Welcome to my Hebrew reading & language series.

Genesis 50:15-21

This week, we are seeing the deception of the line of Jacob (Israel) again. Not from Joseph or Israel himself (he died in this chapter) but from the brothers that once sold Joseph into slavery. They are worried that their brother will now take vengeance on them for what they had done to him in the past.

The brothers told a lie saying, "Father gave this command before he died." and they made up a story to make sure they would be treated well. I am thinking paranoia, if you know what I mean.

First, Joseph was given to tears because they were speaking of his father's death. Then Joseph basically repeated the same thing he had told them when he first revealed himself to them some time ago. He spoke of how they (the brothers) had meant it for evil but God had used it for good so that many could live.

It also reminds me of the time when Jacob had been approaching his brother Esau after many years, thinking he was still angry about the birthright thing. It turns out that he was not angry at all. These sorts of things come when dealing with a deceiver, which after all is the meaning of the name Jacob.

Today's reading

English

When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died, ‘Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

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Hebrew

Next week as Joseph asks the brothers to...

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Shabbat Shalom