Genesis 41 – 42
The Lord was with Joseph, even though everything looked like He was not.
Pharoah dreams. He’s not like me; I rarely remember my dreams. He remembers his and they trouble him, but no one can be found to interpret what those dreams meant. The cup-bearer, who had forgotten about Joseph, remembers how Joseph was right on the money about the dreams he and the baker had. He tells Pharaoh who immediately sends for Joseph.
Josephs makes it clear that it is beyond his power to interpret the dream and not he, but “God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” He describes the dreams in detail, even noting, when discussing the seven scrawny cattle, “I’ve never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt.”
Joseph doesn’t take credit for the interpretation, telling Pharoah that “God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.” Joseph even advises Pharoah to “find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” Before he knew it, Joseph went from a falsely accused prisoner to second in charge of all of the land of Egypt.
Pharoah gives Joseph a new Egyptian name, Zaphenath-panea, and a wife named Asenath. According to what I’ve read, this name means “preserver of life,” which is rather appropriate considering what happens. Joseph’s wife, who is the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, gives birth to two sons before the famine comes.
God will use this famine to bring Joseph into contact with his family and to save his family from starvation. When ten of Joseph’s brothers are brought before Joseph, they do not recognize him, but he recognizes them. After all, he was around seventeen years old when sold into slavery and he’s now thirty years old. They don’t realize Joseph can understand what they are saying and he’s clever enough not to let on that he does. He must have been terribly moved by their regret at selling him into slavery; he had to leave the room so they wouldn’t see him weeping.
One can’t blame Joseph for giving them a hard time. He demands that they bring the youngest (his brother Benjamin) in order to prove they are not spies. He keeps Simeon in Egypt and lets the others return, telling his servants to stash the money they paid for grain in their sacks, knowing this will throw them off balance.
When they get home, Jacob is distraught that they want to take Benjamin back to Egypt.
Tomorrow, it’s Genesis 43 – 45.
Drying Cucumbers
I was planning to dry some more strawberries today, but realized it would be smarter to dry more cucumbers since they are now on sale and the price of strawberries may well go down.
It didn’t take nearly as long to get them ready this time and I got smart and used my salad spinner after I soaked them in soy sauce, Thai Chili Sauce, and water. They aren’t leaking all over the dehydrator this time.
One for the Money
This weekend, the movie One for the Money, based on the first Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum book will be in the theater.I have been looking forward to this for years, really and am so glad to finally get to see one of her eighteen plus Stephanie Plum books on the screen.
Until next time…
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