CYOA: Genesis 37-50 - Sold into Slavery

As I read the story of Joseph through a couple times, especially after reading Silas' post, what stood out to me the most was how pervasive the theme of slavery was. It begins with Joseph being sold into slavery, another in a list of fine examples of failure to be one's brother's keeper (Gen. 4:9), and it finishes with Joseph enslaving the entire Egyptian population, which of course includes his own family, but besides these two there are numerous other slave and servant remarks. Ultimately, This is the story of how Israel sold itself into the slavery of Egypt thus setting the stage for the Exodus, which begins not with enslavement but oppression, made possible by their previous enslavement. 

Genesis 48:

 ²⁰ So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, ²¹ and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other. ²² However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

 ²³ Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. ²⁴ But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

 ²⁵ “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

 ²⁶ So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.

Once Joseph was sold into slavery he never ceased to be a slave he simply changed owners. I don't think there is any reason to understand Joseph's relation to Pharaoh any differently than his previous relationship to Potiphar. In fact the narrator goes out his way to highlight the similarities between Joseph's situation with Potiphar, the jailor, and then Pharaoh. 


This was a revelation to me. I have grown up thinking that the Egyptians' enslaved Israel but as I read the text again I am convinced that Israel sells itself into slavery. At the time of course with Joseph in power this was fine, if not rather enjoyable but it then led to their oppression. 


The other thing that struck me was that the story of Judah and Tamar (Gen. 38) sits in the middle of the story of Joseph. Judah is two for two in back to back chapters, first he suggests selling Joseph in to slavery and then he is sleeping with his daughter in law and trying to have her killed. Perhaps, this is to deter the tribe of Judah of ever thinking too highly of itself; perhaps, it is to ensure that Judah remember that the blessing of God is all gift. In Genesis 50 Judah definitely receives the best blessing from Jacob and maybe having Judah's sin and failure highlighted at the beginning of the story serves to underline the end of the story as grace.


I think the story deliberately tries to show how God is able to work sovereignly in the midst of our free and bad choices. Even our intentional evil can be used by God for good. However, I think it is also worth noting that redemption does not eliminate pain or consequences. Joseph was still enslaved and in prison, all of Israel winds up in slavery, the relationships between Joseph and his brothers seems never to be fully restored. Joseph who was sold into slavery becomes one who enslaves. So while the good of survival and being fruitful and multiplying occurs, there are some fairly significant consequences and one is curious if perhaps better choices could have led to a happier journey...