seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 46:26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. 27 With the two sons[f] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[g] in all.
28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[h] and wept for a long time.
30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[h] and wept for a long time.
30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
f. Genesis 46:27 Hebrew; Septuagint the nine children
g.Genesis 46:27 Hebrew (see also Exodus 1:5 and note); Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14) seventy-five
h.Genesis 46:29 Hebrew around him
Well there are a few points here to consider. Some of the commentaries like verse 30 because they say that death is just the continuation of life. Others talk about the way Joseph cried like a baby when he saw his father Jacob [Israel]. I for one knew that he would cry so I don't think that is really something interesting or new.
Then there's the interview tactic in the final category. Notice that Joseph tells his family that they "tended livestock" rather than they were "shepherds" because "all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians". Bible-commentaries.com explains:
Many theories have been advanced about the strong feelings the Egyptians seemed to have toward people tending flocks. Vs. 34 says: "All shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians." The KJV says: "Every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians." It is obvious that Joseph's instructions to his brothers are based on this feeling. It is impossible to determine from our distant perspective what the actual basis for this feeling was. There were probably religious as well as political reasons. The religious one could be that divine qualities were attributed to cattle, so that sacrificing cattle or eating beef would be a sacrilege. The fact that the Israelites in the desert made themselves a golden calf would point in this direction.
A political reason for the aversion could be the fact that the reigning Pharaoh belonged to the category of the shepherd kings, or Hyksos, a foreign power who had usurped the throne of Egypt. The Pulpit Commentary believes, though, that Israel's descent into Egypt occurred before the period of the Hyksos. It is also true that domestic shepherds were considered to be despicable too. Herodotus affirms this, as do some archeological finds of relieves where shepherds are pictured as lame or deformed, dirty and unshaven. But the feeling of contempt toward this class may have political reasons also. They could have been considered collaborators with the hostile regime. We have to conclude that we do not know. However, the fact that this kind of potentially explosive tension existed is stated emphatically several times throughout this story.
A political reason for the aversion could be the fact that the reigning Pharaoh belonged to the category of the shepherd kings, or Hyksos, a foreign power who had usurped the throne of Egypt. The Pulpit Commentary believes, though, that Israel's descent into Egypt occurred before the period of the Hyksos. It is also true that domestic shepherds were considered to be despicable too. Herodotus affirms this, as do some archeological finds of relieves where shepherds are pictured as lame or deformed, dirty and unshaven. But the feeling of contempt toward this class may have political reasons also. They could have been considered collaborators with the hostile regime. We have to conclude that we do not know. However, the fact that this kind of potentially explosive tension existed is stated emphatically several times throughout this story.
Since Joseph's family will be in Egypt for about 400 years, I am interested in the politics and religion of the region. It's not looking good for them already.
