Thirteen years had passed since he was sold as a slave by his brothers, but Joseph had persevered under trial, and God delivered him, and rewarded him for his righteousness. Joseph matured in his faith, and his hardship strengthened his relationship with God. All things given to Joseph were blessings from God. The exaltation of Joseph was … Continue reading
Genesis 41:1-40 Pharaoh’s Dreams
The imagery of Pharaoh’s dreams disturbed him. The civilization of Egypt was built on the Nile River. The river flooded annually, and deposited the sediment and soil onto the land needed for agriculture. If there was no or very little flooding, there would be famine. One dream was about livestock, the other about the harvest, but … Continue reading
Genesis 40: Joseph and the Prisoners
The cupbearer served the Pharaoh wine and the baker his food, through which the Pharaoh was susceptible to poison, so his trustworthiness of these officials was paramount. The offenses of these men is not made known. They had been in prison for some time before they had the dreams. In this time Joseph had become … Continue reading
Genesis 39: Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
There were many places or people a slave could be sold to, but the hand of God did not deliver Joseph to cruelty. Joseph was of good character and ethic, and blessed by God. Potiphar was captain of the guard, of leader of the Pharaoh’s security. Though Joseph was betrayed and abandoned by his brothers, … Continue reading
Genesis 37:12-36 Joseph Sold by His Brothers
Joseph was quick and eager to please his father. Jacob trusted Joseph to complete the task honestly. There is a curious brief mention of a man telling Joseph where to find his brothers. Without this man directing Joseph, his journey may have taken a different path. Joseph’s brothers recognized him from a distance, probably because … Continue reading
Genesis 37:1-11 Joseph’s Dreams
There is an early sense of the tense feelings Joseph’s brothers had toward him. When Joseph saw his brothers doing something wrong, he ran to tell his father. His brothers didn’t like being snitched on, especially by the young favorite son of the favorite wife. The family dynamic was already troubled, as the bearing of … Continue reading
