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36 verses. The extraordinary story of Yosef, his father's darling, who innocently and hauntingly invoked his brothers jealousy. They exploited an opportunity to sell their hated brother to a convoy of merchants, while concocting a cover story for their father, that a beast preyed on his beloved son. The chapter is loaded with human features: first the preference of one son, the youngest by Jacob -- openly. 2nd -- the haughtiness, narcissistic perhaps response of Yosef, the dreams he has, the unabashed way of telling them to his brothers who get wounded up with mounting jealousy, 3rd -- the debate among the brothers who wish to kill Yosef when an opportunity presents itself. How the oldest, the responsible one, shies away from murder, towards a 'slow death' by abandonment in a hole Yosef cannot escape from, and 4th -- how Juda exploits a moment when Reuben is absent and takes charge on a change of plans to sell their brother. A side story is how Yosef missed his brothers who moved elsewhere and how a passer by redirected him. Otherwise he would have returned home, safe and sound... 5th- how Yaakov refused to stop mourning. As the story unfolds later, this criminal despicable act, pivoted to the act that allowed the Israelites to survive, and eventually be led in triumph to the land they have left during the famine.
30 Verses. The narrative departs from the tale of history of the community, and focuses on the private family affairs of Juda the son of Ya'acov. Juda (Yehuda) while visiting a grazing partner Hira from Adulam (presumably a neighborhood in Egypt) encounter a young woman, took her to be a wife, and she bore three children: Er, Onan, and Shela. In time Yehuda married his son Er to Tamar. Er was displeasing to God and was killed. Yehudah then ordered his second son, Onan to impregnate Tamar to build a line of descendants to his older brother. Onan could not openly refuse his father so he simply spilled his sperm outside. While Yehuda was not the wiser, God knew, was angry and killed Onan too! Grieving Yehuda then sent Tamar to her childhood home to live as a mourning widow until his third son, Shela is old enough to marry her. Yehuda apparently interpreted the death of his second son, as an indication that God does not approve of practice of impregnation with proper marriage, and wishing to spare his young son, Shela, do decided, and possibly he lied to Tamar, never intending to risk his third son with her. As Shela grew and Tamar waiting in her childhood town realized that her father in law does not fulfill his word, she decided to outfox him: dressing like a prostitute, she put herself on his way. He was on to her, and promised to pay her from this cattle later. She asked for payment guarantees, and Juda, who of course did not recognize his daughter in law, has given her his seal and his walking stick. When Yehuda sent a messenger to pay her for her services he could not find her. In a few months, Yehuda was told that his daughter in law defiled the family, and is pregnant. He was livid, and ordered her execution. When she told him that the man who defiled her was the owner of the ring and the walking stick she presented, Yehuda realized how is daughter in law outsmarted him. He rescinded her execution order, and Tamar bore twins as heirs to her deceased husband -- she bore two brothers to her husband... The narrative concludes with the following peculiarity: the midwife wrapped a recognition string to the twin that stuck his hand out first, but then he pulled his arm back, and the other twin ended up emerging first... he was then called "peretz' (grabber, outburster). No more reference to this 'human interest' story.
23 verses: Talented Yosef sold to an Egyptian dignitary, Potifar, quickly distinguishes himself and rises to run the household. Being exceptionally handsome, Rotifer's wife attempts to seduce him. He turns her down, not wishing to dishonor his benefactor. Scorned, the wife falsely claims the opposite. Potifar believes her and throws Yosef to the king's jail. Yosef distinguishes himself there too, running the place.
23 verses. Yosef's adventures take another turn. He seizes the opportunity to be close to disgraced ministers thrown to the same jail. They share with Yosef their dreams. He takes a stab, claiming "God holds the solutions, so tell me about it" -- a subtle expression of extreme arrogance, consistent with his known character. Taking his chances to interprets one minister as about to be forgiven, and the other the opposite to be condemned and killed. He probably knows that Pharaoh birthday comes on in three days, so sets his prediction to that count. He turns out right. Yosef pleads with the forgiven minister to advocate for him with Pharaoh since he is blameless, but the minister forgets Yosef as soon as he is back in power.
57 verses. A fabulous flowing narrative. Two years past since the Minister of Drinks was reinstituted, and Yosef must have been so disappointed. But then Pharaoh had a dream that baffled his advisers and the minister recalled Yosef. He was brought before Pharaoh, impressed him with his wisdom, and was appointed to run the country in the coming challenging 14 years. Yosef was only 30 years of age. He was given the daughter of an Egyptian priest for a wife, who gave him two (non Jewish officially) sons, Ephraim and Menashe. Life was good!
38 verses. Famine overcasts the entire Middle East, and Jacob sends his sons to Egypt where food is available because of Yosef's foresight and management abilities. The other son of Rachel, Benjamin, is left behind. Yosef recognizes his brothers as they come, bow and beg for food. They don't recognize him. He plays with them. Accuses them as being spies. They reject the accusation and tell their story. Shocked by this accusation the brothers attribute this to God's punishment for how they treated Yosef. Reuben laments: "I told you not to hurt him!". They speak Hebrew among themselves, not suspecting that Yosef or any Egyptian will understand their language. But Yosef does, becomes emotional, withdraws, collects himself and return. He first says that all the brothers will be arrested, except one that would go back home to bring the little one, Benjamin. Then he flips: one, Shimon, stays behind, the rest return full of food. Only that Ya'acov refuses to let Benjamin go to Egypt.
34 verses. Ya'acov chooses to have Shimon prisoner in Egypt, and not risk having Benjamin taken to Egypt. But the family finishes up the grain and good they have hauled from Egypt, and Ya'acov asked them to make another round. Yehuda, who takes command, says they have to bring Benjamin with them so 'the man' (Yosef, their brother) said. Ya'acov is angry: "why have they told him about Benjamin?" Yehuda says they were surprised by the detailed questions and never suspected he would say what he said. Yehuda mounts pressure on his father since his family and his brothers are anguishing in the famine. Ya'acov eventually yields. When they rode back before they found to their surprise their money back in the packs, by orders of Yosef. Now Yaakov asked them to return it, to say, they got it back by mistake. Yosef gets very emotional upon meeting his full brother Benjamin, but holds the facade.
34 verses. Yosef sends off his brothers who see him, talk to him, and still have not the slightest suspicion about his identity. The reality of Yosef as second to Pharaoh is so fantastic that however curious the similarity might have struck them, the brothers, it never translated to an option to ponder. And Yosef needed his "pound of flesh" so he secretly placed his golden cup in the bag of Benjamin, and sent off his brothers to go back home with the food and the goodies from Egypt -- administered by their own brother -- they not aware of it. As the brothers got going, Yosef sent his troops to stop them and accuse them of the theft of the precious golden cup. The brothers denied any wrong and welcomed the inspection of their luggage. Yosef's messengers, on his instructions checked all the bags and checked Benjamin's bag last. The brothers were shocked. They pre agreed to be eternal slaves to Yosef if anything is found. Now they all returned to Egypt, and Yehuda (not Reuven) begged Yosef, to have him as slave and release Benjamin, explaining that their old father would die in great agony if Benjamin is hurt.
28 verses. When the brothers return with Benjamin to Yosef, the game is over. Yosef comes clean and shocks his brothers to their bones. The brothers are loaded with the good of the earth as they return to Israel. Jacob is in disbelief, and noticing the riches that came along he says 'a lot' describing God's taking care of him, and he then decides to abide by his favorite son's entreaties, and go to Egypt to see his son before his death. Yosef was very appealing: the famine is to last five more years, why suffer, and if you come close we can live in proximity and enjoy each other.
34 verses. Desiring to see his beloved Yosef, Ya'acov takes some 66 people with him, gathering all their belonging, going Egypt. Worried, but God reassures Ya'acov in his dream. God calls Ya'acov, and Ya'acov replies: "Here I am!" הנני. And it this self realization that makes Ya'acov ready to receive the divine message: "Fear Not from this big move, going down to Egypt. I will build you up there as a big tribe, and I will bring you back up to Israel in due course. And your son Yosef, will close your eyelids when you pass on". And so they went down, using the comfortable chariots Pharaoh sent over. The chapter lists by names the dozens in the family tribe. We learn that Ya'acov had children by the maids of his wives. And Yosef's two children by his Egyptian wife are mentioned too. As they come close, Yosef moves forward to receive them, and what an emotional reunion with his father. Yosef instructs his people to say that they are shepherds in order to nab Pharaoh to allocate the land of Goshen for their residence, where they would be able to flourish without mixing with local Egyptians, presumably -- the earliest version of the Jewish Ghetto.
31 verses. Joseph presents his family to Pharoh, who chats with Ya'acov and solicits his blessing. Then Joseph settles his family in the land of Goshen in Egypt where they are relieved from the famine. Ya'acov ages comfortably and exacts an oath from his son, Joseph to return his bones to Israel, for him to rest next to his father and grandfather. Joseph insists on getting paid for the food that he provides to the starving Egyptians. When they run out of money, he buys their land with the food, and keeps them working his land, paying to the treasury a big cut.
26 verses. Ya'acov dies. He bequests to be buried by his fathers in Israel. Yosef honors this request and by Pharaoh permission a big convoy of Israelis and Egyptian dignitaries march the expanse from Egypt to Israel, to bury the patriarch in great ceremony. Upon return Yosef brothers suspects that their father not present Yosef would take out his revenge on them. Yosef is very emotional when his brothers talk about it saying:(19) don't fear, do you think that I would undertake God's role? (20) You have thought ill on me, and God thought well in order for me to do God's job. . They live well until Yosef dies, 110 years old. Before he dies he tells Israel: God will come for you and call you back to the promised land. When this happens please take my remains with you. Yosef's body was mummified by the Egyptian doctors.