Genesis 36-39
Chapter 36 is a genealogy of Esau, along with a note that Esau had to move away from Jacob as each were too rich and powerful to be too close together. Sounds like the sibling rivalry never went away.
The account of Jacob beginning in 37:2 is actually the account of Joseph, who is so often presented as a precursor to Christ. Right off the bat, we read about Joseph bringing back a bad report about his brothers. As the baby of the family, the only (at that time) son of Jacob's beloved wife, Joseph had to have annoyed his brothers. Apparently it went far beyond that, with most of the young men willing to kill their kid brother at one point. Joseph's recounting of his dreams were putting the brothers off, as well as even his father. 37:11 says that the brothers were jealous, but "his father kept the matter in mind." It's likely that Jacob didn't know what to do about the whole matter, especially in light of his "most favored child" status already.
Joseph has to look in an unexpected place for the brothers and the flocks. They moved on without unexpectedly. Was it this type of behavior which the "bad report" dealt with earlier on? Were the brothers doing something that they knew Joseph would take back to his father to get them into trouble? Something was up, because they had already planned Joseph's murder between the time they saw him walking on the horizon and the time he actually arrived. Rueben seems to be the voice of reason, but in reality it looks like he wanted a special notice from his father. In 37:22 we see that Rueben wanted to take Joseph back to his father. Somehow I read an ulterior motive into that sentence -- perhaps I'm wrong.
Instead of murder, the boys decide to make a little money for their brother. So they sell him to a band of Midianite merchants -- Ishmaelites -- distant relatives. The price is 20 shekels of silver. Not exactly 30 coins, but strikingly similar. Reuben isn't around to keep his brothers from selling Joseph. It is doubtful he could have even convinced them. So the cover story is concocted, and Joseph's fancy coat is covered in goat's blood and given to Jacob to give him the impression that Joseph has been eaten by wild animals. Note the careful words of verse 32. They don't come out and lie, but they present their father with only the facts they want him to see.
The passage with Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar is an interesting insertion into the narrative. Judah is caught acting in an unhonorable way regarding the giving of his youngest son in marriage to his oldest son's widow. Again, this seems to be a story with no "good guys" and only people of questionable virtue.
Noteworthy is that God put to death Er, who was wicked in the Lord's sight, and his brother Onan, who practiced contraception with his wife to avoid the very reason he was married to her in the first place -- to provide children in the name of his brother. Since this was wicked, God killed Onan also. This is the kind of justice we all dream about until we realize the effect it would have on our lives!
Judah sends Tamar away, thinking his youngest son, Shelah, would probably end up the same as his brothers. Years later, after Shelah had grown and become eligible for marriage, Tamar was forgotten and plotted revenge, of sorts. Posing as a prostitute, she seduced her father-in-law and became pregnant. Judah's efforts to pay for her service came up empty, as Tamar disappeared back into her widow's clothing. Finally, when it was found that Tamar was pregnant, she was to be executed. But she sent a message to Judah -- showing him the staff, seal and cord he left with the "prosititute", signifying that he was the father of the babies.
She gave birth to twins, and the odd story of one hand coming out, then the other twin being born first is shared.
I wonder why finding out that the father was Judah stayed the execution of Tamar. What status did he have to prevent it (and his own execution as well).
We return to Joseph in chapter 39. Twice in this chapter he is put in charge of everything so that his master doesn't even have to worry about anything. Joseph is a very trustworthy person. Of course, Potiphar didn't think so, but that story was false. It is rather amazing how Joseph was able to avoid the attempts at seduction from Potiphar's wife, even leaving his cloak behind to avoid the temptation of being with her. The reason Joseph gives the woman is that it would be a wicked thing to do a sin against God. It would have been especially wicked because Potiphar trusted Joseph so much.
I find it odd that Potiphar's wife referred to Joseph as "this Hebrew" in 39:14, and "that Hebrew in 39:17. There weren't many Hebrews at that time, so I wonder where she would have learned the term to use it, especially perjoritively.
In prison, Joseph became the inmate in charge. Why was Joseph so trustworthy? His integrity for one thing, but the text specifically says that when Joseph was in charge, everything went right for his master. First with Potiphar, then with the prison warden. God gave Joseph success.
The account of Jacob beginning in 37:2 is actually the account of Joseph, who is so often presented as a precursor to Christ. Right off the bat, we read about Joseph bringing back a bad report about his brothers. As the baby of the family, the only (at that time) son of Jacob's beloved wife, Joseph had to have annoyed his brothers. Apparently it went far beyond that, with most of the young men willing to kill their kid brother at one point. Joseph's recounting of his dreams were putting the brothers off, as well as even his father. 37:11 says that the brothers were jealous, but "his father kept the matter in mind." It's likely that Jacob didn't know what to do about the whole matter, especially in light of his "most favored child" status already.
Joseph has to look in an unexpected place for the brothers and the flocks. They moved on without unexpectedly. Was it this type of behavior which the "bad report" dealt with earlier on? Were the brothers doing something that they knew Joseph would take back to his father to get them into trouble? Something was up, because they had already planned Joseph's murder between the time they saw him walking on the horizon and the time he actually arrived. Rueben seems to be the voice of reason, but in reality it looks like he wanted a special notice from his father. In 37:22 we see that Rueben wanted to take Joseph back to his father. Somehow I read an ulterior motive into that sentence -- perhaps I'm wrong.
Instead of murder, the boys decide to make a little money for their brother. So they sell him to a band of Midianite merchants -- Ishmaelites -- distant relatives. The price is 20 shekels of silver. Not exactly 30 coins, but strikingly similar. Reuben isn't around to keep his brothers from selling Joseph. It is doubtful he could have even convinced them. So the cover story is concocted, and Joseph's fancy coat is covered in goat's blood and given to Jacob to give him the impression that Joseph has been eaten by wild animals. Note the careful words of verse 32. They don't come out and lie, but they present their father with only the facts they want him to see.
The passage with Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar is an interesting insertion into the narrative. Judah is caught acting in an unhonorable way regarding the giving of his youngest son in marriage to his oldest son's widow. Again, this seems to be a story with no "good guys" and only people of questionable virtue.
Noteworthy is that God put to death Er, who was wicked in the Lord's sight, and his brother Onan, who practiced contraception with his wife to avoid the very reason he was married to her in the first place -- to provide children in the name of his brother. Since this was wicked, God killed Onan also. This is the kind of justice we all dream about until we realize the effect it would have on our lives!
Judah sends Tamar away, thinking his youngest son, Shelah, would probably end up the same as his brothers. Years later, after Shelah had grown and become eligible for marriage, Tamar was forgotten and plotted revenge, of sorts. Posing as a prostitute, she seduced her father-in-law and became pregnant. Judah's efforts to pay for her service came up empty, as Tamar disappeared back into her widow's clothing. Finally, when it was found that Tamar was pregnant, she was to be executed. But she sent a message to Judah -- showing him the staff, seal and cord he left with the "prosititute", signifying that he was the father of the babies.
She gave birth to twins, and the odd story of one hand coming out, then the other twin being born first is shared.
I wonder why finding out that the father was Judah stayed the execution of Tamar. What status did he have to prevent it (and his own execution as well).
We return to Joseph in chapter 39. Twice in this chapter he is put in charge of everything so that his master doesn't even have to worry about anything. Joseph is a very trustworthy person. Of course, Potiphar didn't think so, but that story was false. It is rather amazing how Joseph was able to avoid the attempts at seduction from Potiphar's wife, even leaving his cloak behind to avoid the temptation of being with her. The reason Joseph gives the woman is that it would be a wicked thing to do a sin against God. It would have been especially wicked because Potiphar trusted Joseph so much.
I find it odd that Potiphar's wife referred to Joseph as "this Hebrew" in 39:14, and "that Hebrew in 39:17. There weren't many Hebrews at that time, so I wonder where she would have learned the term to use it, especially perjoritively.
In prison, Joseph became the inmate in charge. Why was Joseph so trustworthy? His integrity for one thing, but the text specifically says that when Joseph was in charge, everything went right for his master. First with Potiphar, then with the prison warden. God gave Joseph success.
posted by rev-ed @ 8:50 PM
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