Joseph (great-grandfather of Judith)

Looking to help your church and family stay connected to the Word while social distancing?
Check out our free church library, church online resources, and family resources.

Learn more

Joseph (great-grandfather of Judith)

Excerpt from the Lexham Bible Dictionary, the most advanced Bible dictionary.

The first son of Rachel (Gen 30:22–24); he was set apart among the sons of Jacob—favored by his father and despised by his brothers (Gen 37:2–4). Joseph is one of the central figures in the narrative of Jacob’s family contained in the final chapters of Genesis (Gen 37–50).Joseph dies at 110 years old (Gen 50:22–26), after experiencing several cycles of loss and restoration, reconciliation with his brothers, and acceptance of the radical claim that his story was—by no perfection of his own, but by God’s grace and intention—ultimately “good” for Joseph and for others (at least for a time; see Gen 50:20; the use of this deeming word here is sometimes compared to what God spoke over creation; see also Rom 8:28–30; Brueggemann, Genesis, 377).Joseph may function as a bridge character in the Pentateuch between the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and the exodus figures of Moses and Joshua. Joseph’s deportation from Canaan to Egypt initiates the “evacuation” of the promised land (Beal and Gunn, Reading, 58). According to Brueggemann, the central question in the Joseph narrative is “How does one speak about faith in a context where the older ways are found wanting?” (Brueggemann, Genesis, 289). The narrator of Joseph’s story illustrates a most subtle answer: God’s ways are “so high” they are cloaked in mystery and do not rely on human articulation and striving—in fact, God’s ways are working themselves out in the midst of everyday natural and worldly life. And yet, “the purposes of God demand a human counterpart”; they choose to rely on the human actor (Brueggemann, Genesis, 332).

Lexham Bible Dictionary

The most advanced Bible Dictionary

The most advanced Bible dictionary as a part of Biblia Plus, which includes everything you need to take your Bible study to the next level. For less than $1 a week, you'll get devotionals, Bible study guides, thematic studies, and much more!

Expand all Collapse all

Dictionaries

The Lexham Bible Dictionary

Joseph, Son of Jacob

Joseph, Son of Jacob The first son of Rachel (Gen 30:22–24); he was set apart among the sons of Jacob—favored by his father and despised by his brothers (Gen 37:2–4). Joseph is one of the central figures in the narrative of Jacob’s family contained in the final chapters of Genesis (Gen 37–50).Joseph

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary

Joseph (Person)

JOSEPH (PERSON) [Heb yôsēp (יֹוסֵף)]. Several persons in the OT, Apocrypha, and NT bear this name.1. See JOSEPH, SON OF JACOB.2. The father of Igal, the individual selected from the tribe of Issachar to spy out the land of Canaan (Num 13:7).3. A Levite who was one of the “sons of Asaph” (1 Chr 25:2,

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible

Joseph

Joseph. 1. Jacob’s 11th son and the firstborn son of Rachel. Rachel named the boy Joseph, meaning “May he add,” expressing her desire that God would give her another son (Gn 30:24).Nothing more is said about Joseph until, at the age of 17, he is seen tending his father’s flocks with his brothers (Gn

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised

Joseph

Joseph jośəf, jōʹzəf [Heb. yôsēp̱-‘may he add’ (i.e., may God add posterity), ye^ehôsēp̱ (Ps. 81:5 [MT 6]); Gk. Iōsēph, Iōsēs (e.g., TR Mt. 13:55; Mk. 6:3)].

Tyndale Bible Dictionary

Joseph

JOSEPH1. Jacob’s 11th son and the firstborn son of Rachel. Rachel named the boy Joseph, meaning “may he add,” expressing her desire that God would give her another son (Gn 30:24).Nothing more is said about Joseph until, at the age of 17, he is seen tending his father’s flocks with his brothers (Gn

The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated)

Joseph

Joseph (joh´sif).1 The older son of Rachel, who was the favorite wife of Jacob (Israel), ancestor of the Israelites. Thus, Joseph’s descendants form one of the original twelve tribes of Israel (Gen. 49:22–26), but the tribe of Joseph divided into Ephraim and Manasseh after Levi left the tribal structure

The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia

Joseph

JOSEPH1. The eleventh son of Jacob and the first son of his favorite wife Rachel, after her sister Leah had borne Jacob six sons and a daughter. Long barren and desirous of children, Rachel named her first son Joseph (Heb. yôsēp, yhôsēp), “May He (i.e., the Lord) add,” as she explains, “May the

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible

Joseph

Joseph (Heb. yôsēp̱, yĕhôsēp̱; Gk. Iōsḗph, Iosḗs) (also JOSES)1. The 11th son of Jacob and the older son of Rachel. Rachel, the wife whom Jacob loved, was barren for a long time before giving birth to Joseph (Gen. 29:31–30:21). Her words upon giving birth to Joseph reflect the two possible

Eerdmans Bible Dictionary

Joseph

Joseph [jōˊsəf] (Heb. yôsēp̱, yahôsēp̱ “may [God] add [posterity]”).

Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible

Joseph

JOSEPH יוסףI. In biblical genealogical tradition Joseph is the son of →Jacob and →Rachel (Gen 30:22–24). His name is a hypocoristicon, presumably of *yôsîp-ʾēl/DN like yôsîpyāh (Ezra 8:10). Tradition preserves two explanations of his name, the one linking it to the root ’sp (Gen 30:23 E?), the

Catholic Bible Dictionary

Joseph

JOSEPH The name of several important men in Scripture. See individual entries.1. Joseph.2. Joseph, the husband of Mary.3. Joseph, brother of Jesus.4. Joseph of Arimathea.5. Joseph Barsabbas.

Email
Password
Forgot your password?