Book of Genesis for Beginners: Chapters 43-50

Joseph's Brothers Go Back to Egypt

Gen 43:1-34

Israel and his family had eaten all the grain that his sons brought back from Egypt. Israel told his sons to go back to Egypt to buy more grain, but Judah told his father that they could not go back unless they brought Benjamin. Israel did not want Benjamin to go for fear of losing all of his sons.

Judah told his father to place the blame on him for the rest of his life if anything happened to any of Israel's sons. Israel finally agreed to let Benjamin go along with his brothers to Egypt. Israel gave his sons money for the grain and had his sons take back the money that was given to them. Israel also sent with his sons food gifts for the governor of the land (Joseph) in hopes of gaining favor with him.

The brothers went to Egypt and Joseph saw them along with Benjamin. Joseph told his men to gather them and get them ready to eat with him in his house. The brothers were worried that Joseph would harm them in his house because they took his money. When they arrived at Joseph's house, the brothers explained why the money that they gave Joseph for the grain was found in their sack. Joseph told them that he received the money and that God gave them the money in the sack.

Joseph and his people sat down to eat. Then, the brothers were seated down in a separate table according to their age. Joseph had Simeon released to sit with his brothers too. Joseph was first served the food and then his people were served food. Then the brothers were served food, but Benjamin was served five times as much food. Everyone ate and had a good time.

Joseph Tests His Brothers

Gen 44:1-34

Joseph had his men saddle up the brothers’ donkeys and filled up their sacks with grain and money to bring to their father. Joseph had one of his men put his royal cup in Benjamin’s sack. Joseph sent the brothers on their way home.

Joseph let the brothers’ journey a little while, then told his men to capture his brothers and search their sacks for his cup. Joseph’s men found the brothers and searched their sack for the cup. One of the men found Joseph’s cup in Benjamin’s sack and brought him to Joseph. The brothers came along to try to state their innocence to Joseph.

Joseph said that Benjamin was the only one who had to stay for his crime and sent the brothers back to their home. Judah made one last plea to Joseph by telling him that Israel lost one son years ago and would die if Benjamin was to be taken away too. Judah offered to take the place of Benjamin.

Joseph Provides for His Family

Gen 45:1-28

Joseph could not keep his secret away from his bothers any more. Joseph told his brothers that he was Joseph and then told them the story of how he reached the status of Governor over the land of Egypt. Joseph also told his brothers not to feel sad about what they did to him because it was God that made all the events in Joseph’s life take place so his family would not die during the seven years of famine.

Joseph and his brothers reconciled with each other. Joseph told his brothers to go to his father and tell him all that had taken place in Egypt and with Joseph. Joseph also told them to ask Israel to take all his possessions and move to Egypt during the duration of the famine.

Pharaoh was pleased that Joseph’s brothers had come and gave them enough wagons to bring back all of Israel’s people and possession to Egypt. Joseph’s brothers went back to their father in Canaan, and told Israel all that had happened. Israel did not believe his sons that Joseph was still alive at first. But, when Israel saw all the wagons and heard more of the story about what had taken place in Egypt, he was very happy and wanted to see Joseph before he died.

Israel Moves to Egypt

Gen 46:1-7

Israel took all of his family and possessions to Egypt. Along the way, Israel visited Beersheba to pay respect to his father Isaac. God came to Israel in a vision and comforted him with his decision to go to Egypt by letting him know that he was doing the right thing. God also told Israel that Joseph would be the one to put him to rest in Egypt.

Descendants of Israel who came into Egypt

Gen 46:8-27

Israel and Leah
>Reuben
>>Hanoch
>>Pallu
>>Hezron
>>Carmi
>Simeon
>>Jemuel
>>Jamin
>>Ohad
>>Jachin
>>Zohar
>>Shaul
>Levi
>>Gershon
>>Kohath
>>Merari
>Judah
>>Er (died in the land of Canaan)
>>Onan (died in the land of Canaan)
>>Shelah
>>Perez
>>> Hezron
>>>Hamul
>>Zerah
>Issachar
>>Tola
>>Puvah
>>Yob
>>Shimron
>Zebulun
>>Sered
>>Elon
>>Jahleel

(> = one descendant down the blood line)

*Total sons and daughters were 33

Israel and Zilpah
>Gad
>>Ziphion
>>Haggi
>>Shuni
>>Ezbon
>>Eri
>>Arodi
>>Areli
>Asher
>>Imnah
>>Ishvah
>>Ishvi
>>Beriah
> Beriah
>>Heber
>>Malchiel.

(> = one descendant down the blood line)

*Total sons and daughters were 16

Israel and Rachel
>Joseph
>Manasseh
>Ephraim
>Benjamin
>>Bela
>>Becher
>>Ashbel
>>Gera
>>Naaman
>>Ehi
>>Rosh
>>Muppim
>>Huppim
>>Ard

(> = one descendant down the blood line)

*Total sons and daughters were 14

Israel and Bilhah
>Dan
>>Hushim
>Naphtali
>>Jahzeel
>>Guni
>>Jezer
>>Shillem

(> = one descendant down the blood line)

*Total son and daughters were 7

Israel Reunites with Joseph

Gen 46:28-34

Israel, his family, and all his possessions finally set foot in Egypt in the land of Goshen. Joseph met Israel and his family in Goshen and wept with his father. After Israel and Joseph embraced each other, Joseph told Israel and his family that when Pharaoh would ask what their occupation was, they were to tell him that they were shepherds.

Israel Settles in Goshen

Gen 47:1-12

Joseph took five of his brothers to Pharaoh to confirm that Joseph’s family had arrived in Goshen. Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers what their occupation was and they said they were shepherds. Joseph brought Israel to meet Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked Israel how old he was. Israel said he was 130 years old and then blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh told Joseph to settle his family in the best part of Egypt so they could dwell comfortably. Joseph settled Israel and his family in the land of Goshen.

The Famine in Egypt

Gen 47:13-26

The famine in the lands of Canaan and Egypt were so bad that all the inhabitants ran out of money to buy grain. The people begged Joseph not to let them die. Joseph told the people of Egypt to sell their livestock in exchange for grain. The people sold their livestock and were fed for a year. The next year came by and the people ran out of grain again. The people begged to sell their property and themselves so they would not die. Joseph took the people of Egypt’s land from them and made them servants to Pharaoh.

Joseph gave the people, who were now Pharaoh’s servants, land to cultivate. Joseph told the servants that one fifth of the harvest of the land would go to Pharaoh and four fifths of the harvest would go to them for them to live on.

The priests of Egypt did not have to become servants because they were on a fixed income from the Pharaoh. The priests also did not have to give up their land because it was given to them by Pharaoh originally.

Israel Prospers in Goshen

Gen 47:27-31

Israel and his family lived in the land of Goshen and prospered in it. The land they had in Goshen was theirs, so they had complete control over all of it. Israel’s family and possessions became fruitful and multiplied tremendously. Israel prospered in the land of Goshen seventeen years before he became ill.

Israel knew he was about to die, so he got Joseph to come to him and had him hold his hand under Israel’s leg to signify an oath. Israel wanted Joseph to promise to not bury him in Egypt when he died. Israel wanted Joseph to bury him in the burial place of his fathers. Joseph promised Israel that he would bury him in the burial place of his fathers. Israel, then rested after the oath was made.

Israel Blesses Joseph’s Sons

Gen 48:1-22

Joseph heard that Israel was about to die, so he quickly gathered his two sons so Israel could bless them before he died. Joseph went to his father and asked him to bless his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Israel agreed to bless Joseph’s two sons.

Israel placed his right hand on Ephraim and his left hand on Manasseh, and then he blessed them. Joseph asked Israel why he did not place his right hand on his first born Manasseh according to tradition. Israel told Joseph that Manasseh and his people would be great, but Ephraim would be greater. Israel said that Ephraim and his offspring would become a multitude of nations.

Israel told Joseph that God was with him and that God would bring Joseph back to the land of his fathers. Israel also told Joseph that he had given him a mountain slope in the land of Canaan that he took from the Amorites.

Israel Tells His Sons Future

Gen 49:1-27

Israel gathered all his sons around him and told each son what was going to happen to them in the future:

Reuben – Even though he was the first born, he would not reach greatness because he dishonored Israel’s bed.

Simeon and Levi – They were cursed by the blood on their swords. Israel wanted nothing to do with them and would keep them divided in the land of Israel.

Judah – His brothers would praise him and bow down to him. The kingdom would not depart from him because he was mighty like a lion.

Zebulun – His place would be at the seashore and would be a safe haven for ships.

Issachar – He would rest in a land that would make him a slave and would put him into forced labor.

Dan – He would be a Judge of the land of Israel.

Gad – Raiders would steal from him, but he would attack them back.

Asher – He would have rich food of royalty.

Naphtali – He would be free and would have beautiful children.

Joseph – People would attack him, but God would protect him.

Benjamin – He would be ruthless.

Israel Dies

Gen 49:28-33

Israel told his sons to bury him in the burial place of his fathers in the field of Ephron in the land of Canaan. After Israel finished speaking to his sons about his burial place, he laid down and died.

Joseph Buries his Father

Gen 50:1-14

After Israel died, Joseph had him embalmed for forty days. Then all of Egypt wept for seventy days. Joseph had his servants ask Pharaoh if he could bury his father Israel in the land of Canaan as his father requested. Pharaoh allowed Joseph to go out of Egypt with his men and brothers to bury his father in the land of Canaan.

Joseph brought with him all the servants and elders of Egypt along with his brothers to bury his father in the fields of Ephron in Canaan. Joseph reached the fields of Ephron and buried his father with his ancestors. Joseph and company mourned for seven days and then went back to Goshen in Egypt.

Joseph Forgives his Brothers

Gen 50:15-21

Joseph’s brothers were worried that he might blame the death of their father on them, so they came up with the idea that before Israel died, he told them to tell Joseph to forgive them of their sins against Joseph. Joseph’s brother told the lie to Joseph, but he looked past the lie and forgave them anyways. Joseph promised to take care of them in the land of Egypt.

Joseph Dies

Gen 50:22-26

Joseph died at the age of 110. Before Joseph died, he told his brothers that God would take them out of the land of Egypt and would place them in the land of their fathers. Joseph also made them promise to dig up his bones when they would leave Egypt and take them with them to Canaan. Joseph was embalmed and buried in Egypt.