Questions tagged [joseph]

The son of Jacob who is sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers in the Genesis narrative.

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On Why Joseph Specifically Chose Simeon to be the Hostage in Gen. 42?

As a follow-up to When Did Israel First Expect Deliverance from Egypt?, I would like to add: In Gen 42:25, we read (regarding Joseph)--- And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he ...
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Why did Jacob bless Joseph and his sons more strongly than he blessed Judah (or did he)? Gen. 49

Reading Gen. 49, two passages stand out: Jacob's blessing/prophecy over Judah and his equally long blessing/prophecy over Joseph. It strikes me that the blessing over Joseph is the stronger of the two....
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On the Biblical Significance of Five

In Genesis 43:34, we learn that Benjamin was served five times as much food as his brothers were. Later, in Gen. 45:22, we read that Joseph, instead of giving Benjamin "a change" of clothes, ...
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Is Obadiah 1:18 Saying That Every Last Edomite WIll be Killed?

And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the ...
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Were Joseph and Mary husband and wife before Christ was born? [duplicate]

Specifically I am wondering what can be gathered from the Greek in Matthew 1:16-25. I've seen a similar discussion here on Luke 2:5 In Matthew, there are more verses which seem to mention "...
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Was Joseph 10 or 17 when sold into slavery by his brothers?

I know Genesis 37:2 says he was 17, but the Hebrew word here for "seventeen" is the word "asar or esreh" (according to Strong's #6240), which is translated to "ten". I'm ...
Benjamin Polley's user avatar
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Why do Joseph’s brothers reveal to the Egyptian vizier that they have another brother, putting Benjamin in danger (Genesis 42:13)?

When the Egyptian vizier, without revealing he was Joseph, demands to know his brothers' business and who they were, the brothers begin revealing personal information, first "We are all one man's ...
globewalldesk's user avatar
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Was David and Bathsheba's firstborn son, the one who died, the Christ? [closed]

The problem is this: David was told that the Messiah would come from his body (2 Samuel 7:12), and Matthew and Luke both record genealogies from David to Joseph. There are extra-biblical arguments ...
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How was the 20% tax enough to last all 7 years of famine?

In Genesis 41, Joseph interpreted Pharoah's dreams as predicting 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine. In verse 34, he recommends a 20% tax on grain during the good years to provide food ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
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Information given in dream to some and to others in person [closed]

Both the Maggi (Matthew 3:12) and Joseph (Matthew 3:13,19) receive information in a dream, whereas Zechariah and Mary receive information personally (Luke). Why is that? One could simply state that it'...
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Why did Jacob prefer Joseph and give him a "coat of many colors" (Genesis 37)?

As the KJV has it (though others dispute the translation particularly of כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים, "coat of many colors"; see this question), Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, ...
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Was Benjamin in on the plot to sell Joseph?

While Joseph's brothers plotted against him, was Benjamin a part? Here's the story, from Genesis 37:18-36 (NKJV): 18 When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he ...
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Is John 6:42 in the present tense?

If I may respectfully point to the book of A.T. Bradford who wrote "Joseph in John's gospel, Judas and Jewish jokes". He says the "who we know" is in the present tense in Greek ...
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Why was the camp of the Israelites not defiled by the bones of Joseph?

Joseph had told the Israelites to carry his bones from Egypt to Canaan Genesis 50:25 NIV :And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must ...
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What does it mean to "divorce her quietly"?

To intentionally navigate towards Christmas, I've been following an Advent devotional plan. Today was considering Matthew 1:18-24 and meditate on how loving was Joseph's posture. Got particularly ...
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar
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Is Joseph the son of Jacob or Heli?

In Matthew 1:16 Joseph is said to be the son of Jacob. "Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary" In Luke 3:23 Joseph is said to be the son of Heli. "Joseph, which was the son of Heli&...
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Parallels between story of Abraham handing his wife Sara over to the Pharaoh (Gen 12) and Israel then spending 400 years slavery in Egypt [closed]

In my study of the books of Genesis and Exodus, I have noted what appear to be clear parallels between the events which take place between Abraham and his wife Sara and the future events which take ...
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Was Benjamin born before or after Joseph was sold into slavery?

Genesis 35:16-18 NIV 16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty ...
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Did Isaac die before Joseph was sold to the Midianites?

Genesis 35:27-29 NIV 27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. 29 Then he ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
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Is there anything we can infer about Joseph's age from the use of 'man' to describe him in Luke?

Luke 1:27 says "to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph" The term used to describe Joseph is ἀνδρὶ (andri). Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; ...
Only True God's user avatar
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Does Joseph (in Genesis) prefigure Christ? (esp. Gen. 37:18-35)

It seems Joseph may prefigure Christ, especially when we consider that his own brothers (Israelites) betrayed him, selling him as a slave: Genesis 37:28: "Then some Midianite traders passed by, ...
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What's the difference between these verses regarding "God was with him"?

And the patriarchs, having envied Joseph, sold him into Egypt. But God was with him. Acts 7:9 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good ...
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Did Egypt have prisons not belonging to the Pharaoh?

“And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭39:20‬ ‭ Was it possible that Joseph could have ...
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Why did Joseph ask the household of Pharaoh to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf in Genesis 50?

In Genesis 50:4-5 (ESV): And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh,...
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Did Joseph have other children?

In Genesis 48:6 (NASB) But your children that you have fathered after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance. Did Joseph have other children ...
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar
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Why take five men to the Pharaoh?

In Genesis 47:2 (NASB) And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. Why would Joseph take five men?
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar
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Reason for using 66 and then 70

In Genesis 46:26 (NASB) All the people belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, The next verse, Genesis ...
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar
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Could God be ok with some types of divination?

In Genesis 44:5 (NASB) Is this not that from which my lord drinks, and which he indeed uses for divination? (...) and in Genesis 44:15 (NASB) Joseph said to them, “What is this thing that you have ...
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Who was Pharaoh in Joseph's time?

In Genesis 40:2 Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. Who was the Pharaoh? Note: similar question was asked about the Pharaoh of Ezekiel's time and an ...
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar
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5 answers
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Since Joseph wanted to divorce Mary (Matthew 1:19), does that mean he did not trust her?

Since Joseph wanted to divorce Mary in Matthew 1:19 yet they were already betrothed, does that mean he did not trust her? Matthew 1:19 NIV "Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, ...
Tawanda Muzavazi's user avatar
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1 answer
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Who are the archers in Genesis 49:23?

In Genesis 49 when Jacob blesses his sons it is said of Joseph that the archers bitterly attacked and shot at him Genesis 49:23 NASB “The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
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How old was Joseph when he was sold into slavery? [closed]

I have heard some debate whether he was 13 or 17 and curious about sources for this age
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Why are the dreams in the Joseph narrative always in pairs?

There are, I believe, three sets of dreams in the Joseph narrative: Sheaves bowing, stars bowing in Genesis 37 Cupbearer's dream, baker's dream in Genesis 40 Pharaoh's dreams of cows and grain in ...
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Why did Joseph's brothers show Joseph's torn, bloodstained garments to Jacob?

Genesis 37:29-33 NASB 29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there; as for ...
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Was Joseph sold to Potiphar by Midianites or Ishmaelites?

In Genesis 37:36 (NASB) Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard. In Genesis 39:1 (NASB) Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and ...
zeraoulia rafik's user avatar
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Why did Joseph's brothers say that they were questioned by Joseph as mentioned in Genesis 43:7?

Genesis 43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ When were these questions asked? I ...
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Did Mary give birth to other children? [duplicate]

What does brother and sister mean in Matthew 12:46-50; 13:55; 27:56; Mark 3:31-35; 6:1-3; 15:40; Luke 8: 19-21 and Galatians 1:19? Are these verses talking about children born to parents via sex or ...
Ross Gunn III's user avatar
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2 answers
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Which garment did Potiphar's wife take from Joseph in Genesis 39?

Which garment was being referred to in Genesis 39 as being taken by Potiphar's wife whilst Joseph fled?
Tawanda Muzavazi's user avatar
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Did Reuben believe that his brothers had killed Joseph?

In Genesis 37:21-22, Reuben talked his brothers out of killing Joseph: But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
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Why did Joseph's brothers immediately leap to explaining Joseph's demands in the way they do?

Genesis 42:18-21 (NIV): On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you ...
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Was Joseph sold to Egypt before the Dinah incident?

Dinah incident Genesis 34:1 KJV 1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
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2 answers
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In Genesis 45:8, when Joseph said the plot to sell him by his brothers was God's plan, what did he mean?

Analyse why Joseph said the plot to sell him by his brothers was God's plan.
Tawanda Muzavazi's user avatar
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1 answer
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In Genesis 46:6 what was the cultural significance of Joseph putting his hands on Jacob's eyes?

I am reading through Genesis in the New King James, and I came to this verse: Genesis 46:4 "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand ...
The Votive Soul's user avatar
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Why is Joseph's Lifespan Stated Twice?

At the end of Genesis Joseph's death is recorded. But oddly, his lifespan of 110 years is stated twice. First in Genesis 50:22 it states: וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב יוֹסֵף֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם ה֖וּא וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֑יו ...
conceptualinertia's user avatar
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How did Egyptians practice divination using silver cups?

I've been wondering how silver cups could have been used to practice divination. It was practiced in Egypt according to the following passage. Gen 44:5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and ...
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Did Joseph actually practice divination?

Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. 2Then put my cup, the ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
326 views

Didn't Pharaoh or Joseph warn the Egyptians of the severity & timeframe of the famine?

Pharaoh dream (KJV) Genesis 41:17-21 17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: 18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
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Could Benjamin have had ten sons within a period of two years as mentioned in Genesis 46:21?

(KJV) Genesis 46:21 21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. Emphasis added Benjamin is called a lad(Gen 43:8)...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
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Was Potiphar, being a captain of an Egyptian guard, likely a eunuch?

In Genesis, we read the infamous story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Potiphar's wife (who is named Zuleikha, at least according Sefer HaYashar) repeatedly makes sexual advances on Joseph, and as we ...
Butterfly and Bones's user avatar
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6 answers
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How could Rachel fulfill Joseph's dream if she was dead?

Genesis 35:24 states that the only two sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin: The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. Genesis 35:16-19 makes it clear that Rachel died in Childbirth. They ...
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