Tuesday, January 15

Gen 45-47; Ps 7; Matt 13

Genesis 45: Read very carefully verses 5-11, what does this say about Joseph’s faith in and understanding of God’s plan?  What instruction did he give his brothers before they left to get their father?

Genesis 46:  How many children did Jacob have?  How many total were in his family?  Where did the family of Jacob (Israel) settle and why?

Genesis 47: Where did Jacob and his extended family settle and why did Joseph ask Pharoah for that land?  What happened to the Egyptians during the famine?

Matthew 13:  Why did Jesus speak in parables?  Which of the parables in Matthew 13 speaks to you?

Journal Prompt:  How is God speaking to you through the parables of Matthew 13?

Answers

Genesis 45: Joseph recognized and told his brothers that God had sent him to Egypt to save lives and to preserve a remnant – so he says it was actually God’s act, rather than the act of the brothers to sell him into slavery.  Joseph then instructs them to take provisions for the journey and wagons from Egypt to be used as transport and to return to Canaan and to bring Jacob along with all of their family and possessions so they can live in Egypt.

Genesis 46: Jacob had 13 sons.  The total number of males his clan was 70. There were 66, plus Jacob himself, Joseph, and his two sons. This large family would become a nation of perhaps more than two million over the next 400 years.

LEAH	ZIPAH (Leah’s servant)	BILHAH (Rachel’s servant)	Rachel
Reuben (1)	Gad (7)	Dan (5)	Joseph (12)
Simeon (2)	Asher (8)	Naphtali (6)	Benjamin (13)
Levi (3)
Judah (4)
Issachar (9)
Zebulun (10)
Dinah (11)

Genesis 47: Joseph asked the Pharaoh to allow his family to settle in Goshen – where they were fruitful and multiplied. They did not eat at the same table because Jacob and his sons were considered unclean because they worked with livestock. Joseph was able to provide food for the Egyptians but at a very steep price – he ended up buying their land (on behalf of the Pharaoh) and even forcing them into slavery as well as giving Pharaoh 1/5 of all they planted.  The Egyptians seemed to appreciate Joseph nonetheless for saving their lives.