Seder 40: Joshua 14-15---Caleb and Othniel: More Leaders from the Tribe of Judah

 In the Joseph story in Genesis 37-50, Judah emerges as the leader among the sons of Jacob.  At the climax of the story in Genesis 44:18-34, Judah serves as spokesman for the sons of Jacob.  He gives an impassioned speech before Joseph, offering to take Benjamin's place as a slave in Egypt.  In his book on Joseph, John Lennox has called it "one of the greatest and most moving speeches in all literature." 

Judah's speech showed Joseph that his brothers had come to repentance.  When given every incentive to abandon Benjamin in Egypt, they refused to do so.  It was then the right time for Joseph to reveal himself to his brothers.  

The tribe of Judah would prove to be a leader among the tribes of Israel.  One example is in the conquest of Canaan.  When it came time for land to be allotted to the tribes, Caleb stepped forward and asked for Hebron, a place he had visited over 45 years before and had believed ever since that God could help him take (Jos 14:6-15).  

His request was granted, and he did indeed take the lead in capturing his allotted portion of land (Jos 15:13-19).  In this he was aided by his younger brother Othniel, who led in taking Kiriath-sepher, which was apparently a special challenge.  

Kiriath-sepher means "city of the book."  A midrash based on this name proposes that Othniel was also one who captured wisdom from God's book.  Nechama Price, in her book Tribal Blueprints, explains that according to this tradition, Othniel was "able to learn 1700 Torah secrets that were forgotten during the mourning period for Moshe."  It is also proposed that the descendants of Jethro moved to the  territory of Judah (Jdg 1:16) to learn this wisdom.  

At any rate, Othniel went on to be a judge of Israel who delivered the nation from a Mesopotamian oppressor (Jdg 3:7-11).

Seder 40: Gen 44-46----Joseph Reveals Himself to his Brothers

In Gen 44:18-34, Judah comes before the Egyptian official on behalf of Benjamin, pleading to be allowed to take Benjamin's place as a slave in Egypt.  He explains that it would kill their father, who was still mourning the loss of Joseph, to lose Benjamin as well. 

Judah's language in verse 22, because of pronoun ambiguity (see LEB or YLT, for example) even suggests that Benjamin could also be harmed by a separation from his father:

"Then we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father; if he should leave his father, then he would die.' "  (Gen 44:22, LEB)

Judah also tells the Egyptian official something he probably didn't know before---that Jacob has believed all along that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal (v 28).  

In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on January 16, 2021, Kyle Kettering noted that Judah approaches Joseph

• with initiative.
• humbly
• with no excuses or justifications
• seeking mercy.

Judah's impassioned entreaty causes Joseph, the Egyptian official, to finally break down and reveal his identity to his brothers.  To ease  their minds, he points them to the "big picture" as he has come to see it.  God had brought him to Egypt to save many lives  (Gen 45:1-8), so there was no sense in them feeling bad about the past. 

In his sermon, Kyle showed how both Judah and Joseph work toward "repairing the world."

To convince his brothers of his identity, Joseph speaks to them directly, without an interpreter (v 12).  One midrash suggests that he may have demonstrated to them that he was circumcised.  

Joseph urges his brothers to send for their father and bring the entire family to Egypt (vv 9-15).  Pharaoh readily agrees, and Joseph sends them back with plenty of provisions.  

As they are leaving, he instructs them, "Do not quarrel along the way" (v 24).  The Hebrew word for quarrel comes from a root that connotes shaking or trembling. One can shake or tremble from either fear or rage, so the verse has been interpreted in two different ways.  In one reading, he is telling them not to be afraid, because he will not be planting anything in their sacks this time (see NKJV, CEB, and NET).  In another reading Joseph wants them not to argue about how they will break the news to Jacob that they had deceived him about Joseph (as in the Amplified Bible).  Both readings seem valid.

Jacob is overjoyed to have an opportunity to see Joseph, but leaving the land is a big step.  He stops at Beersheba, on the southern border of Canaan, to seek God's will.  God assures Jacob that he should go ahead to Egypt, affirming that this move is in accord with his plan (Gen 46:1-4).

And so Jacob's extended family travels to Egypt.  Seventy members of the family are listed in Gen 46, a number that may symbolize Israel's mission to bring blessing to all nations.  Almost all of the names in the list are male.  One exception is Asher's daughter Serah.  The Bible says almost nothing about Serah,  but there are some fascinating legends about her.

Seder 40: Psalm 76---The All-Powerful Divine Warrior

Psalm 76 has been classified as a “victory hymn”, describing God as a Mighty Warrior in vivid language. Verse 3 says that “he broke the flashing arrows; the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war”.  No weapon can stand against him.

Verse 5 says that enemy soldiers “sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands.”   They were completely paralyzed.  “At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned,” we read in verse 6.

No one can stand before him (verse 7), and so the earth waits in fearful silence while he speaks (verse 8).  

What is our proper response to this awesome Warrior?  His people should fear and worship him, and all nations should bring gifts to him (v 11).  

Psalm 76 is one of the Psalms of Asaph.  The original Asaph ministered at the tabernacle in the time of King David.  His descendants continued in that role.  It's not possible to link this psalm definitively to a specific military triumph of Israel.  We might think, for example, of Judah's amazing deliverance from Sennacherib and the powerful Assyrian army described in 2 Kings 19 and Isa 37.  

There are at least two connections between Psalm 76 and this week's Seder in Gen 44:18-46:27.  One is the emphasis at the beginning of the Psalm on God's presence at Zion, in the territory of Judah.  Gen 44 chronicles how Judah emerged as a leader among the sons of Israel.  

There is also an interesting connection with verse 10, which begins,  “Surely the wrath of man shall praise you.”  One way to read this statement is that God is so powerful that he can take our sinful and rebellious actions and use them for his glory, to further his own plan.

Joseph points out an example of this in Gen 45 when he reveals his identity to his brothers.  He tells them in Gen 45:5-8,

“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.  For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.  And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.  So it was not you who sent me here, but God.”

Joseph’s brothers had intended to harm him by selling him into slavery.  But God turned their wrath, their sinful intentions, in a positive direction to save lives and bless the world through their family. 

We see the ultimate example of Psalm 76:10 at the cross.  Jesus was put to death unjustly, but this was all part of his plan of salvation (Acts 2:22-39).

We are reminded of another familiar verse, Rom 8:28, where Paul writes, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” 

Joseph remained strong in faith and did not give up hope when he faced enslavement and imprisonment.  He saw a bigger picture and was able to recognize an opportunity to do good and further God’s purposes. 

Joseph’s example reminds us to continue our efforts to find ways to spread God’s love during a time of trial.  We know that God will turn the wrath of man to his glory, and we would like to participate in what God is doing.