The Joseph Story (Gen 37-50)

An Ancient Novella

short story with recurring pattern: success, complication, response, resolution

1. intro (37:1-2)
2. rising action (37:3-41:49)
   1. first series--in the house of Jacob (37:3-36)
      1. success--Jacob's preferential treatment (37:3-4)
      2. complication--Joseph's dreams (37:5-11)
      3. response--Joseph's brothers plot to get rid of him (37:12-27)
      4. resolution--Joseph sold to Ishmaelites (Midianites) (37:28)

      [parenthesis--Judah & Tamar (38:1-30)--to show passing of time?]

   2. second series--in Potiphar's house (39:1-20)
      1. success--Joseph put in charge of household servants (39:1-6)
      2. complication--Potiphar's wife's desire for Joseph (39:7)
      3. response--Joseph refuses her advances (39:8-12)
      4. resolution--Joseph thrown in prison (39:19-20)
   3. third series--in prison (39:21-40:23)
      1. success--Joseph put in charge of other prisoners (39:21-23)
      2. complication--Joseph asked to interpret cupbearer's & baker's dream (40:1-8)
      3. response--Joseph correctly interprets dreams (40:9-22)
      4. resolution--cupbearer forgets Joseph (40:23)
   4. third series--in Pharaoh's house (41:1-49)
      1. success--cupbearer remembers Joseph (41:9-13)
      2. complication--Joseph asked to interpret Pharaoh's dreams (41:14-24)
      3. response--Joseph correctly interprets dreams (41:25-36)
      4. resolution--Joseph made ruler over Egypt (41:37-49)
3. climax (41:50-46:7)
   1. success--all people come to buy food from Egypt (41:53-57)
   2. major complication--Joseph encounters his brothers in Egypt (42:1-44:34)
      1. complication #1--Joseph's brothers come to buy grain (42:1-17)
      2. Joseph's response #1a--Joseph retains Simeon, demands Benjamin (42:18-20)
      3. brothers' response #1a--brothers acknowledge guilt (42:21-22)
      4. Joseph's response #1b--Joseph returns their money (42:25)
      5. brothers' response #1b--brothers fear, return home (42:28-35)
      6. complication #2--brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin (43:1-15)
      7. Joseph's response #2a--Joseph makes a feast for his brothers (43:16-17)
      8. brothers' response #2a--brothers fear (43:18-22)
      9. Joseph's response #2b--Joseph again returns their money, arrests them (44:1-17)
      10. brothers' response #2b--Judah volunteers to take Benjamin's place (44:18-34)
   3. major response--Joseph reveals himself to his brothers (45:1-3)
   4. moral of story--God's providence (45:4-8)
   5. resolution--Joseph brings his family to Egypt (45:16-46:7)

   [insertion: Jacob's genealogy (46:8-27)]

4. falling action (46:28-50:21)
   1. success--Joseph's wisdom causes Pharaoh to prosper (47:13-26)
   2. complication--death of Jacob (47:27-49:33)
   3. response--Joseph reassures his brothers, repeats moral (50:19-21a)
   4. resolution--brothers finally at ease (50:21b)
5. conclusion (50:22-26)