Nearing death, Israel blesses Joseph's sons, and makes them heirs to the covenant that God made with Abraham and Isaac. We see again the reference to fruitfulness--"that they may become teeming multitudes upon the earth." However, Israel purposefully lays his right hand on the younger son, Ephraim, rather than the elder, Manasseh, explaining that "his younger brother shall surpass him, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations." Israel calls his sons together to forecast what is to come in the days ahead. Of note, he says of Judah that "the sons of your father shall bow down to you," and he says that Joseph shall be "the prince among his brothers." Joseph leads a great ceremony for Israel's funeral, after which Joseph's brothers became fearful that now Joseph will seek his revenge for the way they treated him in his youth. But Joseph has no such intention, but rather sees the hand of God in what has gone before: "Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people. Therefore, have no fear." This so reminds me of Jesus and of the merciful God I believe in. If only I could be so forgiving and have such equanimity in my own life. Here ends the story of Joseph and of Genesis. Joseph and his descendants, the Hebrews, are indeed fruitful as the years pass, but they generate resentment and fear among the Egyptians, and especially the Pharaoh. He subjects them to cruel slavery and they endure much suffering. He orders that every Hebrew male child be killed by the Egyptian midwives who assist in their births. But out of fear for God the midwives tried not to obey the Pharaoh's command.
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