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THE INFLUENCE OF JOSEPH
To truly understand the reasons for having any temple at Jerusalem, one
really should begin with the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. This has now
been firmly established as having taken place in the year 1447 NC; in the reign
of Dudimose; the last Pharaoh of the 13th. Dynasty, (1448-1440 NC). (See Appendix
C) Hitherto, Ramesses II had always been held responsible for cruelty to the
Jews during the Oppression or Bondage and which ended with the Exodus. Whereas
in fact he was of the 19th. Dynasty and reigned nearly 500 years later. There
will be more about him further on.
Up until the time of the Exodus, the Israelites had lived and worked in Egypt
for almost 215 years (not 430 years as in the Old Testament (1)).
Joseph (Yoséf) was, in fact, the first to lead his people from Canaan to Egypt,
albeit unintentionally. This arose because seven of his brothers, jealous of his
obvious high intelligence, had kidnapped him, thrown him into a well, and were
contemplating the means of his death, when a passing caravan of Midianites
presented a more convenient solution. Instead, therefore, Joseph was sold to
them, and the Midianites in turn sold him as a bonded slave to Potiphar, head of
the Royal Guard at Memphis. This was in 1683 NC and Joseph was barely seventeen
years old.
After a while, his new situation attracted the amorous attentions of
Potiphar's wife, but Joseph would have none of them. Consequently, he was
imprisoned on the false charge of sexual harassment. Whilst in prison, he
befriended two former courtiers and, through them, acquired a reputation for
accurate interpretations of dreams.
Upon his release, one of these courtiers later told Pharaoh Amenemhat III,
Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt. The king became curious, as he himself had
been bedevilled by the recurring dreams of seven lean cows eating seven fat
cows. Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to give his interpretation. This
amounted to a warning that Egypt would enjoy seven prosperous years but that
this would be followed by seven years of famine. Joseph advised prudence and
comprehensive planning. Pharaoh was so impressed that he promoted Joseph
immediately to the post Vizier. So it was in 1670 NC, that Joseph became the
most powerful man in the country, second only to Pharaoh himself. He was now
aged thirty.
Eight years later, with the predicted famine having its effect, Joseph
encouraged his father, Jacob (Ya'akóv), together with a large number of
relatives and other Jews, to emigrate to Egypt from Canaan in order to enjoy the
benefits of Joseph's husbandry, and to begin what became known as The Sojourn.
Jacob and many of his family and followers settled in the district of Goshen
in northeast Egypt. Jacob himself built his home at Avaris. Some 17 years later,
Jacob died and Joseph then had a palace constructed on top of the foundations of
his father's former residence.
Joseph went on to serve 10 Pharaohs. Indeed, at one time he was the sole
ruler of Egypt for six years (1625-1619 NC) until a new Pharaoh could be chosen.
He was over 100 years old when he died and was buried within a mausoleum
adjoining his palace.
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