Today, we begin to read the beginning of the novella of Joseph in Genesis 37. I wonder why we should read his story in Lent. Perhaps the Church wants to remind us that sibling rivalry is one of the major sources of sins. Jealousy / envy is one of the seven Capital Sins which lead us to commit even more deadly sins (CCC #1866). In this season of renewal, it is appropriate for us to contemplate over this vice.
Most of the time, unfair treatments from the parents are the causes of rivalries among siblings. Fairness is difficult to define objectively. However, parents seldom pay attention to the perception of fairness. They put their hearts into providing the best for their children and children differ in age and needs. Naturally, children will be treated with different intensities of "parental love". In the eyes of the children, parents are not fair.
Not just children, parents themselves are human. They have their own needs as well. In the reading today, we find favouritism expressed by Israel / Jacob towards Joseph.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves (Genesis 37:3).
How old was Jacob? Let us make an estimate.
At forty, Esau, his twin brother, married daughters of Hittites and they made the life of his parents Isaac and Rebekah bitter (Genesis 26:34-35).
Later with the help from his mother Rebekah, Jacob cheated the first-born blessing from Isaac. Esau vowed to kill Jacob. Then, Jacob fled to the house of his uncle Laban; and met the beautiful Rachel, Laban's daughter. Laban promised to give Rachel to Jacob on the condition that he should work for Laban for seven years. But he cheated Jacob. After seven years, he gave the elder daughter Leah to Jacob instead. Jacob had to work for another seven years to marry Rachel. Of course, Laban was a reasonable man. He sent Rachel to Jacob after he married Leah for seven days (Genesis 29:27). Jacob was at least 47 by then.
Eleven children (ten sons and one daughter) were born before Rachel conceived Joseph. Four of the sons were born by the two maids, Bilhah and Zilpah. Perhaps they bore the 4 sons at the same time. Assuming a child was born per year, at least ten years went by before Joseph was born. Jacob was at least 57 by then. If a child was born per 18 months, Jacob would be at least 62. Therefore, Jacob favoured Joseph not only because he was the son of his old age, but also because he was born of Rachel.
Not just children, parents themselves are human. They have their own needs as well. In the reading today, we find favouritism expressed by Israel / Jacob towards Joseph.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves (Genesis 37:3).
How old was Jacob? Let us make an estimate.
At forty, Esau, his twin brother, married daughters of Hittites and they made the life of his parents Isaac and Rebekah bitter (Genesis 26:34-35).
Later with the help from his mother Rebekah, Jacob cheated the first-born blessing from Isaac. Esau vowed to kill Jacob. Then, Jacob fled to the house of his uncle Laban; and met the beautiful Rachel, Laban's daughter. Laban promised to give Rachel to Jacob on the condition that he should work for Laban for seven years. But he cheated Jacob. After seven years, he gave the elder daughter Leah to Jacob instead. Jacob had to work for another seven years to marry Rachel. Of course, Laban was a reasonable man. He sent Rachel to Jacob after he married Leah for seven days (Genesis 29:27). Jacob was at least 47 by then.
Eleven children (ten sons and one daughter) were born before Rachel conceived Joseph. Four of the sons were born by the two maids, Bilhah and Zilpah. Perhaps they bore the 4 sons at the same time. Assuming a child was born per year, at least ten years went by before Joseph was born. Jacob was at least 57 by then. If a child was born per 18 months, Jacob would be at least 62. Therefore, Jacob favoured Joseph not only because he was the son of his old age, but also because he was born of Rachel.
Time flew by. Joseph was 17 when Jacob sent him to see his brothers who were pasturing at Shechem (Genesis 37:13). When Joseph met his brothers, they wanted to kill him out of envy. But Reuben, the eldest brother stopped them.
But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."
And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him" -- that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father (Genesis 37:21-22).
Therefore, the brothers caught hold of Joseph and cast him into a dry pit. Somehow, Reuben went away for a while. When a caravan of Ishmaelites came by, Judah proposed to sell Joseph to them. The brothers followed his proposal and thus began the adventure of Joseph in Egypt.
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes
and returned to his brothers, and said, "The lad is gone; and I, where shall I go?" (Genesis 37:29-30)
It seems that nobody explained to Reuben that they had sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, not even Judah.
In Genesis 38, we find another story of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar. It is a complex story with many symbolisms. He had not treated Tamar fairly but in the end, Judah acknowledged his fault.
Then Judah acknowledged them and said, "She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not lie with her again(Genesis 38:26).
Later, Tamar gave birth to two sons for Judah.
Judah was not righteous. Yet, God favours Judah. This Judah was destined to become the patriarch of a tribe from which Jesus was born. God did not choose flawless people to execute His plan. Praise be to God.
But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."
And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him" -- that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father (Genesis 37:21-22).
Therefore, the brothers caught hold of Joseph and cast him into a dry pit. Somehow, Reuben went away for a while. When a caravan of Ishmaelites came by, Judah proposed to sell Joseph to them. The brothers followed his proposal and thus began the adventure of Joseph in Egypt.
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes
and returned to his brothers, and said, "The lad is gone; and I, where shall I go?" (Genesis 37:29-30)
It seems that nobody explained to Reuben that they had sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, not even Judah.
In Genesis 38, we find another story of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar. It is a complex story with many symbolisms. He had not treated Tamar fairly but in the end, Judah acknowledged his fault.
Then Judah acknowledged them and said, "She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not lie with her again(Genesis 38:26).
Later, Tamar gave birth to two sons for Judah.
Judah was not righteous. Yet, God favours Judah. This Judah was destined to become the patriarch of a tribe from which Jesus was born. God did not choose flawless people to execute His plan. Praise be to God.
Dear Lord, we are flawed vessels. We are beset by our envy. Help us turn our sinfulness into righteousness. Transform it into our drive to do good. Amen.
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