Old Testament Scriptural Summaries and Commentaries

Genesis, Chapters 40-50, Sunday School Gospel Doctrine Class

Lesson 12: "Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction"

Book Reference: The Old Testament Made Easier, Part One

By David J. Ridges

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Springville, Utah

Genesis 40—The dreams of the butler and the baker

Joseph has been blessed by the Lord and was appointed as overseer of the prison (see Genesis 39:21-23).  After a number of years in prison, the butler of the Pharaoh of Egypt and his baker had offended the king and were put in the prison with Joseph.  And Joseph was put in charge of them "and he served them"

(vv. 1-4).

 And in one night both the butler and the baker had dreams that troubled them.  In the morning, Joseph asked them why they looked so "sadly." The chief butler said, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it."  And Joseph said, "Do not interpretations belong to God?"  Now, the butler told Joseph his dream of a vine with three branches.  And Joseph gave him the interpretation (given him from God) that within three days, Pharaoh would restore him back to his place.  Joseph asked the butler to remember him to the Pharaoh when he was released, as he was stolen from the Hebrews and did nothing wrong "that they should put me into the dungeon" (vv. 5-15).

Then the baker told Joseph his dream in which he had three white baskets on his head.  But Joseph's interpretation was that in three days the butler would be beheaded and his body hung on a tree for the birds to eat his flesh (vv. 16-19).

And on the third day which was the Pharaoh’s birthday, the butler and baker were brought before the king.  The butler was given back his place and the baker was hanged as Joseph had interpreted from their dreams. And the butler did not remember Joseph to the Pharaoh (vv. 20-23).

Genesis 41—Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams

Joseph remains in prison for two more years until Pharaoh has two disturbing dreams.  In a dream the Pharaoh sees seven well-fed cows who came up out of the river; then seven scrawny cows came out of the river and stood by the other cows.  And the "ill-favoured" scrawny cows ate the well-fed "fatfleshed" cows.  Then the Pharaoh awoke (vv. 1-4).

And a second time the Pharaoh slept and this time dreamed of seven ears of corn on one stalk which were good.  Then seven thin ears "blasted with the east wind" (drying the plants) devoured the full ears.  And again the Pharaoh awoke (vv. 5-7).

In the morning Pharaoh spirit was troubled so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt but none could interpret the dreams. Then, the butler suddenly remembers a young Hebrew man who was able to interpret the dreams of both he and the baker while in prison.  And the butler told Pharaoh, “as he interpreted to us, so it was” (vv. 8-13).

Pharaoh sends for Joseph and he goes before Pharaoh.  First, Joseph says, “It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (vv. 14-16).  Then Pharaoh tells Joseph his dreams.  After the dreams are retold, Joseph explains (through inspiration) that God is showing Pharaoh what he is about to do (v. 28).  Joseph tells Pharaoh there will be seven good years of great plenty throughout the land, followed by seven years of famine which shall consume the land (vv. 29-30). 

  

And because the Pharaoh's dreams were doubled, "it is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass."  Joseph suggests that the Pharaoh appoint a discreet and wise man who will “take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.”  That food will be stored against the seven years of famine (vv. 32-36).  Pharaoh and his servants believe Joseph.  Now, because Joseph was a man “in whom the Spirit of God is” and is discreet and wise (can be trusted), Pharaoh appoints Joseph to be over all his land (of Egypt).  He gives Joseph his signet ring and puts fine clothes on him and a gold chain around his neck (vv. 37-42). 

Joseph is 30 years old at this time (v. 46).  And Pharaoh gives Joseph power and authority and puts him under his direct protection.  Pharaoh gives him a wife Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah priest of On [not an Egyptian, Ridges, p. 391].  Two sons are born to this marriage, Manasseh [meaning forgetting] and Ephraim [meaning fruitful] [the birthright son].  And Joseph gathers up food from the land during the seven years of plenty.  When the famine comes, it is over all the earth and all countries come to Egypt to buy grain (food) (vv. 45-57).

Genesis 42—Jacob sends his ten sons to Egypt to buy food

Because of the famine in all the land, Jacob fears that his family will not survive.  He knows there is corn (grain) in Egypt and sends his ten sons [all but Benjamin] “to buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die” (vv. 1-5). 

Now Joseph was the governor over Egypt and was in charge of selling the food.  When the brothers come, they bow down before him.  Joseph recognizes them and disguised himself so that he knew them but the brothers didn’t know him.  Joseph tests his brothers by accusing them of being spies.  And they explain that they are simply twelve sons of one man in Canaan, and that the youngest is with his father and "one is not."  Joseph then demands that one brother go and get the youngest brother while the rest remain in prison.   And the brothers talk among themselves knowing of their guilt concerning Joseph when they put him in the pit and believe they are being punished by God for what they did.  Joseph wept to himself (because the brothers didn’t know he understood their language) (vv. 6-24).

Joseph lays his plan.  He takes Simeon and binds him in front of the others.  Then Joseph fills their sacks with grain and also commands that their money be returned to them (secretly) by putting it in the mouth of their sack.  When the nine brothers return home, they tell Jacob of the man in Egypt who spoke roughly to them, accused them of being spies and kept Simeon as a ransom for bringing back their brother Benjamin.  And Jacob cannot stand for Benjamin to be taken lest he should lose him too (vv. 25-38).

Genesis 43—Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin

As the famine continued, Jacob and all his family, once again, started to run out of food.  So, Judah told his father that it was a matter of life and death that they return to Egypt for food, but that they wouldn't go back unless he agreed to send Benjamin with them.  So Jacob agreed to let Benjamin go.  And he sent gifts of honey, spices, myrrh, nuts and almonds, and double the money (vv. 1-12).

Then Jacob’s sons went to Egypt and “stood before Joseph” (v. 15).  When he saw them, Joseph told his servant to prepare a feast and take them to his house to eat. And the brothers were afraid.  Then Simeon was united to them and they were taken to Joseph’s house.  When Joseph came to his home and saw them, he ask if their father was yet alive and well.  They answered that he was.  But when he saw his brother Benjamin, he was overcome with emotion and left the room to weep (vv. 16-30).  When he returned, the brothers were astonished when they were seated in order from the oldest to the youngest [they wondered how their host knew this, Ridges, p. 401). “And they drank, and were merry with him (v. 34).

Genesis 44—Joseph’s final test of his brothers

Joseph commands his steward to fill all the men’s sacks with food and put every man’s money in the mouth of his sack. Then, he told the steward to put his own silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.  In the morning the men left.  After a short way out of the city, Joseph tells his steward to overtake the men and say, “Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?" (vv. 1-4). 

All the sacks were searched and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack as planned by Joseph.  And the steward spoke to the brothers the words Joseph had said to him; “Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?" And the brothers were taken back to Joseph’s house (vv. 5-14).  Then Judah privately tells Joseph of his father's love and need for Benjamin and he offers himself as a slave instead of Benjamin.  And he pleads with Joseph on behalf of his father and his brother (vv. 15-34).

Genesis 45—Joseph reveals his true identity

Joseph was overcome again with emotion and orders all the servants and others out of the house and he begins to weep aloud.  And all the Egyptians and the house of the Pharaoh hear him.  He asks his brothers to come near and he reveals to them, “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt” (vv. 1-4). 

And Joseph tells his brothers not to grieve at what they did to him, that it was God’s plan to send him ahead so that he could preserve their lives and deliver them from the famine.  Joseph immediately sends the brothers to get their father and all the rest of the family.  They and all their families and flocks and herds, can now live near him in the land of Goshen (vv. 5-10). 

And Benjamin and Joseph hugged each other and wept.  Then Joseph kissed all his brothers.  When the Pharaoh heard about Joseph’s brethren, he told him to tell his brothers that anything they needed would be given to them by Pharaoh.  And they were given many gifts of clothing, money, sliver and wagons.  When they arrived in Canaan and told their father that Joseph was alive and that he was governor over all of Egypt, Jacob did not believe them and he fainted.  Then they told him all that Joseph said and Jacob believed them and vowed that he would go to him before he died (vv. 14-28). 

Note:  Jacob was 130 years old at this time and lives another 17 years in Egypt before he dies (Ridges, p. 410).

Genesis 46—Jacob and all his family leave Canaan

Thus, Israel (Jacob) gathered up all he had and went to Beer-sheba where he offered sacrifices to God (Jehovah, the pre-mortal Christ).  And in the night God came to him in a vision telling him not to fear about going into Egypt, for the children of Israel will become a great nation there.  God tells him that he will be with him in Egypt and that He will surely bring them out again.  Now, the sons of Israel take him, their wives and children and put them into the wagons Pharaoh sent to carry them.  And they take their cattle and all their goods with them.  And, all his seed number about 70 people (vv. 1-7).   [The names of all the sons, wives and children who went to Egypt are listed in verses 8—27] 

When they arrived in Egypt, Judah leaves before the others to ask Joseph for directions into Goshen.  Then Joseph goes to greet his father in Goshen and Joseph “wept on his [father’s] neck for a good while” (vv. 28-29).   Joseph tells his brothers that when Pharaoh asks their occupation to say they are shepherds and have always been shepherds, both them and their fathers.  And they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they have with them.  Thus they will be left alone because in the land of Goshen every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians (vv. 29-34).

Ridges quotes the Old Testament Student Manual, p. 96:  "Several Egyptian deities were represented by cattle, especially female cattle.  Since the Hebrews were herdsmen who slaughtered and ate cattle, regardless of sex, this practice would have been viewed by the Egyptians as a terrible abomination" (See Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, Vol. 1, page 362; Clark, Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, page 245; cf. Genesis 43:34) (p. 413).

Genesis 47—The children of Israel settle in Goshen

Joseph takes five of his brothers to the Pharaoh and tells him that his family and all their flocks and herds and all they have are now in the land of Goshen.  And Pharaoh said to them, “What is your occupation?” (v. 3). They said that they were shepherds, “both we and also our fathers.”  They told Pharaoh about the famine in Canaan and begged to dwell in the land of Goshen where there is pasture for their flocks (vv. 1-4). 

And Pharaoh gave them permission to dwell in "the best of the land" in Goshen.  And Joseph takes Jacob, his father, to Pharaoh and Jacob blesses him. Then the Pharaoh asks Jacob how old he is and Jacob replies that his years are one hundred and thirty.  And Joseph placed his family in the best of the land and nourished all according to their needs (vv. 5-12).

 And the famine continues in all the land.  Joseph first sells people the corn (grain) for money and gives all the money to Pharaoh’s house.  Then, when the people run out of money, Joseph takes their cattle in exchange for food.  Next, Joseph takes their land in exchange for food and he puts them in the cities.  Now that the land belongs to Pharaoh, Joseph gives the people seed to plant the land and they are required to give Pharaoh a fifth part of the harvest (vv. 13-26).

Israel’s family grows and multiplies exceedingly in Egypt.  After seventeen years Jacob is close to death and he makes Joseph take an oath that he will not bury him in Egypt but will take him back to the family burying place in Canaan (vv. 27-31).

Genesis 48—Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim

When Jacob is 147 years old, Joseph took his sons Ephraim and Manasseh to his father for a blessing.  Jacob tells Joseph about God appearing to him at Luz [re-named Beth-el] in Canaan when he was given the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant; which is the promise of a great posterity, a promised land for his family, and the blessings of taking the gospel to all the world (vv, 1-4).  (See Abraham 2:9-11 for a more complete version of the covenant.)

Jacob tells Joseph that his two sons born in Egypt are adopted by him [as sons] and will be called after his name [Israel].  He is telling them that they are a part of the Abrahamic Covenant along with his other sons; and will be called the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim (see JST Genesis 48:6-11).  Jacob tells Joseph about his mother Rachel's death, and burial in Bethlehem (vv. 5-7).

Then Jacob asks to give blessings to Manasseh, Joseph’s oldest son and to Ephraim, the younger son.  When Jacob puts his hands on Joseph’s sons, he crosses over and puts his right hand [his covenant hand] on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh.  Joseph tries to remove his father’s right hand (the birthright hand) from Ephraim, but Jacob refuses saying “truly his younger brother (Ephraim) shall be greater than he (Manasseh) and his seed shall become a multitude of nations” (v. 19).  Jacob thus gives Ephraim the birthright blessing and blesses both sons with the blessings of exaltation provided they live worthily.  And Jacob also blesses Joseph with the birthright blessing which is a double portion because it includes Joseph’s two sons (vv. 8-22).

Genesis 49—Jacob (Israel) blesses all his sons and dies

At the end of his life, Jacob gathers his sons together and gives them a prophetic [patriarchal] blessing (vv. 1-2). 

Reuben, the first born, unstable as water, loses the birthright because he defiled his father’s bed with Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid (see Genesis 35:22) (vv. 3-4). 

Simeon and Levi, instruments of cruelty in the murder and plunder of the city of Shechem because of the rape of their sister, Dinah (see Genesis 35:25-26) (vv. 5-7). 

Judah, will have many kings come from his line including David and the Messiah (Shiloh) (vv. 8-12). 

Zebulon shall be for an haven of ships in Zidon (Lebanon) (v. 13). 

Issachar saw that rest was good, and the land was pleasant and becomes a servant unto tribute (payment to a ruler) (vv. 14-15).

Dan shall be a serpent by the way and judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel (vv. 17-18). 

Gad shall be overcome at first but will overcome at the last (v. 19). 

Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties (v. 20). 

Naphtali is a hind let loose (a sure-footed deer); he gives goodly words (v. 21). 

Joseph is a fruitful bough who will receive the blessings of heaven including “unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills” (v. 26) (meaning the Rocky Mountains—a prophecy concerning Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ, Ridges, p. 425) (vv. 22-26).

Benjamin will be as a ravenous wolf who in the morning will devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil (v. 27).

And these are the twelve tribes of Israel.   Jacob tells them to bury him in Hebron in the field of Ephron the Hittite with his mother and father, Isaac and Rebekah, his first wife, Leah, and Abraham and Sarah in the cave of Machpelah.  And Jacob dies (vv. 28-33).

Ridges comments: "We know from modern revelation that Jacob has already become a God (see D&C 132:37).

Genesis 50—Jacob is mourned and is buried in Machpelah

This is the last chapter of Genesis.

Ridges comments: "Having studied [Genesis], you will now be in a much better position to understand other books in the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.  Not only that, but you will be better prepared to understand gospel lessons and sermons and writings of the Brethren" (pp. 426-427).

When Jacob dies, Joseph "fell upon his father's face, and wept…and kissed him."   Joseph has his father embalmed (a period of 40 days) after which the Egyptians mourn for him 30 additional days.  Then Joseph spoke to Pharaoh about his oath to Jacob that he would bury Jacob in the land of Canaan and asks permission to take his father’s body there.  And the Pharaoh said, "Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear" (vv. 1-6).

And the Pharaoh sends his officers and servants with Joseph along with all of Jacob’s grown children in chariots and with horsemen.   And Jacob’s sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah (vv. 7-13).

And when they return to Egypt Joseph’s brothers are afraid that he will hate them and try to get even with them for the evil they did to him.  When they beg him for forgiveness, Joseph weeps and once again tells them "fear ye not;" it was the will of God meant for good to save many people.  Then he comforts his brothers and speaks kindly to them.  And Joseph and all his father’s house dwell in Egypt (vv. 14-22).

As we near the end of Genesis, Joseph lives to be 110 years old and prophesies that God will bless them, Jacob's posterity, (the children of Israel), and bring them out of Egypt to the land which He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Joseph dies and is embalmed and placed in a coffin to wait for the time when he can be taken to the sepulcher in Canaan and be laid there with his father and his father's family (Leah, Isaac, Rebekah, Abraham and Sarah) (vv. 23-26).

 (See JST Genesis 50:24-35, 37-38 for prophecy concerning the Messiah, Moses, a choice seer in the latter days [Joseph Smith], the coming forth of The Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel).