First of all, I feel the need to apologize as I had ever intention of posting yesterday's chapter early Saturday morning. Friday I came in from work exhausted, but Saturday when I awoke hubby called me and asked me to meet him in town. Then I got a couple more calls from friends and family and ended up not even going online until late. It is now 2:36 am on Sunday, but I have good news, baby boy, Chris officially proposed and put an engagement ring on his fiance Mari's finger. We are so happy for both of them.
At the last reading the interpretation was not quite the same as The New American Bible but this translation advises that Joseph's family were shepherds while the Egyptians tended flocks. Joseph had advised his family if questioned by Pharaoh to state that their occupation was keepers of livestock and to offer their servitude to Pharaoh.
Joseph met with Pharaoh and advised him that his family was in the land of Goshen with all that they owned including their flocks and herds but when questioned by Pharaoh they did tell him that they were shepherds. They were offered any land that they wished to settle in and Pharaoh asked Joseph if he would recommend one of his brothers to tend his flock for him. His family was given their pick of the land in Rameses.
Joseph was in charge of the granaries and all the food and provisions and was to sell it as he saw fit. As people ran out of money they would trade cattle, then land and finally themselves so as not to starve. But once the famine was over, Joseph gave them seed with the understanding that 1/5 of their crop was to revert to Pharaoh. The rest they could keep. None of this effected the priests as they were given an allowance.
Jacob made Joseph promise that he would take him back to his homeland when he passed away and bury him there.
Chapter 48
Jacob meets his grandsons and blesses them. He told Joseph that he accepted Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim as his own, and all other children that Joseph had afterwards would be his (Joseph's) own. As he blessed the two boys he advised that the younger one would surpass the older, which was a parallel to his and his own twin's blessings. Joseph tried to correct his father, but his father admonished him. Jacob told him that they will be the father's of 12 tribes.
Thank you so much for visiting me today. May God richly bless you and the reading of His word.
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