The Dysfunctional Family That Became Most Noble
Jacob was a trickster. He swindled his brother Esau out of his inheritance. His name meant “swindler”. His sons, Simeon and Levi, killed Shechem and all of his city for raping their sister Dinah after he had asked for her hand and the family had agreed for Dinah to marry him. They requested as a condition for acceptance that the entire male population circumcise themselves. While they were weak from the circumcision they were massacred.
The sons of Jacob’s first wife Leah, sold Jacob their brother into slavery because they hated him for being their father’s favorite and his big dreams. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, slept with his father’s concubine. This was a dysfunctional family that ended up as a noble nation.
Joseph was first a slave in the house of Potiphar, captain of the Guard where he prospered his master who effectively left everything gin his household to him. His good fortune in Potiphar’s household ended when the mistress of the house lusted after him. He ended up in the state prison on false accusation of attempted rape when he refused the advances that followed.
In prison Joseph still prospered ending up looking after the activities of fellow inmates. Interpreting the dreams of Pharoah’s cup-bearer and butler who were in prison with him was to give Joseph audience with the Pharoah two years later. Within 24 hours Joseph went from being a prisoner to becoming the prime minister of Egypt.
Reuben was the brother that wanted to deliver Joseph out of the hands of his angry brothers when they wanted to kill Joseph suggesting they cast him into a pit instead. He intended afterwards to bring Joseph back to their father.
Judah was the brother that sought to make a profit from Joseph by suggesting that the brothers sell Joseph into slavery rather than seeing him dead. The family of Judah became the only tribe of Israel with landed inheritance to survive with their heritage intact through to Roman times.
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