Genesis 37: Joseph is sold to Egypt

 Welcome to the Daily Bible Chapter. My name is James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as we discover new insights and new perspectives from a very old book.

I'm reading the Young's Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Let's remember that I'm taking this story as it comes, putting aside to the best of my ability my previous knowledge of what comes next.

We may acquire things, but we love very few of them, and what we love represents our heart's desire. So it is with people; we have acquaintances, friends, extended and immediate family, but we are closer to some than to others; we love them more.

It seems to me that, symbolically, Rachel was Jacob's heart's desire, and Joseph, their first-born, likewise was his heart's desire. The other wives, concubines, and children were just prelude to finally fathering Joseph.

As a real-life father,it's not good to show special favoritism for one child. In fiction, it's a soap opera.

But this chapter shows that Joseph seemed, in his dreams, to experience the "God consciousness" in which the entire world, the whole universe, was at his command. That he spoke of it to his brothers may seem like arrogance, but I suspect something else was going on.

I suggest that, symbolically, Jacob found God in Joseph, and desired to keep him close.

Just as Cain resented Abel, Joseph's brothers knew he was close to God, that he had that inner connection, spirit, or intuition and they didn't understand it and were frightened by. But unlike Cain, they talked themselves out of killing Joseph. They made Joseph go away by selling him to Egypt, but they had enough of the consciousness (and conscience) of God within themselves that prevented them from going to the extremes of Cain.

Canaan, where the story takes place, and Egypt, where Joseph is sold to, are both populated by the descendents of the "cursed" Ham, who symbolically represents the material things of the world.

To sell Joseph for silver was akin to selling "God," or selling one's soul, for money.

But at least Joseph wasn't murdered

On another note, it's funny how the Ishmaelits are, on the one hand, just second cousins of Jacob's son, sharing the same great-grandfather Abraham. But, according to the narrative, Ishmael was probably born 200 years before, his clan was probably huge by this time.

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support!

(Photo credit: TyshkunVictor)