Genesis: Israel & Joseph

Esau took his wives [the daughters of Canaan], children, flocks and belongings and moved away from Jacob because their riches were too great to live together. Esau lived in mount Seir –

These are the generations of Esau, father of Edom in mount Seir: 

He took his wives from the daughters of Canaan.  

With Adah [daughter of Zibeon] he had a son, Eliphaz. 

Eliphaz had sons named: Eman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz. 

Eliphaz with his concubine, Timna [sister of Lotan] had a son named Amalek. 

 With Basemath [Ishmael’s daughter]  he had a son named, Reuel.  

Reuel had sons named: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah 

With Aholibamah [daughter of Adah he had sons named: Jeush, Jaalam and Korah. 

The sons of the Seir the Horite [who lived here before Esau] are Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan; these were Dukes. Lotan’s sons were Hori and Hemam. Shobal’s sons were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam. Zibeon’s sons were Aiah and Anah. Anah’s children were Dishon and Aholibamah [daughter.] Dishan’s sons were Hemdan, Eshvan, Jthran and Cheran. Ezer’s sons were Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. 

These are the Kings that reigned over Edom before there was a King over the children of Isreal. 

Bela, son of Beor, reigned over Edom and named it Dinhabah. Then was Jobab[son of Zerah of Bozra] reigned until his death. Then Husham of the land of Temani reigned. Them Hadad [son of Bedad {he killed Midian in Moab}] and named the city Avith. Then Samiah of Masrekah reigned; Shaul of Rehoboth reigned; Baal-hanan [son of Achbor]; Hadid reigned and named the city, Pau, and married Mehetabel [daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.] 

Jacob/Isreal lived in Canaan – the land where his father was a stranger. When Joseph was 17 years old, he raised sheep with his brothers. Isreal loved Joseph more than all his other sons and made him a coat of many colors; this made his brothers hate him. Joseph told his brothers about a dream he had which only made his brothers hate him more. After another dream, Israel asked if they all would come to bow before him and his brothers envied him. His brothers left with the sheep in Shechem; Israel sent Joseph to find them. Dothan saw him coming and thought about killing him. Reuben suggested putting him into a pit, which they agreed, after taking his coat of many colors. Then came a group of Ishmeelites from Gilead heading to Egypt; Judah said let us sell him to them. The Midianites took Joseph from the hole and sold him to the Ishmeelites for 20 pieces of silver and Joseph was taken to Egypt. 

When Reuben returned and Joseph was gone, he put animal blood on his colorful coat and took it to Isreal; who knew it was his son’s and said a wicked beast had devoured his son! Isreal removed his clothes, covered his loins with a sackcloth and mourned Joseph. Joseph was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, an Eunuche of Pharaohs and his chief steward. 

Judah [Jacob and Leah’s son] went to a man called Hirah, an Adullamite; there he saw the daughter of a man named Suah, a Canaanite. He took her to wife and they conceived sons, Er, Onan and Shelah. [Judah was in Chezib when she bare Shelah.] Judah then took a wife to Er, named Tamar. Er was wicked in the Lord’s eyes and He slayed him. Judah asked Onan to go unto Tamar and he spilled his seed on the floor; this angered the Lord and he slayed Er. Judah asked Tamar to stay a widow in her father’s house and she would have Shelah when he was older.  

In the meantime, a daughter of Shuah [Judah’s wife] died and Judah left mourning to his sheep sheerers in Timnah with his neighbor Hirah, the Adullamite. When Tamar [his daughter in law] heard of his travels, she removed her widows’ garments and covered herself with a vail and sat down outside of Pethah-enaim. She was angered that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him. When Judah saw her, he assumed she was a whore because she had her face covered. He asked to lay with her, she replied, What will you give me? Judah offered her a kid of goats; she agreed but he must leave his signet, cloke and staff with her. He conceived with her that night. When Judah sent his neighbor with the goats, he could not find the woman. No one recalled seeing a whore near Enaim. Three months later, Judah heard that Tamar played the whore and was withchild – Judah asked that she be brought forth and burned. When she arrived with a signet, cloke and staff she said the father was the owner of these items! Judah said, she is more righteous than I; this is because I didn’t give her to my third son, he lay with her no more. 

When Tamar delivered twins, one put out his hand and the midwife tied a red thread on it saying, ‘this came out first.’ When his hand went back in, his brother breached out and was named Pharez. The brother with the red thread was named Zarah. 

Joseph prospered in the home of his master, the Egyptian; and found favor in his sight and served him. The Egyptian made him a ruler over his house and the fields. The Egyptian’s wife asked Joseph to lay with her on many occasions, which he refused. Joseph entered the house one day, and the wife grabbed him by his garment, saying, sleep with me. When he ran off, she told the men of the house that Joseph tried to lay with her and left only his garment when she cried out.

When her husband returned, he put Joseph in prison. Joseph came to keep the prison. The butler and the baker ended up in the prison, they had dreams which Joseph interpreted; the came to happen as he interpreted. The butler’s position was restored, and the baker was killed. The butler did not remember Joseph until sometime later when the Egyptian had a dream that could not be interpreted; he told the Pharaoh about Joseph.

He pulled Joseph from the prison and told him his dreams. It was interpreted as 7 years of great plenty in the land followed by 7 years of famine. The Pharaoh put Joseph over the land of Egypt and gave him a ring, a golden necklace, new clothes and wife named Asenath [daughter of Poti-pherah, prince of On. Joseph was 30 years old when he went into the land of Egypt to gather all the food in multitude. 

Joseph had two sons before the famine named Manasseh and Ephraim. When the famine started, the Pharoah sent everyone to Jacob. Jacob opened all the stores and sold to all the countries. 

Jacob/Isreal [Joseph’s father] sent his sons to Egypt for food; he did not send Benjamin, least death will befall him, he said. Joseph recognized his brothers and asked them, where they came from and said they were spies. They pleaded differently explaining they were one man’s 12 sons from Canaan and the youngest was with their father and one is not. Joseph placed the men in prison and on the 3rd day, asked for the youngest brother; they would leave Simeon in prison until they returned from taking goods to their country, with Benjamin. Joseph had their sacks filled and their money placed in the sack’s mouth. They returned and told Isreal about their journey. Isreal refused to let Benjamin go with them saying, he has lost Joseph, now Simeon, not Benjamin. Reuben said, you can kill my sons if I don’t return with Benjamin, but Isreal refused. 

When all the vittals were eaten, Isreal said, turn again and buy us a little food. Judah answered saying, without our brother we can’t return. Isreal agreed, saying, take rosen, honey, spices, myrrhe, nuts and almonds as a present with double the money. The came before Joseph and when he saw Benjamin he brought all the men to his house for feast; bringing forth Simeon from the prison. Joseph asked about their father and rejoiced in Benjamin’s presence, alone. They ate along side the Egyptians, who ate by themselves because it was an abomination to eat with Hebrews. 

Joseph instructed the steward to fill their sacks with food and their money and in the mouth of the youngest, place his silver cup. Joseph had his servants pursue the men and ask why they had stolen from him; the brothers said, whoever has stolen, let them die – He replied, who so ever has the cup will be my servant and the rest will go in peace. When the cup was found with Benjamin, Judah pleaded with Joseph that if they returned without him, their father would surely die.  

Joseph couldn’t refrain any longer and he cried out to his brothers – I am your brother Joseph that you sold to Egypt, do not be sad or grieved; God has sent me to preserve you and save you by a great deliverance. I have been made father of Egypt, lord of his house, ruler throughout Egypt; go get my father to dwell in Goshen to be near me. I will nourish you through the next 5 years of famine. The Pharoah was pleased and told Joseph to bring his family, they would be given the best land in Egypt. When Jacob was told of this, he couldn’t believe it! When he saw the chariots and vittals, his spirit was revived and he said, I have enough; Joseph/Isreal is alive and i will go see him before I die.” 

They left and came to Beer-sheba where they offered sacrifice to the God of his father, Issac. God spoke with Isreal there saying, do not fear going to Egypt, I will make you a great nation. I will go down with you and bring you up again so that Joseph can put his hand upon your eyes.  

Isreal, his cattle, goods and seeds/family came to Egypt. 

Isreal’s children who came to Egypt [conceived by Leah] were Reuben, his first born. Reuben’s sons: Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron and Carmi. Simeon and his sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar and Shaul [the son of a Canaanitish woman] Levi and his sons: Gershon, Kahath and Merari. Judah and his sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Pharez and Zerah. [Er and Onan died in Canaan] Pharaz [born to Tamar as a whore] had two sons, Hezron and Hamul. Issachar and his sons: Tola, Phuuah, Job and Shimron. Zebulun and his sons: Sered, Elon and Jahleel. A daughter named Dinah. 33 daughters and sons in total. 

[Conceived by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid] Gad and his sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli. Asher and his sons: Jimnah, Jshuah, Isui, Beriah and Serah [their sister] and Beriah’s sons, Heber and Malchiel. 16 souls in all. 

[conceived by Rachel] were Benjamin and Joseph. Joseph fathered children with Asenath [daughter of Poti-pherah prince of On] in Egypt named, Manasseh and Ephraim.Benjamin’s sons were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard. 14 souls in all. 

[conceived by Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid] Dan’s son, Hushim. Naphtali’s sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem. 7 souls in all.  

Judah went out ahead to let Joseph know they were coming into Goshen; Joseph wept in his father’s neck for a good while. Isreal said, let me die now that I have seen you’re alive! Joseph said, I will let the Pharaoh know you’re here and you are all sheepherders and brought with you, your sheep, cattle and all you have, to dwell in Goshen. Every sheep keeper is an abomination to Egyptians. He took his father and 5 of his brothers with him: Pharaoh asked their trade; ‘thy servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers, we have no pasture in Canaan.’ The Pharoah told Joseph, take them to Goshen and if anyone else is a man of activity, make them head over his cattle. Isreal saluted Pharoah and he asked his age, Isreal replied, “the whole time of my pilgrimage is a hundred and thirty years, few and evil have the days of my life been and I have not attained unto the years of the life of my father, in the days of their pilgrimages” and departed the Pharoah’s presence. The dwelt in the best land of Egypt, from Goshen to the land of Rameses.  

Joseph nourished his people [from the land of the Canaanites] and as the money came in for food during the famine, Joseph laid the money in the Pharoah’s house. When the money ran out, the people cried, ‘give us bread: why should we die because our money is spent!’ Joseph said, bring your cattle for trade. When the cattle were all sold, the Egyptians cried, ‘there is nothing left but our bodies and the ground! Buy us and our land for bread; we and our land will be bond to Pharaoh. When all the land was bought, from one side of Egypt to the other, Pharaoh moved everyone to the city. Only the land of the Priests was not sold in all the land of Egypt. Joseph then said to the people: I have bought your land for the Pharaoh, take this seed and sow it; you will give a fifth to Pharaoh and four parts is yours for you and your family. The Egyptians answered, ‘you have saved our lives, let us find grace in the sign of my Lord and we will be Pharaoh’s servants. 

Isreal dwelling in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen grew and multiplied exceedingly; he lived in the land for 17 more years. When Isreal fell sick, Joseph and his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim went to him; Isreal told Joseph about God visiting him in Luz, in the land of Canaan and how he was blessed. He told Joseph that his sons, from the women of Egypt, “shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are mine.” The lineage after them will be yours [Joseph’s.] Isreal kissed and embraced Manasseh and Ephraim with dim eyes; then Joseph did reverence to the ground, with Ephraim, the younger, to his right [at Isreal’s left hand] and Manasseh to his left. Isreal lay his right hand on Ephraim’s head and his left on Manasseh’s, the elder; Also, he blessed Joseph with all the blessings he had received in the name of Abraham and Issac, that they may grow as fish into a multitude in the middes of the earth. Joseph was displeased that he had his right hand on the younger son and asked him to put it upon Manasseh’s head: Isreal refused and said, ‘he will also be a great people, but his younger brother will be greater and his seed will be full of nations! He sat Ephraim before Manasseh and said to Joseph, ‘when I die, God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers; you will have one portion above your brothers [which I got out of the land of the Amorite by my sword and by bow. 

Isreal called his sons in his last days and said: Reuben, my eldest, you are my might, beginning of my strength, of excellence dignity and power; you were light as water but will not be excellent because you defiled by bed, so your dignity is gone [Reuben lay with Isreal’s concubine.]  

Simeon and Levi, brethren in evil, the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations, into their secret let not my soul come, my glory will not be joined with them, in their wrath – they killed a man and in their self they digged down a wall; cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruel, I will divide them in Iaakob and scatter them in Isreal.  

Judah, his hand will be at the neck of his enemies and his father’s sons will bow to him. He will lie down and couch as a Lion; the scepter will not depart, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come and the people will gather unto him. He will bind his asses foal and colt to the best vine, wash his garment in wine and cloke in the blood of grapes; his eyes will be red with wine and his teeth white with milk. 

Zebulun will live by the seaside, a haven for ships; his border will be Zidon.  

Issachar will be a strong asse couching down between two burdens: he will see that rest is good and the land is pleasant, he will bow his shoulder to bear and will be subject unto tribute. 

Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Isreal. Dan will be a serpent by the way, an adder by the path, biting the horse heels so the rider falls backward. “Oh Lord, I have waited for thy salvation.” 

Gad, a host of men will overcome him but he will overcome in the end. 

Asher, he bread will be fat.\; he will give pleasures for a king. 

Naphtali will be a hind let goe, giving goodly wordes. 

Benjamin will ravine as a wolf, in the morning he will devour the pray and at night divide the spoil.  

Joseph will  be a fruitful bough [tree], when hated his bowe abode strong and his arms were strengthened by the hands of the God of Jacob, of whom the feeder appointed, by the stone of Isreal, God will help you be almighty, blessings from above, the deep, that lay beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. Your blessings will be stronger than my elders, to the ends of the hills of the world will be on his head and on the top of the head of him that was separate from his brothers.  

These are the 12 tribes of Isreal that were blessed and said, I wish to be gathered unto my people, bury me with my fathers in the field of Ephron the Hittite, where they buried Abraham and Sarah, Issac and Rebekah his wife and where I buried Leah. He then plucked up his feet into the bed and gave up the ghost at 147 years old. Joseph fell onto his father’s face, kissed him and wept. He commanded the physicians to embalm his father and the Egyptians mourned him 70 days and Joseph asked the Pharaoh if he could go and bury his father as promised before his death; the Pharaoh agreed. Joseph and his brothers, children, cattle and sheep left the land of Goshen; with both chariots and horsemen. In Goren Atad, he mourned his father for 7 days. His sons buried Isreal in the cave of the field of Macpelah near Mamre and returned to Egypt. When his brothers thought of their father being dead, Joseph may hate us and will repay all the evil we did to him. They went to Joseph begging for forgiveness, to be his servants. Joseph said, Fear not: for am not I under God? You thought evil against me and God changed it to good, it will pass and ‘save much people alive.’ Fear not, I will nourish you and your families, he comforted them and spoke kindly. Joseph lived in Egypt, he and his father’s house; he lived for 110 years; then Joseph said, I am ready to die, God will visit you and bring you out of this land to yours, sworn unto Abraham, Issac and Jacob. When Joseph died, he was embalmed and put in a chest in Egypt. 

kbyeluhyou.