Israel-©-MEA-20170913-(N85)–12-Tribes-11-Joseph
The Tribe of Joseph
Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob and his mother was Rachel. Joseph was blessed by his father, who said, “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.” (Genesis 30:22-24)
When Joseph was in Egypt, he had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (who are often called the “two half-tribes of Joseph”). Often, the Tribe of Joseph is listed as the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, which consequently was termed the House of Joseph (Beit Yosef).
The above mosaic shows an ‘ox’, which is attributed to the blessing of his son Ephraim, “His first-born is his ox”. Joseph achieved greatness through his challenges. He overcame all adversaries and became a great leader, saving his entire generation. Despite his corrupt environment, he maintained his spiritual integrity. When Joseph’s sons arrived in the Promised Land, their territory spanned the Jordan River.
Next week we will look at the last of the twelve sons, Benjamin.
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