When hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egypt
and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread,
Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph
and do whatever he told them. (Gen 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a)
The Joseph cycle within the patriarchal history is like reading a short story of sorts. It’s concise, to the point, with an exotic setting (Egypt), loaded with sibling rivalry conflict, and with the fascinating character of Joseph, the Jewish kid who does great, (a rags to riches story), rising to the top of Egyptian society and power. It’s a fascinating story that sets up the Exodus.
