A Difficult Family Reunion—Lectionary Reflection for Epiphany 7C (Genesis 45:3-15)

 

Genesis 45:3-15 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷ God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹ Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me; do not delay. ¹⁰ You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there, since there are five more years of famine to come, so that you and your household and all that you have will not come to poverty.’ ¹² And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. ¹³ You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” ¹⁴ Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. ¹⁵ And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them, and after that his brothers talked with him.

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                In the first chapter of the Book of Exodus, the narrator tells us that “a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.  He said to his people, ‘Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.’” (Exodus 1:8-10). Pharaoh articulates here a version of what is known these days as the “Great Replacement Theory.” It is a theory that warns white folks that if they don’t put a stop to immigration before long, they will no longer be in the majority. When that happens, white Christians will no longer have control of Western culture. As we see in the Book of Exodus, God doesn’t embrace such theories. Now, this week, the first reading for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany doesn’t come from the Book of Exodus. Instead, it comes from Genesis 45, a passage that sets in motion the migration that leads to Pharaoh’s concern about being replaced by these Hebrew immigrants.

                The Joseph cycle of stories begins in Genesis 37, where we read about Joseph’s dream of greatness that upsets his brothers. Joseph’s claims to greatness get on the nerves of his older brothers, who eventually sell him into slavery. But, according to the stories in Genesis, God is with Joseph, such that he eventually rises to a senior position in Pharaoh’s government. This is due to his interpretation of a dream about seven years of famine that will eventually hit the region. Fortunately, God has given Pharaoh a heads up so that he can prepare for that day during seven years of plenty. This leads a grateful Pharaoh to put Joseph in charge of this effort. Once the famine hits, Joseph’s father, Jacob, hears that there is grain in Egypt, so he sends his sons to Egypt to get some grain for the family. When Joseph encounters them, he decides not to reveal himself to them but instead demands that if they want grain, they need to bring their brother Benjamin, the youngest member of the family. Joseph then takes Benjamin hostage, which leads to negotiations for his release. Eventually, he decides to reveal himself to them, which is where we pick up the story.

                Joseph is one of the better-known figures in the biblical story. He even has a musical (Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) and a DreamWorks animated flick—Joseph: King of Dreams (2000). The reading for the week sets in motion the story that leads to Pharaoh’s dilemma. Four centuries before the Exodus story, a family immigrated to Egypt because a member of the family had an important government position. But, as we see from the larger story, this was not an easy reunion for this family. Joseph had every reason to turn away his brothers when they came seeking food. They had betrayed him many years before. Yet, they were family. But even then, he had concerns, which is why he asked whether his father was still alive. After all, once upon a time, he had been his father’s favorite, though it appears he had been replaced by the youngest of Joseph’s sons, Benjamin. Benjamin shared a mother with Joseph (Rachel).

                Our reading begins in verse three and omits verses twelve through fourteen. I’ve placed the three omitted verses in italics since they fill out the story. It is also helpful to review chapter forty-four, which tells the story of how Joseph detains Benjamin after the brothers bring him to Joseph, whom they do not recognize as their long-lost brother. One of the brothers, Judah, pleaded for Joseph to release their brother, offering himself in exchange because their father would be heartbroken if their father’s youngest son, the brother of one who was dead. It would cause their father great suffering if they did not take Benjamin back to his father. Then, in the first two verses of chapter 45, the narrator tells us that “Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and cried out, ‘Send everyone away from me.’ So one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.” He cried out so loudly that Pharaoh’s household heard it (Gen. 45:1-2).

                It’s at this point that a very emotional Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. He says to them: “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” This revelation catches them by surprise. As far as they knew, Joseph was probably dead. Besides, if this is their brother, he is a very powerful person. He could easily have them arrested, thrown into prison, or worse. That they were dismayed is a pretty mild response. The Message suggests they were speechless. I can only imagine. With his brothers standing there dumbfounded and silent, he invited them to come closer so they could see him up close. The brothers did as they were told (what else could they do?). He reminds them that not only was he their long-lost brother, but they had sold him into slavery in Egypt (as if they could forget). In case they were afraid he might take revenge on them, he told them not to worry or be angry with themselves. That’s because God had sent him to Egypt ahead of them to preserve life. For those of us who believe that the future is open and undetermined, this is a difficult text to digest. It sounds rather deterministic.

                Now, the journey to this point had been challenging for Joseph. After landing in Egypt, he got a job in the household of Potiphar, whose wife tried to seduce him. When he refused her advances, she cried rape, landing him in prison, where his abilities to interpret dreams caught the attention of the jailer, and from there, he attracted the attention of Pharaoh who was dealing with dreams of his own. Those dreams had to do with a future famine. Joseph interpreted the dream and suggested a path to prepare and distribute resources. Joseph not only interpreted the dream but was put in charge of implementing the plan revealed to Pharaoh. That’s when the brothers come into the picture, which leads to a family reunion. But this reunion was not an easy one since, as we’ve seen, the older brothers had sold him into slavery and told their father he was dead.

                While the brothers were fearful of Joseph, it appears that he wanted to be reconciled with them. They may have intended their action toward him as somewhat malevolent, but it had worked out for their benefit. One of the questions this passage poses has to do with whether God causes bad things to happen so that something good can happen in the end. Many will embrace that view, especially those who see God acting in a deterministic manner, but others of us find this problematic. Or can we see this in a nondeterministic way such that God can work with us when bad things happen to produce something good? If we take the latter view, then we can see Joseph offering his brother’s reassurance that while they had acted in a way that harmed him, he wanted to see their action as the foundation for something good that benefited not only Egypt but his family.

                So, since God had made Joseph a father to Pharaoh and ruler over Egypt, he was in a position to help his family. So, he told them to go back to Canaan and get their father so that they could find safety and support during the final five years of the famine. He told them to tell their father that his son Joseph was sending for him. Not only that but since Joseph was in charge of Egypt, he had the power to resettle the family there in Egypt. He was going to give them the Land of Goshen. There, in Goshen, the family could settle down near Joseph. This would include their children and grandchildren as well as their flocks. Therefore, they will not experience poverty. This is all good news if the brothers will receive it.

                The chosen verses for the day skip down to verse fifteen, which tells us that Joseph kissed his brothers and that he wept at their reunion after so many years. It seems as if the young braggart who tried to hold his position with his father had been chastened, such that he saw himself in a position to be reconciled with the family. While the brothers had at first been terrified, now they could talk with each other. All was good.

                Now, there are those omitted verses. I’m not sure why they are removed, though they are somewhat repetitive of other statements. But they also speak of Joseph’s embrace of his brother Benjamin, whom he never knew. Not only that, but he and Benjamin shared a mother. That meant they had a special bond that they didn’t share with the rest of the brothers, who had different mothers. With that, the two brothers, who were finally united, embraced and wept with joy.    

                This is a story of family reconciliation that provides the foundation for the continuation of the covenant God had made with Abraham and Sarah. In a sense, Joseph’s assent to a position of responsibility in Egypt did bless the nations, as well as his own family. For a time, this would work out nicely for Joseph’s family. Unfortunately, as time went on, the family grew in size, and later generations of Egyptians came to fear them. Thus, a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph responded by enslaving them. Eventually, the cries for help reached God’s ears, and another redeemer was sent to them. That would be Moses. Perhaps these stories offer a reminder that we need to stay aware of our situations in life and listen for God’s voice (however that might come to us) so that we might cooperate with God to bring a blessing to the nations. Thus, while God does not cause bad things to happen, God does call on us to cooperate with God in acts of redemption and reconciliation.       

   Image Attribution: wanson, John August. Story of Joseph, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56562 [retrieved February 15, 2025]. Original source: Estate of John August Swanson, https://www.johnaugustswanson.com/.