16: Out of the Pit

BEMA Episode Link: 16: Out of the Pit
Episode Length: 47:09
Published Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2017 01:00:00 -0800
Session 1
About this episode:

Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, and Elle Grover Fricks finish the study of the life of Joseph, covering Genesis 41–50.

Out of the Pit Presentation (PDF)

Rabbi David Fohrman — TorahAnytime

The Joseph Story — Aleph Beta Academy

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Genesis: A Parsha Companion by Rabbi David Fohrman

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Legacy Episode Content

Episode updated 21 April 2025
Original audio from 26 January 2017
Transcript for BEMA 16 of 26 January 2017

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 16: Out of the Pit - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 16 - Out of the Pit (E16v24)
Hosts: Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks
Scripture Focus: Genesis 41-50 (Joseph’s story conclusion)
Topic: The completion of Joseph’s story, exploring themes of redemption, forgiveness, family reconciliation, and God’s sovereignty through human transformation.

Key Takeaways

Joseph’s character development from arrogant youth to wise administrator demonstrates the power of divine transformation through hardship
The story reveals a repeating pattern of gifts, dreams, stripping, and pits that ultimately reverses with Pharaoh
Judah emerges as the true hero through his willingness to sacrifice himself for Benjamin, catalyzing family reconciliation
Forgiveness is grounded not in excusing evil but in trusting God’s ability to transform evil into good
Personal transformation (repentance) enables others to practice forgiveness and creates space for reconciliation
The story offers hope that we can write new narratives rather than simply repeating generational cycles of dysfunction

Main Concepts & Theories

The Pattern of Reversal

The narrative contains a three-part template that appears multiple times:

Original Pattern: Gifts given → Dreams/visions → Stripping of garments → Thrown into pit
With Father Jacob: Coat of many colors → Joseph’s dreams → Brothers strip his coat → Thrown into literal pit
With Potiphar: Gifts and authority → Potiphar’s wife’s “dream” → Stripped of garment while fleeing → Thrown into dungeon (literally “pit” in Hebrew)
With Pharaoh (Reversed): Pulled from pit → Given royal garments → Pharaoh’s dreams → Gifts and authority bestowed

The Chutzpah Factor

Definition: Bold confidence and determination that God can use for good

Joseph’s initial arrogance is transformed into confident problem-solving
Rather than despair at bad news (famine), Joseph responds with strategic planning
This boldness, refined through suffering, becomes a tool for salvation
Jacob may have intentionally trained Joseph in administrative skills for leadership

Judah’s Transformation Arc

From Selfishness to Sacrifice:

Before: Complicit in selling Joseph, focused on self-preservation
Catalyst: The Tamar incident - public confession of sin and recognition of her righteousness
After: Takes personal responsibility for Benjamin’s safety, offers his own life as guarantee
Significance: Judah’s willingness to sacrifice himself triggers Joseph’s revelation and family reconciliation

Forgiveness as Trust in God’s Sovereignty

Key Principle: “What you meant for evil, God meant for good” (Genesis 50:20)

Forgiveness doesn’t excuse or minimize evil actions
It’s grounded in trust that God can transform any situation for redemptive purposes
Requires being “grounded in God’s goodness and sufficiency”
Enables freedom, reconciliation, and new possibilities

Dreams and Divine Revelation

Joseph’s Interpretive Ability:

Connected dreams to his personal family story (reeds = brothers, cow descriptions = mothers Rachel and Leah)
Immediate interpretation suggests divine insight rather than learned skill
Acknowledged dependence on God: “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer”

Examples & Applications

Historical Context

Egyptian Reed Mythology: Reeds were central to Egyptian paradise/afterlife beliefs, adding layers to Pharaoh’s dream
Administrative Training: Ancient patriarchal households required sophisticated management skills that translated to national governance
Dream Interpretation: A highly valued skill in ancient Near Eastern cultures, especially when royal magicians failed

Modern Applications

Crisis Response: Like Joseph facing famine news, we can choose strategic action over despair when confronted with challenges
Family Dysfunction: The story demonstrates that deeply dysfunctional families can experience healing through individual transformation
Leadership Development: Character formation through adversity prepares us for greater responsibilities
Conflict Resolution: Taking personal responsibility (like Judah) often catalyzes reconciliation in broken relationships

Forgiveness in Practice

Not Excusing Harm: Acknowledging real damage while choosing not to seek revenge
Grounding in God’s Character: Finding security in divine goodness rather than human behavior
Creating Space: Forgiveness opens possibilities for relationship restoration and personal freedom
Breaking Cycles: Choosing forgiveness prevents replicating destructive family patterns

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Theological Themes

Divine Sovereignty vs. Human Responsibility: How God works through human choices and character development
Generational Patterns: Breaking cycles of dysfunction through individual transformation
Providence and Preparation: How seemingly negative experiences prepare us for future purposes
Covenant Faithfulness: God’s commitment to promises despite human failure

Character Studies

Jacob’s Final Acts: His insistence on burial in Canaan as covenant faithfulness
Benjamin’s Role: The catalyst for family reunion and testing ground for brothers’ change
Pharaoh’s Response: Ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine authority and wisdom
The Brothers’ Development: Evidence of character growth beyond Judah

Literary Analysis

Chiastic Structure: How the reversal pattern creates literary symmetry and meaning
Parallel Narratives: Connections between Joseph’s story and other biblical accounts of exile and return
Symbolic Elements: Coats, pits, dreams, and their recurring significance throughout Genesis
Foreshadowing: How this story anticipates later biblical themes of suffering, redemption, and restoration

Contemporary Relevance

Family Systems Theory: Understanding how individual change affects entire family dynamics
Trauma and Resilience: Joseph’s journey as a model for processing and growing through adversity
Leadership Ethics: Principles of servant leadership demonstrated through Joseph’s administration
Reconciliation Practices: Practical steps for addressing historical wrongs and family conflicts

Comprehension Questions

Character Development: How does the “chutzpah” that made young Joseph annoying become an asset in his later leadership? What does this teach us about character traits and their potential for redemption?
Pattern Recognition: Explain the three-part pattern (gifts → dreams → stripping → pit) that appears throughout Joseph’s story. How does its reversal with Pharaoh signify a turning point in the narrative?
Heroic Transformation: Why do the hosts argue that Judah, not Joseph, is the true hero of the story? What specific actions demonstrate Judah’s transformation, and how do they catalyze the family’s reconciliation?
Forgiveness Framework: According to Elle’s explanation, what is biblical forgiveness NOT based on, and what IS it grounded in? How does Joseph’s statement “what you meant for evil, God meant for good” illustrate this principle?
Narrative Purpose: How does Joseph’s story demonstrate that individuals can “write new stories” rather than simply repeat generational patterns? What hope does this offer for addressing dysfunction in our own families and communities?

Personal Summary

The conclusion of Joseph’s story reveals a profound truth about divine redemption working through human transformation. What begins as a tale of family dysfunction, favoritism, and betrayal becomes a masterpiece of reconciliation orchestrated not by a perfect hero, but through the repentance of a flawed brother named Judah.

Joseph’s journey from the pit to the palace demonstrates that our greatest character flaws - his annoying confidence and dreams of grandeur - can be refined by God into tools for salvation when submitted to divine purposes. His administrative skills, possibly learned in his father’s household, prepared him to save nations during famine. Most importantly, his ability to forgive was grounded not in minimizing his brothers’ evil actions, but in trusting God’s ability to transform any situation for redemptive purposes.

Judah’s transformation from selfish co-conspirator to self-sacrificing brother represents the kind of character change that makes reconciliation possible. His willingness to offer his own life for Benjamin’s safety catalyzed Joseph’s emotional breakthrough and the family’s reunion. This pattern - repentance enabling forgiveness, individual transformation affecting entire families - offers hope that we need not remain trapped in generational cycles of dysfunction.

The story challenges us to examine our own responses to adversity, our willingness to take responsibility for others, and our capacity to trust God’s sovereignty even in the midst of injustice. Rather than passive victims of family dysfunction or societal circumstances, we can choose to write new chapters characterized by humility, forgiveness, and covenant faithfulness to God’s redemptive purposes in the world.

BEMA Episode 16: Out of the Pit - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 16: Out of the Pit (2017)
Scripture Focus: Genesis 41-50
Main Theme: The conclusion of Joseph’s story, emphasizing forgiveness as the ultimate expression of trust in God’s story

This episode completes the study of Joseph’s life, exploring how his experiences in Egypt parallel his family history and lead to a profound understanding of forgiveness as the foundational characteristic of God’s chosen people.

Key Takeaways

Joseph’s ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dream comes from recognizing parallels to his own family story
The dream’s imagery (beautiful/ugly cows, seven years) directly connects to Jacob’s experience with Rachel and Leah
Joseph demonstrates chutzpah - the boldness to not just accept bad news but to create solutions
The story follows a repeating pattern: gifts → dreams → coat stripped → pit, which is ultimately reversed
Judah’s transformation from Genesis 38 enables the family reconciliation
Forgiveness represents the ultimate expression of trust in God’s story
The family of God is characterized by justice, forgiveness, and chesed (love, compassion, generosity)

Main Concepts & Theories

The Pattern of Reversal

Joseph’s life follows a deliberate narrative pattern that gets reversed:

First Pattern (repeated twice): Gifts → Dreams → Coat Stripped → Pit
- With his brothers: Father’s favoritism → Joseph’s dreams → Brothers strip his coat → Thrown in cistern
- With Potiphar: Household authority → Potiphar’s wife’s desires → Coat torn off → Thrown in dungeon
Final Reversal: Out of Pit → Clothes Put On → Dreams Interpreted → Gifts Received
- Pharaoh pulls him from dungeon → Joseph changes clothes → Interprets Pharaoh’s dreams → Receives authority over Egypt

Dream Interpretation Through Personal Experience

Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream by recognizing elements from his own family history:

Beautiful vs. Ugly Cows: Parallel to Rachel (beautiful) vs. Leah (less favored)
Seven Years: Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, then seven more for being deceived
The consuming pattern: The ugly cows eat the beautiful ones but show no change, representing how famine will completely overshadow abundance

The Hebrew word for “reeds” (ahu) shares roots with “brothers,” suggesting the cows grazed “among the brothers” - a hint at the dream’s personal significance for Joseph.

The Transformation of Identity

Joseph faces a critical identity crisis: Is he Egyptian (son of Pharaoh) or Hebrew (son of Jacob)? This tension comes to a head when his brothers appear in Egypt, forcing him to choose between:

Vengeance: Using his power to punish those who wronged him
Forgiveness: Embracing his role in God’s family story

Jacob vs. Israel

The text deliberately uses both names for Joseph’s father:

Jacob: Represents self-interest and protective instincts
Israel: Represents surrender to God’s will and plan

The Role of Judah

Judah’s character development from Genesis 38 (the Tamar incident) equips him to be the catalyst for family reconciliation:

Learned the meaning of righteousness and justice
Offers his own life as collateral for Benjamin (not just his sons like Reuben offered)
His willingness to sacrifice himself mirrors the pattern that will define God’s people

Examples & Applications

Historical Pattern

The Joseph narrative establishes a template that repeats throughout Hebrew scripture:

David and Jonathan: Benjamin (Jonathan’s tribe) saves Judah (David’s tribe)
Book of Esther: Same dynamic of mutual sacrifice and salvation
This creates a recurring theme where Judah and Benjamin alternately save each other

Chutzpah in Action

Joseph exemplifies the boldness that characterizes God’s chosen people:

Doesn’t just deliver bad news about the coming famine
Immediately provides a comprehensive solution
Takes initiative to prevent catastrophe rather than accepting defeat
This “stiff-necked” quality that God often criticizes is actually the strength that enables survival

Modern Applications

Crisis Response: Like Joseph, believers should respond to challenges with solutions, not just fear
Family Reconciliation: Forgiveness doesn’t ignore wrongdoing but chooses restoration over revenge
Identity Formation: Our primary identity should be as members of God’s family, not our earthly achievements
Trust in Providence: Even betrayal and suffering can be part of God’s larger story

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Comparative Analysis: How does Joseph’s story compare to other biblical figures who faced similar identity crises?
Theological Study: The relationship between divine sovereignty and human free will in the Joseph narrative
Literary Analysis: The sophisticated narrative structure and parallels throughout Genesis
Historical Context: Egyptian customs and political structures during the time of Joseph
Psychological Study: The effects of abandonment and reconciliation on family dynamics
Messianic Typology: How Joseph prefigures later biblical themes of suffering, elevation, and salvation
Chesed Study: Deep dive into this Hebrew concept of loyal love and its role in covenant relationships

Comprehension Questions

How does Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream demonstrate the importance of personal experience in understanding God’s messages? Analyze how Joseph’s family history with Rachel, Leah, and the seven-year work periods provided the key to understanding the dream’s symbolism.
What is the significance of the repeated pattern of gifts → dreams → coat stripped → pit in Joseph’s story, and how does its reversal demonstrate God’s sovereignty? Discuss how this pattern creates narrative tension and ultimate resolution.
Compare and contrast Reuben’s offer to Jacob with Judah’s offer regarding Benjamin’s safety. What does this reveal about their character development and understanding of justice? Consider how Judah’s experience in Genesis 38 shaped his approach.
How does the author’s deliberate use of “Jacob” versus “Israel” in the text reveal the patriarch’s internal struggle between self-interest and trust in God? Examine what triggers the name changes in the narrative.
In what ways does Joseph’s choice between vengeance and forgiveness represent the ultimate test of trust in God’s story? Explore how forgiveness requires faith that God will handle justice appropriately.

Brief Summary

BEMA Episode 16 concludes the Joseph narrative by revealing how personal experience becomes the lens through which God’s messages are understood. Joseph’s ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dream stems from recognizing parallels to his own family’s story of beautiful versus plain wives and seven-year periods of labor and waiting. The episode traces a deliberate narrative pattern of gifts, dreams, stripped coats, and pits that gets dramatically reversed when Pharaoh elevates Joseph from prisoner to prime minister.

The story’s climax comes when Joseph’s brothers arrive in Egypt, forcing him to choose his true identity: Egyptian son of Pharaoh or Hebrew son of Jacob. Judah’s transformation from his experience with Tamar enables him to offer his own life for Benjamin’s safety, moving Jacob from self-protective “Jacob” mode to surrendering “Israel” mode. This sets up Joseph’s ultimate choice between vengeance and forgiveness.

The episode concludes by establishing forgiveness as the ultimate expression of trust in God’s story - the willingness to lay down rights to revenge because of faith that God will handle justice appropriately. This theme of mutual sacrifice between Judah and Benjamin will echo throughout Hebrew scripture, establishing the pattern that defines God’s people as those characterized by chesed (loyal love), justice, and the chutzpah to trust God’s story even in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances.

Original Notes

Genesis 41-50
Preface
- Trusting the story
  - G-d: I have your back, you have to trust me. You cannot give into fear and insecurity.
  - About the time we wonder if we should give up, we’re introduced to Avram and his family who stands out as a group that is willing to partner with G-d.
  - We recognize that G-d is after Jacob’s heart. Jacob wants a birthright and fights for it.
  - Joseph seems to have a lot of Jacob’s same story: He has dreams, he’s his father’s favorite and his relationship with his brothers struggles.
    - His brother’s throw him into a pit.
    - His brother Judah ends up learning a lesson about recognizing his sin.
    - Joseph is tricked by Potiphar’s wife and he’s thrown into prison where he meets the baker and the cup bearer and interperets their dreams.
    - The cup bearer is released from prison and tells Pharaoh about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams correctly and he’s summoned to help Pharaoh with his own dreams.
Genesis 41 - Pharaoh’s Dreams
- The Dreams
  - Dream 1 - Thin and Fat Cows From The Nile
  - Dream 2 - Thin and Fat Grain
- Interpretation
  - Genesis 41:1-32
  - Fohrman notes they came out of the Nile and grazed among the reeds.
    - The Jews did not know how to translate the word reeds. Without the help of the rabbis, this is typically interpreted as the work brothers.
    - Fohrman points out that with the cupbearer and the baker, there was nobody there to interpret their dreams. The assumption is that anybody else would have been able to interpret the dreams.
      - With Pharaoh, the story is much different. There are people there to interpret dreams but none of them can do it. However, Joseph says, G-d can interpret your dreams and almost immediately interprets the dreams for Pharaoh.
      - Using a midrash from Akiva: If you know that the number seven means “years” the entire dream interprets itself.
        
        We are taken back to the story of Leah and Rachel, ugly and beautiful, for whom Jacob had to spend seven years a piece earning/winning. Joseph can immediately connect Pharoah’s dreams to himself almost immediately.
        
        This is a story about Joseph’s own life.
        
        When Joseph interprets this dream, it will raise an important question about his own life: What kind of a person IS Joseph?
        
        Brent: Do you think Joseph think’s his brothers eat up his own life?
  - Genesis 41:33-57
    - What kind of a person is Joseph? Does he mope about the story?
      - Joseph takes the bad news and tells Pharaoh that the news is bad but we can do something about it. We are going to get through it.
      - Joseph, like his fathers, shows his hutzpah.
      - This is why G-d picks this family.
      - We may not see the trust that Joseph’s fathers had but it may show up later in the story.
    - Jacob gives Joseph a special coat and it doesn’t go well for him because his brother throw him into a pit.
      - If you think about Joseph’s story with Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife has “dreams” or aspirations to sleep with him and Joseph’s “coat” is stripped of him again and he’s thrown back into another pit. The word “pit” is not used to refer to a dungeon except in the story of Joseph.
      - Joseph is taken OUT of the pit and clothes are put ON him and Joesph then INTERPRETS the dreeams of someone else.
      - Thematic Template
        
        Gifts
        
        Dreams
        
        Coat Stripped
        
        Into the Pit
        
        Gifts
        
        Dreams
        
        Coat Stripped
        
        Into the Pit
        
        Out if the Pit
        
        Clothes
        
        Dreams
        
        Gifts
      - What may Joseph be thinking after his brothers throw him into a pit?
        
        Joseph doesn’t know the details that we know.
        
        Joseph doesn’t know that his dad thinks he’s dead or that some of his brothers dipped his coat in blood or that some of his other brothers tried to save him.
        
        Joseph likely wonders why his father hasn’t come to look for him.
        
        By the time all of this stuff happens with Pharaoh, Joseph likely thinks it’s too late for any chance that his father comes looking for him.
      - Some of the details in the chain of stories seems a little out of order (e.g. the Judah and Tamar story is missing a pit) but there might be some importance to the details and their order.
      - Joseph at this point in the story is wrestling with his narative.
        
        Is he adopting Pharaoh has his new father?
Genesis 43 - The Second Journey to Egypt
- After Joseph meets his brothers, he refuses to give them the food they want until they bring Benjamin with them.
- Rueben tries to act as the behor and offers his two sons to “Jacob” if Benjamin doesn’t go back. Jacob says no.
  - Judah, who is back with the family, and instead of offering his children, offers his OWN life. Has Judah learned a valuable story about restorative justice from his experience with Tamar? G-d wants justice for injustice.
  - This is what gets “Jacob” to become “Isael” in this story.
    - Does the author imply the “Jacob who looks out for himself” when he uses “Jacob” and does he also imply the “Jacob who submits to the will of G-d” when he uses “Israel”?
  - Judah puts his neck on the line and they’re able to go back.
  - This is where Joseph is confronted with who he is. Is he a part of Jacob’s betav or is he part of Pharaoh’s family?
  - This story of Genesis comes full circle. The family of G-d, from Avraham to Joseph, this is a family that understands justice and forgiveness and how to put the story back together even when they struggle with selfishness.
  - Judah’s single act of sacrifice to save Benjamin sets forth a narative where Judah and Benjamin keeps saving each other (David saves Saul, Jonathan saves David, etc.)
Final thoughts
- The family of G-d is full of people who trust the story and it bagan with a man who is willing to leave his home.
- As the story goes on, it grows more and more complex.
- Genesis ends with forgiveness which is one of, if not THE, ultimate expression of trust. You lay down your right to pay vengance and hatred and anger with a trust of G-d to own the story.
Fohrman’s teaching on Joseph
- Known as “Goats and Coats” aka “The Sale of Joseph” aka “Understanding the Sales of Joseph”.

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