84, xl. JOSEPH. Recall that Jacob was born in the land of Canaan, the land God promised to Abraham, and where Jacob's father Isaac was born and lived his entire life. According to the Midrash, Joseph would have been immediately executed by the sexual assault charge against him by Potiphar's wife. Then he revealed to the Hebrews that he was in fact their brother, Joseph. [44] In the Quran the brothers ask Jacob ("Yaqub") to let Joseph go with them. 118b); they were given to lust, while Joseph was chaste and resisted temptation. Part of the problem with that verse is that it is almost always separated from the context of the verses before it the case of the woman taken as a prisoner of war, brought into a mans home and taken as a wife. There Jacob worked for Laban, fathered eleven sons and daughter, Dinah, (Gen. 35:22-26; 46:15), and amassed livestock and wealth. But Judah pleaded for Benjamin, offering himself as a slave instead. In Canaan, Rachel gave birth to Jacob's final son, Benjamin, but, tragically, she died in childbirth. . They were directed into the province of Goshen and Joseph readied his chariot to meet his father there. How many children did Jacob have? Answer and Explanation: Joseph has one wife, Asenath the daughter of Potiphar the priest of On, whom he marries in Egypt. Efforts to Bear Children. Did Jacob have 4 wives? Indeed, he blessed Joseph's sons before all the rest. I am a fifty-something-year-old Bible teacher, wife of twenty-eight years to Mark, and mom of adult twin sons. 25 Rachel's servant Bilhah's sons were Dan and Naphtali. Yes, the Bible does indicate that Jacob had more than one daughter. Jacob, Hebrew Yaaqov, Arabic Yaqb, also called Israel, Hebrew Yisrael, Arabic Isrl, Hebrew patriarch who was the grandson of Abraham, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the traditional ancestor of the people of Israel. In Egypt, Joseph's character was antithetical to that of all the other slaves. In an essay posted without fanfare to its website in late October, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said for the first time that Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, had as many as 40 wives. [18] After two more years, the Pharaoh dreamt of seven lean cows which devoured seven fat cows; and of seven withered ears of grain which devoured seven fat ears. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. Rather, he requested to be carried to the land of Canaan to be buried with his forefathers. The baker's dream was about three baskets full of bread for the Pharaoh, and birds were eating the bread out of those baskets. Yet, from this answer in Quora. Jacob's Journey to Egypt - Apologetics Press Legacy. 17As the time of the promise drew near, the promise that God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt. In the Kitb-i-Aqdas, Bah'u'llh states that "from my laws, the sweet-smelling savour of my garment can be smelled" and, in the Four Valleys, states that "the fragrance of his garment blowing from the Egypt of Baha," referring to Joseph. Conversations that Christians Must Have#MeToo and #BLM, Episode 82: Mark Part 24Cosmic Encounters 3The Woman with the Issue of Blood. Then Israel laid his left hand on the eldest Mannasseh's head and his right hand on the youngest Ephraim's head and blessed Joseph. As Zipporah was a Midianite, calling her a Kusite makes absolute sense. In Genesis 29:31-30:24 the birth . Both were born after their mothers had been barren for a long time. (Exodus 13:19) The bones were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor (Joshua 24:32), which has traditionally been identified with site of Joseph's Tomb, before Jacob and all his family moved to Egypt. When they were brought to Joseph's house, they were apprehensive about the returned money in their money sacks. Moses, led there by an ancient holy woman named Serach, was able by a miracle to raise the sarcophagus and to take it with him at the time of the Exodus. Although this very well may offend our modern sensibilities, Zilpah and Bilhah had a better life than they had hoped for, in the end. The coffin thereupon floated up (Ex. To add to the distinction within the family, in chapter thirty-seven, when Joseph goes tattling on his brothers, it specifically mentions that they are the sons of the neshe Bilhah and Zilpah. God punished him, therefore, by setting against him Potiphar's wife (Gen. R. 87:3). For Jacob however, a time came when his parents urged him to leave Canaan . So if someone is pushing polygamy, know that according to Paul (an expert in the Law and in the Scriptures) they have disqualified themselves for leadership rendering their opinion merely an opinion. Both women had a crisis of identity Rachel wasnt a mother and Leah wasnt really a wife in her own eyes. Joseph did very well with God's help. [41], Joseph (Arabic: , Ysuf) is regarded by Muslims as a prophet (Quran, suras vi. On the third day, he brought them out of prison to reiterate that he wanted their youngest brother brought to Egypt to demonstrate their veracity. It is described in the Quran as the 'best of stories'. is devoted to him, the only instance in the Quran in which an entire chapter is devoted to a complete story of a prophet. These dreams, implying his supremacy, angered his brothers (Genesis 37:111) and made the brothers plot his demise. Thus, "Joseph gathered up all the money that was in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought.". Because the 12 sons of Jacob became the 12 tribesGod's covenantal peoplethe 12 stones on the high priest's breastplate of course represent God's promise to them ( Genesis 28:12-15 ). For an excellent read on many matters pertaining to women in the Bible (not all of which I agree with, of course), see Matthews, Victor H., Gender and Law in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East (1998) p 229 is directly relevant to this discussion. Jacob was tricked into polygamy (Genesis 29:20-30) and later received two additional wives bringing the grand total of four wives (Genesis 30:4, 9). Joseph (/dozf, -sf/; Hebrew: , lit. Sefer ha-Yashar, section Wayiggash). Joseph had good reasons not to have an affair with Potiphar's wife: he did not want to abuse his master's trust; he believed in the sanctity of marriage; and it went against his ethical, moral and religious principles taught to him by his father Jacob. Genesis 41:45 says that after Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh 45 Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. Answer (1 of 13): There are thirteen persons in the Bible who bear the name Joseph. We passed on to Zilpah, and they noticed it again Gad is Leahs son!, Very good, I smiled. 18:7, 19; 2 Ne. She then had three more sons: Simeon, Levi and Judah. She was no longer the mother of all of Jacobs children Rachel had a child now and she was the one who was truly regarded, by Jacob, as his wife. As we progress through the stories about Jacob and his family, you will notice that his wives are respectfully addressed by name while Bilhah and Zilpah are repeatedly called, the maidservants. Culturally, they were never elevated to the level of either Leah or Rachel and they probably never expected to be. Families desperately needed heirs, and the dyadic social identity of a woman depended on her being not only a wife, but also a mother it simply didnt matter if your husband loved you best, if you had no children Rachel knew that (so did Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah and Elizabeth). 34), and a whole chapter Yusuf (sura xii.) When we look at Jacobs situation, the >description< of it and how much sorrow and dysfunction followed, it's not for us to overlook all that and consider it as a prescription to do to our own family! As for kings - marriages were largely about political alliances (especially with . }. Judah (left) talking to Tamar (right) (1606-1669), by Rembrandt. This was Joseph's full brother, Benjamin. How many wives did Jacob married? - AnswersAll Nice going! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Even though I never watched either Big Love or Sister Wives, I knew about people who lived like this and I will bet that anyone who lives in certain parts of certain western states can tell you the same thing. The word until speaks of a change to the first action . Although Bilhahs and Zilpahs children ranked lower than Leahs biological children (as Joseph will prove with his behavior later on) and Rachels future children, they were officially counted as the sons of the wives, not as the sons of the concubines. The eleventh son of Jacob and elder of the two sons Rachel (Genesis 30:23, 24). How many children did Mary have after Jesus? She became angry and told lies about him, so he was put in jail. Deceptively, Joseph also ordered the steward to put his silver cup in Benjamin's sack. Who Are the Sons of Jacob? Importance of the 12 - Bible Study Tools The name of Reuben's wife is 'Ad 1 and the name of Simeon's wife is 'Adb'a, a Canaanite; 1 and the name of Levi's wife is Mlk, 2 of the daughters of Aram, of the seed of the sons of Terah; and the name of Judah . To sum up, true Biblical (as well as ancient Near Eastern) polygamy (having more than one wife on purpose) was really limited to Kings, and that was historically for the purpose of creating alliances and safety for the kingdom. Shechem was in the land which was allocated by Joshua to the Tribe of Ephraim, one of the tribes of the House of Joseph, after the conquest of Canaan. Israel (Jacob) agreed to his son's invitation to move to Egypt and began the journey to see Joseph. He comforted them and their ties were reconciled. Joseph In The Old Testament: Bible Character Profile And Study If later he is disgusted with her (after all, she was from a pagan nation), he cannot treat her as a slave and simply sell her away but must treat her as he would treat a divorced wife. The musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is about Joseph's story. Is Polygamy Really Biblical? Our fathers found no food. Scripture doesn't tell us much about Asenath, the wife of Joseph, the son of Jacob. Pharaoh was pleased with Joseph's interpretation and gave him authority to carry out the suggested policy (Gen. 41:46). As a result, he was envied by his half-brothers. The cupbearer took this opportunity to inform the king of Joseph's gift and recommended his services. At the age 30, Joseph married Asenath, the daughter of the priest of Heliopolis. Joseph is also extolled by the rabbis for being a prophet, and for supporting his brothers. He even forced them to throw out their babies to die. In fact, this is all we learn about her: Genesis 41:45: "Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave . God blessed Leah with a firstborn son named Reuben. The Priestly source adds some statistics and gives a list of the people who went down to Egypt, while a later editor has supplied details to make the accounts appear as one, such as Joseph's subterfuge of sending the brothers back to Canaan first to get Benjamin, and later to get Jacob. The house of Israel acquired many possessions and multiplied exceedingly during the course of seventeen years, even through the worst of the seven-year famine. genesis - Did Jacob have more than one daughter? - Biblical Rachel had the perfectly acceptable legal recourse in those days to provide her husband with a surrogate, and according to the laws of the surrounding nations, any child borne by the concubine would be counted as coming from her which is exactly why Rachel, and not Bilhah, named the boys. With Reuben and Judah's persistence, they persuaded their father to let Benjamin join them for fear of Egyptian retribution (Genesis 42:2943:15). These children are the offspring of four different women, Leah and Rachel, his wives, and Zilpah and Bilhah, their respective handmaids. Joseph was brought from prison to interpret the king's dream. We can have a conquering faith in Jesus though we are tested by many tribulations. What the Bible says about Jacob's Favoritism for Joseph Then they informed their father that the Vizier demanded that Benjamin be brought before him to demonstrate that they were honest men. The final group, where a transaction is made, is among the Egyptians in the same verse. It starts with the 12 tribes and ends with the 12 gates with 12 pearls representing the tribes and the 12 kinds of fruit. BBC - Religions - Judaism: Joseph How movie 'Shakespeare in Love' almost fell apart when original star 2:1; 2 Ne. Rachel is his mom, one of them gasped. He is presently pastor of the Evangelical Church of Archbold, Ohio. [b] Upon imprisoning Joseph, the brothers saw a camel caravan carrying spices and perfumes to Egypt, and sold Joseph to these merchants. Hope that makes sense. Habakkuk 3:7, in a paralellism (a literary device where something is said twice, slightly differently, in such a way as to equate two concepts), says this of Cushan. But Joseph had taken Mary to be his wife (Matthew 1:20), and there is no suggestion that her role as Joseph's wife was in any way different from the role of any other wife. In the midrash, the selling of Joseph was part of God's divine plan for him to save his tribes. Cushan and Midian are equated with each other, as are tents and curtains and affliction and trembling. So they immediately informed the steward of what had transpired. More rabbinical literature has been generated concerning him than any of the other sons of Jacob, and he is also a significant figure in Islamic tradition. Though Manasseh was the older brother, Jacob placed his right hand on Ephraim, the younger, and gave him the greater blessing. Zilpah bore Jacob his seventh and eighth sons, Gad and Asher. When he. After they had consumed all of the grain that they brought back from Egypt, Jacob told his sons to go back to Egypt for more grain. When the steward caught up with the brothers, he seized them and searched their sacks. In the Qur'an a whole chapter (sura xii) is devoted to Joseph; and Islamic commentators add many details to this "best of stories.". It was during this return to Egypt that Joseph disclosed his real identity to his brothers. Jacob had 12 sons, at Hebron. Laws of Hammurabi: [144] If a man take a wife and this woman give her husband a maid-servant, and she bear him children, but this man wishes to take another wife, this shall not be permitted to him; he shall not take a second wife. Joseph urged the first, a royal cupbearer, to get him out of prison once he was reinstated, but the cupbearer took no action on his behalf for two more years. Thus, Israel was able to bless the Pharaoh. Jacob with Ephraim and Manasseh. However, Joseph was displeased that his father's right hand was not on the head of his firstborn, so he switched his father's hands. No, he had two (and not by his choosing) wives and two concubines four women to whom he was connected through children. The story begins in Canaan - modern day Palestine, Syria and Israel - around 1600 to 1700 BC. After bearing Judah, Leah stopped bearing children for a . Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, lived in the land of Canaan with ten half-brothers, one full brother, and at least one half-sister. Am happy to have read this. Judah appealed to the Vizier begging that Benjamin be released and that he be enslaved in his stead, because of the silver cup found in Benjamin's sack. Potiphar believed that Joseph was incapable of such an act and petitioned Pharaoh to spare his life. The steward put them at ease, telling them not to worry about the money, and brought out their brother Simeon. (Gen 50:7-9). The narrative also indicates that they went straight to Joseph or were directed to him, even by the Pharaoh himself (Genesis 41:3757). Joseph was fully trusted by his master, Potiphars wife took a fancy to Joseph, but he refused to sin with her. Some declare that during the 22 years he was away from home he drank no wine (Shab. yosef] to me another son." (Gen. 30:24) He was born in Padan-aram when Jacob was about 90 years old. [29] Maimonides comments that even the villager in Shechem, about whom Joseph inquired his brother's whereabouts, was a "divine messenger" working behind the scene.[30]. Knowing that his brothers would come to buy grain, Joseph gave orders that nobody should be permitted to enter until he had given in writing his own and his father's names. Bible History - Jacob's Family - Esau -12 sons - Joseph - GOD's WAR PLAN In the ancient Near East, according to the laws of many of the surrounding nations, a woman had two years to bear a child to her husband and if she didnt, she could legally be divorced. The family prostrated before him hence the fulfilment of his dream aforetime.[52]. Jacob and His 12 Sons - Life, Hope & Truth Joseph's sons born in Egypt by Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, Priest The story concludes by Joseph praying, "My lord you have indeed bestowed upon me of the sovereignty and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams- the (only) creator of heavens and the earth! It also includes the marvelous story and time of Jacob's son Joseph (Genesis 35-50). Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. 8, 10). I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. Bible References: Rachel's story is told Genesis 29:6-35:24, 46:19-25, 48:7 . He wept so loudly that even the Egyptian household heard it outside. Joseph's half-brothers were jealous of him; (Genesis 37:1820) wherefore, in Dothan, most of them plotted to kill him, with the exception of Reuben,[12][13] who suggested to have Joseph thrown into an empty cistern, intending to rescue Joseph himself. Leah was "Tender Eyed". He persuaded them to throw Joseph into a pit and secretly planned to rescue him later. After the events of (Gen Ch. Indeed the name Potiphar may even be a version of Merenptah's name (Poti = Ptah, Phar = Pharaoh). Joseph's brothers were motivated by fear. Matthew 1:25 says, "But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son" (emphasis added). Joseph was then summoned. arose that night, and took his two wives, his two maidservants1 and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. His father then remarked, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive." Sign me up for that! Because Joseph the Dreamer predicts the future by analyzing dreams, alternative Jewish tradition claims that he practiced divination using this silver cup as the steward charged[33] and as Joseph himself claimed in Genesis 44:15.[34]. The Bible tells us twice that Jacob had daughters. Life of Jacob | Full-Bible-Timeline The story of Joseph or Yusuf as it is told in Arabic literature has the same general outlines as the Biblical narrative; but in the Arabic account there is a wealth of accessory detail and incident. In addition to honoring him, there was a strong tendency in the patristic period to view his life as a typological precursor to Christ. He then tested them further, by accusing Benjamin of theft. Biblical context is very much important. The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: Genesis 29:32-35 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me Her father, Jacob, saw that his family was deeply ashamed of his new granddaughter. I think some translators/editors have erred when they separate the two sections. Stories about Jacob in the Bible begin at Genesis 25:19. By way of background, the Bible tells us that God created the first man, Adam, out of dust, and then created Eve out of Adam's ribs (Genesis 2:7,22). The sons by Leah (Jacob's first wife) were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun. He received the same name as two great prophets, one past and one future: Joseph of Egypt and the Prophet Joseph Smith. Abraham then died at 175 years of age (25 . The historicity of Joseph's story is debated, with dates ranging from an early estimate beginning around 2000 B.C.E. 119a; comp. If, however, to the sixty-six Stephen added the wives of Jacob's sons', he could have legitimately reckoned Jacob's household as numbering seventy-five, instead of seventy. Her father contracted with her husbands father that she would be a wife in that house, that she would provide heirs to the house who would have rights to his share of the inheritance. The scene is a fitting resolution to Jacob's own drama, in which his father, Isaac, had been old and blind when Jacob himself deceived deceived him in order to obtain his blessing, meant for Esau. Thank you. Similar theories are propounded to explain confusion in the narrative's parallel accounts of his slavery and imprisonment, as well as his and reunion(s) with his brothers, with Benjamin present in one, and absent in another. Short answer: Jacob worked 7 years for Laban before he married his two wives, Leah and Rachel.Long answer: Jacob worked 7 years to pay . In the Elohist version it is Rueben intervenes on Joseph's behalf, while in the Yahwist version it is Judah that saves him. Many of these amplifications have been borrowed by rabbinical tradition. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Judgment in Context: Honor, Shame, and the Command to Judge Not., Confessions of a Former Torah Terrorist Pt II. During this period of famine, Joseph's brothers, except for Benjamin, also came down to Egypt to buy grain. He worked under the Egyptian official Potiphar but was freed and became the chief adviser (vizier) to the Egyptian Pharaoh. 10God saved Joseph from all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. | The Hub (notice that she is given the same treatment as a wife but is not a wife), [147] If she have not borne him children, then her mistress may sell her for money. Who was the wife of Joseph son of Jacob? But Israel refused saying, "but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he," a declaration he made just as Israel himself was to his firstborn brother Esau. Posted by Tyler Dawn | Nov 19, 2015 | Biblical Context Studies, Women's issues | 6 |, (Note: Yes, I do understand that it is actually called polygyny when a man has multiple wives, and polygamy can be either male or female but for purposes of using a familiar term to everyone I am simplifying this by calling it polygamy). The latter third of the book of Genesis relates the complex and vola- tile relationship of the patriarch Jacob, his four wives, and their thirteen children (twelve sons, one daughter). [16] Joseph requested that the cup-bearer mention him to Pharaoh to secure his release from prison,[17] but the cup-bearer, reinstalled in office, forgot Joseph. (Gen. 30:24) He was born in Padan-aram when Jacob was about 90 years old. Prophets of Allah - Prophet Jacob: 'Honourable and the son of the Confronting Pseudo-archaeological memes Pt 4: Was Byblos the Goddess of Writing? 42-45), Jacob, his sons, and all of his descendants moved to Egypt to be with Joseph. The word used by for echad in the LXX (Septuagint, the authorized Greek translation of the Tanach OT) and the NT (ie. Yusuf eventually obtains permission to marry her, she having lost none of her former beauty nor any of her first love for him. Then Israel called all of his sons in and prophesied their blessings or curses to all twelve of them in order of their ages. They thought that the missed transaction would somehow be used against them as way to induct them as slaves and to confiscate their possessions. popularly referred to as a "coat of many colors." This makes Jesus related to Adam, both as the son of God and . (note that the second wife is only permissibly taken in response to barrenness), [146] If a man take a wife and she give this man a maid-servant as wife and she bear him children, and then this maid assume equality with the wife: because she has borne him children her master shall not sell her for money, but he may keep her as a slave, reckoning her among the maid-servants.