Joseph Became Pharaoh's Right Hand Man

Everything returned to normal, after the execution of Pharaoh's chief baker, and Joseph remained in prison ... for another 2 full years.

At the end of the 2 years, Pharaoh one night dreamed.

He dreamed that he was standing next to a river.  And, behold, there came up out of the river 7 well favoured oxen and fatfleshed ... and they fed in the meadow.

And, behold, 7 other oxen came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed, and stood by the other oxen upon the brink of the river.

And the ill favoured and leanfleshed oxen did eat up the 7 well favoured and fat oxen. Just then Pharaoh woke up. He went back to sleep and he dreamed for the second time.

And, behold, 7 ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

And, behold, 7 thin ears devoured the 7 rank and full ears.

Pharaoh again woke up, and was very glad that it was just a dream.

But when he woke the next morning, he was troubled by the dreams. So he sent for all the magicians in Egypt, as well as all the wise men.

He told them his 2 dreams, but none of them could tell him what it meant.

Suddenly the chief butler spoke unto Pharaoh, saying: 'Pharaoh was angry at me and the chief baker and had put us in prison, two years ago. We dreamed a dream one night, I and he ... we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

And there was with us a young man, a Hebrew ... servant to the captain of the guard.  We told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams, to each manaccording to his dreams he did interpret ... and it came to pass.'

Pharaoh immediately sent for Joseph ... Joseph shaved himself and changed his rainment, before his meeting with Pharaoh.

Upon their meeting, Pharaoh immediately told Joseph about his 2 dreams.

When Pharaoh finished his story, Joseph answered him:

'The dream of Pharaoh is one.  God had shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

The 7 good oxen are 7 good years, and the 7 good ears are 7 years ... the dream is one.

And the 7 thin and ill favoured oxen and the 7 empty ears shall be 7 years of famine.

Behold, there come 7 years of great plenty thoughout Egypt, and then shall arise after them 7 years of famine.

And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of the famine following.'

Joseph then continued: 'Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.  Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the 5th part of the land of Egypt in the 7 plenteous years.

Let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

And that food shall be for store to the land against the 7 years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine.'

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made Joseph his overseer over the Egyptians and said to him: 'Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled.  Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.'

Pharaoh then took of his ring and gave it to Joseph, and from thereon Joseph always rode at Pharaoh's side.

He also called Joseph by the name Zaphnath-Paaneah and gave him a wife called Asenath, the daughter of the priest of On.  He had 2 sons and he called them Manasseh and Ephraim.  At that time Joseph was 30 years old.

So Joseph made sure that Egypt gather all the food possible in the 7 fat years, and before the famine hit the land.

And when the hunger came all over the earth, Egypt had food ... and all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn ... because the famine was so sore in all the countries.

Source: Genesis 41

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Joseph Got Thrown Into Prison [Pothiphar's Wife Lied] ... And He Interpreted His First Two Dreams In Prison

So, his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites, and they in return sold Joseph to Potiphar ... Pharaoh's right hand man.

But The Lord was with Joseph and made him a prosperous man ... while he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.

Potiphar saw that The Lord was with Joseph and that everything that Joseph touched, turned into gold for him.

So Joseph found grace in his master's eyes ... and Potiphar made Joseph the overseer of his house, and all that he had put into his hand ... and The Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake.  And the blessing of The Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

Potiphar trusted Joseph completely, because Joseph was a goodly person and well favoured.

But when Potiphar's wife saw the handsome Joseph, she immediately wanted him, and she tried her best to seduce him.  When she grasped his robe, he tore loose from her grip and ran like hell.

She then called the guard and cried that Joseph was trying to rape her.

He was thrown into prison ... but God made everybody in the prison like him, even the keeper of the prison found grace in God's eyes.

While Joseph was in prison, the baker and the butler of the king of Egypt offended their king ... and Pharaoh's wrath was against his two head officers, the chief of the butlers, and the chief of the bakers.

So he threw them both in prison ... the same prison where Joseph was.

And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them ... and they continued a season in ward.

Then, one night they both dreamed a personal dream.

When they woke up the next morning, Joseph could see that they both were very sad, and he asked them what was going on.

They told him about their dreams, and that they couldn't understand what it meant, and that they were worried.

He then urged them to tell their dreams to him, because only The Lord could answer them to the meaning of the dreams.

The chief butler then told his dream to Joseph: 'In my dream, behold, a vine was before me.  And in the vine were three branches, and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes.  And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, and pressed them in Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.'

And Joseph said unto him: 'This is the interpretation of it:  The three branched are three days.  Yet, within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, restore thee unto thy place ... and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

But think on me when it shall be well with thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house ... for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.'

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph: 'I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head.  And the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh ... and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.'

And Joseph answered and said: 'This is the interpretation thereof ... The three baskets are three days.  Yet, within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat thy flesh from thee.'

And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

But he hanged the chief baker ... as Joseph interpreted to them.


Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgave him.



Source: Genesis 40

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Joseph Got Sold By His Jealous Brothers

The Twelve Tribes of Israel [Jacob] were as follows:

The sons of Israel and Leah ... Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun,
The sons of Israel and Zilpah, Leah's handmaid ... Gad and Asher,
The sons of Israel and Rachel ... Joseph and Bejamin,
The sons of Israel and Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid ... Dan and Naphtali.

Esau had five sons that was bared to him in the land of Canaan ... Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jaalam and Korah.

Esau later left Canaan and moved on to Mount Seir, because the land could no longer bear to feed the number of cattle that Esau and his brother

Israel had together.

As time passed, Israel's son Joseph grew into a fine young man that made his father proud.

When Joseph was 17 he took care of the flocks, together with his brothers, the sons of Zilpah and Bilhah. 

He told his father everything that they did ... and they got very angry at him for putting them in a bad light in Israel's eyes.

Israel loved Joseph the most and he lovingly made a coat of many colors for Joseph, which Joseph proudly wore wherever he went ... he loved his coat that his father made especially for him.

When his brothers saw that Israel loved Joseph more than anything else, they started to hate Joseph even more.

Then Joseph dreamed a dream ... and told it to his brothers.

He told them his dream: 'For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright ... and behold, your sheaves stood round about, making abeisance to my sheaf.

His brothers didn't like this dream at all. They asked him what he meant ... that they will have to bow before him?

So they took the story to their father, Israel ... and Joseph told the dream again to his father and brothers.

His father rebuked Joseph and said to him: 'What is this dream that thou hast dreamed?  Shall I and thy mother and thy brothers indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?'

And his brother envied him, but his father observed what was said, and he was thinking about the dream.

Still fuming, Joseph's brother went to Shechem to feed their father's flock.

After a few days Israel called Joseph, confirming with him that his brothers was at Shechem to feed the flock. He then asked Joseph to go to his brothers and the flock to see how things are going ... and then he must get back to Israel to report.

So Joseph immediately started his journey from the safety of Hebron to Shechem.

When he got to Shechem, he started looking for his brothers and the flock, but he couldn't find them.  He eventually came upon a lone man and asked him if he had seen his brothers.

The man confirmed that he had ... they went on further to Dothan, where there is more feed for the animals.

Joseph went to Dothan and he found them there.

When his brothers saw him coming from afar, they were fed up with him and decided to kill him and throw him in the first pit they could find ... they wanted to get rid of the pest in their lives ... they would then tell Israel that some wild animal had killed Joseph and eaten him. 

They snickered and wandered what would then become of his dreams.

Luckily Reuben overheard this conspiracy and stopped them from killing Joseph.

He said to them: 'Let us not kill him.  Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him.' ... that he might rid Joseph out of their hands, to come back for him later and take Joseph back to his father. They then throw Joseph in a pit

So when Joseph reached them, they grabbed him and took of his coat of many colors.  They then cast him in the pit ... but the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

They then satisfied sat down to eat a little something, and when they looked up, they saw a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels, bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

And Judah said to his brothers: 'What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?  Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.' ... and his brothers accepted his proposal.

So they got Joseph out of the pit ... and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmeelites and they took Joseph with them to Eqypt.

When Reuben later returned to get Joseph out of the pit, to take him back to his father, he found that Joseph was missing. He demanded from his brothers to tell him where Joseph was, but they covered up what they did by dipping Joseph's coat of colors in lamb's blood and brought it back to their father.  They told him that it was all that they have found.

Israel confirmed that it was the coat of many colors that he made for Joseph and said a wild beast must have killed his beloved son. 

Israel was beyond himself with grieve ... he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins ... and mourned for his son for a very long time.

All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him ... but he was beyond comfort.

He told them that he would go to his grave mourning for his lost child.

And Joseph was sold, in Egypt, to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.



Source: Genesis 37

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Jacob's Daughter Dinah Got Ravaged By Shechem ... And Her Brothers Revenged Her

So, while Esau was on his way back to Seir, Jacob decided to set up house in a place called Succoth.

Then one day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit other young girls of the land.

Shechem, the son of Hamor which was the prince of that particular country, saw her walking.  So he grabbed her and deflowered her ... and took her with him.

He started to learn to know her and he fell in love with her.

So he went to his father, Hamor, and said to him: 'Get me this damsel to wife.'

Jacob has heard, in the meantime, that his daughter was raped, but he held his peace, because his sons was still out with the cattle in the field.

Hamor went to Jacob to talk about the situation ... and at that time Jacob's sons was back from the field.

When they heard the story of what happened to Dinah they were vivid with anger for what Shechem did to the daughter of Jacob.

Hamor then said to Jacob and his sons: 'My son Shechem likes the daughter of your house very much.  Give her to him as a wife and then we can become family and share everything we have.  We can then marry into each other's families.  You can even choose a piece of ground as your own.'

He furthermore told them that he would pay any price they want. He even promised them gifts beyond their imagination ... they must just give Dinah to Shechem to be his wife.

And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully ... because he had defiled Dina, their sister ... and said: 'We cannot do this thing ... to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised ... for that were reproach unto us.

But in this will we consent unto you ... if you will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised ... then we will give our daughters unto you, and we will dwell with you and we will become one people.

If you don't do it, we will take our daughters and move on.'

So they had an accord.

Shechem and Hamor went back to the city and told the men of the city what has been arranged.

All the men then lined up to be circumcised ... the women of the Israelites were beautiful and well bred.

They were drowing in pain for the next three days ... and this was the time that Jacob's 2 sons Simeon and Levi made their move.

They took their swords and went into the city boldy ... they killed every man in the city, including Hamor and his son Shechem.

They then found their sister, Dinah, and took her back to her father, Jacob.

Jacob was not happy about the way his 2 sons handled the situation ... he was worried that the Canaanites and the Perizzites would come for revenge ... and Jacob and his would be totally outmanned.

But Simeon and Levi stood by what they did ... they answered their father: 'He should not have treated our sister as a harlot.'

When Jacob was alone, God said to him: 'Pack up and go to Beth-el and stay there.  Build an altar there for Me, because I am the God that met with you when you were running away from your brother.

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him: 'Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.

And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.'

So everybody gave all the strange gods and all their earrings to Jacob, and he hid it under the oak which was by Shechem.

And while they journeyed to Beth-el, God terrosised the cities that they passed, and the people kept clear from the Israelites.

Eventually Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is Beth-el ... he and all the people that were with him.

He built there an altar and called the place El-beth-el.

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him, saying unto him: 'Thy name shall not be called Jacob anymore ... but Israel shall be thy name.'

It came to pass that Rebekah became pregnant again ... but she died during labour ... Israel [Jacob] called his son Benjamin.

At last Israel [Jacob] reached his father, Isaac, in Mamre ... and Isaac was 140 years old by this time.

Not long after that Isaac gave up the ghost and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Genesis 34-35

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Jacob Met With Esau For The First Time After Stealing His Birthright, 20 Years Back

Laban came into sight of Jacob in the mount Gilead.  Laban decided to confront Jacob the next day.  So they camped for the night.

That night God came to Laban in a dream and said to him: 'Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.'

So Laban did take heed and when he met with Jacob the next morning, they sorted their differences in a calm and reasonable way ... and after friendly farewells Laban and Jacob parted for the first time after Jacob had come to Laban to work and live with him, 20 years earlier.

Jacob was well on his way to Canaan, when he caught sight of angels of The Lord.  When he saw them he said: 'This is God's host', and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

When he found that he was getting close to Esau, he sent messengers before him to Esau, unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

He then commanded them, saying: 'You shall speak with my lord Esau.  Say to him that I, his servant Jacob, has been with Laban until now.  Tell him about my wealth, and that I humbly try to find grace in his eyes.'

The messengers went, but returned with disturbing news.  They informed Jacob that while they were on their way to Esau, they had met with Esau.  Esau was on his way to Jacob and he had 400 men with him.

Jacob was stressed out of his mind.  He was not sure if Esau was carrying a grudge because Jacob stole his blessing 20 years ago, or if he was out for revenge.

He divided everything he had ... animals and people ... into 2 groups, thinking that if Esau were to kill one group, the other group had a chance to get away and survive.

He then prayed to God to deliver him from the hand of his brother, Esau.

He saw that the day was gone, and decided to wait until the next morning, to plan his next move.

The next morning he put together a gift for Esau out of his stock ... 200 she goats and 20 he goats, 200 ewes and 20 rams, 30 milch camels with their colts, 40 kine, 10 bulls, 20 she donkeys and 10 horses.

He then instructed his slaves to take the animals to meet Esau before he would reach Jacob. He said to them to tell Esau ... upon his probable question of who they were and where they came from ... that they must say to him: 'We are the servants of Jacob, your servant. This is a gift to you from him ... and he is travelling behind us.'

Jacob then knew that there is nothing more that he could do to keep him and his save.  He will know by the expression on Esau's face what his reaction was on Jacob's gift.

So the slaves got prepared for their journey and they left right away to meet with Esau.

That night Jacob was so worried that he couldn't sleep.  He rose during the night and moved his caravan over the ford Jabbok to the other side for more safety.

Eventually he was standing alone on the bank, when he was attacked by a man.  They wrestled through the night until morning broke.  When the man saw that he couldn't overcome Jacob, he touched Jacob in the hollow of his thigh and Jacob's leg was suddenly handicapped, while he wrestled with the man.

Jacob was getting the overhand and the man finally asked Jacob to let him go.

Jacob told the man that he will only let him go if the man was to bless him.

The man then asked: 'What is your name?'  Jacob answered: 'Jacob'.  And the man said to Jacob: 'You will no longer be called Jacob.  You will be called Israel.'

Jacob blessed and called the place Peniel ... for he had seen God face to face, in the form of a man, and lived to talk about it.

Just when they past Peniel, the sun came up ... and Jacob saw Esau on the horizon, coming towards them.

 When the 2 brothers were within reach at last, Jacob bowed 7 times before Esau.  Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him and fell on his neck ... and kissed him ... and they wept.

Jacob then introduced his family to Esau and had to insist that Esau took the gift that Jacob sent him ... Esau was a very wealthy man himself, but he at last accept the gift from his brother.

They then started the journey to Edom ... Esau and his men hastily departed first, while Jacob decided on a more relaxed travel pace with the small children, women and baby animals.

So, while Esau was on his way back to Seir, Jacob decided to set up house in a place called Succoth.

He later built an altar in Shalem, a city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram ... and called it El-elohe-Israel.



Genesis 32-33

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