25. What events lead to Joseph’s becoming a slave in Egypt?

²⁵ To Egypt for the preservation of life (37:2–50:26). Because of Jehovah’s favor and some dreams that he causes Joseph to have, the older brothers come to hate Joseph. They scheme to kill him but instead sell him to some passing Ishmaelite merchants. Dipping Joseph’s striped garment in the blood of a goat, they present it to Jacob as evidence that the young lad of 17 has been killed by a wild beast. Joseph is taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, the chief of Pharaoh’s bodyguard.

27. How does Joseph become prime minister of Egypt?

²⁷ Meanwhile, Jehovah blesses Joseph in Egypt, and Joseph becomes great in Potiphar’s household. However, difficulty pursues him when he refuses to reproach God’s name by fornication with Potiphar’s wife, so he is falsely accused and thrown into prison. There he is used by Jehovah in interpreting the dreams of two fellow prisoners, Pharaoh’s cupbearer and his baker. Later, when Pharaoh has a dream that greatly worries him, Joseph’s ability is called to his attention, so that he is quickly brought to Pharaoh from his prison hole. Giving the credit to God, Joseph interprets the dream as forecasting seven years of plenty, to be followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh recognizes “the spirit of God” upon Joseph and appoints him prime minister to handle the situation. (Gen. 41:38) Now 30 years of age, Joseph administers wisely by storing up foodstuffs during the seven years of plenty. Then during the worldwide famine that follows, he sells the grain to the people of Egypt and of other nations who come to Egypt for food.

28. What events surround the moving of Jacob’s household to Egypt?

²⁸ Eventually Jacob sends his ten older sons to Egypt for grain. Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. Holding Simeon as hostage, he demands that they bring their youngest brother back with them on the next trip for grain. When the nine sons return with Benjamin, Joseph reveals himself, expresses forgiveness toward the ten guilty ones, and instructs them to get Jacob and move to Egypt for their welfare during the famine. Accordingly, Jacob, with 66 of his offspring, moves down to Egypt. Pharaoh gives them the best of the land, the land of Goshen, in which to dwell.

29. What important series of prophecies does Jacob make on his deathbed?

²⁹ As Jacob draws close to death, he blesses Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and then calls his own 12 sons together to tell them what will happen to them “in the final part of the days.” (49:1) He now gives in detail a series of prophecies, all of which have since come to remarkable fulfillment.d Here he foretells that the scepter of rulership will remain in the tribe of Judah until the coming of Shiloh (meaning “He Whose It Is; He to Whom It Belongs”), the promised Seed. After thus blessing the heads of the 12 tribes and giving commands concerning his own future burial in the Land of Promise, Jacob dies at the age of 147 years. Joseph continues to care for his brothers and their households until his own death at 110 years of age, at which time he expresses his faith that God will again bring Israel into their land and requests that his bones too be taken to that Land of Promise.