Families desperately needed heirs, and the dyadic social identity of a woman depended on her being not only a wife, but also a mother it simply didnt matter if your husband loved you best, if you had no children Rachel knew that (so did Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah and Elizabeth). To Joseph he declared: Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall. According to the biblical account, Joseph was the son of Jacob by Rachel, the patriarch's favorite wife (Gen. 30:23, 24), who, on the occasion of Joseph's birth, said, "The Lord shall add [Heb. What is Jacob's new name? According to the Documentary Hypothesis Joseph's toy is a combination of two or more versions which were later combined into the current narrative. Here, Potiphar's wife (called Zuleika in later tradition) tried to seduce Joseph, which he refused. }. As Jacob's favorite son, he received from his father a coat of many colors, which made his brothers jealous to . Jacob became greatly distressed, feeling deprived of successive sons: Joseph, Simeon, and (prospectively) Benjamin. One opinion holds that the Holy Spirit dwelt in Joseph from his childhood until his death (Pirke R. El. It was after this that Isaac married Rebekah and Abraham took Keturah as a wife (possibly a concubine) (see Genesis 24 and 25:1). And Jo. JOSEPH. Her father contracted with her husbands father that she would be a wife in that house, that she would provide heirs to the house who would have rights to his share of the inheritance. (Genesis 30:24).[10][11]. Both the term "Joseph" and the term "Ephraim" were also frequently used by the biblical writers to refer to the norther tribes generally or to the later northern kingdom, usually called Israel. The Vizier broke down into tears. Both were met by angels at various times (Gen. R. 84:6; Num. Others consider the story a semi-independent novella, which has been independently added to the biblical record. The house of Israel acquired many possessions and multiplied exceedingly during the course of seventeen years, even through the worst of the seven-year famine. [c] Thereafter the guilty brothers painted goat's blood on Joseph's coat and showed it to Jacob, who therefore believed Joseph had died (Genesis 37:1235). The Haran controversy wrestles with the question of how long Abraham's grandson Jacob lived in Haran. She also bore Benjamin and was a faithful wife to Jacob. What does Ex 22:16-17 tell us about the rape of Dinah in Genesis, Episode 164: Purim 2023Honor, Shame and Two Brave Queens, Episode 163: Sociology IIReligion, Weird Science, and Practical Linguistics, Episode 162 Sociology I: Groupthink, Holy/Profane and Clean/Unclean, Episode 161: The Advent of John the Baptist in Luke, Episode 160: Special Teaching #1The Advent of the Messiah in Matthew, Challenging the "Everything is Pagan" Meme Culture, Infertility, Barreness, Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Child Loss. In the Elohist version it is Rueben intervenes on Joseph's behalf, while in the Yahwist version it is Judah that saves him. In Genesis 29:31-30:24 the birth of twelve of Jacob's children is recorded. Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, lived in the land of Canaan with ten half-brothers, one full brother, and at least one half-sister. [42] Joseph is said to have been extremely handsome, which attracted his Egyptian master's wife to attempt to seduce him. He then sent them away with grain, retaining Simeon as a hostage (Gen. 42:1-25), while ordering them not to return without Benjamin, the only one of his brothers born of Joseph's own mother, Rachel. So Joseph supplied them Egyptian transport wagons, new garments, silver money, and twenty additional donkeys carrying provisions for the journey. She named him Joseph. which references passages that point to Jacob having "daughters" (plural, more than one) such as Genesis 37:34-35. R. 14:16). Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. 9The fathers, moved by jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt as a slave; but God was with him. Joseph occupies a very important place in Rabbinical literature, and no patriarch was the subject of so many Midrashic traditional narratives. Now why? Jacob therefore let the wolf go. 12Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, so he sent our fathers there for the first time. Moses, led there by an ancient holy woman named Serach, was able by a miracle to raise the sarcophagus and to take it with him at the time of the Exodus. Thank you for your VERY well done teaching. The remaining brothers returned to their father in Canaan, and told him all that had transpired in Egypt. Cause me to die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous" (Qur'an 12:101). 5 Bibliography. So if someone is pushing polygamy, know that according to Paul (an expert in the Law and in the Scriptures) they have disqualified themselves for leadership rendering their opinion merely an opinion. However there are two separate lands related to the epithet Cush. Kusiteand Kusan are both used and they are spelled almost exactly the same the only difference being a tav vs a nun at the end of the word. (Genesis 48:122). He was Rachel's firstborn and Jacob's eleventh son. 34), and a whole chapter Yusuf (sura xii.) 14Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five souls, to come and live in Egypt. His story functions as an explanation for Israel's residence in Egypt. For an excellent read on many matters pertaining to women in the Bible (not all of which I agree with, of course), see Matthews, Victor H., Gender and Law in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East (1998) p 229 is directly relevant to this discussion. Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, lived in the land of Canaan with ten half-brothers, one full brother, and at least one half-sister. Joseph interpreted this dream as the baker being hanged within three days and having his flesh eaten by birds. Rabbah l.c). The narrative also indicates that they went straight to Joseph or were directed to him, even by the Pharaoh himself (Genesis 41:3757). Joseph did very well with Gods help. 11Then a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, causing great affliction. Thus, Israel was able to bless the Pharaoh. Some believe that he built the city of Memphis, and that he was instrumental in building the obelisks and pyramids. The Persian poet Firdowsi wrote an epic on this subject. Joseph saw and inquired of Benjamin, and was overcome by emotion but did not show it. The Amidah and the New Testament I: Long Prayers and Vain Repetitions? That night, Joseph ordered his steward to load the brothers' donkeys with food and all their money. Your email address will not be published. How many wives did Jacob have? 2. Joseph understood what they were saying and removed himself from their presence because he was caught in emotion. Here is the list lifted from my answer to Who was Joseph in the Bible? Plan to Trick Jacob. 118b); they were given to lust, while Joseph was chaste and resisted temptation. "Pharaoh called Joseph by the name Tzafnat-Pa'neach and gave him as his wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-Fera priest of On. Sarah was ninety when Isaac was born and Abraham was 100 years old (21:5). Great article Tyler! Even though I never watched either Big Love or Sister Wives, I knew about people who lived like this and I will bet that anyone who lives in certain parts of certain western states can tell you the same thing. In one Talmudic story, Joseph was buried in the Nile river, as there was some dispute as to which province should be honored by having his tomb within its boundaries. How many kids did Mary have? . Isaac had one wife. He worked under the Egyptian official Potiphar but was freed and became the chief adviser (vizier) to the Egyptian Pharaoh. during the Egyptian Middle Kingdom, to a later time during the Hyksos Era (16481540 B.C.E. His story is told in . The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod commemorates him as a patriarch on 31 March. Finally, after 20 years of marriage, they were blessed with twin boys, Jacob and Esau. He was also the first born of his mother Rachel, whom his father loved more than any of his wives and made Joseph Jacob's favorite son (Genesis 29-30:24; Genesis 37:1-4). He was Jacob's eleventh son and Rachel's first. Matthew 1:25 says, "But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son" (emphasis added). Abraham married Sarah, who was his niece; Isaac married Rebekah, who was his first cousin once removed; and Jacob married Leah and Rachel, who were his first cousins. The following morning the brothers began their journey back to Canaan. Tap a Lookup below to generate a list oflessons. Mary and Joseph ended up in Bethlehem where the birth took place. Stories about Jacob in the Bible begin at Genesis 25:19. Half of Manasseh's tribe settled east of the Jordan, while the other half settled west of it. It was the first successful production in the career of Andrew Lloyd Webber. | Servants of Grace Apologetics, Mishpatim in Context: Selling your daughter into slavery? I want to point out something obvious about Joseph's wife Asenath I think many of us have a tendency to skip over without giving it much thought. You are my Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. After identifying the Hebrew names, Rabbi Judah claims that Joseph was sold four times: First his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites (Yishma'elm), then the Ishmaelites sold him to the Midianite traders (shm midyanm srm), the Midianite traders to the Medanites (mdanm), and the Medanites into Egypt. Jacob lived in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. In Jewish tradition, Joseph was the progenitor of the northern tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, named for his two sons. [47] But in Islam they returned leaving behind Benjamin because the mizzen bowl of the king was found in his bag. Joseph placed his brothers in prison for three days. They were directed into the province of Goshen and Joseph readied his chariot to meet his father there. It also includes the marvelous story and time of Jacob's son Joseph (Genesis 35-50). These are the generations of Jacob. Certain rabbis declared that Joseph was ready to yield to his mistress, but that his father's image suddenly appeared to him and called him to his duty (Sotah 36b; Gen. R. 87:9). (Genesis Rabbah 84:22). The two halves of Manasseh were often treated as two separate units in the biblical account. Joseph was 11th of 12 sons of a wealthy nomad Jacob and his second wife Rachel. Joseph was born the 11 th of 12 sons to his father Jacob. Tsaphenath Paneach", "Allusions to the Joseph Narrative in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts: Foundations of a Biblical Type", The Story of Joseph in the Babi and Baha'i Faiths, "The New Media Bible: Book of Genesis (Video 1979)", "Jewish religious life in the Persian period", The Composition of Genesis 37: Incoherence and Meaning in the Exposition of the Joseph Story, "The Odyssey and the myth of Joseph; Autolykos and Jacob", "Strange Bedfellows: Politics and Narrative in Philo", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_(Genesis)&oldid=1142074895, 1979, New Media Bible Genesis Project (TV)-cap. Joseph had good reasons not to have an affair with Potiphar's wife: he did not want to abuse his master's trust; he believed in the sanctity of marriage; and it went against his ethical, moral and religious principles taught to him by his father Jacob. 2:1; 2 Ne. He was Rachel's firstborn and Jacob's eleventh son. Joseph was called into his father's house and Israel pleaded with his son that he not be buried in Egypt. Thats an interesting word, because although the lemma is the same isha as I discussed above neshe is tied in to the idea of a debt. Abraham had one wife, and then only took a concubine when she was still barren at 80; he took a second wife only after the death of his first. J. M. Sel. At last Rachel was able to have a child. Pseudo-Jonathan to Gen. 1:26). After they had consumed all of the grain that they brought back from Egypt, Jacob told his sons to go back to Egypt for more grain. [48] Similarly, the eldest son of Jacob had decided not to leave the land because of the oath taken to protect Benjamin beforehand. As the king's appointed viceroy, Joseph built himself a magnificent palace, placing in it a great number of slaves. 14. Who was Jacob's first wife? When he regained control of himself, he returned and ordered a meal to be served. More rabbinical literature has been generated concerning him than any of the other sons of Jacob, and he is also a significant figure in Islamic tradition. Known for: Rachel was the younger daughter of Laban and Jacob's favored wife. [21] After questioning them, he accused them of being spies. How many years overall did he work for Laban? Answer and Explanation: Joseph has one wife, Asenath the daughter of Potiphar the priest of On, whom he marries in Egypt. It is described in the Quran as the 'best of stories'. But Joseph had taken Mary to be his wife (Matthew 1:20), and there is no suggestion that her role as Joseph's wife was in any way different from the role of any other wife. (Genesis 50:2226). Joseph is regarded as a saint by several Christian churches, including the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, which commemorates him as a patriarch on March 31. Both women had a crisis of identity Rachel wasnt a mother and Leah wasnt really a wife in her own eyes. Israel (Jacob) agreed to his son's invitation to move to Egypt and began the journey to see Joseph. Ultimately, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard (Genesis 37:36, Genesis 39:1). Really Bilhahs and Zilpahs lives would have looked bleak but they would have accepted it as their lot in life in ancient times people firmly believed that their conditions and station in life were pre-determined by the gods and hardly worth complaining about or trying to get out of.