JOSEPH; (Hebrew: יוֹסֵף) - his is amongst MY FAVORITE in the Scriptures!!  His story demonstrates God's divine plan is UNSTOPPABLE!  It also demonstrates the OVERWHELMING ability of forgiveness; and thru time & patience..  God's will for your life WILL be manifest in His good time!  Everytime I read Joseph's story; I come away in tears!!  

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~And without further ado, Joseph's AMAZING story!!~

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The house of Jacob dwelt in Hebron, in the land of Canaan.  Of all the children in his household, he loved Rachel's firstborn son, Joseph, the most. Thus Joseph's half brothers were jealous of him and they ridiculed him often. Joseph even told his father about all of his half brothers’ misdeeds. When Joseph was 17 years old, Jacob made a long coat of many colors for him. Seeing this, the half brothers began to hate Joseph. Then Joseph began to have dreams that implied that his family would bow down to him. When he told his brothers about such dreams, it drove them to conspire against him. When Jacob heard of these dreams, he rebuked his son for proposing the idea that the house of Jacob would even bow down to Joseph. Yet, he contemplated his son's words about these dreams. Joseph's older brothers had turned on him, apprehended him and ultimately sold him into slavery on a caravan headed for Egypt.   Later that day, the report that Jacob ended up receiving came from Joseph's brothers who brought before him a coat laden with blood. Jacob identified the coat as the one he made for Joseph. At that moment he cried “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.” He rent his clothes and put sackcloth around his waist mourning for days. No one from the house of Jacob could comfort him during this time of bereavement... It has ALWAYS ASTOUNDED me that Joseph's brothers just sat there KNOWING what they'd done; HEARING their father, Israel, weeping near EACH & EVERY NIGHT- and did NOTHING!!  That, IMO, is BEYOND ice COLD!!

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Twenty years later,  GOD had blessed Joseph, Joseph had found GREAT FAVOR with the king of Egypt, Pharoah.. THUS Pharoah put him in charge of Egypt's food supply..

 

Throughout the Middle East a severe famine occurred like none other that lasted seven years.. (as IF BY coincidink)..  when Israel (Jacob) was about 130 years old - he told his 10 sons of Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah, to go to Egypt and buy grain. Israel's youngest son Benjamin, born from Rachel, stayed behind by his father's order to keep him safe.  

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Nine of the sons returned to their father Israel from Egypt, stockpiled with grain on their donkeys. They relayed to their father all that had happened in Egypt. They spoke of being accused of being spies and that their brother, Simeon, had been taken prisoner. When Reuben, the eldest, mentioned that they needed to bring Benjamin to Egypt to prove their word as honest men, their father became furious with them. He couldn't understand how they were put in a position to tell the Egyptians all about their family. When the sons of Israel opened their sacks, they saw their money that they used to pay for the grain. It was still in their possession, and so they all became afraid.  Israel then became angry with the loss of Joseph, Simeon, and now possibly Benjamin... (Genesis 42:26-48)

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It turned out that Joseph, who identified his brothers in Egypt, 😉, was able to secretly return the money that they used to pay for the corn..  His keeping of one of his brothers, (who had SOLD him into slavery in the 1st place)... So they'd have to return..  When the house of Israel consumed all the corn that they brought from Egypt, Israel told his sons to go back and buy more. This time, Judah spoke to his father in order to persuade him about having Benjamin accompany them, so as to prevent Egyptian retribution. In hopes of retrieving Simeon and ensuring Benjamin's return, Israel told them to bring the best fruits of their land, including: a lil balm, a lil honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Israel also mentioned that the money that was returned to their money sacks was peradventure an oversight on their part. So, he told them to bring that money back and use double that amount to pay for the new corn. Lastly, he let Benjamin go with them and said “may God Almighty give you mercy… If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!” (Genesis 43:1–14)  ..On this 2nd return.. Joseph revealed himself to his brothers..

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When the sons of Israel (Jacob) returned to Hebron from their second trip, they came back with 20 additional donkeys carrying all kinds of goods and supplies as well as Egyptian transport wagons. When their father came out to meet them, his sons told him that Joseph was still alive, that he was the governor over all of Egypt and that he wanted the house of Israel to move to Egypt. Israel's heart “stood still” and just couldn't believe what he was hearing. Looking upon the wagons he declared “Joseph my son is still alive.

I will go and see him before I die.” (Genesis 45:16–28)

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Israel and his entire house of 70 gathered up with all their livestock and began their journey to Egypt. En route, Israel stopped at Beersheba for the night to make a sacrificial offering to his God, Yahweh. Apparently he had some reservations about leaving the land of his forefathers, but God reassured him not to fear that he would rise again. God also assured that he would be with him, he would prosper, and he would also see his son Joseph who would lay him to rest. Continuing their journey to Egypt, when they approached in proximity, Israel sent his son Judah ahead to find out where the caravans were to stop. They were directed to disembark at Goshen. It was here, after 22 years, that Jacob saw his son Joseph once again. They embraced each other and wept together for quite a while. Israel then said, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face,

because you are still alive.” (Genesis 46:1–30)

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Joseph lived to the age of 110, living to see his great-grandchildren. Before he died, he made the children of Israel swear that when they left the land of Egypt they would take his bones with them, and on his death his body was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. (Genesis 50:22-26)  And he was remembered when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt..

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The bones of Joseph, which the Children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, were buried in Shechem on a parcel of land Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of silver. Joshua 24:32

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Here is the crypt purportedly holding the bones of Joseph..  

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RIP Joseph!!  In agreement with your dad - you were my favorite bro  (2nd to Judah).. as well!! ;)

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#Joseph