Thursday, January 24, 2013

Joseph the Broseph (Genesis 35-37)


Well, I knew it was coming, but today was my first solid chapter of a Biblical name-filled family tree.  And while it wasn’t the most riveting read, I was able to glean a bit of useful information.  For one thing, it turns out the Eliphaz we met in Job is one of Esau’s boys!  I also looked back to reference the ancestry to see where Joseph and Reuben fell in the birth order (and double check that Jacob’s favorite was indeed born to Rachel- of course).  Since Reuben was the only one who gave two shekels about what happened to Joseph, I wasn’t surprised he was the oldest and most caring.  (Why yes, I am the oldest in my family, why do you ask?)
It’s such a heartbreaking story and a very familiar one, but there were little details revealed to me this time around that made it an even sadder story.  Like how the brothers threw Joseph in the well and then sat down to eat their meal (37:25).  That means they ate an entire meal while their brother was probably calling out to them for help; scared, helpless, possibly hungry, cold without his coat, maybe even crying. 
Awful.  He was living with ten (I’m not counting Reuben) awful guys.  Certainly Joseph would get on a guy's nerves with his fancy coat and seemingly narcissitic dreams, but did he deserve this abuse?  I think getting out of that house in a way?  Must have been a dream come true.

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