Joseph ( Jacobd from) — Wikipedia

Joseph (Hebrew Yosef : Yosseph , abridged form of Yohsifyàh which means “Yahweh adds”, according to popular etymology) is an important character in the Hebrew Bible and the Koran. It connects the chronicle of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Canaan to the subsequent history of the liberation of the Israelites of slavery in Egypt.

The book of Genesis says that Joseph is one of Jacob’s twelve sons and the first of the two sons (with Benjamin) of Rachel. He is sold in slavery by his jealous brothers, but becomes the most powerful man in Egypt alongside Pharaoh. When the famine strikes the earth, it brings the children of Israel to Egypt, where they settled in the country of Goshen. He is the father of Ephraim and Manassé, whose descendants will give two of the twelve tribes of Israel, those of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Joseph’s historicity remains inaccessible, no Egyptian source mentioning this character, so that researchers see in this narration an ancient historicized myth for the occasion or a local retrospective story transformed into a national saga ^{[ first ]} . Joseph’s figure resembles that of the heroes of news literature ^{[ 2 ]} , its history remaining in the end “A type of story that constitutes the expression of a theology. Such a well understood narration, is very different from what we find in the theater or in the new classics, and if we were trying to understand according to the categories of these literary creations, we would lead to an erroneous reading that would go to the very essence of this story ” ^{[ 3 ]} .

Joseph’s criticism thus raises his mythical aspects, giving rise to various types of reading: “Mythological interpretations, national and tribal interpretations, literary interpretations, historical criticism, assimilation to sapiential writings” ^{[ 4 ]} .

The onomastics offers several tracks concerning the etymology of the name of Joseph.

The Bible gives the following origin in the name of Joseph: according to the book of Genesis (Genesis 30:23) ^{[ 5 ]} , Rachel after years of sterility despite his union with Jacob, “Became pregnant, and gave birth to a son, and she said: God removed my stigma” . The Hebrew popular etymology, proposed by the Bible, made Joseph derive from asaf , “Remove, remove”. Of the following verse of this chapter ^{[ 6 ]} , “She gave him the name of Joseph, saying: that the Lord added another son to me” , is drawn the other popular etymology, Joseph deriving from jasaf , ” add ” ^{[ 7 ]} .

Text analysis [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

At the beginning of XX ^{It is} century Hermann Gunkel suggested that, unlike the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that of Joseph forms a single story with literary rather than oral origins. In 1953, Gerhard von Rad made a detailed assessment of his literary style and drew attention to the fact that it was a wisdom literature ^{[ 8 ]} . In 1968 Roger Norman Whybray argued that the style unit involved a unique author, a masterpiece and not a composite text ^{[ 9 ]} . These three ideas are now widely accepted, and the majority of modern biblists date the history of Joseph in its current form as soon as possible IN ^{It is} century of. J.-C. (Persian era).

Many attempts were attempted to find the story of the editorial staff, including the work of Donald Redford. His theory affirms that the first version of history is from the North Kingdom (Israel) and was intended to justify the domination of the “house of Joseph” over the other tribes; This was followed by an addition (chapters 38 and 49) raising Judah as the legitimate successor of Jacob; And finally various embellishments have been added so that history works as the bridge between the Abraham-Isaac-Jacob matter in the genesis and the history of Moses in the exodus. However, several recent approaches to the Joseph cycle attribute an origin often significantly less old ^{[ ten ]} , the dating of the first literary stage that could not go back to the Hellenistic era ^{[ 11 ]} .

The literary analysis of Joseph’s cycle suggests that its history is a post-Sacerdotal writing which seeks to create a literary link between the patriarchs and the exodus thanks to the idea of ​​a descent of the fathers in Egypt. This story is probably designed in Egypt, perhaps in elephantine or more probably in the Delta region (the biblical “gessen”), with posterior editorials and rereadings which took place in the Ptolemaic era (Egyptian Judaism having succeeded , by cunning or subversion, to introduce his theological conceptions into the Torah generally developed by Judaism from Golah (in) Babylonian), which shifts the finalization of the Torah traditionally associated with Persian era ^{[ twelfth ]} .

The current theory accepted by several researchers ^{[ 13 ]} is that Joseph’s cycle is a written story to highlight the Jewish identity of the diaspora in Egypt and Jewish integration into the Egyptian diaspora, Joseph representing a model of social ascent in this host country until you leave the mark of his wisdom in the administration. But, “Unlike other news dealing with life in diaspora, there is not, in Joseph’s novel, competition between social success and the perfect integration of the main protagonist in Egyptian society” (cf. in particular her marriage to Asnath, daughter of an Egyptian priest or the acquisition of an Egyptian name) and his religious convictions ^{[ 14 ]} .

Joseph sold by his brothers [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Anonymous.— Joseph sold in slavery and taken to Egypt. Tapestry of XVII ^{It is} century.

According to the biblical account, Joseph is his father’s favorite son, Jacob. He probably reports the love he had for his favorite wife Rachel, who died at the birth of Benjamin, on their first son. This father’s preference, who manifests himself in the form of a tunic offered as a gift at his 17th birthday, leads to jealousy of Joseph’s half-brothers. Especially since Joseph tells them about the two dreams he makes. In the first, eleven wreaths of the fields (representing his eleven half-brothers) bow before Joseph’s wheat wreath. In the second dream, eleven stars (representing his eleven brothers), the sun (Jacob?) And the moon (Léa?) Post out in front of Joseph. The story of these two dreams only increases the jealousy of the brothers.

One day when Joseph joins his brothers who left to graze the herds, the brothers plot against him. The elder, Ruben, does not want Joseph to be killed. It will be rather stripped then thrown at the bottom of a well. Judah offers to sell Joseph to a caravan of Ismaélite merchants. But Madianites merchants, who pass by, draw Joseph from the tank. They sell him for twenty silver pieces to the Ismaelites, who take him to Egypt. His brothers use the tunic and the blood of lamb to make Joseph’s death believe in their Father Jacob inconsolable.

The interpretation of dreams [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Arrived in Egypt, Joseph is sold as a servant to Potiphar, king’s officer. He makes his business prosper and quickly became his steward. For several years he manages his property. A day ^{[ 15 ]} , Joseph refuses the advances of Potiphar’s wife; She then tells her husband that he tried to seduce her. Joseph is sent to prison.

Joseph shares his cell with the Master-Echanson and the Pharaoh’s Master Panel. One morning, her two companions wake up having each had a dream. Joseph, a great Oniromancian, interprets their dreams. He predicts the master-chanson that he will be innocent and that he will find his duties with the king: he predicts the master-funeral that he will be hanged and eaten by the birds. Three days later, these predictions come true.

The Master-Echanson did not remember Joseph until three years later when Pharaoh has a dream interpreted in different ways: a mage says that the seven ears and cows represent seven lost provinces and seven provinces won. Another said that seven princes will be killed by seven princes married to seven princesses who will kill their seven husbands and then will be killed by their seven sons who will be killed by seven princes. The Master-Echanson then tells the Pharaoh how Joseph interpreted his dream and asks him to get him out of prison. Joseph then told the pharaoh that the seven beautiful ears and cows are years of abundance and that the seven skinny ears and cows are years of famine. He then asks her to choose a wise man and just to watch over this. Pharaoh says then: It is you who will take care of it. I am the pharaoh, but no one in Egypt will raise my foot without your consent. Joseph then paraded in Egypt surrounded by the greats of the country and is acclaimed by the crowd.

Viceroy of Egypt [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Joseph marries Asnath and two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. After seven years of abundance during which Joseph organizes the constitution of reserves, famine fell throughout the region and leads the surrounding populations to come and supplied themselves in Egypt. Jacob sends all his sons, except Benjamin, buy grain. Joseph recognizes them but his brothers do not recognize him because he has changed a lot with age and he now looks like a viceroy in Egypt. He accused his ten spy brothers and imprisoned Siméon to force others to return with Benjamin, the last of the brothers. When they return to Egypt, Joseph is moved to see his little brother again. He makes them go back together but placed a cup in the Benjamin bag to accuse them of theft. Judah devoted herself so that Benjamin can return to their father. Seeing that his brothers learned the lesson, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, then he forgives them ( It was God who brought me coming here ). He invites his father and all his family to come and settle in Egypt.

The day before his death, his heart swollen with joy, Jacob then said to Joseph:

“I can die now my son, since I saw you. »»

Joseph’s tunics [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The tunic offered by Jacob [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Joseph being Jacob’s favorite son, he offered him a tunic as a gift during his 17th birthday. This tunic was not ordinary: it had been designed by Jacob, and was of several colors (Genesis 37, verse 3). It is said that there would be a very precise meaning for each color such as authority for red, holiness for white … Joseph’s tunic would have been embroidered with colored wires intertwined in the fabric and creating different patterns. For some, this multicolored tunic would represent the transmission of Jacob’s prophecy to his son or even divine favor.

In any case, this coat amplified jealousy and hatred that its eleven half-brothers wore it. After the trap they had held out to him, throwing Joseph in a deep well, they used the tunic to prove to their father that they did not lie (Genesis 37, verse 31). Diego Velázquez’s painting, Jacob receiving Joseph’s tunic , illustrates this last scene.

At Potiphar [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

It is a second time Joseph’s clothes during the episode of Potiphar’s wife. This tunic, abandoned in the hands of her master’s wife to escape her when she wants to force him to sleep with her, represents her chastity and fidelity to her master (Genesis 39, verses 12-18).

Burial of Joseph [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Joseph lived until the age of 110, living long enough to know his great grandchildren. Before dying, he made the children of Israel swear when they left the country of Egypt, they would take his bones with them, and to his death, his body was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50, verses 22-26).

Structure [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Genesis Book [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Chapter 30: 22-24: Birth of Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel.
• Chapter 37: Dreams of Joseph, Joseph sold as a slave, sent to Egypt.
• Chapter 39: Potiphar Officer of Pharaoh, his unfaithful wife, Joseph put in prison.
• Chapter 40: Interpretation of the dream of the chief of the exchanges and the chief of the panes in prison with him.
• Chapter 41: Interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, famine in Egypt, Joseph Viceri-Roi d’Egypt, birth of the sons of Joseph.
• Chapter 42: Joseph’s first meeting with his brothers who came to buy wheat, accused of espionage, Simeon hostage.
• Chapter 43: Second meeting, with Benjamin.
• Chapter 44: Benjamin found guilty, Judah offered himself in the place of her brother.
• Chapter 45: Joseph is recognized, the brothers return to announce the good news to their father.
• Chapter 46: Jacob’s family comes to settle as shepherds in Egypt.
• Chapter 47: Jacob blesses the pharaoh, Joseph bought all the Egyptian lands on behalf of Pharaoh.
• Chapter 48: Jacob adopts and blesses the sons of Joseph.
• Chapter 49: Jacob’s blessings to his sons, death of Jacob.
• Chapter 50: Jacob’s burial, end of Joseph’s life.

Other passages [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Exodus 13:19: “Moses took Joseph’s bones with him; Because Joseph had swear the sons of Israel, saying: God will visit you, and you will go up with you my bones far from here. »»
• Joshua 24:32: “The bones of Joseph, whom the children of Israel had brought back from Egypt, were buried in Sichem, in the portion of the field that Jacob had bought sons of Hamor, father of Sichem, percent Kesita, and which belonged to the ‘Inheritance of the sons of Joseph. »»

The Koran tells Joseph’s story (in Arabic: Yusef : Yūsuf ) like that of a great prophet. Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha’labi wanted to give the first name Joseph an Arab origin, making him derive from asaf , “Sadness” or ASIF , “Slave” (or “worshiper”) ^{[ 16 ]} . The Muslim account of the history of Joseph is built from the biblical story but also incorporates elements from Jewish comments of the first centuries BC ^{[ 17 ]} . He takes up the genealogy of Genesis: Joseph is Jacob’s son but as for the other biblical characters, the Koranic story varies on several points with that of the Hebrew Bible ^{[ 17 ]} .

Joseph appears three times in the Koran and his name was given to Sura 12 ( Yusuf ). In Sura 6 ( Al-An’am ), it is mentioned in the middle of other biblical figures. SURAT 40 ( Al-Ghafir ) evokes a man called Joseph but certain commentators like Zamakhshari supposed, due to inconsistencies ^{[ 18 ]} , that this name concerned another Joseph, unknown elsewhere. Surah 12 is formed as a story comprising mainly a series of words. The first verses specify that this is the best story revealed.

Joseph’s nobility was celebrated in the Muslim tradition. The Koran also describes the figure of Zulaykha, a woman who tried to seduce Joseph. Even today, Joseph remains a source of inspiration for Muslim poets or filmmakers ^{[ 17 ]} .

The character of Joseph has given rise to many artistic creations.

Literature [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• The union of Joseph with Asnath, a pagan woman, is not without making a scandal. THE Roman by Joseph and Asneth written in Greek by a Jew of Egyptian origin, is composed at the latest at the beginning of II ^{It is} century, in order to overcome this scandal. Allegorical love novel probably with apologetic vocation, it gives this union a religious and even mystical dimension, by exposing the conversion of Aséneth to the God of Abraham.
• Thomas Mann devoted his romantic tetralogy to him Joseph and his brothers .

Performing Arts [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Paint [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Six cycle ghost By the master of Joseph’s legend, around 1490-1500 (Museums of Berlin, Munich and New York).
• Joseph recognized by his brothers (Paris, École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts), is a painting by Girodet, painted in 1789, which earned him the first prize in Rome.
• OMASIS or Joseph in Egypt , Tragedy of Pierre Baour-Lormian, created in 1806 and which inspired the Méhul Opera.
• Joseph accused by Potiphar’s wife (Washington, National Gallery of Art), is a table by Rembrandt (1606-1669), painted in 1655.
• Joseph receiving Pharaoh’s ring From Giambattista Tiepolo, 1732-1735, kept at the Dulwich Picture Gallery de London ^{[ 19 ]} .
• Joseph sold by his brothers , Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps, 1838, Wallace Collection, Londres ^{[ 20 ]}

Movie theater [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Judaism and Christianity [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Christoph Uehlinger, “Genesis 37-50: The” Roman “of Joseph”, in Thomas Römer, Jean-Daniel Macchi and Christophe Nihan (dir.), Introduction to the Old Testament Labor and Faith, 2009 (ISBN  978-2-8309-1368-2 ) , p. 239-255
• Andrét Vennin, Joseph or the invention of fraternity. Narrative and anthropological reading of Genesis 37–50 , coll. “The book and the roll” n ^O  21, Bruxelles, Lessius, 2005, 352 p.
• (in) D.B. Redford, A Study of the Biblical Story of Joseph (Genesis 37–50) (Supplements to Old Testament, 70), Leiden, 1970.
• Joseph feet, Joseph in Egypt: Genesis chap. 37-50 in the light of recent Egyptological studies , University Publications, 1959, 219 p.

Islam [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi (you.) It Guillaume Dye (you.), The Koran of historians , vol. 2A: Comment and analysis of the Koranic text. Surats 1 to 26 , editions of the deer, 2019 (ISBN  978-2204-13551-1 , read online ) , « Sourate 12 : Yusuf (joseph) », p. 509-554 .
• Jean-Louis Decre, article “Joseph” in Mr. Ali Amir-Moezzi (dir.) Koran dictionary , ed. Robert Laffont, 2007, p. 452-454 .
• (in) Marc S. Bernstein , Stories of Joseph: Narrative Migrations between Judaism and Islam , Wayne State University Press, 2009 (ISBN  978-0-8143-4095-0 ) .
• Abdel Haleem « The story of Joseph in the Qur’an and the old testament », Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations , vol. first, n ^O 2, 1990 , p. 171–191 (ISSN  0959-6410 ) .

Related articles [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

external links [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Fine art resources :
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• Notes in generalist dictionaries or encyclopedias :