Joseph

The Routledge Dictionary of Judaism

The biblical patriarch Jacob’s eleventh son. The stories about Joseph, Genesis 37, 39–50, portray him as victim of a conspiracy of his jealous brothers, but destined for great things. His brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt and, after he was imprisoned on a false charge, he was rescued by his power to interpret dreams. He became a viceroy to Pharaoh, whom he served well. He foresaw a coming famine and in the seven lush years stored grain to sustain Egypt in the seven lean years that followed.

His brothers came down to Egypt to buy grain during the famine, and he made himself known to them and reconciled with them. He brought them to the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel dwelt for a long time. During the period of the rule of the Pharaoh served by Joseph, they were treated well. But later on, a succeeding Pharaoh embittered their lives and enslaved them. The Israelites who left Egypt in the Exodus took Joseph’s bones with them and reburied him in the Promised Land.