Olde Tymer
Well-known member
.
● Gen 50:11 . . And when the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning
at Goren ha-Atad, they said; This is a solemn mourning on the part of the
Egyptians. That is why it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
"Abel-mizraim" means Meadow of the Egyptians. Unfortunately, it's precise location
has been lost in antiquity.
● Gen 50:12-14 . .Thus his sons did for him as he had instructed them. His sons
carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of
Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham had bought for a burial site from
Ephron the Hittite. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his
brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
If Joseph and his brothers were aware of the prediction The Lord made to Abraham
back in Gen 15:13-14, then they probably returned to Egypt with heaviness
knowing in advance that slavery and oppression were in store for their posterity.
NOTE: But then again there are folk like King Hezekiah who, when told of his
progeny's rather grim future, was grateful that it would happen to them instead of
him. (Isa 39:5-8)
● Gen 50:15 . .When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said:
What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong
that we did him?
Where did they get the idea that Joseph was bearing any grudge at all, let alone
"still" bearing a grudge? You know what they did? They did just what Laban did to
Jacob back in chapter 31 when he threatened Jacob with retribution if he abused
Rachel and Leah or dumped them for other women.
Jacob had worked for Laban, on his ranch, up close and personal for twenty years
and never gave Laban one single reason to either believe, or suspect that Jacob
might do unkind things to his wives. In other words: Laban projected; i.e. he
assumed everyone was like himself.
Joseph's brothers had a wicked conscience. It wasn't beyond them to project their
own base motives upon everybody else and assume everybody else would do the
very same things they themselves would do in their place. They totally brushed
aside the gracious reception they received in Joseph's house back in chapter 45 and
replaced his hospitality with their own corrupt imaginations; not to mention the
seventeen years just past when they lived a very good life in Egypt under Joseph's
generous auspices.
Nobody's reputation is safe in the hands of people like that who fail to take into
consideration someone's impeccable track record.
● Gen 50:16-17a . . So they sent this message to Joseph: Before his death your
father left this instruction: So shall you say to Joseph; "Forgive, I urge you, the
offense and guilt of your brothers who treated you so harshly". Therefore, please
forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father.
● Gen 50:17b . . And Joseph was in tears as they spoke to him.
The people referred to as "they" were not the brothers, but rather, the messengers
they sent.
* It wouldn't surprise me if that message from Jacob were a fraud.
● Gen 50:18-21 . . His brothers went to him themselves, flung themselves before
him, and said: We are prepared to be your slaves. But Joseph said to them: Have
no fear. Am I a substitute for God? Besides, although you intended me harm, God
intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result-- the survival of many
people. And so, fear not. I will sustain you and your children. Thus he reassured
them, speaking kindly to them.
They say repetition is an effective teaching aid; and it's probably because some
people just don't pay attention. Joseph had already made a similar speech to his
brothers once before already in chapter 45 and here he is having to do it all over
again. Their lack of trust in his word as a man of honor and integrity is just
unforgivable.
_
● Gen 50:11 . . And when the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning
at Goren ha-Atad, they said; This is a solemn mourning on the part of the
Egyptians. That is why it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
"Abel-mizraim" means Meadow of the Egyptians. Unfortunately, it's precise location
has been lost in antiquity.
● Gen 50:12-14 . .Thus his sons did for him as he had instructed them. His sons
carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of
Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham had bought for a burial site from
Ephron the Hittite. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his
brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
If Joseph and his brothers were aware of the prediction The Lord made to Abraham
back in Gen 15:13-14, then they probably returned to Egypt with heaviness
knowing in advance that slavery and oppression were in store for their posterity.
NOTE: But then again there are folk like King Hezekiah who, when told of his
progeny's rather grim future, was grateful that it would happen to them instead of
him. (Isa 39:5-8)
● Gen 50:15 . .When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said:
What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong
that we did him?
Where did they get the idea that Joseph was bearing any grudge at all, let alone
"still" bearing a grudge? You know what they did? They did just what Laban did to
Jacob back in chapter 31 when he threatened Jacob with retribution if he abused
Rachel and Leah or dumped them for other women.
Jacob had worked for Laban, on his ranch, up close and personal for twenty years
and never gave Laban one single reason to either believe, or suspect that Jacob
might do unkind things to his wives. In other words: Laban projected; i.e. he
assumed everyone was like himself.
Joseph's brothers had a wicked conscience. It wasn't beyond them to project their
own base motives upon everybody else and assume everybody else would do the
very same things they themselves would do in their place. They totally brushed
aside the gracious reception they received in Joseph's house back in chapter 45 and
replaced his hospitality with their own corrupt imaginations; not to mention the
seventeen years just past when they lived a very good life in Egypt under Joseph's
generous auspices.
Nobody's reputation is safe in the hands of people like that who fail to take into
consideration someone's impeccable track record.
● Gen 50:16-17a . . So they sent this message to Joseph: Before his death your
father left this instruction: So shall you say to Joseph; "Forgive, I urge you, the
offense and guilt of your brothers who treated you so harshly". Therefore, please
forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father.
● Gen 50:17b . . And Joseph was in tears as they spoke to him.
The people referred to as "they" were not the brothers, but rather, the messengers
they sent.
* It wouldn't surprise me if that message from Jacob were a fraud.
● Gen 50:18-21 . . His brothers went to him themselves, flung themselves before
him, and said: We are prepared to be your slaves. But Joseph said to them: Have
no fear. Am I a substitute for God? Besides, although you intended me harm, God
intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result-- the survival of many
people. And so, fear not. I will sustain you and your children. Thus he reassured
them, speaking kindly to them.
They say repetition is an effective teaching aid; and it's probably because some
people just don't pay attention. Joseph had already made a similar speech to his
brothers once before already in chapter 45 and here he is having to do it all over
again. Their lack of trust in his word as a man of honor and integrity is just
unforgivable.
_
