Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 164:654 (Apr 2007)
Article: Joseph In Pharaoh’s Court
Author: Richard D. Patterson

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BSac 164:654 (April-June 2007) p. 148

Joseph In Pharaoh’s Court

Richard D. Patterson

Richard D. Patterson is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Semitics and Old Testament, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia.

Chapters 37–50 of Genesis have received abundant attention not only in the many commentaries on Genesis and biblical encyclopedias and dictionaries, but also in various special studies.1 The narrative in these chapters has received varying treatment at the hands of its many interpreters. Among those who view the chapters as a unit, some treat it as a story (Ryken, Seybold), others as a novella (Humphreys), or history—particularly as the completion of the historical record concerning Jacob (Leupold). Of special note is the fine study by Waltke and Fredricks, who, though viewing the setting of Genesis 37–50 as “the account of Jacob’s descendants,” discuss the unit in terms of the form of a drama.2 The interpretation of this section of Genesis also varies as to whether the primary story line revolves around

BSac 164:654 (April-June 2007) p. 149

Joseph, Joseph and his family, or Jacob.3

Much of the variety in the treatment of these chapters has to do with the way one views them in relation to Genesis as a whole. Although the basic structure of Genesis is not the focus of this study, it should be pointed out that the majority of scholarly opinion has emphasized the function of the tōléḏōṯ (תּוֹלְדוֹת, “these are the generations of. . .”) statements found in strategic places throughout Genesis, including 36:1, 9 and 37:2.4 Because they uniformly point to the sons of the progenitor, one may readily see that the narrative in Genesis 37–50 is tied intrinsically to the account of Jacob. It is designed to bring the details of the life of the third of the great patriarchs to its conclusion.5 Nevertheless for practical purposes the key role of Joseph as “its main protagonist” must not be overlooked.6 So this study is concerned primarily with Joseph, and it views the narrative as a court narrative.

Joseph’...

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