She told Jacob, "Here is my maid Bilhah. And after Joseph perished, the sons of Jacob took unto themselves wives. Jacob did not wholly believe that Joseph was dead, because he could not forget him, while the dead are soon forgotten. It was a very large company." Joseph's own remains were reportedly taken by Moses with the Israelites during the Exodus (Exodus 13:19) and later buried at Shechem (Joshua 24:32). | Alpha Index popularly referred to as a "coat of many colors." He wanted to know if they would be willing to risk danger in order to save their half brother Benjamin. (Genesis 45:128), Thus, Jacob (also known as Israel) and his entire house of seventy[22] gathered up with all their livestock and began their journey to Egypt. Sign me up for that! The text says that they are Jacobs wives, and yet wives would retain ownership over their own children, so how can they be actual wives?. Esau. Joseph or Yosef (Hebrew: , Arabic: , Yusuf; "The Lord increases") is a major figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). | Servants of Grace Apologetics, Mishpatim in Context: Selling your daughter into slavery? lol does it come with a jetted jacuzi tub? Despite his wealth, most rabbis represent him as very modest, and was not vain of his power (Ex. What Leah knew was that her husband, although she had given him many sons, had no regard for her Jewish tradition even states that Jacob moved to Bilhahs tent after the death of Rachel (I dont think he ever got over that anger from the morning after the wedding). In Genesis 29:31-30:24 the birth . The first born of this union is still his firstborn even after he marries another woman, loves her, and has children with her. pseudo-Jonathan), protecting her from the lustful eyes of Esau (Gen. R. 78:13). Sarah died when she was 127 (23:1) - so Abraham would have been 137 and Isaac would have been 37. We can have a conquering faith in Jesus though we are tested by many tribulations. He received the same name as two great prophets, one past and one future: Joseph of Egypt and the Prophet Joseph Smith. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. So Joseph was reunited with his family, Stephen provided a brief summary of Josephs Story, Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath, daughter The true faith in Jesus Christ stands the test and wins victory. It was because of his virtue that the children of Israel passed over the Red Sea and the Jordan dry-shod (Gen. R. 84). Rachel in the Bible - Jacob's Wife and Mother of Joseph - Learn Religions Joseph's half-brothers were jealous of him; (Genesis 37:1820) wherefore, in Dothan, most of them plotted to kill him, with the exception of Reuben,[12][13] who suggested to have Joseph thrown into an empty cistern, intending to rescue Joseph himself. There Jacob worked for Laban, fathered eleven sons and daughter, Dinah, (Gen. 35:22-26; 46:15), and amassed livestock and wealth. Joseph predicted seven years of plenty to be followed by seven years of famine and advised the Pharaoh to appoint someone to store up surplus grain. How many wives did Jacob have? Is polygamy really Biblical? He even instructed them to take his bones with them. J. M. Sel. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. Similar theories are propounded to explain confusion in the narrative's parallel accounts of his slavery and imprisonment, as well as his and reunion(s) with his brothers, with Benjamin present in one, and absent in another. After relaying his prophecies, Israel died. 119a; comp. Lehi's Family Tree - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Plan to Trick Jacob. This article incorporates text from the 19011906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. Later we will learn a lot more about Joseph, because he became a very important person. Christian Apologetics & Intelligence Ministry, Tyler Dawn How Many Wives did Jacob Have? Matthew 1:25 says, "But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son" (emphasis added). What Does the Bible Say About How Many Wives Did Joesph Have Before He Joseph (Genesis) - Wikipedia According to Legend of the Jews, the name of Potiphar's wife is Zuleikha and when she was enticing Joseph to give up to her sinful passion, God appeared unto him, holding the foundation of earth (Eben Shetiyah), that He would destroy the world if Joseph touched her. Thus, Joseph was indeed a "child of Isaac's old age" (Gen 37:3). www.simplybible.com Copyright Ron Graham 2001 2018, "the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh", "By faith Joseph, when he was dying, said confidently that the children of Israel would leave Egypt. 'He shall add';[1] Standard: Ysef, Tiberian: Ysp; alternatively: ,[2][3] lit. Following the prediction, Joseph became Vizier, under the name of Zaphnath-Paaneah (Hebrew: pna Pana),[e][19] and was given Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On,[f] to be his wife. After identifying the Hebrew names, Rabbi Judah claims that Joseph was sold four times: First his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites (Yishma'elm), then the Ishmaelites sold him to the Midianite traders (shm midyanm srm), the Midianite traders to the Medanites (mdanm), and the Medanites into Egypt. Am happy to have read this. For the New Testament Joseph, see, Another possible translation is "coat with long sleeves" (. Muslim theologians, especially of the Sufi tradition, use this story to symbolize the spiritual love between God and the soul. Abraham had one wife, and then only took a concubine when she was still barren at 80; he took a second wife only after the death of his first. The two halves of Manasseh were often treated as two separate units in the biblical account. Abravanel explains that she had accused other servants of the same crime in the past. The shrine called Joseph's Tomb in Nablus/Shechem is traditionally considered to be his tomb. How many wives did Joseph have in the Bible? The next two instances of dream interpretation establish his reputation as a great interpreter of dreams; first, he begins in a low place, interpreting the dreams of prisoners. According to the Old Testament, Jacob was the younger twin brother of Esau, who was the ancestor of Edom . He could not control himself any longer and so he sent the Egyptian men out of the house. How many wives did Jacob married? - AnswersAll What the Bible says about Jacob's Favoritism for Joseph Yusuf eventually obtains permission to marry her, she having lost none of her former beauty nor any of her first love for him. [16] Joseph requested that the cup-bearer mention him to Pharaoh to secure his release from prison,[17] but the cup-bearer, reinstalled in office, forgot Joseph. The story of Joseph or Yusuf as it is told in Arabic literature has the same general outlines as the Biblical narrative; but in the Arabic account there is a wealth of accessory detail and incident. As Joseph had foreseen, seven years of plenty came, during which he stored up a great abundance of grain in granaries built for the purpose. Now Jacob had twelve sons. Genesis 35:21-27 gives a list of Jacob's sons and the various woman he had them with. during the Egyptian Middle Kingdom, to a later time during the Hyksos Era (16481540 B.C.E. 2:1; 2 Ne. A midrash asked, How many times was Joseph sold? 5:26; Jacob 1:2, 18-19). (Exodus 13:19) The bones were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor (Joshua 24:32), which has traditionally been identified with site of Joseph's Tomb, before Jacob and all his family moved to Egypt. Joseph interpreted this dream as the cup-bearer being restored as cup-bearer to the Pharaoh within three days. It has also been suggested that there are similarities between the rise to power of Joseph, and Manethos' tale of Osarseph, who was Syrian born, and rose to be Vizier of Egypt, beginning his career under Pharaoh Merenptah and his son Seti II. She became angry and told lies about him, so he was put in jail. The latter third of the book of Genesis relates the complex and vola- tile relationship of the patriarch Jacob, his four wives, and their thirteen children (twelve sons, one daughter). Jacob and His Two Wives | My Jewish Learning But Israel refused saying, "but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he," a declaration he made just as Israel himself was to his firstborn brother Esau. Why did the angel told Joseph to go to Egypt? - Sage-Answers The Bible tells us twice that Jacob had daughters. 2. [47] But in Islam they returned leaving behind Benjamin because the mizzen bowl of the king was found in his bag. Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt (Genesis 37). [35] This tendency is represented in John Chrysostom who said that Joseph's suffering was "a type of things to come",[36] Caesarius of Arles who interpreted Joseph's famous coat as representative of the diverse nations who would follow Christ,[37] Ambrose of Milan who interpreted the standing sheaf as prefiguring the resurrection of Christ,[38] and others. God punished him, therefore, by setting against him Potiphar's wife (Gen. R. 87:3). The house of Israel acquired many possessions and multiplied exceedingly during the course of seventeen years, even through the worst of the seven-year famine. Joseph And His Brothers, The cultural impact of the Joseph story in early-modern times is discussed in, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 10:50. The Priestly source adds some statistics and gives a list of the people who went down to Egypt, while a later editor has supplied details to make the accounts appear as one, such as Joseph's subterfuge of sending the brothers back to Canaan first to get Benjamin, and later to get Jacob. "[43] The story has a lot in common with the biblical narrative, but with certain differences. Moses threw a pebble into the water there and cried out: "Joseph! Abraham had one wife, and then only took a concubine when she was still barren at 80; he took a second wife only after the death of his first. The other polygamists in Scripture were Lamech (a descendant of Cain who killed a guy) and Esau (who well he was Esau, nuff said) we dont see any of the twelve sons of Jacob having mutliple wives, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, the Judges (not even Sampson) or the prophets. 12 Sons of Jacob - Who They Were + Importance - Christianity.com The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod commemorates him as a patriarch on 31 March. One opinion holds that the Holy Spirit dwelt in Joseph from his childhood until his death (Pirke R. El. The Pharaoh is said to have given Joseph, Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. What does Ex 22:16-17 tell us about the rape of Dinah in Genesis, Episode 164: Purim 2023Honor, Shame and Two Brave Queens, Episode 163: Sociology IIReligion, Weird Science, and Practical Linguistics, Episode 162 Sociology I: Groupthink, Holy/Profane and Clean/Unclean, Episode 161: The Advent of John the Baptist in Luke, Episode 160: Special Teaching #1The Advent of the Messiah in Matthew, Challenging the "Everything is Pagan" Meme Culture, Infertility, Barreness, Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Child Loss. However there are two separate lands related to the epithet Cush. Kusiteand Kusan are both used and they are spelled almost exactly the same the only difference being a tav vs a nun at the end of the word. He even forced them to throw out their babies to die. [g] Then he had their donkeys prepared with grain and sent the other brothers back to Canaan. The family, including the Egyptians, mourned him seventy days. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out and they produced grapes. 16Their remains were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham, for a price in silver, purchased from the children of Hamor in Shechem. (Acts 7:14-16). . He had fallen ill and lost most of his vision. Some believe that he built the city of Memphis, and that he was instrumental in building the obelisks and pyramids. In one Talmudic story, Joseph was buried in the Nile river, as there was some dispute as to which province should be honored by having his tomb within its boundaries. How movie 'Shakespeare in Love' almost fell apart when original star The twelve sons of Jacob (Israel) from oldest to youngest were as follows. (Genesis 48:122). In analyzing Genesis Chapter 37, there are five different Hebrew names used to describe five different groups of people involved in the transaction of selling Joseph, according to Rabbi Judah and Rav Huna. He was Rachel's firstborn and Jacob's eleventh son. Since Joseph and Benjamin were born from Rachel, this test was necessary to reveal if they would betray Benjamin as they did with Joseph when he was seventeen. After the (presumed) death of Joseph, we read, "All of his [Jacob's] sons and daughters got up to comfort him . So they named this spot Abel Mizraim. The "seven lean years" has been taken to refer to a Middle Eastern famine documented at that time. When the famine came which Pharoah had dreampt of, and Joseph had predicted, Joseph's father, brothers, and their families, settled in Egypt where there was food. He was also the first born of his mother Rachel, whom his father loved more than any of his wives and made Joseph Jacob's favorite son (Genesis 29-30:24; Genesis 37:1-4). His prophetic powers are sited as an example of "faith" in Hebrews 11:22. Tyler Dawn How Many Wives did Jacob Have? In the Qayyumu'l-Asma', the Bb refers to Bah'u'llh as the true Joseph and makes an analogous prophecy regarding Bah'u'llh suffering at the hands of his brother, Mrz Yahy. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. [32], Jewish tradition holds that Joseph had his steward plant his personal silver cup in Benjamin's sack to test his brothers. Full Bible Timeline - section on the life of Jacob. As a last resort, all of the inhabitants of Egypt, less the Egyptian priestly class, sold their properties and later themselves (as slaves) to Joseph for seed; wherefore Joseph set a mandate that, because the people would be sowing and harvesting seed on government property, a fifth of the produce should go to the Pharaoh. On the third day, he brought them out of prison to reiterate that he wanted their youngest brother brought to Egypt to demonstrate their veracity. The Pharaoh honored their stay and even proposed that if there were any qualified men in their house, then they may elect a chief herdsman to oversee Egyptian livestock. This makes Jesus related to Adam, both as the son of God and . How many wives did Jacob have? But like everything else, modern context is not Biblical context we dont think the same way or have the same needs and therefore we dont live the same way; we certainly dont have the same expectations. The younger daughter of Laban and wife of Jacob, Rachel is the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who become two of the twelve tribes of Israel ( Gen 35:24; Gen 46:15-18). This caused a stir amongst the brothers. Tap a Lookup below to generate a list oflessons. Great article Tyler! If later he is disgusted with her (after all, she was from a pagan nation), he cannot treat her as a slave and simply sell her away but must treat her as he would treat a divorced wife. At this time, Joseph's father was 147 years old and bedridden. As for kings marriages were largely about political alliances (especially with David who was shoring up support with the various tribes as well as maintaining his connection with Sauls royal line), except for Solomon, who was. But Joseph had taken Mary to be his wife (Matthew 1:20), and there is no suggestion that her role as Joseph's wife was in any way different from the role of any other wife. In the second dream, the sun (father), the moon (mother), and eleven stars (brothers) bowed to Joseph himself. [a] When Joseph was seventeen years old, he shared with his brothers two dreams he had had: in the first dream, Joseph and his brothers gathered bundles of grain, of which those his brothers gathered, bowed to his own. With Reuben and Judah's persistence, they persuaded their father to let Benjamin join them for fear of Egyptian retribution (Genesis 42:2943:15). Who Was Asenath - The Wife to Joseph in the Bible - Crosswalk.com Yet, from this answer in Quora. Jacob also had some daughters, but the Bible gives the name of only one of them. When they were brought to Joseph's house, they were apprehensive about the returned money in their money sacks. The Gadites would later be described as, "brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. JOSEPH. ), and as recently as the reign of Pharaoh Merneptah about 1200 B.C.E. He has humbled her (had sexual relations with her) and cannot sell her to another man, he must allow her to go out for nothing (she came in with no dowry). Jacob was 130 at this time (Gen 47:9). How many wives did Joseph have in the Old Testament? They may have been: (1) the sons of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Joseph (the most natural inference); (2) sons of the Mary named in Mark 15:40 as "mother of James and Joses", whom Jerome identified with the wife of Clopas and sister of Mary the mother of Jesus; or (3) sons of Joseph by a former marriage. BBC - Religions - Judaism: Joseph However, Joseph was displeased that his father's right hand was not on the head of his firstborn, so he switched his father's hands. Elkannah had two women but again, one of them was barren so I suspect that Peninah was a concubine. A fourth group in verse 36 is named in Hebrew as mdanm that is properly identified as Medanites. Jacob had 12 sons, at Hebron. [26][27] The plot begins by showing Joseph as a dreamer; this leads him into trouble as, out of jealousy, his brothers sell him into slavery. He is also a type of manly beauty; so that one often finds the expression "a second Joseph," meaning one extraordinarily beautiful. Answer (1 of 10): If you are talking about Jacob (Israel)'s son Joseph, then he had one wife. He became the second most powerful man in all Egypt. Which son of Adam did Jesus come from? - coalitionbrewing.com He was Jacob's eleventh son and Rachel's first. SONS OF JACOB - Who Were The 12 Sons And 53 Grandsons Of Jacob? Is Polygamy Really Biblical? Really Bilhahs and Zilpahs lives would have looked bleak but they would have accepted it as their lot in life in ancient times people firmly believed that their conditions and station in life were pre-determined by the gods and hardly worth complaining about or trying to get out of. Israel (Jacob) moves to Egypt to join Joseph - Bible Blender The Hebrew word translated as "tender" means "soft, delicate, or lovely.". There is much confusion about the word Cush in Scripture the first being that it does not actually refer to Ethiopia at all but instead a region more in the Sudan. How many kids did Mary have? When Jacob calls his wives to him in Gen thirty-one only Leah and Rachel are named. Joseph is 56 and Benjamin is about 40. She gave birth to Joseph, one of the most important figures of the Old Testament, who saved the nation of Israel during a famine. Even though I never watched either Big Love or Sister Wives, I knew about people who lived like this and I will bet that anyone who lives in certain parts of certain western states can tell you the same thing. Joseph is commemorated as one of the Holy Forefathers in the Calendar of Saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church on 26 July. In Canaan, Rachel gave birth to Jacob's final son, Benjamin, but, tragically, she died in childbirth. In Hebrew Joseph means: increaser. 26 Leah's servant Zilpah's sons were Gad and Asher. So they immediately informed the steward of what had transpired. I have questioned this over the years, but didnt understand the cultural context as well as you have laid out. How many sons did Jacob have with bilhah? Who Are the Sons of Jacob? Importance of the 12 - Bible Study Tools "All Pharaoh's officials accompanied himthe dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egyptbesides all the members of Joseph's household and his brothers and those belonging to his father's household Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. In the Elohist version it is Rueben intervenes on Joseph's behalf, while in the Yahwist version it is Judah that saves him. Who Was Joseph's Mother In The Bible? - Good News for Catholics 4. Confronting a Devastating Doctrine: Are Children Is Hand Washing Commanded? She then had three more sons: Simeon, Levi and Judah. SIMEON - JewishEncyclopedia.com Both were met by angels at various times (Gen. R. 84:6; Num. Glad to hear from you Brian, I have received many heartbreaking messages from women whose husbands seem to think they can force them into this lifestyle when they havent even bothered to look at whether or not the reasons that existed then still exist now, which of course they do not. 20-21). Potiphar believed that Joseph was incapable of such an act and petitioned Pharaoh to spare his life. Muhammad is believed to have once said, "One half of all the beauty God apportioned for mankind went to Joseph and his mother; the other one half went to the rest of mankind. Joseph was brought from prison to interpret the king's dream. 5 Bibliography. How old was Benjamin when Joseph was sold into slavery? - JesusAlive.cc These are the generations of Jacob. Laws of Hammurabi: [144] If a man take a wife and this woman give her husband a maid-servant, and she bear him children, but this man wishes to take another wife, this shall not be permitted to him; he shall not take a second wife. Bible History - Jacob's Family - Esau -12 sons - Joseph - GOD's WAR PLAN . Upon their return to Egypt, the steward of Joseph's house received the brothers. Then the Hebrew phrase shm midyanm srm in verse 28 describes Midianite traders. If, however, to the sixty-six Stephen added the wives of Jacob's sons', he could have legitimately reckoned Jacob's household as numbering seventy-five, instead of seventy. 20. The sons by Leah (Jacob's first wife) were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun. The brothers conferred amongst themselves speaking in Hebrew, reflecting on the wrong they had done to Joseph. Facts About Joseph (a son of Jacob) - A Simple Bible List Both the term "Joseph" and the term "Ephraim" were also frequently used by the biblical writers to refer to the norther tribes generally or to the later northern kingdom, usually called Israel. The Amidah and the New Testament I: Long Prayers and Vain Repetitions? Our President, Mr . pseudo-Jonathan). Joseph interpreted this dream as the baker being hanged within three days and having his flesh eaten by birds. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. As they approached Egyptian territory, Judah went ahead to ask Joseph where the caravan should unload. Israel. Joseph settled Jacob's growing clan with Pharaoh's blessing in the Land of Goshen (Gen. 47:29). In the second year of famine,[20] Joseph's half brothers were sent to Egypt to buy goods. Moses, led there by an ancient holy woman named Serach, was able by a miracle to raise the sarcophagus and to take it with him at the time of the Exodus. During the seven years of abundance, Joseph ensured that the storehouses were full and that all produce was weighed. Joseph's wife is considered to be an Egyptian. arose that night, and took his two wives, his two maidservants1 and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. Joseph, in the Old Testament, son of the patriarch Jacob and his wife Rachel. Isaac had one wife. Their relationship is first mentioned in Genesis 41:45. The baker's dream was about three baskets full of bread for the Pharaoh, and birds were eating the bread out of those baskets. I smiled, and told them to listen again. Josephs ability to interpret dreams got him out of jail and into great favour with Pharoah. People just cherry pick with the descriptions to determine prescriptives without studying out the matter. In fact, this is all we learn about her: Genesis 41:45: "Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave . 18:7, 19; 2 Ne. (Gen. 30:24) He was born in Padan-aram when Jacob was about 90 years old. She has seen her sister Leah bear Jacob three sons (presumably within three years), and can no longer take the pain of being the barren wife. 3. 2) Simeon was next, and he was also a son of Leah. Bible References: Rachel's story is told Genesis 29:6-35:24, 46:19-25, 48:7 . Upon stopping to speak to her, he discovers Zulaikha, who has been left in misery at the death of her husband. To the modern proponents of polygamy (as opposed to Biblical polygamy, which was entirely different), our forefather Jacob is the shining example after all, he had four wives right? How many children did Mary and Joseph have? | Fact Sheet Index I put up the white board and I was marking out the family tree of the patriarchs. He is Jacob's favorite (Genesis 37:3). However Jacob gave the greater blessing to the younger Ephraim, Moses, before he died, gave a similar blessing to the house of Joseph, which he called, Jospeh had great faith in God. Genesis 31:38-41. So, did Jacob have four legally wedded wives? At that time Moses was born (Acts 7:17-19). They were survival oriented, and so when greeted with the opportunity to be something greater in the family, not wives but the mothers of some of the heirs of the House, that was a chance to have a much better life and better prospects for the future. The Bible states that this name was given to Jacob as by God later in his life: "And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." (Genesis 32:28 .