Early Life of Joseph in Bible
Joseph was born in 1680 BC to Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebecca, and the younger of 12 sons of the Shechemites. He was blessed with his father’s favor and became “the one and only son of whom his father loved more than all the others.” Jacob gave him a vividly colored coat, standing out far from the rest of his brothers.
From an early age, Joseph was an inquisitive and ambitious young man. He was the first to know about his parents’ prophetic dream destining him for greatness. He shared it with his brothers and it served as a point of pride and envy.
As such, his brothers—filled with hate and jealousy—devised a plan to get rid of him they sold Joseph as a slave to a caravan of Midianite traders, he was later sold to Potiphar, an Egyptian captain of the guard.
Joseph was taken to Egypt and rose fast in the Pharaoh’s court, initiating his epic and legendary journey.
Rise To Fame In Pharaoh’s Court
In Pharaoh’s court, Joseph’s wisdom, keen sense of perception and decisiveness enabled him to quickly rise from disgrace to a prominent positon.
The Pharaoh himself was impressed with Joseph’s intelligence and appointed him to be overseer of the whole land of Egypt. His ability to make sound decisions in times of famine led to a fruitful delta flourishing with harvests.
Joseph protected the agricultural and therefore economic interests of Egypt. He used his understanding to save the peoples of Egypt, Canaan and Syria from ruining. His sharp insights granted him the title of ‘the Prime Minister of Egypt’ by Pharaoh himself.
Since Joseph was familiar with the agricultural cycles of Egypt, he predicted a seven-year period of barren land and lack of crops. As such, he laid a plan of saving and rationing nutrition during the time. He organized committees for gathering different agricultural products.
In times of famine during these seven years, Joseph opened Egypt’s silos of grain for hungry people for free. Afterwards, the Pharaoh officially appointed Joseph as the governor of the whole land.
Reunion With the Brothers
Reunited with his brothers, Joseph was lastingly happy to be back with them. Whether he had decided to be gracious to them out of religious duty, or because of his uncorrupted sense of justice, remains unclear.
After his identity was revealed and welcomed, he reconciled with his brothers to the point of offering them citizenship in Egypt as well. He even saved them from a possible death by starvation, freeing them from the hands of their creditors.
Joseph showed them mercy—despite their wrongful accusations—and gained their admiration, making amends in the process.
When their father Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers feared that he would pay them back for their evil deeds making them slaves in Egypt. Much to their astonishment, however, Joseph neither mistreated nor punished them.
Joseph was kind enough to allow them to return back to the land of Canaan and bury their father, living in healthy condition in Egypt. Furthermore, he provided them with free resources and sent them to Hebron.
Joseph As The Rightous man
Joseph, who had been through so many tumultuous events of favor and disgrace, was able to remain noble, humble and impartial during his life, regardless of his status. He remained a kind parent, and a devoted brother and faithful husband.
When his beloved wife Mary was pregnant, Joseph dedicated his faith and trust in the LORD despite being outnumbered by the religious majority.
Unlike other people in the biblical era, Joseph was the epitome of loyalty, mercy, patience and gratitude, a man whose thoughts rose above the stereotypes that his culture and family members taught him.
Joseph’s life is truly an example of how we should face obstacles and operate with fairness and even-handedness in most circumstances and environments. Joseph is an heir of a deep faith in God and an emblem of humanity.
Historical Impact of Joseph
Joseph’s wise decisions and moral strength have encouraged many to stand firm in front of life’s difficulties and always be guided by their faith in God.
He is more than the biblical figure that alleviated his people from hunger by predicting a seven-year famine. Instead, Joseph was an exemplary human that followed his faith through thick and thin.
As such, Joseph’s story in the Bible stands to this day as one of the greatest exemplars of devotion and rightousness, proving that evil and selfishness can be defeated by living a modest, pious and humble life.
Joseph’s Legacy
Joseph’s legacy is often exalted by religious leaders and mourners alik. As a figure of hope, Joseph’s was a light pierced through the darkness of Pharaoh’s court, his people’s faith in God and himself the fuel of the way forward.
Joseph’s features some of the greatest moral lessons that any human can learn from, standing courageously against injustice, remaining humble, preserving family honor and letting go of hatred.
Today, Joseph is remembered for his evident devotion to the Lord’s Promise, his unwavering loyalty to his family, for his mercifulness and for his integrity—characteristics that have driven and enchanted many people for thousands of years.
