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1.  Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph  was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.            41:50-52                                                                                                                                                    2.  And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat upon the bed.

  Seventeen years have now passed since Jacob first came into the land of Egypt, and he is now one hundred and forty seven years old. Joseph is the first son to appear before Jacob, and he brings his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him so they could be blessed by him before his death. “And the old man Jacob, before his name was changed, is used here in the beginning of verse two, to distinguish between what he once was: supplanter, deceiver (H3290), to how far he has come now. to be called Israel (H3478), the one who wrestled with both man and God and prevailed to become the spiritual man he is this day, who strengthens himself on his staff to bless the sons of Joseph’s in worship of the one true God (Heb. 11:21), we in the church upon our baptism kill the old man of the flesh, as we rise out of the water we put on the new man, the spiritual man, and walk in the newness of life, (Rom. 6:4). the days of the life of Jacob and his pilgrimage have been one hundred and forty seven years, and now upon his death bed, the old man, sown in corruption will be raised up incorruptible ( 1 Cor. 15:42),and his name… is Israel.

3.  Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.                                                                                                                4.  “and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’                                                     28:13; 35:6-12           

  Leaning upon the top of his staff in worship (Heb. 1:27), he reflects back upon the dream he had as he was running from his brother, where the Lord first appeared to him as he saw angels ascending and descending upon a ladder that was set on the earth, it’s top reached heaven, and the Lord stood above it (Gen. 28:10-14), it was at this moment that God told him he would be fruitful and multiply, and give the land of Canaan to his descendants. 

5.  “And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.                                                      Josh.14:4   

  Jacob in essence adopts Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim. They are to be sons to Jacob just as Rueben and Simeon are his sons, and therefore they each will be included as heads of their own tribe in the nation of Israel. by this adoption Joseph is given a double portion of the inheritance than his brothers, meaning that Joseph is receiving the birthright blessing from Jacob, by tradition it is the firstborn to whom the birthright blessing is given, and part of the birthright blessing is that  the firstborn gets a double portion of the fathers inheritance as well as also having authority and superiority over the family, this according to Adam Clarke’s commentary. Typically with this birthright also comes the listing of the genealogy of the promised seed in which all nations of the earth would be blessed. However as it is explained in 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 that the genealogy is not to be counted in the birthright blessing given to Joseph, but instead to be passed down to Judah because he prevailed over his other brothers, so the promised seed will be handed down to Judah, yet Joseph gets all the other blessings that go with the birthright as explained in Adam Clarke’s commentary above. (1 Chr. 5:1-2). I would like to add my opinion as to why  Joseph was given the birthright blessing that was not explained in 1 Chronicles. 5:1,2: or anywhere else in the scriptures. Jacob had four wives, but it was Rachel who he loved the most, and Joseph was the firstborn son of Rachel and Jacob, just as Isaac was the firstborn and only son of Abraham and Sarah. And I believe that God honored Jacob in his love of Rachel in this way, by given Joseph the birthright blessings of everything but the promised seed in which all nations of the earth will be blessed. Notice to that Jacob identifies Manasseh and Ephraim as being like his two firstborn sons Reuben and Simeon. In the following verses we will see that the blessings Jacob gives to Manasseh and Ephraim are the blessings of the first and second born sons traditionally. 

6.  “Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.

  There is no mention in the bible that Joseph had any other sons than Manasseh and Ephraim, but Jacob, supposing if he did, then those sons would be Josephs, and their names, as far as any inheritance is considered will be included in the names of Manasseh and Ephraim.

7.  “But as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is Bethlehem).”         35:9, 16-20       

  Whose name does Jacob call out to in memory? None other than the woman he loved the most, Rachel, the woman who stole his heart over a hundred years ago, she may have been dead for a long time, but she has never been far from Jacobs heart. All of Jacob’s wives have since passed, how, when, and where? The scriptures do not say. This is a testament to the legacy of Rachel, not only in the heart of Jacob but also of God, who I believe honors Jacob by honoring his wife: memorializing  her passing at the time of her death (Gen. 35: 16-20), over the deaths of all of Jacob’s other wives, and then again now at the end of Jacob’s life.  Rachel is also honored thru the sons she bare to Jacob (Mainly Joseph), by the blessings Jacob gives to the sons of Joseph. In the book of Jeremiah God calls Ephraim his firstborn son  (Jer. 31:9), Rachel died in what is believed to be on the outskirts of Bethlehem. she died giving birth to Benjamin (Jacobs last son). In this honor God has bestowed to Rachel we see that the land inheritance given to the  descendants of Benjamin are in the same area in which Rachel died and was buried. It is also in the area of Israel where the Lord Messiah was born of a virgin mother. These two mothers are blessed women in the scriptures, who both bore sons that became the salvation to the world, one..(Joseph), the type of the One to come, saved the then known world from a great famine, and the other who also saves the whole world from eternal death through His sacrifice, from the famine of the Holy Spirit. By his death the spirit is now offered to all who believe and accept Jesus as Saviour thru His precious blood. Rachel is honored to this day by two of the three major religions: Christianity and  Judaism, her tomb is carefully guarded to this day. Joseph like Jesus was born almost miraculously himself, for Rachel was barren for years before she finally gave birth, and then of course the immaculate conception of Jesus Christ born of a virgin. 

8.  Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”                                      9.  And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”   And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”                                                                                                                                      27:4                                   10.  Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.                                                                                                                                            27:1                               11.  And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”                                                                                  12  So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth.     37: 9-11                                                                                                             

  Joseph has brought his sons to see Jacob and to receive the blessings of Israel. In previous verses Jacob has already declared the Manasseh and Ephraim have been adopted by him equal to all his other sons. Jacob is one hundred and forty seven years of age now and his eyesight has become so poor that he doesn’t recognize Josephs s sons in front of him. Undoubtedly this isn’t the first time Jacob has seen Manasseh and Ephraim, because he has been living in Egypt for seventeen years now. these sons of Jacob were born before the famine during the times of plenty (Gen. 41:50-53), by the time that Jacob and his family entered the land Joseph’s sons were between the ages of one to six years old. Jacob was one hundred and forty years of age when he entered into Egypt, and he is now one hundred and forty seven years old. This would make Ephraim and Manasseh between the ages of eight and fourteen years of age. Joseph presents his sons to his father, and Jacob embraces his adopted sons and gives them a kiss, during this time Jacob reflects back to the past and remembers when he mourned for his son Joseph, thinking he was dead and unable to look upon his face in this lifetime ever again. But now his sorrow has turned to gladness, for not only was he able to once again see Joseph and embrace him, but he acknowledges to both Joseph and his sons that it is the most High God who has also blessed him to also see the children of Joseph before he die. Joseph in turn backs away from his sons and father just far enough to bow himself before his father out of reverence towards him.

13.  And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand towards Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him.

  Manasseh is the eldest of the two sons, and it is customary that the eldest son get the higher degree of blessing from the father. as we read in verse five Jacob has declared that Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim  are as his firstborn sons Reuben and Simeon. In my opinion: because of Reuben and Simeon s past sins they have lost the blessings of the first and second born sons of Israel, to the sons of Joseph. However there is one blessing that is not handed down to Manasseh and Ephraim, and that is the birthright blessing of the promised seed in which all nations of the earth are blessed. As we will see in the following chapter this birthright blessing belongs, and is given to Judah. 

14.  Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s  head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was firstborn.                                                    v.19                       

  Israel may be of old age and his eyes dim, but it is the Spirit of the Almighty One who guides his hands, and gives him sight that he may see what the future holds for the sons of Joseph and their descendants. For prophecy does not come to man by their own thoughts, or interpretations, but given to holy men of God who spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Pet. 1: 20-21), Jacob, once the supplanter, deceiver, Whose name was changed to Israel has God’s name (El), included in his new name given by God Himself, and with this name bares witness of the Holy Spirit in Israel. The Spirit of God who has guided him all his life now guides him in the blessings of Joseph and his sons Manasseh and Ephraim.

15.  And he blessed Joseph, and said:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     “God, before whom my fathers                                                                                                      Abraham and Isaac walked,                                                                                                              The God who has fed me all                                                                                                                   my life long to this day,                                                                                                      16.  The Angel who has redeemed                                                                                                          me from all evil,                                                                                                                                    Bless the lads;                                                                                                                                        Let my name be named upon them,                                                                                            And the name of my fathers                                                                                                            Abraham and Isaac;                                                                                                                              And let them grow into a                                                                                                                 multitude in the midst of                                                                                                                    the earth.”                                                                                                                                                            13:16; 26:24            

  In blessing Manasseh and Ephraim Jacob is also blessing Joseph by proxy. In the next chapter the blessings given in this chapter to the sons of Joseph are expounded in greater detail. Jacob calls out to the God of his fathers Abraham and Isaac, acknowledging that their God is his God, just as he promised many years ago to the Lord; that if He would be with him, clothe him, feed him, and protect him,   then the God of his fathers would be his God (Gen. 28:13; 20-21),
I have to go out of the box for a minute and share God’s presence here, right now this very moment: As I meditate on the verses above and the words from Genesis 28 20-21, Lauren Daigle’s song “Everything” is playing in the background, and it is so fitting, so much so that I felt God’s presence with me at this very moment, talking to me as only He can.   But I digress.                                   The Angel that redeemed Israel from all evil is none other than Jesus Christ. For God is the Almighty God, and not to ever be spoken of as anything lower than His divinity. even though the Father and the son are one, or as one if you will, Jesus always submitted to the will of God and pointed to the Father above him    ( Matt. 19:16-17; Luke. 22: 41-42).                                                                                                    “Let my name be named upon them,                                                                                            And the name of my fathers                                                                                                            Abraham and Isaac;”                                                                                                                   

  In this blessing to the the sons of Joseph (Guided by the Spirit), Israel declares that these sons would inherit all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when it comes to the birthright blessings of great wealth, the fruits of the land inheritance of milk and honey, protection from all enemies, blessings of the womb of many descendants numbering as the sands of the sea, authority over all the other nations of the world who will serve and bow down to them. These are the blessings that God promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob, (Gen. 22:17; 26: 3-4, 24; 27: 28-29;  28: 3-4, 14), Which Israel declares let my name be named upon them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.” The only blessing that is not given to Manasseh and Ephraim is that of the promised seed in which all nations would be blessed. That promise is reserved to Judah (Israel’s fourth born son of Jacob and Leah), as we will see in the blessings of Judah, and the rest of Israel’s sons in chapter forty nine. If we follow the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim, as recorded in the bible, we will see that they do in fact become greater than all the other sons of Israel, but they never reached their full blessings while living in the land of Canaan, (or Israel if you will). Neither sons descendants ever multiplied their seed throughout the midst of the earth, nor did all nations bow down to them or serve them, or did they possess all the gates of their enemies. This said, these blessings are meant not only for the time that they lived in the land of Canaan, and on the other side of the Jordan river, but also a much later fulfillment a few thousand years later up until the end of the age, and the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we follow the history of the descendants of the sons of Joseph we can see that this blessing has also been fulfilled through the two greatest countries the world has ever known: Great Britain, and the United States (which are the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim). I will discuss this history of the two sons of Joseph, and all sons of Israel in greater detail in my prophecy section of my web page (Which is a work in progress).

17.  Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head the Manasseh’s head.                                                                            18.  And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”                                                          v.14       

  Joseph had placed Manasseh to Jacobs right arm so that Israel would bless him with his right hand, and Ephraim being the younger son would be blessed with Israel s left hand. When blessings are given, it is the right hand which is used. the use of the right hand signifies the greater blessing when there are more than one person who is being blessed. This person will be blessed in riches, authority, the fruit of the womb, and of power and strength over the other. The right hand also represents strength and power.  (Gen. 48: 19-20; Exo. 15:6, 12; 1 kings. 2:19; Psalms. 16:8; 17:7; 18:35; 1 Pet. 3:21-22), Even as our Lord and savior sits at the right hand of God to this day. Seeing that his father placed his right hand on the younger son Joseph went to correct him, thinking that Israel was to blind to see where his hands were laid.

19.  But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”                                                                                                                                               25:23                   Israel was being guided by the Spirit of God who was showing him what would become of these two sons descendants, and by faith he blessed the lads according to the Spirit (Heb. 11: 21). The younger son Ephraim will one day become Great Britain who colonized most of the world and thus became a  multitude of nations. Manasseh’s descendants would become the United States, which has become a great people, founded on the Judeo Christian values. See The United States and Britain in bible Prophecy  published by the United church of God. for more understanding on how these two countries are the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh.

20.  So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.                                                                                                                                               

  In the beginning of this chapter the sons of Joseph were listed in order of the oldest first then the younger. But in the blessings Israel gave to the two lads he puts the younger (Ephraim), before his older brother Manasseh. 

21.  Then Israel said to Joseph, :Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.                                        28:15; 46:4                   

 In chapter forty seven Jacob makes Joseph swear to him that when he (Jacob), dies that Joseph will take him back to the land of Canaan and bury him with his fathers Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 47: 30-31), in Hebrews we are told that after Israel blesses the lads he leaned his head upon the top of his staff and he worshiped. In this worship (while still guided by the Spirit), Israel tells Joseph that God will be with him, and that one day he will be reunited with his fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In my opinion this is done to help comfort Joseph that he will one day be with his fathers, in the land of promise. Upon his own death bed, by faith, Joseph brought the descendants of Israel and took an oath to them saying,”  God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”(Gen. 50: 25; Exo. 13:19). In my humble opinion I believe this blessing of Joseph is a duel prophecy: In the resurrection the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will be resurrected in the land of promise, and Joseph will be reunited with his fathers, what a glorious! day that will be. 

22.  “Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of of the Amorite with my sword and bow.”

  Joseph received his land inheritance through his sons Manasseh and Ephraim, this is the double portion above his brothers that Israel spoke of. Ephraim would be the son that would inherit the land in which Jacob describes as being taken “from the hand of the Amorite.” Most Scholars agree the land Jacob is referring to is the parcel of land that Jacob purchased from Shechem (Gen. 33: 18-19) upon returning from Padan Aram after meeting his brother Esau and reconciling with him. However the full sentence, ” Took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and bow,” is not as conclusive amongst the commentators and scholars. Some say this is referring to the two sons of Jacob (Simeon, and Levi), when they killed all the males of Shechem and took all the cattle, and wealth, took captive the little ones and women with the sword by deception after their sister dinah was defiled by Shechem, son of Hamor (Gen. 34:26-29), but Jacob said it was taken by his sword and bow, not that of his sons. Another conjecture is that after Simeon and Levi killed the people of Shechem, all the people from around the country took the land back from Israel, and Jacob had to fight them off. However this cannot be so either because it is written that the terror of God fell upon all the land around the area and they did not pursue Jacob (Gen. 35:5). I myself lean towards the argument that Israel is speaking about the time his two sons Levi and Simeon killed all the male and their cattle, and took the women captive. Even though Israel had no part in the slaughter, it’s as if he did because it was his flesh and blood who committed this act, Israel being the patriarch is responsible for the acts of his sons and therefore is to blame as well. I would venture to guess that all the surrounding peoples and cities looked towards Israel and not his sons as the aggressor. 

1. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. v. 34; 4

Anyone who walks after the Spirit and not of the flesh, Jesus(God) finds no guilt in them. Because We no longer want to walk in the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:19-23).

2. But the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

The Spirit of Jesus that dwells inside me, sets me free from penalty of death for my sins (According to the law).

3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; Acts. 13:39

The law could not bring eternal life because of the weakness of flesh and it’s lusts. However God sent His only son (Who was spirit), in the flesh with all it’s sin, but not in the sinful nature like we are. He took our place for the penalty of sin (Which is death), therefore sin cannot kill us according to the law of the Spirit.

4. That the righteousness requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The righteous part of the law; that is, the law that gives us eternal life when we live our lives according to the Spirit and not the flesh, is fulfilled in us, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

5. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Gal. 5:22-25

Those that seek the flesh (Sin), obey that which is of the flesh. Those that seek the Spirit obey that which is of the Spirit. (Gal 5:10-21).

6. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Gal. 6:8

Those that are of the flesh and are worldly, will surely die. If the Spirit dwells in you, You will have everlasting life of serenity and harmony.

7. because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be. 1 Cor. 2:14; James 4:4

Because the carnal mind is an enemy of God, and hostile towards Him, for it is not under the authority of God’s law, and cannot be under His authority.

8. So then they who are in the flesh cannot please God. Heb. 11:6

God is not happy with those who live a life in sin. (Flesh equals sin), And they cannot please God.

9. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

If you truly have the Spirit of God dwelling in you then you cannot have the sinful flesh dwelling in you. If you don’t have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in you then the Spirit of God does not dwell in you. God’s spirit and Jesus’s Spirit are one in the same.

10. And if Christ is in you, indeed the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

If Christ is in you then you are without sin. This means the sinful lusts of the flesh no longer lives in you. If you are living in a just and holy manner, then the Spirit exist inside you, and you will have eternal life.

11. But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you. 1 Cor. 6:14

If the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then the Spirit of God who raised Jesus up from the dead, He will also raise you up from the dead, through the Spirit of God that is inside of you.

12. Therefore, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 6:7, 14

Therefore we don’t owe anything to the sinful flesh, because we don’t live our lives according to the sinful flesh. But according to the Spirit.

13. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. Gal. 6:8

If you live in sin you will surely die. But if you live according to the Spirit, then you cease to do the things of the sinful flesh, and will have everlasting life.

14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Those who are influenced by and follow God’s Spirit are the children of God, and He becomes our Father Just as Jesus Christ is also His child.

15. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father! Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:5

The Spirit you received is not one that you should be afraid of. You received the Spirit of acceptance into God’s family, who now I can call Him Father (Dad, Daddy).

16. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Eph. 1:13

God’s Spirit is a testimony that our Spirit comes from God, making us His children.

17. And if we are children, then we are heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; so that if we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified together. Eph. 1:14; Phil. 1:29

Since we are God’s children we will inherit everything from God just like Jesus has. So if we grieve with Jesus Christ, we can also be glorified together with Jesus.

18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us.

The pain that I will experience in this life are minuscule compared to how I will be glorified.

19. For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.

We that were created are anxiously awaiting for the sons of God to be revealed.

20. For the creation was not willingly subjected to vanity, but because of Him who subjected it on hope

21. that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 2 Cor. 3:17

God would not make the world subject to be cursed forever because of the sin of man, but gave it hope that it would be restored.

That we would overcome our slavery to the sinful flesh, and become glorified children of God.

22. And we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.

Everything that God created moans, and is physically worn as a woman who is going through childbirth. We do this as if we are one with each other until this present time.

23. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body.

Not only does the whole world moan with great expectations, of what they will become after death, but us who have the Spirit of God, groan quietly, anxiously awaiting within ourselves to be delivered from this sinful body of the flesh after death, to become children of God as Spirit bodies (1 Co 15:42-49).

24. For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what anyone sees, why does he also hope for it? Heb. 11:1

25. But if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience. 5:2, 3

Hope and faith go hand in hand, We have faith in God’s word that we are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, and therefore we hope for a better future of a life eternal, without the pains and struggles we go through in the present age. If we were already in this present stage then there would be no need for hope, why should we hope for something we already have? So we patiently wait for the kingdom of God to come, and the better days that lie ahead.

26. Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

In the same manner we are saved in the same hope and faith that the Holy Spirit will strengthen us in our weakness. when we pray to God and don’t know what to say, or how we should talk to God, The Spirit takes over and speaks for us. The Spirit will put it in our minds what we should say, when we have no words to describe what is on our minds.

27. And He searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. v. 34; Heb. 7:25

God knows the hearts of men, and what is on our minds. Because the Spirit is of God, they are in agreement with each other. when the Spirit speaks on our behalf in our prayers, we are actually praying the Way God wants us to pray and we to are in agreement with God. Therefore it is God who is helping us to pray (Making intercession).

28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

We know that everything that happens to us (Good and bad), are working together for our good if we truly love God, and have answered God’s calling through our commitment we make at baptism. This has been Gods plan all along.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers. 11:2; Eph. 1:4, 5

God knew Jesus before He came to the earth in the flesh. God had determined at creation that Jesus would come to earth in the flesh to become his firstborn son of the flesh, to overcome sin in the flesh, and be a big brother to all of us who symbolically joined Him in likeness in our baptism (John. 1:1-14).

30. But whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, those He also justified. And whom He justified, these He also glorified. 1 Pt. 2:9; 3:9

Us who were created in His likeness and in His image, God determined that we who answered his calling (The gospel message), and believe in Jesus for salvation, would be justified (Forgiven), from our sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and we who are justified (Forgiven), thru His blood would also be glorified just as Jesus was glorified and sits at His right hand to the day, we to will be with God the Father in heaven forever.

31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Num. 14:9

So what conclusion should we draw to all that we just read? With God forgiven us for all our sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, who can condemn us? No one!

32. Truly He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 4:25

God who did not hold back His only son, yet sacrificed Him on the cross to free us from our sins, and the death penalty of sin according to Gods law. how can we conceive that He should not give us all things freely through Jesus Christ?

33. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 11:5; 1 Thess. 1:4

Who can condemn us who believe? No one! It is God, and God alone who forgives us for our sins.

34. Who is he condemning? It is Christ who has died, but rather also who is raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Heb. 1:3; 7:25

Who is God condemning then? God condemns sin through Jesus Christ in His death. Sin was symbolically put to death when Christ died for our sins. Yet God also raised him from death, conquering death, and the penalty for sin.

35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36. As it is written: Ps. 44:22

“For Your sake we are killed all

day long: We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Nothing of the flesh, or of this world can separate us from the love of Christ. Just as Christ was persecuted to, so we, who are followers of Christ will be persecuted for our belief in Him.

37. But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us. 1 Cor. 15:57

38. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39. nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In addition to overcoming all things of the flesh and of the world, through His spirit, there is nothing that has ever been created, or will be created that can keep us from the love that God has for us. God revealed His love for us by sacrificing His only son on the cross for our sins (John 3:16-18).

1. Or are you ignorant, brothers; for I speak to those who know the Law; that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?                                               

 Paul is speaking to the church, and also to those who know the law (Jews),       

2. For the married woman was bound by law to the living husband. But if the husband is dead, she is set free from the law of her husband. 1 Cor. 7:39             

  The term law shows that it offers condition for binding (chained to), A woman cannot marry another man as long as her husband is alive (According to the law). When her husband does she is no longer bound to the marriage covenant with her husband                                                                                                               

3. So then if, while her husband lives, she is married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress by becoming another man’s wife. Matt. 5:32; 19:3-9; 1 Cor. 7:39

  There were women who would go around and marry other men while she is still married to her real husband, this makes her an adulteress. When her husband dies she is set free from the law and is no longer an adulteress if she marries another man. Death is taken here in the literal sense (Not meaning dead in Christ, but physically dead), this being the case; in order to not be considered an adulteress she must wait for her husband to die before she can re-marry.                                                                                                                             

4. So, my brothers, you also have become dead to the law by the body of Christ so that you should be married to Another, even to Him raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit to God. 4:25

  We are dead to the law because Christ has come and died. He has taken the penalty of death for all of us. Thru Jesus’s death and resurrection we are now free from being accused of adultery if we re-marry. And if we are baptized we now have the fruit of everlasting life instead of death. Paul uses an example of a married woman’s release from any lawful claim to her by her husband once he is dead. His death releases her from that marriage. By comparison, he explains that “you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ …” (Romans 7:4). Notice that Paul does not say that the law is dead. Rather, we become dead to the law (the penalty for sin is death according to the law), on repentance. That is, the law’s claim on our life as the penalty for breaking it is considered met through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death in our place. Paul’s point is that, like the woman released from the specific law binding her to her former husband, we through Jesus’ death may be released from the law’s specific requirement of death for past sins. As a response to our baptism “we should bear fruit to God,” in contrast to bearing “fruit to death” (Romans 7:4-5).

5. For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sin worked in our members through the law to bring forth fruit to death.

  The relationship you have with the world ends with death, the law provides a path for understanding the law is not was causes death, it is giving you guidance so that you can have life. When we were dead in Christ, (Meaning we didn’t have Christ Jesus living in us, or the Spirit), the law revealed to us the sinful nature of the flesh, which brought forth bad fruit that we may die.

6. But now we having been set free from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter. 2:29; 2 Cor. 3:6

  The old us verses the new us, free from the penalty of law, because that penalty leads to death. Now that the Spirit dwells in us we are no longer held captive by the flesh, and from it’s condemnation of death for our past sins. for the flesh is now dead in us, and the Spirit now lives in us, so we can now resist the temptation to sin, and overpower the weakness of our fleshly nature through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Let it not be said! But I did not know sin except through the law. For also I did not know lust except the law said, You shall not lust. 3:20; Ex. 20:17

The law itself is sinless. If it weren’t for the law we would not know good from evil. The law is a guide of right from wrong. Without the law we would not know sin. The penalty for sin is death.

8. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, worked in me all kinds of lust. For apart from law, sin was dead. 4:15

  I didn’t understand what I was doing was bad, until the law revealed sin was bad. the law didn’t kill me, it showed what did kill me (SIN). The commandment made it possible for sin to reveal itself to me, and manifest the evil desires of the flesh, The law defines sin, for without the law there is no sin.

9. For I was alive without the law once. But when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

  Paul is saying I learned that if I keep sinning that only death would come. Before there was the law I was alive, because I didn’t know sin. Once I was told, “Thou shalt not” sin came into being and I was dead (The penalty for sin is death), in the flesh, or if you will? The carnal mind.

10. And the commandment, which was to life, was found to be death to me.                18:5

  And thus. the commandment, which was, designed to give life through the keeping of it. I found to be unto death through breaking it.

11. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.

  The law gives me an understanding of what I am to keep, despite the fact that I’m heading to death, but Christ took that penalty of death to Him. Before the commandment (The law), came, my sinful nature thought sin wasn’t bad (I was deceived),I had no conscience of good and bad. Therefore I was dead because The penalty for sin is death.

12. So indeed the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Ps. 19:8

  The law and the commandment are both sacred, deserving deep respect. And the commandment is fair, Righteous, pure and honorable. The law is just and good.

Rom 7:13 Then has that which is good become death to me? Let it not be! But sin, that it might appear to be sin, working death in me by that which is good; in order that sin might become exceedingly sinful by the commandment.

That what is good does not bring about death. Whereas the commandment makes sin more sinful. The more I look into Gods law I understand, the more I understand it the more I am able to do what is right, the better life I have.

14. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 6:16

The word law means the Mosaic law (Gods law), Paul describes it as a downward pull (That which holds us prisoner), the law is spiritual. The law is of the Spirit, and we are of the flesh, subject to sin.

15. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for what I will to do, that I do not practice, but what I hate, that I do. Gal. 5:17

  Our human tendencies never go away even after baptism, this will go on until we die.The things that I do The carnal mind does not comprehend, the things that I want to do, I do not do, The things that I hate to do (according to the Spirit), are the things that I do.

16. If then I do that which I do not desire, I consent to the law that it is good.

  When I do the things I do not desire to do, it is the law that gives me the desire to not do these things.

17. But now it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

  It is not the Spirit that makes me do wrong, but the flesh (Carnal mind), inside me.

18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing. For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I do not find. Gen. 6:5; 8:21

  For if you are led by the spirit you are not under the penalty of the law, which is death. Nothing good can come from my flesh that is inside me, the flesh does not recognize what is good, or knows how to do good. The sinful things I desire are inside me.

Gal 5:19 The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: committing sexual sin, being morally bad, doing all kinds of shameful things,                                         Gal 5:20 worshiping false gods, taking part in witchcraft, hating people, causing trouble, being jealous, angry or selfish, causing people to argue and divide into separate groups,                                                                                            Gal 5:21 being filled with envy, getting drunk, having wild parties, and doing other things like this. I warn you now as I warned you before: The people who do these things will not have a part in God’s kingdom.

19. For the good things I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I do. v. 15

  The good things that I want to do (According to the Spirit) I do not do them, but all the evil things I do not want to do, are the things I do.

20. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. v. 17

  If I do the things that I know I shouldn’t do (According to the Spirit), it is because of the sin nature (The Flesh) that dwells inside me. And not the Spirit.

21. I find then a law: when I will to do the right, evil is present with me.

  When I want to do good, there is this law that says to do good. but evil is there with me (in the flesh), at the same time.

22. For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man; Ps. 1:2

  I am pleased in my inner self that wants to do good according to the law of God.

23. but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin being in my members. 6:13; 19; Gal. 5:17

  There is also another law of the flesh that is at war with my spirit. This law is leading me to be a prisoner of sin, which is of the flesh and not the spirit.

24. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 1 Cor. 15:51, 52

  I am one miserable person, because I am giving it everything that I have but I am still succumbing to the sinful desires. I am so afflicted with these thoughts it brings me pain, whom can I turn to, to release me from this sinful body that leads to death? It is through the blood of Jesus Christ that saves me from my wretched self.

Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

I thank God for the gift of Jesus Christ. I consciously serve Gods law through His spirit, but my flesh still serves the law of sin. It is through the blood of Jesus Christ that saves me from my wretched self.

1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? V. 15; 3:8

Since, the more we sin the more God’s grace grows, does this mean that we should sin even more and more so that Grace can grow in us?

2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

God would not allow such thoughts. How can we keep living a sinful life if we symbolically put to death the old man of sin in our baptism.

3. Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Gal. 3:27, Col. 2:12

When we are fully submerged in the water in our baptism, we are symbolically dying with Christ at His crucifixion, who also killed sin in His death.

4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

In conclusion, we symbolically put the old man of sin in the grave. And Just as God raised up Jesus from the dead into His glorified spiritual body, then we who died with Christ in our baptism should also walk in the spirit of obedience to God’s law of righteousness.

5.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Phil. 3:10

As we were symbolically buried together with Christ like He was, then just as He rose from the dead, we should to will one day be raised from the dead in a spiritual body as Christ was.

6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Gal. 2:20; 5:24; 6:14

Having this knowledge that the old man of sin was put to death just as Christ was killed on the cross. Our fleshly body of sin could be killed. Then we should no longer be a slave to sin.

7. For he that is dead is freed from sin. 1 Pet. 4:1

We, who symbolically died with Christ at our baptism were freed from the death penalty (According to God’s law), of sin.

8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 2 Tim. 2:11

9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. Rev. 1:18

When we get baptized we believe that just as the old man of sin was symbolically put to death (As Christ killed sin in the flesh), we know also that as Christ was raised from death (Defeating sin), That we to are free from the death penalty of sin according to the law of God. And we to will be raised from the dead at the resurrection.

10. For the death that he died, he die to sin once for all; but the life that he lives he lives to God.

When Jesus died He died only once for sin, but now He lives with God, and sits at His right hand to this day and forever more.

11. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. v. 2; 7:4,6

So to we should consider ourselves to be dead to the sin nature in
Spirit, but alive to God s Spirit through the death of Jesus Christ.

12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Ps. 19:13

Do not let sin rule over your fleshly body so much so, that you become a slave to sin, and all the lustful desires of the flesh.

13. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 7:5; 12:1

Do not let your fleshly body be used to commit everything that goes against the will of God and His righteousness, but offer up your body to God as a person who is alive from the death penalty of sin, and live your life according to the will of God.

14. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 10:4; Gal. 3:13; 5:18

You are not under the death penalty for your sins, according to the law of God, because, Through the kindness of God, who sent His only son to take my place for my sins, and died for my sins.

Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. v.1; 7:7

Just because God showed His kindness to us by sacrificing His only son for me, does not give me the liberty (Freedom) to keep on sinning.

16. Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness. 2 Pet. 2:19

If you decide to obey the lusts of the flesh, and willfully keep sinning, then you are in essence a slave to sin, which will only bring death to you, but if you obey God’s the Laws of God then you become a slave to righteousness (Obeying God s law), and this gives you eternal life.

17. But God be thanked that though you were the slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 2 Tim. 1:13

–Even though I was once a slave to sin and the death penalty that it brought, I thank God that through His Spirit I now obey His laws, and I am now free from the penalty of death through my sins, past, present and future.

18. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. John. 8:32

Since I am free from the penalty of death for my sins (According to God’s law), I am now obedient to the law of God and His righteousness.

19. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as have presented your members servants as slaves of uncleanness and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

Because of the weakness of my flesh, I had given my body to practice all that is unclean and sinful. In the same way I gave myself to sin, I should now give my life over to doing what is right according to the law of God, and become Holy; as God is holy.

20. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. v. 11; John 8:34

When I obeyed the lust of the flesh to sin, I was unable to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now

ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 1:32; 7:5

Did any good come from being slaves to sin which made me ashamed of doing those things? For all those sinful things only brought me eternal death according to the law of God.

22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Now that I am free from the death penalty of being sinful, and have become obedient servants to God, I am bearing good fruit which produces holiness and in turn gives me everlasting life.

23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Eph. 2:8,9

According to the law of God; the penalty for sin is death eternal, but through God’s grace I have eternal life through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

                                                       Genesis chapter 47

1.  Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.”  46:28                                 2.  And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.      Acts 7:13                                                                                                                     

   Joseph appears to the Pharaoh first, ahead of his own father and his family. he Lets the Pharaoh know that they are already in the land of Goshen, for the Pharaoh told Joseph earlier that he would give them the good of the land; At this time Goshen was the best of the land, so this is where Joseph took them in hopes that the Pharaoh would let them stay there, but he still needs the Pharaoh s approval. Goshen is located in the Northeastern nile delta area of Egypt, it was also known as “The Land of Rameses” this was a very fertile land perfect for crops and livestock. We do not know what brothers Joseph presented to the Pharaoh, but they are to be representatives of the family, so one would assume that they were the brothers who could best represent the family in a good light to the Pharaoh. 

3.  Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh,”Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers”                                                                                                                         46:33, 34                                            4.  And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”     

  Just as Joseph suspected the Pharaoh inquires of the brothers  of their occupation, and the brothers answer as Joseph instructed them, albeit not word for word (Gen. 46: 33,34), and they ask for the Pharaohs permission to live in the land of Goshen.  Joseph has yet to present his father Jacob to the Pharaoh.                                                                                                                                                           

5.  Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you.                                                                                                                                       6.  “The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.”       

   Pharaoh Accepts the brothers request to live in Goshen. He even says to the brothers, “The land of Egypt is before you” as if to say if you like you may settle wherever you want in Egypt  not just Goshen. Again, as Joseph the Pharaoh tells Joseph if any of his brothers are competent, that he should put them in charge of his Livestock.  Now the Pharaoh did not live in Goshen, I say this because we keep seeing that Joseph, the Pharaoh, and even the brothers all keep saying, “in the land of Goshen” speaking of a region of Egypt they were not in at this time. If they were in Goshen while being presented to the Pharaoh, they would have said something like we are here in Goshen, or just we are already here in Goshen.  If Joseph had made some of his family administrators over the Pharaohs livestock this would have separated them from the family, and fearfully from the Almighty God of their forefathers eventually. This said, in my opinion Joseph did not make any of his brothers chief herdsmen over the Pharaohs livestock.                                                                                                                                                                 

7.  Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.                                                                                                                               

    the Patriarch of the family is now being presented to the Pharaoh. These two men are probably the most important men in Joseph’s life up to this point. Pharaoh cannot replace Joseph s true father, but he has been the only father like figure in his life for the past twenty two years. these two probably have great respect for one another at this time: Since the Pharaoh described Joseph as a man who has the spirit of God, with wisdom that surpasses all the wisest in Egypt (Gen. 41:39), he must esteem Jacob to have this same spirit of God in him. Jacob on the other hand looks to the Pharaoh with great appreciation that God would put such a man of all people (The king/ God of Egypt), to watch over his son all these years. We read that Jacob blesses the Pharaoh, but does not tell us how he blessed him: “And without all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.” (Heb. 7:7), by all accounts such blessing as this would seem disrespectful to someone like the Pharaoh who is considered a god to his people, but because of who his son is, and because the Pharaoh looks upon Jacob and Joseph as men who have the Spirit of God with them this blessing would be appropriate. As we read the account of Jacob s death in chapter fifty, we see there was a great mourning for him, not only by all his descendants but also by the people of Egypt. The Egyptians mourned Jacob s death for seventy days, and then afterwards The Pharaoh himself sends elders of not only his house but of all of Egypt with Joseph and his family to the land of Canaan to bury his father. Moses writes (Inspired by God),  The mourning was a great and very sore lamentation  the people of canaan described it as a “grievous mourning to the Egyptians.” Think not that the blessing Jacob gives to Pharaoh is received with distaste or disregard, on the contrary it is received  with honor and respect.

8.  Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”                                                                      9.  And Jacob said to Pharaoh, ” The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”                                                           25:7; 35:28                    10. So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.  v.7                     

  “Few and evil have been the days of my life,” Jacob s grandfather Abraham lived to the ripe old age of one hundred and seventy five years, and Jacob’s Father Isaac lived to one hundred eighty years old. Jacob has not reached the age of his fathers, and the years of his life  have been filled with evil for the most part. Some of the evil he has brought on himself, from the stealing of the birthright of his brother Esau thru trickery and deceit, to also deceiving his own father in his old age; this time to steal the blessings of  his brother Esau from their father Isaac (Gen 25: 29-34, 27:1-36). Then Evil was brought up Jacob by his mom s brother: Laban the Syrian, who gave Jacob a taste of his own medicine, in which he tricked Jacob through deception, for the marriage of his daughter Rachel (the woman he loved the most), Jacob ended up spending twenty years of his life serving Laban the Syrian because of his love for Rachel, when he should have only served Laban seven years for her hand in marriage (Gen. 29:18-25, 31: 38-41). Then there was the evil that was brought upon him by his own sons, Rueben his firstborn who defiled his bed by sleeping with Jacob’s concubine Bilhah (Gen. 35:22), His next two oldest sons brought shame upon the name of Israel by their own deceit, and the blood which they spilled, once again through trickery and deceit, by the killing of Hamor, and his son Shechem (Gen. 34: 25, 26, 30), Jacob had to flee the land for fear that his whole family would be killed because of the actions of Simeon and Levi. Then, finally, probably the worst deceit his sons could have done to their father: The selling of Joseph to the Midianites because of their jealousy of their brother, and then telling their father Jacob that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast. Yes, few and evil have been the days of Jacob’s life, yet thru it all God was with him every step of the way, encouraging him, protecting him, blessing him with all he had, and all the while humbling him. It is when we are humbled before God that He can truly work with us. Humility is the beginning of building a relationship with our Creator God, in the depths of our humility, when we have nowhere, or no one to turn to, we will come to God in that humility with an obedient heart, ready to succumb to His will. when we search out His will, we start to understand who He is. In this understanding our faith grows stronger every day, knowing that He will be there for us thru thick and thin, He will never forsake us, He is always near, even though we cant see Him, He watches over us from above, leading us into the light of truth, sincerity, and love, for He is Love, His whole being His existence is Love. Jacob once made a promise to the Lord, that if He would feed, clothe, protect him, and return him to his father in peace, then the Lord would be his God (Gen. 28:20, 21), The Lord never answered Jacob that night, but He did all that Jacob asked, yet it wasn’t until God humbled Jacob to the point that he was willing to obey Him, that he became a servant of God and a follower. And at the resurrection God will say to Jacob, and to all His children, “Welcome child, thy true and faithful servant, come into the kingdom, and I will give you rest.” 

11.  And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.                                                                                                                                     12.  Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families.                           

    God sent Joseph ahead of Israel so that he could prepare a place for them, for this particular moment in time to preserve and save their lives (Gen. 45:5-7), Thus saith the Lord, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2, 3), Joseph being a type of Jesus has prepared a place for his people, and will be the provider of the bread of life, in this temporary place for which they are strangers in a land that is not theirs, but the bread Joseph offers can only sustain man for a little while, for “as it is appointed to men once to die,” (Heb 9:27), and not of the spirit, but a foreshadow of better things to come: The One whom the Father will send down from Heaven, this will be the bread of life, and whoever eats of this bread will never die, but have everlasting life ( John. 6:50, 51), and He will take us (His elect). out of this world in which we are strangers in, and we will be with Him and the Father in a place that was prepared for us by the Lamb of God, no longer a stranger, but like a child at home.

13.  Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine.                                                                                                                            41:30, 54, 57                   14.  And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land in Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.        41:56                                                                         

   By this time the famine has been in the land for at least five years, with two years left before the end of the seven year famine. If we read the following verses 15-19 we are told that the first year after the money ran out, they came back the second year (The sixth year), and sold all their livestock. At the end of that year is when Joseph bought up all the land of Egypt, moved the people into the cities, and gave them seed to sow the fields. So the famine had to be coming into the end of its seven years, otherwise they would not be able to sow seed for the harvest.

15.  So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.”                                                                          16.  Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.”                                                                                                  17.  So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.                                                                                                                                                                                 

   Verse fifteen tells us that when all the money in Egypt and Canaan the Egyptians came to Joseph. There is no mention that the Canaanites also came to Joseph. the reason for this is because the Canaanites do not fit the narrative of the biblical story when it does not relate to the nation of Israel, and the people therein. The bible (God’s word), is a story about the promised seed in which all nations of the earth are blessed, which began in the garden when God told Satan that Eve’s seed would bruise his head (satan), and he would bruise his heel (Meaning Jesus s heel), This is the final time we see mention of the Canaanites during the time of famine. Only the Egyptians give their livestock to Joseph in exchange for bread. As far as Joseph taking the livestock of the Egyptians in exchange for bread on the surface appears to be very draconian, but as we go deeper into our understanding as to why Joseph dealt with the Egyptians the way he did, we see that his intention was to preserve life, just as he understood why he was sold into slavery to begin with (Gen. 45:5): The Egyptians were told of the famine that was to come to the land after the seven years of plenty, and Joseph advised them to store up enough bread during the seven years of plenty to sustain them during the seven years of famine. As we read here the people either did not store up enough bread due to mismanagement, or because they did not take Joseph and the Pharaoh seriously. If they had they wouldn’t have to come to him now for bread. understanding this, he knew that the people would not take care of the livestock and hoard the bread for themselves. Then when the famine ended they would have no livestock to till the land, fertilize it, or transport the harvest. And since Joseph comes from a family whose livelihood is raising livestock, they have the expertise and enough people to take care of such an enormous task of tending to all the livestock of Egypt, besides their own livestock. And remember the Pharaoh told Joseph that if there were any in his family that were capable, to put them in charge of his own livestock (Gen. 47:6), I am reminded of the account of Jacob himself; how he made his father in law Laban profit tremendously when he took care of his sheep, and when he a separated his sheep and goats from Laban’s sheeps and goats, and his flocks doubled in size and were without blemish (Gen. 30:27-30, 35-43), this same man raised his children and taught them all he knew about the life of a shepherd. 

 18.  When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands.                                                                                                                                   19.  “Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land?  Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.  43:8                     

  Another year has passed since the Egyptians sold all their cattle to Joseph for the Pharaoh. We are now in the final year of the famine, and the Egyptians ask Joseph to give them seed that they may live and not die. There would be no need to ask for seed to grow crops unless the time of the famine is coming to an end, and the rains will return to irrigate the land. The Egyptians have run out of money, and livestock to purchase bread from Joseph, so they offer all they have left: their land and their own bodies for a years worth of food. 

20.  Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh’s                                                                                                                          21.  And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end.                                                                                           22.  only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands.    Ezra 7:24                                               

  Joseph  buys the land and the people, which became Pharaoh’s. What Joseph does with the people is to move them out of the countryside and into the cities. If the people are gathered closer together it will be easier to take care of and manage them since all the grain that is stored up is in the cities. Notice the priests of Egypt have never come to Joseph for bread during the whole famine. The religion of the Egyptians during this time were a  precursor to the Levitical preisthood in many ways. According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia  The Pharaoh himself  is considered a god and a  high priest to all the gods of Egypt, and part of his duties were to build temples for the many gods the Egyptians worshipped, he would decide how the priest were to worship this god or that god with their rituals and ceremonies. The priests sole duty was to carry out the many daily activities of caring for the temple, in rituals, ceremonies, cleansing of the gods, changing and purifying the clothes of the god, This according to the Albany institute of history and art.  Because of this the priest were allotted their rations of food by the Pharaoh, and they in a sense did not own the land because the land was used to build a temple for their gods.

23.  Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.       24.  “And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one fifth to Pharaoh. Four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.”                                 25.  So they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, as we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”                                                                               26.  And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s                                                                                                                         

  It appears that before the famine the people of Egypt owned their land outright (probably thru inheritance), the priest also had their own lands as well as did the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh however did allot the priest their portion of food for their service to the temples. Up until Joseph s time there seems to be no kind of taxation levied upon the Egyptians that was paid to the Pharaoh or the priest.  Joseph did not forcibly take the lands from the people, nor did he put them in bondage as slaves. The Egyptians offered sell themselves as servants not subjects, And their land willingly for food. After the famine ended Joseph let the people move back to their lands only asking that one fifth of their harvest be given to Pharaoh, and they were able to keep the other four fifths for themselves and their family. In my opinion Joseph is fair and just in the way he treated the Egyptians throughout this time of famine. We never see mentioned that the people of Egypt felt they were treated badly by Joseph, on the contrary they praised him for saving their lives, and by all accounts he was well loved by the Egyptians. Just look at how they paid respect to Jacob upon his death in 
Egypt, this is a testament to how much Joseph meant to the people of Egypt.

27.  So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly.                                            28.  And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years.  vv. 8, 9                                        29.  When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,                                                                                                      24:2; 49:29-32                    30.  “but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.”                                31.  Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.  

  Joseph took great care of his father, and brothers and all their children, and their children’s children. It is never mentioned that they ever had to sell their livestock or property or anything to survive the famine, or even to give a fifth of their harvest to the Pharaoh after the famine. Joseph holds no grudges upon his brothers for how they treated him when he was younger, he saw the remorse in their hearts when he tested them when they would come and buy food from him when they didn’t know who he was. If he ever had any bitterness towards his brothers I  think Judah’s plea to him, (not knowing who Joseph was), showed great remorse on Judah s part, and overhearing the brothers speak amongst themselves, how they were saying that God was punishing them for what they did to Joseph, displayed that ever since they sold their brother into slavery haunted them the whole time leading up to the famine Gen. 42: 21-23, 44:16-34). In verse twenty nine when Jacob’s time to die drew near he states to Joseph, “If I have found favor in your sight’ put your hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truly with me’ and bury me in the burial place of my fathers.” after Joseph swore this we read in verse thirty one that Jacob bowed himself at the head of the bed, leading me to believe that this was the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream back when he was seventeen that Jacob would bow to Joseph(Gen. 37:9,10). Jacob was one hundred thirty seven years old when he entered into Egypt. He lived in Egypt for seventeen years until his death. 

 1. So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 26:24, 25                                               2. Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.”                                                                                                              3. So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. Deut. 26:5                                            4. “I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again: and Joseph will put his hands on your eyes” 50:1                       

    Beer-sheba has much significance in the lives of the patriarchs; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham made a covenant with king Abimelech. In this covenant Abraham gave king Abimelech seven ewe lambs as a witness that he dug the well (Which was the contention for the reason of making the covenant), and Abraham named the place Beer-sheba (H844), (which lies in the Negev desert). After this Abraham planted a tree there and called on the Lord. (Gen. 21:28-33) Later on when  Abraham  willingly  obeyed God to offer up his only son Isaac (That of his and Sarah s), to the Lord,  God  blessed Abraham, that He would multiply his seed as much as the sands of the seashore, and of his seed the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 22:16-18), After these blessing Abraham returned to his men, and together they went to Beer-sheba, and Abraham lived there. (Gen 22:19). After Abraham died the Philistines covered all the wells in the area that he had dug during his lifetime. Isaac had many contentions with king Abimelech because he had grown mighty so Isaac moved on to Gerar, where again he had contentions with the  herdsmen of Gerar over the wells which Abraham first dug, and then Isaac reopened. After Isaac dug a well that he had no contentions with, he went to Beer-sheba, and on the first night there the Lord appeared to him and reaffirmed the covenant He made with his father Abraham: Blessing him saying He will multiply his seed for His servants Abraham’s sake (Gen. 24:25), So Isaac built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and he dug a well in Beer-sheba and Isaac named the well Shebah Meaning Oath and or seven (H7656)  which is why the city is called Beer-sheba to this day. Both Abraham and Isaac named the city Beer-Sheba after their covenants with King Abimelech of Gerar. And now,  before Jacob went into Egypt he went to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifices to the Lord, and the Lord appeared to him in a vision; just as He did years earlier to his father Isaac. assuring him not to fear going into Egypt because He would be with him, make of him a great nation (Just as the Lord promised Isaac), in which He would multiply his seed for Abraham’s sake. During the time of the patriarchs it appears to me that Beer-sheba was “THE” place of worship to the one true God. eventually though we know that Gods temple would be in Jerusalem (Beginning with the time of King David), where He would be, and will always be worshipped from now till forever and evermore.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                5. Then Jacob arose from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.                                                                                                                                              6. So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants went with him. 15:13                                                                                                                                                          7. His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt. Ex. 1:1-5                                   

  After awakening from his visions Jacob his family, and his extended family begin their journey to Egypt. Being assured by God about his fate and that of his descendants, he journeys to Egypt to once again embrace his long lost son Joseph whom he thought was dead. two generations of Jacob’s descendants goes down to Egypt with him to make a great nation; as God promised him. by the time his descendants leave Egypt we see that this small group of people had grown tremendously to 600,000 men apart from the little ones,not including the women (Exo. 12:37). The promise of making a great nation goes all the way back to the patriarch Abraham, who never saw this promise fulfilled, and neither will Jacob, but by faith they believed and journeyed on seeing the promise afar off (Heb. 11:13). We who are of the faith, and joint heirs in the promise,  too must confess that we are also strangers in a strange land, and a strange world, knowing that the land of milk and honey may not come in our lifetime, but at God’s appointed time. So we keep faith and hope alive just as the patriarchs, and through our Lord Jesus Christ who says “follow me” you will have treasures in heaven (Mark. 10:21, Luke. 9:23). 

8. Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s first born. 29:32                                                         9.The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.                                             

(H7205)
ראוּבן
re’ûbên
BDB Definition:
Reuben = “behold a son”
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Reuben
3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben                                            

(H2585)
חנוך
chănôk
BDB Definition:
Hanoch = “dedicated”
5) the eldest son of Reuben (noun proper masculine)

(H6396)
פּלּוּא
pallû’
BDB Definition:
Pallu or Phallu = “distinguished”
1) the 2nd son of Reuben, father of Eliab, and progenitor of a family of Israel

(H2696)
חצרון
chetsrôn
BDB Definition:
Hezron = “surrounded by a wall”
1) a son of Reuben (noun proper masculine)

(H3756)
כּרמי
karmı̂y
BDB Definition:
Carmi = “my vineyard”
1) the 4th son of Reuben and progenitor of the Carmites

  Verses eight thru twenty seven list the sons of Jacob and their sons. Interestingly in verse eight it say, ” Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons,” The only commentary I found referring to this is “Gill’s Exposition Of the Entire Bible: which reads as such:

  Not meaning precisely Jacob’s seed and offspring, but the body of the people of Israel, as they were when they went into Egypt, including Jacob himself.                                                                                                                                           

  I would add to his commentary that when we see Israel mentioned instead of Jacob; the scriptures are usually referring to the nation of Israel but not always, and not the man Jacob. The sons of Jacob in verse eight refer to only his sons. Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob through his first wife Leah (the oldest of the two daughters of Laban the Syrian (Gen. 29: 16,32; 35:23),  Reuben had a total of four sons who went into Egypt as part of the nation of Israel: God told Jacob He would make a great nation while they are in Egypt in verse three of this chapter. Hanoch is the eldest of the four sons and Carmi is the youngest. Reuben lost his birthright of the firstborn male in whom the seed which all nations would be blessed through our Lord Jesus Christ, because he laid with his father Jacob s concubine Bilhah and defiled his father’s bed. (Gen. 35:22; 49:4).

10. The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.                                                                                           

(H8095)
שׁמעון
shim‛ôn
BDB Definition:
Simeon or Shimeon = “heard”
1) the 2nd son of Jacob by his wife Leah and progenitor of the tribe of Simeon

(H3223)
ימוּאל
yemû’êl
BDB Definition:
Jemuel = “day of God”
1) the eldest son of Simeon

(H3226)
ימין
yâmı̂yn
BDB Definition:
Jamin = “right hand”
1) the 2nd son of Simeon; founder of the family of Jaminites

(H161)
אהד
‘ôhad
BDB Definition:
Ohad = “united”
1) son of Simeon and grandson of Jacob

(H3199)
יכין
yâkı̂yn
BDB Definition:
Jachin = “He will establish”
1) the 4th son of Simeon and founder of the family of Jachinites (noun proper masculine)

(H6714)
צחר
tsôchar
BDB Definition:
Zohar = “tawny”
3) one of the sons of Simeon; also ‘Zerah’

(H7586)
שׁאוּל
shâ’ûl
BDB Definition:
Saul or Shaul = “desired”
3) a son of Simeon

Simeon was the second son of Jacob, born by his wife Leah. Simeon had five sons that came with him and Jacob into the land of Egypt from his wife whose name is not mentioned. However Simeon had a sixth son (Shual), who also went into Egypt as the nation of Israel, but Shual is mentioned as 
“The son of a Canaanite woman” which tells me he did not come from the same mother as the rest of his step-brothers did. Simeon, being the second born son of Leah should have had the birthright blessing handed down to him because of Reuben s sin, but he to was not found worthy because he had blood on his hands by the sword. Simeon and his younger brother Levi deceived King Hamor, his son Shechem, and all the men of the kingdom and slew all the males by the sword to avenge their sister Dinah (Gen. 35: 14-16, 25, 26), In my opinion it is because of this act  why he to could not carry on the birthright blessings of the promised seed. Jacob even speaks of this bloody act when he calls all his sons together to bless them and tell them of their individual fates in the last days (Gen. 49: 5-7).

Adam Clarke s commentary:                                                                                                 It was diabolical in Jacob’s sons to slay a whole tribe for the offense of one man, and especially as that one had offered to make all the restitution in his power. They required that Hamor, Shechem, and all their subjects should be circumcised before they could conscientiously consent to give their sister to Shechem in marriage. This required conformity was made the cloak of the most base and infamous designs. The simple unsuspecting Shechemites agreed to the proposal; and when rendered by this religious rite incapable of defending themselves, they were basely murdered by Simeon and Levi, and their city destroyed. Jacob, to his great honor, remonstrated against this barbarous and bloody act, committed apparently under the sanction of religion; and God showed his abhorrence of it by directing the patriarch, in his dying moments, to proscribe them from the blessings of the covenant, so that they barely retained a name among the tribes of Israel, being in general small, and ever disreputable, except merely in the service of the sanctuary, in which Levi was employed.

  It is mentioned that Shaul is the son of a Canaanite woman. there are many theories as to why this is mentioned in verse ten. but they are just theories. It is never explained in the Scriptures why this is mentioned. One theory is that shaul is Jacob’s grandson; the son of Dinah who was defiled by Shechem. The Jewish Midrash (which is basically Jewish myth), says that when Simeon came to take Dinah back, she made him marry her because she was pregnant with Shechems son. Because Dinah was already married to Shechem is why she is considered a Canaanite woman. In my opinion, by definition this would not be incest as long as they do not ever lay with one another and nowhere in scriptures do we see this mentioned either. the scriptures say that Simeon and Levi killed Hamor (Shechem s father), and they and took Dinah out of Shechems house. The Midrash says that it was Simeon who killed Shechem, since the Midrash is myth I cannot agree with their theory here, I must go by the scriptures (which I believed to be God breathed), and the only true source of information. Nowhere in the scriptures does it ever say that Simeon is the one who killed Shechem. So, in my humble opinion, It does make sense that Simeon (Being the oldest of the two brothers), would be responsible for Dinah, and the bringing up of her son if indeed she was with child at the time her husband Shechem was killed. There is now law as to the brothers responsibility in this instance, The only law is about two brothers dwelling together and one dies leaving his wife without child and what the responsibility is of the brother who is alive (Deut. 25:6), Which is detailed in the book of Ruth. I want to emphasize again that all this is theory and myth, the scriptures do not explain what is meant, “Shaul the son of a canaanite woman” Simeon is the Second born son of Jacob by his wife Leah. Because of his murderous act, he to is passed over to have the birthright blessing of the seed in which all nations of the earth would be blessed. 

11. The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 29:34                             

(H3878)
לוי
lêvı̂y
BDB Definition:
Levi = “joined to”
1) the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites

(H1648)
גּרשׁום / גּרשׁון
gêreshôn / gêreshôm
BDB Definition:
Gershon or Gershom = “exile”
1) firstborn son of Levi born before Jacob’s family went to Egypt

(H6955)
קהת
qehâth
BDB Definition:
Kohath = “assembly”
1) the 2nd of the 3 sons of Levi and progenitor of a family in the tribe of Levi

(H4847)
מררי
merârı̂y
BDB Definition:
Merari = “bitter”
1) the 3rd son of Levi and head of a Levitical family

 Levi was the third born son of Jacob by his wife Leah. Levi had three sons that came with him and Jacob into the land of Egypt. It is thru him where the levitical priesthood is formed starting with Aaron, brother of Moses. once again he to is passed over to have the birthright blessing of the promised seed thru which all nations of the earth would be blessed, because of his participation with his brother Simeon in the killing of Shechem and his father king Hamor. Levi had three sons of the nation of Israel who went into Egypt with Jacob.

12. The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (But Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 29:35; 38:3-10                                                                                                             

(H3063)
יהוּדה
yehûdâh
BDB Definition:
Judah = “praised”
1) the son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob
3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah

(H6147)
ער
‛êr
BDB Definition:
Er = “awake”
1) the eldest son of Judah
2) son of Shelah and grandson of Judah

(H209)
אונן
‘ônân
BDB Definition:
Onan = “strong”
1) second son of Judah, slain by God for not fulfilling the levitical requirement to beget a child with the wife of a dead, childless brother

(H7956)
שׁלה
shêlâh
BDB Definition:
Shelah = “a petition”
1) the youngest son of Judah

(H6557)
פּרץ
perets
BDB Definition:
Perez or Pharez = “breach”
1) twin son with Zarah of Judah by Tamar and ancestor of two families of Judah, the Hezronites and Hamulites; from the Hezronites came the royal line of David and Christ.

(H2696)
חצרון
chetsrôn
BDB Definition:
Hezron = “surrounded by a wall”
1) a son of Reuben (noun proper masculine)
2) a son of Pharez and grandson of Judah (noun proper masculine)
3) a place in the extreme south of Judah (noun proper locative)

  Judah is the fourth son of Jacob born of Leah his first wife, oldest daughter of Laban the Syrian. Judah had three sons that came with him and Jacob into Egypt. It is thru Judah s seed in which all the nations of the earth will be blessed (Gen. 49:10). Perez is the fourth son of Judah, and It is thru his seed  that all nations of the earth will be blessed. Just as Judah was the fourth born of Jacob, Perez is also the fourth son of Judah. Er who was the first born son of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord and God killed him (Gen. 38:7), And so the seed should have been passed onto Judah’s second born Onan, Onan was to marry Er’s wife Tamar but he refused to plant his seed in her and the Lord killed him as well (Gen. 38: 8,9), Judah promised Tamar that when his youngest son Shelah would be of age that he would give him to her in order to pass on the seed of his brother Er, but when that time came Judah forgot that promise, and Tamar grew weary so she plotted against Judah to have him plant his seed into her unbeknownst to Judah. Tamar had twin sons Perez and Zerah (Gen. 38: 11-30), Perez came out first so the promised seed in which all nations of the earth would be blessed was passed onto him. Perez’s Son Hezron is the one whom the promised seed would be handed down to. Scriptures do not say if Hezron was Perez’s first born or second. 

13. The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. 30:18                   

(H3485)
ישּׂשׂכר
yiśśâśkâr
BDB Definition:
Issachar = “there is recompense”
1) the 9th son of Jacob and the 5th by Leah his first wife and the progenitor of a tribe by his name (noun proper masculine)                                                                          2) a Korahite Levite and the 7th son of Obed-edom and doorkeeper to the temple n pr coll                                                                                                                                    3) the tribe descended from Issachar the son of Jacob (noun proper collective)

(H8439)
תּולע
tôlâ‛
BDB Definition:
Tola = “worm”
1) the 1st born of Issachar and progenitor of the family of Tolaites

(H6312)
פּוּה / פּוּאה
pû’âh / pûvvâh
BDB Definition:
Puah or Pua or Phuvah = “splendid”
1) son of Issachar
1a) also ‘Pua’ and ‘Phuvah’

(H3102)
יוב
yôb
BDB Definition:
Job = “persecuted”
1) the 3rd son of Issachar also called ‘Jashub’

(H8110)
שׁמרון
shimrôn
BDB Definition:
Shimron = “watch-height”
1) 4th son of Issachar and the progenitor of the family of Shimronites (noun proper masculine)

  Issachar is the ninth son of Jacob born of Leah his first wife.  Issachar had four sons that came with him and Jacob into Egypt. Issachar son Job is not the same Job as in the book of Job. We are told in the book of Job that he was a perfect and upright man who lived in the land of Uz, which is located in southern Iraq (Job. 1:1). Also the Strongs and BDB # for Job is different from the Son of Issachar:      (H347)
איּוב
‘ı̂yôb
BDB Definition:
Job = “hated”
1) a patriarch, the subject of the book of Job

14. The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 30:20                               1

(H2074)
זבוּלן / זבלוּן / זבוּלוּן
zebûlûn / zebûlûn
BDB Definition:
Zebulun = “exalted”
1) the 10th of the sons of Jacob, 6th and last of Leah; progenitor of Zebulun (noun proper masculine)
2) the tribe descended from Zebulun (noun proper masculine)
3) the land allocated to the tribe of Zebulun (noun proper locative)

(H5624)
סרד
sered
BDB Definition:
Sered = “fear”
1) the 1st son of Zebulun

(H356)
אילן / אלון / אילון
‘êlôn / ‘êylôn
BDB Definition:
Elon = “terebinth, mighty”
2) second son of Zebulun

(H3177)
יחלאל
yachle’êl
BDB Definition:
Jahleel = “God waits”
1) the 3rd of the 3 sons of Zebulun; founder of the family of the Jahleelites

  Zebulun is the tenth son of Jacob s and the  sixth and last son born from his wife Leah. He had three sons that went with him and Jacob into the land of Egypt.

15. These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram,with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters were thirty three. 35:23                                                                                                         

  (H3812)
לאה
lê’âh
BDB Definition:
Leah = “weary”
1) daughter of Laban, first wife of Jacob, and mother of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah

 If you count all the sons of leah, and their sons, along with Dinah you only come to thirty two people. The last and final person who is not listed here is the daughter of Levi, Jochebed. she was conceived in Canaan but born in Egypt (Num. 26:59), in Rabbi Rashi’s commentary  on this verse he describes Jochebed as being born “Between the Walls,” Meaning that Jochebed was conceived in Canaan but was born in Egypt. 

Rabbi Rashi:                                                                                                                                      thirty-three: But if you count them individually, you find only thirty-two. This [missing one] is Jochebed, who was born between the walls when they entered the city, as it is said: “whom she bore to Levi in Egypt” (Num. 26:59). Her birth was in Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt. 

  This has great significance to me, as it should to all in this modern day. You see, since God counts Jochebed as one who entered into Egypt with Jacob and his family, then it is more proof that life begins before birth. Although Jochebed was still in the womb God sees her as a living, breathing being, worthy of being counted with the living  ( Isaiah. 49:1, Jer. 1:5). One more note here;  is this the Jochebed who is the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam? We don’t know the age of Jochebed was when she gave birth to Moses, so it is hard to determine. If so this would make it hard for this man to determine and prove that the Hebrews were afflicted for the 400 years God told Abraham that his descendants would be in that strange land and be afflicted. (Gen 15:13)

(H3115)
יוכבד
yôkebed
BDB Definition:
Jochebed = “Jehovah is glory”
1) the daughter of Levi, wife and at the same time aunt of Amram, and the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam

16. The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 30:11                                                                                                                                               

(H1410)
גּד
gâd
BDB Definition:
Gad = “troop”
1) seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and full brother of Asher.
2) the tribe descended from Gad

(H6837)
צפיון
tsiphyôn
BDB Definition:
Ziphion = “lookout”
1) a son of Gad and progenitor of the family of Zephonites
1a) also ‘Zephon’

(H2291)
חגּי
chaggı̂y
BDB Definition:
Haggi = “festive”
1) second son of Gad (noun proper masculine)
2) descendants of Haggi, a Gadite (adjective)

(H7764)
שׁוּני
shûnı̂y
BDB Definition:
Shuni = “fortunate”
1) son of Gad and progenitor of the family of Shunites

(H675)
אצבּן / אצבּון
‘etsbôn
BDB Definition:
Ezbon = “hasting to discern: I will be enlargement”
1) a son of Gad

(H6179)
ערי
‛êrı̂y
BDB Definition:
Eri = “watchful”
1) son of Gad and progenitor of the family of Erites

(H722)
ארודי
‘ărôdı̂y
BDB Definition:
Arodi or Arodites = “I shall subdue: I shall roam”
1) descendants of Arod

(H692)
אראלי
‘ar’êlı̂y
BDB Definition:
Areli = “lion of God”
1) a son of Gad
2) those of the family of Areli (paternal adjective – Arelites)

    Gad is the seventh son of Jacob, The firstborn son of Zilpah (Leah’s handmaid), Gad had seven sons that went into Egypt with him and Jacob.

17. The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister, and the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. 30:13                             

(H836)
אשׁר
‘âshêr
BDB Definition:
Asher = “happy”
1) son of Jacob and Zilpah
2) the tribe descended from Asher

(H3232)
ימנה
yimnâh
BDB Definition:
Imna or Imnah or Jimnah = “right hand”
1) the 1st born son of Asher (noun proper masculine)

(H3438)
ישׁוה
yishvâh
BDB Definition:
Ishuai or Isuah = “he will resemble”
1) the 2nd son of Asher

(H3440)
ישׁוי
yishvı̂y
BDB Definition:
Ishui or Ishuai or Isui or Jesui = “he resembles me”
2) the 3rd son of Asher and founder of the family of Ishuaites

(H1283)
בּריעה
berı̂y‛âh
BDB Definition:
Beriah = “with a friend”
1) a son of Asher

(H8294)
שׂרח
śerach
BDB Definition:
Serah = “the prince breathed”
1) daughter of Asher
1a) also ‘Sarah’

(H2268)
חבר
cheber
BDB Definition:
Heber = “comrade”
2) grandson of Asher from whom came the Heberites

(H4439)
מלכּיאל
malkı̂y’êl
BDB Definition:
Malchiel = “my king is God”
1) the son of Beriah and grandson of Asher

  Asher is Jacob’s eighth son and the second son of Zilpah (Leah s handmaid), Asher had a total of four sons, one daughter, and two grandsons that came with him and Jacob into Egypt.

18. These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons                                                             

  Leah gave Zilpah to Jacob as his wife, to bare him more sons when she could no longer concieve children to him. Zilpah was giving to Jacob as his wife after Rachel (the wife who Jacob loved the most), gave her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob to be his wife and she bore Jacob two sons. Leah also Gave Zilpah to Jacob as his wife in the hopes that Jacob would finally love her the way he loved Rachel (Leah s sister), and hopefully even more so. 

19. The sons of Rachel, Jacobs wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. 35:24              20. And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of on, bore to him.           41: 50-52                                                                                                                                         

   (H7354)
רחל
râchêl
BDB Definition:
Rachel = “ewe”
1) daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin         The same as (H7353); Rachel, a wife of Jacob: – Rachel.

(H3130)
יוסף
yôsêph
BDB Definition:
Joseph = “Jehovah has added”
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel                                                                                 Future of (H3254); let him add (or perhaps simply active participle adding)

(H621)
אסנת
‘âsnath
BDB Definition:
Asenath = “belonging to the goddess Neith”
1) the wife of Joseph

(H4519)
מנשּׁה
menashsheh
BDB Definition:
Manasseh = “causing to forget”
1) the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh
1a) the tribe descended from Manasseh
1b) the territory occupied by the tribe of Manasseh

(H669)
אפרים
‘ephrayim
BDB Definition:
Ephraim = “double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful”
1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh
2) the tribe, Ephraim
3) the mountain country of Ephraim
4) sometimes used name for the northern kingdom (Hosea or Isaiah)
5) a city near Baal-hazor
6) a chief gate of Jerusalem

  Scriptures say Jacob loved Joseph more than all his children because “he was the son of his old age” (Gen. 37:3), in my opinion I would like to add that because Joseph was the firstborn son of Rachel (whom he loved more than all his wives), was another reason why he loved Joseph more than the other children. When Jacob was nearing his death he honored his son Joseph with great blessing upon his sons Manasseh and Ephraim. Jacob said, “Let my name be on them”(Gen 48:16). I will go more into greater detail what this means in my commentary on Genesis chapter 48:16.

21. The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard,                                                                                 

(H1144)
בּנימין
binyâmı̂yn
BDB Definition:
Benjamin = “son of the right hand”
1) Jacob’s and Rachel’s youngest son, Joseph’s full brother

(H1106)
בּלע
bela‛
BDB Definition:
Bela = “destruction”
2) first son of Benjamin (noun proper masculine)

(H1071)
בּכר
beker
BDB Definition:
Becher = “young camel”
2) a son of Benjamin

(H788)
אשׁבּל
‘ashbêl
BDB Definition:
Ashbel = “a man in God: a man of Baal: fire of Bel: I will make a path”
1) second son of Benjamin

(H1617)
גּרא
gêrâ’
BDB Definition:
Gera = “a grain”
1) a son of Benjamin
2) a son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin
3) any member of the Gera family of the Benjamite tribe

(H5283)
נעמן
na‛ămân
BDB Definition:
Naaman = “pleasantness”
1) son of Bela of the family of Benjamin; he was among the family of Jacob that went down to Egypt

(H278)
אחי
‘êchı̂y
BDB Definition:
Ehi = “my brother”
1) son of Benjamin

(H7220)
ראשׁ
rô’sh
BDB Definition:
Rosh = “head”
1) a son of Benjamin

(H4649)
מפּים
mûppı̂ym
BDB Definition:
Muppim = “serpent”
1) a Benjamite and one of the 14 descendants of Rachel who belonged to the original colony of the sons of Jacob in Egypt
1a) also ‘Shupham’

(H2650)
חפּים
chûppı̂ym
BDB Definition:
Huppim = “protected”
1) the head of a Benjamite family

(H714)
ארדּ
‘ard
BDB Definition:
Ard = “I shall subdue”
1) son of Benjamin
2) grandson of Benjamin

   Benjamin was the second born of Rachel, and last son of hers and Jacobs. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. she originally name him Benoni, meaning son of my sorrow:

(H1126)
בּן־אוני
beṅ’ônı̂y
BDB Definition:
Ben-oni = “son of my sorrow”
1) the name given to Benjamin by Rachel

  But that only reminded Jacob of the tragedy that happened at the birth of Benjamin, so Jacob renamed him Benjamin (Son of my right hand). He had ten sons that went into Egypt with him and Jacob. However it must be explained that not all the ten sons were Benjamins direct descendant only three were. if we notice the BDB definitions of these sons some were his grandsons. In first chronicles 7:6 we see that only Bela, Becher, and Jediael, are listed as his sons (1 chr 7:6), Jediael could  also be the name of Ashbel:

(H3043)
ידיעאל
yedı̂y‛ă’̂ êl
BDB Definition:
Jediael = “God makes known”
1) a chief patriarch of the tribe of Benjamin; maybe the same as ‘Ashbel’

  When we look at the BDB definition of Ard we see that he is defined as  1) son of Benjamin, 2) grandson of Benjamin. And in Numbers 26:6 he is described as a son of Bela and family group of the Ardites. Huppim is only defined as the head of a Benjamite family, and Muppim is defined as also being known as Shupham and as one of the 14 descendants of Rachel who belonged to the original colony of the sons of Jacob in Egypt. neither of these two men are defined as direct descendants of Benjamin. Rosh is defined as “a son of Benjamin,” yet he is not listed in numbers 26:38-41 or in  1 Chronicles 7:6-12 as  a son, grandson or descendants of Benjamin ( 1 chr 7:6-12). Ehi is defined as “Son of Benjamin.” and like Rosh he is not listed in numbers 26:38-41, or 1 chronicles 7:6-12. Naaman is defined as “son of Bela of the family of Benjamin; he was among the family of Jacob that went down to Egypt” and in numbers 26:6 he is described as a family group of the Naamanites. however Naaman is not described in 1 chronicles 7:6-12 as a son of Bela. Gera is defined as  1) a son of Benjamin, 2) a son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin. In both numbers 26:38-41, and 1 Chronicles 7:6-12 Gera is not listed as either a son of Bela or of any family group of Bela. Ashbel is defined as the second son of Benjamin. He is also listed in Numbers 26: 38 as the family group from the tribe of Benjamin, of the Ashbelites. in 1 Chronicles 7:6 we see a man by the name of Jediael who is defined as maybe being the same as Ashbel (H3043). Becher is defined as a son of Benjamin. In Numbers 26:38-41 Becher is not counted in the census of men, yet in 1 chronicles 7:6 he is listed as a son of Benjamin by the name of Becker. And finally Bela is defined as the firstborn son of Benjamin who is counted in the census in Numbers 26:38, and as a son of Benjamin in            1 Chronicles 7:6. This makes no sense at all for the most part as to who were the direct sons of Benjamin, and who were his grandsons.  Adam Clarke’s commentary I think sums it up the best:

  The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher and Jediael – In Gen_46:21, ten sons of Benjamin are reckoned; viz., Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Eri, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. In Num.26:38, etc., five sons only of Benjamin are mentioned, Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shupham, and Hupham: and Ard and Naaman are there said to be the sons of Bela; consequently grandsons of Benjamin. In the beginning of the following chapter, five sons of Benjamin are mentioned, viz., Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, Nohah, and Rapha; where also Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, a second Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram, are all represented as grandsons, not sons, of Benjamin: hence we see that in many cases grandsons are called sons, and both are often confounded in the genealogical tables. To attempt to reconcile such discrepancies would be a task as endless as it would be useless. The Rabbins say that Ezra, who wrote this book, did not know whether some of these were sons or grandsons; and they intimate also that the tables from which he copied were often defective, and here we must leave all such matters.

   I would like to insert my opinion here in regards to the three sons Rosh, Ehi, and Gera, and why they might not be listed in either Numbers or one Chronicles. Maybe while they were in Egypt they started to worship the gods of Egypt so bad, that they were too far gone in their walk with God that He removed their names and all their descendants from the nation of Israel, so that there were no descendants left to be counted or even mentioned as sons of Benjamin. This would not be the only time where we have seen God do this ( 1 Sam 2:31, 34,  Ezek 13:9).  

22. These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all.                                                                                                                                             

  As explained in Adam Clarke’s commentary above, grandsons are counted as sons we see this in the account with Rachel’s own father Laban the Syrian who considered the sons of Rachel and Jacobs as his own sons (Gen. 31:26-28).

23. The son of Dan was Hushim.                                                                                      24. The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.                      25. These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all.                                                     

(H1835)
דּן
dân
BDB Definition:
Dan = “a judge”
1) the 5th son of Jacob, the 1st of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid (noun proper masculine)
2) the tribe descended from Dan, the son of Jacob (noun proper masculine)
3) a city in Dan, the most northern landmark of Palestine (noun proper locative)

H2366
חשׁם / חשׁים / חוּשׁים
chûshı̂ym / chûshim
BDB Definition:
Hushim = “who makes haste”
3) descendants of Dan (noun proper masculine)

(H5321)
נפתּלי
naphtâlı̂y
BDB Definition:
Naphtali = “wrestling”
1) the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel (noun proper masculine)
2) the tribe descended from Naphtali the son of Jacob (noun proper masculine)
3) the territory assigned to the tribe of Naphtali (noun proper locative)

(H3183)
יחצאל
yachtse’êl
BDB Definition:
Jahzeel = “God divides”
1) the 1st of the 4 sons of Naphtali and founder of the family of Jahzeelites

(H1476)
גּוּני
gûnı̂y
BDB Definition:
Guni = “my defender (?)”
1) a son of Naphtali and founder of the family of Gunites

(H3337)
יצר
yêtser
BDB Definition:
Jezer = “forming”
1) the 3rd son of Naphtali and the founder of the family of Jezerites

(H8006)
שׁלּם
shillêm
BDB Definition:
Shillem = “repaid”
1) son of Naphtali

 Bilhah was Rachel’s handmaid whom her father Laban the Syrian gave to her. Rachel Gave Bilhah to Jacob as his wife so she could bear him children that Rachel had not been able to do up to that time. Rachel said, “she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.” she was jealous that her sister Leah had already bore Jacob four sons of her own (Gen. 30: 1-3), Bilhah had a second son and Rachel  named him Naphtali. Rachel’s Handmaid Bilhah had two sons, and five grandsons  in all that came into Egypt with Jacob. 

26. All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all.                                              27. And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy. Ex. 1:1-5                                                                                                                                               

  If you count all the sons of Leah, and their sons, along with Dinah you only come to thirty two people, then Jochebed who was conceived in Canaan but was born between the walls (Ref. vs. 15 commentary) makes thirty three. these were the literal bloodline children of Leah. Leah’s Handmaid Zilpah had a total of sixteen persons from her bloodline that came into Egypt. Then we have Rachel who brought fourteen persons of her bloodline that came with her into Egypt. And finally Rachel’s handmaid Bilhah brought a total of seven persons of her bloodline that came down into Egypt with her. this comes to a total of seventy. According to Rabbi Rashi Jochebed, Joseph, his sons Manasseh and Ephraim are excluded in this verse.                                                 

  Rabbi Rashi:                                                                                                                                            All the souls coming…with Jacob: Who left the land of Canaan to come to Egypt. Now this [word] הַבָּאָה (To come) is not the past tense but the present tense, similar to “In the evening she would come (בָאָה)” (Esther 2:14), and like “and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming (בָּאָה) with the sheep” (Gen. 29:6). Therefore, its accent is below (i.e., at the end of the word), on the “aleph,” because when they left to come from the land of Canaan, they were only 66 [excluding Jochebed, Joseph, and his two sons]. The second [instance of הַבָּאָה, however,]“all the souls of the house of Jacob who came (הַבָּאָה) to Egypt were seventy,” is in the past tense; therefore, its accent is above (i.e., on an earlier syllable), on the “Beth,” because when they came there they were seventy, for there they found Joseph and his two sons, and Jochebed was added to them between the walls.

28. Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen. 47:1                                 

   Judah, the one from whom the promised seed in which all nations would be blessed goes ahead of Israel to prepare the way to Goshen (the land of plenty), during this time. The Pharaoh himself tells Joseph to take his family to Goshen “the best of the land” in all of Egypt (Gen 47:6). In my opinion we have the symbolic figures of The Pharaoh, who was God like in his time, Judah; the one in whom the promised seed will come from, and Joseph the Type of Jesus are foreshadowing things to come. Sidebar here (I am in no way trying to put The Pharaoh on Equal footing as the Great Creator God of the universe, the sun, moon and stars, and of all living kind), I am trying to look at this verse in a spiritual aspect, and a foreshadow of things to come. Another sidebar here I have to make mention: When I do my studies I always have what to me is spiritual music playing on low volume, and the song that just started is ”             A Home On The Meadow“, from the movie “How The West Was Won” if you know the song or listen to the lyrics you will see how profound it is to hear this at this moment. To me It is living proof that God exist and He is speaking to me, leading me in this study. It’s another one of those moments in my studies that I feel God’s presence and it is an awesome! feeling. I had to stop and just listen and take it in….. So Joseph has become like a son to Pharaoh. We can go back to Genesis chapter forty one to see the Pedestal that the Pharaoh set Joseph on (Gen. 41:39-44), Pharaoh being god like Sets Joseph on his second chariot, might I suggest he rides on the right hand of the Pharaoh (Just as Jesus Sits on the right hand of God to this day), Joseph rides through Egypt with the people crying “Bow The Knee”….. “Hosanna the most highest” (Matt 21:9.15, Mark 11:9,10; John 12:13). Judah, foreshadowing things to come; “the lion’s whelp,”(Gen. 49:9), goes ahead of Israel, and unto him to gather the people together “until Shiloh comes” (Gen. 49:10), to meet his Brother Joseph, symbolic of the Messiah, Who has gone before Israel to prepare a place for them; “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also.” (John. 14:2,3), Pharaoh being a father figure to Joseph is symbolic of Jesus saying “In my Father’s house” Who told Joseph to settle his people in the best of the land. 

29. So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.                                                                                                                          30. And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.”                                                                                                 

  It has been twenty one years since Joseph has seen his father. He is now thirty nine years old  and Jacob is one hundred and thirty years of age (Gen 47:9), The name Israel is used here and not Jacob. Israel (H3478)    BDB’s definition means “God prevails”, or the Strongs the definition is, “he will rule as God” Jacob’s first and real name is used in some verses and then at times he is introduced as Israel. As I have previously stated; the name Israel is used sometimes to distinguish between the nation of Israel, and the person Israel. In my opinion There has to be a spiritual aspect to the reason the name Israel is mentioned here: Joseph told his brothers once not to be grieved or angry with themselves for selling him into slavery because God sent him into Egypt to preserve their lives (Gen. 45: 5-8), And later on Joseph tells his brothers, ” you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50: 20), And God “has prevailed,” as He always will. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel meaning prevailer with God. Joseph came to Egypt first, as a type of first fruit of the Israeli nation, to preserve life for not only the nation of Israel, but the Egyptians, and the Canaanites (Gen. 47: 13,25).  Jesus Christ came as our first fruit, to preserve life for all the nations of the world, the only begotten Son of God the Father, in whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed, He sits at the right hand of God to this day and forevermore. When Joseph saw Israel his father he wept and now he is glorified with his father never to be separated again. Would it be a reach to compare Joseph with that of our Lord Jesus Christ (who was in the earth for three days separated from the Father), When he rose and was accepted by the Father, that he to embraced him and wept on his neck? When in the last hour of His life He cried out, ” Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? And he was elated to be with the Father once again. Joseph, being a type of the Lord had these same feelings, maybe there was a time when Joseph felt forsaken, if not by his father but by the nation of Israel (the sons of Israel), and they lived the remainder of their lives together on this earth, and will be together forevermore in the kingdom.

31. Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 47:1                                                    32. And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’ 47:3                                                                                                                                   

    Back in The previous chapter Joseph tells his brothers to bring his father, That they, there sons, and their sons, sons, their herds, and flocks, will dwell in the land of Goshen so that they will be near to him (Gen. 45: 9,10), Joseph has now lived in Egypt for over twenty years and he has become very familiar with their customs, and the ways of the Pharaoh. Joseph tells them that he will go speak with the Pharaoh and tell him that they are shepherds and their occupation is to tend to the all the livestock, which is what they truly are, but Joseph wants to emphasize to the Pharaoh so as let him know that his family has no other experience in other occupations for fear that if they had other experience in other fields the Pharaoh would take those with other experience away from the family to go and serve the Pharaoh elsewhere. this would in turn graft those Israelites into the ways of the Egyptians with all their forms of idol worship, and turn them away from the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As well will see in the next chapter the Pharaoh does say to Joseph that if there are any in his family who are of ability to make them administrators of his (Pharaoh s), livestock and all that is his (Gen. 47:6). Notice in verse thirty two Joseph says he will tell the Pharaoh that all they know is to tend to the livestock, feed them and nothing else. In my opinion the brothers of Joseph are just as educated as him in many things besides just tending to livestock. Remember when Joseph tells them of his dreams that they to had the gift from God of interpreting dreams (Gen. 37: 6-10), which is exactly how Joseph came to prominence in Egypt. If the Pharaoh new this undoubtedly he would take the brothers, place them in the priesthood of the Egyptians, and be taught all forms of Idol worship and everything else that is an abomination to God. As long as the house of Israel were close to Joseph, he could make sure that they would not be tempted by the pagan practices of the Egyptians; after all, he is second to Pharaoh, they have no choice but to bow to his authority, as well as making sure the Egyptians in his household would not tempt them either.

33. “So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 47:2, 3                                                                                                                                                      34. “That you shall say, “Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” 43:32; 47:3

   The Egyptians worshipped many gods, and animals such as sheep and oxen were sacred to the Egyptians. From previous experiences with the shepherds of Phoenicia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Syria, who had come into the land some couple hundred years earlier, knew that they sacrificed and ate certain animals the Egyptians held sacred. This is why shepherds were considered an abomination to the Egyptians (Exo. 8:25, 26).

Do This In Remembrance Of Me

   There is a man who is making a list and checking it twice,                             looking to see who has been naughty or nice.                                                   He is writing down those names in a book.. the book of life                               And whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do,                                         so that the Father may be glorified in the Son, He proclaimed.                         Don’t teach the children to ask the man in the suit,                                         teach them of the real Man who came for me and you.                                        He said to do this in remembrance of Him as broke the bread,                    and not His birthday as many have have been led.                                          The Father reveals to us His son,                                                                      revealed in His Holy days for each and every one.                                          These we should proclaim for the world to hear,                                              And as the Father commanded, “These are my Holy days,”                          you should celebrate them from year to year.                                                  Jesus is our Passover, and as He broke the bread,                                          “Do this in remembrance of me” is what He said.                                            Paul tells us, “To keep the Feast with sincerity and truth,                                    not with wickedness and malice,” that destroys the youth.                            The room was filled with the Holy Spirit for those who were lost,                this was giving to all on the day of Pentecost.                                                    He said I must go to My Father above,                                                                But when I do the comforter will come and you will know My love.        When I return the trumpet will sound for all to hear,                                    And the Dead in Christ will rise first when He appears.                                This is the Feast of Trumpets that God proclaimed,                                        “These are my Feast,’ the Feast of the Lord” for all to proclaim!                     not some tradition created by man,                                                                    But God’s Holy days revealing His plan.                                                        Satan will finally be cast away to that bottomless pit,                                    bearing the sins of the world that he alone deceived us all to commit.      This Feast of the Lord is called,”The Day of Atonement”                              Proclaim this Feast throughout the land,                                                          Shout it from the rooftops, “  satan has been cast away!’
Jesus has returned and He is here to stay”                                                         He will return first to rule and reign,                                                                  for a thousand years… God exclaims!                                                                      called The Feast of Tabernacles, a Holy day of the Lord.                                    A Holy convocation we should keep,                                                                  For seven days we should rejoice and be merry!                                              Those who hear His voice, these are His sheep.                                                His words are true and faithful, you can count on it,                                      and He is true and faithful to His word, this is His covenant.                        What about those who had never known the Lord since the time of Adam  until the Great White Throne Judgement day,                                                  God is love and He will not cast them away.                                                    They will rise at their appointed time for they are only asleep,                  their spirit has been with the Lord for Him to keep.                                    Waiting for their time to be given salvation,                                                      God is Love and He has not forgotten them.                                                      He wishes that none should perish,                                                                      Because each and everyone of them he has always cherished.                    This is a hard pill for most to swallow,                                                                but even the most wicked of the world Will be granted mercy,                      for God is Love if they would just repent,                                                              and accept Him…whom the Father had sent.                                                    The Eighth day, the last and final Feast,                                                    Fulfilling God’s plan for all,                                                                                    from the highest to the least.                                                                                These are the Holy Days which God proclaimed!                                                “The Feast of the Lord” who goes by many names.                                         They worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, asking a man in a red suit for things he has no power to give,          Instead of asking our Father in the name of Jesus…                                      The one who came and died, but now lives.

1  Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood before him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.                                                                        2  And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of the pharaoh heard it.          VV 14, 15; 42:24                                                                                                                                  3  Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.                                                                                                                                    43:27; acts 7:13               4  And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” So they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.                                                                                                                                  37:28; 39:1; Ps. 105:17                    5  “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.                                                                                                         

  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13), Jamieson Fausset Brown s commentary on Jesus’s words here in John, I believe portrays Judah’s love for his father and his brother Benjamin, so much so that Joseph himself feels Judah’s (Pain which he portrayed in the previous chapter), and cannot contain himself any longer. 

Jamieson Fausset Brown:                                                                                                                   The emphasis lies not on “friends,” but on “laying down his life” for them; that is, “One can show no greater regard for those dear to him than to give his life for them, and this is the love ye shall find in Me.”

   Joseph to shares this same affection for his father, Benjamin, and all his brothers. He cannot let this charade go on. This is a personal moment for Joseph and his brothers. He empties the room of everyone except for his brothers so he can reveal himself to them. Joseph cries out in front of his brothers  so loudly that it echoes throughout the whole house of Pharaoh for all to hear. “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” Joseph asks in agony! But his brothers are disturbed, maybe by unbelief that it is truly Joseph their brother whom they sold into slavery. So Joseph gathers them close to his bosom and comforts them so that they are not troubled by the events that are unfolding right before their eyes.                                                                                                                                                               It would be remiss of me not to comment on the more spiritual nature of these verses, and the foreshadowing of the coming Messiah and His relationship to Israel in His first coming, and yes even in the second coming. Just as Joseph’s  brothers do not recognize who he is, so to did the people of Israel (more importantly the Pharisees and Sadducees), not know that Jesus Christ was the one whom the prophets of old had spoken; of the coming Messiah whom God sent the first time to preserve life everlasting for them and all the nations of the earth. When Joseph ask his brothers to come near to him to comfort them I personally am reminded of Jesus crying out to Jerusalem: Jerusalem! Jerusalem! the one killing the prophets, and stoning those having been sent to her; how often I desired to gather your children in the way a hen gathers her brood under the wings, and you did not desire it. Joseph has probably been waiting a long time for this day to come. At least two years (When they first came during the famine), which would have been like a lifetime to him, or maybe even sooner, before he was sold into slavery and had those dreams long ago (Gen. 37:5, 9), back then he was like an outsider to them even though he was their half brother, but they were jealous of him because he was their fathers favorite. When Jesus returns the second time the whole house of Israel will mourn when the scales are lifted and their eyes are opened to the fact that they did indeed kill their Messiah in his first coming (Zech. 12:10-14; 13:6). Upon seeing Joseph the second time in as many years they have to be comforted by him because they feel grieved in their heart for what they had done to him years ago.

6  “For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.                         

  Two years have passed since the famine began. There has been either none, nor any sufficient amount of rain in which to prepare the soil for planting seed. This would now put Joseph at the age of thirty nine (Gen. 41:46), since the seven years of plenty have thus passed.

7  “And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.    v. 5; 50:20                                       

   Joseph was the deliverer for the nation of Israel, who brought them up from out of the land of Canaan and into Egypt during the great famine. Four hundred years later Moses would be the deliverer  who will take Israel out of the bondage of Egypt (Acts 7:35), and Jesus Christ is the long awaited deliverer in whom it was prophesied would save Israel and turn away all ungodliness from the house of Jacob (Is. 59:20,21;  Rom. 11:26). God Himself has always sent a deliverer to His people, and as Abraham said long ago to his son Isaac when he went to offer him up to God, “The Lord will provide for Himself a Sacrifice” For His name’s sake (Ps. 79:9; 106:7, 8;).

8  “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.                                                                                                                             

   It was during the time when Joseph interpreted the Pharaoh’s dreams correctly, that he was put in charge of all the household of the Pharaoh (Gen. 41: 39-44), This is what’s meant when Joseph says to his brothers that the Pharaoh made him father and lord of all his house, and ruler of all the land of Egypt.

9  “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph: God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry.        v. 26            10  “You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and herds, and all that you have.                                                                                                                                                        11  “There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”‘                                12  “And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you.     42:23                                                                             

    Joseph sends a message to his father thru the brothers to tell him he is alive and that God (the God of Abraham, Isaac and himself), has been with Joseph all this time, has blessed him tremendously in the land of Egypt, and made him ruler there. Joseph goes on to say to his father to come near to me and do not hesitate. again he says in his message to his father you shall be near me and you shall dwell in the land of Goshen. The Strongs number (H1657) and BDB definition for Goshen literally means drawing near. Then (In my opinion), Joseph’s message is now addressed to all of them beginning in verse ten. And it is an assurance to all of them that Joseph holds no ill will towards them, and has forgiven them for what they had done to him over twenty years ago. Even If verse ten is speaking to his father alone, then he is including his brothers to come and draw near him as well because in verse ten he states; “You, your children, your children’s children (which would include the brothers). Imagine the sigh of relief and the heavy burden that each and everyone of them have been carrying on their shoulders all theses years. “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). I like how the ISV bible reads, I believe it is fitting for the context here: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Another example of Joseph being a foreshadow of the coming Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. Continuing on in verse eleven Joseph says; “There (The land of Goshen), “I will provide for you” it would be remiss of me if I didn’t comment on these few words, it is from these words that have impacted me spiritually so much since I first truly understood the meaning behind them. It was approximately one hundred fifty years earlier that Josephs grandfather Abraham uttered these same words almost verbatim; as he went to offer up his son, his only son, of his wife Sarah, to Isaac when Isaac said; “My father!” Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham replied to the lad; “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” (Gen. 22:7,8), in this instance (As Joseph himself stated); “God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Verse five), “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Verse eight), The Lord sacrificed Joseph from his family so that he could provide for them, in this particular time of famine, and preserve their life for everlasting. (pick up at verse twelve on next study)

13  “So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down.”                                                  14  Then he fell on his brother benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.                                  vv. 2, 15                                                                                              15  Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.                                                                                                 

   Joseph has longed to see his father once more. there probably hasn’t been a day that passed in which he didn’t think about him. in the beginning of this chapter one of the first things he asks his brothers is if his father was still alive and well. By now Jacob is one hundred and thirty years old (Gen 47:9). Benjamin is Josephs only full brother, and the one he loved the most. So it is only fitting that he embraces him first. Afterwards Joseph kisses all his brothers and weeps over them. Just as Joseph embraces all his brothers under his arms it comes to mind when Jesus cried out to Jerusalem, and how he wanted to gather them together under his wings a a hen gathers her brood ( Mat 23:37, Luke 13:34),”O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not! ” Joseph has always loved his brothers and wanted to embrace them, even when they treated him as an outcast among them growing up.

16 Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.                              17  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load all your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan.                                                                    18  ‘Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. 27:28; 47:6    19  ‘ Now you are commanded-do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.                                                  20  ‘Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'”     

  In my opinion Joseph has become like a son to the Pharaoh. there was probably a time when Joseph told the Pharaoh about where he came from and his family back in Canaan, and Joseph might have expressed his sorrow about missing his father and brothers. This said, just as any father would grieve with their sons when they are sad, and rejoice with them when they are happy. The Pharaoh is happy for Joseph that his brothers have come to him. I can only imagine when the Pharaoh sees Joseph he sees a joy in his countenance that he has never before seen. He sees a man who has new life in him for the first time since he has been in Egypt. Undoubtedly, ever since his brothers first came to Egypt, Joseph hasn’t been the same person. He has probably been going over many scenarios in his head as to what to make of his brothers appearance, what to do about it, and how his father has been over the past 20 years. Joseph lives ! he has a new breath of life, and a purpose (That he will reveal to his brothers later on), as to why his life has gone the way it has. Joseph has done so much for the Pharaoh and his people, and now he wants to reward him for this. So he commands that Joseph bring his whole family into the land, and to take carts from Egypt to make the journey easier. twice he says “Bring your father” The children of Israel will live in the best lands of Egypt, and have the riches of Egypt in their hands. And I believe the Pharaoh too is excited about meeting the father of the one who saved Egypt from famine and destruction.                                            

 

21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.      46:5        22  He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.                                                                                                                                                                                            23  And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey.                                                                                                              24  So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”                                             

The Brothers of Joseph all received new clothing, as well as provisions, and donkeys to carry all the goods that the Pharaoh commanded Joseph to give them. But to Benjamin Joseph also gave three hundred pieces of silver, and not just one change of clothing but five. The reason for this is obvious: Benjamin was Joseph true brother, they shared the same Father and mother. All of Joseph s other brothers were only stepbrothers: born of the same father but different mothers. Joseph also sent plenty of provisions for his father (Jacob/Israel), for him and his family’s journey to Egypt. Now the last thing, and probably the most significant of these verses is Joseph’s instructions to his brother to not to be troubled along the way. There are many things the brothers could be troubled with: for one they could go back and forth with one another on how they each individually treated Joseph when they threw him in the well, and sold him off to the merchants as a slave. Rueben could try to justify himself because he was the only brother who told them not to kill Joseph;he was against this action, Rueben wanted to throw Joseph into a pit so that he could later on rescue him and return Joseph to his father (Gen 37:22), and Judah to could say to them; “All of you wanted to kill him even after Reuben said not to, Even after Reuben left you still wanted to kill him, but I rescued Joseph from your hands and convinced all of you to sell him to the Midianites.” And what would all the brothers response be to all that? “Both of your hands are not innocent because you still lied to our father about the fate of Joseph when we took his tunic back to him and said Joseph must have been killed by a wild beast (Gen 37:31-34). The only innocent one would be Benjamin, because he was not there when the brothers conspired against Joseph, And as the brothers argued among themselves Benjamin would have overheard this not knowing the true fate of his brother Joseph up until this time. The main reason for this discontent among the brothers would be their concern that these past sin would be revealed to their father Jacob, and how he would act towards them after discovering the deceit his sons pulled upon him. “Oh what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive.” Joseph knew the brothers would argue among themselves about who was guilty or innocent, and what would they tell their father upon returning to the land of Canaan? would they keep up with the deception, or would they come clean? And if they didn’t come clean would Joseph tell his father what the brothers did to him when he comes into Egypt? The scriptures do not tell us how Jacob finds out, but it does tell us that he did indeed discover the truth of what they had done to Joseph. We read in Genesis chapter fifty, after the death of Jacob, that the brothers sent a message to Joseph telling him that his father asked  Joseph to forgive them for their sins against him (Gen 50:16, 17). Now for the sake of my work  here I must add that in the Jewish bible (Rashis’s commentary says that Jacob never gave such a command and that the brothers altered the facts to save peace:

Rashi:  Your father commanded:                                                                                             They altered the facts for the sake of peace. Jacob gave no such command, since he did not suspect Joseph. — [From Yeb. 65b, Tanchuma Toledoth 1].

  None of the famous commentators have anything to say on the subject of whether or not Jacob discovered the truth about his sons. In my humble opinion; Jacob was a wise man of his age, even if he initially believed his sons at first, after finding out that Joseph was alive he had to have his suspicions, wouldn’t he have inquired to Joseph about what happened to him, how did he come to such prominence? Wouldn’t Jacob had said to him: But your brothers brought your tunic shredded, full of blood, I surely thought you were dead”and would Joseph lie to his father so save his brothers? I think Joseph, being Christ like would not have lied to his father for the sake of the brothers. Wouldn’t that be bearing false witness? I leave it to the reader to decide. 

25  Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father.                                                                                                                                       26  And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.                 v. 9                                                                                                                              27  But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.                                                                                                                        28  Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” 

Jacobs spirit has been grieving since he first saw the tunic he gave to Joseph, all torn to shreds, believing he has been dead all this time (Gen 37:35), It’s not until he sees all the carts full of supplies that his spirit is lifted again and he rejoices at the news. Jacob is now over one hundred years old, his body weak, but it won’t stop him from seeing his son once again before he dies.        

43

1  And he commanded the steward of his house saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack.                                                                                                                        2  “Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.                      v. 12; 42:25                                                                                                  3  As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.                                                                                                                                            4  When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?                                                                        5  ‘Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.'”                                             

  Once again I see Jesus Christ, the Passover, and the new covenant, symbolized by the cup that Joseph tells the steward of his house to put in Benjamin’s mouth sack. Not just verses 0ne thru five show the significance of the cup, and how it pertains to the future of the New Covenant, but the following verses speaks loudly of how we are to observe the New Covenant passover in a worthy manner. As I will explain in more detail in the verses to come when appropriate. Joseph here uses his silver cup as a tool in which to test his brothers, and see if they are truly remorseful for what they had done to him. By putting the cup in Benjamin’s sack; Being the only surviving son of Jacob and his wife Rachel (as far as Jacob and his brothers know), Joseph will see if the brothers hearts have changed over the course of time. Hoping that this will bring back to memory what they did to him, and in turn feel guilty for the sins they committed against Joseph, his father and of God Himself. As Jesus said in the New Covenant: take, drink, for this cup is for the remission of sins (Matt. 26: 27,28). Can the brothers ever escape the guilt that lies within each of them for these sins? In Jesus Christ’s shed blood all sins are forgiven for those who believe, and as we will See, Joseph being a type of Jesus, will forgive his brothers for what they had done. And this cup, in these verses, tells of a future time (Divination, if you will), in which all sins will be forgiven, and the blood of Jesus will no longer be on them (The sons of Israel, and the Israeli nation as a whole), and their descendants (Gen 37:26,27; Matt 27:24, 25).

6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.                        7  And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.                                                                  8  “Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?”                                                                                                        9  “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”                                                                                                                  10  And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.”                                            11  Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack.                                                                                                                             12  So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.      42:4, 38; 43:13, 14                            13  Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.                                                                                                                   

  The brothers, unaware of being set up for a crime they know in their hearts they had not committed, speak with great confidence of their innocence to the Servant of Josephs. So confident they are, that they are willing to go so far as to tell the servant, “if you find the cup in the sack of one of ours, then let that persons whose sack the cup was found in die, and the rest of us will be your lords slave.” The servant replies, that only the one who has the cup will be his lord’s slave and the rest of them can go back to their homeland blameless. The servant searches all the brothers sacks finding nothing, until he comes to the last brother (The youngest of them), Benjamin, and there the cup is found ! this is their worst nightmare ! Their fathers greatest fear of losing his youngest son (the son of Rachel the woman whom he loved most of all), if he were to let him go down to Egypt, has come true. The tearing off of the clothes back then was a show of great sorrow and distress. Judah himself promised his father that he would take care of Benjamin, and if anything should happen to him then he (Jacob), could blame Judah forever (Gen. 43:8, 9),  Not just Judah, but Reuben went so far as to tell his father that if anything were to happen to Benjamin, then Jacob could  kill Reubens two sons (Gen. 42:37), so all of the brothers don’t hesitate, they saddle up their donkeys and go back to Egypt along with Benjamin. None of them could bear the shame of going back to Canaan without Benjamin. What they did to Joseph twenty years earlier has haunted them since, they even said as much when having to leave Simeon behind after Joseph accuses them of being spies on their first journey to Egypt (Gen. 42:21,22 ). Jacob told his sons that if anything would happen to Benjamin on his trip to Egypt, that they would send him to his grave a very sad old man, by bringing such sad news back to him (Gen. 42:38), The brothers would rather die than have to break their fathers heart. 

14  So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground.  37:7, 10; 42:6; 43:26, 28                              15  And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this you have done” Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?”                               

  Joseph (The type of Jesus), asks the brothers: “Did you not know that a man such as I can practice divination?” I ask of myself to the reader; did not Jesus Christ Himself, on the night of the passover, in a sense give a divination of himself? one in which He uses a “CUP” of wine to symbolize His blood that would be shed for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:27,28; Mark. 14:23,24; Luke. 22:20,21), In luke’s account We are told that Jesus even foretells of the one who is to betray Him is sitting at the table with them. The Webster’s dictionary defines divination as a foretelling of future events, or discovering things secret or obscure, by the aid of superior beings, or by other than human means:

Webster’s definition:  
DIVINATION, n. [L., to foretell. See Divine.] 

  1. The act of divining; a foretelling future events, or discovering things secret or obscure, by the aid of superior beings, or by other than human means. The ancient heathen philosophers divided divination into two kinds, natural and artificial. Natural divination was supposed to be effected by a kind of inspiration or divine afflatus; artificial divination was effected by certain rites, experiments or observations, as by sacrifices, cakes, flour, wine, observation of entrails, flight of birds, lots, verses, omens, position of the stars, &c.

  Joseph doesn’t say for certainty that he does practice divination, he only asks the question to his brothers. However, I see this verse as another example of Joseph as a type of Jesus, (the one who on many occasions foretells of events to come, during His time and in the future, thru divine acts of both artificial, and natural divination).

16  Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”                                                                                                                            17  But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”                                                                                                                           

  Judah (The one from whom the seed comes from, in that all nations will be blessed), Is the one who speaks to Joseph (The type of Jesus), on behalf of all the brothers, Confessing to Joseph that God has found out their iniquity. No one can hide their sins from God, for he is all knowing, all seeing, omnipresent. One day we will all stand before our Father and give an account for our sins. As Judah rightfully says: “What shall we say to my Lord? What shall we speak? I put it to the reader that we have no excuse for our sins, and we shouldn’t even attempt to explain them away, we should just humble ourselves on that day, and confess them to God. For The Lord God is a very loving merciful God, full of grace, He is true and faithful to His word to forgive us, and we must have faith in Him, that if we confess, and repent of our sins He will blot them out and remember them no more Exo. 32:32,33; Ps. 51:1-9;). Judah tells Joseph that all the brothers (the ones who wronged Joseph years ago), will be his slave, along with the one who stole the cup (Benjamin). Joseph, being a type of Jesus says to Judah, “Far be it from me that I should do so” so as to say: the man in whose hand the cup was found (the one who sinned against me), shall be my slave. And he points the other brothers who sinned against God to their father. Just as Jesus always points us to the Father, as if to say Joseph wants his brothers to confess to their father (Jacob), for their sins against him, God, and Joseph.

18  Then Judah came near to him and said: “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh.                                                 

   In Egypt the Pharaoh was considered a god. Judah is saying to the Pharaoh that you Joseph are god like, just as the Pharaoh of Egypt. 

19  “My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’        20  “And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’     37:3; 42:4                                          21  “Then you said to your servants, “Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’   42:15, 20                                                                                                      22  “And we said to my lord, “The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’                                                                  23  “But you said to your servants, “Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’     43:, 5                                            24  “So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.                                                                                                                   25  “And our father said, “Go back and buy us a little food.’  43:2                         26  “But we said,  “We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’                                                                                                    27  “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons;      35:16-18                                                                                                          28  ‘and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since.           37:31-35                                                                    29  ‘But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’        42:38                      30  “Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life,                                              31  “it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.                                                                                                          32  “For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.                         43:9                                                                                                            33  “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.                                          34  “For how shall I go up to my father  if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?”  

   Judah promised his father that if anything were to happen to Benjamin that he would be surety for him. Judah exclaims to his father, you can blame me and me only, forever; if We do not bring him back to you safe and sound (Gen. 43: 8, 9 ) Judah speaks on behalf of Benjamin, making intercession for him, ready to carry the responsibility of Benjamin on his shoulders alone. This has to have a profound impact on the lives of both Joseph and Benjamin. As we will see in the next chapter this cuts right to the heart of Joseph. To see his older brother stand up for Benjamin in this way shows Joseph that Judah’s heart is in the right place. It was Judah who first suggested to the other brothers to sell Joseph to the traders instead of killing him, so that they could profit from the sale and not be guilty of killing him (Gen. 37: 26, 27 ), Now Judah is once again the intercessor for one of his brothers. Hearing his brother speak on behalf of Benjamin may have Joseph reflecting , looking back to when he was sold into slavery. Joseph may have heard the conversation way back then as Judah convinced his brothers to sell him off, and if this is the case then Joseph now  sees Judah’s heart with a little more clarity, and understanding of why he did what he did some twenty odd years ago (For the other brothers wanted to kill him), This has to cut right to the heart of Joseph as these words are spoken to him. One could imagine the countenance of Judah as he is speaking, his head bowed to the ground, broken, crackling words coming out of his mouth as he pours out his emotions to Joseph, pleading with all his heart for Joseph not to make him go back to his father and face him without Benjamin. What about Benjamin? He is but an ear shod away as he hears his brother pleading for his life, willingly ready to take his place for a sin that he knows he did not commit. Benjamin knows he didn’t steal the cup and is undoubtedly confused how it got in the mouth of his sack. As far as Judah is concerned, he thinks Benjamin is guilty, and Benjamin knows this, yet He sees his brother (Who is innocent of this sin), ready to take this sin upon his shoulder, just as the descendant of his seed (Jesus Christ), took the sins of the world upon his shoulders, who sits at the right hand of God to this day, making intercession to the Father on our behalf (Matt. 1:20,21; Matt. 26:28; Heb. 9:28; 10:12;  1 Jn. 2:2). This forms a bond between Judah and Benjamin for their life, and their descendants: Upon entering into the promised land after four hundred years of captivity, The land inherited of the descendants of Benjamin, is in the heart of Judah’s land inheritance. Even after the breakup of the twelve tribes of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin stays forever bonded together with the tribe of Judah. In my opinion it is because of Judah’s actions here why these two tribes are so closely knitted together.