The story of Joseph started in Canaan. He was his fathers’ favorite child and his brothers were very jealous of him. Joseph had dreams that he would one day reign over his brothers. When Joseph told his brothers about his dreams, they became angrier with him. His brothers planned to get rid of Joseph by throwing him into an empty pit. They then decided to sell him as a slave. His brothers told their father that Joseph had been killed.
Joseph’s brothers acted cruel to him. They were greedy and disloyal. His own family tried to leave him in a pit, without water, because they were jealous of the attention he got from his father. His brothers decided to sell him instead, which is selfish. They got rid of their fathers favorite child and made money off of him.
He became a slave in Egypt, his master's wife lied and told his master that they “laid together”. Joseph was thrown into prison for something he didn’t do. While in prison, Joseph met a baker and a butler who had angered the Pharaoh. They both had dreams that they couldn’t interpret. Joseph told them that God was the one to interpret their dreams. Joseph told them the meaning of their dreams and both came to be accurate. The butler, who was supposed to help Joseph if his dream became a reality, let him down.
Joseph was being helpful to the butler and told him good fortune was coming. The butler told Joseph that when he was back in Pharaohs good graces, he would help get Joseph out of prison. The butler forgot about Joseph for two years. He only remembered to bring up Joseph when the Pharaoh needed a dream interpreted.
Joseph was stuck in prison for a few more years, until the Pharaoh had a dream and the butler happened to know an interpreter. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream and Pharaoh praised Joseph. Pharaoh said to Joseph “only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you”. After seven years, famine struck. Joseph's brothers came to Egypt in search of food. Joseph kept one of the brothers while the rest went home to get the youngest son. He sent them with food and the money it would have cost. They returned with the youngest brother and they all dined with Joseph in his home.
Joseph, who is now doing really well, invites the people who sold him into slavery to come eat in his home. He is being generous and also very clever. He frames the youngest brother for stealing a cup. He does this to test his brothers. They have apparently changed because the oldest is willing to go to prison for the youngest brother.
This story is about Joseph's triumphs over how terribly people had treated him. He was let down by his family and the butler. His brothers were disloyal and greedy. He helped the butler and the butler forgot to help him get out of prison. Joseph’s dream still came to be true, his brothers did bow to him. There is no redemption in this story, Joseph had done nothing to redeem. His brothers needed to redeem themselves and they didn’t do anything impactful enough to make up for throwing their brother in a pit to die and then selling him into slavery.
***
This “bomb thrower” of a student has thrown a rather huge
bomb in regards to a section of the Bible,
that being Genesis. She student
claims that the story of Joseph is not heroic nor redemptive, but rather a
story of misery, greed, and stupidy. I respond by telling her that she is not
wrong, but rather misguided. In her state of confusion, I explain that she is
right about everyone else in the story exemplifies the negative traits, but
what about Joseph? Is the focus of the verse not Joseph? Is Joseph not redeemed
by the end of the story? I then explain how Joseph and the entirety of his part
in Genesis are not only heroic but
redemptive.
What better
way to analyze a hero than to study his origin story. Joseph is introduced in Genesis: 37 as the twelfth, and
favorite, son Jacob. It is immediately presented that Joseph is not only the
favored of Jacob but by all of Isreal. For this reason, Joseph is despised by
his brothers, who envy Joseph and his perfect character. A character like this
can be annoying, for their ego is constantly fed which makes their attitude
rather undesirable. In Joseph’s dreams, he is continually praised by his whole
family who bow down to him. Genesis
(37.9) has Joseph telling his brothers, “I have dreamed a dream more; and,
behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me,” which
describes how even the universe bows to him. This leads to his own brothers to
sell him to the Egyptian market. This is probably what the student thought
about when she came to the conclusion of human stupidity. However, the story
progresses from there.
While in
Egypt, Joseph becomes a slave, sold to a wealthy merchant named Potiphar.
Joseph’s slavery is not, however, a bad thing; for “the Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39.2). Since the Lord was with
Joseph, Potiphar quickly promotes him in the house, which attracts Potiphar’s
wife. Throughout this part, Potiphar’s wife continues to make advances towards
Joseph, who continues to resist the temptations. Resisting temptation is one of
Joseph’s lessons he is unknowingly teaching. A hero must have the ability to
resist the temptations of evil and find the light of righteousness. This
backfires after Potiphar’s wife accuses him of raping her which leads to him
being jailed.
Even while
in jail, the Lord remains with Joseph. Eventually, Joseph returns to his family
and saves them from famine. Turns out, Joseph’s dreams came true as his family
bow to him. In the end, Joseph stays with the Lord, therefore, bringing him
from the brink of misery.
And so the student will know that
heroism and redemption lies with the hero (Joseph) not just the surrounding
characters who wrong him.
****
For one to posit that the tale of Joseph in the book of Genesis is solely one based on human misery, greed, stupidity, and disloyalty suggests a superficial, surface reading of the text. One needs to always keep in mind, when reading accounts or stories from antiquated times not to forget the differences between then and now. The differences that become apparent once we begin to juxtapose previous social and cultural norms from other time periods to present. Among many other things, this can help to elucidate certain character’s actions or reactions that seem to be so foreign to us, regarding how we think they should act. It is quite easy to fall into the trap of moral relativism, quite the complex subject of its own. This game of moral relativism is an unwinnable one. One that has played out for time immemorial, long before any European thought to call a native of the America’s a savage.
It is true that Joseph experienced much undue hardships, prior to and after his relocation to Egypt. He experienced much cruelty at the hands of his own flesh and blood. It is hard for us to conceptualize having the desire to toss a loved one into a well of sorts and even harder still to visualize selling them into slavery. On the other hand, jealousy is one of the basest of human emotions. One we have all flirted with at points in time. From everything we know based on the text, Joseph’s brothers had much to be jealous of. He was described as young and handsome. It was said that the Lord showed him favor in everything he attempted, and he was his father’s favorite son. This provides no excuse for their actions; however, it does provide motive.
The heroism displayed by Joseph in Genesis is unlike what we in the West perceive to be heroism. The courage and humility required for a person to forgive and transcend such egregious transgressions against creates a standard we all should aspire to attain. One of the biggest aspects of the story we can all glean from is, first the estrangement from his brothers. but more importantly the reconciliation Joseph and his brothers experienced. The reconciliation and mending of Joseph and his family is why the story can be viewed as redemptive. It was more than just a material, personal redemption, in which he rose from being imprisoned to effectively second in command. For a tale to be redemptive, in any sense of the word, some element of human misery is required. In fact, during chapter 45 of Genesis Joseph makes the remark that though they intended to do him harm, not only did God re-engineer the situation for Joseph’s benefit but Joseph’s brother’s actions were the medium the Lord had chosen in order to bring Joseph into Egypt.
Whether life imitates art or art imitates life is better left to the likes of Aristotle and Oscar Wilde to debate, the one thing we can be assured of is that the two are an ouroboros of sorts that will forever be entertained. It has been said before, but humans are neither wholly good or wholly evil. Why then would we expect our literature, our art not to reflect this? A story need not be a happy one to resonate within us and maintain its intrinsic value. Look no further than Romeo and Juliet for further evidence of this. A tale that ends in utter tragedy, yet it has been romanticized and pedestalized for many reasons. How many of us cannot relate to the all-consuming passion that envelops oneself in the throes of first love? True our own lives aren’t cut short in such a fashion, yet it ends in heartbreak most of the time.
The impermanence of life is something the Buddha spoke about millennia ago. We need not get too attached with our projection of how certain events will unfold and should unfold. Life operates in not such a way, why would we demand so from the arts? The ending of Joseph’s story did culminate in a happy one. There was just much trial and tribulation he suffered in the middle. Consider Anne Frank for a moment. All the horror she endured and witnessed firsthand, but her indomitable will was so strong that not even all her external circumstances could extinguish the fire that burned inside of her and her hope in humanity. From a pessimist point of view her story had a terrible ending, which it cannot be argued her life didn’t. But Anne’s story didn’t end with her death, her tale lived on in her diary. And she became a shining example of who we now all aspire to be like. We must look beyond the material realm, for the material realm and anything it offers, wealth, power, fame, is not the test we are given. The Joseph of Genesis, like Anne Frank, passed this test and would have were he would have remained in prison too.
***
The story of Joseph, while not particularly a very enlightening one, is certainly not void of any redemption and doesn’t exactly focus on greed or stupidity, either. The story definitely isn’t without its fair share of misery, but it’s important to understand that terrible things such as jealousy had to happen in order for there to be eventual redemption.
The story starts by telling us that Joseph is the favorite of his father out of all of his sons due to him being born in his father Jacob’s old age. Joseph receives special treatment from Jacob, such as a very nice robe, and his brothers are understandably very displeased. They come to resent Joseph because of this. Later on, Joseph has dreams that depicted objects that represented his brothers bowing down to objects that represented him; “Listen to this dream I had: 7We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” (Genesis 37:6-7 NIV) This only makes his brothers despise him even more.
When Joseph is sent off looking for his brothers, they find him, take his robe and throw him in a pit. They first considered killing him, then they all decided against it because he was their brother and they could sell him to make a profit instead. Joseph gets taken in by a Midianite, and through a long string of events, becomes the leader of all of Egypt. Joseph’s family then reunites in Egypt and they all become close to one another, even Joseph’s brothers are overjoyed to see him.
Joseph’s story is certainly a story with disloyalty, greed and misery, but it’s certainly not without its cause and the story doesn’t make these acts a center piece. Yes, Joseph’s brothers sold him to Egypt because of their jealousy, greed and hatred of their brother, but it is because of this that they are eventually able to reconnect with their brother and fully appreciate what he has done for their family.
Joseph as a person wasn’t a bad person either, by any means. He worked just as hard as his brothers in the field and went out of his way to do many things for his family, such as provide food for them during a harsh famine and even lets them reside in Egypt. He was a great help to the Pharaoh by deciphering his dreams and predicting the famine, letting them get a head start on gathering food for Egypt.
Not only does the character of Joseph exude great examples of kindness and compassion towards those who despised him and wronged him, his brothers also changed for the better. Jacob had another son named Benjamin, whom he loved very much as well. When Joseph frames Benjamin for stealing his silver cup, his brothers are right there ready to defend Benjamin with their lives, pleading to do anything to convince Joseph otherwise. This was done so that Joseph could see if his brothers had changed their heinous ways towards him and when he finally reveals himself to them, they are awestruck and very happy to see him again; “Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him,” (Genesis 45: 14-15 NIV).
The tale of Joseph is indeed filled with elements of human misery, greed and disloyalty, but it is because of these elements that redemption and heroism are allowed to and do prevail in the end. There is a very clear redemption in Joseph’s brothers in the end and Joseph holds no grudge against him, because what they did ultimately led him to where he ends up in Egypt, and because of his position he was able to help many others, including his family. In no way does this story lack any sort of redemption or heroic deed.
***
The story of Joseph is indeed a tale of human misery, greed, stupidity, and disloyalty. That does not mean it cannot also be a tale of redemption and heroics. The meanings of the story of Joseph change depending on which characters you see the story through. If one chooses to see it through the eyes of the brothers, it is a tale that has the qualities stated by the student. When seen through the eyes of Joseph, it is a tale of redemption and heroics. When seen through the eyes of Jacob, Joseph’s father, it is a tale of both.
Joseph’s brothers hated him for the attention that their father bestowed onto Joseph, as they did not receive the same affection. They are exemplifying the previously stated “human misery” and plot to get rid of Joseph to alleviate said misery. In the story when the brothers throw Joseph into the pit, they first take his robe that their father had given to them. This exemplifies the greed in the tale that the student had made her audience aware of. One could even delve deeper into the emotions of the brothers and say that they were jealous and enraged that Joseph was their fathers favorite even though he was not the eldest child. The brothers felt more deserving of such affection and attention. The dreams that Joseph interpreted about how he would one day be bowed down to by his brothers and father just made the brothers more furious. They felt that Joseph had an arrogance about him that they needed to be rid of. The plot to kill Joseph was one of malice and disloyalty to the family, especially to their father and brother. Instead, the brothers sold Joseph to a passing caravan of Egyptians.
When Joseph was sold to the Egyptians, he became a servant to a man of power. This man’s wife wanted to bed him, but Joseph remained a man of faith and refused to commit adultery. Joseph was punished for this, as the wife deceived those around her including her husband. Joseph was made out to be the one who was trying to bed his master’s wife, and was thrown in jail. While Joseph was heroic in his actions, he was still punished, yet he remained a man of great faith. While Joseph was in this prison, he went on to interpret the dreams of two servants of the Pharaoh. He credited all of his abilities to God, remaining true to his faith. His story of redemption has not yet begun, but Joseph remained an honest and heroic character even in his lowest points.
Joseph was eventually brought out of prison to rule over the lands of Egypt after interpreting the Pharaoh’s dreams of abundance in the land followed by famine. His story of redemption begins here and continues to elevate. During the famine, Joseph’s brothers eventually come to him in order to access the food that was stored when the land produced in abundance. Joseph recognized his brothers and told them to tell his father that he was alive and ruled the lands of Egypt. Joseph’s story of redemption ends when he is able to see his father before he dies. Joseph forgives his brothers for their actions, another act of heroism, because he believed that God had led him down this path to be able to rise up to where he was.
Jacob, Joseph’s father, has a story of both human misery and redemption. When Joseph was sold, the brothers deceived him and led him to believe he was eaten by ravenous animals. Jacob then led a life of human misery for many years because he thought he had lost his favorite son. He was later able to find out that his son had risen to power in Egypt and was given the chance to see him again and live a life of plenty when land and food was offered by Pharaoh. Jacob led a life with many years of misery but was able to get his redemption story and see his lost son.
Joseph’s story is a tale of heroism, redemption, and great faith. The brothers of Joseph have a tale of human misery, greed, stupidity, and disloyalty. It can also be said that the brothers were redeemed as well when they found their brother and asked for forgiveness. They were able to live with plenty and found their brother that they had betrayed so many years before. They bowed before him as was shown in Joseph’s dream because they finally saw that Joseph was right when he interpreted that dream. They were forgiven after their acts of malice, so the brothers had some sort of redemption story as well. Jacob’s part in the story includes misery for many years, but then a final redemption and happiness after finding his lost son.
***
The
book of Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament, and of the Bible is one
of creation, of the power of the Hebrew God’s all-encompassing love, and of
collective human flaw; truly being human. Reading stories from the book of
Genesis could certainly leave the reader with the impression that the people in
these stories are nothing more than deceitful megalomaniacs that are concerned
with nothing outside of their own selfish needs. In order to fully examine,
explore, and ultimately strive to understand the stories in the Bible, they
must be read in full religious context and centered around the notion that God
is a loving “Father” that shows divine mercy to those that follow Him. In
addition to a fair understanding of Christian teaching, historical and cultural
context are equally as important. One
reading the Bible will encounter both Pagan and Christian rituals, ideals, and
values that may seem brutal or at the very least unfamiliar and strange. When
examining the story of Joseph, son of Jacob and Racheal, and grandchild of
Isaac and Abraham, one must put into context the relevance of this religious
story. To simply say that this story is
one of horrid human behavior is accurate, but over simplified, lacking depth
and religious context.
The
story of Isaac and his sons’ decedents of Abraham, is origin story of the
tribes of Israel, a name given to Jacob from God. This story is fraught with
deceit, manipulation, and misplaced moral superiority. Jacob
and his second wife Rachel gave life to a child named Joseph, a child among
many, a favored by his father. Many are
familiar with the story of Joseph and his prophetic dreams and beautiful
coat. Josephs story is laden with deceit
and lies, but through the many hardships and victories Joseph remains faithful to
his Lord and exemplifies the goodness that humanity possess with all the
complexities as well. After being
plotted against and sold into slavery, accused of rape and imprisoned he
remains a servant to God and his promises, and to his dreams. Earning him
prestige among men and continues favor with God. Ultimately Joseph is reunited with his
brothers with whom he forgives and protects. Forgiveness and devotedness are
found throughout the Bible, a centralized theme, most notable the Jesus, the
son of God, with whom Joseph shares many parallels.
References
Catholic
Online Encyclopedia. Copyright 2019 Catholic Online. https://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia
Holy Bible. The New
American Bible. 2001 – 2002 Edition. Genesis 27 – 50.
Pirson, Ron. The Lord of
Dreams. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 335.
Sheffield Academic Press. 2002.
***
At first glance when interpreting the story of Genesis in the Bible, Joseph may not seem very heroic. Closely analyzing the text of Genesis will show that Joseph is actually very heroic and noble. Throughout the hardships of his life, his faith never wavers, and his ability to forgive those who have done him wrong is heroic in itself.
Joseph, at the young age of seventeen, was hated by his brother’s so much so that they had sold him into slavery after initially throwing him into a pit to face death just because of his brother’s jealousy that he was the “favorite child” (Genesis 37:18-36). Following this great betrayal from his own flesh and blood, he was betrayed by the wife of his master, Potiphar, in Egypt a number of years later. She lied to those around her about Joseph trying to “lie with her” and in consequence of that accusation, Joseph was jailed by his master. Throughout all of the hardships Joseph faced, he kept a good spirit and faith in the Lord. His perseverance through those trials prove that he has some heroic attributes. Many people would have given up after the betrayal of their blood relatives, many may have given up after the accusation of flirtation with their master’s wife, and many may have given up after being jailed for a crime that was not committed. Joseph did not give up through any of this or lose his faith in God; his faith was strengthened and his loyalty remained strong to God. Although you can indeed see the disloyalty of Joseph’s brothers due to jealousy, you are given the picture of extreme loyalty to faith and a higher being in the story of Genesis through the actions of Joseph.
One of the biggest examples to give of Joseph’s heroism and redemption is the way he handles dealing with his family later on in life, when they visit him in Egypt, while looking for food during the famine (Genesis 42). Joseph’s brothers do not recognize him when they first go to beg for bread for their family because Joseph hid his face from them. Joseph recognized his brothers and he tests their loyalty and goodness before revealing himself through a few demands and tests given to prove themselves (Genesis 42:1-45:3). The ultimate test that was given to the brothers to show their loyalty to family was when Joseph had a silver cup planted in the youngest brother’s satchel and was threatened to be killed for stealing. Judah offered his own life in place of Benjamin’s, which proved to Joseph that his brothers had changed. Throughout all of the tests from Joseph to his brothers, he supplies them with food among other things, which is yet another example of why Joseph is noble and respectable. Joseph very easily could have denied his brothers of any bread and food, which he spent years putting back in preparation for the famine, but he does not. His giving heart could not let him to so to his brothers, even though they committed the ultimate betrayal towards him in the past.
Joseph’s brothers, after finding out that the man giving them food was their brother that they sold into slavery long ago, set off to bring their father, Israel, to see his son who was thought to be dead. Israel had wanted to see his son Joseph one last time before he died. The brothers have shown a great story of redemption here after telling their father that his son was dead, and then years later coming clean and bringing Israel to his son to see him before he passed. Their redemption is also noted when they pledged themselves as Joseph’s servants (Genesis 50:18). That act shows that they are trying to make reparations for the wrong they had done in the past to their brother who was now of nobility in Egypt. Given all of that, it is obvious to me that Joseph’s story in Genesis is one that shows a great deal of nobility and heroism throughout the struggles he faced in his life because of the human greed, misery, and disloyalty that was around him. Without those negative attributes of those surrounding Joseph, we would not be able to see Joseph’s heroic qualities throughout his story.
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