Day 23

II The Age of The Patriarchs - 1967-1606 B.C. ~ cont.

E. Joseph ~ cont.

c. Sold into Egypt by his brethren - Genesis 37:36; 39:1

2. Prosperity in Egypt - Genesis 39:2-6

3. Judah and Tamar

a. Tamar's husbands - Genesis 38:6-30; 1 Chronicles 2:4

4. Joseph flees adultery - Genesis 39:7-19

5. Joseph jailed

a. His prosperity - Genesis 39:20-23

b. Joseph interprets dreams of baker and butler - Genesis 40:23

6. Death of Isaac (180 years) - Genesis 35:28-29

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  (Genesis 39:2)

And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.  (Genesis 39:3)

But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.  (Genesis 39:21)

The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.  (Genesis 39:23)

Joseph was known to be a good steward and favored of God.  Gill's commentary on the portions underlined above:

Gen 39:2 And the Lord was with Joseph,.... Blessing him with his gracious presence, with discoveries of his love, and communion with himself, though destitute of the means of grace and ordinances of worship he enjoyed in his father's house; favouring him with bodily health, and protecting him from all evils and enemies:

Gen 39:3 and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand; and though Potiphar might have no knowledge of the true Jehovah, whose name he uses, yet he might have a notion of a supreme Being, and that all outward prosperity was owing to him; and knowing Joseph to be an Hebrew, as it is plain his wife did, Gen_39:14; and Jehovah to be the God of the Hebrews, he imputes all the prosperity that attended Joseph and his services unto his God.

Gen 39:21 And the Lord was with Joseph,.... Comforting him with his presence under his afflictions; supporting him with his right hand; sanctifying all his troubles to him, and so causing him to bear them patiently and cheerfully:

Gen 39:23 and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper; every method he took to secure the prisoners, every scheme he formed to bring them to confession of their crimes, or to clear those that were innocent; and every other thing relative to prison affairs, all through the good hand of God upon him, guiding, directing, and blessing him, succeeded well, which gained him the favour and good will of the keeper and the prisoners.

I am feeling a tad bit convicted ~ Joseph who had done no evil, sold, made a servant first to Potiphar (who could have had him executed for the 'assault'), then as a servant to the jailer. In such circumstances one might be tempted to bewail the situation, wondering if there is anything lower to which one might descend.

It does not appear that Joseph was upset or annoyed by the situation, though (after interpreting the butler's dream) he does respond thus:

For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put into the dungeon. (Genesis 40:15)

Requesting that the butler, once restored, petition Pharaoh for him. Two years pass - Joseph obviously spent his time prudently and diligently. In due time Father will exalt us if we are about HIS business. This does not necessarily mean wealth and exalted positions of authority on this side of glory.

Taken to the depths, plunged into situations and circumstances that tried, tested and settled Joseph's resolve, Father brings him to the juncture:

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:44)

Take comfort beloved of the Lord, for Father has said:

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 

Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Day 17

II The Age of The Patriarchs - 1967-1606 B.C. ~ cont.

C. Isaac ~ cont.

2. Death of Job (apx 200 years) - Job 42:16-17

3. Rebecca chosen for Isaac - Genesis 24:1-67; Genesis 25:20

4. Abraham's domestic life continues

a. Marriage to Keturah - Genesis 25:1

b. Abraham's children - Genesis 25:2-4; 1 Chronicles 1:32-33

5. Death of Shem (600 years) - Genesis 11:11

6. Birth of Esau and Jacob (43rd gen) - Genesis 25:19, 21-26

7. Isaac heir of all things - Genesis 25:5-6

8. Death of Abraham (175 years) - Genesis 25:7-10

9. His survivors - 1 Chronicles 1:28; Genesis 25:11

10. Death of Eber (464 years) - Genesis 11:17

And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.  (Genesis 24:10)

This verse caught my attention because of the similarity between Eliezer and Joseph.

As it relates to Potiphar:

Gen 39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 

The keeper of the jail:

Gen 39:22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

Made me ponder (and continue to pray) about how a wife could be construed as having a similar level of respect and honor from her husband:

Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

servant - H5650 - From H5647; a servant.

• H5647 - A primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.

Used 800x in 714 verses - I am most definitely opting out on reading all of these. :-D

First used in Genesis 9:25 when Ham is cursed to be a servant to his brother. Last usage in Malachi 4:4 with the Lord's admonishment to remember the law of Moses His servant.

master - H113 - From an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, that is, controller (human or divine).

Used 335times in 287 verses (passing on this one too). First used in Genesis 18:12 with Sarah referring to Abraham as her Lord. Last usage:

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

I thought the word Lord meant Jesus Christ/Messiah, checked Gill's commentary to confirm that I was on target. :-D

Eliezer puts out a fleece (in my estimation) - I liked all the commentaries, but decided to use Poole.

"That this was not a rash and vain fancy, but a special expectation and confidence wrought in him by God's Spirit, appears both by the eminent prudence and godliness of this person, and by the exact correspondency of the event with his prayer, and by parallel examples, as Judges 6:36; 1 Samuel 6:7; 14:8."

I had to chuckle over "Abraham's domestic life continues" in the outline. Sarah laughed at Abraham being too old (as well as she) to conceive a child. Abraham sends Eliezer off to fetch a wife for Isaac because he thinks he is to be called home soon. He then turns around and marries Keturah and produces 6 more children! At about 140 years of age!

Prior to his actual departure he sends those sons off to the east country. Only Isaac and Ishmael are in attendance (of his sons) to bury Abraham.

Abraham would have seen Esau and Jacob. I am still amazed at the overlapping of lives. Eber died 4 years later...another 48 years and Ishmael dies. We all will one day pass from this temporal plane, stepping into eternity. Have you ever considered where you will abide?