Joseph in Egypt
1. POTIPHARS HOUSE
Genesis 39:1-5
Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.
2. PRISON
Genesis 39:20b-22
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.
3. JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH'S DREAM
Genesis 41:15-16
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
4. JOSEPH IS MADE HEAD OF EGYPT
Genesis 41:39-40
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you. ”
5. BROTHERS COME DOWN DURING FAMINE
Genesis 42:25-26
Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
6. BROTHERS LEAVE SIMEON BEHIND AND STAY IN CANAAN
Joseph tells his brothers to bring Benjamin back, and also makes it look like they stole silver from Joseph. Also Joseph doesn’t speak Hebrew during this time.
Genesis 42-37
In Canaan Judah takes the mantle of leader of his brothers pretty obviously by guaranteeing the safety of Benjamin.
Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.”
Genesis 43:3-5
But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you. ’”
7. JOSEPH'S BROTHERS COME BACK WITH BENJAMIN
Joseph eats with them and then makes it look like they stole from him AGAIN.
8. JOSEPH CATCHES THEM “RED HANDED”
Joseph has them on their knees before him, and he reveals himself.
Genesis 45:3
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
Judah then takes the lead here again and he follows up on the promise by giving himself up for Simeon and Benjamin.
9. 70 GO DOWN TO EGYPT WITH ISRAEL
Jacob sends Judah in front.
10. ISRAEL COMES TO GOSHEN
Genesis 47:7-10
Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers. ” Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
11. JOSEPH ESSENTIALLY SECURES ALL EGYPTIAN LAND FOR PHARAOH
Genesis 47:25
“You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”
At the beginning of this story, Joseph's pride led to his brothers hating him, and eventually to the moment of his betrayal. Joseph had it all in his fathers house. He was the favorite and everything was handed to him, he had the privilege, the honor, and everything that belonged to his family.
As if it weren’t enough Joseph is then reduced from servant to prisoner. More humiliation, underserved by Joseph. But in prison we begin to see the beginnings of something that would characterize Joseph for the rest of his life.
Genesis 40:8
“We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”
Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
Ascribing every honor given him to God. Before he gives them the interpretation Joseph gives glory to God. The interpretations turn out to be right and Joseph winds up some time later in the presence of Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:16
When Joseph is able to interpret the dream for pharaoh listen to what he says:
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
We get further to where Joseph is in power in Egypt, married, working hard and living the good life. He has two sons-and we can see how his attitude is now completely God honoring.
Genesis 41:50-52
Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
We see once again now that God has given it all into Josephs hands. Joseph is back on top again, like when he was a boy but only on a larger scale. Joseph no longer responds as if this is what he deserves based on his own merit, but instead he gives all glory to God. Look at how much this man has changed.
Genesis 42:21
They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”
Genesis 44:30-34
“So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life, sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’
“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”
Genesis 45:5-7
And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
