Joseph
The story of Joseph is subversive.
Throughout the Bible, it is assumed that prophetic dreams and visions are true and can be trusted. In fact, one of the things that is emphasized in this story is Joseph’s ability both to dream dreams and to interpret their meaning. Yet a closer look at the various visions and prophecies demonstrates fallibility in both Joseph and his father, Jacob.
The first dreams we encounter in the Joseph story are those of the wheat sheaves and of the stars, sun, and moon. Everyone assumes, based in no small part on the way Joseph describes the dreams, that first his brothers and then his father and mother as well, would bow down to him. The first does, in fact, come true on many occasions later in Egypt. But the second is problematic. First, Joseph’s mother, Rachel, is dead and therefore couldn’t bow down to him. To whom, then, could the moon refer? Leah? But she seems to have died prior to the move to Egypt. Nor does Jacob prostrate himself to Joseph. The only time this might have happened occurred when Jacob requests that Joseph bury him in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron. After Joseph swears to fulfill this request, Jacob “prostrates himself on (or towards) the head of the bed.” One for two as far as these dreams go unless the dream really means that the entire universe will bow down to him, but then Joseph hasn't interpreted it correctly.
The next set of dreams occurs in the prison to the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. Lo and behold, Joseph interprets them both accurately. This was not, however, very difficult. Presuming that the three grapevine tendrils and the three baskets represented three days was easy considering that Pharaoh’s birthday was three days hence and was traditionally a day of judgment. Furthermore, the dreams themselves plainly suggested redemption for the cupbearer and punishment for the baker. Three for four, but these interpretations required nothing more than wit.
Now to the climactic dreams, those of Pharaoh that stumped his necromancers. Seven famished cattle eating seven healthy ones. Seven parched ears of grain devouring seven plump ones. As per Joseph’s prediction, there were seven years of plenty, but the Bible never tells us exactly how many years of famine there were. Furthermore, it may be that the necromancers understood the dream itself (it seems clear enough) but saw no way out of the predicament. Joseph, on the other hand, not only interprets the dream, but offers a solution as well – one which pleases the Pharaoh immensely. Why? Because Joseph offers to become the Pharaoh’s chief tax-collector. When the famine comes, Joseph doesn’t give the grain back to the Egyptians from whom he confiscated it – he sells it. When the Egyptians have no money left, Joseph demands their livestock. When the livestock is depleted, Joseph insists that the Egyptians sell themselves into servitude to Pharaoh. Amazingly, only then does Joseph provide them with grain to sow and the famine is miraculously at an end. Israelite servitude later, is now much more explicable. As for the count on interpretations? This one goes to Joseph again, but he really gets kudos for understanding how to market himself.
The puzzling nature of prophecy in this story, however, does not end here. Jacob, on his deathbed, makes a number of predictions. First, he predicts the coming greatness of Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Menashe. While the Israelite kings Jehu, Jeroboam and Ahab are, in fact, descendants, they are notorious rather than honoured.
Then he curses Simeon and Levi, saying that they will be dispersed among the tribes. This does come true for Levi, but in the process they become leaders through Aaron and Moses. Not much of a curse. The tribe of Simeon, on the other hand, retains its cohesiveness and has territory in the south of Israel.
While Jacob's blessing of Judah does come to pass, it is to Joseph that he proffers the patriarchal blessing received from Isaac who received it from Abraham. In other words, it seems that Joseph is to be the next patriarch. Joseph's status, however, is bound to his position in Pharaoh's court rather than to any patrimony he leaves to the children of Israel. If anything, the enforced isolation in Goshen, repeated injunctions to be fearful of Egyptians in general and Pharaoh in particular (despite the fact that the Pharaoh never responds as Joseph warns), and impoverishment and slavery of the Egyptians at the hand of Joseph could all have contributed to the eventual fate of the Hebrews.
So where do we end up? Everyone in the story dreams. Everyone, including Pharaoh, accepts God as a deity. Joseph either interprets dreams incorrectly or interprets them correctly because he was politically astute. Even Jacob's prophecies go awry.
The lesson from the story of Joseph? Don't trust visions. Beware of bureaucrats. Taxation hurts the people and helps the powerful. And true legacy comes from maintaining close family ties and taking responsibility for your own mistakes. Neither Joseph nor Jacob demonstrate this last ability. Judah, on the other hand, by accepting that he had wronged his daughter-in-law, Tamar, and perhaps his father and Joseph as well, proves himself worthy of fathering King David and the future messiah.
Throughout the Bible, it is assumed that prophetic dreams and visions are true and can be trusted. In fact, one of the things that is emphasized in this story is Joseph’s ability both to dream dreams and to interpret their meaning. Yet a closer look at the various visions and prophecies demonstrates fallibility in both Joseph and his father, Jacob.
The first dreams we encounter in the Joseph story are those of the wheat sheaves and of the stars, sun, and moon. Everyone assumes, based in no small part on the way Joseph describes the dreams, that first his brothers and then his father and mother as well, would bow down to him. The first does, in fact, come true on many occasions later in Egypt. But the second is problematic. First, Joseph’s mother, Rachel, is dead and therefore couldn’t bow down to him. To whom, then, could the moon refer? Leah? But she seems to have died prior to the move to Egypt. Nor does Jacob prostrate himself to Joseph. The only time this might have happened occurred when Jacob requests that Joseph bury him in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron. After Joseph swears to fulfill this request, Jacob “prostrates himself on (or towards) the head of the bed.” One for two as far as these dreams go unless the dream really means that the entire universe will bow down to him, but then Joseph hasn't interpreted it correctly.
The next set of dreams occurs in the prison to the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. Lo and behold, Joseph interprets them both accurately. This was not, however, very difficult. Presuming that the three grapevine tendrils and the three baskets represented three days was easy considering that Pharaoh’s birthday was three days hence and was traditionally a day of judgment. Furthermore, the dreams themselves plainly suggested redemption for the cupbearer and punishment for the baker. Three for four, but these interpretations required nothing more than wit.
Now to the climactic dreams, those of Pharaoh that stumped his necromancers. Seven famished cattle eating seven healthy ones. Seven parched ears of grain devouring seven plump ones. As per Joseph’s prediction, there were seven years of plenty, but the Bible never tells us exactly how many years of famine there were. Furthermore, it may be that the necromancers understood the dream itself (it seems clear enough) but saw no way out of the predicament. Joseph, on the other hand, not only interprets the dream, but offers a solution as well – one which pleases the Pharaoh immensely. Why? Because Joseph offers to become the Pharaoh’s chief tax-collector. When the famine comes, Joseph doesn’t give the grain back to the Egyptians from whom he confiscated it – he sells it. When the Egyptians have no money left, Joseph demands their livestock. When the livestock is depleted, Joseph insists that the Egyptians sell themselves into servitude to Pharaoh. Amazingly, only then does Joseph provide them with grain to sow and the famine is miraculously at an end. Israelite servitude later, is now much more explicable. As for the count on interpretations? This one goes to Joseph again, but he really gets kudos for understanding how to market himself.
The puzzling nature of prophecy in this story, however, does not end here. Jacob, on his deathbed, makes a number of predictions. First, he predicts the coming greatness of Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Menashe. While the Israelite kings Jehu, Jeroboam and Ahab are, in fact, descendants, they are notorious rather than honoured.
Then he curses Simeon and Levi, saying that they will be dispersed among the tribes. This does come true for Levi, but in the process they become leaders through Aaron and Moses. Not much of a curse. The tribe of Simeon, on the other hand, retains its cohesiveness and has territory in the south of Israel.
While Jacob's blessing of Judah does come to pass, it is to Joseph that he proffers the patriarchal blessing received from Isaac who received it from Abraham. In other words, it seems that Joseph is to be the next patriarch. Joseph's status, however, is bound to his position in Pharaoh's court rather than to any patrimony he leaves to the children of Israel. If anything, the enforced isolation in Goshen, repeated injunctions to be fearful of Egyptians in general and Pharaoh in particular (despite the fact that the Pharaoh never responds as Joseph warns), and impoverishment and slavery of the Egyptians at the hand of Joseph could all have contributed to the eventual fate of the Hebrews.
So where do we end up? Everyone in the story dreams. Everyone, including Pharaoh, accepts God as a deity. Joseph either interprets dreams incorrectly or interprets them correctly because he was politically astute. Even Jacob's prophecies go awry.
The lesson from the story of Joseph? Don't trust visions. Beware of bureaucrats. Taxation hurts the people and helps the powerful. And true legacy comes from maintaining close family ties and taking responsibility for your own mistakes. Neither Joseph nor Jacob demonstrate this last ability. Judah, on the other hand, by accepting that he had wronged his daughter-in-law, Tamar, and perhaps his father and Joseph as well, proves himself worthy of fathering King David and the future messiah.