Chapter 45 - 47: Israel migrated to Egypt.
Joseph asked his brothers to bring the good news to Jacob, "His son is now the lord of Egypt". He would arrange for them to live in Goshen so that he could provide for them. There was five more years of famine to come.
When Pharaoh heard that the brothers of Joseph were in Egypt he offered them the best land of the Egypt and all the food they needed. Pharaoh commanded Joseph to give them wagons of provisions to bring back to Jacob.
Jacob could not believe the news until he saw the wagons of gifts. He was very eager to see Joseph.
Israel journeyed to Egypt with all his possessions and 70 people. He stopped at Beer-sheba to offer sacrifices to the God of Isaac. God promised Jacob that He would go with him into Egypt and would also bring his people out one day.
Beer-sheba was an interesting place in the Bible. In Genesis 21:33, Abraham found a well there and Abimelech, the Philistine, made a covenant with him to recognise his ownership. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree and worshipped the "Everlasting God".
In Genesis 26:26, it was at Beer-sheba where the Lord came to Isaac and renewed the promise to make to Abraham. "I am the God of Abraham your father." Isaac also had a dispute over the ownership of the well with Abimelech here. Again it ended up with Isaac having ownership of the well.
Now at Beer-sheba Jacob stopped to worship God. This time when God called his name his answered, "Here I am" (Genesis 22:1). No more the feisty Jacob, but a tamed Jacob. God renewed the promise with Jacob. "I am the God of your father." Jacob was to enter Egypt as the nation of Israel (not Jacob). Notice the emphasis on Israel from now on. God shared with Jacob what he had shared with Abraham (Genesis 15:13).
Judah went ahead to notify Joseph, and Joseph came out to welcome his father at Goshen. Joseph told them to wait at Goshen while he met with Pharaoh, to formerly present his request. The Egypt's were keepers of cattle and were against sheep. Five of the brothers were to represent the family and Judah was to be their spokesman. Joseph reminded the brothers to speak the truth to Pharaoh. Tell Pharaoh that they were shepherds.
So when Pharaoh inquired about their occupation the brothers said they were shepherds. They asked for permission to be allowed to stay at Goshen. Pharaoh consented without hesitation. If anyone of them needed a job they could help take care of his cattle.
Joseph then arranged for his father to have an audience with Pharaoh. When Pharaoh asked Jacob how was his life. Jacob said, "few and evil have been the days of the years of my life".
So Jacob and his family settled at Goshen, the best land in Egypt. Joseph provided them with all their needs.
The famine lasted seven years. The people of Egypt purchased food from Joseph, first with cash, then with their savings, their cattle, and finally their lands. After that they sold themselves as slaves to Pharaoh. Joseph did not make them slaves, but put them to work. He gave them seeds to plant and a fifth of their harvest (20% tax) would belong to Pharaoh. That was how Pharaoh owned the whole of Egypt, and received twenty percent of the produce of the harvest. The priests were exempted.
If you are a Christian and a chief executive officer of a corporation, Joseph can be your role model. Do not be too technical, do the right thing, especially in a recession. The people have no choice but to be slaves. But Joseph valued the dignity of humankind and gave them gainful employment.
A Bible teaser: The number of children and grandchildren of Jacob listed in chapter 46 was 67 (excluding Joseph and his two sons). Only two ladies were listed; Dinah and a granddaughter Serah. Of this, 66 went with Jacob to Egypt; I supposed Dinah was not with them. So the nation of Israel gathered at Goshen, including Jacob and Joseph's family, was 70. What happened to Jacob's three wives (Rachel had died) and the daughters-in-law? For some reason they were not numbered. Anyone wants to share here???
