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Joseph as vizier

Joseph (1745 BC-1635 BC), known to the Ancient Egyptians as Zaphnath-Paaneah, was the son of Jacob and the Vizier of Egypt from 1715 BC to 1635 BC. Sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers, he rose in the ranks of Ancient Egyptian society due to his ability to interpret dreams and the shared Semitic cultural ties between the Israelite Joseph and the Canaanite Hyksos rulers of Egypt. Joseph invited the Israelites to resettle in Egypt during times of famine, and Joseph's sons Manasseh and Ephraim were the founders of two of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Biography[]

Joseph was the first son of Jacob and Rachel, and he was preferred by his father over his eleven male siblings. When he was seventeen, Joseph had visions that he was betrayed by his brothers, and most of his brothers (except for Reuben and Benjamin) attempted to murder him out of jealousy. The instead decided to sell him into slavery to Potiphar, captain of the Pharaoh's guard, and he became Potiphar's personal servant and then his household superintendent. After he refused Potiphar's wife Zuleika's advances, Zuleika made a false accusation of rape and ensured his imprisonment. The warden put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners, and he soon supervised the Pharaoh's cup-bearer and chief baker after they were also thrown into prison. After advising the Pharaoh to store surplus grain, he became his Vizier, and he married Asenath, fathering Manasseh and Ephraim. When his brothers later visited Egypt to buy grain, they met Joseph, who recognized them, despite them not recognizing him. He accused them of being spies and put them in prison for three days, and he demanded that they bring their youngest brother (Benjamin) to Egypt as proof of their honesty; he took Simeon as a hostage as they went on their journey home. When they returned, Joseph hid money in their sacks to frame them for theft, and he decided to take Benjamin as his slave. Judah offered himself in his stead, and Joseph - overcome with emotion - wept and revealed that he was their brother. He then asked for his brothers to bring the family to the province of Goshen in Egypt so that they could survive the famine, and Jacob blessed the Pharaoh before the family settled in Goshen. Jacob died after blessing Joseph, who forgave his brothers. He died at the age of 110, living to see his great-grandchildren. 

Gallery[]

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