The years in Egypt
Genesis 37:11, 18-20, Joseph’s brothers being jealous and angry with him
Genesis 37:25-27 Joseph’s brothers plan to do him harm and sell him to the Ishmaelites
Genesis 39:2-20 Potiphar’s wife propositions Joseph often, finally able to grab his cloak and declare he tried to rape her
Genesis 40:1-23 Joseph in prison and interprets dreams for two of the inmates who had both worked for Pharaoh in a close capacity.
Genesis 41 King dreams and needs interpretation. Joseph brought to him from the prison, and becomes second in command
Genesis 42:1-23 Prepares Egypt for the famine that will be coming–storing supplies to be able to feed when necessary
Genesis 45:1-11 Joseph tells his brothers who he is
Exodus 1:8-18 Pharaoh getting fearful as the Hebrew community grows and grows
Exodus 2 Moses is born and through a bit of deception, his mother is able to nurse him, then returns him to Pharaoh’s daughter who pays the woman so she can “adopt” him.
Exodus 4. 14 God encouraging Moses to speak with Pharaoh, then all the plagues and misery endured by the Egyptians. Finally, Pharaoh telling the Hebrews to leave once the first born males are killed
Joseph was spoiled and his many half brothers resented him and the place he had in their father’s heart. After bragging to them about a dream he had had, when an opportunity arose to get rid of him, the brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites and he was carted off to Egypt. Did they wonder if he had been killed quickly? Did any other than Reuben feel regret? That must have been a scary time for the young man.
Joseph was a man who God had gifted. He was apparently a hard worker, intelligent, and did what was right. He was trustworthy to whomever he was serving as a job; which actually got him put into prison for a period of a coupe of years. A woman (so often it is a sneaky woman who causes trouble!) , the wife of the man he worked for tried to seduce him, and he repeatedly rebuffed her until she one day grabbed his coat and then fled without it as it came off. Her story was he had tried to seduce her–and he was thus thrown in prison. I do wonder if there were NO other males slaves or servants in that household who had had to deal with this female? Probably yes, and they might have taken the risk to enjoy her; or maybe even fearing she was also in control of the household, and they should do as told. But somehow, Joseph had an innate sense of right vs wrong. (It was going to be more than 400 years before God would write the ten commandments out on stone tablets for Moses, so Joseph did not have the Law0. Both the baker and the chief cupbearer were imprisoned with Joseph. They had similar dreams, and Joseph interpreted them; similar dreams, but very different outcomes. The baker was killed, and the cupbearer was restored to his former position. However, the cupbearer for got about Joseph for a few years–until the Pharaoh had a dream that was bothersome to him.
In prison, Joseph had an opportunity to share interpretation of some dreams a couple of other prisoners had had. He asked that when the one who was going to be released and get his position back, if he would pass on the news so he could be released from the prison. However, that did not happen for another couple of years. Pharaoh had had a dream and wanted it to be interpreted, and then the man (Pharaoh’s butler, who had been restored to his position) recalled how Joseph had come forth and interpreted his dream and the baker’s dream. So Pharaoh called for Joseph to be brought up from prison to interpret his dream. Joseph was able to predict the Pharaoh’s dream declaring there would be a famine after seven years of good crops, and it should be necessary to store away excess food so when the times were lean, there would still be enough food for the people during the famine years. And now years after Joseph’s brothers had sold him, and after he had had some difficult experiences, Joseph was placed the second in charge after Pharaoh. God had blessed him with wisdom, practicality, and a shrewd business sense.
His dream was to show that there would be seven plentiful years, then there would be seven years of poor crops and no rain. Immediately, Pharaoh promoted Joseph to be in charge so that hopefully there would be enough in storage to feed the people when the lean times his it seven years. Joseph set up food storage areas, having the people bring much of their crops in to store. When the lean times came, he was able to sell food to them, when money ran out, he traded food for land, making Pharaoh richer, but supporting and caring for the people’s needs. Because God had given him foresight. But the famine had come into the land where his family lived also, and they needed food, so their father Jacob ordered them to go to Egypt and get food. So ten of them went, only the youngest staying behind with Jacob.
Joseph was now second in command to Pharaoh and as the famine also struck his own family and the brothers came to Egypt to purchase food. Joseph was finally reunited with his brothers and father, and encouraged them to move to the area. During the famine, his forethought and planning allowed all to have food. Joseph encouraged his brothers and father to move to Egypt, which they did. Because they were shepherds, and not very accepted by the Egyptians because of their job, Pharaoh told them to settle in Goshen–near to Joseph, but not directly near to Pharaoh. Although the Egyptians were not fond of shepherds, Pharaoh encouraged Joseph’s family to continue caring for the animals in Goshen.
As their father was reaching the end of his life, Jacob (Israel) to die, the brothers wondered if they would now face Joseph’s anger, wrath, and being vindictive.
I wonder how long after Joseph died did their status change? Joseph had been admired by the Egyptians. But now 400 years after Joseph had his important role beside Pharaoh, the Israelites had been forced into slavery. Pharaoh had gotten nervous as the Israelis obeyed God and multiplied and Pharaoh feared they would eventually turn and attack the Egyptians. He ordered all males to be killed by the mid-wives who served the Israelis, but these two women did not obey that command as they feared God.
Moses was the youngest child of at least three children–Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. His mother made a reed cradle, water-proofed it and set the cradle in the bushes near where she knew Pharaoh’s daughter bathed. The woman did find the cradle and scooped it up and brought Moses into her home. Miriam, who had witnessed this, volunteered to get a woman to nurse the child, so Moses had contact with his biological mother
So, Moses was raised in the palace as an adoptive son, as he had been found floating in a reed basket by Pharaoh’s daughter. It is likely that the present Pharaoh and Moses had played together as young boys. But he knew the Jewish , as hithe Israelis were God’s chosen people and lived by the standards set out by his mother. But as he grew into a young man, he interrupted an Egyptian who was abusing and Israeli, and ended up killed the man. The next day, he saw two Israelis fighting, and when he approached them, one turned and asked him if he intended to kill them also. Moses became frightened and fled into the desert–where he lived, shepherding sheep for forty years.
Then God called Moses and told him he was the one chosen to lead the Israelis out of Egypt to “the Promised Land.” But while enslaved, it does not seem as though the Israeli’s had much interaction with God, but as the fear and unease grew in Pharaoh about the number of Israelis, he decided to add more pressure and work to them. And finally, they called out to God for release.
Eventually, Moses and Aaron were able to lead the Israelis out of Egypt. It is guesstimated there were a few million people, and many animals–oxen, sheep, rams, and so forth. It mentions no carts or wheeled vehicles to help on their journey–just walking into the desert to “the Promised Land.” After God had led the Israelites out of Egypt, He needed to provide them with food, water, ensure there was enough for the many herds of oxen, sheep, and so forth that were also being led away. I cannot even imagine how to prod that many animals forward, maintaining the same direction, dealing with their fear–especially crossing the Red Sea. The people must have been frightened and unsure, but the animals were being forced into what had been a full river, and now stood tall on both sides like a wall. How did they not balk and refuse to enter, making it more difficult to get them across. The people must have also been terrified, “What do we do if the wall of water comes over us? We will all drown.” But God was with them, and they did not . . . .
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