Establishing Residency

Genesis 46:28-47:10

Joseph had recommended that Jacob’s family live in Goshen, in the Northeastern part of Egypt, just west of the Sinai peninsula. Besides being on their way into Egypt, much of it was not suitable for irrigation and thus was largely unoccupied, making it ideal for raising cattle. Jacob and his family went straight to the area, sending Judah ahead to let Joseph know they had arrive and would be expecting him.

“And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.” (Genesis 46:28-30)

Joseph wasted no time going to see his father in Goshen, and they had a very emotional reunion. After all, Jacob had believed his favorite son was dead for twenty-two years. He felt he could die happy, just having seen Joseph, and knowing he was still alive.

“And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.” (Genesis 46:31-34)

Joseph stressed that when they came before Pharaoh to get their visas, they should list herdsman as their occupation. By doing so, they would not be pressured to move into the more developed irrigated areas, because the Egyptians had a rather low opinion of herders. The prejudice had a logical origin.

Cattle and sheep don’t recognize boundaries or discriminate between plants people planted and what grows naturally. Fields are like a buffet table, loaded with foods they don’t get all in one place. The cattle often seem to view barriers such as fences as a challenge to be overcome, and work at circumventing them. In the process they trample and destroy the banks of irrigation ditches misdirecting the water, step on and break tools and valuables and knock over structures. Farmers and businessmen resent the damage done to their property and resent the necessity to protect their property from invasion. Unfortunately some herdsmen consider it other people’s responsibility to keep their cows out, rather than their own, and make no effort to protect other people‘s property. Even those who try to keep them out occasionally fail. By allowing Jacob and his family to stay in Goshen, Pharaoh could prevent a lot of conflict.

“Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” (Genesis 47:1-4)

Though they were Joseph’s own family, and were desperate, Jacob’s family had to enter the country and obtain permission to take up residence legally. Many who have come to the Navajo reservation as missionaries feel that they have no obligation to consider the rights of the people whose land it is. It is not unlike the problem of illegal immigration in the United States.

“And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.” (Genesis 47:5-6)

Just as cowboys, sheep herders and farmers are looked down on by many today, cattlemen and sheepherders were viewed as inferior by the Egyptians. As a result few Egyptians were willing to take such jobs. Since they still needed the food, Pharaoh was glad to have workers who were willing to do that kind of work and offered employment for any who wanted it. Again, the situation was very much like that of the United States today. One reason unemployment is so high today is that people look down on the jobs that are available. Removing the stigma against blue collar work would do more for our economy than any stimulus program. It would also help our illegal alien problem, by reducing the number of high paying jobs available for them.

“And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?

And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.” (Genesis 47:7-10)

It is always a pleasure to share our accomplishments with those we love, and to introduce them to those who contribute to those accomplishments. Joseph couldn’t wait to introduce his father to Pharaoh, and because of his interest in Joseph, Pharaoh was interested in Joseph’s family. One thing we learn with age is that people who are genuinely interested in us will be interested in knowing about the things we are interested in simply because they know it interests us. If they don’t want to know, their interest in us is selfish. It is one reason the Lord makes an issue of our love for other Christians. As I John 4:20 asks, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

Notice Jacob’s statement about his life, “few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” He was complaining that he was only a hundred thirty and felt old! Our attitude controls a lot of how blessed we feel. Jacob felt he had missed out on a lot despite all the blessings he had received. He had spent a hundred thirty years trying to get more, rather than enjoying what God had given him.

“And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.” (Genesis 47:11-12)

Egypt had eleven different pharaohs named Ramses. Goshen included part of the Nile delta, making it some of the most valuable land in Egypt. The land became Pharaoh’s property under Joseph’s administration, setting the stage for the middle kingdom, beginning about 2050 BC.