A Biography Of Jacob Essay Research Paper — страница 6

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from Jacob to Seir because the land couldn?t support both their herds and all. Jacob settled in Canaan, the land that was promised to him by god. Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his children. He made Joseph a colored robe with long sleeves, which might have been implying that Joseph wasn?t expected to do work. One day some of Jacob?s children came back with Joseph?s robe, torn and bloody, Jacob realized that a wild animal must have eaten Joseph. He grieved for many days, and after having his family trying to console him, he said he would go down to Sheol to his son. Jacob grew older, and eventually, famine spread to Canaan, from Egypt, but now there was grain in Egypt. Jacob told his sons to go to Egypt (they looked at each other suspiciously) and buy some grain for their

family. Jacob neglected to send his youngest son, Benjamin, to Egypt, for fear that harm may come to him. When his sons came back, they told Jacob that in Egypt, the ?lord of the land? accused them of being spies. They denied it, but he didn?t believe them. He had Simeon bound and held captive there, and to bring the youngest of their brothers to him, so that he may collaborate their story. Once that is done he said he would release Simeon and they will be free of penalty. When they emptied their grain sacks that the ?lord of the land? in Egypt let them take back with them, they saw the money they paid for them at the top of each sack. They were all distressed from this. Jacob then said, ?I am the one you have bereaved of children: Joseph is no more, and now you would take

Benjamin. All this has happened to me!? (Gen 42:36)(532) Reuben then agreed to Jacob to get Simeon back or his father could kill his two sons. But Jacob disagreed, saying that Benjamin would not go with them, because if he loses all of them on the journey they want to make, they would bring sorrow to Jacob, with no end. When they had eaten all of the grain they bough in Egypt, Jacob asked them to go buy some more. But Judah said that the man in Egypt told them they wouldn?t get anything unless they brought their youngest son Benjamin. Jacob asked them why they caused him pain by telling the man in Egypt that they had another brother. Their defense was that the man questioned them thoroughly, and they told the truth, and that they couldn?t have known the man would ask them this.

Judah asked that Jacob send Benjamin down with them, so they may be able to buy food and survive, and that he would be held accountable to Benjamin?s safety. Jacob agreed, on the conditions that they bring fruits of the land of Canaan as gifts to the man in Egypt, and double the money to pay for more grain as well as the money that was brought back with them last time, perhaps it being a mistake. So all of Jacob?s children in Canaan left to go to Egypt. Jacob?s sons finally came back from Egypt, and they had news. They also had with them many more provisions then they were asked to get, and many animals too. They said to Jacob ?Joseph is still alive!? He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt.? Jacob was beside himself with surprise and disbelief, but when his sons told him

what Joseph said to them, and showed him what they were given to take back to Canaan, then Jacob was convinced. ?Enough!? He said. ?My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.? He set out on the journey with everything he had when he came to settle down, and he made sacrifices to the god of his father and grandfather. God appeared to Jacob in a vision, saying not to fear going to Egypt, and that he will make Jacob a great nation there, and bring it out again. God said that he himself will go with Jacob into Egypt, and that ?Joseph?s own hand shall close your eyes.? Jacob took his whole clan and all their possessions down to Egypt. They were to settle in Goshen. Jacob sent Judah ahead to Joseph to let them know they were arriving. Joseph went to Goshen to

meet his father and his family. Joseph wept over Jacob for a time when they met. Jacob said to Joseph, ?I can die now, having seen for myself that you are still alive.? At this final stage Jacob is no longer the ?skilled shepherd? of the Esau and Laban narratives nor the ?fearless foeman? of the penile scene; he appears, rather, as the aged father who is reunited in Egypt with his favorite son, Joseph, and as the honorable patriarch who blesses the people that will bear his name. (633) Joseph said that he would inform the Pharaoh of Egypt that his family has arrived. He said to Jacob, that when Pharaoh asks him what his occupation is, they are to say that they are keepers of livestock from their youth, because ?shepherds? are unpleasing to the Egyptians. They said that when they