Tag Archive | joseph

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 29

Jan29

Day 29. Reading in Genesis 48 – 50. 

I invite you to read the scripture for the day and meditate on it. Then, share your thoughts in the comments.

Genesis 48.

It’s been a glorious seventeen years for Jacob-Israel, living with his family in Egypt and seeing his beloved Joseph alive.  But he knows the time of his death is near, and he has some important things to accomplish. He’s already made Joseph promise to have him buried in the family tomb.

Next on the agenda is the passing down of the patriarchal blessings. Jacob-Israel does a very unusual (but understandable) thing.  He adopts Joseph’s sons as his own, giving his grandsons equal rights of the tribal Promises with his other sons.  This gives Joseph the birthright “double portion” in the land when they return. 

Joseph brings his sons to his father and puts his father’s right hand on his oldest son, Manasseh, and his left hand on the second-born, Ephraim, because Jacob had become blind like his father Isaac.  But Jacob crossed his arms, giving the top blessing to the younger son. Joseph tries to correct him, but it is as if God has made another choice to bypass the firstborn. 

  • “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, the angel (of God) who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys, and in THEM let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

Ephraim and Manasseh will become two of the twelve “tribes” of Israel.

  • As Jacob chose to adopt and include Manasseh and Ephraim into his immediate family, so have WE been adopted into God’s family by His choice because of his love for His Son, Jesus Christ. Now, we are known by his name. Not a tribe of Israel, but a child of God.  Praise Him!

Genesis 49.

And now, Jacob-Israel calls all his sons together to speak a prophetic blessing. (“…that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.”)  (Jacob doesn’t list his sons in exact birth order, but according to their mothers.)

Reuben, Simeon, and Levi all forfeit their birthright position because of their sin (incest and cruelty/violence). “I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.” The tribe of Simeon eventually became assimilated into Judah’s territory.  The tribe of Levi, chosen as priests of God after showing loyalty to Him, was “scattered” throughout Israel.

It’s the fourth son, Judah, through whom kings (like David, Hezekiah, and Joash) will come, as well as the eternal King of Kings. 

The personalities of the others are briefly stated, and their locations in the land for some. Dan would be unfaithful, give up their land, migrate far north, and host one of the worshiped golden calves. (2 Kings 10:29)  Dan is not mentioned in the list of tribes in Revelation 7:4-8.

Joseph’s blessing (applicable to his two sons, as tribes) is glowing and prosperous and points to God’s care. (Both Samuel and Gideon come from Joseph’s sons). 

Benjamin was a small but warlike tribe known later for their left-handed fighters. Both King Saul and the Apostle Saul/Paul were from this tribe. 

Then, after reminding them all that he was to be buried in the family tomb in Canaan, Jacob-Israel laid back and died.

  • This list of Jacob’s sons reminds me of the twelve disciples and how Jesus hand-picked each of them, knowing their personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.  The Lord knows ME, too – my tendencies to sin,  pride, and selfishness. But, by His Spirit, He’s graciously given me gifts to bless others and bring glory to Him.  He sees me from before I was born to my very last breath. 

Genesis 50.

After weeping loudly, Joseph made arrangements for his father to be embalmed (as was the Egyptian custom and very practical if his body was to be transported a great distance).  And after long days of mourning, the bier with a vast caravan made its slow way north. Joseph and all his brothers went along (not their children or flocks), all the elders of Joseph’s household and the elders of the land, complete with chariots and armed horsemen. “It was a very great company” that honored Israel’s last journey.

The inhabitants of Canaan were aghast at the massive company. There was “very great and grievous lamentation and mourning” as they laid Jacob’s body to rest in the tomb. (The last body to be buried there and the first instance of grouping the three patriarchs together.)  Then they all returned to Egypt.

(I wonder if Joseph looked around Canaan in recognition, remembering the places of his childhood… or if his eyes were only for his father’s coffin.)

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Back in Egypt, Joseph’s brothers began to worry.  (Remember, it had been almost 20 years that they had lived with the generosity and care of their important brother.)  Now that Dad was dead, would Joseph “get even” for what they’d done to him?  (Oh, the lingering guilt.) They make up a story about Jacob asking Joseph to forgive them.

Joseph wept out of frustration to hear this.  “What??  Why would you believe I would “pay you back” like that??  I have totally forgiven you.  Yes, you meant what you did for EVIL, but God meant it for GOOD.  You all would have died of starvation if God had not arranged this way to bring you to Egypt.”

“Do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones.”

Later, when Joseph himself was nearing death, he made his brother’s families PROMISE that when God led them out of Egypt to return to “the promised land,” they would also carry his bones up from Egypt to the land God would give them. 

Joseph died at 110 years. They embalmed him and put him in a coffin in Egypt.  He would remain there for 400 years. But when Moses led that “great nation” of Israel out of Egypt, they remembered the promise and took Joseph’s bones along with them. (See Exodus 13:19.)  Eventually, they buried them in the land Jacob had bought from Hamor near Shechem. (See Joshua 24:32.) 

The book of Exodus begins about 280 years after Joseph’s death.

 

  • Genesis begins with a sinless Adam in the beautiful garden of Eden and ends with Joseph in a coffin in Egypt.  Sin does indeed bring death. But God has initiated the “seed line” of the Savior who will defeat death and give all who receive Him eternal life.

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 28

Jan28

Day 28. Reading in Genesis 46 – 47. 

I invite you to read the scripture for the day and meditate on it. Then, share your thoughts in the comments.

Genesis 46.

So Jacob-Israel, with hope in his heart to see his beloved Joseph again after so many years, gathers all his “stuff” and his family and begins the trek south. They stop in Beersheba and he worships God. God meets him there in visions, telling him not to be afraid to go to Egypt.

God promises to 1) make a great nation of them in Egypt, 2) go down with them, 3) bring them all back to the promised land, and 4) Joseph would be there with him until he dies.

Sixty-six of Jacob’s direct family journeyed to Egypt. (with Joseph and his family, that made seventy “Jews” in Egypt. Vs. 27) Their genealogy is listed in this chapter.

Judah is sent ahead to locate and lead them to Goshen. After they arrive, Joseph comes to them in his chariot. He “presents himself” to his father, and they fall into a long-lasting hug with much weeping. 

Joseph tells them he’s going to inform the Pharaoh that they’ve arrived and warns them when they see the king, they are to tell him that they are “keepers of livestock.”  The Egyptians hate shepherds and in this way, Joseph assured them of a good, fertile place to live by themselves.  God directed this, for He didn’t want them assimilated into the Egyptian culture of multi-gods.

Genesis 47.

After he announced to Pharaoh that his family had arrived, Joseph took five of his brothers to see the “lord of the land.”  They said they were shepherds as Joseph had instructed and needed a place to pasture their flocks. Would Goshen be okay?  The king agreed, and then asked Joseph if he could find able men in his family to be put in charge of the royal livestock.  

Then Joseph, with quiet grandeur, brought in his father to meet the Pharaoh.  This Pharaoh could have been younger than Joseph (see Genesis 45:8), so the 130-year-old, weathered and robed, long, white-bearded Jacob must have been truly impressive. Solemnly, Jacob blesses Pharaoh. 

In Goshen, Jacob and his family and flocks are well provided for by Joseph as the famine continues. 

Joseph continued his high-power position in Egypt, meting out and selling the stored grain to the people of Egypt and surrounding nations.  He took a fifth of all the people had for Pharaoh and he made Egypt rich.

Meanwhile, the family of Israel settled in Goshen, gained possessions, became fruitful, and multiplied greatly. Jacob lived 17 more years (12 after the famine ended) in the land.  When he knew his time to die was getting near he made Joseph promise NOT to bury him in Egypt, but to carry his body out and bury it in the family tomb in the promised land.  And although Joseph was Vice-king of all Egypt, he was still a son.  He promised his father to “do as you have said.”  “Swear to me!” Jacob said, and Joseph took the oath.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 28 & 29

Jan29

 Day 28 & 29 — (I combine Sunday and Monday reads.)  Won’t you read the Bible with me this year?   It only takes a few minutes.  (You can also listen to an audio recording.)

   Day 28 – Genesis 46-47  (Jacob settles in Egypt, Joseph manages the famine)

Chapter 46 sees the old man, Jacob/Israel packing up his family and goods and beginning the trek south. He stops briefly in Beersheba and sacrifices to God. God assures him it’s the right ting to do. “Jacob, Jacob, I am the God of your Father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you…”  

There were 66 family members in all in the caravan (70 persons in his “house” counting Joseph, his wife and sons). Before the Hebrews return, there will be 600,000 men, not counting women and kids.  God’s promise told to the Patriarch’s would begin to come true – they’d be as numerous as the sand, dust, and stars.

After 22 years thinking his fave son was dead, Jacob finally meets Joseph, the Vice-Pharoah in Egypt. What a scene! Lots of hugging and weeping.  Then Joseph settles them in the “prime” land of Goshen, away from the capital. He tells them what to say when he introduces them to the Big Man. They were to say they are “shepherds.” Egyptians do not like sheep, so Goshen is perfect.  At the meeting, Jacob blesses Pharoah, not the other way around.

In chapter 47, we see Joseph, relieved to have his family nearby, back to the seriousness of running the economy of Egypt in the remaining 5 years of famine. It looks like he is draining the hungry people dry, but they seem pleased to give up their money, land, and themselves to receive grain to eat and plant.

Jacob/Israel is coming to the end of his days. He’s lived in Egypt near his favorite son for 17 years.  He’s 147 now, and he calls Joseph to extract a promise from him.

“…promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.  PROMISE!”  And Joseph swears it. (He will make a similar request before he dies).

Day 29 – Genesis 48-50 (the last chapters) – (Blessings & Promises)

In chapter 48, Jacob/Israel, knowing he will die soon, begins to gather his sons together for the Patriarchal Blessings. Joseph brings his two sons to his father (Manassah & Ephraim) to be blessed. Jacob “adopts” them as his own sons, giving them equal portions with the other 11 brothers. Remember three things here:

  1. Jacob considers Rachael as his “wife”
  2. Jacob considers Rachael’s first born, Joseph. as the one who gets the Birthright (double portion of his inheritance)
  3. In adopting Joseph’s sons and giving them equal portions with his own sons, he carries out this “double portion” in heritance for Joseph.

Again, as in all the sons of the Patriarchs, Joseph’s second son gets the greater honor – Ephraim over Manassah. And they are considered part of the 12 Tribes of Israel. When the united kingdom spits after Solomon dies, the Northern half is often called “Ephraim.”  (Judah is the name as the Southern half).

And finally, in chapter 49, Jacob gives his Blessing to all the sons, revealing both their character and the portions of the Promised Land that will be theirs. As before, he passes up Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (because of their wickedness) and proclaims Judah as the progenitor of the One who will bless all the nations on the earth, the Eternal King, the Lion of Judah (Jesus, the Messiah).

Then the old Patriarch dies.

Chapter 50 covers two amazing things. One, Jacob/Israel is embalmed as per the custom of the Egyptians. He is mourned for 70 days, then, as per his desires, he is transported to the Promised Land, and buried in the cave of Machpelah, where his grandfather/grandmother, father/mother, and Leah are buried. The Canaanite inhabitants are astonished at the great complany of Egyptians that attend the burial.

Two, after ALL THESE YEARS, still obviously feeling guilt, Joseph’s brothers come to him with a story (true or made up??) that before he died Jacob told Joseph to forgive them for selling him into slavery.

Joseph is astonished and cries out in grief.  He has long since forgiven them (even before they first came to Egypt).  He assures them AGAIN, that even if THEY meant it for harm, GOD meant it for good, in order to save all of them alive (and fulfill His promises to Abraham).

Do they finally believe him?  I hope so.

And then the time comes for Joseph to die (110). He extracts a promise from his brothers (and families) to “carry his bones” with them when they return to the land God promised them. (Joseph totally believed God’s words to Abraham that after 400 years, God would bring Israel back to the Promised Land.)

Then Joseph dies, his body is embalmed and placed in a coffin….”resting” in Egypt for 400 years.

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NOTES: 1) Exodus 13:19 tells how Moses made sure to collect Joseph’s bones before the “Children of Israel” left Egypt.

2) Joshua 24:32 tells how Joshua buried Joseph’s bones in the portion of land that Jacob had bought from Hamar in Shechem.