ISRAEL IN EGYPT
The Rev. Harold Shepherd, CD, M.A., S.T.M., LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D.
Sermon from August 7, 2005

Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan... Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves... But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him... Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams."... But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."... Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him" --that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father... So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. Genesis 37: 1-28

The early history of Israel was passed on through oral tradition until written sources began to emerge during the monarchy. At the heart of the enterprise was the attempt to explain the origins of the nation and how its religious and political institutions came into being. The Joseph story makes an important contribution in to this project. One dominant theme repeated by the prophets is that God brought Israel out of Egypt with power to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey. God’s faithfulness to his people was not always rewarded by a reciprocal response on the part of the nation. But, how did Israel find itself in Egypt in the first place? The Jacob story provides an explanation. Jacob was sold into slavery by jealous brothers, and was purchased by a prominent man in Egypt. Through his ability to interpret dreams, Joseph eventually became Prime Minister of Egypt and the one responsible for preparing the nation for a famine. When it finally arrived, Joseph’s family found refuge and food in Egypt. Jacob (Israel) and all his sons settled in Egypt with the blessing of the Pharaoh. Later, a Pharaoh who did not know Jacob persecuted the Hebrews. Reduced to bondage and forced to participate in building projects, they fled under Moses and conquered Palestine under Joshua.

The historical background has been much debated in scholarly circles, and hard evidence is lacking in a number of key areas. However, some basic facts can be objectively established. First, records show that Semitic peoples known as the Hyksos seized power in Egypt and formed the 15th Dynasty that lasted from about 1650 to 1542 B.C. With their capital in the North-East at Avaris, their control extended through Canaan into Asia. During this period, Semitic peoples were welcomed into Egypt and dominated the royal court, government, and public administration of the country. The Joseph stories likely reflect a recollection in Israelite oral traditions of Semitic migration to Egypt and their prominence in the royal court. Although the Hyksos directly ruled the north of Egypt (i.e. Lower Egypt), the south was ruled by vassal princes at Thebes (the 17th Dynasty). Amosis (c. 1552- 1527) led a revolt from the south and expelled the Hyksos from Egypt after capturing Avaris in 1540 B.C. He pursued them into Canaan and captured their fortress in Sharuhen after a three-year siege.

The Semitic Canaanites continued to occupy Palestine, and other Semitic peoples continued to live in Egypt. During the reign of Ramses II (c. 1290- 1224 B.C.), a Semitic group left Egypt, saw Egyptian pursuers destroyed in what was interpreted to be a mighty intervention of God, made covenant with that God in the Sinai, and participated in the conquest of Canaanite cities and settled areas, probably with help from Semitic pastoralists excluded from city and farm. Although the Semites living in Canaan espoused traditional Near-Eastern religion that associated various gods and goddesses with forces of nature, the Hebrews who arrived from Egypt brought with them the belief that they had encountered the God of their ancestors in the Sinai and that they had entered into a covenant with him. Worship and allegiance were owed to this one God alone- what a revolutionary idea for the time! The Jacob stories show the journey from slavery, exile and oppression to finding a place in the land promised by God to those called by his name. It is a story about how God turns Good Friday into Easter for his faithful people who respond in trust and follow where he leads. It shows that God can turn evil purposes into blessing- that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord. It shows that God is not predictable and cannot be domesticated. His plan, at first obscure, emerges in glory to those who wait. Thanks be to God!