Genesis Bible Study: Lesson 7 of 7

GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH

Genesis 37:1-50:26

Key Verse 45:5

**  The Lord Was With Joseph (37:1-41:57)

1. Read 37:1-36.Why did Joseph’s brothers hate him (1-11)?What did Joseph’s brothers plan to do to him (20)?How did Reuben try to rescue him (21-22)?How did Judah lead his brothers to sell Joseph as a slave (26-28)?What did they lead their father to believe (31-33)?

2. Read 38:1-30.Why do you think Judah left his brothers (1)?How did Judah lose his first two sons (6-10)?Why was Judah afraid to let his youngest son marry Tamar (11)?What might Judah have learned through these experiences (cf. 37:34-35)?How did Tamar get Judah to fulfill his duty to her?Why is the son who came from this union important (cf. Mt 1:1-3)?

3. Read 39:1-40:23.How did Joseph prosper as a slave (39:2-6)?Yet how did Joseph end up in prison (7-20)?How did Joseph prosper in prison (21-23)?How did Joseph help Pharaoh’s cupbearer and Baker (40:1-22)?Yet how did the chief cupbearer repay Joseph (40:23)?How do you think Joseph could endure so many injustices?

4. Read 41:1-57.How did Joseph come to Pharaoh’s attention (1-14)?What did Joseph tell Pharaoh (15-36)?What position did Pharaoh give Joseph (37-46)?What did Joseph do in this position (47-49)?What was Joseph’s testimony when his two sons were born (50-52)?What can you learn from Joseph?

**  It Was to Save Lives that God Sent Me (42:1-50:26)

5. Read 42:1-45:8.What did Joseph do when his brothers came to Egypt to get food (42:6-9)?Briefly outline what Joseph put his brothers through.How did they interpret what was going on (42:21-22, 28; 44:16)?How did Joseph feel when he saw his brothers and their distress (43:23-24; 30-31; 45:1-2)?What was the fruit of all that Joseph put his brothers through (44:16-34)?Why wasn’t Joseph bitter toward his brothers for selling him as a slave (45:4-8)?

6. Read 45:9-48:22.How did God use Joseph to help fulfill his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (45:11, 17-18; 46:1-6, 33-34; 47:11-12; cf. Ge 15:13)?How was Joseph’s way of distributing food to the people during the years of famine wise (47:13-26)?What promise did Jacob ask Joseph to make (47:27-31)?What can you learn from Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh?

7. Read 49:1-50:26.Why did Jacob not give favorable blessings to his first three sons (49:1-7)?What is the significance of Judah’s blessing (8-12)?What was the significance of Jacob’s burial in the cave in the field of Machpelah (49:29-50:14)?What did Joseph’s brothers fear after Jacob’s death (50:15-17)?How did Joseph reassure them (19-21)?What was Josephs’ final request (24-25)?