Reading: Genesis 46-47, Psalm 15

So Jacob makes his way down to Egypt. We get a count off of the seventy persons who were his own descendants who came with him. One of the functions of these little geneologies is to remind us where we’ve been in the story. When we read the names of the descendants of Jacob, we (hopefully) remember the stories about those characters. Additionally we get a scene where God appears to Jacob and tells him that the journey to Egypt is his plan, and that he will still bring his family back and give them the land of Canaan as he promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Then there is what appears to be a throwaway line about Judah leading the way to Egypt. But recall what we know about Judah and his journey. This is no throwaway line. Judah has become the trusted son. Despite his shortcomings, Jacob now sees Judah as the leader and guide of his family.

Finally Jacob is reunited with Joseph. After an emotional moment, Joseph outlines his plan for his family to live in Egypt. They will continue their occupation as keepers of livestock, as we know they were throughout the last three generations, and in so doing ensure that they remain separate from the people of Egypt, since apparently the Egyptians don’t think much of shepherds. Pharaoh is amenable to this plan, and tells Joseph to give his family land in Goshen and to put them in charge of his own livestock as well. Which as we will see is no small task, as it will soon include all the livestock in the country. Joseph ensures they have sufficient food throughout the rest of the famine years. As far as the action is concerned, this ends the story of Genesis. God has brought his chosen people, broken instruments though they are, to a place of safety during a time of suffering brought on by famine. But the story isn’t quite over yet- there is setup to do for the next great act in God’s plan to renew the human heart.

The first setup point is that Joseph enslaves the entire population of Egypt to Pharaoh. It is easy to gloss over exactly what is happening here, but that is the long and short of it. In his role as food broker, Joseph first gets all the people’s money. Then all their livestock. And finally he buys them and their land and puts them in servitude to Pharaoh. While Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt before, he is now the literal owner of the Egyptians. Considering what is happening, Joseph comes off pretty well in all this. He gives the people opportunity to buy food in the midst of a terrible famine, and he sets up a kind of sharecropping system which allows the people to continue to survive. As we have seen before, Joseph is a good leader and manager. The important point to this story is that all of Egypt is now enslaved to Pharaoh. Except the Egyptian priesthood, who already receive their livelihood from Pharaoh, and the people of Israel in the land of Goshen.

The second setup point is the desire of the people of Israel to return to the land of Canaan. At the end of his life Jacob calls Joseph to him and makes him swear to bury Jacob with his father and grandfather in Canaan. The theme will continue with Joseph himself in tomorrow’s reading. Even as the household of Israel comes to Egypt, a place they have every reason to prosper (one of them is in charge of the whole country!) there are numerous hints that they do not belong there, and will not be staying.

The third big setup point that will be coming tomorrow is the leadership of Judah and the “blessing” that Jacob gives each of his children. We will close out the book of Genesis and hear again the theme of the entire book.