CPCC Bible Study: Genesis 44 - 46

1 - 2
      Summary: The brothers are getting ready to leave. Joseph tells his house manager to fill the sacks with grain and put their money back in them. He also tells him to put Joseph's silver cup in Benjamin's sack.

3
      Summary: The brothers leave at dawn.
      Note: They still haven't learned to check their baggage before they leave town.

4 - 6
      Summary: Right after they leave, Joseph sends his steward after them to stop them and ask why they have "shalam" (repaid / rewarded) "ra'" (evil / wicked) for "towb" (good / pleasant / etc). The text implies that he is to accuse them of stealing the cup he uses for divination. Except Genesis doesn't tell us what sort of practice he was referring to.
      Seeing the future through the use of a 'cup' is one of the oldest, and most widespread forms of divination going, and is found deep in the traditions of the Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism and magic. And there are several links below to all of this.
      Scyphomancy and Scrying is divination by means of a cup or glass. Some would listen to the sound of the cup when it was empty and then tapped with a rod or even a finger nail. Others would fill the vessel with liquid and then see images in the reflection across the surface, which can also be done with a crystal ball. Or deduce a message from leaves or ashes introduced to it by how they floated on the surface.
      Tasseography is the classic 'reading of tea leaves', or in Turkey, coffee grounds on the bottom of the glass.

SIDENOTE: It is an interesting side study to keep track of the lies, and layers of lies, that are in play here, from Everybody (remember when the brothers told the Egyptian Vizier that they were 'honest men' and that their brother was 'no more'?)

7 - 9
      Summary: Of course the brothers are offended, and they say they'd never do such a thing. And didn't they come back with the money they'd brought last time? And so on. And that if the stolen property is found with their stuff, he can kill the one that had it, and the rest will become slaves.

10
      Paraphrase of the steward's answer: "Yeah, OK, what you said."
      ... with one modification, 'the one that has it will be My slave.'
Historical Note: such a thing did happen, all the way into Roman times. Except, the slave OF a slave wasn't even considered human, whereas a regular slave was regarded as valuable property and, in some cultures, did have some rights.

11 - 12
      Summary: the steward searches everybody's sacks, knowing full well where the cup is, then 'finds it' in Benjamin's bag.

13
      And they "qara" (rend / tear / rip) their "simlah" (clothing / robes)....
      That's all it says. The idea is a theatrical overreaction of emotion, such as what Jacob did when he was mourning for Joseph. But this passage doesn't say any more. There is no record of exactly why they 'tore their clothes'. Back to the verse:
      Summary: Then each man loads his donkey and they head back to the city.

14
      Summary: And "bo" (came / enter) Judah and his brothers into the house of Joseph, who, conveniently, was there waiting on them. And they prostrated before him.

15
      Comment: Joseph is still playing the role, and says to them that he practices divination and knew what they had done. Which adds another point to the lie score.

16
      Comment: Judah's speech is a work of art. This is the version from the Living Bible, the same source as our quote above, which comes up in a moment:

"And Judah said, 'Oh, what shall we say to my lord? How can we plead? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. Sir, we have all returned to be your slaves, both we and he in whose sack the cup was found.'"

17
      Summary: Joseph says that only the thief will be his slave. The others can go home.

18
      Note: Judah's second speech is our quote for this chapter, and he continues in the next verse.

19 - 32
      Summary: Judah goes on for quite a while, recounting a lot of the story to this point. Including his pledge to his father that if he doesn't bring Ben back the blame is solely on him.

33 - 34
      Summary: Judah then adds the offer that he'll stay and be the slave instead of the "boy / young man" go with his brothers. Because Judah can't face his father if he doesn't.
      We don't know for sure how old Ben is. Just that Joseph has been in Egypt since his brothers sold him off at about 17 and it is now several years since he was 30. So if 'the lad' was 8 or 9 when Joseph left, he could easily be well into his twenties now.

end 44

Chapter 45

1 - 2
      Summary: Finally, Joseph comes clean. He orders all the Egyptians out of the room. He has a such a good cry that "Egypt heard him, the house of Pharaoh'.

3 - 4
      Summary: "I am Joseph, does my father still live?" He said.
      Except his brothers were in shock and could not answer, even when he tells them to approach him.

5
      Summary: Joseph tells them to not be "atsab" (worried / vexed / grieved (to the point of being in pain)) or "charah" ('to burn with anger' / rage) in yourself, "ki" (for / because) you "makar" (to sell / to betray (the same word is used to describe the sale of a daughter into marriage as for the sale of a slave)) me here. For.... (direct word for word):
      "michyah" (sustenance / preserve 'life' (includes the idea of 'to maintain')) "shalach" (to send / sent) me 'Elohim "panim / paneh" (before / in front) you.

6 - 7
      Summary: Joseph says the famine has been going for two years, and has five more to run. So GOD sent him to Egypt to preserve their posterity on the Earth, and to save their lives and deliver them.

8
      "attah" (now / at the time) "lo" (not) you "shalach" (sent) me "hennah" (here 'and' now) but 'Elohim - and HE has made me a "'ab" (father) to Pharaoh and "adon" (master / lord) of "kal" (all) his "bayith" (house / household) (we'll come back to that, and THIS, in a second), and a "mashal" (ruler / 'governor' / 'to have dominion') 'over' "kal" (all) of "Mitsrayim" (Egypt).
      Observation: this has been something that has been floating around since the cup bearer made his speech after the Pharaoh's dreams. This may not be the same king that was in charge when Joseph landed in the clink after Potiphar's wife lied about him. Go back and read the section after verse nine of chapter 41 with the idea that there has been a transition of the throne in mind. Is it possible that Joseph, just over the age of 30, is acting as the regent of Egypt, for a 'boy king'? We're just asking the question, the name of ANY Pharaoh is NEVER used in Genesis.
      NOTE: The last time we saw the name YHWH for GOD was in chapter 39. We won't see it again until 49. Everything has been 'Elohim or some version thereof.

9 - 13
      Observation First: As of right now, we have no idea what 'the brothers' think of all this.       Paraphrased Summary: Joseph continues: "mahar" (hasten / hurry / be quick / etc) 'home' and tell 'my father' that I'm alive, and GOD has put me in charge down here. So 'come on down', and I'll hook you up.

14 - 15
      Summary: Then Joseph cries all over Benjamin. And kisses and weeps all over all the brothers. And then talks to them some more.

16
      Summary: Pharaoh gets the news, and is OK with it.

17 - 18
      Summary: Pharaoh says to Joseph, 'tell your brothers to go home and pack up your father and your own households and come down here, and I'll give you the best land in Egypt... etc'.

19 - 20
      "way attah" (and you) 'are' "tsavah" (ordered / commanded / ordained) to do this, get some of our "agalah" (carts / wagons (first use in OT)) for your "taph" (young / children) and your "ishshah" (wife / wives) and bring your "ab" (father). And don't pack your goods because all of Egypt is yours.
      Question: Why would the Egyptian King think he could order some old man and his kids from Canaan to do anything?

21 - 22
      Summary: the sons of Israel got carts from Pharaoh via Joseph, with provisions for the road. Plus a change of clothes, and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five outfits.

23 - 24
      Summary and comment: to his father Joseph sent a whole donkey train full of food. And the brothers departed and Joseph tells them to "al" (do not / nothing) "ragaz" (agitation / quake (act and speak in rage)) "derek" (road / journey).
      Observation: Joseph has seen his half brothers in action.

25 - 26
      Summary: They go home and tell their father that Joseph is in charge in Egypt, and, of course, he doesn't believe them. His 'heart' "pug" (goes weak / (inner man) goes faint).

27 - 28
      Summary: They relay the words of Joseph, and show him the carts, then "chayah" (restored / revived) the "ruach" (spirit) of Jacob (the old name is used) their father. And said Israel (the new name is used), it's enough that Joseph is alive. I'll go see him before I die.

- end 45-

Chapter 46

1 - 3
      Summary: Jacob... or rather: Israel packs up and comes to Beersheba and sacrifices to the 'Elohim (GOD) of his father Isaac. And he talks to GOD about his visions of the night (dreams) and said Jacob.... yeah, Jacob,
      ... I am the "'El" (Mighty One / God), the 'Elohim of your father...
      NOTE: in the Hebrew, this part is a bit confusing. It is clear that Jacob is speaking to GOD, here known as 'Elohim, then HE is speaking to Jacob, by that name, then it switches to Israel, and GOD is also "'el", and so on.
      .... do not "yare" (fear / be afraid) to go down to Egypt, for "goy" (nation / people) "gadol" (large / great) I will "sum" (make) you there.

4
      Summary: GOD tells him that He will go with him, and bring him up, and that Joseph will 'put his hand on your eyes'.
      The statement there is that it will be Joseph that closes his father's eyes when he dies. And since Jacob/Israel has been obsessed with his own death for years, that would probably be comforting for him.

5 - 7
      Summary: Jacob arises and the 'Sons of Israel' carry Jacob, their father, and ... everything listed before, to Egypt.
      This verse does imply that he had more than one daughter, and a lot more sons. More on that in a moment.

8 - 27
      Comment: A Census of those that moved? Sort of. This is more of a score card of everybody related to Jacob / Israel, and how. It includes those that died in Canaan, such as the two oldest sons of Judah, and Jacob's wives. It also mentions the sons of Joseph, and Benjamin.
      For an example that Jacob had a LOT more than the twelve sons, ten of whom spent a lot of time bickering, we need look no further than verse 22. It says the sons of Rachel born to Jacob were fourteen. Even if we count the listed sons of Joseph and Ben, it does not end up at 14. The next verse counts the children of handmaiden Bilhah as seven, where the list of sons from earlier only lists Dan and Naphtali.
      Verse 26 states that sixty six people went with Jacob to Egypt. Verse 27 gives the total, counting Joseph's family that was already in Egypt, as seventy.

28
      Summary: He sends Judah ahead to talk to Joseph and locate Goshen

29
      Summary: Joseph gets his chariot and goes up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen....
      and he "raah" (saw / sees) him and "naphal" (fall / fell) "al" (on) his "tsavvar" (neck) and "bakah" (wept) "od" (yet / more).

30
      Summary: Israel says to Joseph, 'let me' "muth" (die / be dead) now, "achar" (after / following) "raah" (seen / see) "panim / paneh" (face) because you are still "chay" (alive / living).
      Jacob has once again talked about his own death, this time as he envisioned earlier. He's mentioned his own passing in the last chapter, then before that at the end of 42, and his dramatic speech near the end of 37.

31 - 32
      Summary: Joseph tells his brothers and the "bayith" (house / household) of his father, that he's going to go tell Pharaoh that they've arrived, with all the shepherds and 'cowboys' and everything they brought.
      The earlier list of sixty people were just those related to Jacob. It didn't count everybody that is mentioned now.

33 - 34
      Summary: When Pharaoh asks them what is their occupation Joseph wants them to tell him that they tend livestock will live in Goshen because "toebah" (abomination / detestable) is taking care of flocks (sheep and goats) to Egyptians.

- End 46 -

References and links: Outside links will open in new tab/window.

The Interlinear: Hebrew - English https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/44.htm

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2044&version=TLB

The text linked here covers many forms of Divination and 'secrets':
How To: https://www.instructables.com/Turkish-Coffee-Fortune-Telling/ With Pictures!

And a page about a practitioner: https://bestwitchdoctor.com/leading-scyphomancy-in-kenya-and-tanzania/

The Genesis Study Index Page

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

http://centralparkchurchofchrist.org