Day 22: Go To Joseph

 Today's readings: Genesis 41-42; Job 33-34 and Proverbs 4:1-9.

I. Two years pass, and then Pharaoh has weird dreams he doesn't understand, nor do his magicians and chief advisors (41:1-8). It was at this point that the absent-minded chief butler remembered Joseph, told Pharaoh, who then summoned Joseph to interpret his dreams (41:9-14). Pharaoh told Joseph about these dreams, who then interpreted them to mean that Egypt would have 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of severe famine, for which he must prepare to survive the latter (41:15-36). Pharaoh is convinced and elevates Joseph to a position just below his own to carry out this plan (41:37-49). The Ignatius Bible comments on this:

Joseph is promoted to the position of vizier or prime minister of Egypt, i.e., the one who is given authority over the royal house (41:40; Ps 105:21). This makes him the highest official in the land, second only to the Pharaoh. Entrusted with the Pharaoh's signet ring, he is given authority to promulgate royal decrees (47:26); and clothed in linen and gold, he is entitled to the honor and submission of the Egyptian people. The prestige of the vizier was widely recognized in the ancient Near East, where similar government positions were held in the kingdoms of Babylon (Dan 2:48), Persia (Esther 8:2... 10:3), and Israel (Is 22:15-23). (p. 109)

Joseph did his job well, and Egypt was prepared when the famine struck after 7 years of plenty. The famine got so bad that people from surrounding nations came to Egypt for food (41:46-57). That includes Jacob, who sent all of Joseph's brothers to Egypt for food so they wouldn't starve (42:1-5). All brothers, except for Benjamin, the youngest and probably the last child from Rachel (44:20). So they went before Joseph, whom they didn't recognize, and the latter spoke harshly with them, accusing them of being spies and throwing them into prison for 3 days (42:6-17). After that, he gave them grain (and secretly returned their money), imprisoned Simeon, and told them to return with Benjamin to prove they weren't spies (42:18-25). Interestingly, Reuben rebuked his brothers for what they had done to Joseph, not knowing the vizier was actually Joseph and thinking he couldn't understand him. They returned to their father Jacob and told him what had happened, including the discovery of the money in their sacks (42:26-36). Poor Jacob was adamant that he wouldn't let Benjamin go, even after Reuben offered his own sons as hostages (42:37-38).

Gotta say, this is a story of Joseph that I've always liked, and Reuben's strong behavior is surprising, given his past selfish treachery. 

II. Job next hears the youth Elihu rebuke him! The Ignatius Bible comments:

Elihu contests Job's innocence and presumes to set him straight. He is still thinking within the parameters of conventional wisdom, for he reasons that Job must be in the wrong because he suffers such unbearable hardships. Recall, however, that Job has never claimed to be sinless (13:26); he has only claimed to be innocent of crimes deserving such dreadful afflictions (31:1-40). (p. 816)

Poor Job can't seem to catch a break. Young Elihu then defends God's justice in chapter 34, thinking Job has denied it (which he hasn't). It is, for the most part, a good defense of God's justice, but incorrectly claims that God always rewards the righteous while punishing the wicked in this life, something Job has already exposed as wrong (24:1-12; see also CCC 678-679).  

III. A new chapter in Proverbs? Why yes! Although only a small portion (of course). In verses 1-9, the father advises his son to follow his example and listen to his words, as he did with his own father, and to always keep to wisdom and get insight.

That's it for today on this Shrove Tuesday, and tomorrow on Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent. Wishing you a prayerful Lenten season.