Gen. 40 – Joseph is gifted in having and interpreting dreams – we already have learned this about him. Now in jail because of the accusations made against him by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph has even there risen to a position of prominence. Joseph has been put "in charge" of the prisoners. When two men in the jail come to him with dreams they have had, he interprets the dreams, and his interpretations turn out to be accurate: one of the men - the chief cup-bearer of the Pharaoh – is released and restored to his position. The other man – chief baker – is put to death. Nothing changes for Joseph immediately. The cup-bearer does not remember Joseph until a few years later.

Gen. 41 – Two years after this, the Pharaoh himself has two disturbing dreams that he cannot understand. His cupbearer remembers Joseph and has him called to interpret the dreams.  The dreams are “the same” Joseph declares: the first is about seven fat cows (Schocken says cows were the hieroglyphic for years in Ptolemaic Egypt) coming up out of the Nile, followed by seven lean ones that devour the first; the second dream is of seven fat ears of corn, followed by seven “thin and blasted” ones that devour the first.  Joseph says it is a prediction of seven plentiful years of harvest followed by seven years of dire famine.  The pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of managing the food supply (and much else) in his administration.

Joseph marries a woman named Asenath, the daughter of a priest named Poti Fera (much like his master’s name -I wonder why?  The name means “he whom Ra gave”) and they have two sons: Manassas and Ephraim (41:51-52).

Gen. 42 – The famine foretold by the Pharaoh’s dreams and Joseph’s interpretation comes and spreads throughout the region – even beyond Egypt. Jacob sends ten of his sons (not Benjamin) to Egypt to get food.  When they arrive, they bow before Joseph, as we knew they would.  He recognizes them, but they do not recognize him.  He pretends not to recognize them, but he accuses them of being spies and insists if they want to prove they are of good will, they will send home and get the other brother to come.  Their fears stir up in them a spirit of repentance.  They admit among themselves the wrong they did to their brother and see their present distress as a punishment.  Joseph (in the presence of a translator) pretends not to understand them, but he is moved to tears by what he hears.  Simeon stays to secure their return, and they go back to Canaan (their silver having been returned to their bags in secret).

Jacob’s pain at the dilemma he now faces is clear to his sons.  Reuben  (again a leader in the Elohist source) makes a rash statement to his father offering to let him kill his own two sons if they do not return with Benjamin, but Jacob does not let them go.

Gen. 43 - Finally Judah (Yahwist source) takes mature responsibility for seeing to it that Benjamin returns safely, and they go back.  They take twice the silver they took before—assuming they will be accused of having cheated the Egyptians the first time. When they get to Egypt, they are kept in complete distress.  Joseph invites them to eat with him but they are so worried, they cannot stand it.  The steward reassures them.  They bow down again to Joseph and he asks after their father.  He is much affected when he sees his full brother and leaves again to cry.  After regaining control, he returns.  They eat—it is interesting that Egyptians had to eat separately  (32) - in light of the later Mosaic mandate for the Jews to be a separate people to achieve the state of holiness God requires).  Benjamin’s portion is five times (of course) greater than anyone else’s.

Gen. 44 - When the brothers are ready to leave, Joseph orders food to be stuffed into each man’s bag along with the silver they brought; but in Benjamin’s bag he also plants his own silver goblet.  He is going to take one last revenge on them.  After they leave he orders men after them to accuse them of repaying his kindness with theft.  And when it is discovered in Benjamin’s bag, they are overcome with distress.  We are reminded of Benjamin’s mother, Rachel’s theft of the household idols from her father Laban’s house in 31:32. When they return to Joseph, again they prostrate themselves before him (this is the third time, I think, and each time they do it with greater repentance and seriousness).  Judah says, importantly, to him “What can we say to my lord?  How can we plead or how try to prove our innocence?  God has uncovered your servants’ guilt.” (44:16).  It is Judah who finally addresses the bottom line—that he cannot go back without Benjamin, having given his solemn word and knowing the anguish he father would suffer. In Judah’s response to Joseph, the word “father” is repeated 12 times.

Gen. 45 - Unable to go on any more with this, Joseph dismisses everyone and reveals himself to his brothers.  After having put them through the wringer, Joseph now tells them they are not to reproach themselves any more—that “It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you. . . .to ensure for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives in an extraordinary deliverance.  So it was not really you but God who had me come here. . .” (45:5-8).

So he sends the brothers back to Jacob with an invitation to come into Egypt, to the land of Goshen (eastern part of the Nile Delta) where they will be able to survive the five remaining years of famine. The Pharaoh helps them and welcomes them to his “best land.”  Pharaoh’s initiative here is part of the Elohist source. Jacob has trouble believing them when they tell him Joseph is still alive and looks forward to being able to see him before he dies.