Family Values in the Word

December 12, 2009, 11:58 am by dc-agape.

Genesis 44

Joseph continues with the charade of not being related to the brothers.  He sends his brothers back to Israel but with a horrific twist.  He has planted evidence that Ben-Oni has stolen from Joseph’s house.  Is it not bad enough to imprison one of his brothers, accuse all his brothers of being spies, demanding that Israel give up Ben-Oni, and trick his own father with the return of the grain price?  Now he is attempting to destroy his father by keeping Ben-Oni as a prisoner.  Talk about dishonoring your father and mother!

His steward caught up with the brothers very close to town, Joseph did not allow them much of a head start and he did know exactly where they were headed.  Immediately, the steward confronts the brothers with the “theft” of Joseph’s divination cup.  Joseph has a Divination Cup?  Why does he need one of these, isn’t YHWH who interprets dreams?

^{Gen 41:16} “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to the Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

So here is another example of Joseph lying to his brothers.  I guess once you start lying it is difficult to stop! 

The brothers vehemently deny any theft, and promise to kill the one responsible and the other 10 would become slaves to Joseph.   Way to go Judah and Rueben, that’s protecting your youngest brother!  Either kill him for the theft or give him into bondage.  Well, of course, the steward finds the divination cup in Ben-Oni’s possession, since Joseph had it placed there. 

Upon returning to Joseph, Joseph demands that Ben-Oni becomes his slave!  This is pushing the limit of cruelty.  Ben-Oni is innocent, and Jacob had to know that Ben-Oni was special to his father.  The brothers plead for the life of Ben-Oni to be returned to Israel.  Judah takes the lead and tells Joseph everything about the events that occurred at Kiriath Arba.  He tells Joseph of the pain that Israel feels because of the demands that Joseph has made in regards to Ben-Oni. 

Judah pleads with Joseph to take him instead of Ben-Oni.  Somewhat out of his responsibility to Israel, but more for a personal reason:

^{Gen 44:34} How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father.”

Judah’s biggest concern is that he would have to see the pain in his father’s eyes.  His biggest reason for wanting to take the place of Ben-Oni is to save himself from facing up to his responsibility and oath that he made to Israel!  What a coward!

As a gay Atheist, I can only interpret the Word of God in this chapter of Genesis as an incredible example of how horrible people can be to their own families.  Joseph continues to lie, continues to dishonor his father, and continues to punish his brothers for something that he claims he has forgotten:

^{Gen 41:51} Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh, and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my troubles and all my father’s household.”

He may have forgotten, but he certainly had not forgiven!  Joseph is a role model that I should follow?  How can this Holy Book be a guide to godly living?

But there is more: Judah and Reuben.  Reuben had made a promise to his father regarding the safety of Ben-Oni that would require the death of his two sons.  Not once in this chapter is Reuben step up to save Ben-Oni, and by that save his own sons!  And Judah is just as bad.  He wants to take Ben-Oni’s place as Joseph’s slave, not to save Ben-Oni.  No, that is not the motivating factor; he wants to ensure that he does not have to face Israel with the bad news that Ben-Oni has been taken into slavery!  Is this the Family Values that the Religious Right want us to remember enact into US law?

Remember: the brothers do not know that this is all a deception devised by Joseph.  Why would anyone go to such lengths to punish his own family over something that happened 21 years ago, has had such a positive outcome, and has been forgotten!  Or maybe this is the Family Values that the Religious Right want memorialized.

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