Professor Aaron Wildavsky’s “Assimilation versus Separation: Joseph the Administrator and the Politics of Religion in Biblical Israel”

(13) Now there was no bread in all the world, for the famine was very severe; both the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine.

(14) Joseph gathered in all the money that was to be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as payment for the rations that were being procured, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace.

(15) And when the money gave out in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, lest we die before your very eyes; for the money is gone!”

(16) And Joseph said, “Bring your livestock, and I will sell to you against your livestock, if the money is gone.”

(17) So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, for the stocks of sheep and cattle, and the asses; thus he provided them with bread that year in exchange for all their livestock.

(18) And when that year was ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from my lord that, with all the money and animal stocks consigned to my lord, nothing is left at my lord’s disposal save our persons and our farmland.

(19) Let us not perish before your eyes, both we and our land. Take us and our land in exchange for bread, and we with our land will be serfs to Pharaoh; provide the seed, that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become a waste.”

(20) So Joseph gained possession of all the farm land of Egypt for Pharaoh, all the Egyptians having sold their fields because the famine was too much for them; thus the land passed over to Pharaoh.

(21) And he removed the population town by town,*town by town Meaning of Heb. ’otho le‘arim uncertain. from one end of Egypt’s border to the other.

(22) Only the land of the priests he did not take over, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the allotment which Pharaoh had made to them; therefore they did not sell their land.

(23) Then Joseph said to the people, “Whereas I have this day acquired you and your land for Pharaoh, here is seed for you to sow the land.

(24) And when harvest comes, you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be yours as seed for the fields and as food for you and those in your households, and as nourishment for your children.”

(25) And they said, “You have saved our lives! We are grateful to my lord, and we shall be serfs to Pharaoh.”

(26) And Joseph made it into a land law in Egypt, which is still valid, that a fifth should be Pharaoh’s; only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.

(27) Thus Israel settled in the country of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; they acquired holdings in it, and were fertile and increased greatly.

(28) Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt, so that the span of Jacob’s life came to one hundred and forty-seven years.

(29) And when the time approached for Israel to die, he summoned his son Joseph and said to him, “Do me this favor, place your hand under my thigh as a pledge of your steadfast loyalty: please do not bury me in Egypt.

(30) When I lie down with my ancestors,*ancestors Heb. ’avoth; trad. “fathers.” See the Dictionary under “predecessors.” take me up from Egypt and bury me in their burial-place.” He replied, “I will do as you have spoken.”

(31) And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed.

(1) Joseph flung himself upon his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him.

(2) Then Joseph ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel.

(3) It required forty days, for such is the full period of embalming. The Egyptians bewailed him seventy days;

(4) and when the wailing period was over, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s court, saying, “Do me this favor, and lay this appeal before Pharaoh:

(5) ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Be sure to bury me in the grave which I made ready for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now, therefore, let me go up and bury my father; then I shall return.’”

(6) And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you promise on oath.”

(7) So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the officials of Pharaoh, the senior members of his court, and all of Egypt’s dignitaries,

(8) together with all of Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household; only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the region of Goshen.

(9) Chariots, too, and horsemen went up with him; it was a very large troop.

(10) When they came to Goren*Goren Or “the threshing floor of.” ha-Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they held there a very great and solemn lamentation; and he observed a mourning period of seven days for his father.

(11) And when the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at Goren ha-Atad, they said, “This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” That is why it was named Abel-mizraim,*Abel-mizraim Interpreted as “the mourning of the Egyptians.” which is beyond the Jordan.

(26) Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.

(6) Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.

(7) But the Israelites were fertile and prolific; they multiplied and increased very greatly, so that the land was filled with them.

(8) A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

(9) And he said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us.

(10) Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.”*rise from the ground Meaning perhaps from their wretched condition, cf. Hos. 2.2; or “gain ascendancy over the country.” Others “get them up out of the land.”

(11) So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor; and they built garrison cities*garrison cities Others “store cities.” for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.

(12) But the more they were oppressed, the more they increased and spread out, so that the [Egyptians] came to dread the Israelites.

(13) The Egyptians ruthlessly imposed upon the Israelites

(14) the various labors that they made them perform. Ruthlessly*the various labors that they made them perform. Ruthlessly Brought up from the end of the verse for clarity. they made life bitter for them with harsh labor at mortar and bricks and with all sorts of tasks in the field.

(1) Now Jacob was settled in the land where his father had sojourned, the land of Canaan.

(2) This, then, is the line of Jacob: At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended the flocks with his brothers, as a helper to the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. And Joseph brought bad reports of them to their father.

(3) Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons—he was his “child of old age”;*he was his “child of old age” NJPS “he was the child of his old age.” The expression ben zequnim is used here as a category label; it seems to denote a special, favored status. Cf. 44.20. and he had made him an ornamented tunic.*ornamented tunic Or “a coat of many colors”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.

(4) And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of his brothers, they hated him so that they could not speak a friendly word to him.

(5) Once Joseph had a dream which he told to his brothers; and they hated him even more.

(6) He said to them, “Hear this dream which I have dreamed:

(7) There we were binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf stood up and remained upright; then your sheaves gathered around and bowed low to my sheaf.”

(8) His brothers answered, “Do you mean to reign over us? Do you mean to rule over us?” And they hated him even more for his talk about his dreams.

(9) He dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers, saying, “Look, I have had another dream: And this time, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

(10) And when he told it to his father and brothers, his father berated him. “What,” he said to him, “is this dream you have dreamed? Are we to come, I and your mother and your brothers, and bow low to you to the ground?”

(14) Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was rushed from the dungeon. He had his hair cut and changed his clothes, and he appeared before Pharaoh.

(15) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it. Now I have heard it said of you that for you to hear a dream is to tell its meaning.”

(16) Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “Not I! God will see to Pharaoh’s welfare.”

(17) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile,

(18) when out of the Nile came up seven sturdy and well-formed cows and grazed in the reed grass.

(19) Presently there followed them seven other cows, scrawny, ill-formed, and emaciated—never had I seen their likes for ugliness in all the land of Egypt!

(20) And the seven lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven cows, the sturdy ones;

(21) but when they had consumed them, one could not tell that they had consumed them, for they looked just as bad as before. And I awoke.

(22) In my other dream, I saw seven ears of grain, full and healthy, growing on a single stalk;

(23) but right behind them sprouted seven ears, shriveled, thin, and scorched by the east wind.

(24) And the thin ears swallowed the seven healthy ears. I have told my magician-priests, but none has an explanation for me.”

(25) And Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same: Pharaoh has been told what God is about to do.

(26) The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears are seven years; it is the same dream.

(27) The seven lean and ugly cows that followed are seven years, as are also the seven empty ears scorched by the east wind; they are seven years of famine.

(28) It is just as I have told Pharaoh: Pharaoh has been shown what God is about to do.

(29) Immediately ahead are seven years of great abundance in all the land of Egypt.

(30) After them will come seven years of famine, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. As the land is ravaged by famine,

(31) no trace of the abundance will be left in the land because of the famine thereafter, for it will be very severe.

(32) As for Pharaoh having had the same dream twice, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and that God will soon carry it out.

(33) “Accordingly, let Pharaoh find someone*someone Lit. “a participant whose involvement defines the (proposed) situation.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. who’s discerning and wise, whom you can set over the land of Egypt.

(34) And let Pharaoh take steps to appoint overseers over the land, and organize*organize Others “take a fifth part of”; meaning of Heb. uncertain. the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty.

(35) Let all the food of these good years that are coming be gathered, and let the grain be collected under Pharaoh’s authority as food to be stored in the cities.

(36) Let that food be a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish in the famine.”

(37) The plan pleased Pharaoh and all his courtiers.

(38) And Pharaoh said to his courtiers, “Could we find another like him—a man with the divine spirit?”

(39) So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is none so discerning and wise as you.

(40) You shall be in charge of my court, and by your command shall all my people be directed;*be directed Others “order themselves” or “pay homage”; meaning of Heb. yishshaq uncertain. only with respect to the throne shall I be superior to you.”

(41) Pharaoh further said to Joseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Egypt.”

(42) And removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.

(43) He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command, and they cried before him, “Abrek!”*Abrek Others “Bow the knee,” as though from Heb. barakh “to kneel”; perhaps from an Egyptian word of unknown meaning. Thus he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

(44) Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; yet without you, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

(45) Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah;*Zaphenath-paneah Egyptian for “God speaks; he lives,” or “creator of life.” and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt.—

(46) Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.—Leaving Pharaoh’s presence, Joseph traveled through all the land of Egypt.

(47) During the seven years of plenty, the land produced in abundance.

(48) And he gathered all the grain of the seven years that the land of Egypt was enjoying,*the seven years that the land of Egypt was enjoying Lit. “the seven years that were in the land of Egypt.” and stored the grain in the cities; he put in each city the grain of the fields around it.

(49) So Joseph collected produce in very large quantity, like the sands of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

(50) Before the years of famine came, Joseph became the father of two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On, bore to him.

(51) Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, meaning, “God has made me forget*has made me forget Heb. nashshani, connected with “Manasseh” (Menashsheh). completely my hardship and my parental home.”

(52) And the second he named Ephraim, meaning, “God has made me fertile*has made me fertile Heb. hiphrani, connected with “Ephraim.” in the land of my affliction.”

(53) The seven years of abundance that the land of Egypt enjoyed came to an end,

(54) and the seven years of famine set in, just as Joseph had foretold. There was famine in all lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread.

(55) And when all the land of Egypt felt the hunger, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he tells you, you shall do.”—

(56) Accordingly, when the famine became severe in the land of Egypt, Joseph laid open all that was within, and rationed out grain to the Egyptians. The famine, however, spread over the whole world.

(57) So all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to procure rations, for the famine had become severe throughout the world.

(8) So, it was not you who sent me here, but God—who has made me a father to Pharaoh,*father to Pharaoh (So trad.) Or “Pharaoh’s chancellor,” cf. Isa. 22.15, 20–21. Heb. ’av le-phar‘oh. lord of all his household, and ruler over the whole land of Egypt.

(9) “Now, hurry back to my father and say to him: Thus says your son Joseph, ‘God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me without delay.

(10) You will dwell in the region of Goshen, where you will be near me—you and your children and your grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all that is yours.

(11) There I will provide for you—for there are yet five years of famine to come—that you and your household and all that is yours may not suffer want.’

(12) You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin for himself, that it is indeed I who am speaking to you.

(13) And you must tell my father everything about my high station in Egypt and all that you have seen; and bring my father here with all speed...”

(25) They went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.

(26) And they told him, “Joseph is still alive; yes, he is ruler over the whole land of Egypt.” His heart went numb, for he did not believe them.

(27) But when they recounted all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

(28) “Enough!” said Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I must go and see him before I die.”

(31) Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell the news to Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.

(32) They happen to be shepherds; they have always been breeders of livestock, and they have brought with them their flocks and herds and all that is theirs.’

(33) So when Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’

(34) you shall answer, ‘Your servants have been breeders of livestock from the start until now, both we and our fathers’—so that you may stay in the region of Goshen. For all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians.”