An Atheistic Bible Study Of Genesis Chapter Forty Five

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Joseph finally reveals his identity before his brothers, after hearing that in falsely accusing Benjamin of theft of the Pharaoh’s silver, he risks breaking his father’s heart. He gets very emotional, at first asking if his father still lives, which confuses the audience as in not knowing he is Joseph they don’t get that Israel (Jacob) is his father. Joseph tells them all that he is Joseph and assures them that he is not going to take further revenge on any of the brothers for attempting to kill him and then casting him into slavery. We are told that the seven year global famine God has initiated affecting all nations except Egypt still has five years to run. Joseph thanks God for elevating him to the position of ruler of all the food on Earth, giving him dominion over even the Pharaoh (though Pharaoh had only made Joseph second in command to himself so Joseph is getting rather meglamanic here). Joseph asks his brothers to fetch his ageing father from Canaan to Egypt so he can meet him again. As he is now a free man again why doesn’t he delegate control of the food to someone else and go to Canaan to visit his dad personally? He offers the whole family land and food in Goshen in Egypt. Joseph weeps with his brothers who all also weep, but he singles out his favourite brother Benjamin for particularly prolonged mutual weeping and kissing. Even Pharaoh is moved by Joseph’s family reunion happy ending. He invites them to bring all their wives, children, and slaves but suggests they leave their material property as Egypt can provide anything they desire. Joseph gives the brothers carts for shipping their things, and each brother gets new clothes for changing into during the journey too. He adds extra meat, corn, and bread for his father, Israel too. The brothers travel to Canaan and find Israel, telling him the good news that his long lost son is alive. They don’t tell him it is their fault that Joseph was left for dead in the first place. At first Israel doesn’t believe them but when he sees all the richly laden carts Joseph has sent, he decides to make the pilgrimage to Egypt personally to see Joseph before he dies. A chapter about resolution to the long family feud, but with Joseph clearly having ideas above his station and enjoying his political power way too much. God’s only part in this is maintaining a famine that could kill millions and telling Joseph not to kill his brothers. Arthur Chappell