SCBSG Week 6: Genesis 36 - 45

amshum · 07-25-2004, 09:28 PM

Welcome to the Soul Cysters Bible Study Group!

Week 6: 7/25 thru 7/31
Genesis Chapters 36 - 45
Descendants of Esau, Sale of Joseph into slavery, Joseph reunited with his brothers
Click here to review the complete syllabus.

Please read the above chapters of Genesis. To discuss the reading with your fellow cysters, please reply to THIS thread only to post your comments, interpretation, etc.

If you would like, you may read the NIV Rainbow Study Bible Outline for Genesis by CLICKING HERE.

I must stress again, this will not be allowed to turn into a debate forum. This is for all of us to learn and study together.

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As far as the syllabus... I welcome any suggestions for the next book, Exodus. I know that some of you are reading ahead, but please keep in mind that there are lots of people who have joined this group and some aren't able to keep a fast pace because of work, school, family, etc. and I wanted to try to move a little slow thru the first book because of this. Feel free to read ahead, and take notes as you go along, so that when those discussion threads are posted, you have yours ready to post. Thank you all for your understanding regarding this.

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amshum · 08-15-2004, 08:13 PM

Hi ya'll,

I am again sorry I'm late. Seems that this group has faded away. I hate to see that happen. I know I'm guilty of not participating on time, but as I have explained in other posts, I had some difficulty with my health due to medications not being correct, which took me outta the loop. I tried to post all the discussion threads on time, hoping others would continue to participate even tho I was tardy, but it seems like everyone else got busy and haven't been posting. I hope that will change soon. Hope to see your posts soon SCBSG Members!

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My thoughts:

Genesis Chapter 36: So, Jacob comes home after be reunited with his bother (see week 5 readings) and now they can't live on the same land because their wealth is too great and couldn't support their herds and livestock.

Quote:

from The MacArthur Student Bible KJV
36:7 too great for them to dwell together.
Crowded living conditions finally prompted Esau to move permanently to Edom, where he had already established a home (see 32:3; 33:14, 16). Because God had promised that Abraham's descendants through Isaac and Jacob would possess the land, it was fitting that God providentially worked out the circumstances to keep Jacob in the land and move Esau out.

Genesis Chapter 37: One of my favorite stories from Sunday School when I was a little girl going to a Baptist church was the Coat of Many Colors, but I don't remember it exactly the way I read it directly from the Bible. This is one of the reason why I wanted to start this group and read the Bible for myself... I absolutely adored this story but I didn't know or remember all of it.

Can you imagine your siblings loathing you so much they're willing to kill you? I found this an interesting commentary on the subject:

Quote:

from Halley's Bible Handbook
Gen. 37 Joseph Sold Into Egypt

The richly ornamented robe (v. 3; KJV, coat of many colors) was a badge of favoritism, possibly indicating Jacob's intention to make Joseph heir to the birthright.

Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, was natural heir to the birthright; but he was disqualified because of his illicit relationship with one of his father's concubines (35:22; 49:3 - 4, 1 Chronicles 5:1 - 2). Simeon and Levi, second and third in line of the succession (29:31 - 35), were passed over because of their crime at Shechem (34:25 - 30; 40:5 - 7). Judah, the fourth son was next in line, and the family may have expected that the birthright would go to him.

But Joseph, though Jacob's 11th son, was Rachel's firstborn. Rachel was Jacob's best-loved wife, and Joseph as his favorite son (v.3). So the robe looked suspicious. And Joseph's dreams of his own ascendancy (vv. 5 - 10) aggravated the situation.

Thus Judah and Joseph appeared to have been rivals for the birthright. This may explain Judah's active part in selling Joseph into slavery (vv. 26 - 27). The rivalry between Judah and Joseph passed to their descendants. The tribes of Judah and Ephraim (Joseph's son) were contenders for supremacy. Judah took the lead under David and Solomon. Then, under the leadership of Ephraim, the Ten Tribes seceded (1 Kings 12).

That helped me.

Genesis Chapter 38: Does anyone know why this chapter was inserted into the story of the Coat of Many Colors? It seemed out of place to me. I know Judah is Joseph's brother, but it just felt out of place.

I found this interesting:

Quote:

from The MacArthur Student Bible NKJV

38:6 - 10 Judah's two sons were executed by the Lord; one for wickedness and the other one for rebellious rejection of duty to marry a relative's widow, which is called a levirate marriage. This was a rather scandalous mark against the line of Judah.

WOW! I can't imagine how in today's times this would be acceptable at all, but yet the Lord wanted it and even killed the brother for *not* marrying her. Wow... That's all I can say.

Genesis Chapter 39: Its truly wonderful to read how The Lord was with Joseph. Joseph was obviously going thru a great deal, being sold into slavery and then imprisoned wrongly for "sexual harassment", and the Lord never turned his back on him.

Genesis Chapter 40: I love the story of the butler and the baker. Perhaps its because the interpretations Joseph gave came directly from God. I love stories in the Bible where God speaks directly to the people, walks with them. I'd sure hate to have been the baker in the tale tho...

Genesis Chapter 41: This chapter is a great one for me in this story. I love how God help's Joseph gain favor with Pharaoh, and therefor gains power over all of Egypt, answering only to Pharaoh. The prediction of the seven years of plenty and then seven years of famine from Pharaoh's dreams indeed comes true.

Genesis Chapter 42: I loved how Joseph was concerned for his brother Benjamin in this chapter. He was concerned that his brothers could've done the same as they did to him, or possibly kill him. I think that's why he holds back Simeon and sends the other brothers home to fetch Benjamin.

Genesis Chapter 43: I found this interesting:

Quote:

from The MacArthur Student Bible NKJV

43:34 Benjamin's Serving Joseph first startled them by seating them in their correct birth order, and then he silently tested their attitudes by showing favoritism to Rachel's other son Benjamin. Any longstanding envy, dislike or hatred could not be easily masked, but none surfaced.

Genesis Chapter 44: It seems Joseph tested his brother's again regarding their attitude toward Benjamin. Once the silver cup was found on Benjamin, the brother's went back and pleaded for mercy for their brother. I think it was obvious that Joseph appreciated the change in these men, his brothers, since what they had done to him.

Genesis Chapter 45: I love how Joseph reveals who he is to his brothers and tells them to fetch their father, so he could take care of them all. I love the parts of the Bible where family helps, takes care of their family. I think that's the way it oughta be, but nowadays, its pretty rare... in my family at least.
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Thanks for reading my post. I hope I didn't ramble on too much. Hope to read your discussions on this thread and the others real soon. Thanks. God bless.