Some thoughts on Joseph's story

Genesis 41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.” (ESV)

That's how we forget God. Another thought -- it must have taken some real courage to remind Pharaoh of whatever the cupbearer had done.

Genesis 47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh's. 21 As for the people, he made servants of them* from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. (ESV)
*ESV note: he removed them to the cities

I had not noticed this before, but Joseph, clearly a good man in God's sight, here contributed, probably even had the idea, of putting the Egyptians in future economic servitude. He also honored heathen priests. (He had married the daughter of one such -- see Genesis 41:45. Perhaps this influenced this action.) Well, if I understood everything about the Bible, I wouldn't be me.

Taken from the ESV on-line Bible reading for two separate days in January.

Thanks for reading.