창 50:15-26 요셉의 죽음

God’s Good Purposes

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of fthe God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and gfell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for ham I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but iGod meant it for good, to bring it about that many people2 should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; jI will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. 

 

The Death of Joseph

22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children kof the third generation. The lchildren also of Machir the son of Manasseh were mcounted as Joseph’s own.3 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but nGod will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land othat he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then pJoseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They qembalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. 

 

f ch. 49:25

g [ch. 37:7, 10]

h ch. 30:2; [2 Kgs. 5:7]

i ch. 45:5, 7

2 Or a numerous people

j ch. 45:11; 47:12

k [Job 42:16; Ps. 128:6]

l Num. 32:39; 1 Chr. 7:14, 15

m [ch. 30:3]

3 Hebrew were born on Joseph’s knees

n ch. 15:14; 46:4; 48:21; Ex. 3:16, 17; [Heb. 11:22]

o ch. 15:18; 26:3; 28:13; 35:12; 46:4

p Ex. 13:19; Josh. 24:32

q See ver. 2

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 창 50:15–26.

 

15 ◎요셉의 형제들이 그들의 아버지가 죽었음을 보고 말하되 요셉이 혹시 우리를 미워하여 우리가 그에게 행한 모든 악을 다 갚지나 아니할까 하고

16 요셉에게 말을 전하여 이르되 당신의 아버지가 돌아가시기 전에 명령하여 이르시기를

17 너희는 이같이 요셉에게 이르라 네 형들이 네게 악을 행하였을지라도 이제 바라건대 그들의 허물과 죄를 용서하라 하셨나니 당신 아버지의 하나님의 종들인 우리 죄를 이제 용서하소서 하매 요셉이 그들이 그에게 하는 말을 들을 때에 울었더라

18 그의 형들이 또 친히 와서 요셉의 앞에 엎드려 이르되 우리는 당신의 종들이니이다

19 요셉이 그들에게 이르되 두려워하지 마소서 내가 하나님을 대신하리이까

20 당신들은 나를 해하려 하였으나 하나님은 그것을 선으로 바꾸사 오늘과 같이 많은 백성의 생명을 구원하게 하시려 하셨나니

21 당신들은 두려워하지 마소서 내가 당신들과 당신들의 자녀를 기르리이다 하고 그들을 간곡한 말로 위로하였더라

요셉이 죽다

22 ◎요셉이 그의 아버지의 가족과 함께 애굽에 거주하여 백십 세를 살며

23 에브라임의 자손 삼대를 보았으며 므낫세의 아들 마길의 아들들도 요셉의 슬하에서 양육되었더라

24 요셉이 그의 형제들에게 이르되 나는 죽을 것이나 하나님이 당신들을 돌보시고 당신들을 이 땅에서 인도하여 내사 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱에게 맹세하신 땅에 이르게 하시리라 하고

25 요셉이 또 이스라엘 자손에게 맹세시켜 이르기를 하나님이 반드시 당신들을 돌보시리니 당신들은 여기서 내 해골을 메고 올라가겠다 하라 하였더라

26 요셉이 백십 세에 죽으매 그들이 그의 몸에 향 재료를 넣고 애굽에서 입관하였더라

 The Holy Bible: New Korean Revised Version, electronic ed. (South Korea, n.d.), 창 50:15–26.

 

 

15-17절) 요셉의 형들이 아버지 야곱이 죽은 후에 요셉이 자신들이 행한 악에 대해서 복수할까봐 두려워하여 전령을 보내어 아버지가 죽기 전에 하신 말씀이라면서 말을 전했다. 이는 형들이 요셉 네게 악을 했했을지라도 그들의 허물과 죄를 용서하라는 것이었다. 그러면서 그들도 하나님의 종들인 우리의 죄를 용서해달라고 간청했다. 이 메시지를 전해들은 요셉은 이 말을 듣고 울었다.

 

요셉의 형들은 어린 요셉을 미워했다. 아버지의 편애, 말도 안되는 꿈으로 자신들을 업신여긴다고 생각했기 때문이다. 이렇게 형제간에 서로 싸우고 미워할 수 있지만 실제로 해를 가하는 것, 죽이려고 시도하는 것은 차원이 다른 문제이다. 그런데 그것을 형제들은 실행했고 이로 인해서 요셉도 자신들을 미워할까봐 두려움에 떨고 있는 것이다. 해결되지 않은 죄의 문제는 이처럼 두려움을 불러일으킨다. 이처럼 요셉의 형들은 요셉을 노예로 판 일로 인해서 평생을 죄책감에 시달렸고 두려워하였다. 요셉은 하나님의 안목에서 이미 형들을 용서했지만 그들은 아직 용서받지 못했다. 

 

-  16  Rather than face Joseph directly, the brothers send a message to him. Writing letters and sending messages, rather than facing one’s foe directly, is one way to avoid direct confrontation with one’s adversary. David did this (2 Sam. 11:14, 15), and so did Jezebel (1 K. 21:9) and Jehu (2 K. 10:1, 6). The closest parallel to Joseph’s brothers sending a message to Joseph, rather than going themselves, is to be found with Jacob sending messengers with a message to Esau (Gen. 32:4ff. [Eng. 3ff.]). In both cases the one sending the message (Joseph’s brothers, Jacob) is extremely apprehensive about how the offended brother (Joseph, Esau) will react when at last the two groups meet.

 Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 702.

 

요셉은 하나님을 전적으로 신뢰하였고 그래서 하나님의 원리, 모든 것이 합력하여 선을 이루게 하심을 믿었다. 그리고 이를 위해서 하나님께서 형제들을 사용하셔서 자신을 이렇게 이끌어 오셨다는 사실을 알았다. 하지만 형들은 하나님을 전적으로 믿지 못한 것 같다. 하나님께서 세상의 모든 역사를 주관하시고 악을 사용하셔서 선을 이루게 하시는 분이심을 삶으로 경험한 사람과 그런 체험이 없는 사람의 신앙이 같을 수 없다. 그래서 형들은 하나님을 온전히 믿지 못하였기에 요셉이 복수를 할까봐 드려워했던 것이다. 

형들의 전갈을 전해 들은 요셉은 울었다. 50장에서 아버지의 죽음으로 인해서 울었고(1절) 이제 형들 때문에 눈물을 흘리고 있다. 이 요셉의 눈물을 어떤 의미일까? 요셉은 자신의 생애 속에서 많은 눈물을 흘렸다. 억울함과 괴로움, 처량한 신세로 인한 슬픔과 서러움, 외로움의 눈물을 흘렸다. 그러다가 사랑하는 동생 베냐민과 아버지를 만나서 재회의 기쁨의 눈물도 흘렸다. 그리고 아버지를 떠나보내며 눈물을 흘렸다. 그런데 이 순간 요셉은 또 한번의 눈물을 흘리고 있다. 자신이 지난 17년간 형제들에게 마음을 다해서 형들을 용서했다라고, 또한 하나님이 이 일을 하신 것이다라고 말했음에도 형들이 자신의 진심을 받아들이지 못하고 있음으로 인한 아쉬움과 슬픔의 눈물이었다. 어쩌면 가장 가까운 가족들로부터 신뢰를 받지 못함으로 인한 외로움이었을 수도 있다. 

 

18-21절) 앞서 메신저를 보냈다면 이제 그의 형들이 직접 요셉을 찾아와 요셉앞에 엎드려 '우리가 당신의 종들입니다'라고 하였다. 말그대로 이전의 요셉의 꿈이 이루어지고 있는 것이다. 

창세기 37:8 (NKRV)

8그의 형들이 그에게 이르되 네가 참으로 우리의 왕이 되겠느냐 참으로 우리를 다스리게 되겠느냐 하고 그의 꿈과 그의 말로 말미암아 그를 더욱 미워하더니

그러자 요셉은 형들을 위로하며 대답한다. 두려워하지 말것을, 또한 자신이 하나님을 대신할 수 없음을 말한다. 형들이 나를 해하려고 하였지만 하나님은 그것을 선으로 바꾸셔서 많은 백성의 생명을 구원하게 하셨으니 두려워하지 말라고 말하며 자신이 형들과 형들의 자녀들을 기를 것이라고 약속하며 그들을 위로하였다.

 

19절에서 요셉은 형제들에게 두려워하지 말라고 말한다. 용서해달라고 요청하는 형제들에게 요셉은 ‘내가 당신들을 용서한다’라고 말하지 않는다. 이미 그들을 용서했기 때문이다. 도리어 그는 두려워하지 말라고 말한다. 이 두려워하지 말라는 표현은 창세기에서 일반적으로 하나님의 입에서 나오는 표현들이다.(15:1; 21:17; 26:24; 46:3) 유일하게 라헬의 산파가 라헬에게 두려워하지 말라고 말했고 이것이 두번째 예이다. 

또한 요셉은 내가 하나님을 대신할 수 없다라고 말한다. 선악과 사건을 통해서 뱀은 여자에게 이렇게 말한다.

창세기 3:5 (NKRV)

5너희가 그것을 먹는 날에는 너희 눈이 밝아져 하나님과 같이 되어 선악을 알 줄 하나님이 아심이니라

이를 다른 말로 하자면 네가 하나님을 대신할 수 있다라는 말이다. 선악과를 따먹고 하나님과 같이 되어 하나님의 자리를 대신하라고 유혹했다. 창세기의 아담과 하와는 이 뱀의 유혹에 넘어가서 하나님의 자리를 대신할려고 했다면 이제 창세기의 마지막에서 요셉은 자신은 결코 하나님을 대신 할 수 없다라고 분명히 말한다. 아담과 하와는 그 선을 넘으려고 했지만 요셉은 넘지 않았다. 그는 자신이 하나님의 도구일 뿐이지 그분을 대신할 수 없음을 분명히 알고 있었다. 

-  19  In his response Joseph nowhere says: “I forgive you,” as they had requested. He has already forgiven them. The past is water over the dam as far as Joseph is concerned. What he does do is attempt to allay their fears with his Do not be afraid (lit., “fear not”). He does not upbraid them for asking for reconciliation. There is no “ask not,” but rather “fear not.” This expression occurs in Genesis usually in God’s mouth (15:1; 21:17; 26:24; 46:3). Once it is used by Rachel’s midwife to Rachel (35:17). It is the second time the brothers have heard ʾal-tîrāʾû. Much earlier Joseph’s steward had to put them at ease with the same words (43:23).

Joseph follows his words of reassurance with a rhetorical question: God’s surrogate am I? This is the second time this question appears in Genesis. When provoked by his wife to father children for Rachel or else, Jacob responded: haṯaḥaṯ ʾĕlōhîm ʾānōḵî (30:2), exactly as we have in 50:19 (except Joseph uses the pronoun ʾānî). There are two differences between Joseph’s question and Jacob’s, both of which are addressed to family members. One is the interesting difference in the way LXX renders the Hebrew in 30:2 and 50:19. The Greek translation of 30:2 parallels the Hebrew (Mḗ antí theoú egṓ eimi). The Greek translation of 50:19, however, is considerably different. It reads “for I am God’s” (toú gár theoú eimi egṓ). In other words, LXX has Joseph saying to his brothers: “You need have no fear of retribution, for I have God’s view of things, and am therefore above retaliation.”

The second difference is that Jacob qualifies his question: “Am I in God’s place, who has restrained you from having children?” “Am I God,” asks Jacob, “who has power to close and open your womb?” But Joseph leaves his question dangling. It could have been extended to say: “Am I in God’s place to impose retribution? Vengeance is Yahweh’s. He will repay, if necessary” (cf. Deut. 32:35; Rom. 11:19).

While the phrase taḥaṯ ʾĕlōhîm is not explicit in the text, it is implicit in the serpent’s question to Eve. In essence, he tantalizes her with, “Would you like to be in God’s place?” “Would you like to be your own God?” There is a considerable contrast between Adam and Eve and Joseph. Genesis begins by telling us about a primeval couple who tried to become like God, and ends by telling us about a man who denied he was in God’s place.27 Adam and Eve attempted to wipe out the dividing line between humanity and deity. Joseph refuses to try to cross that line. Joseph will only be God’s instrument, never his substitute.28

LXX Septuagint

LXX Septuagint

27 See B. T. Dahlberg, “On recognizing the unity of Genesis,” TD 24 (1976) 363.

28 Lowenthal, Joseph Narrative in Genesis, p. 156.

 Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 704–705.

 

이미 요셉은 하나님께서 야곱의 남은 자손들을 보존하시기 위해서 자신을 먼저 애굽에 보내셨음을 알고 고백했다.(45:7-8)

창세기 45:7–8 (NKRV)

7하나님이 큰 구원으로 당신들의 생명을 보존하고 당신들의 후손을 세상에 두시려고 나를 당신들보다 먼저 보내셨나니

8그런즉 나를 이리로 보낸 이는 당신들이 아니요 하나님이시라 하나님이 나를 바로에게 아버지로 삼으시고 그 온 집의 주로 삼으시며 애굽 온 땅의 통치자로 삼으셨나이다

20절에서 요셉은 하나님께서 악을 선으로 바꾸시는 분이심을 강조한다. 이것의 완전한 성취는 바로 그리스도의 십자가이다. 사람들은 구원자로오신 예수님을 십자가에 못박았다. 완전한 악을 행한 것이다. 하지만 우리 주님은 그들의 악을 온몸으로 받으시고 죽으셨다. 하지만 그 죽음에 굴복하신 것이 아니라 부활하심으로 그 죽음, 악을 깨뜨리시고 그 죽음의 굴레에 매여있는 이들을 해방시키셨다. 완전한 악을 완전한 선으로 갚으신 것이다.  형들이 요셉을 시기히여 그를 죽이려고 하다가 요셉을 애굽에 노예로 팔아서 오랜기간 고생을 했지만 요셉은 애굽의 총리가 된다. 그가 총리가 됨으로 말미암아 많은 백성이 구원을 받았다. 여기서 많은 백성은 일차적으로는 야곱의 가족들, 이스라엘을 말한다. 하지만 더 나아가서 요셉으로 말미암아 애굽의 모든 백성들과 인근의 많은 민족들이 기근으로부터 구원을 받게 되었다. 하나님은 이 큰 그림 속에서, 많은 백성을 구원하시기 위해서 요셉을 애굽에 보내신 것이다. 그리고 이것의 큰 그림의 종국에는 이스라엘을 통해서 메시야가 오시는 것이다.

성경에는 이처럼 악을 선으로 바꾼 이야기가 많이 등장한다. 다니엘, 에스더, 룻뿐만 아니라 유다의 배신 또한 십자가에 필수적이었다. 요셉의 형제들의 악행이 요셉을 통한 구원에 필수적이었다면 유다의 배신또한 그리스도의 십자가에 필수적이었다. 

 

-  20  Only once before has Joseph explained to his brothers his experiences in a decidely theological, reflective way. In 45:7–8 he testified that it was God who sent him to Egypt ahead of them to preserve a remnant among Jacob’s descendants.

Joseph states that his brothers have done something malicious against me (ḥašaḇtem ʿālay rāʿá).29 The brothers’ evil intentions and imaginations against Joseph parallel similar evil inner thoughts and plannings among Noah’s contemporaries (weḵol-yēṣer maḥšeḇōṯ libbô raq raʿ, 6:5).

In contrast to the brothers’ evil machinations is the something beneficial God has done for Joseph (ʾĕlōhîm ḥašāḇá leṭōḇá). It may well be that we need to follow Brueggemann’s suggestion and look to the Psalter for the full explication of this verse, rather than to wisdom literature as von Rad has done.30 It is especially in Psalms of lament that one reads frequently of God who defeats and frustrates the plans (maḥšeḇôṯ) of the wicked. Indeed, ḥāšaḇ in the Qal occurs more often in Psalms (11 times) than in any other book except Jeremiah (12 times).

As attractive as it is, Brueggemann’s proposal overlooks one point. The text reads literally, “You planned [or ‘reckoned,’ or ‘did’] against me evil; God planned [or ‘did’] it for good.” That is, the second occurrence of ḥāšaḇ (now with God as the subject) has a pronominal suffix (3rd fem. sing.) attached to it. The antecedent for “it” can only be rāʿá or an implied maḥašāḇá. It appears then, that Joseph states that God took the evil his brothers planned against him and turned it into good.

What is this good? The last part of v. 20 answers that question: the survival of many people. We cannot be certain who is meant by many people (ʿam-rāḇ).31 To be sure, it includes Jacob’s family. The suffering and humiliation inflicted on Joseph by Jacob’s family becomes the means of the salvation of Jacob’s family. One speculates whether many people might also include the citizenry of Egypt.32 They too survived because of Joseph, or, better, because of what Joseph’s God did with and through Joseph. Because of God’s providential turning of sour events into divinely used events in the life of one man, the chosen survive, and the unchosen survive. God sends his blessings on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45).

Of von Rad’s famous dictum about v. 20—“Such a bold mixture of divine activity and guilty human deeds was never attempted again by the teachers”—we find the last part most interesting.33 Now, by “teachers” von Rad refers to the teachers of the wisdom schools. However, the theme of a beneficent divine plan at work through calamity and confusion is by no means confined to Gen. 50:20. One thinks of Daniel, Esther, Ruth, and many others who illustrate the same theme.

Perhaps the best parallel to Gen. 50:20 is the case of Judas Iscariot in the NT. He is both evil and important (much as there are others who are good and important). In lifting up his heel against his friend, Judas is marked as the archetypal traitor. He is additionally a figure of sinister importance in the working out of the divine will. Judas is to Jesus what Joseph’s brothers were to Joseph.

29 For other instances of ḥāšaḇ ʿal … rāʿâ cf. Jer. 48:2; Mic. 2:3 (with God as subject!); Hos. 7:15 (Piel, but using the preposition ʾel). Close to ḥāšaḇ rāʿâ is ḥāšaḇ ʾāwen (Ezek. 11:2; Mic. 2:1; Ps. 36:5 [Eng. 4]).

30 See W. Brueggemann, “Genesis L 15–21: A theological exploration,” Congress Volume: Salamanca, 1983, ed. J. A. Emerton, VTSup 36 (Leiden: Brill, 1985), pp. 40–53, esp. pp. 47–49; repr. in Old Testament Theology: Essays on Structure, Theme, and Text, ed. P. D. Miller, Jr. (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992), pp. 203–18; von Rad, Genesis, pp. 435–39, esp. pp. 438–39. N. Niehoff (“Do Biblical Characters Talk to Themselves? Narrative Modes of Representing Inner Speech in Early Biblical Fiction,” JBL 111 [1992] 579) draws attention to the threefold use of the verb ḥāšaḇ in Genesis when attributed to humans: Laban considering his daughters Rachel and Leah as outsiders (31:15); Judah mistakenly taking Tamar for a harlot (38:15); Joseph’s brothers plotting harm against Joseph (50:20). Niehoff notes that in these three instances the verb does not “describe a conscientious deliberation of an individual but rather refers to one’s illusionary perception of reality.… In all of these cases the narrator subsequently shows how the figures’ own conceptions are wrong and contradict God’s plan for the world.”

fem. feminine

sing. singular

31 Cf. ʾāḏām rāḇ in Job 36:28 for a kindred expression.

32 See H. W. Wolff, “Kerygma of the Yahwist” (tr. W. A. Benware), in W. Brueggemann and Wolff, The Vitality of Old Testament Traditions, 2nd ed. (Atlanta: John Knox, 1982), p. 59.

33 G. von Rad, Wisdom in Israel, tr. J. D. Martin (Nashville: Abingdon, 1972), p. 200.

 Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 705–707.

 

-  50:18–21 Probably encouraged by news of Joseph’s reaction to their message, the brothers also came and fell down before him. Once again, their obeisance and words, Behold, we are your servants, fulfill Joseph’s dreams (37:5–10). Echoing what he had said previously (see 45:5–9), Joseph stresses that God transformed their evil into good and that as a result, many people have been kept alive. This principle that God ultimately overrules human sin for his glory and the ultimate good of mankind is important in Scripture. The crucifixion is the prime example of it (Acts 3:13–26; Rom. 8:28). Joseph’s gracious, forgiving attitude unites the family. Like the lives of Jacob and Esau, Joseph’s life was marred by deadly hatred between brothers. In both cases the story ends with the offended brother’s offering full forgiveness to those who had mistreated him (Gen. 33:4).

 Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 136.

 

22-23절) 요셉이 야곱의 가족과 함께 애굽에 거주하여 110세를 살았다. 요셉은 에브라임의 자손 3대를 보았고 므낫세의 아들 마길의 아들들도 요셉의 슬하에서 양육되었다. 마길은 훗날 므낫세 지파중 가장 유력한 족장이 된다. 

요셉은 17살까지 가나안에서 살았다. 그리고 그 이후 93년을 애굽에서 살았던 것을 알 수 있다. 아버지를 떠나 보낼 때 요셉의 나이는 56세쯤 이었다, 그는 54년을 더 살고 110세에 죽었다. 당시 애굽 사람들은 가장 이상적인 수명이 110세라고 여겼다. 

창세기에서 이렇게 요셉과 야곱의 죽음을 명시하지만 다른 형제들이 언제 죽었는지는 알 수 없다. 

 

24-26절) 요셉이 자신의 죽음이 임박한 것을 알고 형제들에게 자신은 이제 죽게 될 것이지만 하나님께서 형제들을 돌보실 것이며, 이땅에서 인도하여내셔서 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱에게 맹세하신 땅에 이르게 하실 것이라고 말했다. 또한 요셉은 이스라엘 자손에게 그들이 이곳에서 나갈 때 자신의 해골을 가지고 갈 것을 맹세시켰다. 이에 요셉이 110세에 죽었고 앞서 야곱에게 향으로 처리한것처럼 요셉의 몸에 향 재료를 넣어 방부 처리하였고 애굽에서 입관하였다.

24절은 지속적으로 하나님께서 창세기에서 족장들에게 약속하신 내용으로 이는 자손들에게 지속적으로 전해졌고 결국 성취된다. 하나님은 거룩하시고 신실하신 분으로 이 신실함은 그리스도에게서 가장 놀랍게 표현되고 성취된다.(고후 1:20)

-  50:24 God’s promises stand firm through generations (12:7; 15:13–14). His faithfulness is expressed climactically in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20).

 Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 137.

-  24  Joseph may live to see his great-grandchildren, but he will not live forever. He speaks to his brothers (all of them?). Although he is the second youngest of thirteen children, some of his siblings may outlive him. For all his obedience and faithfulness to God, he does not enjoy longevity beyond that of his brothers.

Joseph’s last words to his family are a testimony: God will surely come to your assistance [lit., “visit,” pāqaḏ],19 and bring you up from this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob (i.e., his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father).20 There is not a hint that God will give the land to Joseph’s family because of any merits they have. The land is theirs because of divine grace and promise only. Gen. 50:24 is much like Deut. 6:10, “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.…” This kind of verse is more striking in Deuteronomy than it is in Genesis. Deuteronomy, we recall, brims with the teaching that land acquisition is a reward, a blessing for obedience. But is this always the case? Deut. 6:10 suggests there are other explanations—unmitigated grace and promise, for example.

19 On pqd as an act of the favor of Yahweh according to an earlier promise (cf. 21:1), see G. André, Determining the Destiny: PQD in the Old Testament, ConBOT 16 (Lund: Gleerup; Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell, 1980), pp. 207–8.

20 Note in this brief pericope (vv. 22–26) Joseph stands in the middle of a seven-generation span: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Manasseh, Machir, sons of Machir. Joseph is the grandson of a grandfather, and the grandfather of a grandson.

 Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 711.

 

야곱은 자신의 매장지를 특정하였지만 요셉은 이를 특정하고 있지는 않는다. 요셉은 하나님께서 반드시 이스라엘을 돌보시고 지키심으로 그들을 조상들에게 약속하신 땅으로 돌려 보내실 것을 알았고 그때 자신의 시체를 가지고 갈 것을 명령하고 있다. 이후 모세가 출애굽을 하면서 이 명령을 성취한다.

출애굽기 13:19 (NKRV)

19모세가 요셉의 유골을 가졌으니 이는 요셉이 이스라엘 자손으로 단단히 맹세하게 하여 이르기를 하나님이 반드시 너희를 찾아오시리니 너희는 내 유골을 여기서 가지고 나가라 하였음이더라

결국 요셉은 세겜에 장사된다.

여호수아 24:32 (NKRV)

32또 이스라엘 자손이 애굽에서 가져 온 요셉의 뼈를 세겜에 장사하였으니 이곳은 야곱이 백 크시타를 주고 세겜의 아버지 하몰의 자손들에게서 산 밭이라 그것이 요셉 자손의 기업이 되었더라

-  50:24–26 With death imminent, Joseph makes arrangements for his bones to be taken to Canaan. Unlike his father Jacob (see 49:29–32), Joseph does not focus on the burial site at Machpelah. Rather, he confidently affirms that God will lead the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan. When this happens, Joseph wants his bones to be transported there. Later, Moses fulfills this instruction (Ex. 13:19), and Joseph’s remains are eventually buried at Shechem (Josh. 24:32). embalmed. See note on Gen. 50:1–3. Now the first audience of Genesis has the relevant parts of the backstory to the book of Exodus, which relates events much closer to their own time and indeed part of their own experience.

 Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 137.

 

이렇게 요셉의 파란만장한 삶이 끝났다. 견디기 힘든 외로움과 슬픔, 억장이 무너지는 듯한 원통함과 억울함으로 얼룩졌던 그의 일생이 막을 내렸다. 이제부터 이스라엘 백성들은 잠잠히 여호와의 구원을 기다려야 한다. 야곱도, 요셉도 언젠가는 그분이 오셔서 이스라엘 백성을 아브라함에게 주셨던 약속의 땅 가나안으로 인도해 가실 것이라는 말을 남기고 숨을 거두었다. 그들은 이들이 남긴 말을 믿고 기다려야 한다. 창세기를 이어 펼쳐지는 출애굽기의 이야기는 마치 긴 겨울잠에서 깨어나 기지개를 켜며 꿈틀거리는 듯한 이스라엘의 구속역사의 다음 장이 된다. 이런 면에서 히브리어 사본으로는 창세기를 마무리하고 있는 마지막 단어가 ‘이집트’(미스라임)이라는 점이 우연이 아닌 듯싶다. 

 

 

 

 

 

THE NEW TESTAMENT APPROPRIATION

a. The Joseph Narrative and Acts 7:9–16

Two sections of Stephen’s lengthy speech in Acts 7 are given over to a discussion of Genesis material: vv. 2–8, Abraham; vv. 9–16, Joseph. Stephen focuses on the first and last generation in Gen. 12–50, omitting completely Isaac, and mentioning Jacob only as a footnote to his son Joseph.

Interestingly, Stephen refers to the brothers of Joseph as “patriarchs.” Because they were jealous of Joseph (zēlóō, and see Gen. 39:11), they sold him into Egypt. Stephen says nothing about the involvement of the Midianites and Ishmaelites, even though 37:28 speaks of the brothers (or the Midianites) selling Joseph to Ishmaelites, and 37:36 speaks of Midianites selling Joseph into Egypt (the exact phrase used in Acts 7:9b). Ignoring the material in Gen. 37, Stephen uses instead Joseph’s statement of Gen. 45:4. It is clear from the outset that Stephen is drawing a line of vivid contrast between Joseph and his patriarchal brothers.

Because God was with Joseph (Acts 7:9c), God delivered Joseph out of all his afflictions (thlípseōn). What Reuben could not do for Joseph, God did for Joseph. Stephen goes on to use words that, although accurate, do not appear in Genesis. Note, for example, Stephen’s assertion that God gave wisdom (sophían) to Joseph before Pharaoh, and that Pharaoh appointed Joseph “ruler” (hēgoúmenon) over Egypt (v. 10).1

In v. 11 Stephen makes the point that “our fathers” (i.e., Joseph’s patriarchal brothers) could find no food or sustenance (chortásmata) when the famine came. He says nothing about the Egyptians’ inability to find food. Furthermore, Stephen refers to this famine as a time of “great tribulation” (thlípsis megálē) for the brothers, the word the writer used two verses earlier for Joseph’s own sufferings. God delivered Joseph from his tribulations (thlípseis, v. 10). How will he deliver the brothers from their tribulation (thlípsis, v. 11)?

Stephen recalls subsequent visits of family members (v. 13), including Jacob (vv. 14–15), to Egypt. But Stephen does not comment on how God (through Joseph) delivered the patriarchs from death; nor is there any reference to the congenial arrangements for settlement in Goshen. He even mentions the death of Joseph’s brothers (v. 15b), something Gen. 50 does not do.

The remark in v. 16 that the bodies of Jacob and his sons (“our fathers”) were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem is of particular interest for two reasons. First, the reference to Jacob and Joseph’s brothers being buried in Shechem does not seem to agree with Gen. 49:29–33 and 50:13, which claim that Jacob was buried in the cave of Machpelah at Hebron, although one might assume that the subject of the verbs of v. 16a refers only to the sons of Jacob, not including Jacob himself. Second, nowhere does the OT refer to Abraham purchasing property at Shechem, but Gen. 33:19 does tell of Jacob purchasing a plot of land at Shechem from the sons of Hamor. Has Stephen confused Shechem with Hebron, and Abraham with Jacob? It is difficult, but not impossible, to harmonize these traditions.2 Could it be that Acts 7:16 reflects the possibility of a Samaritan tradition, especially with the reference to Shechem, which Luke has used in Acts 7:16?3 The weakness with that argument is that elsewhere the Samaritan Pentateuch clearly records the burial of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at Hebron. Thus it is unlikely that the replacement of Hebron by Shechem in Acts 7:16 betrays Samaritan influence. We are left then only with the explanation that Stephen has telescoped two purchases of land, one by Abraham in Shechem, one by Jacob in Shechem.4

Throughout the pericope (vv. 9–10) Joseph is in bold contrast with his brothers. Near the end of his speech Stephen accuses his audience with “as your fathers did, so do you” (v. 51). Since “fathers” (in a negative light) are so prominent in Acts 7:9–16 (cf. vv. 11, 12, 14, 15), and elsewhere in the speech, it may be that Stephen means to connect the brothers of Joseph with his murderous audience. They wanted to kill Joseph, and Stephen’s audience wishes to kill Stephen. In a broader sense, Joseph is also a forerunner of Stephen—God is with both, and upon both, and upon both shines the glory of God.5

b. The Joseph Narrative and Heb. 11:21–22

The writer of Hebrews devotes but one verse each to Jacob (v. 21) and to Joseph (v. 22) in his list of heroes of faith in the OT, and both are deathbed scenes. V. 21 goes back to Gen. 47:31 (LXX), and v. 22 goes back to Gen. 50:24–25.

On his deathbed Jacob, by faith, blessed the two sons of Joseph (whom the writer does not name). Joseph on his deathbed made mention of the Exodus of the Israelites, and gave directions concerning his burial.

What Jacob’s faith and Joseph’s faith have in common is their future orientation, the deep conviction that God has a future for his people beyond the circumstances of the present. Jacob’s hands and Joseph’s bones6 will play some part in that future.7

c. The Joseph Narrative and Matt. 12

While Matt. 1–2 does not refer explicitly to the OT Joseph, Matthew appears to make the case that the NT Joseph is reliving the experiences of the OT Joseph. Both Josephs receive revelation in dreams, and both go down to Egypt. Both are involved with a king (Pharaoh, Herod). Both are followed by children who are destined to be saviors and rescuers of the oppressed. Thus the parallel is: OT Joseph-dreams-wicked Pharaoh-infant Moses :: NT Joseph-dreams-wicked Herod-infant Jesus.8

d. The Joseph Narrative and Matt 21:33–46; Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–19

While it is unlikely a conscious appropriation of material from the Joseph story, one cannot help but notice the parallel between the words of the wicked tenant farmers in the parable when they saw the son of the vineyard sent by his father to collect the landlord’s share and the words used by Joseph’s brothers after he has been sent to them by his father. In both instances the larger group say among themselves, “Come! Let us kill him,” deute apokteínōmen autón (Gen. 37:20; Matt. 21:38; Luke 20:14).

1 The problem here is the absence in LXX of Gen. 41:40, 43 to any equivalent to hēgoúmenon. See E. Richard, “The Old Testament in Acts: Wilcox’s Semitisms in Retrospect,” CBQ 42 (1980) 333–34.

2 As does W. H. Mare, “Acts 7: Jewish or Samaritan in Character?” WTJ 34 (1971) 19–20, using strained arguments.

3 C. H. H. Scobie, “The Use of Source Material in the Speeches of Acts III and VII,” NTS 25 (1979) 407–8.

4 F. F. Bruce, Book of the Acts, NICNT, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988), p. 137 n. 35; L. Johnson, Acts of the Apostles, Sacra Pagina (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 1992), p. 119.

5 See E. Richard, “The Polemical Character of the Joseph Episode in Acts 7,” JBL 98 (1979) 255–67; J. J. Kilgallen, “The Function of Stephen’s Speech (Acts 7, 2–53),” Bib 70 (1989) 181.

LXX Septuagint

6 M. Wilcox, “The Bones of Joseph: Hebrews 11:22,” in Scripture: Meaning and Method: Essays Presented to A. T. Hanson, ed. B. P. Thompson (Hull: Hull University, 1987), pp. 114–30.

7 G. W. Buchanan, To the Hebrews, AB (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1972), pp. 196–97; H. W. Attridge, Hebrews, Hermeneia (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1989), pp. 336–37; F. F. Bruce, Epistle to the Hebrews, rev. ed., NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), pp. 305–7.

8 R. E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1977), pp. 111–12; idem, A Coming Christ in Advent (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 1988), pp. 34–35

 Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 712–715.