• Joseph
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • special blessings were to descend upon the crown of his head.

      After Jacob finished blessing his sons, he died. Joseph then fell upon his father’s face and kissed him. In compliance with Jacob’s wish to be buried in the cave of Machpelah, Joseph had the Egyptian physicians first embalm his father’s body in preparation for the trip to Canaan.—Gen. 49:29–50:13.

      JOSEPH REMAINS UNCHANGED IN ATTITUDE TOWARD BROTHERS

      Subsequent to their return from burying Jacob, Joseph’s half brothers, still plagued by a guilty conscience, feared that Joseph might take revenge and pleaded for forgiveness. At that Joseph burst into tears, comforting and reassuring them that there was no reason for fear: “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you had evil in mind against me. God had it in mind for good for the purpose of acting as at this day to preserve many people alive. So now do not be afraid. I myself shall keep supplying you and your little children with food.”—Gen. 50:14-21.

      DEATH

      Joseph survived his father by about fifty-five years, reaching the age of 110 years. It was his privilege to see even some of his great-grandsons. Before his death, Joseph, in faith, requested that his bones be taken to Canaan by the Israelites at the time of their exodus. At death, Joseph’s body was embalmed and placed in a coffin.—Gen. 50:22-26; Josh. 24:32; Heb. 11:22.

      THE NAME “JOSEPH” GIVEN PROMINENCE

      In view of Joseph’s prominent position among the sons of Jacob, it was most appropriate that his name was sometimes used to designate all the tribes of Israel (Ps. 80:1) or those that came to be included in the northern kingdom. (Ps. 78:67; Amos 5:6, 15; 6:6) His name also figures in Bible prophecy. In Ezekiel’s prophetic vision, the inheritance of Joseph is a double portion (Ezek. 47:13), one of the gates of the city “Jehovah Himself Is There” bears the name “Joseph” (Ezek. 48:32, 35) and, with reference to the reunifying of Jehovah’s people, Joseph is spoken of as chief of the one part of the nation and Judah as chief of the other part. (Ezek. 37:15-26) Obadiah’s prophecy indicated that the “house of Joseph” would share in the destruction of the “house of Esau” (Obad. 18), and that of Zechariah pointed to Jehovah’s saving the “house of Joseph.” (Zech. 10:6) Rather than Ephraim, Joseph appears as one of the tribes of spiritual Israel.—Rev. 7:8.

      The fact that Joseph is listed at Revelation 7:8 suggests that Jacob’s deathbed prophecy would have an application to spiritual Israel. It is noteworthy, therefore, that the Powerful One of Jacob, Jehovah God, provided Christ Jesus as the fine shepherd who laid down his life for the “sheep.” (John 10:11-16) Christ Jesus is also the foundation cornerstone upon which God’s temple composed of spiritual Israelites rests. (Eph. 2:20-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-6) And this Shepherd and Stone is with the Almighty God.—John 1:1-3; Acts 7:56; Heb. 10:12; compare Genesis 49:24, 25.

      PARALLELS BETWEEN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH AND THAT OF JESUS CHRIST

      Numerous parallels may be noted between the life of Joseph and that of Christ Jesus. As Joseph had been singled out as the special object of his father’s affection, so also had Jesus. (Compare Matthew 3:17; Hebrews 1:1-6.) Joseph’s half brothers were hostile toward him. Similarly, Jesus was rejected by his own, the Jews (John 1:11), and his fleshly half brothers at first did not exercise faith in him. (John 7:5) Joseph’s ready obedience in complying with his father’s will in checking on his half brothers parallel Jesus’ willingly coming to earth. (Phil. 2:5-8) The bitter experiences that this mission resulted in for Joseph were comparable to what befell Jesus, particularly when abused and finally put to death on a torture stake. (Matt. 27:27-46) As Joseph’s half brothers sold Joseph to the Midianite-Ishmaelite caravan, so the Jews delivered up Jesus to the Roman authority for execution. (John 18:35) Both Joseph and Jesus were refined and prepared for their lifesaving roles through suffering. (Ps. 105:17-19; Heb. 5:7-10) The elevation of Joseph to be Egypt’s food administrator and the saving of life resulting therefrom finds a parallel in Jesus’ exaltation and his becoming a Savior of both Jews and non-Jews. (John 3:16, 17; Acts 5:31) The scheme of Joseph’s brothers to harm him proved to be God’s means of saving them from starvation. Likewise, the death of Jesus provided the basis for salvation.—John 6:51; 1 Cor. 1:18.

      2. Father of Igal, the spy of the tribe of Issachar sent out by Moses from the wilderness of Paran.—Num. 13:2, 3, 7.

      3. A Levite “of the sons of Asaph” designated by lot during David’s reign to be in the first of twenty-four service groups of musicians.—1 Chron. 25:1, 2, 9.

      4. “Son of Jonam”; ancestor of Christ Jesus in the lineage of his earthly mother Mary. (Luke 3:30) Joseph was a descendant of David and lived before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.

      5. One among those dismissing their foreign wives and sons at Ezra’s exhortation.—Ezra 10:10-12, 42, 44.

      6. A priest of the paternal house of Shebaniah during the time of High Priest Joiakim, Governor Nehemiah and Ezra the priest.—Neh. 12:12, 14, 26.

      7. “Son of Mattathias” and ancestor of Jesus Christ on the maternal side. (Luke 3:24, 25) Joseph lived years after the Babylonian exile.

      8. Son of a certain Jacob; foster or adoptive father of Christ Jesus, husband of Mary and, later, the natural father of at least four sons, James, Joseph, Simon and Judas, besides daughters. (Matt. 1:16; 13:55, 56; Luke 4:22; John 1:45; 6:42) Joseph was also called the son of Heli (Luke 3:23), this evidently being the name of his father-in-law. Ever obedient to divine direction, righteous Joseph adhered closely to the Mosaic law and submitted to the decrees of Caesar.

      A carpenter by trade and a resident of Nazareth, Joseph had rather limited financial resources. (Matt. 13:55; Luke 2:4; compare Luke 2:24 with Leviticus 12:8.) He was engaged to the virgin girl Mary. (Luke 1:26, 27) But before they were united in marriage she became pregnant by holy spirit. Not wanting to make her a public spectacle, Joseph intended to divorce her secretly. (See DIVORCE.) However, upon receiving an explanation from Jehovah’s angel in a dream, Joseph took Mary to his home as his legal wife. Nevertheless, he refrained from having relations with her until after the birth of her miraculously begotten son.—Matt. 1:18-21, 24, 25.

      In obedience to the decree of Caesar Augustus for persons to get registered in their own cities, Joseph, as a descendant of King David, traveled with Mary to Bethlehem of Judea. There in a stable Mary gave birth to Jesus, because other accommodations were not available. That night shepherds, having been informed by an angel concerning the birth, came to see the newborn infant. About forty days later, as required by the Mosaic law, Joseph and Mary presented Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem along with an offering. Both Joseph and Mary wondered as they heard aged Simeon’s prophetic words about the great things Jesus would do.—Luke 2:1-33; compare Leviticus 12:2-4, 6-8.

      It appears that sometime after this, while residing in a house at Bethlehem, Mary and her young son were visited by some Oriental astrologers. (Although Luke 2:39 might seem to indicate that Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth right after presenting Jesus at the temple, it must be remembered that this scripture is part of a highly condensed account.) Divine intervention prevented their visit from bringing death to Jesus. Warned in a dream that Herod was seeking to find the child to destroy it, Joseph heeded divine instructions to flee with his family to Egypt.—Matt. 2:1-15.

      After the decease of Herod, Jehovah’s angel again appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying: “Get up, take the young child and its mother and be on your way into the land of Israel.” However, hearing that Herod’s son Archelaus was ruling in his father’s stead, he feared to return to Judea, and “being given divine warning in a dream, he withdrew into the territory of Galilee, and came and dwelt in a city named Nazareth.”—Matt. 2:19-23.

      Each year Joseph and Mary attended the Passover celebration at Jerusalem. On one occasion they were returning to Nazareth when, after covering a day’s distance from Jerusalem, they found that the twelve-year-old Jesus was missing. Diligently they searched for him and finally found him at the temple in Jerusalem, listening to and questioning the teachers there.—Luke 2:41-50.

      The Scriptural record is silent on the extent of the training Joseph gave to Jesus. Doubtless, though, he contributed to Jesus’ progressing in wisdom. (Luke 2:51, 52) Joseph also taught him the carpenter trade, for Jesus was known both as the “carpenter’s son” (Matt. 13:55) and as the “carpenter.”—Mark 6:3.

      Joseph’s death is not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures. But it seems that he did not survive Jesus. Had he lived beyond Passover time of 33 C.E., it is unlikely that the impaled Jesus would have entrusted Mary to the care of the apostle John.—John 19:26, 27.

      9. A half brother of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) Like his other brothers, Joseph at first did not exercise faith in Jesus. (John 7:5) Later, however, Jesus’ half brothers, doubtless including Joseph, became believers. They are mentioned as being with the apostles and others after Jesus’ ascension to heaven, so they were likely among the some 120 disciples assembled in an upper room at Jerusalem when Matthias was chosen by lot as a replacement for unfaithful Judas Iscariot. It appears that this same group of about 120 received God’s spirit on the day of Pentecost in 33 C.E.—Acts 1:9–2:4.

      10. A wealthy man from the Judean city of Arimathea and a reputable member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Although a good and righteous man who was waiting for God’s kingdom, Joseph, due to his fear of unbelieving Jews, did not openly identify himself as a disciple of Jesus Christ. However, he did not vote in support of the Sanhedrin’s unjust action against Christ Jesus. Later, he courageously asked Pilate for Jesus’ body and, along with Nicodemus, prepared it for burial and then placed it in a new rock-cut tomb. This tomb was situated in a garden near the place of impalement and belonged to Joseph of Arimathea.—Matt. 27:57-60; Mark 15:43-46; Luke 23:50-53; John 19:38-42.

      11. One put up along with Matthias as a candidate for the office of oversight vacated by the unfaithful Judas Iscariot. Joseph, also called Barsabbas (perhaps a family name or merely an additional name) and surnamed Justus, was a witness of the work, miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, Matthias, not Joseph, was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot before Pentecost of 33 C.E. and came to be “reckoned along with the eleven apostles.”—Acts 1:15—2:1.

      12. A Levite surnamed Barnabas and a native of Cyprus. (Acts 4:36, 37) He was a close associate of the apostle Paul.—See BARNABAS.

  • Josheb-basshebeth
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • JOSHEB-BASSHEBETH

      (Joʹsheb-bas·sheʹbeth).

      The head one of David’s three most outstanding mighty men. (2 Sam. 23:8) At 1 Chronicles 11:11 he is called Jashobeam, which is probably the more correct form. There are other scribal difficulties with the text in 2 Samuel 23:8, making it necessary for the obscure Hebrew in the Masoretic text (which appears to read, “He was Adino the Eznite”) to be corrected to read “He was brandishing his spear.” (NW) Other modern translations read similarly. (AT, JB, Mo, Ro ftn., RS) Thus Samuel is made to agree with the book of Chronicles and with the construction pattern in this section of material. It is “the three” that are being discussed, but to introduce another name, Adino, makes four. Additionally, each of the three mighty men has one of his deeds credited to him, so if the overpowering of the 800 were attributed to someone else, there would be no deed credited here to Josheb-basshebeth (Jashobeam).—See JASHOBEAM No. 2.

      There is a possibility that the deed ascribed to Josheb-basshebeth at 2 Samuel 23:8 is not the same as that mentioned at 1 Chronicles 11:11. This may explain why the Samuel account speaks of 800 slain, whereas the Chronicles account refers to 300 slain.

  • Joshua
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • JOSHUA

      (Joshʹu·a) [Jehovah is salvation].

      1. Son of Nun; an Ephraimite who ministered to Moses and was later appointed as his successor. (Ex. 33:11; Deut. 34:9; Josh. 1:1, 2) The Scriptures portray Joshua as a bold and fearless leader, one who was confident in the certainty of Jehovah’s promises, obedient to divine direction and determined to serve Jehovah in faithfulness. His original name was Hoshea, but Moses called him Joshua or Jehoshua. (Num. 13:8, 16) The Bible record, however, does not reveal just when Hoshea came to be known as Joshua.

      LEADS FIGHT AGAINST AMALEKITES

      In 1513 B.C.E., when the Israelites encamped at Rephidim shortly after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt’s military might at the Red Sea, the Amalekites launched an unprovoked attack on them. Joshua was then appointed by Moses as commander in the fight against the Amalekites. Under his able leadership, the Israelites, with divine assistance, vanquished the foe. Subsequently Jehovah decreed ultimate annihilation for the Amalekites, instructing Moses to make a written record about this and to propound it to Joshua.—Ex. 17:8-16.

      SERVES AS MOSES’ ATTENDANT

      Later, at Mount Sinai, Joshua, as Moses’ attendant, likely was one of the seventy older men who were privileged to see a magnificent vision of Jehovah’s glory. Thereafter Joshua accompanied Moses part way up Mount Sinai but apparently did not enter the cloud, since Moses alone was commanded to do so. (Ex. 24:9-18) Both he and Moses remained on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights.