This is the eighth Bible study on Joseph. You can find the first seven Bible studies at www.febebijbelstudies.nl/archief. But you can also use this Bible study on its own.

Before we begin the Bible study, let's first look at some background information:

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Joseph was born in Haran, and when he was about six years old, he emigrated to Canaan, the land where his father came from. To do this, he had to walk about 800 kilometers with the family he was born into. When they arrived in Canaan, his mother died while giving birth to his brother Benjamin. Joseph also has ten older half-brothers and one half-sister. They are all from his father Jacob's marriage to his aunt Leah.

But his brothers hate him because they see that their father Jacob loves him very much. The brothers are jealous and also resent Joseph for telling them that he dreams that everyone bows down to him. So they mock him and call him “the master dreamer.” One day, while the brothers are tending the flock, they see Joseph coming in the distance. He stands out because of his colorful coat.

When Joseph reaches his brothers, they grab him, pull off his coat, and throw him into a pit. Then they see a caravan of Ishmaelites arriving, bringing goods to Egypt. They pull Joseph out of the pit and sell him to the merchants. They take Joseph with them and sell him to Potiphar in Egypt. In Potiphar's house, Joseph rises in esteem because God blesses everything he does. He soon becomes responsible for Potiphar's entire household. But Potiphar's wife wants to seduce him. Because Joseph does not respond to her advances, she turns the tables and says that Joseph wanted to seduce her. Potiphar becomes furious and throws him into prison.

In prison, Joseph realizes that God is still with him. The prison guard gives him more and more tasks. This brings him into contact with other prisoners. One day, two prisoners, the pharaoh's cupbearer and baker, tell him that they have both had dreams. Joseph listens to them, and God shows him the meaning of those dreams. Joseph tells them and asks the cupbearer to remember him when he is released. After three days, Joseph's interpretation comes true: both are released from prison; the cupbearer gets his job back and the baker is hanged. But unfortunately, the cupbearer forgets to ask Pharaoh to pardon Joseph.

Two years later, the pharaoh of Egypt has two dreams that greatly disturb him. But there is no one in all of Egypt who knows what those dreams mean. Then the cupbearer remembers Joseph. Joseph is taken out of prison, and God reveals to Joseph the meaning of those dreams. He says, “There will be seven years of abundance, followed by seven years of famine. You must appoint a wise man, Pharaoh, who will store grain during the years of abundance for the bad years that will follow.” “You must be that man, Joseph!” says Pharaoh, and so Joseph becomes the viceroy of Egypt. During the seven years of abundance, the grain grows so abundantly that it is impossible to count. Joseph stores it in granaries. Then the years of famine begin, not only in Egypt, but also in the neighboring countries.

There is also famine in Canaan. Father Jacob hears that food is being sold in Egypt and sends his sons there. Except for Benjamin, who cannot go. The brothers appear before the viceroy of Egypt and bow deeply to him. They do not recognize him; it is Joseph who sits on the throne. But Joseph recognizes them. He says angrily, “What are you doing here? Are you spies, trying to see how you can attack our country?” The brothers are startled and say, “No, sir, we are honest men, we have come to buy food for our families.”

Joseph listens to them and discovers that their father is still alive and that Benjamin did not come with them. But he wants to see him again very much. Therefore, Simeon must stay behind; he is not allowed to return home with his brothers. The next time they want to buy food, they must bring Benjamin with them.

When the food at home is almost gone, their father Jacob tells the brothers to return to Egypt. But the brothers know they cannot go without Benjamin. Judah convinces their father by saying that he will vouch for Benjamin. When they report to Joseph again, they are welcomed warmly. They are offered a delicious banquet. Then, with the donkeys loaded, they begin their journey home. But they do not know that Joseph has had his cup hidden in Benjamin's bag. When they are some way along the road, Joseph's servant catches up with them. He says angrily, “My master has been so good to you, why are you stealing his cup?” They reply, “We would never do that, we are honest men! The one who has the cup in his bag must be punished.“ When the servant finds the cup in Benjamin's bag, they are terrified. Defeated, they all return to the palace. Now the viceroy is no longer so friendly: ”The one who has my cup must become my slave, the others may go home."

The brothers are distraught: how can they appear before their father without Benjamin?! Judah makes a long speech and says that he wants to take Benjamin's place.

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​We read from the Bible (ERV): ​Genesis 45

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Joseph Tells Who He Is

1Joseph could not control himself any longer. He cried in front of all the people who were there. Joseph said, “Tell everyone to leave here.” So all the people left. Only the brothers were left with Joseph. Then he told them who he was. 2Joseph continued to cry, and all the Egyptian people in Pharaoh’s house heard it. 3He said to his brothers, “I am your brother Joseph. Is my father doing well?” But the brothers did not answer him because they were confused and afraid.

4So Joseph said to his brothers again, “Come here to me. I beg you, come here.” When the brothers went to him, he said to them, “I am your brother Joseph. I am the one you sold as a slave to Egypt. 5Now don’t be worried. Don’t be angry with yourselves for what you did. It was God’s plan for me to come here. I am here to save people’s lives. 6This terrible famine has continued for two years now, and there will be five more years without planting or harvest. 7So God sent me here ahead of you so that I can save your people in this country. 8It was not your fault that I was sent here. It was God’s plan. God made me like a father to Pharaoh. I am the governor over all his house and over all Egypt.”

Israel Invited to Egypt

9Joseph said, “Hurry up and go to my father. Tell him his son Joseph sent this message: ‘God made me the governor of Egypt. So come here to me quickly. Don’t wait. 10You can live near me in the land of Goshen. You, your children, your grandchildren, and all of your animals are welcome here. 11I will take care of you during the next five years of hunger. So you and your family will not lose everything you own.’

12“Surely you can see that I really am Joseph. Even my brother Benjamin knows it is me, your brother, talking to you. 13So tell my father about the honor I have received here in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen here. Now hurry, go bring my father back to me.” 14Then Joseph hugged his brother Benjamin, and they both began crying. 15Then Joseph cried as he kissed all his brothers. After this, the brothers began talking with him.

16Pharaoh learned that Joseph’s brothers had come to him. This news spread throughout Pharaoh’s house. Pharaoh and his servants were very excited! 17So Pharaoh told Joseph, “Tell your brothers to take all the food they need and go back to the land of Canaan. 18Tell them to bring your father and their families back here to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt to live on. And your family can eat the best food we have here. 19Also give your brothers some of our best wagons. Tell them to go to Canaan and bring your father and all the women and children back in the wagons. 20Don’t worry about bringing all of their belongings. We can give them the best of Egypt.”

21So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them good wagons just as Pharaoh had promised. And Joseph gave them enough food for their trip. 22He gave each brother a suit of beautiful clothes. But to Benjamin he gave five suits of beautiful clothes and 300 pieces of silver. 23Joseph also sent gifts to his father. He sent ten donkeys with bags full of many good things from Egypt. And he sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father on his trip back. 24Then Joseph told his brothers to go. While they were leaving, he said to them, “Go straight home, and don’t fight on the way.”

25So the brothers left Egypt and went to their father in the land of Canaan. 26They told him, “Father, Joseph is still alive! And he is the governor over the whole country of Egypt.”

Their father did not know what to think. At first he didn’t believe them. 27But then they told him everything Joseph had said. Then their father saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to bring him back to Egypt, and he became excited and very happy. 28Israel said, “Now I believe you. My son Joseph is still alive! I am going to see him before I die!”