Joseph: 30 Years Old Before Pharaoh or 30 Years in Egypt

[Benjamin Müller]

Traditionally it's accepted that Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh; however, I came across an independent researcher who suggested that Joseph was in Egypt for 30 years. They're argument was admittedly weak [30 years OLD could mean 30 years afflicted], which I will cite it down below; but the theory had a ring of truth to it, so I investigated his/her claims further. Unfortunately, I've lost the link to the blog site, so I'm not sure who they are that proposed this alternate theory.

Below is my research. I'd like to share this with others, not as teaching, but for open conversation and critique. I didn't really feel like this was a significant thing to debate, which is why I choose the Theology Forum; if a moderator thinks it would fit better elsewhere, please move it accordingly.


JOSEPH IN EGYPT

We know Joseph was sold into Egypt at 17 (Gen. 37:2), but there is confusion on whether or not Joseph was 30 years old at the time he stood before Pharaoh, or if he had been IN Egypt for 30 years before standing before Pharaoh.

In Exodus 41:46 we read, “And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.”

The word, ‘old’ in Strong’s is ‘ben’, meaning ‘son; a builder of a family name’. It can also mean anointed, appointed, and afflicted. Joseph, therefore, may have been afflicted 30 years; anointed or appointed (by God) 30 years. This translation alone, wouldn’t be conclusive evidence for being 30 years in Egypt, though. We would need more proof; Genesis 38 is helpful in further analyzing this theory.

Gen. 37:36 And the Midianites sold him [Joseph] into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.
Gen 38:1-2 “And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.


It appears as though shortly after Joseph is sold into Egypt, Judah leaves his brethren, marries, and has three sons. Unlike in chapter 37, Judah is still among his brothers tending sheep. Because of that it seems these chapters are in chronological order and Judah does not go down, leave, or depart from his brothers until after Joseph has been sold into slavery.

This author wonders: could guilt have been the reason Judah departed from his brethren? Unable to bear seeing his father grieve over a son not dead, he packed up and moved out?

Continuing: In chapter 38, we see that Judah’s sons grow old enough to marry, but the first two are slain by the Lord for their wickedness. Judah then sends his daughter-in-law away until the youngest is old enough to marry. In the meantime Judah’s wife dies and he does not hand over his youngest son to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, although his son has come of age.

According to the Talmud, typical marrying age was about eighteen to twenty years old for males. Ishmael, for example, was thirteen years old when Abraham was ninety-nine [Gen. 17:24-25]. Isaac was weaned at five years of age, which would have made Ishmael 19 years old when he mocked Isaac. However, because of the malevolent act, Sarah orders her husband to expel Hagar and Ishmael. Later in verse 21, Hagar goes to Egypt and gets a wife for Ishmael. Ishmael would have been at the proper marrying age of 19-20, or possible older, when he married the Egyptian.

So, while chapter 38 seems a little out-of-place in the middle of the Joseph story, it does reveal that a significant amount of time has passed from Joseph being sold into slavery to the death of Er and Onan, and the scandalous tryst between Judah and Tamar.

Indeed, more than twenty-one years would be required for all the events recorded in Genesis 38 to occur. After all, when Jacob enters Egypt with his family. Judah’s son Perez, who was born of Tamar, is bringing his own sons into Egypt with him!

• Gen. 46:7 “Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring. [8] These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: [12] The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

Genesis 46 recounts all those who entered into Egypt, sixty-six persons. Hezron and Hamul being listed among those indicates they had to have been born in Canaan. Perez, who might have been a change-of-life baby for Judah, was a father himself now.

Chapter 38 is therefore a crucial piece of evidence for timing Joseph’s stay in Egypt. It also, off-handedly, shows the anguish that Judah had endured: losing two sons and his wife. It seems understandable then why Judah withheld his youngest son from Tamar: he feared he might also lose his youngest son and, thus, be completely bereaved of male children.

These events may have given Judah the clarity to fully appreciate the grief that his father had endured with the loss of Joseph. It may also be why he acted as surety for Benjamin. He would not let his father lose his youngest son and would sacrifice himself should any evil befall him. Not just for the sake of his youngest brother, but also for the sake of his father.

Without experiencing heartache of his own, would Judah have made the same decision to take Benjamin’s place as slave?

• Gen. 42:21-22 “And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.”

It is interesting that thirty-eight years later, his brothers were still plagued with the memory of their sin. They remembered Joseph’s anguish and his begging not to be sold. They are remembering an event from the distant past as though it were only yesterday. They blame their current distress on a past sin, which indicates that selling Joseph was a significant event for all the brothers; enough for all of them to proclaim themselves guilty for what they had done.

• Gen. 41:12 “Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us individually.”
  While this verse, with the use of ‘young’, appears to imply that Joseph was a young man, by definition the Hebrew word here na’ar means: a boy; a lad; a youth; a young man; a retainer; an attendant; a servant.

• Ex. 33:11 “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.”

Joshua died at the age of 110 after the conquest of Canaan was complete. According to various traditions and scholarly assumptions the conquest lasted between 6 and 12 years. This means Joshua was approximately one hundred years old at the time of Moses’ death; the age gap between Moses and Joshua would have been roughly twenty years. So when Moses ascended Mount Sinai the second time to retrieve the second set of tablets and Joshua remained at the tabernacle, Joshua was about 60 years of age. That does not make him a young man. Joshua would be an attendant; and in Joseph’s case, a retainer: “a servant or follower of a noble or wealthy person, especially one that has worked for a person or family for a long time.”

Because of these reasons, it's my belief that Joseph was 47 when he stood before Pharaoh. And if we assume the 7 years of plenty started shortly after Pharaoh’s dream, and that his brothers appeared in Egypt roughly a year to a year and half into the famine, Joseph would have been 55-56 when his brother’s entered Egypt. A mid-fifties age for Joseph might explain why Joseph says: “And [God] hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” [Gen 45:8]

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Thoughts? Critiques?

 

[Tolworth John]

esearcher who suggested that Joseph was in Egypt for 30 years.

In total or before he served Pharoh, gen 50 says he was 110 when he died.

I am inclinded to accept that he was 30 years old when he served Pharoh simple because that is the age that the levites and Jesus were when they started there service.

 

[Benjamin Müller]

In total or before he served Pharoh, gen 50 says he was 110 when he died.

Before he served Pharaoh, he would have been in Egypt 30 years.

I am inclinded to accept that he was 30 years old when he served Pharoh simple because that is the age that the levites and Jesus were when they started there service.

Interesting point, but the Levitical priests were not yet established at this point in time. Also, the Levitical priesthood and Jesus ministry handled the law and religious ordinances. Joseph was performing secular duties. Although God used him, Joseph was not a religious figure, so such an argument, I feel, is moot.