Texts in Conversation
Joseph reframes his brothers’ betrayal as God’s way of keeping the entire family and nation alive twice over, when he reveals himself in Genesis 45 and again after their father dies in Genesis 50.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Genesis 45:7
Hebrew Bible
6 For these past two years there has been famine in the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me ahead of you to preserve you on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 50:20
Hebrew Bible
19 But Joseph answered them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. 21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly to them.
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Notes and References
... lets us see how the biblical tradition borrowed a number of well-known topics about the reversal of fortune and used them to show how God took care of Joseph. Joseph himself expresses this central message when he says to his brothers in Genesis 45:7-8: God sent me before you to preserve a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. And again in Genesis 50:20 he says: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive as they are today ...
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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