To conclude November, we have the penultimate offering from my "Twelve Tribes of Israel" series. For the eleventh month, we focus on the eleventh and probably most famous son of Jacob, Joseph.
There's so much depth to this well-known dreamer, far too much to cover in one short poem and meditation, but I hope this study can be edifying for you today. Much love, Lucy x
The Tribe Of Joseph
Key Facts
Order of birth- Eleventh.
Order of blessing-Eleventh.
Mother-Rachel.
Meaning of name- He will add.
Character details- Known for being an interpreter of dreams. After being sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers, Jospeh served Pharaoh and interpreted his dreams. By doing so, he prophesied the coming famine and saved Egypt from destruction.
Tribe details- The tribe of Joseph did not remain a full tribe for long as it split into the two half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh- Joseph’s sons.
Symbol of tribe- A sheaf of wheat.
(A bullock for Ephraim, and a unicorn or wild ox for Manasseh.)
Land allocation- The tribe of Joseph did not receive a single land allocation; instead two portions were attributed to his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Each son received their own inheritance, giving Joseph a “double portion” as a result of Jacob’s blessing. The territory of Ephraim stretched from the Jordan River west to the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing central Samaria. Manasseh’s land was split, with the half-tribe receiving land in the north, (including parts of the Jezreel Valley) and the other half receiving land east of the Jordan in Gilead.
Relevant Scriptures
Genesis 30:22-24
“Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The Lord shall add to me another son.””
Genesis 49:1 & 22-26
“And Jacob called his sons and said, ‘Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:
“Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.
The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.
But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.”
JosephThere's so much depth to this well-known dreamer, far too much to cover in one short poem and meditation, but I hope this study can be edifying for you today. Much love, Lucy x
The Tribe Of Joseph
Key Facts
Order of birth- Eleventh.
Order of blessing-Eleventh.
Mother-Rachel.
Meaning of name- He will add.
Character details- Known for being an interpreter of dreams. After being sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers, Jospeh served Pharaoh and interpreted his dreams. By doing so, he prophesied the coming famine and saved Egypt from destruction.
Tribe details- The tribe of Joseph did not remain a full tribe for long as it split into the two half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh- Joseph’s sons.
Symbol of tribe- A sheaf of wheat.
(A bullock for Ephraim, and a unicorn or wild ox for Manasseh.)
Land allocation- The tribe of Joseph did not receive a single land allocation; instead two portions were attributed to his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Each son received their own inheritance, giving Joseph a “double portion” as a result of Jacob’s blessing. The territory of Ephraim stretched from the Jordan River west to the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing central Samaria. Manasseh’s land was split, with the half-tribe receiving land in the north, (including parts of the Jezreel Valley) and the other half receiving land east of the Jordan in Gilead.
Relevant Scriptures
Genesis 30:22-24
“Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The Lord shall add to me another son.””
Genesis 49:1 & 22-26
“And Jacob called his sons and said, ‘Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:
“Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.
The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.
But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.”
Twelve tribes of Israel from twelve different brothers,
All the sons of Jacob, but from four different mothers.
Leah bore him six of them, while two came from Zilpah.
Rachel bore another two, and two more came from Bilhah.
Joseph was eleventh; a gift from Heaven’s throne.
At last – a babe for Rachel and a son to call her own!
Such sorrow she’d experienced, but now her soul was glad.
The meaning of this brother’s name translates as “He will add”.
Rachel’s words reveal she hoped for yet another son.
God had not forgotten her; another child would come.
But moving on to Jacob’s words, it’s very clear to see,
He had a lot within his heart regarding prophecy.
He said this son was fruitful, blessing many with his days,
Yet full of persecution for his holy, righteous ways.
But Joseph’s strength was found in God, and so instead of hate,
He offered his forgiveness and did not retaliate.
Surrendering his days to God, although he’d been betrayed,
He used these circumstances so that many might be saved!
Joseph’s life was powerful and blessed by God, his King.
With double the inheritance, two tribes would come from him.
But Jacob’s words can also speak of glory yet to come,
For Joseph is a “type” of Christ, a picture of God’s Son!
Reflecting the Messiah and the time of Tribulation,
Joseph represents the One who’ll reign and rule each nation!
Romans 14:8
“For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
Philippians 1:21
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Insight to Joseph
Mother-Rachel
After years of heartache, barrenness, and competing with her sister, Leah, Rachel finally conceives and gives birth to a son whom she names Joseph. The verse begins with the words, “Then God remembered Rachel.” This is a Hebrew phrase, and the text is not saying that God had forgotten Rachel prior to this. It’s simply a particular way of saying, “God began to move on behalf of Rachel.” In other words, this was God’s hand at work in Rachel’s life.
The passage then goes on to say, “And God listened to her and opened her womb.” Clearly, the credit for Rachel having a baby doesn’t go to the mandrakes mentioned earlier in this chapter, as these would have been long gone by now! Since the debate over the mandrakes, enough time had passed to allow Leah to give birth to two sons and a daughter, so it’s very evident that Rachel conceiving a son was through the Lord’s doing, not some old wives’ tale or superstition.
After giving birth, Rachel declares, “God has taken away my reproach.” This statement highlights the pressure and judgement Rachel felt she was under from the culture of that day. At the birth of Joseph, she clearly feels vindicated and, with a hopeful heart, goes on to say, “The Lord shall add to me another son.” This comment instantly reveals Rachel’s longing for yet more children, continuing the competition with her sister to be Jacob’s most valuable wife. It also gives us the meaning of Joseph’s name, which is “He will add”, and as we go on to read later in Genesis 35, God did indeed add another baby to Rachel and Jacob with Joseph’s little brother, Benjamin.
It would be reasonable to think that Joseph, the firstborn son to Rachel, Jacob’s dearly beloved wife, would be the key child used by the Lord to further His redemptive purposes through this family. While it’s undeniable that Joseph did play an important role in God’s unfolding plan, his line was not the line through whom the Messiah would come. As we saw, back in April, the Saviour of the world would actually come through Jacob’s fourth son, Judah, son of Leah, the unloved wife. The Scriptures show us time and time again that God’s ways are not our ways. They are clearly way above and beyond the ways of man!
Jacob’s Prophetic Blessing
The first line of Jacob’s blessing to Joseph is both a description of Joseph’s life and a personal blessing concerning his descendants. The line reads,
“Joseph is a fruitful bough.”
This imagery is reflective of the fact that Joseph’s life was so rooted in the Lord, and so full of positive things as a result, that in a way, his tribes were already blessed when his sons received their blessing in Genesis 48.
The next line declares,
“A fruitful bough by a well.”
The image here speaks of a well-watered, deep relationship with God. We see a similar picture through the words of Psalm 1:3, which reads,
“He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
The water spoken of here represents God’s Word, and the idea is that the tree digs its roots deep down into the water and subsequently bears good fruit. It’s such a colourful picture, full of vibrancy and life. So too with Jacob’s blessing, as he likens Joseph to a verdant, flourishing tree, with his life rooted in the Lord and in His Word. As a result, Joseph’s years are like a fruitful bough, producing many positive and beneficial things for both him and also those around him.
This concept is communicated again clearly through the third line of the blessing, which goes on to say, “His branches run over the wall.” As many garden owners will know, if a neighbour’s tree hangs over your wall and drops fruit onto your property, technically that fruit now belongs to you. The hard work of planting and tending the tree may have been done by your neighbour, who will also be reaping the rewards of their efforts, but a portion of that fruit has made its way over the wall, onto your turf too.
The picture here is that a person can find themself enjoying the fruit cultivated through the labour of another simply by being closely linked to them. Jacob’s words emphasise this scene, expressing the idea that the fruit of Joseph’s life is not only a benefit to himself but also brings great advantage to others too.
It could be said that this is what the Lord desires for all of our lives. The bountiful blessings that come with knowing Jesus as Saviour and living a Christ-centred life aren’t to be kept to ourselves, but instead, shared with others. The Bible makes it clear that as Christians, we are to be fruitful trees, rooted in the Word of God, benefitting the lives of those around us with nourishing, beautiful fruit. Things such as peace, prayer, fellowship, goodness and kindness are all wonderful gifts from the Lord that can overflow as sweet blessings into the lives of those close to us.
One of the most dramatic and gripping sections of the Bible, for me personally, is the chapters of Genesis that document the story of all Joseph went through as a result of being sold into Egyptian slavery by his own brothers. It’s quite something to read about all that he endured. From being falsely accused of serious misconduct by Potiphar’s wife to his subsequent imprisonment and then his rise to power and position, which went on to save the lives of the very brothers who had betrayed him in the first place.
I can barely breathe as I read about their incredible reunion in Genesis 45 and find it hard to imagine how it would have played out as each brother tried to process all the different emotions they would have been feeling as Joseph seemingly “returns from the dead” as a great high ruler in the land! Joseph’s reaction to his brothers is also deeply moving, and we see him go on to forgive the family who had treated him with such disdain, not only showing forgiveness in chapter 45 but also again in chapter 50 after the death of their father, Jacob.
Joseph is often said to be a “type” of Christ throughout the Scriptures—a lesser, humanly flawed picture of Jesus Himself. There are many events and elements to Joseph’s life that are a forerunner to the life of Christ. Joseph’s Christlike character that displays forgiveness towards those who had betrayed him, in addition to his acts that went on to save those very same people, are examples that reflect the heart and life of the Saviour yet to come.
The next line of Jacob’s blessing reads,
“The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.”
These words speak of how Joseph was a target for many attacks in his time, and highlight the point that his godly, fruitful life didn’t prevent him from being accused and hated by others. This is true for us too. People will often rise against us in jealousy because they can see Christlike qualities within us and godly fruit coming from our lives. Our fruitfulness can sometimes be the very source and cause of us being attacked by others. Whether driven by jealousy, envy, or conviction, people will often target and try to tear down anybody seeking to live a fruitful life for the Lord.
As 2 Timothy 3:12 tells us,
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
Jesus Himself highlighted this truth in John 15:18-20, which reads,
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”
We ought not to think it strange when we are attacked for trying to live a godly existence or when we’re being fruitful for the Lord. The Scriptures make it very clear this is just part and parcel with seeking to live righteously in a fallen world. Not self-righteously, of course! A pompous, pious attitude is never reflective of our humble, servant King. But a person who is genuinely living for the Lord and being used by God will be attacked by those who are jealous or convicted by our Spirit-fragrant lives. If that’s something we feel we can relate to today, as unpleasant as it may be in earthly terms, we can actually find an inner peace and rejoice in these circumstances. As Matthew 5:10-12 reminds us,
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Jacob’s prophecy then goes on to say,
“But his bow remained in strength.”
In other words, Joseph didn’t retaliate towards those who wronged him. Genesis tells us that after he was sold into slavery, falsely accused, falsely imprisoned, and then forgotten about in prison, Joseph finally, through the working of the Lord’s hand, rose to an unbelievably high position of power! Joseph had the chance to repay the wrongs that had been done against him, yet he chose not to. His bow remained in strength.
The picture here is that his weapon was ready to go, ready to fire, and he could have let it fly in the direction of those who had come against him, but he chose not to. The weapon remained in place. From his exalted position, he could have easily destroyed the people who had tried to destroy him, but instead, Joseph left vengeance in the hands of the Lord, as the Scriptures command.
Often, when we’re wronged, our nature is to get even with those who have hurt and damaged us. When we find ourselves being “shot at” in life, we want to shoot back, and then some! It takes far greater strength to not get even, however, especially when we have the power to do so.
What we see in Joseph’s character here is the spirit of meekness, as he allowed his life to be used by God instead of seeking vengeance, surrendering his days over to the Lord to accomplish the purposes of the Father. I think it’s important to note that meekness is not weakness. It takes incredible self-discipline not to avenge ourselves when we’ve been hurt, but one of the attributes listed in Galatians 5 is the fruit of forbearance. Joseph displayed forbearance.
In other words, he showed patient self-control and didn’t claim his right to retaliate, even though he could have. He was merciful and Christlike in his conduct, showing Christlike strength through his meekness. As the Scriptures say, the meek shall inherit the earth. That is to say, those who keep vengeance under control, knowing that God is the one who will right all wrongs in His time and will apply vengeance in the correct measure to those who have come against Him and His people. Joseph’s life is a powerful example of how true this is!
The prophetic blessing goes on to say,
“And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)”
These words make it clear that Joseph’s strength came from the Lord and God was the restraining power in his life. It was the presence of God’s love and Joseph’s awareness of it that compelled him to act mercifully. I’ve heard it said that it takes a passion to overcome a passion. A burning passion for God’s love and His righteousness will definitely help us overcome our passion to take revenge.
The next lines read,
“By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above.”
Jacob’s words here, referencing the blessings of heaven above, are speaking of the land and things such as the blessing of rain and material wealth. He then goes on to say,
“Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.”
These lines are speaking of the blessing of children, and Joseph certainly was gifted with multiple descendants. His two sons were Ephraim and Manasseh; Ephraim was the one who went on to have the more dominant tribe, but both of these tribes were plentiful and strong in number. In this sense, we see how Joseph received the double portion aspect of the inheritance, which is normally the privilege of the firstborn. In this family’s case, the firstborn right went to Joseph, the eleventh son.
Well-known characters such as Joshua, Deborah and Samuel all descended from the tribe of Ephraim, while Gideon and Jephtha came from the tribe of Manasseh. God’s blessings can be clearly seen upon the line of Joseph.
Jacob’s final words to his eleventh son are,
“The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.”
Jacob is communicating here that the blessings he’s placing on Joseph are far greater than the blessings Isaac, his father, gave to him, and also, the blessings Abraham had previously placed on Isaac. It seems that at the end of his eventful life, Jacob is reflecting on God’s goodness and can see how the hand of the Lord has most graciously extended bountiful blessings upon both him and his descendants.
Last Days Study
The first cause of Jacob’s prophecy to Joseph is for Joseph, personally, just as all of his prophecies have been for his sons. Jacob was also looking at the bigger picture, however, and speaking of the end times and the last days during the Tribulation. What we now see with Joseph is that Jacob speaks of the virtuous ruler who will come on the scene towards the end of the Tribulation.
Many times throughout Scripture, Joseph can be seen as a “type” of Jesus, and if we read Jacob’s blessing with the name of Jesus at the beginning and end where Joseph’s name is written, we now have an incredible picture of Christ.
This is a really in-depth study in itself, of course, and so to give it the time it deserves, I’d highly recommend listening to my pastor’s teaching on this subject. You can find the study by going onto the Calvary London website and going to the Genesis 49 sermon entitled “Israel’s Future Laid Out”.
Closing Thoughts
Joseph is one of my favourite people to look at in the Bible. His story is full of heartbreaking hardship and sorrow, contrasted by sob-inducing, joyful restoration! If ever there was a dramatic tale with a rocky road of rags to riches, it would be Joseph’s! Of course, it’s way more than that as Jacob’s prophecy makes evident.
What I find so moving and inspiring about Joseph is his commitment to the Lord and his position of surrender to His will. Joseph never lets his circumstances dictate his morals to him, but instead, he always seeks to bring glory to God no matter what conditions he finds himself in.
His resolve to serve the Lord in all situations and be used for His purposes is beyond admirable. It’s not surprising then that the power and riches granted to Joseph were by the Lord’s hand. Everything given to Joseph was safe in his care, as each blessing was used not for his own glory but for the glory of God and the benefit of others.
What a legacy! What a man! I pray Joseph’s unwavering love of righteousness and his passion for the Lord can inspire us all today. As Colossians 3:23-24 declares,
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
