Genesis 40:15, 41:14 - The Pit

The Pit of Despair

(For all those "Princess Bride" fans).

The word “dungeon” or “pit” (bor) is used twice in chapters 40-41 (40:15; 41:14). However, these are not the first instances of the word in Joseph’s narrative. More than that, it is a word and a metaphor that has come to characterize much of Joseph’s life experiences.

The narrator uses “dungeon” to describe the prison-like life experiences Joseph has been through so far. It is the same word used for the ‘pit’ into which his brothers threw him. Then, from this same pit, he was removed when he was sold into slavery (a different form of ‘prison’ or imprisonment, though not explicitly dealt with in this text). Arnold notes that “from the pit in Canaan, to Potiphar’s house, to this prison, Joseph is innocent and has been treated unjustly“(pg. 339). How ironic it is that the pit becomes a symbol of innocence in Joseph’s life.

Joseph would have to wait for his freedom for another “two whole years” after the cupbearer was released and given freedom. One day, however, Joseph is brought up from the pit and ushered into freedom. To be presentable before the king, he is shaved and exchanges his prison clothes for new ones. This symbolizes his new life and freedom from the prison. His old life of imprisonment was over; he is now starting a new life. Arnold notes that his transformation from “Hebrew slave and prisoner to clean-shaven Egyptian courtier” is an important distinction. It will come later in the narrative when Joseph’s brothers will not recognize him.

So that the title is not misleading, I don’t see any indication within the text that Joseph actually did despair at all in the pit in chapters 40-41. Given the prior knowledge that “the Lord was with” Joseph would be an indicator that he would not need to do so.

Genesis 39:5 - "The Blessing of the Lord"

Gen. 39:5

“The blessing of the Lord”

“…the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field.”

Arnold briefly points out the “blessing of the Lord” is a subjective genitive. This means that the Lord is “the subject of the act of blessing others” (pg. 331). Another way to read this would be that Joseph receives ‘the Lord’s blessing.’ For Joseph, it can be understood that he receives from the Lord a variety blessings. But what does the blessing of the Lord mean? What does it include?

In verse five, it states that all Joseph “had” (both in house and in the field) received the blessing. Noticing this, apparently, Potiphar place everything he “had” under Joseph’s charge. As a result, Potiphar “had” no concerns because everything that Joseph “had” received the Lord’s blessing. As it says earlier in v. 5, “the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.” But what exactly is this blessing?

I think we are given the answer to “what” the blessing is at least indirectly in v. 2 – “The Lord was with Joseph.” It is the presence of the Lord himself that is the blessing. The “Lord’s blessing” is the Lord. What greater blessing could there be? The subject is the Lord, the word "blessing" is a noun (not a verb). So it must be a noun-something of the Lord. The evidence within these verses suggests the possible answer is the Lord's presence.

The first five verses follow this way: “The Lord was with Joseph” (verb, v. 2, v.3), “The Lord caused…” (verb, v. 3), “The Lord blessed…” (verb, v. 5a), and finally the culmination is “The Lord’s blessing was on all…” (noun, v. 5b). Whatever it may be that is blessed or whatever may be the result of the blessing is a result of the presence of the Lord with Joseph. This has later implications when the recurrence of the Lord's blessing, causing Joseph to prosper also in prison, to build his confidence in the Lord.

Genesis 32:22-32 - Peniel

Peniel

Arnold writes about the etiological interest of the author to explain why certain things are the way they are. This text specifically notes Peniel (or Penuel). He suggests that Peniel (and Mahanaim on the other side of the Jabbok River) defended the last likely crossing-point of the river. In 1 Kings 12:25, Penuel becomes a military outpost for Jeroboam I (cf. pg. 279).

Likely a redaction to fit Israel’s monotheism (cf. pg. 284), Jacob names the location “Peniel,” which literally called “the face of God.” This gives the reader the reason behind the name “Peniel” – because Jacob wrestled with “the face of God” there. Etiologically speaking, we may note a “defensive” thread at Peniel. Jacob wrestled and defended himself there, and later that location was to become a military outpost.

The fact it is recorded that Jacob “saw the face of God” and lived would have been miraculous to the first audience. It was a popular assumption of ancient culture that no one could see God and live. However, instead of death, Jacob gets a blessing. Jacob was at that location preparing to meet Esau face-to-face, fearing his death. In fact, it appears that he waited until the very last possible moment to cross the river of inevitability. Instead of death, however, he saw God’s face and yet lived! What a cause for celebration and remembrance! If God is for Jacob, who can be against him?

In this narrative, we see Jacob trying to take every human measure to appease and change the heart of his brother. What he didn’t know is that God’s plan was to change Jacob. He did not need to defend himself based on his own strength or cunning. Instead, he needed to trust the relentlessly saving God. So, to commemorate his new life (as Israel) and his seeing the face of God, he names the place Peniel. His last-resort, fear of death defense has been turned into a blessing whereby he saw God’s face and experienced new life.

Genesis 22 - The Akedah

[In Judaism, Genesis 22 traditionally is titled, "The Akedah," "The Binding (of Isaac)"; it is a particularly important text in Judaism and Islam, as well as in Christianity. (In the Quran, as you know, the binding is not of Isaac, but of Ishmael.) Because it is of such great importance, Genesis 22 will be the sole focus of our forum discussions this week.]

Rite of Initiation

Arnold refers to the argument that views Gen 22 in light of an ancient rite of initiation, which involves the symbolic killing of a child (Arnold, pg. 209). This is a very profound way of looking through cultural lenses into the Akedah. As Arnold notes, this is a very convincing viewpoint. It does, however, hold its limitations, which will not be discussed here. However, two thoughts came to my mind in reading this section:

First, students of leadership will be acquainted with the phrase that goes something like, “in leadership, it gets lonely at the top.” Perhaps this is the grass roots inspiration for the phrase. The binding and offering of Isaac was just as much for Abraham as it was for Isaac. Both needed this experience in order to grow and fulfill the plans God had for them. It was a means for them both to become the leaders God had intended. In this way, the two leaders, having satisfied the requirements of the initiation (so to speak), needed to part ways in order to each prosper. Their positions of leadership had changed dramatically. For Abraham, “his future rests only with the ‘voice’ he must follow” and not in his promised son (pg. 209). For Isaac, he now embarks on his own journey toward becoming a patriarch in his own right and “ancestral promises of his own (26:1-5)” (pg. 209).

Second, some of Arnold’s treatment of the Akedah dealt with the foreshadowing of Christ. From the wood on Isaac’s back, to the walk up the mountain, to his binding, and his being Abraham’s “only son,” there are certainly many connections that we can make today. My thinking in this same vein turns to Jesus’ words in Mark 10:29-30 (see also Matthew 19:29), “I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” This verse reminds me of Abraham. God commanded him to “Go” in Gen 12:1, so he left his homeland. In 22:2, God (and the writer) uses the same word to go offer his son. In verse 19, we read that Abraham and Isaac part ways. After parting, God confirms the promise of Abraham that he will indeed be a father or many nations; that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars and sand. Abraham is surely blessed for his obedience.