Moses
Moses was a Hebrew by birth, but his name is Egyptian.
He was a biblical leader of great importance in the history of the people of Israel.
Born in Egypt during a period of Hebrew oppression, he was adopted by the Pharaoh's daughter and grew up at the royal court. However, upon
discovering his Hebrew roots, Moses identified with his people and became a defender of the oppressed.
Guided by a divine calling, Moses led the Israelites on an epic journey of
liberation from Egypt.
They miraculously crossed the Red Sea and spent years wandering in the desert, where Moses received God's laws and commandments on Mount Sinai.
As a prophet and leader, Moses faced challenges and internal conflicts within the people of Israel, but he was also God's instrument in performing many miracles and guiding his people.
Although he did not enter the Promised Land, his influence and legacy were fundamental to the formation and identity of the people of Israel.
Moses left a lasting impact on religious and cultural history, being considered one of the great leaders and prophets of the Bible.
“I have seen the misery of my people, I
have heard their cries, I know their
sufferings, so I have come down to
deliver them.” (Ex 3,7 8)
Moses is the one chosen by God to lead the people
on the path to freedom.
The Exodus
According to the book of Exodus, the Israelites multiplied and became a great nation while in Egypt, but they were also enslaved and oppressed by the Egyptians.
In this context, God called Moses to lead the people to freedom and the Promised Land.
Moses, through signs and wonders performed by God, confronted the
Egyptian Pharaoh, demanding that he free the Israelites.
After a series of plagues sent upon Egypt, Pharaoh finally allowed the people of Israel to leave. Thus, the Israelites left Egypt on a memorable night known as the Passover.
Led by Moses, they crossed the Red Sea, miraculously divided by God, while the Egyptian army that pursued them was swallowed by the waters.
Summary on Joseph
Genesis Ch 37 to Ch 50
Joseph was born in the Mesopotamian town of Haran, to his parents Jacob and Rachel. At the age of six, he left Haran along with his family and journeyed to the land of Canaan, eventually settling in Hebron.
Jacob displayed extra affection to Joseph, who was born to his father’s old age, presenting him with a specially-crafted garment. This prompted feelings of jealousy within his brothers, especially the sons of Jacob’s other wife, Leah. These ill feelings intensified when Joseph repeated two of his dreams to them, in which he was portrayed as ruling over his brethren. In the first dream, his brothers were gathering wheat in the field, and the brothers’ bundles bowed to Joseph’s bundle. In the second dream, Joseph envisioned the sun, the moon, and eleven stars (symbolizing his parents and brothers) bowing to him.
One day, Jacob instructed Joseph to visit his brothers in Shechem, where they were tending their sheep. Little did he know that this would be the last time he would see his dear son, until their reunion a long twenty-two years later.
Seizing their chance, the brothers threw the unsuspecting Joseph into a pit. A short while later they spotted an Arab caravan passing the scene, and the brothers sold Joseph to the traders. He was eventually brought to Egypt, where he was sold to Potiphar, one of King Pharaoh’s ministers.
For a while, things started to look up for young Joseph. Divine success enabled him to find favor in his master’s eyes, and he was appointed head of Potiphar’s estate. However, this would not last for long.
Attracted by his handsome looks, Potiphar’s wife desired to be intimate with him. To her dismay, Joseph continuously refused. One day, when no one was home other than the two of them, the mistress grasped Joseph’s garment, demanding that he consent. Thinking quickly, Joseph slid out of his cloak and ran outside. This self-control earned him the title, “Joseph the righteous.”
But Potiphar’s wife turned the tables on Joseph, telling her husband that it was Joseph who had tried to entice her. The angry master reacted by placing his trustworthy assistant in prison.
Joseph’s charisma followed him to prison as well, and the warden soon appointed him as his right-hand man. In time, his unique qualities expressed themselves in an additional area: when the king’s royal cupbearer and baker were imprisoned, Joseph successfully interpreted their dreams, correctly predicting that the cupbearer would be released and the baker, hanged.
Two years later, King Pharaoh himself envisioned two dreams, which none of his advisors were able to explain. Remembering the Hebrew youth from his prison days, the cupbearer suggested that Joseph be summoned. Joseph, then thirty, interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams as being a Divine prediction for seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, and advised Pharaoh to prepare by storing grain during the first seven years. Impressed by Joseph’s wisdom, Pharaoh appointed him as his second in command, and tasked him with readying the nation for the years of famine.
Meanwhile, the effects of the famine were felt in nearby Canaan. Hearing that there was grain in Egypt, Joseph’s brothers journeyed there to buy precious food from the viceroy (one who rules the country as a representative of the king), not realizing that he was their very own brother.
Joseph decided to utilize this opportunity to observe whether his brothers truly regretted having sold him. Using a succession of dramatic maneuvers, Joseph tested his brothers’ determination to save their youngest brother Benjamin—Joseph’s only maternal brother—from the plot he set up for him. Once he saw their devotion toward Benjamin, Joseph finally revealed his identity to his astonished siblings.
Following this heartfelt reunion, Jacob and his family settled in the Goshen section of Egypt. This series of events served as the backdrop for Israel’s ultimate enslavement in Egypt and the subsequent Exodus.
Joseph’s Family
After appointing Joseph as viceroy, Pharaoh gave him as a wife Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Commentaries identify Potiphera as none other than Potiphar, Joseph’s previous master.
Joseph and Asenath had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, both born during the seven years of plenty. Before Jacob’s death, he gave Joseph a gift: his children would be the only ones from among Jacob’s grandsons to be treated as independent tribes. Indeed, throughout the Jews’ journey in the desert, the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim received equal status to the other tribes, and they inherited individual portions of the Land of Israel.
Joseph ruled Egypt for a total of eighty years, until his death at the age of 110. Before his passing, he made his brothers promise to take his coffin along with them when they would eventually leave Egypt for the Promised Land. After his death, he was embalmed and laid to rest in Egypt. Indeed, when the Jews left Egypt many years later, Moses made sure to locate Joseph’s tomb and carry his remains to the Land of Israel.
Joseph was subsequently buried in Shechem (known today as Nablus), and his resting place is visited until today.
A Lesson in Forgiveness
Joseph’s story highlights the proper attitude toward difficulty and misfortune. Upon discovering Joseph’s identity, his brothers were sure he would utilize his imperial powers to exact revenge against them for their evil conduct. However, the sentiments expressed by Joseph were quite the opposite: “But now do not be sad, and let it not trouble you that you sold me here, for it was to preserve life that God sent me before you... You did not send me here, but God.” What you meant for evil, God turned it around for good.
Joseph recognized that all the travails he had undergone were ordained by God to ensure the survival of Egypt and the surrounding countries. Keeping this in mind enabled him to forgive his brothers and repay animosity (hatred) with benevolence (kindness).