Genesis 37, 39-50

In Genesis 40, two prisoners ask Joseph to interpret their dreams. Joseph replies by saying: "...do not interpretations belong to God?" Then instead of stopping he goes on. "Tell them to me." As if God is speaking directly through him. He interprets the two mens dreams, and his predictions are absolutely spot on, once again as if God is speaking through him. He later interprets the Pharaoh's dream, and thus predicts the future of Egypt. In many other parts of this section of Genesis, the text says things like "and the Pharaoh saw that God was with Joseph." The Pharaoh even says to Joseph: " Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” It is important to realize that Joseph is a direct connection to God, like a messenger. Joseph's father Israel, favored Joseph for this very reason. Joseph does't even blame his brothers for selling him and sending him to Egypt, he says it was God's doing, and he was sent there for a reason: "So it was not you who sent me here, but God." Joseph is even the first one to use the word sin (at least in the parts of Genesis I have read). It is interesting how throughout Genesis God will pick one person (often holy man's son who has many other brothers), and be closest to them only. Although analyzing the omniscient and omnipotent side of Joseph helps us understand Joseph's narrative, it also helps to realize the other side of Joseph, the more human side.

Joseph knew that he was the favorite son, and he showed it. In Genesis 27, he really rubbed it in his brothers faces, telling then dreams he has had of his brothers bowing down to him (although this actually does happen in the future). He is a bit cocky, a very human characteristic. When Joseph predicts the future of Egypt, and saves up food before the great famine, he can't help but to make tons of money off of the deal, as any human would do. He doesn't just give out food and grain when people are in need, he sells it to them. When they run out of money, he takes their live stock. When they run out of live stock, he takes their land. He doesn't give anything for free. This is very human like. Joseph distrusts his brothers when they reunited, as any human would given the circumstances. He tests them by making them go back and forth many times from Egypt, to their home, and he makes sure the brothers come all together. Then eventually, as any human would, he forgives them. The thing that perhaps makes Joseph the most human, is the amount he weeps. He must cry over five times in this passage, unlike any other character in genesis. This shows his great range of emotions, a very human characteristic.

One understands Joseph, once they understand his God like, and human like qualities.