Genesis

Bible studies with Don Isaac Abravanel’s commentary (also spelled Abarbanel) has withstood the test of
time. For over five centuries, Abravanel has delighted – and enlightened – clergy and layman alike,
offering enduring interpretations of the Bible. Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblical
commentator. Chapter 37 starts one of the Bible’s most disturbing – and protracted – scandals: the sale
of Joseph by his brothers. The sibling’s recrimination, antagonism, conflict, and resolution accompany
readers to the end of the book of Genesis.  But first we read of Jacob's retirement from physical labor.

“And Jacob settled in the land where his father had sojourned, in the
land of Canaan.”

Abravanel sets the scene of the selling of Joseph by first focusing on Jacob. “And Jacob settled in the
land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan.” He asks: What information does the verse
convey? We read in an earlier chapter: “And Jacob came unto Isaac his father to Mamre, to Kiriatharba,
the same is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.” Since the Bible does not mention that Jacob
left or traveled from Hebron, we may safely assume that Jacob settled there.

Abravanel follows up with a second question. “And Jacob settled in the land where his father sojourned”
does not need to spell out the obvious: “In the land of Canaan.” Bible students are fully aware that Isaac
never left Canaan.

According to Abravanel, there are two approaches to this chapter’s lead verses. They provide
remarkable insights into Jacob’s mindset as he settled back home, in Canaan. This blog covers one of the
approaches. See Abravanel’s World for the full treatment.

Abravanel begins by characterizing Jacob during the Paddan-Aram years, when he worked for Laban. An
ambitious go-getter, the patriarch doggedly pursued wealth and material acquisitions – day and night.

From the moment Jacob returned to Isaac in Hebron, his priorities changed. Isaac’s home was wholly
dedicated to spirituality and service to the Maker. Religious opportunity converged from two angles.
One, the first patriarch Abraham set the right tone by establishing Hebron as a place well-suited for
spiritual growth. Jacob’s father, Isaac, for his part, redoubled efforts in maintaining Hebron’s holy aura.
Two, the land of Canaan is wired to inspire man to reach his full potential. God’s chosen land is a fount of divine revelation.

No sooner had Jacob come home than he realigned his goals, himself. Acquiring money and increasing
assets no longer interested him. Instead, Jacob sought solitude, and divine wisdom. He longed to follow
in Abraham’s and Isaac’s footsteps.

But, if Jacob retired, who would pick up the slack and oversee the vast flocks and family empire? The
patriarch eyed his sons, all strapping young men. “And Jacob settled…” He had enough of the nomadic
life, always on the move and lookout for pastures. Now, it was his sons’ turn to keep the business going.

In sum, Jacob’s transition from entrepreneur to noble patriarch occurred when he reached Hebron.
Learning timeless values from Abraham and Isaac, along with the proper ambience and location
afforded by Canaan carried Jacob to ever higher religious awareness. Indeed, Jacob’s spiritual labor
benefited from Hebron’s strong tailwinds, a sacred haunt.

Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblical
commentator. In chapter 42, we read how Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams was correct.
Seven go-go years in Egypt came and went. A bitter famine began to rear its ugly head. This chapter
focuses on Jacob’s reaction to the harsh reality and existential threat.

“Now Jacob saw that there were provisions in Egypt. And Jacob said
unto his sons: Why do you look upon one another? And he said: Behold,
I have heard that there are supplies in Egypt. Go down there, and buy
for us there, that we may live, and not die.”

Abravanel asks: What is Jacob’s revelation, regarding the news that Egypt was flush with provisions?
After all, Egypt was a vast empire, with much fertile land. It regularly generated a surfeit of crops and
boasted plenty of food supplies. Certainly nothing novel about that. And, of course, Egypt’s
commodities’ market had been well-developed. What, then, did Jacob hear? And what did the patriarch
mean when he asked: “Why do you look upon one another?”

Abravanel explains that Jacob wasn’t interested in disclosing the obvious, namely that Egypt was a
veritable bread basket in the Middle East. Rather, the patriarch had heard that Egypt’s government was
opening their grain to non-Egyptians. “Now Jacob saw that there were provisions in Egypt. And Jacob
said unto his sons: Why do you look upon one another?”

Furthermore, Jacob saw that traveling businessmen were selling Egyptian grain to Canaanites. Jacob’s
family was paying retail. For this the patriarch rebuked his sons, demanding they stop twiddling their
thumbs, per se. “Go down there” Jacob scolded. “And buy for us there, that we may live, and not die.”

Jacob’s sons got an earful about hard work, and healthy attitudes toward making a living and supporting
their families. They should not act arrogantly, as if labor and toil were beneath their honor. Jacob bid
them to stop acting like they were rich and could afford to pay traveling merchants exorbitant prices.
“Go down there”, said Jacob. Don’t put on airs, as if it was too much trouble to go to Egypt and buy
food. In a word, Abravanel teaches the proper Jewish work ethic.

To paraphrase Abravanel: A man must degrade himself, when it comes to buying necessities. Indeed,
there isn’t an ounce of shame or embarrassment in it.

Bible studies with Don Isaac Abravanel’s commentary (also spelled Abarbanel) has withstood the test of
time. For over five centuries, Abravanel has delighted – and enlightened – clergy and layman alike,
offering enduring interpretations of the Bible.

Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblical
commentator. In chapter 43, a heart-wrenching reunion takes place in Egypt. A disguised Joseph sets his
eyes upon his kid brother, Benjamin. However, Pharaoh’s viceroy isn’t ready to reveal his true identity
and keeps up the façade that Jacob’s sons are treacherous scoundrels and spies.

“And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s
son, and said: Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke unto
me? And he said: God be gracious unto you, my son.”

Abravanel asks the meaning of Joseph’s blessing to Benjamin: “And he said: God be gracious unto you,
my son.”What motivated him to bless his younger brother at this juncture? For backstory, Abravanel
calculates that Benjamin was about thirty-one-years old at the time. He adds that Benjamin was married
and a father to ten sons.

The last time that Joseph had seen Benjamin was when his little brother was five or six years old.
Further, Abravanel questions why Joseph snidely asks his brothers: “Is this your youngest brother of
whom you spoke unto me?” Pay attention to the tone.

Abravanel supplies Bible students with important context, prior to answering his questions. “And he
lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin…and said: Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke unto
me?”And then immediately, Joseph blesses Benjamin: “God be gracious unto you, my son.”

Earlier, Joseph accused his brothers of espionage. They denied charges, giving more family details,
including the fact that they had a baby brother who remained in Canaan with his father. Joseph now
beheld the “baby brother”, not a baby at all.

The viceroy feigned anger. He told the men that he was led to believe by their defense that their brother
was a young boy. Joseph would then interrogate the child, who could be expected to talk the truth,
seeing that children are not yet versed in lying. “Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke unto
me?”Joseph was hardly amused as he looked at an adult, a man in his thirties. Obviously, the young
man could read scripted lines – and lie through his teeth.

But then Joseph thought to himself, that perhaps he overplayed his pretended indignation when he
commented on his younger brother’s age and strength. Joseph sought to counterbalance the positive
description of Benjamin, as an antidote to the ill effects of the evil eye that he may have unwittingly
unleashed. Thus, blessed Benjamin. “And he said: God be gracious unto you, my son.” He prayed to the
Almighty One to bless Benjamin and watch over him, and especially to ward off the evil eye that the
viceroy may have inadvertently provoked with his injudicious words.

Bible studies with Don Isaac Abravanel’s commentary (also spelled Abarbanel) has withstood the test of
time. For over five centuries, Abravanel has delighted – and enlightened – clergy and layman alike,
offering enduring interpretations of the Bible.

Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblical
commentator. In chapter 44, an epic legal battle takes place between Joseph and Judah. Abravanel sets
the courtroom scene for Bible students so they can better appreciate the legal proceedings.

“Then Judah came near unto him, and said: Please my lord, let your
servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your
anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh [in my eyes].”

To begin, Abravanel poses a question on our verse: What does it mean, “Then Judah came near unto
him…?”Two verses earlier we read that Judah had already been conversing with Joseph (still preserving
his anonymity to his brothers): “And Judah said: What shall we say unto my lord…?”

What, then, does it mean now when Judah “came near?” Had Judah been far away, and now moved
somewhere, getting closer to Joseph? Further, Abravanel asks about Judah’s request to “speak a word in
my lord’s ears.”But Judah had been speaking to Joseph, as we noted. Was he not within earshot, per
se?

Abravanel explains our verse’s plain meaning. Earlier in the chapter, Joseph handed down his (contrived)
guilty verdict to Benjamin for stealing his wine goblet. Judah sought to amend Joseph’s decision, begging
for mercy. Asking for Benjamin’s clemency, Judah petitioned Joseph to accept him in his youngest
brother’s stead. He would assume full responsibility for Benjamin’s “crime”, allowing Benjamin to join
his brothers and return to Jacob in Canaan.

Judah sought an appeal to Joseph’s verdict because he had offered Jacob assurances, and underwrote
Benjamin’s safety. “I will be surety for him…” Judah pleaded for a disposition, expressing fears to Joseph
that if Benjamin remained in Egypt, Jacob would writhe in agony and die, so attached was he to his
youngest son.

Judah well understood the delicacy of the mission, considering palace authority; a viceroy’s decision is
not subject to appeal. Discretion was key, Abravanel teaches. Until now, Joseph had been surrounded by
staff, the hearing a public one. That changed. “Then Judah came near unto him.”Judah hoped to speak
with Joseph in privacy. He was, after all, requesting Joseph release a criminal (Benjamin), and
incarcerating an innocent man (Judah), contrary to the viceroy’s indictment: “And he said: “He with
whom it is found shall be my bondman, and you [all] should be blameless.”

“Please my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord’s ears” suggests a hushed
conversation. Judah knew that confidentiality was vital.

In sum, we now better understand Judah’s tack, one that demanded forethought and tact, so that
Egypt’s viceroy would not lose face by letting Benjamin go free.

Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblical
commentator. Chapter 39 chronicles Joseph’s ordeal, a slave sold to Egypt: “And Joseph was brought
down to Egypt…”

“And Joseph was brought down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of
Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand
of the Ishmaelites, that had brought him down thither. And God was with
Joseph, and he was successful. And he was in the house of his master
the Egyptian.”

Abravanel’s close read of the next verse reveals much. “And God was with Joseph, and he was
successful. And he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” In a single verse, Abravanel notes, we
read: “And God was…and he was…and he was…” Surely, the Bible could have written more concisely:
“And God was with Joseph, succeeding in his master’s house” or something to that effect. This begs a
question: What does Scripture convey, with its seeming extra verbiage, when a crisper sentence would
have sufficed?

Abravanel insists that the wording was anything but superfluous. Each phrase, he shows, comes to
emphasize a fundamental fact: Divine providence protected and blessed Joseph.

Consider, Abravanel says, what actually transpired with sale of Joseph versus what could have occurred,
had God’s guiding hand been absent.

Sans divine providence, the Ishmaelites who acquired Joseph may have decided to keep him as their
porter, traipsing endless sand dunes. Or, they may have dragged him to far away destinations, say
Timbuktu. Who says that the Ishmaelites couldn’t have sold him to a buyer who engaged in
backbreaking labor, and put Joseph on a chain gang? Perhaps, without divine good fortune, Jacob’s
beloved son could have ended up employed in other degrading jobs – cleaning latrines in a souk?

Really, it doesn’t take much imagination to picture Joseph employed in work far beneath his station, had
the Maker not intervened. But God did intervene, Abravanel makes clear.

And so, Jacob’s favorite son “was brought down to Egypt.” Egypt at that time was a paradigm of
civilization, with creature comforts – no less. Moreover, the Egyptian who purchased Joseph was
“Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah’s…”

Unquestionably, concludes Abravanel, the Creator orchestrated a cushy landing for Joseph, sold
ignominiously as a slave by his brothers. In Egypt, he would excel and flourish, courtesy of God.

Bible studies with Don Isaac Abravanel’s commentary (also spelled Abarbanel) has withstood the test of
time. For over five centuries, Abravanel has delighted – and enlightened – clergy and layman alike,
offering enduring interpretations of the Bible.

Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblical
commentator. In chapter 41, we read how Joseph’s life takes a radical turn – for the better. His meteoric
journey rise to power started one night, when Egypt’s king’s sleep was disrupted by ghoulish dreams
featuring nightmarish imagery.

“Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brough him hastily out
of the dungeon. And he shaved himself, and changed his clothing, and
came in unto Pharaoh.”

Distraught, Pharaoh awoke haunted to the core. He convened his closest counselors to interpret the
dreams, to no avail. They disappointed him, adding to his distress. That’s when the chief butler stepped
forward. He had a recommendation for Pharaoh, a master dream interpreter who just might be able to
decipher the king’s dreams, and assuage his angst.

Abravanel illustrates how divine providence brought Joseph to the pinnacle of power. Specifically, he
notes how the Maker – Doer of good and evil – charts history. In earlier chapters, the Bible records ten
travesties committed against Joseph. Here, God provides ten antidotes, also supported by Scripture.

1) In Canaan, Joseph was hated by his brothers. In Egypt, Joseph was the darling to strangers,
including Pharaoh and his couriers.
2) In Canaan, dreams exacerbated animosity in Jacob’s family. In Egypt, dreams were the vehicle
by which Joseph became popular.
3) Joseph’s brothers stripped him of his coat of many colors. In Egypt, the king outfitted Joseph in
royal raiment.
4) Joseph’s ordeal began when his brothers threw him into a pit naked. Pharaoh summoned
Joseph from his dungeon, and rushed him to the palace after he had shaved and dressed
respectfully in preparation for meeting the monarch.
5) Whereas Joseph had been ignominiously sold in Canaan, in Egypt he was put in charge of selling
local grain.
6) In Canaan, when Joseph approached his brothers, they acted callously, as if strangers. In Egypt,
when his brothers came to buy food, the shoe would be on a different foot, in a manner of
speaking. Joseph pretended he had never laid his eyes upon them.
7) Earlier, Joseph had been alienated from his brothers. Now, they engage him for commerce.
8) Prior, Joseph had been disgraced and degraded. At present, Joseph ruled Egypt.
9) While a slave, Potiphar’s wife tried repeatedly to seduce Joseph. He resisted her bids. In power,
Joseph marries Osnat, daughter of Potiphar.
10) While serving time in prison, the chief butler failed to remember Joseph. When restored to
office, the chief recommends Joseph to Pharaoh.

In sum, we have listed ten providential antidotes custom designed to lift Joseph’s spirits, and comfort
him. For Abravanel, this is proof positive that both good and evil emanate from Heaven. The evil that
had so pained Joseph became stepping stones to his path to fame and glory.

“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle
that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the
earth, and the waters assuaged.”

Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblical
commentator. In Genesis chapter 8, the Bible chronicles the conclusion of the great flood, replete with
an exact timeline of events. When the earth dried, the Noah’s ark came to a rest. He opened the ark’s
door in efforts to assess damage. Bleakly, devastation glared back at the ancient mariner.

Abravanel provides Bible students with four key takeaways from the Biblical blow that bashed the
world. They offer readers insights in religious creed, underscoring God’s hands-on interface with His
universe.

•  God rewards and He punishes. The Almighty pays attention to His creations, and compensates
  accordingly. God’s ways are trusted and perfect. Further, He communicates with man, informing
  them of the future.
•  God created a world from nothing, and if He so desires, He returns it back to nothingness. The
  deluge proved how existence is putty in His hands. For Abravanel, the heavens and earth are
  transitory, a subject he develops throughout his Bible commentaries.
•  The propagation of any given species follows natural means – requiring a male and female.
  Apropos, God commanded Noah to bring males and females into the ark for “the day after.”
•  When God created the world, one of His creations was time. Time was, and always will be,
  measured in terms of a solar calendar, consisting of 365 days a year, subdivided into twelve
  lunar months, and further subdivided into thirty days per month. Noah’s ark floated, in cadence
  with time as we know it. Noah’s sea sojourn lasted a year (plus ten days).

We have briefly summarized Abravanel’s four lessons in faith, a short primer in belief. It is one that he
derives from the denouement of the great flood’s account. For the fuller discussion, see Abravanel’s
World of Torah.

“And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the
earth…that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that were fair.
And they took them wives…The Nephilim were in the earth in those
days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men. And they bore children to them. The same were the
mighty that were of old, the men of renown.”

Bible studies with Don Isaac Abravanel’s commentary (also spelled Abarbanel) has withstood the test of
time. For over five centuries, Abravanel has delighted – and enlightened – clergy and layman alike,
offering enduring interpretations of the Bible.

In Genesis chapter 6, the Bible brings a narrative that reads more like Greek or Roman
mythology than Holy Writ.

Abravanel launches an investigation: Who were these “sons of God?” And who were the fair maidens
who captivated them with bewitching appeal?

Some commentators suggested that the “sons of God” were princes and of blue blood. Others posited
that these men were clairvoyants or astrologists. They charted the zodiac, peeked into the future, and
ascertained which women would give birth to children who would, in time, become worthy men.

Finally, some sages put forth that the “sons of God” were angels. They write that the angels were the
“Nephilim”, referred to in our verses above. “Nephilim”, they claim, carries an immoral or unethical
connotation. The Hebrew term “Nephilim” is closely related to another Hebrew word, “noflim”, which
means “fallers” or “falling.” These rabbis borrow “noflim,” per se, and turn it into “the fallen”, as in to
fall from grace.

Asserting that the “sons of God” means angels, for a simple reason, does not meet Abravanel’s criterion
for a straightforward interpretation of the Bible. Angels are wholly intelligent and incorporeal beings.
Moreover, according to Abravanel, angels have no physical impulses with zero inclination to sin. Thus,
wrongdoing for these heavenly facilitators is a non-starter.

As to the identity of these “sons of God”, Abravanel offers two responses. We offer one below, though
in shorthand.

“Sons of God” may have been descendants of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve. The reason why the
Bible characterizes Seth’s seed as “sons of God” is because they were, well, godly and pious. Insofar as
they were pure in character and deed, the Bible lauds them as “sons of God.”

Who, then, were the “daughters of men?” Abravanel answers that they hailed from Cain, the first born
of Adam and Eve, born of dubious circumstances, as an earlier blog has ascertained. Since Cain tilled the
soil, the Bible refers to the women as daughters of man, as in farmer. In Hebrew the generic term for
“man” (adam) shares its root with “land” (adamah).

In sum, we have established that the “sons of God” could not possibly have been angels. But now that
Abravanel identified the suitors and the bevy of beauties, there still remain questions: Why does the
Bible seem to disparage their marriages, putting the matchmaking in a negative and lopsided light?

Further, what shall we say about the “Nephilim?” If they weren’t crestfallen, heavenly angels, then who
were they?

For the fuller discussion on both of these topics, see Abravanel’s World of Torah. There, Bible students
will learn why Heaven frowned on Seth’s descendants marrying the descendants of Cain. They will also
read why certain people were designated or labeled “Nephilim.”

Bible studies with Don Isaac Abravanel’s commentary (also spelled Abarbanel) has withstood the test of
time. For over five centuries, Abravanel has delighted – and enlightened – clergy and layman alike,
offering enduring interpretations of the Bible. Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a preeminent Jewish thinker, scholar, and prolific Biblicalcommentator. Chapter 40 pertains to Joseph’s interactions with Pharaoh’s staff members, while in prison. But who were Joseph’s fellow inmates?

“And it came to pass after these things, that the Egyptian king’s wine
steward and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. And
Pharoah was wroth at his two courtiers, against the chief steward, and
against the chief baker.”

Abravanel, who served as the treasurer to the kings of Portugal and Spain, understood palace protocol.
He draws upon personal experience in order to make sense of the verses quoted above.

The first verse brought above speaks about the king’s wine steward and baker. Yet, the next verse
describes two men as officers, before calling them chiefs. Abravanel seeks to clarify for Bible students
the cast of characters. Who exactly ran afoul Egypt’s king?

Abravanel posits that Pharaoh’s palace’s cuisine attendants – food and beverage personnel – likely
resembled palace staff hierarchy in his own time (15 th century). Thus, the first verse does not refer to the
chief wine steward or chief baker. Abravanel assumes this because the title “chief” or “minister” does
not appear there. Instead, the Bible merely mentions stewards or attendants. In contrast, the second
verse does talk about the food and drink officers, also known as ministers.

Untangling matters, Abravanel clarifies. Pharaoh had higher ups or ministers in charge of cuisine (wine
and baker). In their respective duties and areas of expertise, no attendant ranked higher than them.
These ministers personally served Pharaoh rarely, the exception being the most special of occasions
(Pharaoh’s birthday or major festival). Their presence at those celebrations showed the king respect,
and enhancing the event.

However, every other day, the ministers remained behind the scenes, supervising their sizable staff.
Clearly, the officers’ employees were reliable, professionals whose trust was implicit. After all, one
misstep on the employees part carried deadly ramifications for all concerned. Pharaoh, of course,
expected dependable service from his ministers, those closest to the throne.

Abravanel ties it all together. “And it came to pass after these things, that the Egyptian king’s wine
steward and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.”These were the men who attended to the
king day in day out. As to their offense, it is not explicit. Perhaps they plotted to poison Pharaoh, or some other dastardly deed against the monarchy. Be that as it may, the king did not expend an ounce of energy on them after they were apprehended. He summarily chopped off their heads. 

“And Pharaoh was wroth at his two courtiers….” The regent fumed at his two ministers, under whose
supervision was an army of workers. “And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard,
into prison, the place where Joseph was bound.” A white-collar lockup fit the two officers’ station, and
not a prison reserved for the rank and file.

At the end of our chapter, we will read about the circumstances surrounding the serendipitous meeting
between Joseph and the two senior ministers, one that will change the course of history.