Genesis 47:13 - 31
What do you think of Joseph's actions in Genesis 47:13-26? One of hand, I can see that he was an
excellent administrator for Pharaoh but he did it at the expense of
the people. By the end of the famine, Pharaoh owned all of Egypt and
“Joseph reduced the people to servitude” (47:21). On the other
hand, the people were grateful saying to Joseph, “You have saved
our lives.” (47:25) and the tax rate wasn't too high: 20% of their
harvest.
But what stands out to me is the contrast between the Egyptians and the Israelites. While the Egyptians had paid all their money, livestock, land, and eventually themselves for food, the Israelites settled in Goshen where “they acquired property... and were fruitful and increased greatly in number” (47:27). I don't think I've ever really comprehended this before – how the move to Egypt benefited all of Jacob's family but Joseph's work for Pharaoh had the Egyptians end up as slaves. I'm so used to thinking of the Israelites as slaves in Egypt – which comes to pass in Exodus 1 - that I didn't really give much thought to the economic situation of the Egyptians.
That's one of the reasons I like reading the Bible over and over again. New insights are gained and often I'm unsettled when I realize aspects of narratives that I'm not sure what to think about (like today's). The great thing is that re-reading the Bible at various stages of life allows us to listen to it for different things. As a result, the stories fill out and God can speak to us freshly in our current situations.
When I read today's passage, economic policy was on my mind but there was something else: the relationship between parent and child. As a result, this verse stood out to me: “Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years...” (47:28). Why did that grab me? Because Joseph was seventeen when his brothers sold him (Genesis 37:2). After over twenty years of grieving his son's death, Jacob gets to see him again....but not just for a short period of time. Jacob has seventeen more years knowing that Joseph is alive. Maybe I'm sentimental but it touches me that God blessed Jacob and Joseph in this way, that they were given as many years together after they had thought they lost each other for good as before they were separated.
What about you? What did this passage get you thinking about? Or maybe there isn't anything specific from today.... but how about this whole Joseph narrative? Is there something that the Lord has been speaking to you through it? We only have two more weeks in these final chapters of Genesis before Advent starts and the blog topic will change, but my hope is that the impact of these passages will be long-lasting in all our lives.
But what stands out to me is the contrast between the Egyptians and the Israelites. While the Egyptians had paid all their money, livestock, land, and eventually themselves for food, the Israelites settled in Goshen where “they acquired property... and were fruitful and increased greatly in number” (47:27). I don't think I've ever really comprehended this before – how the move to Egypt benefited all of Jacob's family but Joseph's work for Pharaoh had the Egyptians end up as slaves. I'm so used to thinking of the Israelites as slaves in Egypt – which comes to pass in Exodus 1 - that I didn't really give much thought to the economic situation of the Egyptians.
That's one of the reasons I like reading the Bible over and over again. New insights are gained and often I'm unsettled when I realize aspects of narratives that I'm not sure what to think about (like today's). The great thing is that re-reading the Bible at various stages of life allows us to listen to it for different things. As a result, the stories fill out and God can speak to us freshly in our current situations.
When I read today's passage, economic policy was on my mind but there was something else: the relationship between parent and child. As a result, this verse stood out to me: “Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years...” (47:28). Why did that grab me? Because Joseph was seventeen when his brothers sold him (Genesis 37:2). After over twenty years of grieving his son's death, Jacob gets to see him again....but not just for a short period of time. Jacob has seventeen more years knowing that Joseph is alive. Maybe I'm sentimental but it touches me that God blessed Jacob and Joseph in this way, that they were given as many years together after they had thought they lost each other for good as before they were separated.
What about you? What did this passage get you thinking about? Or maybe there isn't anything specific from today.... but how about this whole Joseph narrative? Is there something that the Lord has been speaking to you through it? We only have two more weeks in these final chapters of Genesis before Advent starts and the blog topic will change, but my hope is that the impact of these passages will be long-lasting in all our lives.
Comments
Post a Comment