Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

A story with “stunning” news.

Genesis 45:16-28 NLT
Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt
¹⁶ The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this.
¹⁷ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸ Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’”
¹⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here. ²⁰ Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
²¹ So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey. ²² And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver. ²³ He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey.
²⁴ So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, “Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!” ²⁵ And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.
²⁶ “Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it. ²⁷ But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived.
²⁸ Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 45:16-28 NLT
Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

¹⁶ The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this. 

¹⁷ Pharaoh said to Joseph,

Pharaoh himself instructed Joseph to have his entire family move to Egypt.

“Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸ Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’”

Pharaoh offered Joseph’s family the best land in Egypt. 

¹⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here. 

Pharaoh provided wagons (carts) to transport members of Joseph’s family to Egypt.

²⁰ Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

Joseph’s (God’s) role in preparing Egypt for the seven year famine was a direct benefit to his entire family.  Pharaoh’s appreciation of Joseph extended to his entire family.

• God can, and does, use the ungodly to fulfill his plans.

• God can, and does, use the ungodly to bless his chosen people.

²¹ So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey. ²² And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver. ²³ He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey. 

²⁴ So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, “Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!” 

It was time for the brothers to put their sinful past behind them and enjoy the reunion and reconciliation that had taken place in their lives. 

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

• Don’t dwell on the past. Rather, look forward to what lies ahead.

How might this apply to us?

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 

²⁵ And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan. 

²⁶ “Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it. 

Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it.

Jacob’s state of mind:

Genesis 37:34-35 NLT
³⁴ Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time. ³⁵ His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep.

Genesis 42:2 NLT
² I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.”

Genesis 42:35
… the brothers and their father were terrified …

Genesis 42:38
… “you would send this grieving, white haired man to his grave. …

I can’t imagine anything more difficult and painful than a parent losing a child.

Having said that.  I do not believe that it was God’s plan for Jacob to live a life consumed by grief and fear. 

“Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it.”

Stunned: So shocked that one is temporarily unable to react. 

Should Jacob have been stunned when God blessed him with the wonderful news?

Genesis 28:13-15 NLT
¹³ At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. ¹⁴ Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. ¹⁵ What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”

• We should not be stunned when God blesses us beyond our greatest expectations.

Reflect on the following scriptures.

Psalm 46 NLT
¹ God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
² So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
⁴ A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
⁵ God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
⁶ The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
⁷ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
⁸ Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
⁹ He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
¹¹ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.  

God always keeps his promises.

Numbers 23:19 NLT
¹⁹ God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

 Psalm 36:5 NLT
⁵ Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

Isaiah 25:1 NLT
¹ O Lord, I will honor and praise your name,
for you are my God.
You do such wonderful things!
You planned them long ago,
and now you have accomplished them.

Hebrews 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 

David’s song of praise 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 NLT
⁸ Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
⁹ Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
¹⁰ Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
¹¹ Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
¹² Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
¹³ you children of his servant Israel,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.
¹⁴ He is the Lord our God.
His justice is seen throughout the land.
¹⁵ Remember his covenant forever—
the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
¹⁶ This is the covenant he made with Abraham
and the oath he swore to Isaac.
¹⁷ He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
¹⁸ “I will give you the land of Canaan
as your special possession.”
¹⁹ He said this when you were few in number,
a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
²⁰ They wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
²¹ Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
He warned kings on their behalf:
²² “Do not touch my chosen people,
and do not hurt my prophets.”
²³ Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
²⁴ Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
²⁵ Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be feared above all gods.
²⁶ The gods of other nations are mere idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
²⁷ Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and joy fill his dwelling.
²⁸ O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
²⁹ Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
³⁰     Let all the earth tremble before him.
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
³¹ Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
³² Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
³³ Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
³⁴ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
³⁵ Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
and rejoice and praise you.”
³⁶ Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting! 

• Don’t be stunned when God does what He says He will do!

• God always keeps his promises.

Psalm 23:1-4 NLT
A psalm of David.
¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.

Hebrews 13:5 NLT
⁵ Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.” 

I will not be stunned when God uses   ___________________ to fulfill his plans. 

Back to today’s text:

²⁷ But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived. 

²⁸ Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.”

Genesis 15:13NLT
¹³ Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.  

• Jacob’s family moving to Egypt was a part of God’s plan for the children of Israel (Jacob).

Joseph Reveals His Identity

Review:

• • God is gradually preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.
  • God’s testing is having a significant impact on Jacob and his sons.

Lives are being changed.

Genesis 45:1-15 NLT
Joseph Reveals His Identity
45 Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. ² Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.
³ “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. ⁴ “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. ⁵ But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. ⁶ This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. ⁷ God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. ⁸ So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.
⁹ “Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! ¹⁰ You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. ¹¹ I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’”
¹² Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! ¹³ Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly.” ¹⁴ Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. ¹⁵ Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him. 

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 45:1-15 NLT
Joseph Reveals His Identity

¹ Joseph could stand it no longer.

Moved by Judah’s speech and all of the events leading up to this point, Joseph is unable to control his emotions.

There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers

Joseph would have been 39 years old, and away from his brothers for 22 years.

when he told them who he was. ² Then he broke down and wept.

This was the third of five times Joseph wept over his brothers.

• Reasons for Joseph’s tears:

Genesis 42:21-24 NLT
²¹ Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.”
²² “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
²³ Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. ²⁴ Now he turned away from them and began to weep. … 

• • Joseph was overcome with emotion when he sensed his brothers’ remorse.

Genesis 43:27-30 NLT
²⁷ After greeting them, he asked, “How is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”
²⁸ “Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.
²⁹ Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ³⁰ Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. 

• • Joseph was overcome with emotion for the welfare of his father and his brother Benjamin.

This verse (Genesis 45:2)- God’s sovereignty

• • Joseph was overcome with emotion as he experienced God’s sovereignty in the life of his family.

The verse at the end of this passage:

Genesis 45:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. ¹⁵ Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.

Reconciliation  (after decades)

• • Joseph was overcome with emotion as he experienced the reconciliation taking place between him and his brothers.

Genesis 50:14-17 NLT
Joseph Reassures His Brothers
¹⁴ After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial. ¹⁵ But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.
¹⁶ So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us ¹⁷ to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 

• • Joseph was overcome with emotion as he witnessed repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
    

He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace. 

³ “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?”

Joseph’s love and concern for his dad are evident.

But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 

• The brothers were experiencing amazement and fear.

If Joseph had not been submissive to the sovereignty of God he may have readily had his brothers executed.

⁴ “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt.  

• The process of reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers is coming to a climax. 

⁵ But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 

Joseph recognized that God, not his brothers, had sent him to Egypt.

• Joseph saw, understood, and verbalized the sovereignty of God at work throughout this entire process.

***Because of Joseph’s understanding of the sovereignty of God, he was able to forgive his brothers.

• We miss out on so many of God’s blessings when we do not recognize God’s sovereignty at work in our lives.

***Pray that God will help us see, understand, and be able to verbalize his sovereignty at work in our lives.

Genesis 50:20 NLT
²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

⁶ This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 

Conditions will be getting a lot worse.

⁷ God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 

• Joseph understands, at least in part, the Abrahamic covenant and its promise of a nation.

Pray for an understanding of the bigger picture of God’s plan for our lives. 

⁸ So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

• God had put Joseph, an Israelite, in the position of governor of Egypt. (God can certainly do similar acts in 2020.)

⁹ “Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! ¹⁰ You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. 

The region of Goshen was a fertile region, suited for grazing the herds of Jacob.

Separate from the populated areas in Egypt.

Genesis 46:33-34 NLT
³³ Then he said, “When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, ³⁴ you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.” 

¹¹ I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’”

If Joseph’s family did not move to Egypt, they would not survive the famine.

¹² Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! ¹³ Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly.” ¹⁴ Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same.  

¹⁵ Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him. 

Genesis 43:34 NLT
³⁴ And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him. 

In Genesis 43 the brothers were drinking freely with the Governor of Egypt.  Here they are talking freely with their brother Joseph. 

• Joseph and his brothers experienced the joy of reconciliation.

Nothing is too hard for God!

Joseph’s Silver Cup

Review:

• God is gradually preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.
• God’s testing is having a significant impact on Jacob and his sons.

Lives are being changed.

Genesis 44:1-34 NLT
Joseph’s Silver Cup
¹ When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: “Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man’s money back into his sack. ² Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” So the manager did as Joseph instructed him.
³ The brothers were up at dawn and were sent on their journey with their loaded donkeys. ⁴ But when they had gone only a short distance and were barely out of the city, Joseph said to his palace manager, “Chase after them and stop them. When you catch up with them, ask them, ‘Why have you repaid my kindness with such evil? ⁵ Why have you stolen my master’s silver cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done!’”
⁶ When the palace manager caught up with the men, he spoke to them as he had been instructed.
⁷ “What are you talking about?” the brothers responded. “We are your servants and would never do such a thing! ⁸ Didn’t we return the money we found in our sacks? We brought it back all the way from the land of Canaan. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? ⁹ If you find his cup with any one of us, let that man die. And all the rest of us, my lord, will be your slaves.”
¹⁰ “That’s fair,” the man replied. “But only the one who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go free.”
¹¹ They all quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them. ¹² The palace manager searched the brothers’ sacks, from the oldest to the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! ¹³ When the brothers saw this, they tore their clothing in despair. Then they loaded their donkeys again and returned to the city.
¹⁴ Joseph was still in his palace when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him. ¹⁵ “What have you done?” Joseph demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?”
¹⁶ Judah answered, “Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we explain this? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves—all of us, not just our brother who had your cup in his sack.”
¹⁷ “No,” Joseph said. “I would never do such a thing! Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace.”
Judah Speaks for His Brothers
¹⁸ Then Judah stepped forward and said, “Please, my lord, let your servant say just one word to you. Please, do not be angry with me, even though you are as powerful as Pharaoh himself.
¹⁹ “My lord, previously you asked us, your servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ ²⁰ And we responded, ‘Yes, my lord, we have a father who is an old man, and his youngest son is a child of his old age. His full brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him very much.’
²¹ “And you said to us, ‘Bring him here so I can see him with my own eyes.’ ²² But we said to you, ‘My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.’ ²³ But you told us, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you will never see my face again.’
²⁴ “So we returned to your servant, our father, and told him what you had said. ²⁵ Later, when he said, ‘Go back again and buy us more food,’ ²⁶ we replied, ‘We can’t go unless you let our youngest brother go with us. We’ll never get to see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’
²⁷ “Then my father said to us, ‘As you know, my wife had two sons, ²⁸ and one of them went away and never returned. Doubtless he was torn to pieces by some wild animal. I have never seen him since. ²⁹ Now if you take his brother away from me, and any harm comes to him, you will send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.’
³⁰ “And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father’s life is bound up in the boy’s life. ³¹ If he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We, your servants, will indeed be responsible for sending that grieving, white-haired man to his grave. ³² My lord, I guaranteed to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever.’
³³ “So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. ³⁴ For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 44:1-17 NLT
Joseph’s Silver Cup
¹ When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: “Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man’s money back into his sack. ² Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” So the manager did as Joseph instructed him.

The testing continues.

Joseph (God) was testing the brothers’ concern for both Benjamin and Jacob.

• If Joseph’s brothers failed to demonstrate a concern for Benjamin (and Jacob) they would not be the kind of men God wanted as leaders for His chosen people.

Deuteronomy 11:27-28 NLT
²⁷ You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. ²⁸ But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.

Exodus 32:7-10 NLT
⁷ The Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. ⁸ How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
⁹ Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”

³ The brothers were up at dawn and were sent on their journey with their loaded donkeys. ⁴ But when they had gone only a short distance and were barely out of the city, Joseph said to his palace manager, “Chase after them and stop them. 

When you catch up with them, ask them, ‘Why have you repaid my kindness with such evil? ⁵ Why have you stolen my master’s silver cup, which he uses to predict the future?

“My master’s silver cup, which he uses to predict the future.”

Verse 15: “What have you done?” Joseph demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?”

In the Egyptian culture, Egyptian viziers practiced divination or hydromancy.  This cup would have been used in the process of pouring water into oil, interpreting the results, predicting the future, and passing new revelations on to the Pharaoh.

Joseph was continuing his ruse, he knew that only God grants revelation.

• The silver cup found in Benjamin’s sack would have been extremely valuable to an Egyptian vizier.

Without this cup, the vizier could have felt handicapped in performing his duties. 

What a wicked thing you have done!’” 

The testing would be reaching a climax. 

⁶ When the palace manager caught up with the men, he spoke to them as he had been instructed.

 ⁷ “What are you talking about?” the brothers responded. “We are your servants and would never do such a thing! ⁸ Didn’t we return the money we found in our sacks? We brought it back all the way from the land of Canaan. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? ⁹ If you find his cup with any one of us, let that man die.

This may be a foolish statement to make, but it was normal at this time to stake your life on what you said.

• For a moment, the brothers were feeling confident and believed they were making things right with Joseph.

Genesis 43:34 NLT
³⁴ And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

And all the rest of us, my lord, will be your slaves.” 

¹⁰ “That’s fair,” the man replied. “But only the one who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go free.” 

¹¹ They all quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them. ¹² The palace manager searched the brothers’ sacks, from the oldest to the youngest.

They all quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them.

The palace manager created tension by starting with the oldest and ending with Benjamin, knowing the silver cup was in Benjamin’s sack.

And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! ¹³ When the brothers saw this, they tore their clothing in despair. 

• In an instant, the brother’s confidence and hopes were crushed.

The brothers were experiencing despair similar to the despair Jacob experienced.  A feeling that “all was lost”.

Genesis 37:31-34 NLT
³¹ Then the brothers killed a young goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in its blood. ³² They sent the beautiful robe to their father with this message: “Look at what we found. Doesn’t this robe belong to your son?”
³³ Their father recognized it immediately. “Yes,” he said, “it is my son’s robe. A wild animal must have eaten him. Joseph has clearly been torn to pieces!” ³⁴ Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time. 

This would be a “new” feeling for the brothers.  They were beginning to “care”.

This was certainly a roller coaster experience for the brothers, but the brothers were “passing” the test. 

• The tearing of one’s clothes is an ancient tradition among the Jews, and it is associated with mourning, grief, and loss. 

Then they loaded their donkeys again and returned to the city. 

¹⁴ Joseph was still in his palace when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him. 

They did not just bow politely,

They fell to the ground before him. This could be an indication of true remorse.

(Joseph’s dreams)

• The brothers appeared to be demonstrating genuine remorse. 

¹⁵ “What have you done?” Joseph demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?”

The ruse continues.

Joseph was still disguising himself as an Egyptian official.

¹⁶ Judah answered, “Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we explain this? How can we prove our innocence?

Judah (not Reuben, the firstborn) was once again the spokesperson for the brothers.

God is punishing us for our sins.

Judah recognizes the hand of God in these events.

Hebrews 12:11 NLT
¹¹ No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

• God is working in the lives of Joseph’s brothers and they are responding in a positive way. 

My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves—all of us, not just our brother who had your cup in his sack.”

• Judah is recognizing and confessing the sins of all of the brothers.

¹⁷ “No,” Joseph said. “I would never do such a thing! Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace.”

The testing continues.

Joseph is giving the brothers an “out”.  He is letting them “off the hook”.

If the brothers take Joseph up on this offer, they would be failing the test.

• Joseph gives the brothers “an out”.

Judah Speaks for His Brothers
¹⁸ Then Judah stepped forward and said, “Please, my lord, let your servant say just one word to you. Please, do not be angry with me, even though you are as powerful as Pharaoh himself.
¹⁹ “My lord, previously you asked us, your servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ ²⁰ And we responded, ‘Yes, my lord, we have a father who is an old man, and his youngest son is a child of his old age. His full brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him very much.’
²¹ “And you said to us, ‘Bring him here so I can see him with my own eyes.’ ²² But we said to you, ‘My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.’ ²³ But you told us, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you will never see my face again.’
²⁴ “So we returned to your servant, our father, and told him what you had said. ²⁵ Later, when he said, ‘Go back again and buy us more food,’ ²⁶ we replied, ‘We can’t go unless you let our youngest brother go with us. We’ll never get to see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’
²⁷ “Then my father said to us, ‘As you know, my wife had two sons, ²⁸ and one of them went away and never returned. Doubtless he was torn to pieces by some wild animal. I have never seen him since. ²⁹ Now if you take his brother away from me, and any harm comes to him, you will send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.’
³⁰ “And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father’s life is bound up in the boy’s life. ³¹ If he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We, your servants, will indeed be responsible for sending that grieving, white-haired man to his grave. ³² My lord, I guaranteed to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever.’
³³ “So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. ³⁴ For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!”

Judah interceded for Benjamin with a lengthy plea to Joseph, offering to be imprisoned in the place of his younger brother.

This plea clearly demonstrated his concern for his father who would surely die if Benjamin did not return home.

• The brothers demonstrated a genuine concern for their father and their younger brother, Benjamin. 

 

Notes on Judah:

Genesis 49:8-10 NLT
⁸ “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
⁹ …
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.

1 Chronicles 5:2 NLT
² The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation …

Judah is included in the lists of the ancestors of Jesus found in Matthew 1 and Luke 3.

The Brothers Return to Egypt

Review:

Points from the previous lesson.

• • The sense of divine retribution is beginning to awaken feelings of remorse in the brothers that they had not experienced up to this time.

• • God is convicting the brothers of their unconfessed sin.

• • Jacob is holding his sons accountable for the loss of Joseph and Simeon.

• • God is preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.

These points continue through today’s lesson.

Genesis 43:1-18 NLT
The Brothers Return to Egypt
43 But the famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan. ² When the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
³ But Judah said, “The man was serious when he warned us, ‘You won’t see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ⁴ If you send Benjamin with us, we will go down and buy more food. ⁵ But if you don’t let Benjamin go, we won’t go either. Remember, the man said, ‘You won’t see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
⁶ “Why were you so cruel to me?” Jacob moaned. “Why did you tell him you had another brother?”
⁷ “The man kept asking us questions about our family,” they replied. “He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”
⁸ Judah said to his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones. ⁹ I personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever. ¹⁰ If we hadn’t wasted all this time, we could have gone and returned twice by now.”
¹¹ So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, “If it can’t be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds. ¹² Also take double the money that was put back in your sacks, as it was probably someone’s mistake. ¹³ Then take your brother, and go back to the man. ¹⁴ May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it.”
¹⁵ So the men packed Jacob’s gifts and double the money and headed off with Benjamin. They finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. ¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the manager of his household, “These men will eat with me this noon. Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast.” ¹⁷ So the man did as Joseph told him and took them into Joseph’s palace.
¹⁸ The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. “It’s because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 43:1-18 NLT
The Brothers Return to Egypt
¹ But the famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan. 

The famine continued to ravage the land.  Jacob’s family would soon be facing starvation. 

² When the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

Jacob was unable, on his own, to provide food for his family.

• God’s testing included Jacob.

³ But Judah said, “The man was serious when he warned us, ‘You won’t see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 

Joseph’s warning was taken seriously.

⁴ If you send Benjamin with us, we will go down and buy more food. ⁵ But if you don’t let Benjamin go, we won’t go either. Remember, the man said, ‘You won’t see my face again unless your brother is with you.’” 

⁶ “Why were you so cruel to me?” Jacob moaned. “Why did you tell him you had another brother?”

• Jacob is holding his sons accountable for the loss of Joseph and Simeon, and now the potential loss of Benjamin.

Dissension continues to exist between Jacob and (most of) his sons. 

⁷ “The man kept asking us questions about our family,” they replied. “He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?” 

• The brothers are now trying to pass the blame on to “the man”. (Sound familiar?) 

⁸ Judah said to his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise, we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones. 

The famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan.

• Starvation for Jacob’s family was a reality. 

⁹ I personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever. ¹⁰ If we hadn’t wasted all this time, we could have gone and returned twice by now.”

Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, steps up to bat. (not Reuben)

Jacob had not agreed to let Benjamin travel with Reuben.

Genesis 42:37-38 NLT
³⁷ Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back.”
³⁸ But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”

Judah was the brother who came up with the plan to sell Joseph, when the other brothers, except Ruben, were planning to let Joseph die in the cistern in the wilderness.

Genesis 37:26-27 NLT
²⁶ Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. ²⁷ Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed.

Judah was willing to take the blame if Benjamin were not returned.

Here in chapter 43 and also in chapter 44, we see Judah’s character maturing.

• God’s testing is having a positive effect on Judah. (More about Judah in chapter 44.)

¹¹ So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, “If it can’t be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 

Apparently, these items were not available in Egypt.

¹² Also take double the money that was put back in your sacks, as it was probably someone’s mistake. ¹³ Then take your brother, and go back to the man. 

Jacob was doing what he could to save Simeon and Benjamin.  (Bribe the Egyptian governor.)

• Jacob resigned himself to the possibility of now losing his son Benjamin.

¹⁴ May God Almighty 

God Almighty – (Hebrew El-Shaddai) This name for God emphasizes His power.

Genesis 28:1-4 NLT
¹ So Isaac called for Jacob, blessed him, and said, “You must not marry any of these Canaanite women. ² Instead, go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your grandfather Bethuel, and marry one of your uncle Laban’s daughters. ³ May God Almighty bless you and give you many children. And may your descendants multiply and become many nations! ⁴ May God pass on to you and your descendants the blessings he promised to Abraham. May you own this land where you are now living as a foreigner, for God gave this land to Abraham.” 

Genesis 35:11-12 NLT
¹¹ Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! ¹² And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.”

Jacob appears to be putting some trust in God. (In case the bribe doesn’t pay off.)

• God’s testing is having a significant impact on Jacob.

give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. 

But if I must lose my children, so be it.”

• Jacob knew that the events going on around him were completely out of his control. 

¹⁵ So the men packed Jacob’s gifts and double the money and headed off with Benjamin. They finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. ¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the manager of his household, “These men will eat with me this noon.

The feast was both a celebration and a test.

Joseph had to feel good about the fact Benjamin was alive and well.

Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast.” ¹⁷ So the man did as Joseph told him and took them into Joseph’s palace. 

¹⁸ The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house.

• The brothers were terrified (again).

Genesis 42:28
²⁸ “Look!” he exclaimed to his brothers. “My money has been returned; it’s here in my sack!” Then their hearts sank. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?” 

Genesis 42:35
³⁵ As they emptied out their sacks, there in each man’s sack was the bag of money he had paid for the grain! The brothers and their father were terrified when they saw the bags of money. 

• The brothers were not seeing any good coming from the Egyptian governor’s invitation.

“It’s because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”

• The brothers’ guilt was overwhelming.

Numbers 32:23 NLT
²³ … and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Jeremiah 16:17 NLT
¹⁷ I am watching them closely, and I see every sin. They cannot hope to hide from me.

Luke 12:2 NLT
² The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.

• You may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

Genesis 42:1-38 NLT

Introduction:

“Widespread” famine (verse from the previous lesson)

Genesis 41:57 NLT
⁵⁷ And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.

God’s prophecy to Abraham:

Genesis 15:13 NLT
¹³ Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.

God is going to use this famine to bring Israel into Egypt, under the rule of Joseph.

Genesis 42:1-38 NLT
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
42 When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? ² I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.”
³ So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. ⁴ But Jacob wouldn’t let Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, go with them, for fear some harm might come to him. ⁵ So Jacob’s sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine was in Canaan as well.
⁶ Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground. ⁷ Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.”
⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him. ⁹ And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”
¹⁰ “No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food. ¹¹ We are all brothers—members of the same family. We are honest men, sir! We are not spies!”
¹² “Yes, you are!” Joseph insisted. “You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”
¹³ “Sir,” they said, “there are actually twelve of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.”
¹⁴ But Joseph insisted, “As I said, you are spies! ¹⁵ This is how I will test your story. I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you will never leave Egypt unless your youngest brother comes here! ¹⁶ One of you must go and get your brother. I’ll keep the rest of you here in prison. Then we’ll find out whether or not your story is true. By the life of Pharaoh, if it turns out that you don’t have a younger brother, then I’ll know you are spies.”
¹⁷ So Joseph put them all in prison for three days. ¹⁸ On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live. ¹⁹ If you really are honest men, choose one of your brothers to remain in prison. The rest of you may go home with grain for your starving families. ²⁰ But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.” To this they agreed.
²¹ Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.”
²² “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
²³ Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. ²⁴ Now he turned away from them and began to weep. When he regained his composure, he spoke to them again. Then he chose Simeon from among them and had him tied up right before their eyes.
²⁵ Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each brother’s payment at the top of his sack. He also gave them supplies for their journey home. ²⁶ So the brothers loaded their donkeys with the grain and headed for home.
²⁷ But when they stopped for the night and one of them opened his sack to get grain for his donkey, he found his money in the top of his sack. ²⁸ “Look!” he exclaimed to his brothers. “My money has been returned; it’s here in my sack!” Then their hearts sank. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?”
²⁹ When the brothers came to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan, they told him everything that had happened to them. ³⁰ “The man who is governor of the land spoke very harshly to us,” they told him. “He accused us of being spies scouting the land. ³¹ But we said, ‘We are honest men, not spies. ³² We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One brother is no longer with us, and the youngest is at home with our father in the land of Canaan.’
³³ “Then the man who is governor of the land told us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take grain for your starving families and go on home. ³⁴ But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. Then I will know you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give you back your brother, and you may trade freely in the land.’”
³⁵ As they emptied out their sacks, there in each man’s sack was the bag of money he had paid for the grain! The brothers and their father were terrified when they saw the bags of money. ³⁶ Jacob exclaimed, “You are robbing me of my children! Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!”
³⁷ Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back.”
³⁸ But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 42:1-38 NLT
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
¹ When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? ² I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.” 

³ So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. ⁴ But Jacob wouldn’t let Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, go with them, for fear some harm might come to him. 

Jacob would not allow Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, to travel with his other sons.
Benjamin was the second son of Rachel, Jacob’s beloved.
Jacob had already “lost” Joseph.

Jacob did not know what had really happened to Joseph, but he did know the character of his other sons.

Refer to Jacob’s blessings for his sons in chapter 49. A brief description of his sons.

Unruly
In their anger they murdered men.
Crippled oxen just for sport.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down – who dares to rouse him.
A sturdy donkey.
 A poisonous viper along the path.
A ravenous wolf devouring his enemies.

Jacob would not allow Benjamin to go with his brothers.  Jacob feared for Benjamin’s safety.

• Jacob knew the character of his sons. 

⁵ So Jacob’s sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine was in Canaan as well.

Famines were not uncommon in the ancient world.

Famines were devastating in an agrarian society.

Famines were often accompanied by disease and war.

This famine was severe and widespread (worldwide).

Genesis 41:57 NLT  “…throughout the world.”

• Famines were devastating in an agrarian society.

⁶ Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground.  

• Joseph’s dream became a reality. (Over 15 years had elapsed.)

⁷ Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger

and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded.
 “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.”

Joseph would be putting his brothers through various tests to see if they had changed.
In reality, this was God at work.
God was preparing these men to be leaders in Israel.   (God’s sovereignty was at work.)

• God was using events in this story to prepare Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people. 

⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him. 

… they didn’t recognize him … for good reason.

15 years have passed.  He had grown from a teenager to an adult.  He was dressed as an Egyptian.  He had a leadership role in Egypt.

Joseph did not look “Jewish”. (My words)

He treated them without a hint of familiarity. 

⁹ And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before. 

He remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before as they were coming true.

He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”

Joseph accused his brothers of being spies (verses 9, 12, 14, 16)

Famines were often accompanied by disease and war. (As stated previously.)

Joseph (God) was testing his brothers.

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

¹⁰ “No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food. ¹¹ We are all brothers—members of the same family. 

We are honest men, sir!

Joseph knew that this was hardly an accurate assessment. 

We are not spies!” 

¹² “Yes, you are!” Joseph insisted. “You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.” 

¹³ “Sir,” they said, “there are actually twelve of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.” 

… one is no more … NIV & ESV…
… one is gone … CEB
… died a long time ago … ERV
… and one is not … ASV 

¹⁴ But Joseph insisted, “As I said, you are spies! ¹⁵ This is how I will test your story. I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you will never leave Egypt unless your youngest brother comes here! 

The phrase, “I swear by the life of Pharaoh …” would mislead his brothers. 

¹⁶ One of you must go and get your brother. I’ll keep the rest of you here in prison.

Similar to what they had done to Joseph.
Genesis 37:24 NLT
²⁴ Then they grabbed him (Joseph) and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

Then we’ll find out whether or not your story is true. By the life of Pharaoh, if it turns out that you don’t have a younger brother, then I’ll know you are spies.”

Joseph may have wanted to know that his younger brother had not been harmed by his brothers.

¹⁷ So Joseph put them all in prison for three days. ¹⁸ On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live.  

¹⁹ If you really are honest men, 

choose one of your brothers to remain in prison. The rest of you may go home with grain for your starving families. ²⁰ But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.” To this they agreed.

Joseph implied that Simeon would die if the brothers did not bring Benjamin back with them.

²¹ Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.”

“… we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph …”

“… when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. …”

• The sense of divine retribution began to awaken feelings of remorse in the brothers that they had not experienced up to this time.

²² “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”

Reuben recognized they would be held accountable for their actions.

Numbers 32:23 NLT
²³ … and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Galatians 6:7 NLT
⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

²³ Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. ²⁴ Now he turned away from them and began to weep. 

Joseph had forgiven his brothers.

Joseph may have learned, for the first time, of Reuben’s attempt to save him.

 When he regained his composure, he spoke to them again. Then he chose Simeon from among them and had him tied up right before their eyes.

Joseph did not keep Reuben, but he chose Simeon, the oldest of the brothers who had participated in the crime against him.

²⁵ Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each brother’s payment at the top of his sack. 

These actions would “strike the fear of God” into the hearts of the brothers. 

1. 1. 28 “… their hearts sank. Trembling … “What has God done to us?” ” 

1. 1. 35 “The brothers and their father were terrified when they saw the bags of money.” 

He also gave them supplies for their journey home. ²⁶ So the brothers loaded their donkeys with the grain and headed for home.

²⁷ But when they stopped for the night and one of them opened his sack to get grain for his donkey, he found his money in the top of his sack. ²⁸ “Look!” he exclaimed to his brothers. “My money has been returned; it’s here in my sack!” Then their hearts sank. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?” 

“What has God done to us?”

Their guilty conscience and fear of vengeance from God surfaced again.

• God was convicting the brothers of their unconfessed sin. 

²⁹ When the brothers came to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan, they told him everything that had happened to them. ³⁰ “The man who is governor of the land spoke very harshly to us,” they told him. “He accused us of being spies scouting the land. ³¹ But we said, ‘We are honest men, not spies. ³² We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One brother is no longer with us, and the youngest is at home with our father in the land of Canaan.’
³³ “Then the man who is governor of the land told us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take grain for your starving families and go on home. ³⁴ But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. Then I will know you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give you back your brother, and you may trade freely in the land.’”
³⁵ As they emptied out their sacks, there in each man’s sack was the bag of money he had paid for the grain! The brothers and their father were terrified when they saw the bags of money.  

³⁶ Jacob exclaimed, “You are robbing me of my children! Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!”

“You are robbing me of my children!

Genesis 43:6 NLT
⁶ “Why were you (speaking to the brothers) so cruel to me?” Jacob moaned. “Why did you tell him you had another brother?”

• Jacob was holding his sons accountable for the loss of Joseph and Simeon.

Clearly, there is dissension within the family.

³⁷ Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons (Jacob’s grandsons) if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back.”

Again tried to take the lead in doing the right thing. 

³⁸ But Jacob replied, “My son (clear favoritism over the other brothers) will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”

The brothers needed to acknowledge their crime against Joseph.

God planned to bring the family into Egypt so that it would grow there into a great nation.  It was necessary that the people who entered into Egypt were faithful to the Lord.

• God was preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.

Romans 12:2 NLT
² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

(More testing to follow)

Joseph Made Ruler of Egypt

Introduction:

Can Christians have effective roles in secular governments?

This lesson will show that the answer is obviously “yes”.

Joseph demonstrated clearly that a God-fearing individual can have a leadership position and serve a secular nation effectively without compromising his relationship with God in any way.

Genesis 41:37-57 (NLT)
Joseph Made Ruler of Egypt
³⁷ Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. ³⁸ So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” ³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. ⁴⁰ You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”
⁴¹ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” ⁴² Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. ⁴⁴ And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.”
⁴⁵ Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a new Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah. He also gave him a wife, whose name was Asenath. She was the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt. ⁴⁶ He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he inspected the entire land of Egypt.
⁴⁷ As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops. ⁴⁸ During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities. ⁴⁹ He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records because there was too much to measure.
⁵⁰ During this time, before the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. ⁵¹ Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.” ⁵² Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.”
⁵³ At last the seven years of bumper crops throughout the land of Egypt came to an end. ⁵⁴ Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food. ⁵⁵ Eventually, however, the famine spread throughout the land of Egypt as well. And when the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told them, “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you.” ⁵⁶ So with severe famine everywhere, Joseph opened up the storehouses and distributed grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷ And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 41:37-57 (NLT)
Joseph Made Ruler of Egypt
³⁷ Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. 

• Joseph did not need to compromise his values in any way to be well received by Pharaoh and his officials.

• Christians can be effective in leadership positions in a secular government.

Joseph was very much “in the world”.

³⁸ So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” ³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 

Pharaoh recognized the fact that God was working in Joseph’s life.
(Without understanding fully who God was.)

We should all be living our lives in such a way that others will see Christ in our lives.

Matthew 5:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. 

• Pray that others will see Christ in your life.

⁴⁰ You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”

Genesis 45:26 NLT … he is governor …      NIV & ESV “ruler”

Genesis 45:8 NLT … the manager of his entire palace and the governor …

⁴¹ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” 

Verse 43      So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 

Verse 44 … in the entire land of Egypt …

Verse 46 … he inspected the entire land of Egypt …

Genesis 42:6 NLT … Joseph was governor of all Egypt …

Genesis 45:8 NLT … the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt 

⁴² Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger.

This ring was used to “sign” documents and carried the authority of Pharaoh. 

He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. 

Emblems of the office.

Signified Joseph’s status as a ruler.

⁴³ Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command.

Joseph was second-in-command in all of Egypt.

And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!”

This goes beyond what Joseph had dreamed.

So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. ⁴⁴ And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.”

• Joseph had been faithful over all the little things God had sent his way; now he would become ruler over all the land of Egypt under Pharaoh.

Psalm 105:16-22 NLT (we looked at this passage in the previous lesson)
¹⁶ He called for a famine on the land of Canaan,
cutting off its food supply.
¹⁷ Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸ They bruised his feet with fetters
and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹ Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
²⁰ Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free;
the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
²¹ Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household;
he became ruler over all the king’s possessions.
²² He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased
and teach the king’s advisers. 

⁴⁵ Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a new Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah. 

Scholars are uncertain of the meaning of this name.

Speculation includes:

“The Nourisher of the Two Lands, the Living One.”

“God speaks and He lives.” 

He also gave him a wife, whose name was Asenath.

An Egyptian wife.

She was the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. 

On, a city which was a center of sun worship. (The sun god, Ra.)

• Joseph was integrated into Egyptian culture.

So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt. ⁴⁶ He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

13 years after he was sold by his brothers.

And when Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he inspected the entire land of Egypt. 

⁴⁷ As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops. ⁴⁸ During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities. ⁴⁹ He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records because there was too much to measure. 

⁵⁰ During this time, before the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. ⁵¹ Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.” ⁵² Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.” 

Even though Joseph was being integrated into the Egyptian culture, Joseph did not forget his background and Joseph gave his sons Hebrew names.

Manasseh – forget (forgetful) – “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.”

Ephraim – fruitful – “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.”

• Even though Joseph was integrated into the Egyptian culture, Joseph did not forget his Hebrew heritage. 

Jacob recognized his grandsons as Hebrews.

Genesis 48:5 NLT
⁵ “Now I (Jacob) am claiming as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will be my sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are.

The tribe of Ephraim became one of the strongest tribes of Israel and the leading tribe in the northern kingdom after the division of the twelve tribes.

⁵³ At last the seven years of bumper crops throughout the land of Egypt came to an end. ⁵⁴ Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food. 

The interpretations of Pharaoh’s dreams were coming true.

⁵⁵ Eventually, however, the famine spread throughout the land of Egypt as well. And when the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told them, “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you.” ⁵⁶ So with severe famine everywhere, Joseph opened up the storehouses and distributed grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷ And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.

 

• Joseph continued to be the “go to” man as the severe famine spread throughout the land of Egypt.

Remember Joseph’s two dreams.

The interpretations of Joseph’s dreams were coming true.

Genesis 37:5-10 NLT
⁵ One night (when he was 17 years old) Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. ⁶ “Listen to this dream,” he said. ⁷ “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”
⁸ His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.
⁹ Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”
¹⁰ This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?”

• God communicates through dreams and visions.

Pharaoh’s Dreams

God uses dreams to elevate Joseph into a leadership role in Egypt.

Genesis 41:1-36 (NLT)
Pharaoh’s Dreams
¹ Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. ² In his dream he saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. ³ Then he saw seven more cows come up behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin. These cows stood beside the fat cows on the riverbank. ⁴ Then the scrawny, thin cows ate the seven healthy, fat cows! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up.
⁵ But he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain, plump and beautiful, growing on a single stalk. ⁶ Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind. ⁷ And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream.
⁸ The next morning Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. When Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.
⁹ Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. ¹⁰ “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. ¹¹ One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. ¹² There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. ¹³ And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.”
¹⁴ Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh. ¹⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”
¹⁶ “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”
¹⁷ So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream. “In my dream,” he said, “I was standing on the bank of the Nile River, ¹⁸ and I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. ¹⁹ But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt. ²⁰ These thin, scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows. ²¹ But afterward you wouldn’t have known it, for they were still as thin and scrawny as before! Then I woke up.
²² “In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single stalk. ²³ Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and withered by the east wind. ²⁴ And the shriveled heads swallowed the seven healthy heads. I told these dreams to the magicians, but no one could tell me what they mean.”
²⁵ Joseph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do. ²⁶ The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity. ²⁷ The seven thin, scrawny cows that came up later and the seven thin heads of grain, withered by the east wind, represent seven years of famine.
²⁸ “This will happen just as I have described it, for God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do. ²⁹ The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt. ³⁰ But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land. ³¹ This famine will be so severe that even the memory of the good years will be erased. ³² As for having two similar dreams, it means that these events have been decreed by God, and he will soon make them happen.
³³ “Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. ³⁴ Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. ³⁵ Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities. ³⁶ That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 41:1-36 (NLT)
Pharaoh’s Dreams

¹ Two full years later,

Two years, forgotten, in prison is a long time.
By this time Joseph may have been in Egypt for 12 or 13 years.
Joseph would have been about 30 years old.

Genesis 41:46 NLT
⁴⁶ He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

This story is taking “years” to develop.

Matthew 25:23 NLT
²³ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. 

 Luke 16:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. 

• Joseph had proven to be faithful in small matters, now he would be put in charge of larger matters. 

Pharaoh dreamed 

In the ancient Near East, dreams were often viewed as a medium of divine revelation.

A bullet point from our last lesson:

• • • The Egyptians and Babylonians developed a professional class of dream interpreters.

These men were considered to be dream experts.

Another bullet point from our last lesson:

• • • God communicates to individuals through dreams.

Dreams were taken seriously.

Skipping ahead to verse 25, 28 & 32.  

1. 1. 1. 25. … God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.  

1. 1. 1. 28. … God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.  

1. 1. 1. 32. … these events have been decreed by God, and he will soon make them happen.

 These dreams are clearly from God.

 God is telling Pharaoh (an unbeliever) in advance what he is about to do.

• Pharaoh’s dreams were from God.
• God communicates with unbelievers.

(Pharaoh dreamed) that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.  

² In his dream he saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. 

“come up out of the river”

In Egypt, cows liked to stand half-submerged in the Nile among its reeds in refuge from the heat and the flies.  They would come up out of the water for pasture.

There was nothing unusual about this part of Pharaoh’s dream.  This is normal, everyday life in Egypt.

 ³ Then he saw seven more cows come up behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin. These cows stood beside the fat cows on the riverbank. 

 ⁴ Then the scrawny, thin cows ate the seven healthy, fat cows!

The dream takes a turn to the bizarre.

The weak overtaking the strong. 

At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up. 

⁵ But he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain, plump and beautiful, growing on a single stalk. ⁶ Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind. ⁷ And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads!

The second dream was similar to the first dream.

The weak overtaking the strong.

 Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream.

 ⁸ The next morning Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams.

Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams.

• Pharaoh took these dreams seriously.

  So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt.

Repeat:
A bullet point from our last lesson:

• • • The Egyptians and Babylonians developed a professional class of dream interpreters.

These men were considered to be dream experts. 

When Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.

The combined expertise of a full council of Pharaoh’s advisors and dream experts failed to provide an interpretation of the two disturbing dreams.

• Pharaoh’s dream experts were unable to interpret his dreams. 

⁹ Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. ¹⁰ “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. ¹¹ One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. ¹² There was a young Hebrew man

Recognized as Hebrew, not Egyptian.

 with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. ¹³ And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.”

Joseph had accurately interpreted the dreams of the cup-bearer and baker.

• Joseph had established a good reputation for himself. (Reputations matter.)

God was about to use a Hebrew slave

• Over the years, God had been preparing Joseph “for such a time as this”.

¹⁴ Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh. ¹⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”

 ¹⁶ “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”

Genesis 40:8
⁸ And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied.

• • • “Interpreting dreams is God’s business” 

¹⁷ So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream. “In my dream,” he said, “I was standing on the bank of the Nile River, ¹⁸ and I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. ¹⁹ But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt. ²⁰ These thin, scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows. ²¹ But afterward you wouldn’t have known it, for they were still as thin and scrawny as before! Then I woke up.
²² “In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single stalk. ²³ Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and withered by the east wind. ²⁴ And the shriveled heads swallowed the seven healthy heads. I told these dreams to the magicians, but no one could tell me what they mean.” 

²⁵ Joseph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do. 

Joseph tells Pharaoh that his dreams come from God.

God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do. 

²⁶ The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity. ²⁷ The seven thin, scrawny cows that came up later and the seven thin heads of grain, withered by the east wind, represent seven years of famine. 

²⁸ “This will happen just as I have described it, for God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.  

²⁹ The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt. ³⁰ But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land. ³¹ This famine will be so severe that even the memory of the good years will be erased. 

Long famines were rare in Egypt.

³² As for having two similar dreams, it means that these events have been decreed by God, and he will soon make them happen.

• Repetition of a divine revelation was often used for emphasis.

Remember that Joseph also had two similar dreams.

God is in control.  Believe it!

 ³³ “Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. ³⁴ Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. ³⁵ Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities. ³⁶ That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.” 

• Not only does Pharaoh hear about the upcoming famine, Pharaoh is also told very clearly how to prepare for the upcoming famine.

Matthew 25:23 NLT
²³ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. 

 Luke 16:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. 

Psalm 105:9-22 NLT
⁹ This is the covenant he made with Abraham
and the oath he swore to Isaac.
¹⁰ He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
¹¹ “I will give you the land of Canaan
as your special possession.”
¹² He said this when they were few in number,
a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
¹³ They wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
¹⁴ Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
He warned kings on their behalf:
¹⁵ “Do not touch my chosen people,
and do not hurt my prophets.”
¹⁶ He called for a famine on the land of Canaan,
cutting off its food supply.
¹⁷ Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸ They bruised his feet with fetters
and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹ Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
²⁰ Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free;
the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
²¹ Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household;
he became ruler over all the king’s possessions.
²² He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased
and teach the king’s advisers. 

• “Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.” Psalm 105:19

 

 

Joseph Interprets Two Dreams

Dreams

Having dreams vs. interpreting dreams.

Who did God use to interpret other people’s dreams? (Daniel and Joseph)

Genesis 41:14-16 NLT
¹⁴ Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh. ¹⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”
¹⁶ “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”

Daniel 1:17 NLT
¹⁷ God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

Genesis 40:1-23 (NLT)
Joseph Interprets Two Dreams
¹ Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. ² Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, ³ and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. ⁴ They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them.
⁵ While they were in prison, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning. ⁶ When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. ⁷ “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them.
⁸ And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.”
“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.”
⁹ So the chief cup-bearer told Joseph his dream first. “In my dream,” he said, “I saw a grapevine in front of me. ¹⁰ The vine had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon it produced clusters of ripe grapes. ¹¹ I was holding Pharaoh’s wine cup in my hand, so I took a cluster of grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
¹² “This is what the dream means,” Joseph said. “The three branches represent three days. ¹³ Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. ¹⁴ And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place. ¹⁵ For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.”
¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given the first dream such a positive interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I had a dream, too. In my dream there were three baskets of white pastries stacked on my head. ¹⁷ The top basket contained all kinds of pastries for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them from the basket on my head.”
¹⁸ “This is what the dream means,” Joseph told him. “The three baskets also represent three days. ¹⁹ Three days from now Pharaoh will lift you up and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh.”
²⁰ Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials. ²¹ He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup. ²² But Pharaoh impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had predicted when he interpreted his dream. ²³ Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 40:1-23 (NLT)
Joseph Interprets Two Dreams
¹ Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. 

It was of upmost importance that Pharaoh had complete and total trust in the individuals in these positions.

The consequences were predictably severe when these men offended their master.

² Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, ³ and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. 

Reminder about Joseph
Genesis 39:22-23 NLT
²² Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³ The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed. 

⁴ They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them. 

Joseph looked after the men assigned to him.

⁵ While they were in prison, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning.  

Each dream had its own meaning.

Dreams

There are many examples in the Bible where God spoke to individuals through dreams.

Joseph had dreams of his family bowing down before him.

Genesis 37:5-7 NLT
⁵ One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. ⁶ “Listen to this dream,” he said. ⁷ “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” ….
⁹ Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”

Warnings from God through dreams:

God spoke to King Abimelech in Genesis 20 concerning his relationship with Abraham’s wife Sarah.

Laban
Genesis 31:24
²⁴ But the previous night God had appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and told him, “I’m warning you—leave Jacob alone!”

Magi
Matthew 2:12 NLT
¹² When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them (Magi) in a dream not to return to Herod. 

Pilate’s wife during the trial of Jesus.
Matthew 27:19 NLT
¹⁹ Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare (dream) about him last night.”

God speaking to:

Jacob (Genesis) 

Solomon
1 Kings 3:5 NLT
⁵ That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Joseph, the husband of Mary

Paul (Visions)

Today: Stories from Leading the Way

• God communicates to individuals through dreams.

False interpretations of dreams:

Daniel 2:1-3 NLT
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
¹ One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn’t sleep. ² He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, ³ he said, “I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means.”

• The Egyptians and Babylonians developed a professional class of dream interpreters.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 NLT
A Warning against Idolatry
¹“Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, ² and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before— ³ do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul. ⁴ Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. ⁵ The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the Lord your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the Lord your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.

 Jeremiah 27:9 NLT
⁹ “‘Do not listen to your false prophets, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, mediums, and sorcerers who say, “The king of Babylon will not conquer you.” 

• Dreams might be interpreted, left uninterpreted, or misinterpreted. 

⁶ When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. ⁷ “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. 

• Joseph noticed and cared about the men assigned to him. 

⁸ And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” 

“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied.

• “Interpreting dreams is God’s business”

“Go ahead and tell me your dreams.”
⁹ So the chief cup-bearer told Joseph his dream first. “In my dream,” he said, “I saw a grapevine in front of me. ¹⁰ The vine had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon it produced clusters of ripe grapes. ¹¹ I was holding Pharaoh’s wine cup in my hand, so I took a cluster of grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
¹² “This is what the dream means,” Joseph said. “The three branches represent three days. ¹³ Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. ¹⁴ And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place. 

Joseph’s request:
“Please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh.” 

¹⁵ For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews,

“The land of the Hebrews,”

Joseph understood the promise of the Abrahamic covenant.

and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.” 

“I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.”

Joseph continued to care about others and serve others while he was being treated unfairly.

 ¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given the first dream such a positive interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I had a dream, too. In my dream there were three baskets of white pastries stacked on my head. ¹⁷ The top basket contained all kinds of pastries for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them from the basket on my head.”
¹⁸ “This is what the dream means,” Joseph told him. “The three baskets also represent three days. ¹⁹ Three days from now Pharaoh will lift you up and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh.”

Joseph did not sugar coat his interpretation of the dream.
(Joseph had a track record of telling others exactly what a dream meant.) 

²⁰ Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials. ²¹ He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup. ²² But Pharaoh impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had predicted when he interpreted his dream. 

Joseph’s clearly understood God’s revelation of these dreams.  (Joseph was “tuned in” to God.)

• Joseph’s faith was not destroyed by his circumstances.

God had not forgotten Joseph.

• Joseph continued to serve God by serving others while he was in prison.

John 13:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵ I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

Meeting others’ needs self-sacrificially is what we ought to do too. 

²³ Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.

1 Peter 4:10 NLT
¹⁰ God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

 

 

Joseph in Potiphar’s House

The Story of Joseph Continues.

Promises and challenges for us taken from the story of Joseph.

Genesis 39:1-23 (NLT)
Joseph in Potiphar’s House
¹ When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.
² The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. ³ Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. ⁴ This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. ⁵ From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. ⁶ So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!
Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, ⁷ and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.
⁸ But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. ⁹ No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”
¹⁰ She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. ¹¹ One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. ¹² She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.
¹³ When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, ¹⁴ she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. ¹⁵ When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”
¹⁶ She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. ¹⁷ Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. ¹⁸ “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”
Joseph Put in Prison
¹⁹ Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. ²⁰ So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. ²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²² Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³ The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 39:1-23 (NLT)
Joseph in Potiphar’s House
¹ When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

A prominent court official and a high ranking officer in Egypt.

• God was positioning Joseph for the plans He (God) had in store for Joseph.

² The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 

•  The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did.

 Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT) A promise to Joshua and the people of Israel.
⁶ So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) The promise given to New Testament Christians.
⁵ … For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”

• God said, “I will never abandon you.” (A promise given to New Testament Christians.)

 ³ Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 

• Potiphar realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.

• People are watching us. Set a good example for them in all you do.

Set a good example.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT)
¹² Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

A challenge to us.

1 Peter 2:12(NLT)
¹² Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

⁴ This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 

Application for us.

Ephesians 6:5-9 (NLT)
⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. ⁶ Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. ⁷ Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ⁸ Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

 ⁵ From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 

• The Lord blessed Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake.

Genesis 12:1-3 (NLT)
¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

⁶ So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

 With Joseph in charge, Potiphar didn’t worry about a thing – except what kind of food to eat.

 Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, ⁷ and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

Proverbs 7 addresses this sin.  Listen to the concluding verses of Proverbs 7.

Proverbs 7:24-27 (NLT)
²⁴ So listen to me, my sons,
and pay attention to my words.
²⁵ Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
Don’t wander down her wayward path.
²⁶ For she has been the ruin of many;
many men have been her victims.
²⁷ Her house is the road to the grave.
Her bedroom is the den of death.

A warning for Joseph and a warning for us.

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)
⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

•  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.

 ⁸ But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. ⁹ No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

Joseph recognized the seriousness of adultery,

Against his master

But more importantly, against God.

¹⁰ She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. ¹¹ One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. ¹² She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

Teachings in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NLT)
¹⁸ Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

2 Timothy 2:22 (NLT)
²² Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

• Run from sin.

¹³ When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, ¹⁴ she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. ¹⁵ When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”

• Potiphar’s wife shifted the blame onto her husband for bringing the Hebrew slave into their home.

¹⁶ She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. ¹⁷ Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said.  

¹⁸ “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”

Joseph Put in Prison
¹⁹ Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. ²⁰ So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 

• Based on false accusations, Joseph was deemed guilty and imprisoned.

²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. 

• God never promised that life would be easy, but He did promise we would never be alone.

Psalm 34:17 (NLT)
¹⁷ The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.

 Psalm 145:18-19 (NLT)
¹⁸ The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.

Psalm 46:1 (NLT)
¹ God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NLT)
³ But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

1 Peter 5:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

 And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²² Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³ The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

With Joseph in charge, the prison warden had no worries.

• The Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love.  The Lord caused everything he did to succeed.

To Be Continued

The Judah Interlude

The story of Joseph is interrupted by this chapter.

This chapter is here because it fits chronologically.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)
⁸ “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.*
⁹ For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

• Our small minds can’t understand why God does some of the things he does.
• God’s sovereignty supersedes manipulative or godless behaviors.

Genesis 38:1-30 (NLT)Judah and Tamar
38 About this time, Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he stayed with a man named Hirah. ² There he saw a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and he married her. When he slept with her, ³ she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and he named the boy Er. ⁴ Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, and she named him Onan. ⁵ And when she gave birth to a third son, she named him Shelah. At the time of Shelah’s birth, they were living at Kezib.
⁶ In the course of time, Judah arranged for his firstborn son, Er, to marry a young woman named Tamar. ⁷ But Er was a wicked man in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord took his life. ⁸ Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.”
⁹ But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother. ¹⁰ But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.
¹¹ Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Go back to your parents’ home and remain a widow until my son Shelah is old enough to marry you.” (But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers.) So Tamar went back to live in her father’s home.
¹² Some years later Judah’s wife died. After the time of mourning was over, Judah and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to supervise the shearing of his sheep. ¹³ Someone told Tamar, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
¹⁴ Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. ¹⁵ Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. ¹⁶ So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law.
“How much will you pay to have sex with me?” Tamar asked.
¹⁷ “I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah promised.
“But what will you give me to guarantee that you will send the goat?” she asked.
¹⁸ “What kind of guarantee do you want?” he replied.
She answered, “Leave me your identification seal and its cord and the walking stick you are carrying.” So Judah gave them to her. Then he had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. ¹⁹ Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow’s clothing as usual.
²⁰ Later Judah asked his friend Hirah the Adullamite to take the young goat to the woman and to pick up the things he had given her as his guarantee. But Hirah couldn’t find her. ²¹ So he asked the men who lived there, “Where can I find the shrine prostitute who was sitting beside the road at the entrance to Enaim?”
“We’ve never had a shrine prostitute here,” they replied.
²² So Hirah returned to Judah and told him, “I couldn’t find her anywhere, and the men of the village claim they’ve never had a shrine prostitute there.”
²³ “Then let her keep the things I gave her,” Judah said. “I sent the young goat as we agreed, but you couldn’t find her. We’d be the laughingstock of the village if we went back again to look for her.”
²⁴ About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she’s pregnant.”
“Bring her out, and let her be burned!” Judah demanded.
²⁵ But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law: “The man who owns these things made me pregnant. Look closely. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?”
²⁶ Judah recognized them immediately and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah.” And Judah never slept with Tamar again.
²⁷ When the time came for Tamar to give birth, it w discovered that she was carrying twins. ²⁸ While she was in labor, one of the babies reached out his hand. The midwife grabbed it and tied a scarlet string around the child’s wrist, announcing, “This one came out first.” ²⁹ But then he pulled back his hand, and out came his brother! “What!” the midwife exclaimed. “How did you break out first?” So he was named Perez. ³⁰ Then the baby with the scarlet string on his wrist was born, and he was named Zerah.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 38:1-30 (NLT)
Judah and Tamar
38 About this time, 

            Joseph’s slavery in Egypt.

Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he stayed with a man named Hirah.            

Northwest of Hebron
Southwest of Jerusalem 

² There he saw a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and he married her.

Israelites would later be instructed not to marry Canaanite women.

Deuteronomy 7:1-4 (NLT)
The Privilege of Holiness
7 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. ² When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. ³ You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, ⁴ for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you. 

When he slept with her, ³ she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and he named the boy Er. ⁴ Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, and she named him Onan. ⁵ And when she gave birth to a third son, she named him Shelah.

His Canaanite wife had three sons for his family line.

At the time of Shelah’s birth, they were living at Kezib.           

Southwest of Adullam 

⁶ In the course of time, Judah arranged for his firstborn son, Er, to marry a young woman named Tamar. ⁷ But Er was a wicked man in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord took his life.            

Executed by the Lord for his wickedness.

⁸ Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.”

Levirate marriage (duties of a brother in law)

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 (NLT)
⁵ “If two brothers are living together on the same property and one of them dies without a son, his widow may not be married to anyone from outside the family. Instead, her husband’s brother should marry her and have intercourse with her to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law. ⁶ The first son she bears to him will be considered the son of the dead brother, so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel.
⁷ “But if the man refuses to marry his brother’s widow, she must go to the town gate and say to the elders assembled there, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel—he refuses to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law by marrying me.’ ⁸ The elders of the town will then summon him and talk with him. If he still refuses and says, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’ ⁹ the widow must walk over to him in the presence of the elders, pull his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she must declare, ‘This is what happens to a man who refuses to provide his brother with children.’ ¹⁰ Ever afterward in Israel his family will be referred to as ‘the family of the man whose sandal was pulled off’!

⁹ But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother. 

The child would belong to his brother, Judah’s oldest son, giving him special inheritance rights.

This would reduce the importance of Onan’s family line and his share of Judah’s inheritance. 

¹⁰ But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.

The Lord executed Onan.

¹¹ Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Go back to your parents’ home and remain a widow until my son Shelah is old enough to marry you.” (But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers.) So Tamar went back to live in her father’s home. 

¹² Some years later Judah’s wife died. After the time of mourning was over, Judah and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah (hill country of Judah-west of Jerusalem) to supervise the shearing of his sheep. ¹³ Someone told Tamar, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

¹⁴ Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.  

Hittite inheritance practices called the father-in-law into a levirate marriage in the absence of sons to do so. 

¹⁵ Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. ¹⁶ So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law.

Judah is making some very poor choices.

“How much will you pay to have sex with me?” Tamar asked.¹⁷ 
“I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah promised.
“But what will you give me to guarantee that you will send the goat?” she asked.
¹⁸ “What kind of guarantee do you want?” he replied.
She answered, “Leave me your identification seal and its cord and the walking stick you are carrying.”

Three pieces of identification.

So Judah gave them to her. Then he had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. ¹⁹ Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow’s clothing as usual.

²⁰ Later Judah asked his friend Hirah the Adullamite to take the young goat to the woman and to pick up the things he had given her as his guarantee. But Hirah couldn’t find her. ²¹ So he asked the men who lived there, “Where can I find the shrine prostitute who was sitting beside the road at the entrance to Enaim?” 

Shrine prostitution was an acceptable practice in the Canaanite culture.

“We’ve never had a shrine prostitute here,” they replied.
²² So Hirah returned to Judah and told him, “I couldn’t find her anywhere, and the men of the village claim they’ve never had a shrine prostitute there.”
²³ “Then let her keep the things I gave her,” Judah said. “I sent the young goat as we agreed, but you couldn’t find her. We’d be the laughingstock of the village if we went back again to look for her.” 

It was not good for one’s reputation to keep asking for the whereabouts of a prostitute. 

²⁴ About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she’s pregnant.
“Bring her out, and let her be burned!” Judah demanded.

Double standard??

²⁵ But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law: “The man who owns these things made me pregnant. Look closely. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?”
²⁶ Judah recognized them immediately and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah.”

Tamar’s inheritance rights.

The rights of the levirate custom.

Remember Ruth and Naomi
A women’s identity was established in relation to males.

 And Judah never slept with Tamar again.

²⁷ When the time came for Tamar to give birth, it w discovered that she was carrying twins. ²⁸ While she was in labor, one of the babies reached out his hand. The midwife grabbed it and tied a scarlet string around the child’s wrist, announcing, “This one came out first.” ²⁹ But then he pulled back his hand, and out came his brother! “What!” the midwife exclaimed. “How did you break out first?” So he was named Perez. ³⁰ Then the baby with the scarlet string on his wrist was born, and he was named Zerah.

Perez – his name means “breach” or “pushing through”

Judah:

Genesis 46:12 (NLT)
¹² The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (though Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

Matthew 1:3 (NLT) Genealogy
³ Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.

Genesis 49:8-10 (NLT) Jacob’s blessing
 ⁸ “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
⁹ Judah, my son, is a young lion
that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.

Revelation 5:5 (NLT)
⁵ But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”