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In the previous post, we witnessed Joseph’s elaborate scheme to test his brothers’ character (Gen 42). As we continue this story, we see how Joseph’s plan continues to play out, revealing the true nature, and eventual transformation, of his brothers’ hearts.

Joseph’s plan to test his brothers’ character was brilliant. Without revealing his identity, he crafted a clever scenario to see if they had changed since selling him into slavery. Their ignorance of who he was allowed him to closely observe how they reacted to the crisis. The remainder of this blog post is to offer commentary on aspects of Joseph’s plan that may not be obvious at first glance.

The story of Joseph is one of the most dramatic in the Bible. Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph rose from a prisoner to become the second most powerful man in Egypt through his God-given ability to interpret dreams and his wise administration (Gen 41:39-43). This remarkable rise to power sets the stage for a pivotal moment in Genesis 42. Will the testing of Joseph’s brothers reveal their character?

In this chapter, we witness a critical turn in Joseph’s story. As Joseph foretold, a severe famine has struck the land, affecting not only Egypt but also Canaan where Jacob and his sons reside (Gen 41:56-57). Hearing that there is grain in Egypt, Jacob sends ten of his sons to buy food (Gen 42:1-2). Unbeknownst to them, they’re about to encounter their long-lost brother Joseph, now a powerful figure in Egypt. 

In the previous post, I mentioned that Joseph arrived in Egypt around 1683 BC and rose to power in 1670 BC. I believe it’s worth dedicating a blog article to explain how I made these estimates. Anyone familiar with dating Old Testament events, particularly those before the time of the kings, knows how challenging it can be to pinpoint exact dates. As a result, people often have different opinions about when these events occurred, with estimates clustering around various starting assumptions or presuppositions.

In this post, I’ll outline how I arrived at my estimates for Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt, using only the information provided in the Bible. Of course, everyone makes this claim, right? I’m not dogmatic about these dates because a single overlooked biblical reference can derail even the most carefully calculated estimates. So, it’s essential to approach these matters with a bit of grace.

Joseph, the young son of Jacob, found himself in Egypt. Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph was purchased by Ishmaelite traders who in turn sold him to an Egyptian named Potiphar (Gen 37:28). Actions the brothers meant for evil, God meant for good (Gen 50:20) setting the stage for one of the Bible’s most compelling stories of divine providence.

As we read Genesis 39, an interesting detail catches our attention. Three times within the chapter, the text explicitly states that Potiphar is an Egyptian (Gen 39:1, 2, 5). Shouldn’t one mention suffice? They were in Egypt after all. Why emphasize Potiphar’s ethnicity so emphatically? The answer lies in the fascinating historical events of the time. During this period, native Egyptians did not rule lower Egypt. Instead, a group known as the Hyksos controlled the region.