Having A Go At Genesis

Webers.Home · Dec 2, 2020

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• Gen 45:14-15 . .Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and
wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers
and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

I seriously think the ten brothers were so consternated to the point of
paralyzing terror as to be rendered utterly mute until Joseph adequately
allayed their fears, and proved his good will towards them with all his
blubbering and hugging; and I also think they never took their eyes off his
hands the whole time, half expecting him to draw a jeweled dagger and
pierce it through each man's liver in turn.

There was a time when the older brothers were so infected with rivalry
towards Joseph that any conversation they had with him, if they had any at
all, was punctuated with hostility (Gen 37:4). I think you can safely bet that
at this point, their conversation is re-punctuated with supplication, humility,
hats in hand, and profuse apologies rather than hostility.

Joseph was an extremely magnanimous man; with a degree of self control
that is really quite amazing. If anybody in the Old Testament was justified to
nurse a grudge, it has to be him. Surely he deserves some recognition for
exemplifying at least one of Jesus' beatitudes.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matt
5:9)

There are some people in this world who are simply implacable. They refuse
to bury the hatchet and move on. No, for them, rivalry, revenge, spite,
retaliation, stubbornness, and grudging are a way of life: every
disagreement is an act of war-- they're emotional and reactive, and they
thrive on criticism, sarcasm, chafing, carping, finding fault, thoughtless
remarks, demeaning comments, insults, contempt, ridicule, bickering, retort
upon retort, endless yeah-buts, telling other people off, and giving people a
piece of their mind.

It should go without saying that warlike people can't possibly be allowed into
heaven because God's home is a place of peace. It just wouldn't be fair to
the others to let toxic people loose in paradise to wreck it for everybody.

• Gen 45:21-22a . .The sons of Israel did so; Joseph gave them wagons as
Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them with provisions for the
journey. To each of them, moreover, he gave a change of clothing;

Their "change of clothing" wasn't just some fresh clothes. The changes were
actually garments suitable for formal occasions like an audience with a king,
or hob-nobbing with aristocrats (e.g. Gen 41:14, 2Kgs 25:27-30). So the
changes were pretty expensive; like Valentino suits.

• Gen 45:22b . . but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and
several changes of clothing.

You know, some people just never seem to learn. It was because of
favoritism that Joseph's brothers were provoked to malicious sibling rivalry
in the first place; and here he is repeating the very same mistake grandpa
Isaac made in chapter 25, and the very same mistake papa Jacob made in
chapter 37. Benjamin had done nothing to deserve preferential treatment
over and above his elder brothers. The only reason that Joseph treated him
better than the others is simply the fact that they shared the same mother;
that's all: which Webster's defines as nepotism.

• Gen 45:23-24 . . And he sent to his father these things: ten jack burros
loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female burros loaded with
grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. So he sent his brothers
away, and they departed; and he said to them: See that you are not
distracted along the way.

Apparently the trade route from Egypt to Canaan offered diversions aplenty
to entertain grown men; which Joseph would like his brothers to avoid this
time around because he was anxious to get his dad moved into Egypt as
soon as was practical. In point of fact, time was of the essence what with
five more years of famine conditions yet to come; with each succeeding year
much worse than those preceding it. I think Joseph wanted his dad settled in
before the worst of it took hold of the region and put them all, including their
livestock, in very imminent danger of perishing.

• Gen 45:25-26 . . So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father
Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him: Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is
ruler of all Egypt. Jacob was stunned and didn't believe them.

He didn't believe them because for one thing; he was led to believe all these
years that Joseph was dead; hence Jacob was incredulous and one could
hardly blame him. As an example, suppose a total stranger should walk up
to your door some day and announce you won a 42-million dollar Powerball
lottery. Now add that to the fact that you have never bought a Powerball
lottery ticket in your whole life. Would you begin jumping up and down and
shouting hallelujah? I don't think so. I think you would be skeptical; just as
skeptical as Jacob.

The actual Hebrew of Gen 45:26 says that Jacob's heart became sluggish;
viz: his blood pressure dropped and he quite literally paled. We have to
remember that Jacob was 135 years old at this point in his life, and would
live only another seventeen more (Gen 47:28). Older people don't do well
with shock; it can actually kill them.

• Gen 45:26-28 . . But when they told him everything Joseph had said to
them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, their
father Jacob's strength returned. And Israel said: I'm convinced! My son
Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.

No doubt Jacob had to sit down-- more likely lay down with his feet elevated
--while his sons related their adventures in Egypt; and quite possibly it was
right then that they confessed to their selling Jacob's favorite son into
slavery. Better they tell him now than wait till he hears about ii later from
Joseph.
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Webers.Home · Dec 3, 2020

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• Gen 46:1 . . So Israel set out with all that was his, and he came to Beer
sheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

I would imagine that Jacob was a bit uncertain as to whether or not he
should leave the promised land and go to Egypt, even though his granddad
had migrated for that exact same reason back in chapter 12. Jacob was
promised a multitude of offspring who were supposed to inherit Palestine,
and how ever could that happen if he wasn't even living in the land? And it
seemed every time a patriarch left Palestine they got into trouble. Jacob had
to wonder: Was he walking into a trap?

Jacob, being a prophet, may have suspected that the prediction below was
somehow related to his present circumstances.

"Then Yhvh said to Abram: Know for certain that your descendants will be
strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and
mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as
slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions." (Gen
15:13-15)

• Gen 46:2-4a . . God called to Israel in a vision by night: Jacob! Jacob! He
answered: Here. And He said: I am 'El, the god of your father. Fear not to
go down to Egypt, for I will make you there into a great nation. I myself will
go down with you to Egypt, and I myself will also bring you back;

Although El's promise to accompany Jacob in Egypt was generous; He pretty
much had to because back in Gen 28:15 Yhvh said "Remember, I am with
you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land.
I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Since Jacob was destined to die in Egypt, God's promise to "bring you back"
would be quite hollow unless He intended to raise Jacob from the dead some
day; which He does. (Matt 8:11)

There were so many 'els out and about in Jacob's day that it was necessary
for Jacob's god to pick His words carefully in order to make sure people fully
understood who He was so they didn't confuse Him with one of the other
deities popular in that day. By identifying Himself to Jacob as the "god of
your father" there was no mistaking who was speaking.

• Gen 46:4b . . and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.

That must have been a comforting prediction for Jacob. Not the dying part,
but the fact that he would die in Joseph's company, rather than dying
somewhere distant only for Joseph to hear about it later before he had a
chance to say his farewells.

• Gen 46:5-7 . . So Jacob set out from Beer-sheba. The sons of Israel put
their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the wagons that
Pharaoh had sent to transport him; and they took along their livestock and
the wealth that they had amassed in the land of Canaan. Thus Jacob and all
his offspring with him came to Egypt: he brought with him to Egypt his sons
and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters-- all his offspring.

Not mentioned as participants in the wagon train were the slaves; the
"wealth that they had amassed in the land of Canaan" would have included
them as well as the livestock. If Isaac passed down granddad Abraham's
army to Jacob; then the whole troupe-- family, wagons, slaves, and of
course the herds; composed of sheep, goats, cows, burros, and camels
must have been a very impressive sight traveling down the road to Shur into
Egypt.

The Hebrew word for "daughter" is ambiguous. It can mean an immediate
female offspring (e.g. Gen 46:15) or even all the females in a whole country
(e.g. Gen 28:8). But in this case, the females referred to were limited to
Jacob's own biological children (vs 7 and vs 26) rather than including every
female in the camp.

• Gen 46:8-27 . .These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his
descendants, who came to Egypt-- all the persons belonging to Jacob who
came to Egypt --his own issue, aside from the wives of Jacob's sons --all
these persons numbered 66. And Joseph's sons who were born to him in
Egypt were two in number. Thus the total of Jacob's household who came to
Egypt was seventy persons.

The number would have to include both Joseph and Jacob in order to come
out right. The nose count has its problems with other portions of scripture
that contain the rosters. Expositors with higher IQ's and better educations
than mine haven't had much luck at harmonizing those discrepancies so I
could hardly expect myself to do any better.
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Webers.Home · Dec 4, 2020

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• Gen 46:28-29a . . He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to point the
way before him to Goshen. So when they came to the region of Goshen,
Joseph ordered his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel;

Judging from all past events, and the current ones; Judah appears to have
been the most grown-up (mature and serious) of all the other brothers, and
a man whom Jacob could reasonably depend upon to look after business and
not goof around or allow himself to get distracted.

Judah's going ahead of Jacob wasn't really to get instructions as to where
Jacob should settle (the Hebrew of "point the way before him" is a bit
difficult) but rather, as point man (liaison) to inform Joseph of his father's
imminent arrival. Subsequently Joseph gassed up his Federally-provided
conveyance and roared off to meet his father and personally guide him to
the correct location.

NOTE: Some feel that Joseph's headquarters were in the vicinity of Ramses;
which supports Gen 45:10 that Jacob would settle where he would be "near
me"; that is: in Joseph's neighborhood-- sort of.

• Gen 46:29b-30 . . he presented himself to him and, embracing him around
the neck, he wept on his neck a good while. Then Israel said to Joseph: Now
I can die, having seen for myself that you are still alive.

There's sometimes an overtone of sadness at reunions as kin become
shaken a bit by the too obvious damage that the aging process wreaked
upon loved ones during the years of their absence; plus the sadness of not
being a part of the years that long-lost kin have lived their lives without us.

• Gen 46:28 . . Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get
directions to Goshen.

That was in accord with Joseph's instructions back in 45:10.

Goshen was located in the Eastern delta of the Nile river.

• Gen 46:29 . . And Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to
meet his father Israel; as soon as he appeared before him, he fell on his
neck and wept on his neck a long time.

I've made the statement before, and don't mind making it again, that young
people should not attempt to teach the book of Genesis; the reason being
that there are emotional portions of Genesis that cannot be properly
appreciated till somebody has been around the block a time or two, so to
speak. In other words: a verse like 46:29 can't be taught; it has to be felt to
be appreciated.

• Gen 46:30 . .Then Israel said to Joseph: Now let me die, since I have seen
your face, that you are still alive.

Jacob had never really gotten over the loss of his favorite son. His statement
back in 37:35 that he would go to the grave mourning Joseph would've
surely come true had not the two re-united.

• Gen 46:31-32 . . And Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's
household: I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him; "My brothers
and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to
me; and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock;
and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have."

• Gen 46:33-34 . . And it shall come about when Pharaoh calls you and
says: "What is your occupation?" that you shall say "Your servants have
been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our
fathers" that you may live in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is
loathsome to the Egyptians.

From what i gather, the above isn't talking about a caste system. It was
more of a political/religious issue relative to the Egyptians' experiences with
a people group called the Hyksos, whom it's believed by some were in
control of Egypt's government during Joseph's time.

The land of Goshen was some distance from Egypt's main population
centers; so the area would suffice as a sort of quarantine; which no doubt
the Egyptians would applaud, thus making it all the easier for Pharaoh to
grant Joseph's kin permission to settle in Egypt; probably with the
understanding that as soon as the famine was over, they should leave and
return to the land of Canaan. (The Israelites overstayed their welcome and
eventually ended up in slavery.)

Goshen wasn't a ghetto. Joseph's kin wouldn't be under armed guard or
sealed in behind a Berlin Wall so to speak; and apparently the land was
suitable for crops as well as pastures; so Joseph's intentions were good
medicine for everyone all around.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 5, 2020

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• Gen 47:1-2 . .Then Joseph came and reported to Pharaoh, saying: My
father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that is theirs,
have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the region of Goshen.
And selecting five of his brothers, he presented them to Pharaoh.

Aren't you curious which five of the eleven brothers Joseph selected; and
what guided his decision?

When Christ went up on a mountain to transfigure (Matt 17:1, Mark 19:2)
he took along only three of his twelve hand-picked apostles. Some
expositors believe he took Peter, James, and John not because they were
the strongest in faith of the twelve; but on the contrary, the weakest. But
who really knows. It could be that Christ chose those three men because he
knew for himself they could be trusted to keep a secret. (cf. Mark 9:9-10)

Quite possibly, Joseph had carefully gauged all eleven brother's reactions
under the stress to which he only just recently had subjected them and
noted the ones who were not easy to intimidate. These would be his best
choice to meet the king because the last thing Joseph needed was his kin
stammering and shivering in the audience of his boss; the Pharaoh of Egypt.
He wanted them to leave the impression that they knew what they were
doing in the world of animal husbandry. (This is all conjecture of course
because I don't really know why Joseph selected the five.)

• Gen 47:3 . . Pharaoh said to his brothers: What is your occupation? They
answered Pharaoh: We your servants are shepherds, as were also our
fathers.

Bang! Direct question/Direct answer-- no stammering, no shivering, no
apologizing, and no beating around the bush as if they had anything to be
ashamed of for being ranchers.

• Gen 47:4 . .We have come; they told Pharaoh; to sojourn in this land, for
there is no pasture for your servants' flocks, the famine being severe in the
land of Canaan. Pray, then, let your servants stay in the region of Goshen.

After first assuring the king that they had no intention of settling
permanently in his jurisdiction, they then boldly request exactly what they
want. It's a pity more people don't pray like Joseph's brothers because
there's no need to circumnavigate the issue with God. He already knows
what's on your mind before you even open your mouth so you might just as
well get right to the point.

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they
think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like
them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask
Him." (Matt 6:7-8)

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16)

The Greek word for "boldly" is parrhesia (par-rhay-see'-ah) which means all
out-spokenness, i.e. frankness, bluntness, and/or confidence.

In other words: God's people shouldn't be shy about speaking up and telling
Him exactly what's on their minds. Rote mantras like the Ave Maria and/or
the Our Father etc. are not what I call forthright, out-spoken, frank and/or
speaking up. You just try speaking to your spouse and/or your friends and
associates in rote and see what happens.

• Gen 47:5-6 . .Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: As regards your father and
your brothers who have come to you, the land of Egypt is open before you:
settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land; let them
stay in the region of Goshen. And if you know any capable men among
them, put them in charge of my livestock.

Communication between the brothers and Pharaoh was probably of the very
same nature as their own first encounter with Joseph; which was through an
interpreter. In this case, Joseph is the interpreter; viz: actually a mediator
between king and subjects. A mediator doesn't only interpret, but also looks
out for the best interests of both parties and brings about a resolution of
their differences; if any. The brothers were foreign herders, and for that
reason, the king was loathe to speak with them; much less to associate with
them. If not for Joseph, there would have been no audience; the men would
have been barred from Pharaoh's court.

Joseph was both an Israelite and an Egyptian. He understood, and moved
about, in both cultures; consequently he was accepted by each party as one
of their own.

In the same way; remove Christ, and nobody would ever be able to contact
God; not even anybody in the Old Testament. Since Christ is both Divine and
Human, he is perfectly capable of resolving the differences between God and
Man; and he is accepted by both because he's one of their own.

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus" (1Tim 2:5)

• Gen 47:7a . .Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him
before Pharaoh.

Probably no other moment in Pharaoh's life would be more historic than this
one. Standing before him, as a feeble old common rancher, was one of the
most significant men who ever lived on this earth; but Pharaoh could have
never guessed it under the circumstances. How was Pharaoh to know that
this tired, broken down old man standing before him was to be the
progenitor of a monarch that would dominate not only the entire over-world;
but even the netherworld.

"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of
Adam, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days
and was escorted into His presence. He was given authority, glory and
sovereign power; that all peoples, nations and men of every language should
worship him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass
away, and his kingdom is the one that will never be destroyed." (Dan 7:13
14)

"God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above
every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is supreme-- to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:9-11)
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Webers.Home · Dec 6, 2020

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• Gen 47:7b . . and Jacob blessed Pharaoh

As a rule of thumb, the lesser is blessed of the better (Heb 7:7). However,
it's possible for the better to be blessed by the lesser too. (e.g. Ps 16:7, Ps
26:12, Ps 34:1, et al). It all depends on the nature of the blessing. There's
nothing a man can do to improve God's lot in life, but there's certainly a lot
God can do to improve a man's lot in life; however, either can say nice
things about the other.

Precisely what form Jacob's blessing took is difficult to know for certain; but
it could have been something like: Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the
earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and
over every living creature that moves on the ground (Gen 1:28) or maybe:
God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty
of corn and wine; let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be
lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee; cursed
be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee (Gen
27:28-29) or even as simple as: Let my lord the king live forever. (1Kgs
1:31)

• Gen 47:8-9a . . And Pharaoh said unto Jacob: How old are you? And Jacob
said unto Pharaoh: The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred
and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been,
and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers

The word "evil" isn't restricted to moral awfulness; but can indicate hard
times as well as just plain old bad luck (cf. Job 5:7, Isa 45:7). The days of
Jacob's life weren't totally disagreeable, though he makes it sound like that.

However, he did spend a good number of years in the outdoors, in all sorts
of weather, tending herds. That's not an easy life. Then there was the grief
visited upon him by the sons of his own flesh; Dinah was no help either. And
the peace in his home wrecked by the tension caused by the bitter sibling
rivalry between his wives Leah and Rachel; not to mention all the headaches
uncle Laban contributed.

Jacob also endured the latter years of his life with a handicap resulting from
his encounter with a divine being in chapter 32. It's odd how human nature
tends to dwell upon its misfortunes instead of spending more time reflecting
upon its blessings. For some, the glass is half empty, and for others it's half
full, and yet for others: the glass is too big.

At this point in his life Jacob is wore out: he's winding down, and ready to
retire. Aging folks tend to be a little on the negative side, and sometimes
dwell more on the bad memories rather than the good. It's wise to consider
that the aged weren't born that way. In reality; they're children who've been
alive for a long time. When I was a kid, I tended to think that senior citizens
were a species; not appreciating, till later in life, that I was actually looking
at my future.

• Gen 47:9b . . in the days of their pilgrimage.

Jacob's use of the word "pilgrimage" reflects the cruel reality that none of us
comes into this world to stay. We're here for a while, but that's all: just a
while.

"Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets: do they live forever?"
(Zech 1:4-5)

"For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that's visible for a little time, and
then vanishes away." (Jas 4:14)

• Gen 47:10 . . And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before
Pharaoh.

Just how impressed Pharaoh was with Jacob is difficult to know, but the king
had to wonder to himself just how on earth a genius like Joseph could ever
arise from such humble root stock as this broken down, insignificant old man
who just walked out of his court. But one thing I know for sure: of the two
men; Jacob holds the higher rank in the grand scheme of things.

• Gen 47:11-12 . . So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt
and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses,
as Pharaoh directed. Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all
his father's household with food, according to the number of their children.

Jacob's clan nourished themselves with fish too. (Num 11:5)

NOTE: My early childhood was cultured on John Wayne and cowboy westerns
in which the native Americans were usually either Apache or Comanche,
dwelling in arid regions nowhere near an ocean. Imagine my surprise to
learn of the Wampanoag people of Massachusetts baking clams centuries
before the first Europeans invaded their land.

Joseph's family lived in an area also known as Zoan (Ps 78:12) which was up
in the north, near the Mediterranean Sea in the East Nile delta. The area had
access to the sea, and there was lots of water and wetlands; so that seafood
and migratory fowl were never in short supply. Actually, all told, Jacob's
family fared quite well in Egypt in spite of the famine's overall severity.
Meanwhile, the famine wrecked everybody else.

• Gen 47:13 . .There was no food, however, in the whole region because the
famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the
famine.

As mentioned earlier back in chapter 41, famines are usually the result of
insufficient rainfall.

NOTE: There's no indication in the Bible that either the hand of man or the
hand of God caused the dry spell. It was apparently a natural Earth cycle.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 7, 2020

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• Gen 47:14 . . Joseph gathered in all the money that was to be found in the
land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as payment for the rations that
were being procured, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's palace.

Some people accuse Joseph of profiteering; of exploiting the people's
hardship. But they fail to realize that he wasn't acting on his own. Joseph
answered to a higher authority: to Mr. Pharaoh. If Joseph had gone behind
Pharaoh's back and gave the Egyptians grain for free, then Joseph himself
would have been arrested and either put right back in prison or, worse,
gibbeted. Then who would his clan look to for representation with Pharaoh?

"it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1Cor 4:2)

The New Testament Greek word for "faithful" is pistos (pis-tos') which
means: trustworthy. Webster's defines "trustworthy" as worthy of
confidence; viz: dependable/reliable.

To be faithful implies looking out for your boss' best interests rather than
either your own or anybody else's. (cf. Luke 11:12-27 and 1Tim 1:12)

• Gen 47:15-17 . .When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was
gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said: Give us food. Why should we die
before your eyes? Our money is used up. Then bring your livestock; said
Joseph. I will sell you grain in exchange for your livestock, since your money
is gone. So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them grain
in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and
donkeys. And he brought them through that year with grain in exchange for
all their livestock.

This is the very first mention of a horse in the Bible.

NOTE: Most Native Americans had never seen a horse until the Spanish
brought them here sometime around 1540. It's believed the Pueblo people
were the first to make good use of the horse; but not by choice. It was as
slaves and laborers on Spanish ranchos that they learned how. After the
Pueblo revolted, they became prosperous horse traders; and by that means
the Plains Indians obtained horses; which greatly improved their nomadic
way of life; and their tactics in warfare too.

The Old Testament Hebrew words for "horse" are cuwc (soos) and cuc
(soos); which means not only a horse (as leaping), but also a swallow (from
its flight style). Both swallows and horses are quite nimble; and of the two,
I'd say the swallows are more so. They can flit like bats when in pursuit of
winged insects.

Horses were the animal of choice for pulling chariots in ancient Egypt. (e.g.
Ex 14:9)

Putting horses on the list of saleable livestock indicates that even relatively
prosperous breeders were falling on hard times too, so that no matter
whether the Egyptians were rich or poor, the famine was effecting them all—
the rich have to eat too, just like everybody else; and money alone makes
poor nourishment. Here in America, when the last bit of arable land is finally
bulldozed for residential housing, and paved over for shopping centers, office
buildings, super highways, cemeteries, malls, light rails, factory sites and
warehouses: that's when we'll finally catch on that money isn't everything.

Only after the last tree is cut down,
The last of the water poisoned,
The last animal destroyed:
Only then will some realize
They cannot eat money.
(Cree Indian Prophecy)

• Gen 47:18-19a . .The next year they came again and said: Our money is
gone, and our livestock are yours. We have nothing left but our bodies and
land. Why should we die right in front of you? Buy us and our land in
exchange for food; we will then become servants to Pharaoh.

Joseph's plan had no intention of shackling the Egyptians in grinding poverty
and humiliation like the African slaves of America's pre civil war days.
Though they became Pharaoh's slaves, they also become share-croppers;
which is a very tolerable arrangement in comparison to slaves who are
permitted to keep none of the fruits of their labors. In effect then, the
Egyptians would actually be afforded the dignity of working for
compensation; and it was pretty generous too.

• Gen 47:18-19b . . Just give us grain so that our lives may be spared and
so the land will not become empty and desolate.

They not only needed grain for food, but also enough to sow their fields in
anticipation of next season's crop. Whether the Egyptian populace at large
was aware of the famine's predicted duration can't be known for certain, but
farmers often sow even in famine years because who can tell if the weather
is going to change for the better or not. Joseph, of course, was privy to
knowledge of the famine's end, and I would think that he would surely share
that information with the delegations that negotiated with him in this matter.

• Gen 47:20 . . So Joseph gained possession of all the farm land of Egypt for
Pharaoh, every Egyptian having sold his field because the famine was too
much for them; thus the land passed over to Pharaoh.

It's reasonable to assume that Pharaoh's only interest would be what's
known as Egypt's so called "black" land; which is primarily the arable soil
located adjacent to the Nile's river banks and was at one time subject to
seasonal flooding; which replenished the soil with fresh deposits of silt each
year.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 8, 2020

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• Gen 47:21-22 . . and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one
end of Egypt to the other. However, he did not buy the land of the priests,
because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food
enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell
their land.

That regular State allotment must have made religion seem like an attractive
career path. Their constituents may have been suffering, but the priests
were doing just fine and coasting right through all the hard times.

I think it's notable that God doesn't permit Judaism's priests to own land;
nor permit them to feed at the Federal trough either, thus making them fully
dependent upon the prosperity of ordinary pew warmers. Thus the Aaronic
priests were highly motivated to keep the people in a good standing with
God in order to keep themselves fed because lack of good standing could
easily result in a poor economy in Israel. (cf. Deut 28:1-68)

When Saul was king, there was a time in Israel when the priests didn't even
have enough food of their own on hand to supply David's escape (1Sam
21:1-6). That was a pretty good indication that Saul's kingdom had fallen
into spiritual decline during his administration; and definitely time for a
change in leadership.

• Gen 47:23-24 . . Joseph said to the people: Now that I have bought you
and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the
ground. But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other
four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves
and your households and your children.

Four-fifths is equal to 80% which is a pretty good percentage for share
croppers. In addition, there's no mention of either rents or leases. In other
words, the Egyptians lived on Pharaoh's land essentially for free. The only
rent they paid, if you could call it that, was the one-fifth of the land's
produce.

That was a very good deal for the Egyptians because it was flexible. In other
words; no matter how well or how poorly the land produced in any given
year, whether little or much, the percentage never changed. Thus they were
always able to satisfy their obligation to Pharaoh even in years when disease
and/or insects decimated their crops. It was virtually impossible to ever fall
behind in payments.

Since Pharaoh owned all the land, and exacted neither rent nor lease from
share-croppers; it became possible for Egypt's poor to apply for a piece of
acreage. While the drought was a curse for some people; it was a blessing
for others.

• Gen 47:25 . .You have saved our lives; they said. May we find favor in the
eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.

The word "bondage" is from 'ebed (eh'-bed) which includes all kinds of
servitude; including outright slavery. Another word for "servant" is sakiyr
(saw-keer') which is a person who works for wages; viz: an employee.

It's reasonable to assume that not everyone in Egypt took up farming as
there would still be the need for goods and services like metal smiths,
butchers, seamstresses, barbers, shipwrights, wagon and chariot builders,
longshoremen, pottery, merchant marine, general mercantile, weavers,
shoemakers, freight haulers, and building contractors; et al: every sort of
trade and commercial enterprise imaginable.

Pharaoh had all the money. So then, the barter system probably thrived in
Egypt-- the farmers trading out of their 80% and the merchants and
tradesmen paying Pharaoh his one-fifth out of what trickled down from the
farmers. In other words: in that economy, food was gold.

Apparently few, if any, complained. One thing you could say about the
Egyptians; they didn't look a gift horse in the mouth. If not for Joseph's
providence, they would have all surely died, and lost everything, and they
knew it too. Thanks to him, instead of dying, they all enjoyed a pretty good
standard of living. There were some sacrifices to be made, yes, but all in all,
they fared pretty well under Joseph's administration.

• Gen 47:26 . . So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt--
still in force today --that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was
only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh's.

The "today" in that passage of course refers of the author's own day.

The 20% flat tax was fair across the board for everybody; rich, poor, and
middle class alike-- no deductions and no exemptions.

Thank God Joseph was a man of integrity because the kind of power he
wielded has a way of tempting men to do some very greedy things; for
example: enforcement of the so-called law of supply and demand. Of one
thing we can be pretty sure: Pharaoh's approval rating no doubt broke all
the records thanks to his selection of Joseph to manage Egypt's affairs
during a very serious national crisis.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 9, 2020

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• Gen 47:27-28 . . Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of
Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased
greatly in number. Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of
his life were a hundred and forty-seven.

Jacob immigrated to Egypt when he was 130 (Gen 47:9) so he spent as
many years with Joseph at the last as he had at the first-- seventeen (cf.
Gen 37:2). At this point, the famine had been done and over for 12 years,
since it was during the second year of the seven-year famine that the people
of Israel arrived (Gen 45:11).

During those 12 years, and no doubt the other five too, Jacob's clan did very
well for themselves; so that they eventually became a political element to be
reckoned with (Ex 1:6-10). By the time of the Exodus, the Israelites
numbered over 600,000 adults, not counting children. Israelites were
accounted "children" until the age of 20 (Num 26:2). Here in America, we let
children of 18 vote for Presidents. Now that's scary.

It's interesting that another Pharaoh, in the future-- who would enslave
them in the book of Exodus --wasn't worried about the Israelites increasing
to the point of taking over his country, no, he was concerned they might up
and leave it. What's that saying? It's saying, that as a people, Jacob's clan
were excellent, productive citizens who accounted for a significant portion of
Egypt's gross national product.

The palace itself benefited from their ranching skills (Gen 47:5). No doubt
Hebrew beef from the Nile delta became a highly sought commodity
everywhere in Egypt. Jacob's people not only maintained a fishing industry,
but they farmed too (Num 11:5). And among them were experts in the
construction trades (Ex 1:11) and in every manner of skill and artifice (Ex
31:1-6, Ex 35:20-36:7).

That all tells me that the Israelites weren't freeloaders by any means. They
were hard workers who put their noses to the grindstone and contributed
their fair share to Egypt's prosperity just like today's legal Hispanic
immigrants contribute their own fair share to America's prosperity. In point
of fact, if today's legal Hispanic immigrants should all up and return to their
native lands, America's economy would really feel it. So is it really any
wonder then why the US Government does all it can to accommodate
Hispanic immigrants; even the illegal ones?
_

Webers.Home · Dec 10, 2020

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• Gen 47:29a . . And when the time approached for Israel to die, he
summoned his son Joseph

Normally, the patriarchs would convene with a natural firstborn son for
serious family business, but that position was transferred to Joseph because
of Reuben's tryst with his father's concubine. (1Chrn 5:1)

NOTE: Israel is Jacob's spiritual name (Gen 32:28, Gen 35:10). God
informed him that he would no more be called Jacob, but God addressed him
by his birth name yet again in Gen 46:2, and spoke of Jacob by his birth
name quite a few more times throughout the Old Testament. There's a bit of
a mystery attached to Jacob's two names. They may, or maybe not, reflect
his dual citizenship: one in the world of men and one in the kingdom of God.

• Gen 47:29b . . and said unto him: If now I have found grace in thy sight,

The phrase "found grace in thy sight" seems to be a Genesis colloquialism
for someone disposed to do you a favor; e.g. Gen 6:8 where God singled out
Noah to survive the Flood.

• Gen 47:29c . . put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly
with me.

This is the second, and last, place in Genesis where a hand was placed under
a patriarch's thigh during a promise. The first was Gen 24:2-3, with
Abraham.

• Gen 47:29d-30a . . Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my
fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.

Jacob's statement underscores the fact that when people are gathered to
their ancestors, it doesn't necessarily indicate burial because Jacob's remains
would be stored in Egypt until such a time as he could be transported back
to Canaan. So he would already be at rest with his ancestors prior to
actually being buried with them later. (cf. Gen 49:33, Gen 50:3, and Gen
50:12-13)

When you think about it, choosing the location of one's burial site has no
practical advantages to speak of. Some people want to buried overlooking
the sea or an orchard. But do they themselves really get much of a view?
No, they're gone on to the netherworld; and their remains, being
underground and quite without life or eyesight, have only the inky blackness
of a subterranean pit to view, if that.

So then, is there really any significance to Jacob's request? Yes, it means
that Jacob believed the land of Canaan was on his own property; rather than
just the land of his nativity. He wanted to be buried at home, rather than on
foreign soil. God had promised Jacob deed and title to that land back in
chapter 35; and although he never really possessed it in his own days, Jacob
was confident that God was a man of integrity who would eventually make
good on His promises. The patriarchs were amazingly patient. (Heb 11:13
16)

• Gen 47: 30b-31a . . He replied: I will do as you have spoken. And he said:
Swear to me. And he swore to him.

The Hebrew word for "swear" is basically a promise, guaranteed by
repeating it seven times. When God's name is dragged into the agreement,
then it becomes a sacred oath; e.g. Gen 24:2-3.

• Gen 47:31b . .Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed.

There's differences of opinion among the experts how best to interpret that
verse; but in context, it appears to me that Jacob has become bedridden,
and is-- as best he can for a man of his age and health --doing obeisance to
Joseph as a courtesy in the manner that Abraham did with the Hittites back
in chapter 23. In other words; Jacob lowered his eyes and nodded his head
in a sort of salute; which, protocol aside, was somewhat equal to saying:
Okay then; we're good.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 11, 2020

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• Gen 48:1a . . Some time afterward, Joseph was told: Your father is ill

The Hebrew word for "ill" is chalah (khaw-law') and can mean not only sick,
but also weak (Judg 16:17) sad (1Sam 22:8) suppliant (1Kgs 13:6) injured
(1Kgs 22:34) in pain (Jer 4:31) drunk (Hos 7:5) and evil: as disaster or
misfortune. (Ecc 5:13)

• Gen 48:1b . . So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

The visit was probably just a comfort call; like visiting a friend or relative at
the hospital. I really don't think it was prompted by a fear that Jacob was
going to die at any moment. Joseph's boys apparently came on their own,
rather than by request, because Jacob wasn't expecting them; and what kid
can resist a trip to grandpa's house.

The boys by this time were young men, having been born during the seven
years of plenty, prior to the beginning of the seven years of famine (Gen
41:50). Jacob lived in Egypt at least seventeen years prior to this current
event (Gen 47:28), and immigrated during the second year of the seven
years of famine (Gen 45:6, Gen 45:11). So his grandsons Manasseh and
Ephraim were both in their early twenties by now.

• Gen 48:2 . .When Jacob was told "Your son Joseph has come to see you"
Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed.

No greetings or social graces are recorded from this meeting; though they
must have occurred. Surely Jacob wouldn't just launch into a speech the
moment his kin walked through the door. How weird would that be;
especially since Joseph was Jacob's very favorite son? But Genesis skips over
that part of the meeting, and without even so much as hinting how the topic
came up at this point in the visit; just goes right to the meat of it.

The speech Jacob is going to make was probably one he had been
rehearsing in his mind for some time as he sensed the nearness of his
impending death; which would certainly serve to remind him that he was
running out of time; so if he was ever going to get these things off his chest,
he better do it at the very next opportunity, while he was able, because who
really knows how many more opportunities one might have left?

People often put off important things-- e.g. making out their will --till
sudden death, or the onset of dementia finally closes the door. Jacob had
something important to say about his two grandsons, so it was fortuitous
that they came along with their dad to visit grandpa that day.

• Gen 48:3a . . And Jacob said to Joseph: El Shaddai appeared to me at Luz

El Shaddai-- the god who controls the laws of nature (cf. Col 1:17) --is also
Yhvh because that's an appellation Genesis labels Him at Bethel (Gen
28:13). And an appellation Jacob labeled Him too, at the very same site.
(Gen 28:16-20)

Luz is Bethel (Gen 28:10-19, Gen 35:6-7). That location was an especially
sacred site for Jacob because it was his very first personal encounter with
God. You know, hearing about God, and reading about God, and praying to
God, just aren't the same as actually meeting God. Not the same at all.
Head knowledge is one thing, personal experience is quite another; yes,
quite, quite another. There's nothing like a close encounter with God to set
someone's faith in concrete.

• Gen 48:3b . . and He blessed me

At this point, Jacob paraphrases the essential elements of El Shaddai's Luz
blessing, with the exception of one element which I would esteem even
more valuable than the prosperity elements: God's ever-abiding
companionship.

"Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring
you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have
promised you." (Gen 28:15)

• Gen 48:4 . . and said to me: I will make you fertile and numerous, making
of you a nation; and I will assign this land to your offspring to come for an
everlasting possession."

Although Israel's possession of Palestine is eternal, their occupation of it
isn't, as the Jews' past evictions have easily demonstrated.

Jacob's statement of the blessing is selective, and left out a couple of items;
one of which is that God also assigned the land to Jacob himself, not just to
his offspring (Gen 28:13) so God will have to resurrect Jacob in order to
make good on that portion of the blessing.

Exactly how Ephraim and Manasseh felt about this event in Jacob's life isn't
stated; nor would they have had a say in it anyway as Jacob was the
reigning patriarch at the time. No one was higher over the people of Israel in
that day but Jehovah; their creator. (Gen 17:4-8)
_

Webers.Home · Dec 12, 2020

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• Gen 48:5-6 . . Now, your two sons, who were born to you in the land of
Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, shall be mine; Ephraim and Manasseh
shall be mine no less than Reuben and Simeon. Progeny born to you after
them shall be yours; but they shall be recorded under the names of their
brothers in their inheritance.

Jacob set a rather odd precedent by adopting his own two grandsons
Manasseh and Ephraim; thus installing them in tribal positions equal in rank
to his original sons; and increasing the total number of his legit sons from
twelve to fourteen.

Jacob's motive for adopting Manasseh and Ephraim was in sympathy for his
beloved Rachel being cut off during her child bearing years, which
subsequently prevented her from having any more children of her own.

• Gen 48:7 . . As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in
the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from
Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath (that is,
Bethlehem).

Manasseh and Ephraim brought Rachel's grand total up to six, two boys of
her own, two by her maid Bilhah, and two by Joseph's wife Asenath.

That obscure bit of patriarchal preeminence has somehow lost acceptance by
modern Jewry as evidenced by its stubborn rejection of Jesus as a valid
candidate for David's throne on the basis that the boy was adopted into
Solomon's line rather than installed biologically.

However, according to 2Sam 7:16, 2Sam 23:5, Ps 89:4, and Ps 89:35-38,
David trumps Solomon just as Jacob trumped Joseph. In other words:
though it was essential that Jesus be David's biological progeny, it was not
essential that he be Solomon's just so long as he and Jesus are legal kin.

Though Jesus' primary mission was to go to the cross for his people's sins,
his ultimate purpose is to be their king. In that respect, the details of his
relationship to David and Solomon are extremely important to the Jews,
though to most Gentiles only marginally.

• Gen 48:8a . .When Israel

At this point, Genesis switches from Jacob's earthly name to his God-given
name; viz: his spiritual name; probably because the first portion of the
interview was personal business while the second half will be conducted in
Jacob's official capacity as a prophet.

The Hebrew word for "prophet" is nabiy' (naw-bee') which just means an
inspired man. Abel was a prophet (Luke 11:50-51) and Abraham was a
prophet (Gen 20:7).

People needn't be high powered prognosticators like Isaiah to be prophets.
Anybody whom God empowers with a degree of spiritual intuition is a
prophet because prophets aren't necessarily predictors of the future, nor
revealers of sacred secrets, but also just simply savvy in the knowledge of
God.

Where did they get that savvy? From seminary and yeshiva? From rabbis
and Sunday school teachers? No. From God's Spirit.

"Turn you at My reproof: behold: I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will
make known My words unto you." (Prv 1:23)

It was Moses' wish that all of Moses' people were prophets. (Num 11:29)

In the future, they will. (Ezek 36:24-27)
_

Webers.Home · Dec 13, 2020

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• Gen 48:8b-10a . . saw the sons of Joseph, he asked: Who are these? They
are the sons God has given me here; Joseph said to his father. Then Israel
said: Bring them to me so I may bless them. Now Israel's eyes were failing
because of old age, and he could hardly see.

The leading cause of eyesight problems in older people is a condition known
as Macular Degeneration. The cone cells within the human eye work hard all
our lives, and when their waste products build up faster than the body can
clear them, tiny yellow spots can form around the fovea. As a person ages,
those plaques, along with leaky blood vessels, tend to interrupt normal rod
and cone functioning.

When you add MD into the mix with cataracts, glaucoma, and stiffening of
the lens, then the victim is really in a bad state of affairs; and in Jacob's
day, there was absolutely nothing people could do about it.

I've heard young people say that old people are cute; and that's probably
because of the grandpa/grandma charisma connected with senior citizens.
Well; let me tell those youngsters something: getting old is neither fun nor
cute; no, not at all. The aging process is a living death: it's cruel, it's
disagreeable, and it's destructive.

It disfigures our faces, puts bags under our eyes, diminishes our libido, thins
our hair, dulls our hearing, misshapes our figures, makes us smell, sags our
flesh, adds pounds where we don't want them, shrinks our muscles, stiffens
our joints, weakens our stomach, recedes our gums, robs of us vitality and
stamina, makes us look haggard, turns down the corners of our mouths
giving us permanent frowns, and seriously diminishes our quality of life as
we slowly disintegrate like crumbling infrastructure. The comedienne Joan
Rivers once remarked that her best birth control in old age is just to leave
the lights on. Another effective birth control for senior citizens is nudity.

It would be difficult to believe that Jacob didn't recognize his own
grandsons; but with failing eyesight, it's to be expected that he would
require verbal authentication of their identities before proceeding with the
sacred business at hand.

• Gen 48:10b-12 . . So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father
kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph: I never
expected to see you again, and here God has let me see your children as
well. Joseph then removed them from his knees, and bowed low with his
face to the ground.

I seriously doubt the boys were sitting on Jacob's knees since they were
grown men; but the wording suggests they had each taken a turn kneeling
between Jacob's knees so he could embrace them and then got up and
stepped back to let the other in. In the next sequence, the brothers likely
knelt again, only this time one on either side, so Jacob could reach the tops
of both their heads from a sitting position.

I'm guessing Joseph's bow was either a gesture of whole-hearted approval
and/or submission to Jacob's position as the supreme, God-appointed
patriarch over Moses' people at that time so that whatever Jacob says, goes,
regardless of how anybody else in the family, including Joseph, might feel
about it.

Would to God the elderly were treated with such respect nowadays. One of
my favorite movie lines is from "Moonstruck" starring Cher and Nicolas Cage
wherein the grandpa makes this statement at the breakfast table one
morning prior to offering his son a father's advice. "I am old; and the old are
not wanted. And if they say it, they have no weight."

In other words: the typical young person really doesn't care too much for an
elderly person's opinions; nor even for their feelings. There was a time when
my grown son would force me to give him room in a narrow hallway so he
wouldn't have to shoulder me aside as we passed. He not only wouldn't yield
to a senior citizen, but he wouldn't even yield to his own biological father;
and to this day-- in his thirties and no less inconsiderate, no less arrogant,
and no less aggressive than when he was in college --actually has the
chutzpah to regard himself a Christian man.

• Gen 48:13-14 . . And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right
toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand,
and brought them close to him. But Israel reached out his right hand and
put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms,
he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the
firstborn.

Jacob's inspired intuition guided his hands to the boy God wanted to have
the higher rank in spite of the natural dictates of primogeniture.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 14, 2020

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• Gen 48:15a . .Then he blessed Joseph

All three men there that day were "Joseph" so the blessing wasn't really
directed to Mr. Joseph himself alone, rather, to his tribe as a corporate body.

• Gen 48:15b . . saying: The god in whose ways my fathers Abraham and
Isaac walked, the god who has been my shepherd from my birth to this day

On the surface it might appear that the Almighty was Jacob's shepherd
beginning at chapter 28, when he was on the lamb from Esau; but in truth,
the Almighty was Jacob's shepherd from day one, beginning with Rachel's
pregnancy in chapter 25 when God decreed the elder would serve the
younger.

That's an interesting note; because it indicates that the Almighty foreknew
each and every human being who would value spiritual things; and from
eternity, he began making sure they survived any and all misfortune in order
to take advantage of His salvation. (cf. Eph 1:4-5)

• Gen 48:16a . .The Angel

Referring to the Almighty as an angel may be unusual; but certainly not
disrespectful. The Old Testament patriarchs never once saw the true
Almighty in person, nor heard Him speak; they encountered only
representations and apparitions. Those served as proxies for the Almighty,
and as such, had to be revered.

Stephen reminded his Jewish antagonists that they received the Law via
celestial messengers (Acts 7:53, cf. Gal 3:19) but there is no mention of
winged beings or otherwise at Mt. Sinai; only smoke, earthquakes, fire, and
voices. All those things were the "angels" about whom Stephen spoke.

The "angel of The Lord" appears many, many times in the Old Testament
and really means: the messenger of the Lord; which was apparent in a
variety of forms. So right at the gun, from Genesis 1:1 on even till now; the
only contact that humanity has ever had with the Almighty has been by
means of the Angel that Jacob credited with protecting him all along his
pilgrim journey just as was promised at Gen 28:12-15.

• Gen 48:16b . . who has redeemed me from all evil--

The word "redemption" is often associated with salvation from the wrath of
God; but it primarily means to rescue, spare, and/or provide for and protect.
(e.g. Gen 38:6-10, Lev 25:25, Lev 25:47-49, and Ruth 3:1-4:12)

• Gen 48:16c . . may He bless the lads.

Jacob himself was blessed by The Angel in Gen 32:24-29.

Webster's defines "bless" as 1) to speak well of; viz: approve, 2) to confer
prosperity or happiness upon, 3) to protect, to preserve, 4) to endow, and
5) to favor.

I suppose there's a middle ground somewhere between blessing and cursing,
which could probably be labeled a zone of indifference: but in regards to
God, indifference is dangerously close to a curse because where there's
indifference, there's no blessing. Some might consider indifference a
blessing in itself, but personally I would far rather be blessed than ignored.
To be ignored is to be neglected, and in regards to matters of eternal
consequence; that can't be a good thing.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 15, 2020

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• Gen 48:16d . . And may my name live on in them, and the names of my
fathers Abraham and Isaac;

Jacob certainly got his wish. The Israelites have survived some pretty
extreme genocidal attempts on their existence, but they're still here, and in
them, the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have remained famous; and
a perpetual reminder of the Bible's God.

What is the purpose of Moses' people anyway? To chafe and annoy the world
with their arrogance and their superiority complexes and their famous
master-race mentality? No, they hold the distinction of being the one
political body on earth who's sacred duty is to prevent the knowledge of God
from becoming lost forever; a virtual human depository of divine revelation.

"Moses was in the assembly in the desert, with The Angel who spoke to him
on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass
on to us." (Acts 7:38)

"the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God." (Rom 3:2)

What Jacob conferred upon Manasseh and Ephraim wasn't just the dubious
fortune to be identified with the world's most famous patriarchs, but rather,
the solemn duty of perpetuating the patriarchs' religion too. That's a heavy
responsibility; one that Esau himself scoffed, and finally traded for a
temporary pleasure.

Identification with Israel is not something to brag about; rather, it's
something to be frightened about.

"Hear this word, O people of Israel, that Yhvh has spoken concerning you,
concerning the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt: You
alone have I singled out of all the families of the earth-- that is why I will
call you to account for all your iniquities." (Amos 3:1-2)

In other words; people called to an association with the Bible's God are held
to a higher standard than outsiders.

• Gen 48:16e . . And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the
earth.

The Hebrew word for "grow" is dagah (daw-gaw'); which means to spawn.

Webster's defines "spawn" as: to produce young; especially in large
numbers.

Curiously, this one verse is the only instance in the entire Old Testament
where dagah appears.

Increasing by spawning is quite a bit different than increasing by other
means like adoption or naturalizing; so the blessing of spawning that Jacob
conferred upon the two men is somewhat similar to the blessing of fertility
that God conferred upon Adam and his wife at the very beginning. (Gen
1:27-28)

Being fruitful just means being fertile, and doesn't automatically imply
generating a multitude, whereas spawning implies both fertility and massive
numbers of offspring together. As an example of the proliferation implied by
spawning; Coho salmon lay an average of 3,096 eggs per fish in just one run
upriver.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 16, 2020

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• Gen 48:17-19a . .When Joseph saw that his father was placing his right
hand on Ephraim's head, he thought it an error; so he took hold of his
father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's. Not so, Father;
Joseph said to his father; for the other is the firstborn; place your right hand
on his head. But his father objected, saying: I know, my son, I know.

Joseph himself was an inspired man; so you'd think he'd instantly perceive
that Jacob's prioritizing Ephraim over Manasseh was from God; but didn't.
That's curious, and tells me that inspired people aren't always 100% inspired
all the time. Inspiration is, after all, a Divine prerogative rather than a
personal talent. God is under no one's beck and call; and inspired people are
able to understand certain things only as God himself decides when, where,
and how to get in their heads and clear things up.

For example according to 1John 2:26-27 all believers are endowed with a
special anointing that enables them to grasp God's thoughts; but does that
mean they can get by on their own without Spirit-empowered Bible
teachers? No. It's via Spirit-empowered Bible teachers that God
communicates His thoughts. (Eph 4:11-15)

• Gen 48:19b . . He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great.
Yet his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall be
plentiful enough for nations.

This is now the third instance in Genesis where the right of the firstborn is
seen transferred to a younger sibling. The first instance was Jacob and Esau,
and the second was Joseph and Reuben. The important lesson to be learned
from this is that in the Bible, the male born first isn't eo ipso the firstborn.
That may seem trivial but when its applied to Christ, it's a really big deal.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." (Col 1:14
15)

Was Christ the first human born in all creation? No; Adam was; and there
was a time when Adam was the creation's senior patriarch; but not any
more. That honor has been transferred to Christ so that there is not a man
on earth superior to that one. (Dan 7:13-14, Matt 28:18, Phil 2:9-11)

• Gen 48:20-22 . . So he blessed them that day, saying: By you shall Israel
invoke blessings, saying: God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh. Thus
he put Ephraim before Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph: I am about to
die; but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.
And now, I assign to you one portion more than to your brothers, which I
wrested from the Amorites with my sword and bow.

There exists no specific Biblical record of Jacob's own personal conquest of
Canaanite peoples; so what Jacob is doing here is apparently predicting
Joshua's conquest of Canaan as something so certain to take place that he
could speak of it as an historical fact already accomplished; similar to the
manner in which the apostle John reported many of his visions in the book of
Revelation as having taken place as he watched them.

Jacob was an inspired man, so it shouldn't surprise anyone if he was
permitted a vision of his offspring's future successes in Palestine. Whatever
Joshua was to conquer in later years, would certainly be credited to Jacob's
sword and bow just as surely as if he'd been there and led the attacks
himself because it was his own blood kin who eventually did all of it, which
would be in keeping with his prediction that "God will be with you and bring
you back to the land of your fathers." (cf. Ps 127:4-5)

Joseph's body returned to the land as a mummy. But the prediction is a
reality: Joseph will return to the land some day, not just to be buried, but to
take up residence. (Ezk 37:1-14, Dan 12:1-2, Heb 11:8-16)

The "one portion more than to your brothers" was in keeping with the
custom of the firstborn son inheriting a double portion of his father's estate.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 17, 2020

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• Gen 49:1-4 . . And Jacob summoned his sons and said: Come together
that I may tell you what is to befall you in days to come. Assemble and
hearken, O sons of Jacob; hearken to Israel your father:

. . . Reuben, you are my first-born, my might and first fruit of my vigor,
exceeding in rank and exceeding in honor. Unstable as water, you shall excel
no longer; for when you mounted your father's bed, you brought disgrace--
my couch he mounted!

Reuben was clearly a reckless, impetuous individual ruled by the passions
and impulses of human nature rather than better judgment. Compare Isa
57:20 where the ocean is depicted subject to the forces of nature rather
than under its own control.

The affair to which Jacob referred occurred in Gen 35:22. Even today in
modern industrial societies, it is not only unthinkable for a man to sleep with
one of his father's wives; but even with one of his girlfriends. True, Bilhah
and Jacob weren't officially married but still, she was the legal mother of two
Israeli tribal heads: Dan and Naphtali.

Because of his illicit tryst, Reuben lost the firstborn's position (1Chrn 5:1)
demonstrating once again that the biblical rank of firstborn isn't restricted to
the son born first, but is a transferable status that can be bestowed upon a
younger male sibling.

• Gen 49:5 . . Simeon and Levi are a pair; their weapons are tools of
lawlessness.

With Rueben demoted, Simeon would have been next in primogeniture, and
after him; Levi. But the two men are alike as peas in a pod and brothers in
arms-- they're both criminals who simply cannot be trusted to conduct
themselves in a manner befitting the honor and the dignity properly
associated with the position of Israel's firstborn. If Reuben was water, then
Simeon and Levi are leaky boats with no oars, no sail, no rudder, and no
compass.

Ironically, Levi produced Aaron, Israel's line of high priests; and the whole
tribe of Levi is exempt from war though they were sired by a bloody man. It
would appear then, that the office of Israel's firstborn is far more sacred
than any of the Levitical priests, including the Aaronic category.

NOTE: Moses descended from Levi. (Ex 2:1-10)

• Gen 49:6a . . Let not my person be included in their council, let not my
being be counted in their assembly.

Simeon and Levi were not the kind of people from whom a sensible person
would deem it wise to seek advice and counsel. In other words; they were a
bad influence, i.e. toxic.

Jacob's initial reaction to the murders committed by two of his eldest sons
back in chapter 34 was one of concern for his family's safety, and the effect
the deed had upon his reputation in those parts. Not till now does he
excoriate the two men for their conduct; and the denunciation is severe.

• Gen 49:6c . . For when angry they slay men, and when pleased they maim
oxen.

Simeon and Levi not only committed premeditated murders; but also took
satisfaction in cruelty to animals. People like that always justify their cruelty
by saying they're teaching the animal a lesson and/or breaking it of a bad
habit. But in their case it's a lie. They're just heartless and violent; that's all.

One could almost excuse Cain for murdering his kid brother in a fit of rage
because in his day there were no divine prohibitions against murder and/or
manslaughter. But Simeon and Levi had no excuse. They didn't act upon a
sudden provocation, and both of those men knew full well God prohibited
murder and manslaughter because they lived many years after grandpa
Noah came off the ark. (cf. Gen 9:5-6)

By all rights, Jacob should have had those two sons of his executed for what
they did back in Shechem; but like they say: blood is thicker than water.
Jacob let them get away with murder because they're kin, which is the sin of
partiality; defined by Webster's as inclined to favor one party over another;
viz: bias.

• Gen 49:7 . . Cursed be their anger so fierce, and their wrath so relentless.
I will divide them in Jacob, scatter them in Israel.

Jacob was speaking for Yhvh in the last sentence; and the purpose of
dividing and scattering was apparently to make it all the more difficult for
the two tribes to unite in a dastardly cause.

Jacob cursed only his sons' anger rather than the sons-- actually, their
category of anger; which he described as fierce and relentless.

Webster's defines "fierce" as a behavior exhibited by humans and animals
that inspires terror because of the wild and menacing aspect of fury in
attack. Ferocity is an aspect commonly seen among roaring, snarling lions
savagely attacking prey. There's neither sportsmanship nor sympathy in
ferocity; only sheer terror, brutality, and blood lust.

Webster's defines "relentless" as: 1) not softening or yielding in
determination; viz: tough, hard, and stern, and 2) not letting up or
weakening in vigor or pace; viz: constant, persistent.

The wrath of God is depicted in much the same way. (Isa 13:9)
_

Webers.Home · Dec 18, 2020

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• Gen 49:8 . .You, O Judah, your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be
on the nape of your foes; your father's sons shall bow low to you.

Reuben was the original ranking brother, then the position passed to Joseph,
and finally to the family of Judah's grandson David; and that's where it
remains to this day. (Ps 89:20-27)

• Gen 49:10a . .The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the scepter
from between his feet (2Sam 7:16, 2Sam 23:5, Ps 85:35-38, Ps 89:4 , and
Ps 89:30)

• Gen 49:10b . . And the homage of peoples be his.

The "peoples" of that verse are non Jews; viz: Gentiles. The jurisdiction of
Davidic monarchs is normally limited to their own country, among their
fellow Jews; but one is coming in Judah's family who will one day rule the
entire world. (Dan 7:13-14 and Ps 2:7-9)

This next prediction is the scariest one of all.

• Gen 49:11-12 . . He washes his garment in wine, his robe in blood of
grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk. (Isa
63:1-6, and Rev 19:15-16)

• Gen 49:13 . . Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore; he shall be a haven for
ships, and his flank shall rest on Sidon.

Zebulun never did actually occupy a Mediterranean shore (Josh 19:10-16)
but their proximity to the coast, via the territory of Ashur, gave them
opportunity to earn their livings in sea related trades like stevedoring, ship
building, and possibly crews on fishing vessels and cargo ships owned and
operated by the Philistines and Phoenicians.

Zebulun's flank didn't extend to the coastal city named Sidon, but to a
region generally known as Sidonia-- which included the city of Trye --a
territory often labeled Sidon for short.

• Gen 49:14-15 . . Issachar is a strong-boned burro, crouching among the
sheepfolds. When he saw how good was security, and how pleasant was the
country, he bent his shoulder to the burden, and became a toiling serf.

Men like Zebulun, and Issachar are the invisible people. They don't want
much out of life; and they're never really in the news as movers and
shakers; the paparazzi don't follow them around, nor are they among the
rich, famous, and powerful. Zebulun, and Issachar represent the blue collar
labor force, the non-professional working men and women who make a
country productive in goods and services.

Unfortunately, the two tribes, on the whole, believed in peace at any price,
and were wont to trade their independence for corvee labor in order to avoid
conflict with overlords and invaders-- the two notable exceptions being
Zebulun's response when mustered for duty with Gideon (Judg 6:35) and
the two tribes responses when mustered by Barak (Judg 5:14-15) but they
rarely took the initiative to go on the offensive.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 19, 2020

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• Gen 49:16 . . Dan shall govern his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

That prediction alludes to Dan's autonomous attitude towards the other
tribes. In point of fact, Dan's tribe didn't join forces with the others in the
north to help repel oppressors. (Judg 5:17)

A good example of Dan's autonomous attitude is Mr. Samson. During his
tenure as a Judge in Israel (Judg 13:1-16:31) Samson never mustered an
army nor led his own men in a charge up a San Juan hill. He fought alone,
and he died alone; and seemed to prefer it that way. Definitely neither a
commander nor a team player.

• Gen 49:17 . . Dan shall be a serpent by the road, a viper by the path, that
bites the horse's heels so that his rider is thrown backward.

A number of poisonous snakes-- e.g. rattlesnakes --don't hunt for food by
chasing their prey in racy pursuit but choose rather to coil up and patiently
wait along the edges of paths for something to come along. They're typically
sluggish on the move but very speedy on the strike. Rattlers, especially, are
powerful strikers that don't even have to clamp down to bite. Their strike
inertia is powerful enough to drive their fangs into a target's flesh like
sewing needles.

When rattlers bite large animals like horses, it's not for food, but generally a
reflexive response to a perceived threat; which suggests that Dan's tribe
would have hair-trigger tempers that flair up at every provocation-- real or
imagined --totally surprising the objects of their fury. People like that are
extremely reactive: they're never rational and objective, no, they are
emotional, thin-skinned and easily insulted; they get mad over nothing, and
every disagreement is an act of war.

It's conceivable that the viper-ish nature of Dan's tribe reminded Jacob of
Gen 3:15's prediction to crush the head of the Serpent who caused Man's
ruin; and possibly prompted his next remark.

• Gen 49:18 . . I wait for your deliverance, O Lord!

Everyone becomes curious at one time or another how the Old Testament's
luminaries were saved prior to Christ's crucifixion. Well, the interesting thing
is: they were all aware that Christ was on the way.

"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to
come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out
the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was
pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that
would follow." (1Pet 1:10-11)

A prophet is simply an inspired man-- the earliest known were Abel (Luke
11:50-51) Enoch (Jude 1:14) Noah (2Pet 2:5) and Abraham. (Gen 20:7)

In other words: pre-crucifixion believers looked forward to Christ, while
post-crucifixion believers look back.

"Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He
saw it and was glad." (John 8:56)

• Gen 49:19 . . Gad shall be raided by raiders, but he shall raid at their
heels.

Gad's tribe, along with Rueben and Manasseh, chose to settle on the wrong
side of the Jordan River instead of crossing over into Canaan (Num 32:1
32). Their decision effectively isolated them from the other nine tribes and
left their eastern flank vulnerable to desert marauders; which were more
nuisance than anything else as Gad's tribe were competent warriors and able
to hold their own. (cf. 1Chrn 5:18)

Though the major portion of Christ's ministry was confined within the
national borders of Israel, he crossed over the Jordan on occasion to visit
the three tribes on the east side (Matt 11:21, Mark 6:45). Gad was the
region of the famous swine-herd suicide. (Mark 5:1-13)

• Gen 49:20 . . Asher's bread shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.

Asher's tribe was apportioned land bordering Zebulun and Naphtali, along
the Mediterranean coastline in the region of ancient Tyre. The area was
famed for its fertility (Deut 33:24). Ashur was located in a Phoenician
stronghold of political and commercial activity. The phrase "he shall yield
royal dainties" possibly alludes to the tribe's best produce being sold to
supply the homes of Phoenician dignitaries.

NOTE: This chapter in Genesis wasn't recorded in prose, but rather, Hebrew
poetry, making it difficult, if not impossible, for translators to correctly
interpret some of Jacob's sayings. The poem contains tricky metaphors
rather than clear facts; which only complicates the section even more.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 20, 2020

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• Gen 49:21 . . Naphtali is a hind let loose, which yields lovely fawns.

A hind is a female of the red deer species-- males are harts. (e.g. Ps 42:1)

Red deer aren't a domestic breed; so the metaphor refers to a captured hind
being returned to the wild rather than butchered for its meat. Apparently,
this particular hind was pregnant when captured, and the hunter knew the
unborn would certainly die if he killed their mother. By returning the
expectant hind to the field, the hunter helped assure the survival of local
herds; and he no doubt intended to hunt the fawns as adults in the future.
That was not only humane, but also a very wise conservation measure too.

Exactly what Jacob meant to convey by this metaphor is difficult to ascertain
with confidence. It could be that Naphtali's people exhibited artifice, artistry,
intelligence, abilities and aptitudes that their enemies would recognize as far
too valuable to waste by just indiscriminately killing them off in wholesale
slaughter simply to seize their lands and goods.

As an example; some of Nazi Germany's scientists were brought to American
and became very useful in developing the USA's rocket science, and
subsequently NASA's space program. What if the US had executed those
scientists because they were responsible for the buzz bombs that devastated
London? No, sometimes human resources are well worth the restraint to
spare them.

NOTE: Barak, an ordinary man recruited by Deborah to become a military
commander, was of Naphtali. (Judg 4:4-5:31)

• Gen 49:22 . . Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose
branches climb over a wall.

Jacob's assessment of Joseph is similar to the assessment of a blessed man
in the very first Psalm.

"Blessed is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, nor
taken the path of sinners, nor joined the company of the insolent; rather,
Yhvh's teaching is his delight, and he studies that teaching day and night. He
is like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in
season, whose foliage never fades, and whatever it produces thrives."

• Gen 49:23 . . Archers bitterly assailed him; they shot at him and harried
him.

The "archers" in that sentence are the kind who wait in ambush.

Well, that certainly happened to Joseph. He was totally ambushed by his
very own brothers, and then later on, ambushed by Potipher's wife. But he
escaped them all. They thought to ruin Joseph, but he prospered instead.

• Gen 49:24-25a . .Yet his bow stayed taut, and his arm were made firm by
the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob-- there is the Shepherd, the Rock of
Israel --the God of your father who helps you, and Shaddai who blesses you

It is so easy to admire Joseph's perseverance in the face of overwhelming
adversity while overlooking the real reason behind his success. It was Yhvh's
providence all the way. Left to himself, it's very likely Joseph would have
been dead before he was thirty years old; either by murder, execution, or
suicide.

• Gen 49:25 . .With blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that
lurk below, blessings of the breast and womb.

Those blessings consist of rain, dew, and abundant water resources; all of
which depict fruitfulness of the soil and the fecundity of both man and beast.

• Gen 49:26. .Your father's blessings surpassed the blessings of my
ancestors, to the utmost bounds of the eternal hills. May they rest on the
head of Joseph, on the brow of the elect of his brothers.

Compare Deut 33:13-17 where Manasseh and Ephraim are indirect
recipients of Joseph's blessings, and will apparently conquer and colonize
quite a bit of the earth some day in the future.

Jacob pronounced Joseph the "elect" of his brothers not out of a spirit of
favoritism, but out of a spirit of prophecy. You can easily tell that Yhvh is
micro-managing the entire meeting.

Compared to man, the hills really are eternal; viz: perpetual from one
generation to another. Jacob's ancestors included Abel, Seth, and Noah.
They were good men but none of them inherited the promises God made to
Abraham; which are promises just as eternal as the hills; if not more so.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 21, 2020

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• Gen 49:27 . . Benjamin rends in pieces, like a wolf-- in the morning he
consumes the prey, and in the evening he apportions the booty.

That is hardly the picture of a peaceful, agrarian society. Israel used to be a
land of milk and honey (Ex 3:8) and you have to wonder what on earth
happened that caused the transformation of a tribe of herders and farmers
into human predators.

As a testament to the cruel nature of the tribe of Benjamin, Israel's first
king-- ego-driven, selfish Mr. Saul --came from there. (1Sam 9:1-2)

The nightmarish events of Judges 19 and 20 took place in Benjamin's
borders and led to the tribe's decimation in a brief civil war.

• Gen 49:28 . . All these were the tribes of Israel, twelve in number, and
this is what their father said to them as he bade them farewell, addressing
to each a parting word appropriate to him.

Numbering the tribes of Israel is tricky because Jacob has twelve birth sons,
and two adopted sons; which adds up to fourteen. But the tribes are always
listed so that the numbering comes out to twelve. Compare the list at Rev
7:5-8 where everybody but Dan and Ephraim are named so that the number
again comes out to twelve. The same strange numbering system was
employed in counting the Lord's apostles. Even after Judas was eliminated,
they were still referred to as the twelve. (1Cor 15:5)

• Gen 49:29-33 . .Then he instructed them, saying to them: I am about to
be gathered to my kin. Bury me with my fathers in the cave which is in the
field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave which is in the field of Machpelah, facing
Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron
the Hittite for a burial site-- there Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried;
there Isaac and his wife Rebecca were buried; and there I buried Leah --the
field and the cave in it, bought from the Hittites.

. . .When Jacob finished his instructions to his sons, he drew his feet into the
bed and, breathing his last, he was gathered to his kin.

The phrase "gathered to his kin" is an action separate from being buried side
by side with kin in a cemetery. Jacob was gathered to his kin immediately
upon expiration, but wasn't buried with them till more than seventy days
after his demise.

According to Christ, though Jacob's flesh expired many centuries ago in
Egypt, he continues to exist somewhere else.

"But now, as to whether the dead will be raised-- even Moses proved this
when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob had died, he referred to Yhvh as the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob. So He is the God of the living, not the dead.
They all live unto Him." (Luke 20:37-38)

There is a region in the netherworld where faithful Israelites were at one
time warehoused waiting for the resurrection of their bodies. (e.g. Luke
16:19-31, cf. Matt 17:1-9)
_

Having A Go At Genesis

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