Genesis 49-50: Study Guide

Background

• Review of Genesis 46-48: Joseph reunites with his father Jacob, and Pharaoh allows Joseph's family to settle in Goshen the best land in Egypt. While the Israelites are supplied with food in Goshen during the famine, Joseph subjects all the Egyptians under Pharaoh in exchange for food. Afterwards Jacob blesses Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh and counts them as his own sons.
• Setting for Genesis 49: Jacob calls for his sons in order to bless them.

Study Preparations

• Timer: Assign a timer who will focus the group on spending 15 minutes in each chapter.
• Prayer: Open in prayer and invite God to provide understanding into Genesis 49-50.

Genesis 49

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 49.

Discussion

1. First Impressions
1. If you were a son of Jacob, what do you think you might be thinking and feeling upon hearing all of your father's blessings?
2. If you were a son of Jacob and you had just heard your father's blessings, would you honor his request to provide him a proper burial?
2. Jacob's Favoritism: Consider Jacob's tendency of showing favoritism towards certain sons.
1. How do you think that Jacob's favoritism plays into his blessings?
2. How seriously can we take Jacob's blessings?
3. Purpose of The Blessings
1. What do you think is the purpose of Jacob's blessings?
2. What lessons do you think is meant to be drawn from the blessings?
4. From Genesis to Present
1. What is your explanation for how Jacob's blessings appear to correspond to the actual histories of the twelve tribes of Israel?
2. How do you think that other readers of Genesis might explain it? Religious readers? Non-religious readers?
5. Authorship
1. Who do you think was involved in the authorship of Genesis 49?
2. Do you think there is a supernatural influence that has shaped the destiny of Israel and its twelve tribes? Why or why not?
3. Advanced Homework: Research source criticism and other forms of higher criticism that attempt to explain the authorship of Genesis 49. Also research the alleged chiastic structure within the Joseph unit of Genesis that is suggestive of a well-thought-out narrative organization. After doing your research, which theories of authorship do you find plausible? Which theories of authorship do you think are implausible or discredited?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 49 into the full picture of Genesis, and transitions the group into Genesis 50. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• [THEME 1]
• [THEME 2]
• [THEME 3]
• [THEME #N]

Genesis 50

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 50.

Discussion

1. [TOPIC 1]: [INSERT TEXT]
2. Significance
1. What do you think is the significance of the Egyptians accompanying the Israelites and mourning for Jacob in the land of Canaan?
2. What do you think is the significance of Joseph's attitude towards his brothers who feared retaliation?
3. What do you think is the significance of the oath that Joseph makes the Israelites swear?
3. Final Mood: Consider the state of the Israelites at the end of Joseph's life, which is generations after Jacob's death. And consider Joseph's promise that "God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." What mood and tone does the ending of Genesis create for its readers? 
4. Ending of Genesis: Upon reading the ending of the book of Genesis, do you feel a sense of resolution? Why or why not?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 50 into the full picture of Genesis, and helps the group anticipate what may be coming in the next study. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• [THEME 1]
• [THEME 2]
• [THEME 3]
• [THEME #N]

Closing

Looking Forward: [INSERT TEXT]

1. [TOPIC 1]: [INSERT TEXT]
2. [TOPIC 2]: [INSERT TEXT]
3. [TOPIC 3]: [INSERT TEXT]
4. [TOPIC #N]: [INSERT TEXT]