Caravan

Genesis 46-47:12

So God appears to Israel and tells him to have courage- go to Egypt, I'll be with you. I'll make you a great nation there (he's well on his way already), "and Joseph's own hands will close your eyes."

It's interesting that Israel's name fluctuates back and forth between Jacob and Israel. Other folks have their names changed too, but it seems like the names ordinarily stay changed. You don't see Paul going back to Saul. Maybe it's trivial, but I wonder why this name didn't stick.

So they set out with everything they have- and it lists the clan. It says this list is "the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt. But it's a little puzzling. Reuben , Benjamin and Joseph are the only sons listed. And at least Joseph (maybe Bennie too) are already in Egypt. Did the others stay behind too? But even then the list is inconsistent. Did some of the brothers not go to Egypt?

Their children sure did and it lists them all. And explain this one:

26. All those who went to Egypt with Jacob- those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives- numbered sixty-six persons. With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.

I'm not a math major- but that don't quite add up. Maybe it's 68 plus Jacob and Joseph. But that's a guess and it seems kind of odd.

So, they get there and Israel and Jospeh have a touching reunion- Israel says that now that he's seen Joseph, he is ready to die. A cheery thought for a reunion.

Joseph says he'll speak to Pharaoh for his brothers- he'll tell him that they are shepherds; they tend livestock. He says when Pharaoh asks you your job, tell them you've tended livestock from your childhood- just like our fathers. If you do this, you can settle in Goshen, since Egyptians are repulsed by shepherds.

This seems odd too. We'll get you some good land since these people hate shepherds. Huh? Maybe Goshen was far enough away from Egyptian civilization that they could tolerate them from a distance. Pharoah follows through and tells Joseph to get them great land in Goshen.

Ultimately, the lesson that strikes me most in this chapter is one of tolerance. Jacob and Pharoah finally meet. Here's this man sent by God, blessed by God face to face with this ruler not of God's people- and his reaction is not repulsion, not a desperate attempt at conversion, not condescension, not threats of war- but instead the issuing of blessings.

Jacob saw the humanity in Pharoah and recognized the blessing he had been to his son- and wished him blessings. We could use more of that today.