph’s reply was, “Render your cattle. And I gave her to you via your cattle if silver doesn’t exist.” They did what he said and brought their cattle unto Joseph. Joseph gave bread to them by means of (by exchanging) horses and cattle of the flock and herd, and asses. Joseph led the people by means of the bread (food), by means of their cattle during that year.
Questions
1. Why did the Egyptians need to say, “Why shall we die straight in front of thee”? Did Zaphnat Paaneah drive a very hard bargain? He made sure that they truly used up all the silver they had. He knew that many would try to convince him that they were out of money when they weren’t. He had learned to tell when folks are lying and when they are telling the truth. He had been around too many high-ranking prisoners to be easily fooled (including some who lied while in office and while in prison), so he tested folks out, and he had workers who also tested folks out. He wanted to give them food, but he also desired that they give him valuables for the food.
2. Why did Joseph charge for the food? Why didn’t he just distribute the food for free? Yehovah gave Joseph much wisdom. He knew that giving folks things for free has a very bad effect on them, and it changes how they see the government/the giver. If they are given food (or anything) for free, they won’t value it, and they often resent the giver (since they feel bad about receiving it). They will also begin to expect the government to give them things for free, and they will become violent against the government if the government stops giving for free. If, on the other hand, folks must pay for the food until they have nothing left (or until the famine ends), they will feel independent (though poorer), and they will appreciate the cost of what they purchased.
3. What did Joseph plan to do with all this cattle (verse 16), seeing that takes grazing lands, workers, and much care? Joseph knew that receiving cattle could be a problem, but it also could provide employment for newly acquired slaves who had been in the cattle business. He also knew that he would have to provide food for the cattle to eat, but he had saved a very large amount of hay for this very purpose. The cattle would be well-tended, and folks would also purchase meat during the famine.
4. What farm animals did they bring to sell to obtain food? The text mentions some and hints at others:
- Cattle
- Horses
- Sheep
- Goats
- Asses
There certainly could be other animal varieties.
5. What does “he led them via bread via all their cattle in that year” mean? Zaphnat Paaneah used food to lead the people. Leading them includes governing them and ruling them, but it also includes giving them knowledge and ideas so that they could come up with business plans to remain as independent as possible. Joseph was very tough, but he was also very wise. He knew that folks who can independently work in areas where they can do best and earn a profit will be content.
XLI. The Soil (verses 18-22)
That year finished. They came unto him in the second year. They said unto him, “We will not hide from my lord, but rather the silver finished. And livestock of the beast is unto my lord. No remainder is to the faces of my lord except if our body and our soil.”
They then asked, “Why shall we die to thine eyes—also we, also our soil? Buy us and our soil via bread. And we, we were, and our soil, slaves to Pharaoh.”
They then had another good idea to add: “And give seed. And we lived. And we will not die. And the soil will not be desolate.”
Joseph did this. He purchased all the soil of Egypt so that Pharaoh owned it all. The Egyptians were willing, since the famine gripped upon them. The entire land of Egypt (except for the land of the priests) became the property of Pharaoh.
Joseph also moved the people of Egypt to the cities; this took place from one side of Egypt to the other.
The reason why Joseph didn’t touch the soil of the priests was because Pharaoh had made a food statute to the priests; they always got their food supplied by Pharaoh. Thus, the priests didn’t sell their soil.
Questions
1. What does “We will not hide from my lord” show about their feelings toward Zaphnat Paaneah (compared with the way they spoke to him before)? They were less fearful and more respectful. Their words are softer.
2. What did they mean by “No remainder is to the faces of my lord except if our bodies and our soil”? No remainder means nothing else is left to sell for food. “No remainder is to the faces of my lord” means that there is nothing else of value in front of Zaphnat Paaneah. “…except if our bodies and our soil” is the Hebrew way of saying “except for our bodies and our soil.” The word if shows that selling the bodies and the soil is being considered, and not that it is certain.
3. What were they selling when they said, “Buy us and our soil via bread”? They were selling themselves as slaves, and they were selling their lands.
4. What did they expect Zaphnat Paaneah to do with their bodies and their soil? They gave their ideas next: “And we, we were, and our soil, slaves to Pharaoh. And give seed. And we lived. And we will not die. And the soil will not be desolate.” They would become slave farmers of soil that belonged to Pharaoh.
5. What is wrong with the soil being desolate? Depending on where the soil is located and the weather conditions, desolate soil can go back to desert in dry areas, and it can become overgrown with weeds in wet areas. Farmland is useful without too much trouble as long as it is worked and sown (with seed). If it is left alone, soon trees and other plants that grasp the soil very tightly will move in and will make it very hard to work.
This famine was temporary. The farms would produce again in just a few years, so the soil needed to be worked.
6. Did Zaphnat Paaneah purchase the Egyptians as slaves? I don’t see that he did this. I see that he purchased the land from them. Pharaoh owned the lands, now, but not the Egyptians.
7. What was Zaphnat Paaneah doing when “he caused him to cross over to cities from the end of the border of Egypt and unto his end”? He moved the Egyptians (except for the priests) from their lands so that they were closer to the food supplies. They weren’t that far from the lands they had previously owned and would soon be working again, but this way they didn’t use food just to get back and forth from their lands.
8. If Egyptian priests were pagan priests (priests of false gods), why did Joseph treat them so well? Joseph was a wise man; he wasn’t a fool. He knew that folks need an anchor for their souls (even if the anchor isn’t permanent) in order to live well and be happy. He also knew that Elohim had not sent him to Egypt to change Egypt, but to save Egypt’s lives. Mistreating anyone is always wrong (unless there is a life-saving reason or a proper vengeance reason for mistreating a person, in which cases it isn’t mistreatment). Joseph’s own wife’s father was a pagan priest. I am certain that Yehovah gave her to Joseph. If I am right, she is a gift from Yehovah. Showing contempt to her father would be showing her contempt, and it would be showing contempt to Yehovah Who gave her.
9. What does “they will eat their statute” mean? This statute is in the form of a measured amount of food. Eating their statute is eating the allotted (measured out and given) portion given by Pharaoh.
XLII. Distribution (verses 23-25)
Joseph had acquired the people of Egypt and Canaan. Since they were slaves, now, they received the food they needed. Joseph now gave them an assignment as slaves: “Seed is to you! And ye shall seed the soil! And he shall be via bringings (that is, by means of whatever you are able to bring). And ye shall give a fifth to Pharaoh. And four of the hands (out of five hands) will be to you to seed the field and to your eating and to whomever is in your houses and to the eating to your Top (little-one). They agreed to this, for they realized, “Thou caused-us-to-live. We will find favour in the eyes of my lord. And we will be slaves to Pharaoh.”
Questions
1. Does this text state that Joseph purchased the Egyptians? Yes, it does! This happens often in the Bible: one text must be joined to another to see what really took place.
2. What again is important about seeding the soil? If the soil isn’t used, it will return to the condition it had before folks began working with it. Then, if folks desire to use it, they must take out trees and difficult plants all over again in order to bring it back to good farming conditions.
3. Zaphnat Paaneah said, “And he shall be via bringings.” What did he mean? He in “and he shall be” refers to the event about to be described. The event is giving a fifth to Pharaoh. Only when they start having bringings (successfully bringing crops from the land) will they give this fifth to Pharaoh.
4. What did Joseph mean by, “And four of the hands will be to you to seed the field and to your eating and to whomever is in your houses and to the eating to your Top”? When they have brought in their crops, when they have separated the grain seeds from all other plant material so that they have pure grain, when it is time for them to measure how much grain they obtained, they will measure using their cupped hands. Every fifth handful will belong to Pharaoh; four hands will belong to them. They will use the four hands:
- For themselves
- For seeding the field in the next planting
- For their own eating
- For the eating of whoever is in their houses
- For the eating of their little ones (described as tops—a word in Hebrew that seems to be where we got the word top referring to the spinning object, since little children are very much like tops, always spinning around in a new direction).
5. They responded to Zaphnat Paaneah, “We will find favour in the eyes of my lord.” Explain the strange wording, and how they will find favour. The first pronoun is we: “We will find favour.” The second pronoun is my: “…in the eyes of my lord.” I would have expected, “…in the eyes of our lord,” corresponding to we. When I thought about this, I thought that an entire group might have one person who is acting as the spokesperson. That would explain this wording.
They can find favour by sowing seed in the soil, since the soil now belongs to Pharaoh!
6. The Egyptians responded to Zaphnat Paaneah, “And we will be slaves to Pharaoh.” This sounds like they are excited. What is occurring? The Egyptians did not mind being slaves to Pharaoh since Pharaoh sought what was best for them. Pharaoh (through Zaphnat Paaneah) demonstrated love to the Egyptians by supplying them with food during the worst famine that Biblical history recorded, and by treating the people in a business-like manner so that they were able to keep their status as business partners with Egypt. Being a slave to Pharaoh under these circumstances was just fine with them!
XLIII. The Statute (verse 26)
Joseph put her to a statute to this very day upon the soil of Egypt: “To Pharaoh, to a fifth!” Only the soil of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s property.
Questions
1. What does “To Pharaoh, to a fifth!” mean? This means that Pharaoh gets the fifth handful when grain and any crop is measured.
XLIV. Prosperity (verses 27-28)
Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen, Egypt. The Israelis clung and inherited in Goshen. They were fruitful. They greatly multiplied.
Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. His days measured in years were 147 years.
Questions
1. What does “they grasped in her” mean? This means that they clung to their possessions in her—in Goshen; they saw the land as their land. This grasping was not bad. They felt at home in Goshen, and they gave inheritances to their children in the land. Thus, the children also grasped in her.
2. What does “And they were fruitful” mean? Being fruitful in the Bible isn’t the same as multiplying, since multiplying has only to do with increasing numbers. A reader must consider a fruit tree or a fruit or vegetable-bearing plant to understand what being fruitful means. A plant that is fruitful produces fruit, and the fruit is good. Humans were also made to be fruitful. Yet, Yehovah designed humans so that women had children (thus giving fruit from their wombs) and men did not bear the fruit of the womb. Yet Elohim commanded men to be fruitful just as much as women. Thus, being fruitful must include things that have nothing to do with having children. (Some men are eunuchs, and they can’t have children; some men and some women are sterile, and they also can’t have children. Yet, all these folks can easily be fruitful as far as Elohim is concerned.)
I saw in the Bible that doing good works and being fruitful were connected in this way: a person who does good works is being fruitful. The Israelis who went to Egypt did good works. They did things that were ethically good and morally good as far as Yehovah was concerned.
That doesn’t mean that they believed in Yehovah, and it also doesn’t mean that they did right all the time. It does mean that they didn’t make their actions wicked—very bad—before Yehovah. Had they done that, they would not have been Biblically fruitful—not in any good way.
They must have helped each other; they must have done right in trade with the Egyptians; they must have done things that showed valiance; they must have at least considered the good behaviours of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob to at least behave more like them than like they acted when they were plotting to murder Joseph years ago. They showed good fruit, and Yehovah recognized this. Again, this doesn’t mean that they had the faith of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.
3. What does “they multiplied very much” mean? This means that they had a very large population increase in a very short time.
4. How old was Jacob when he died? Add seven to forty and one hundred; this is 147 years.
5. How long did Jacob live in the land of Egypt? He lived seventeen years in Egypt.
XLV. Grace and Truth (verses 29-31)
Israel’s days to die approached. He called to his son Joseph. He said to him, “If, na, I found favour in thine eyes, put, na, thy hand under my side. And thou shalt do grace and truth with me.” Israel was asking Joseph to vow.
Israel explained, “Do not, na, entomb me in Egypt. And I will lie with my fathers. And thou wilt carry me from Egypt. And thou wilt entomb me in their tomb.” Joseph said, “I, I will do as thy speech.” Israel responded, “Swear to me.” Joseph vowed.
Israel then prostrated (lay flat) upon the head of the bed.
Questions
1. Why did Jacob call Joseph when he was about to die instead of Reuben his firstborn? Joseph was the one who now acted in the role of the head of the family. He saved the lives of all. Reuben, on the other hand, was not in a position to do what Jacob was about to request, and Jacob didn’t trust Reuben.
2. Jacob twice used the Hebrew word na in the sentence, “If, na, I found favour in thine eyes, put, na, thy hand under my side.” What does this word mean, and why would Jacob use it twice since he was speaking to his own son? The word na is a softener. It doesn’t have a meaning, but instead acts to show a softening of whatever else is being said.
It is strange that Jacob spoke this way to his own son; yet Jacob recognized that his own son was the saviour of the age! He had saved the lives of all in the entire region. Jacob respected him in the position that Yehovah had granted to him, and didn’t assume that he could treat him as an inferior just because he was his father. Instead, he made a request of him as if he were Pharaoh himself.
Yehovah gives everyone the rank that he or she has. Jacob knew this; he respected Yehovah, and therefore, his own son in his rank.
3. Why did Jacob tell Joseph to put his hand under Jacob’s side? This is part of making a vow of this type.
I propose that the placement of the hand under the side can be explained by the following texts:
Genesis 46:26 Each being that came to Jacob Egyptward exiters of his side (besides Jacob’s sons’ women)—each being is sixty and six.
Exodus 1:5 And he was every being exiting from the side of Jacob: seventy being(s).
These two texts refer to persons coming out of Jacob’s side: that is, the region of the thigh. Placing the hand under this region and vowing, then, is not only made for those present, but it is also a vow to all future generations who came out from that side. All of Jacob’s offspring came from Jacob’s side: his thigh. The Bible makes an association with a man’s side and with his testicles: the seat of sperm production. Placing a hand actually on his penis area would have been a violation of propriety; the side, therefore, was associated with this so that the vow would carry to all generations of Jacob.
4. What is grace in the Bible? It is a fervent, ardent zeal by which one is actuated. Using easier words, it is a very strong and intense burning stand that a person takes for or against anything, and that moves the person to take action according to that stand. Thus, if a person has a very strong desire to save trees, the person might climb the endangered trees and chain himself to the trees until those who have come to cut agree to not cut the trees. That is an act of grace toward the trees.
In the same manner, a person can show Biblical grace against someoneor something. This is not how the word is normally used in English, but it is used this way in Hebrew.
5. How did Jacob desire that Joseph express this grace? Jacob desired that Joseph will not entomb Jacob in Egypt, but will be carried from Egypt to Machpelah where Avraham and Sarah were entombed.
6. What is truth in the Bible? Truth is whatever is absolute (that is, unchanging and definite) in the eyes of a god (in this case, in the eyes of Yehovah). Anything that depends on something else to be true isn’t truth, since truth never changes with circumstances and with environment.
7. Jacob also told Joseph to do truth with him. He didn’t tell him to tell him the truth, but instead to do truth with him. What does that mean? Doing Truth is doing whatever is unchanging and definite. Jacob knew that carrying him from Egypt to the future land of Israel was the plan of Yehovah for all of Israel; this was unchanging and definite. This act of moving him after he died was a form of prophecy since that would be what will happen to all Israel at a later time.
8. Grace and Truth often go together in the Bible. What is so important about their being connected? A person or a group that shows Grace in the Biblical sense can have very strong stands and feelings that are not according to Biblical Truth. This will often lead to violence against innocent folks. A person or a group that shows Truth in the Biblical sense will know what is right and wrong, but probably won’t take the stands necessary to save lives without having Grace. If a person or group shows and lives by both, the results will be life-saving, and will show the very character of Yehovah, the Gods of Israel.
9. Why didn’t Jacob desire to be entombed in Egypt? If he had been, his tomb might be preserved to this very day! Why didn’t he want this to occur? Jacob desired to demonstrate that his hope in the resurrection was in his being in the Land of Israel, not among the Egyptians. He also desired to be a type of what will occur with all Israel (all Israelis), since all Israel will finally dwell in the Land of Israel. Jacob will be alive among them many centuries from now!
10. Joseph replied, “I, I will do as thy speech.” How did Joseph know that he would be able to keep this vow? Joseph knew that Yehovah would make certain that he could keep the vow. It was as important for Yehovah as it was for Jacob, since it was an act of prophecy!
11. Why did Jacob add, “Swear to me”? Wasn’t Joseph vowing by placing his hand under Jacob’s side? Jacob and Yehovah desired those who heard of this event (like readers of the Bible) to know that Joseph truly vowed this—in action (by placing his hand) and by words (by saying that he swore to him).
12. What is the difference between swearing (as in a vow) and swearing (as in cussing and using violent words)? Many years ago, when folks swore in a bad way, they also swore—that is, they vowed. That is why we use the expression, swearing when folks are cussing. For example, someone might have said, “I swear before God that I will send that person straight to hell!” That later might have been abbreviated as, “I’ll damn him!” and then as “Damn him!”
Swearing to do harm or see harm to another person is usually not the right thing to do, since the person saying that vow might later regret having vowed. (What if the other person changes and does right?)
13. What does “Israel prostrated upon the head of the bed” mean? The head of a bed is where the pillows are. Prostrating is lying down flat. Israel lay flat upon the upper part of the bed.
14. Was Jacob dead yet? No. He has more to say a period of time later.
