SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE --- LESSON 15

FROM PRISON TO POWER

A DREAM THAT CHANGED A NATION

From Genesis 41:1-45

Two years had passed since Pharaoh’s birthday party. One night Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River. In his dream, Pharaoh saw seven sleek, fat cows which came up from the Nile and began to eat the reed grass along the river. But seven lean, gaunt cows followed them from the Nile, stood beside them and then ate them up. At this point in his dream Pharaoh awoke for a moment but then went back to sleep. In his second dream, Pharaoh saw seven good, plump heads of grain growing on one stalk. Soon afterward, seven thin, blighted heads, shrivelled and beaten by the hot east wind, swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. Again, Pharaoh awoke and realized that he had been dreaming. The next morning Pharaoh was disturbed about his dreams and called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. When he told them about his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant. Suddenly Pharaoh’s cupbearer remembered Joseph and how he had told the meaning of his dream. [I am reminded now of my sin of neglect,] he told Pharaoh. [When you became angry at me and your chief baker, you put us in prison in the house of the captain of the guard. One night we each had a dream and a young Hebrew told us what they meant. This young man, who was a servant of the captain of the guard, told us exactly what would happen and it did! I was given my job as your cupbearer again and the chief baker was hanged.] Immediately Pharaoh called for Joseph, who was brought from the prison. After Joseph shaved and changed his clothes, he came to see Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, [I had a dream, but no one can tell me the meaning. I understand that you can tell the meaning of dreams.] [I do not have the power to do this,] said Joseph, [but my YHVH will give you the meaning of your dreams.] [In my dreams, I stood by the Nile River,] Pharaoh told Joseph. [Seven fat, healthy cows came from the river and ate the reed grass. But seven lean, sickly cows, the worst I have ever seen in all Egypt, came up also and ate the seven healthy cows. When they had finished eating the healthy cows, they were still as lean and sickly as before. At this time, I awoke, but then I went back to sleep and dreamed another dream. [In this dream I saw seven good heads of grain growing on one stalk. Then seven thin, blighted heads, shrivelled and beaten by the hot east wind, grew up and swallowed the seven good heads of grain. I told my magicians about the dreams, but they cannot tell me what they mean.] [Your two dreams have one meaning,] Joseph said to Pharaoh. [YHVH is sharing His future plans with you. The seven good cows and the seven good heads of grain are the seven good years that lie ahead of you. But the seven lean cows and the seven thin heads of grain are the seven poor years that will follow. YHVH is telling you what He is about to do. Throughout all the land of Egypt, the next seven years will be rich and plentiful, but they will be followed by seven years of famine. The famine will be so great that it will devour the riches of the land and the years of plenty will be forgotten. YHVH repeated this dream to emphasize that these events will happen soon. Now find a man with great wisdom and understanding and put him in charge of the land. Through officials he appoints, have him collect a fifth of all the grain produced during the seven years of plenty and store that grain under your direction. This will provide food for Egypt during the seven years of famine and save the land from a disaster.] What Joseph said pleased Pharaoh and his officials. [How can we find a wiser man than Joseph, for the Spirit of YHVH is upon him?] Pharaoh said to his officials. Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph. [Since YHVH has shown you all these things, you must certainly be the wisest man in Egypt. Therefore, you will be placed over my household and all my people will do as you command. Only I will be more powerful than you in the land.] Pharaoh took his own signet ring from his finger and placed it on Joseph’s then dressed him in the finest linen and placed a golden chain about his neck. Pharaoh also gave Joseph the finest chariot in the land, other than his own, so wherever he would go, people would shout, [Bow the knee!] [I am still king over Egypt,] said Pharaoh, [but I give you power over all the land. Nobody can move hand or foot without your approval.] Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name, Zaphenath-paneah and arranged for him to marry Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, that is, Heliopolis. Thus, Joseph’s marriage united him with a noble family in Egypt and the fame of Joseph spread throughout the land. Pharaoh also gave Joseph his own signet ring. In so doing, Joseph received power to authorize with Pharaoh’s own signature whatever he decided was best. This indeed was trust. Upon appointing Joseph over all agricultural activities, Pharaoh gave him a fine chariot. As Joseph rode through town, people bowed to show him their respect.

COMMENTARY

WIVES; EGYPTIAN AND HEBREW

When Egypt’s Pharaoh had a dream no one could understand, the official Joseph had helped two years before remembered him. Joseph was brought from prison to the palace and there he told Pharaoh the meaning of YHVH’s message. Terrible famine would follow years of plenty. Pharaoh, impressed by Joseph’s relationship to YHVH, made him ruler of the kingdom. After thirteen years of slavery, the thirty-year-old Israelite was to wear the Pharaoh’s own signet ring and to ride the governor’s chariot. When Joseph was appointed governor of Egypt, he was also given an Egyptian wife. She was very different from a wife he would have had back in Canaan. For one thing, Egyptian women had more freedom and power than Hebrew women. They were also accustomed to a more luxurious lifestyle than their equals in Jacob’s tribe. Asenath, Joseph’s Egyptian wife, was the daughter of a powerful and probably wealthy, priest of the sun god. She had probably served as a priestess or temple musician. When she married Joseph, she took charge of the household, supervising the slaves and servants. Maids waited on her, helping her dress and fix her hair, care for the children or entertained her with songs and stories. As a member of a high social order in Egypt, first as a priest’s daughter and then as the governor’s wife, she wore makeup and elaborate clothing. She also adorned herself with much costly jewellery when she appeared in public. As the hostess at official parties, she was free to comment on current affairs and was even expected to keep herself informed. If she chose, Asenath perhaps had great power behind the scenes. A Hebrew wife contrasted sharply. From birth, she was expected to marry the man chosen for her by her father and brothers. She was to bear sons. A daughter was the occasion for mourning. Marriage meant cooking, sewing and weaving, but not much else. A city dweller had to veil her face to appear in public and a country dweller had to care for the family’s flocks and herds. When men visited, women were expected to hide. They prepared the food, but served it without showing themselves. They did not take part in conversation with the men, had no cosmetics or finery like the Egyptian women had and often lived in a tent, not an elaborate home. By today’s standards, Egyptian women were more sophisticated.