Joseph first selects 5 of his brothers and introduces them to Pharoah. As Joseph assumed, Pharoah asked what their occupation was. The brothers responded that they were shepherds and servants of Pharoah. Pharoah after this meeting offers the best land of Egypt in Goshen for Joseph’s family to settle in. In addition, Pharoah instructed them to select men from among them to be in charge of Pharoah’s livestock as well.

Joseph then introduces Isreal to Pharoah. On entering Pharoah’s presence Isreal blesses Pharoah. Then Pharoah asks for Isreal’s age and learns that Isreal was 130 years old. The reasoning behind the question and its significance is not clear, however it could be that longevity of life reflected a life that was divinely blessed. When revealing his age to Pharoah, Isreal states, “My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers” (Genesis 47:9). Isreal recognizes that his life, and the life of his sons have not had the blessings of Abraham and Isaac. He may be alluding to those struggles such as the deceptions relating to Esau, the deceptions of himself by Laban, the death of Rachel, and the period of time he was mourning the death of Joseph not knowing he was still alive. At the end of the meeting, Isreal again blesses Pharoah and leaves. The words of blessing towards Pharoah both as he was entering and leaving Pharoah’s presence is not recorded in scripture. But it is clear that Jacob held Pharoah in high honor, blessed by God as well in the way he was treating Joseph and his family (Genesis 47:1-12)

We then hearing about the next years of the famine and how severe it was. Joseph first gathered all the money in Egypt to spend on food for the people of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan. When the money ran out, the people came to Joseph asking how they could now pay for food, and Joseph took their livestock in exchange for food. After that ran out, Joseph took their land and servanthood in exchange for food. After that year was done, Only the land of the priests was not purchased. The priests had a fixed allowance from Pharoah, and that fixed allowance was used to sustain them.

Joseph then gives the people seed. The people were allowed to keep four fifths of the produce from the seed for themselves, but one fifth of the seed had to be given to Pharoah. The people praised Joseph for saving them from the famine, and agreed to serve Pharoah in this way.

The family of Joseph excelled during this period, multiplying greatly according to scripture. As for Isreal, he lived in Goshen for 17 years, living to the age of 147. At the time near his death, Isreal called for Joseph and made him promise to take him back to Canaan so he could be buried with his ancestors. At the end, as Joseph dreamed (Genesis 37:9-11) Isreal bowed to Joseph, fulfilling Joseph’s dreams (Genesis 47:13-31).

Joseph upon learning his father was ill brought his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to visit with his father. Isreal tells Joseph of the promises of God to give the land of Canaan to his sons, and he now counted Ephraim and Manasseh as his sons as well. Joseph then brought his sons in to meet Isreal and on his father’s request to bring them to him, Joseph brought him to Isreal so he could kiss and embrace them. After that initial greeting Joseph took Ephraim to Isreal’s left hand and Manasseh to Isreal’s right hand. But Israel took his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, and his left hand was moved to the head of Manasseh, and thus Isreal blessed them. Joseph tries to correct Israel stating that Manasseh is the firstborn, but Israel reaffirms his blessing saying, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” (Genesis 47:19) We will see the culmination of this blessing when Joshua leads his people into the promised land (Genesis 48).

Israel then gathers his sons together for a final blessing. In Reuben’s blessing, Israel states that he should have been prominent, but it was forfeit due to defiling his father’s bed (Genesis 49:3-4). This is a clear reference that Isreal knew of his son’s sin with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22). Likewise, Simeon and Levi received a very blessing reflecting that they had killed men in their anger, and indicating their offspring would be divided (Genesis 49:6-7). This clearly reflects the actions that occurred at Shechem (Genesis 24:25-29).

Judah next receives an incredible blessing indicating that he would be held in high esteem by his brothers (Genesis 49: 9-12). Joseph of course receives the longest and most glorious blessing from Isreal. it makes note of the trials that Joseph went through, but Joseph remained strengthened by God (Genesis 49: 22-26).

Through the blessings of Isreal, we are introduced to the twelve tribes of Israel. After the blessings, Israel instructs his sons to bury him with his father and passed away (Genesis 49).

Joseph then has his father embalmed, which was a forty-day process. The Egyptians mourned Israel for seventy days. After this period of mourning Joseph asks Pharoah to allow him to go and bury his father as Israel wished. Pharoah not only grants this wish, but send along all his servants, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. This recognizes that through Joseph Israel was held in high esteem by Pharoah. Upon arrival they had a great mourning for seven days for Israel before he was laid to rest as Israel had instructed. Then, Joseph and his great company returned to Egypt (Genesis 50: 1-14)

After Isreal’s passing the brothers were again concerned that Joseph in his prominent position in Egypt would seek revenge for the wrongs that they had done to him. They sent a message to Joseph saying that Israel instructed that Joseph should forgive his brothers of their transgressions towards him. Hearing this made Joseph weep. His brothers fell down before him proclaiming themselves as Joseph’s servants. Joseph’s response was to tell them not to be afraid because he is not in the place of God. While the act they had planned was evil, God had exchanged it for good and through their evil act God saved many people’s lives (Genesis 50:20). Again, I see this as a foreshadowing of Christ. Through the selling of Joseph as a slave, God saved the people in the Mesopotamian region. Through the price of 50 pieces of silver, Judas sold Christ to death on the cross. But Joseph through the provisions of God was able to achieve success and rise in prominence to save the region. Christ, however, as the Only True Son of God defeated death and rose from the grave providing a way for all mankind to have eternal life! Glory be to God!

Joseph lived to the age of 110, counting the children of both Ephraim and Manasseh as his own. Before his death, Joseph promised that God would come and bring his brothers families back to Canaan. Afterwards he instructed them to bring his bones back to Canaan when they go (Genesis 50:22-26).