Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: oseph is a major character in the book of Genesis.The narrative about Joseph (chapters 37-50) is the largest story in the book of Genesis and is often termed the Joseph novella.Genesis 37.1-11 is a crucial part of the novella since it introduces Joseph and sets the course for the entire story.It is easy to read over this chapter in English and miss out on some of the original rich language and key narrative pieces.We will always be rewarded if we heed Jesus's advice that "he who has ears, let him hear," and I encourage a fuller reading that pays careful attention to the details and the rhetorical flow of this portion of the chapter.The author has included subtle details that are key to understanding the story and attention to these details will animate this story and bring it to life.One of the key themes of the Joseph novella is that Joseph is chosen.From the beginning, it is no secret that Jacob chooses Joseph over his brothers.Then YHWH chooses Joseph to keep the people of Israel alive during a terrible famine.Finally, Jacob even chooses Joseph's two sons to be included in the twelve tribes.Genesis 37.1-11 introduces this theme and what it means in the life of Joseph.Before reading a passage of Scripture, it is important to be attentive to the genre of literature.The Joseph novella is a story, and stories have certain elements.All stories have characters, whether good or bad.In Scripture it is always important to remember that YHWH is a main character even if he is not explicitly mentioned.Then there is the narrator, who is our access to the story.Without narrators, we would know nothing so we must pay attention to the words he has chosen and the way he arranges those words.Those words are clues to his purpose in telling the story.Most stories also have a plotline.Usually a situation is introduced, some kind of crisis arises, and a solution brings the story to a resolution.Finally, the reader must bring imagination to the story.With it, we can visualize and play out the story in our minds as we read.The Joseph novella contains mystery, intrigue, sibling rivalry, attempted murder, slavery, prison, forgiveness, and faithfulness.Anything but boring, it is one of the most beautifully told stories in all of Scripture.The story begins in the land of Canaan.Up to this point, Jacob has not put down permanent roots.His life has been a journey, in more ways than simply a geographical relocation.Now Jacob has settled in the land where his father sojourned, the land of Canaan.Notice that verse 1 contrasts Jacob settling versus Isaac sojourning.YHWH's promise of land, protection, and blessing is beginning to become more of a reality in Jacob.Genesis 37 focuses on Jacob's son Joseph and in verse 2 is the last toledot clause in Genesis.The word toledot means "descendants" or "generations."Typical idiomatic Semitism is employed to reveal Joseph's age: "son of seventeen years."The author seeks to give us a time frame in Joseph's life and what he was doing at this period of his life.A quick reading of most English translations might lead us to overlook another possible reading of 37.2 as their interpretations are all a variation of "Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers."This makes most sense in English but the Hebrew suggests another reading.The Hebrew word order is as follows: He [Joseph] was shepherding his brothers, along with the flock."Could it be the case that Joseph was in charge of his brothers?It is interesting to note that it was the sons of Bilhah (Dan, Naphtali) and Zilpah (Gad, Asher), the secondary wives of his father, whom he was shepherding.You might remember that Bilhah was the maid of Rachel while Zilpah was the maid of Leah.The author seems to be building a case that Joseph had a higherThe Role of Genesis 37.
Author: Michael Walker
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2603791130