There are thousands of stories in the Bible, but one stands out in particular; the story of Joseph. The Hebrew meaning of the name Joseph is “may Jehovah add, give increase.”1 Through the life of Joseph we see God add meaning and purpose to his life, just as God adds meaning and purpose to all our lives. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”2 Joseph obediently followed God’s plans through trials and tribulations whereas many other figures in the Old Testament faltered in their faith. Joseph, son of Jacob, is the single most important human being in the Old Testament because of his impeccable faith to the one true God and his story of forgiveness that set the stage for God’s chosen people.
Joseph began his life as the favorite son of Jacob who tended to the flocks as a shepherd.3 These humble beginnings foreshadow how one day Joseph will tend to the Seed of the Woman during times of famine in the land by giving food to this eleven brothers. Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, had eleven other sons who were jealous of the special attention that Joseph received. In fact, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.4 Joseph had a dream that predicted that Joseph would one day reign over his older brothers. This upset his brothers and they tricked Joseph by selling him into slavery. Joseph was then taken to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar and became a servant in
In each of these biblical characters, the change of names gives them a new sense of self. Joseph is also given an Egyptian wife, Potiphera. This intercultural marriage affirms that Joseph’s descendents will now become Egyptian not only by title, but by blood, furthering his identity as an Egyptian. An additional argument that supports his full assimilation is the tremendous authority that is given to him—the whole country of Egypt. Because he becomes the second highest ruler in the land, the remaining pieces of his Jewish identity are swept away. Even the language that he learns becomes so infused in him that he uses a translator, although he does not need one: “They did not know that Joseph understood them, since he spoke with them through an interpreter” (Genesis 42.23). One of the most major traits that show how much Joseph has assimilated to the Egyptian culture is found in the last sentence of Genesis: “And Joseph died… he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt” (Genesis 50.24). Embalmment was not a Jewish custom and Joseph requests that he does not be buried in Egypt. He wants his bones to instead be carried from Egypt back to where his forefathers were buried in, the cave of Machpelah in Canaan, but his wish is not granted.
Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt to buy food, and there he revealed himself to his brothers and they apologized to him for what they did to him. Josephs forgave them and sent for his father Jacob and the rest of his
Joseph – one of the greatest heroes of the Bible – a Biblical hero – defined by professor/notes from lecture
So when Joseph came to them, they took off his beautiful robe and they threw him in an empty well. Then they sold him to people that were going to Egypt. The brothers took the robe and dipped it in animal’s blood and brought it to their father. They told Jacob that an animal killed him. Jacob was really upset. Joseph was now in Egypt working as a slave. He was Potiphar’s helper and made him mandated of everything he owned. Then the Pharaoh sent him to jail. After some time in jail a cupbearer and a baker’s Pharaoh had a dream that he was going to get out of jail soon. Joseph told them to tell the Pharaoh about him but the cupbearer forgot. Two years later the Pharaoh had a dream, but nobody could understand it. Then the cupbearer remembered what Joseph did for him, and Joseph was brought to Pharaoh. Joseph explained him and the Pharaoh believed all that he told him, and put him in charge of all the land of Egypt. People came from all over to buy grain from Joseph, including Joseph's brothers. When his brothers came, Joseph was able to recognize them, but they did not. Joseph told them that he was their brother and even thought they were afraid Joseph was not mad at them because he knew that God had a better plan for him. After it his entire family moved to Egypt
Joseph represents faith as many of the characters do in the Bible. God blessed Joseph with the capacity to excel in every situation. God gave Joseph intelligence and an ability to interpret dreams. All of these blessings were given to Joseph in order for him to save his family from the seven years of famine. The story of Joseph shows how the will of God is done through people and events. The reason the story of Joseph is so significant is because these events lead up to the Hebrew people settling in Goshen. Goshen is where the Israelites reside centuries later where they are oppressed and become slaves of the state. Joseph sets the stage for Moses. Moses rescues the firstborn of God, the Israelites. Moses also provides mankind with the commandments giving people their first laws literally set in
Despite the fact that Joseph’s father was killed in a pit accident in 1873, he grew a lot of self-confidence through that experience and strong sense obligation. This however gave him a lot of responsibility and he was the family wage earner. He later then he became a lay preacher and a successful public speaker. He became involved in Trade Union Fairs: before he was the age of 25 he became elected successively to all executive positions in his union lodge. After this he started being interested in politics.
The story of Joseph in the Bible begins with explanations of Joseph’s youth and innocence and how his brothers were jealous of him because he was the “blessed son”. It involves a lot of specifics, like it mentions that Joseph was seventeen years
Joseph II, born in Vienna, Austria, on March 13, 1741, was a sole ruler of the Austrian Habsburg dominions. Joseph was the first son of his parents, Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, and Francis Stephen of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany. He was baptized as Joseph Benedict Augustus Johann Anton Michael Adam. He had two siblings, his sister, Marie Antoinette, and his brother, Leopold II. As a boy, Joseph knew he would grow to become an intelligent ruler. He studied politics, and worked hard for the things he believed. According to www.thefamouspeople.com Joseph acquired his knowledge
The Joseph narrative can be found in the book of Genesis chapters 37-50. It is slightly interrupted “by the story of Judah and Tamar (Gen. 38) and by the so-called Blessing of Jacob (Gen. 49:1-28)” (Skinner, 438). The story of Joseph is seen as unique because it has different characteristics than its counterparts in Genesis. Other writings in Genesis seem to be short, brief incidents, about family and tribal affairs. The Joseph narrative, on the other hand, is lengthy in nature “comprising some 300 verses” (Barton & Muddiman, 60). In fact, Joseph is “second only to Moses in the attention given to him in the Torah” (Spring & Shapiro, 260). Some scholars consider the Joseph
Although Joseph is commonly identified as Jacob’s firstborn with Rachel, He was actually the eleventh of Jacob’s sons. “Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin: the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher.” (Genesis 35: 22-26) So, Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn; yet, he lost his birthright by committing fornication with his father’s concubine. Nonetheless, God built the Jewish nation from that dysfunctional family.
F.) Why was reestablishing oxygen flow to Joseph’s body so important? What processes would be affected by the lack of oxygen?
In the story of Joseph it mention that God give him a dream that Egypt was going to have a time of harvest and a time of famine. Joseph was asked to interrupt the king dreams which he did. The king was pleased to hear what it meant then made him second in command over Egypt. He became the administrator over the land and made sure that the economy was taking care of the way it should. He used his skills tackle all of the economic issues at that time and season.
Joseph was born 2260 AM and died 2370 AM at the age of 110 and the history of Joseph’s life is remarkable. Joseph was born to Jacob and his wife and he was the favorite son of Jacob. Joseph’s other brothers were jealous of this and they sold Joseph into slavery. The brothers sold Joseph to one of the Pharaoh’s officers and Joseph served the Pharaoh. Joseph had the gift that God had given him of being able to interpret dreams. The Pharaoh learned of this and calls upon Joseph to interpret a dream that had been troubling him. Joseph correctly described the symbols in the Pharaoh’s dream that showed there would be plenty and then everything would go into a great shortage. The Pharaoh gave Joseph the control and management of the land.
Saint Joseph was by birth of the royal family of David, but was living in humble obscurity as a carpenter, until God raised him to the highest office ever accorded a mortal man, by choosing him to be the spouse of the Virgin Mother, the virginal father and guardian of the Incarnate Word. Joseph, says Holy Scripture, was a just man. He was innocent and pure, as became the husband of Mary; he was gentle and tender, as one worthy to be named the father of Jesus; he was prudent and a lover of silence, as became the master of the holy house; above all, he was faithful and obedient to divine calls.
One of the inherent conflicts in the story of Joseph is the tension between Joseph and his brothers. The tension between them is caused by both Jacob and Joseph. First, Jacob shows favoritism toward Joseph, because he is the son of his favorite wife Rachel. Second, Joseph brings back bad reports when he is out pasturing with his brothers. However, what truly increased the hatred and jealousy was the Joseph’s dreams. The author notes that when Joseph recounts the dreams, “they hated him even more (Gen. 37:8).” Their jealousy for Joseph is strong enough that they are willing to murder him. However, they decide to instead sell him into slavery, and convince Jacob that he was killed.