ABRAHAM AND THE RISE OF WESTERN RELIGIONS
Ibrahim was born in a house of idolaters in the ancient city of Ur, in the Mesopotamian plains of Babylonia (present-day Iraq) which was part of Arya bhoomi or Bharath desha at that time.He was born into a family that worshiped and honored Vedic gods and goddess .The language that was spoken at the time was Akkadian (Akkadian is now an extinct language.) His father Azar was a well known idol sculptor that his people worshipped. As a young child, Ibrahim used to watch his father sculpting these idols from stones or wood. When his father was done with them, Ibrahim would ask his father why they could not move or respond to any request and then would mock them; therefore, his father always ground him for not following his ancestors's rituals and mocking their idols.abraham opposition to idols.
Abraham understood that Idols were God and never understood the concept of invoking GOD in the idols. It is not the idol we worship, it is the GOD in it that we worship and offer prayers. The Idol may be gold silver or even Mud...
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| Shiv linga at Kaaba |
Despite his opposition to idolatry, his father Azar would still send Ibrahim to sell his idols in the marketplace. Once there, Ibraham would call out to passersby, "Who’ll buy my idols? They won’t help you and they can’t hurt you! Who’ll buy my idols?" Then Ibrahim would mock the idols. He would take them to the river, push their faces into the water and command them, "Drink! Drink!" Once again, Ibrahim asked his father, "How can you worship what doesn’t see or hear or do you any good?" Azar replied, "Dare you deny the gods of our people? Get out of my sight!" Ibrahim replied, "May God forgive you. No more will I live with you and your idols." After this, Ibrahim left his father's home for good.
During one of the many festivals that would take place in the city, the people would gather in their temple and place offerings of food before their idols. Ibrahim would ask them, "What are you worshipping? Do these idols hear when you call them? Can they help you or hurt you?" The people would reply, "It is the way of our forefathers." Ibrahim declared "I am sick of your gods! Truly I am their enemy."After several years, Ibrahim became a young man. He still could not believe that his people were worshipping the statues. He laughed whenever he saw them entering the temple, lowering their heads, silently offering the statues the best of their food, crying and asking forgiveness from them. He started feeling angry towards his people, who could not realize that these are only stones that could neither benefit nor harm them.
Abraham believed in non existence of Brahman so he was called was Abraham.Abraham spreaded non existence of an omnipresent and Omniscient God and spoke about a God who lives in the heavens. Thus he was called A- Brahman as he taught A-brahmam.
Abraham is said to be one of the oldest Semitic Prophets.His name is supposed to be derived from the two Semitic words "Ab" meaning "Father" and "Raam/Raham" meaning "of the exalted", In the book of
Genesis, Abraham simply means "Multitude". The word Abraham is derived from the Sanskrit word
"Brahma". The root of Brahma is "Brah"which means -"to grow or multiply in number". In addition Lord Brahma, the Creator God of Hinduism is said to be the Father of all Men and Exalted of all the Gods, for it is from him that all beings were generated. Thus again we come to the meaning "Exalted Father". This is a
clear pointer to the fact that Abraham is none other than the heavenly father Brahma .
Abram and Sarai tried to make sense of how he would become a progenitor of nations since after 10 years of living in Canaan, no child had been born. Sarai then offered her Egyptian girl Hagar , the daughter of King Pharaoh of Egypt. Hagar was a vedic follower of egyptain Gods. She gave birth to Ishmael. Later, Sarah gave birth to Isaac, and the relationship between Hagar and her mistress came to a climax. At a celebration after Isaac was weaned, Sarah found the teenage Ishmael mocking her son. She was so upset by it that she demanded from her husband, who was now referred to as Abraham, to send Hagar and her son away. She declared that Ishmael would not share in Isaac's inheritance. Abraham was greatly distressed by his wife's words and God told Abraham not to be distressed but to do as his wife commanded because not only would Isaac carry the Abrahamic line, but a nation would come from the line of Ishmael as well. (Genesis 21:9-13)
Early the next morning, Abraham brought Hagar and Ishmael out together. Abraham gave Hagar bread and water then sent them into the wilderness of Beershiva ( Beershiba). She and her son wandered aimlessly until their water was completely consumed. In a moment of despair, she burst into tears. She worshiped Shiv linga in a desert temple with great devotion.God heard her and her son crying and came to rescue them.
Hagar opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. God also told Hagar that he "will make a great nation" of Ishmael.Hagar and Ishmael were saved. He asked Ishmael and Hagar to worship the Shiv linga with a cover and not to expose it to the public, which is what you now see as Mecca. Mecca was Vedic Shiv temple built by King Vikramadithya which was later converted to a Muslim pilgrim center by Prophet Mohammad. Later,Hagar found her son a wife from her native home in the land of Egypt and they settled in the Desert of Paran.
Ishmael is recognized by Muslims as the ancestor of several prominent Arab tribes and being the forefather of Muhammad.
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| Ishmael |
Isaac was the Father of Israels
Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were born to Isaac and Rebecca after 20 years of marriage, when Isaac was 60 years of age Rebekah was uncomfortable during her pregnancy and went to inquire of God why she was suffering. She received the prophecy that twins were fighting in her womb and would continue to fight all their lives, even after they became two separate nations. The prophecy also said that "the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger;"
When the time came for Rebecca to give birth, the firstborn, Esau, came out covered with red hair, as if he were wearing a hairy garment, and his heel was grasped by the hand of Jacob, the secondborn. According to Genesis 25:25, Isaac and Rebecca named the first son Hebrew: meaning "hairy" or "rough".The second son they named Jacob meaning "leg-puller".
Arriving in Haran, Jacob saw a well where shepherds were gathering their flocks to water them and met Laban's younger daughter, Rachel, Jacob's first cousin; she was working as a shepherdess. He loved her immediately, and after spending a month with his relatives, asked for her hand in marriage in return for working seven years for Laban. Laban agreed to the arrangement. These seven years seemed to Jacob "but a few days, for the love he had for her", but when they were complete and he asked for his wife, Laban deceived Jacob by switching Rachel's older sister, Leah, as the veiled bride.
Laban sent his son Beor to Esau, in the hills of Seir, to inform him about the great wealth Jacob had amassed during the years of service in his, Laban’s, house. “Now would be the right time for you to take revenge for the injustice Jacob had done to you, and to take away all of Jacob’s possessions,” Laban told him. Esau did not need any more coaxing to reawaken his old hatred and whet his appetite for Jacob’s wealth. He gathered four hundred able-bodied and well-trained and equipped men and moved against Jacob, whose caravan by that time had reached the river Yabok.
Jacob heard of Esau’s approaching army and sent messengers of peace and good will to his brother. He asked him to forget the old grievances since Isaac’s blessings apparently had been without effect. He had experienced great hardship during these twenty years, whereas Esau was a great chieftain.
The messengers returned with disappointment. They had failed in their mission, and reported that Esau with four hundred men seemed to be in the mood to fight and to kill.
There was nothing left for Jacob to do but to prepare for the battle against his brother. He divided his camp into two, so that the one would be able to escape if the other group were defeated. And then, feeling that safety and deliverance were in the hands of G-d alone, he prayed to G-d that He be with him to help him in this uneven fight against the troops of Esau.
But, although preparing for the fight, Jacob did not abandon hope for a friendly settlement with his brother. He sent groups of servants, each bearing rich presents, to meet Esau on the way and to try that way to arouse his compassion. At the same time he ardently prayed to G-d to turn Esau’s anger into a feeling of brotherhood.
Jacob Wrestles with Yahweh
Crossing back to the other bank of the river to make sure he had for gotten nothing, Jacob came face to face with Yahweh who began to wrestle with him. But try as he might,Yahweh could not overcome Jacob. Nor could he shake off Jacob’s firm grip. All Yahweh succeeded in doing was to dislocate Jacob’s thigh. Morning broke, and Jacob still held on to his opponent.
Yahweh said (32:27)): “Let me go, for dawn is breaking,” Jacob replied: “I will not let you go unless you have blessed me.” And Yahweh said unto him: “What is your name?” And he said: “Jacob.” And Yahweh said: “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, because you have commanding power with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
Jacob’s Reconciliation with Esau
Soon Esau arrived with his men. He had been duly impressed by the rich presents Jacob had offered him, and he abandoned his evil intentions. When Jacob, followed by his wives and children, went out to meet him, Esau embraced him and kissed him, and both cried with emotion. At first Esau refused to accept the riches which Jacob had offered him. Finally, however, he accepted them and returned to Seir.
Jacob’s Arrival in Canaan
Jacob continued on his way to Canaan. In Beth-El he erected an altar at the place where G0d had appeared to him when he fled from Esau. Again, God appeared to him there, blessed him, and said: “The land I promised to Abraham and Isaac, I shall give to you and your children.”
Rachel’s Death
On the way from Beth-El to Beth-Lechem Rachel died after she had given birth to Benjamin. Jacob wanted to take her along and bury her in the Cave of Machpelah, but God ordered him to bury her by the wayside, on the heights of Beth-Lechem. She was to rest there, so that many years later, when her children were led into exile by the Babylonians, they would find solace and courage at her grave, knowing that Mother Rachel was imploring God for them.
Jacob loved his second youngest son Joseph very dearly. Even as a young boy, Joseph had shown his great mental gifts and his piety. Since Joseph had also inherited the exquisite beauty of his mother Rachel, it is not surprising that he was his father’s favorite son. Jacob spent much time teaching Joseph everything he had learned from his father and grandfather, and at the academy of Shem and Eber. And Joseph grew up to be very wise and learned. The brothers were jealous of the special favors which their father bestowed upon young Joseph. With misgivings, they viewed Joseph’s company when he joined them at the age of seventeen to become a shepherd like his brothers.
Joseph Dreams
Thus the relationship between Joseph and his brothers became strained. This strained relationship was brought to a climax when Joseph began to tell about his dreams which, by their very nature, affirmed his brothers’ fears that he aspired to rule over them. Once Joseph told them that he had dreamed he had been binding sheaves in the field, together with them, and that their sheaves had suddenly bowed before his own. On another occasion, Joseph told his brothers of having a dream in which the sun and the moon and eleven stars had paid their respects to him.
Jacob warned Joseph against telling such dreams to his brothers, and bade his sons to disregard these dreams, for he did not wish to see strife among them. In his heart, however, he knew that there was truth in Joseph’s dreams, and that Joseph was destined to become a great and powerful ruler.
Joseph Sold
One day Joseph was staying home with his father, while his brothers were with the flocks near Shechem. For a long time Jacob had had no news from his sons. Worried over their fate, he sent Joseph to find them and bring word from them. Wandering all over the fields in search of his brothers, Joseph met a man who told him that they had moved in the direction of Dothan. Joseph followed them and, indeed, found them there. From afar, Joseph’s brothers saw him approach. They could not mistake his coat of many colors that their father had given him, and their jealousy was aroused. They threw him into a nearby pit. Reuben had planned to take him out eventually, and return him to his father, unharmed. In the meantime, Reuben went off to assist his father. But when he returned to the pit, Joseph was not there, for his brothers had sold him to a passing caravan of Ishmaelite merchants.
Jacob Mourns the Loss of Joseph
Joseph’s brothers soon repented of their action. Unable to tell Jacob the truth, they slaughtered a goat and dipped Joseph’s coat, which they had taken from him, into the blood. Then they sent the blood-stained garment to their father, telling him that they had found it. Jacob recognized the special garb he had made for Joseph, and thought that his favorite son had been torn to pieces by a wild animal. For many years Jacob mourned the loss of Joseph and refused to be consoled.
The Ishmaelite merchants sold Joseph to a caravan of Midianites, who brought him to Egypt. There they sold him to Potiphar, who was the chief officer of King Pharaoh’s guard. Joseph’s extraordinary beauty, wisdom, and fine manners attracted the attention of his master. Potiphar recognized the unusual abilities of Joseph and knew that he was no common slave. He elevated him above all other servants, and soon put him in charge of the entire household. Potiphar’s house blossomed under Joseph’s able care and loyal management, for G-d was with Joseph and blessed with success everything he did.
Joseph Falsely Accused
In his position as supervisor of the house, Joseph could not help coming in contact with the mistress of the house and her friends. They were greatly attracted by his unusual beauty and charm.
One day, on the Feast of the Rising Nile, Joseph remained alone in the house, while the entire household turned out to attend services at the Egyptian temples. Zelicha, Potiphar’s wife, also had stayed home, for she knew that Joseph would be home, since he never attended Egyptian worship. She hoped that she would have a whole day to spend in Joseph’s company. But she did not know Joseph. All her promises could not tempt him to stay with her. Joseph saw his aged father before his eyes, and he could not betray the faith his father had in him. Potiphar’s wife was so wicked a woman that Joseph, indignant at her conduct, escaped at last from the house of his master, leaving his cloak behind him in his hasty flight.
Potiphar, returning to his house, was met by his infuriated wife who, holding the garment in her hand, greeted him with a tale against his favorite servant, accusing him of making improper advances to her.
Joseph Thrown Into Prison
Although Potiphar knew that Joseph was above suspicion and could never be guilty of such a crime, he had to uphold the honor of his wife. He had Joseph tortured and thrown into prison. There, too, however, G-d was with Joseph, and after a short while he gained the confidence of the keeper of the prison and was put in charge of the other prisoners.
Joseph, the Interpreter of Dreams
Soon thereafter, the Chief Butler and Chief Baker of King Pharaoh displeased their king by negligence in their services. Pharaoh had them thrown into the prison where Joseph was held captive. In his capacity as the prisoner-in-charge, Joseph became good friends with the two courtiers, and they spent many hours together in conversation.
One morning Joseph entered their dungeon and found them gloomy and miserable. Inquiring as to the cause of their grief, he was told that they had dreamed during the night and that there was nobody who could interpret their dreams. Joseph told them that since the meaning of dreams was in G-d’s hands, they might relate their dreams to him, and, with G-d’s help, perhaps he might be able to interpret them.
The Chief Butler then related his dream: “In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were three branches; and as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes; and Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into his hand.”
Joseph gave him the following interpretation (Genesis 40:12): “This is its meaning: the three branches are three days. In another three days, Pharaoh will number you [with the other officers], and he will restore you to your position, and you will place Pharaoh's cup into his hand, according to [your] previous custom, when you were his cupbearer.” Thinking of himself and his future, Joseph added a personal request that the Chief Butler, when back in the palace, should kindly remember him to the king, so that he too might be released from his undeserved imprisonment.
The Chief of the Bakers saw that Joseph had well interpreted the Chief Butler’s dream, and he ventured to tell his dream too. He said: “I also saw in my dream, and behold, three baskets of wheat bread were on my head; and in the uppermost basket there was all manner of baked foods for Pharaoh; and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”
Joseph interpreted this dream to mean that in three days Pharaoh would have the Chief Baker hanged on the gallows and that the birds would pick off his flesh.
Joseph’s interpretations proved right. Three days later was King Pharaoh’s birthday. He reviewed the cases of the Chief Butler and Chief Baker. The former was restored to his position, but the Chief Baker was hung. Happy, but ungrateful to Joseph, the Chief Butler forgot Joseph in the dungeon
Pharaoh’s Dreams
It was two years after Joseph had interpreted the dreams of the Chief Butler and Chief Baker, that King Pharaoh had a strange dream one night. At first he saw seven beautiful fat cows coming out of the Nile to graze on the meadow. After them seven ugly and lean cows climbed out of the water and swallowed the beautiful ones. Pharaoh awoke but soon fell asleep again. This time he saw in his dream seven ears of corn full and rank, growing on one stalk; then seven thin, wind-beaten ears sprang up on another stalk, and devoured the first ones. These strange dreams worried Pharaoh, and he called all the famous magicians, astrologers, and sages of his country and asked them for the correct interpretation of his dreams. But try as they would, they could not satisfy Pharaoh. They only got the king more worried and nervous by their contradictory and fantastic explanations.
Finally, the Chief Butler remembered Joseph and how he had proved himself a true interpreter of dreams. The Chief Butler, therefore, told his master about the dreams he and the Chief Baker had had in prison, and how a young Hebrew slave had interpreted them correctly. Pharaoh immediately sent for Joseph.
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
Joseph was thirty years old: when he appeared before King Pharaoh. When Pharaoh told him that he had heard of Joseph’s great gift as an interpreter of dreams, Joseph modestly replied that his wisdom was not of his own making but of G-d’s. Then Pharaoh related his dreams to Joseph, and Joseph knew at once that G-d had revealed their meaning to him.
Joseph informed Pharaoh that both dreams had the same meaning, and that G-d wished to tell Pharaoh what He was about to do. Seven years of plenty and abundance would come to Egypt, but they would be followed by seven years of famine. Hunger and privation would be so great that the abundance of the preceding years would be completely swallowed up and forgotten. The fact that Pharaoh had seen the same thing twice meant that G-d had definitely decided to have his dream come true within the very near future. It was now the task of King Pharaoh, Joseph continued, to find a wise and honest man to administrate and control the economy of the land during the seven years of abundance, so that sufficient provisions would be stored away for the seven lean years to come, thereby averting a terrible catastrophe.
Joseph Receives Great Honors
This explanation and advice profoundly impressed Pharaoh and his council. Pharaoh decided that he could not find a better and wiser man than Joseph himself, who was blessed by G-d with prophetic wisdom. He immediately appointed Joseph to be the governor of Egypt, second only to the king. Joseph was dressed in royal apparel, and the king gave him the royal authentication ring and a golden chain as tokens of his position. In the royal chariot, Joseph, now given an Egyptian name, Tzophenath Paneach, was led through the land, accompanied by a royal suite and messengers, who hailed the new govener and proclaimed his authority. The entire country paid homage to Tzophenath Paneach, and he soon became very popular among the people of Egypt.
Joseph in Office
In accordance with his own advice, Joseph instituted a strict control over the entire food production of Egypt. The seven years of abundance began immediately, and Joseph had large storehouses erected all over the country. Then he bought up most of the surplus that had flooded the markets and stored it away in warehouses. The people too, followed his example and stocked up, for they believed in the truth of Joseph’s prediction. But since the people did not take all the necessary precautions to preserve the food over the long period, their stores were spoiled by the time the years of hunger arrived.
The seven years of plenty passed and the years of famine began; now the entire country found itself dependent upon the provisions stored away by the state, under the wise administration of Joseph. In exchange for food, the people sold their livestock and land, and by the end of the famine, Pharaoh was in complete control of the entire country, and all the people were his assistants, working for him and depending on him for their needs.
Prepares For His Brothers’ Arrival
Not only was Egypt hit by: the famine, but also all the neighboring countries, Canaan among them. Many people from near and far came to Egypt to buy provisions, since only in the land of Egypt had the famine been anticipated and prepared for. Naturally Joseph expected to see his brothers any day, coming to purchase food for Jacob’s household. In order to make sure that he would not miss them, he ordered all purchasers of food to register as soon as they entered Egypt.
The Harsh Reception
Thus Joseph knew immediately when his ten older brothers arrived in Egypt to buy corn for their father’s house. Only Benjamin did not come. Joseph had his brothers brought before him. Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him, for when they had last seen him he was but a youngster, and it would have been difficult for them to imagine that this powerful royal personage was their own brother. Joseph thought of his dreams and of their jealous attitude towards him and decided to test them. Through an interpreter, so that they might not guess his identity, Joseph addressed them harshly (Genesis 42:7).
“Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to purchase food.”
“You are spies!” Joseph accused them.
“No, sir,” they replied; “your servants have but come to purchase food. We are twelve brothers and our father is in Canaan; the youngest is at home with our father, and one brother disappeared many years ago.”
Joseph pretended that he was not convinced, and told his brothers that he would not let them go away till one of them went to fetch their youngest brother, to prove the truth of their words. Then he had them put into prison.
The Changed Brothers
On the third day of their imprisonment, Joseph spoke to his brothers again.
He told them that he would not keep them in prison any longer, and that in order that they might have an opportunity to prove their honesty, one of the brothers should remain in prison as a hostage. The rest, however, were instructed to return to Canaan with their food and to bring back their youngest brother.
Joseph could not help overhearing his brothers’ conversation, full of distress and regret. They believed that the trouble that had befallen them was a punishment from G-d for their heartlessness on that fateful day when they had thrown Joseph into the pit.
Joseph was overcome with love and pity for his brothers when he saw how sorry they were for their cruelty to him; he withdrew quietly and wept. Then he hardened himself, washed his eyes, and returned to his brothers with a look upon his face so harsh that it made them wince. He ordered his men to bind Simeon, who was next to the eldest. But Simeon terrified the men, and they were powerless to carry out Joseph’s order. Thereupon, Manasseh, Joseph’s oldest son, seized Simeon, and bound him. The brothers were taken back by the unusual strength of the young Egyptian prince. Such strength they thought possible only in a descendant of Jacob.
Having secretly ordered that the money his brothers had paid for the food be returned to their sacks, Joseph sent them away, warning them to bring their youngest brother with them the next time they came to Egypt.
The Brothers Return Home
The brothers thanked Joseph and left for Canaan, their mules packed with corn. On the way, they stopped at an inn. One of them opened his sack to take out some food for his animal, and was astonished to find that his money had been returned to him. Now they were even more frightened than before, because they felt that more trouble was in store for them.
Arriving home, they told their father everything that had happened. When they emptied the corn, they discovered all the rest of the money they had paid for it, in their sacks. Fear overcame everyone of them. When they told their father that they would have to take Benjamin with them to Egypt in order to save Simeon, he said in great distress, “Joseph is gone, and Simeon is not here; now you want to take Benjamin away. If any mischief should befall him on the way, you will bring my gray head with sorrow to the grave. My son shall not go with you!”
Judah Vouches For Benjamin
The provisions were used up and famine again threatened Jacob’s household. Jacob asked his sons to return to Egypt to buy food (Genesis 43:4). “If you send our brother with us, we cannot go to Egypt,” Judah said, “The man warned us repeatedly, saying, 'You shall not see my face if your brother is not with you!”
Jacob did not conceal his great anxiety for Benjamin’s safety, and finally Judah vouched with his own life for the safety of the boy. With starvation threatening the entire household, Jacob could no longer delay his sons’ going to Egypt and permitted Benjamin to go with them. He told his sons to return the money they had found in their sacks, and advised them to take some fine presents for the ruler of Egypt. Then, he blessed them and sent them on their way.
A Friendlier Reception
When the brothers appeared before Joseph, and Joseph saw that Benjamin was among them, he told his representative to bring them into the house, and to prepare a meal for them. The man did so. Joseph’s brothers were suspicious of the unexpected hospitality. They approached the supervisor and told him of the strange return of their money when they had first purchased food in Egypt. They assured him that they had brought the money back with them, together with more money for the new purchases. The supervisor allayed their fears, telling them that he had received the money, and that the money they had found in their sacks was a gift from G-d. Then he brought Simeon to them. Simeon told them how well he had been treated, and greatly relieved, they all sat down at the table.
When Joseph arrived, his brothers presented him with the gifts Jacob had sent him. He greeted them cordially and inquired after their aged father. Then he welcomed Benjamin; but on seeing his youngest brother, Joseph was overcome with emotion, and had to withdraw, so that his brothers might not see the tears that were about to burst forth from his eyes.
Returning to his brothers, Joseph presided over the feast. For the first time since they had sold Joseph, the brothers felt really merry and happy, for although they did not know it, there they were, all twelve of them together. Only Joseph knew, and he thought how well it was for brothers to live together in peace and harmony!
Many a time Joseph surprised them by his intimate knowledge of their personal lives. For instance, he seated them according to their age, and called them by their names. He pretended to get all this knowledge from his “divine cup” which he kept putting up to his ear, as if it were revealing many secrets to him. After the meal, Joseph gave them all presents; to Benjamin, however, he gave five times as much as to the others.
Joseph Tests His Brothers
Joseph still wanted to see how much they were willing to sacrifice for one an other. After the meal, he told his supervisor to fill the sacks of his brothers with provisions, and again to put their money on top. His own “magic” cup, however, he ordered to be put in Benjamin’s sack. The man carried out Joseph’s orders, and the next morning, unaware of the plot, Joseph’s brothers set out for Canaan, happy that everything had gone so well.
Hardly had they left the city, when the supervisor came riding after them and reprimanded them for stealing his master’s “divining cup.” What ingratitude for the kindness with which he had treated them! In vain did they protest, reminding him that they had even returned the money they had found in their sacks the last time. Why should they now steal what belonged to his master? They agreed to have their belongings searched, and said that if one of them had stolen the cup, he would die, and that the others would serve as slaves.
The supervisor, however, said that the thief alone would be held responsible and taken into bondage, and that the rest could go home free.
Convinced of their innocence, the brothers unloaded their packs. The search began with the oldest and went down to the youngest. When Benjamin’s sack was opened, the brothers were shocked. There the cup lay, mute evidence of a crime they knew Benjamin could not have committed. Tearing their clothes in great despair, the brothers decided they would stick together, one for all and all for one. How different they were now from what they had been many years earlier, when they had turned deaf ears to Joseph’s plight!
All the brothers now returned to Egypt to try to save the innocent Benjamin.
Judah Pleads For Benjamin
When the brothers returned to Joseph, they fell down before him and proclaimed their innocence. They could not understand how such a thing had happened, they said, and expressed the belief that the discovery of the cup in Benjamin’s sack was some kind of punishment for their sins; they added that they were ready to take the consequence-they would all be Joseph’s slaves!
But Joseph refused their offer and said that only the one in whose possession the cup had been found was to remain as slave; the others could return to their father in Canaan.
Then Judah stepped forward and began to plead for Benjamin. Judah began by accusing the harsh govenor of a plot to enslave them from the start. He warned him of the unusual strength of the sons of Jacob. Cleverly, Joseph replied that his divining cup had already told him that two of them had destroyed a whole city, but that he was not impressed.
Then Judah changed his tactics and appealed to Joseph’s heart. He recounted the whole story of Jacob and his two beloved sons, whom his favorite wife, Rachel, had borne him in his old age. Judah told of his father’s grief when one of them had disappeared from home. He revealed that should they come home without the other one, their aged father would never survive the calamity. Finally, Judah offered himself in the boy’s place, pointing out that he would be of so much more value than Benjamin as a slave.
Joseph Reveals Himself
Judah’s moving appeal and spirit of self-sacrifice in behalf of his brother well being tore Joseph’s affectionate heart apart. He knew that his brothers had changed completely, and that they would rather die than give Benjamin away as a slave. Joseph could now forgive them for all they had done to him, which, after all, he knew was for the best. Joseph felt that he could no longer play the hateful role he had assumed in order to test his brothers. His tears were bursting forth, and he longed to embrace his beloved brothers. Sending all the Egyptian associates and attendants out of the room, Joseph, with tears in his eyes, exclaimed in Hebrew, in a voice shaking with emotion (Genesis 45:3): “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”
So stunned were his brothers that they could not answer him. Joseph realized their embarrassment and possible fear of him, and he continued to talk to them with brotherly affection which soon put them at ease. He told them not to worry about having sold him as a slave, for it had been G-d’s will to send him to Egypt to save their lives from hunger. Then he asked them to hurry back to Jacob and tell him that they had found his lost son, Joseph. He asked them to tell their father that despite the many years of absence from home, in an environment of idolatry and immorality, he had remained the same Joseph his father had known and loved. Joseph thereupon begged his father to come to Egypt with his whole household, where Joseph would take care of them. In Goshen, a province of Egypt, they could settle and live in peace and plenty, for the years of famine were not yet over. There he would take care of them as best he could.
Joseph embraced his brother Benjamin and kissed him, and then he embraced all his other brothers. All eyes were full of tears, tears of hapiness and of gratitude to G-d for His boundless mercy.
The news of Joseph’s discovery of his brothers was welcomed by King Pharaoh. He urged Joseph to bring the entire family to Egypt and to give them the best of the land.
Laden with presents, and accompanied by a whole caravan of wagons for the removal of the family, the brothers hastened home to bring the happy tidings to their father.
Jacob’s heart stood still as he heard the wonderful news. He could hardly believe that his beloved Joseph was still alive. However, when Jacob saw the gifts his sons brought with them, and especially when he heard the special message Joseph had sent him, reminding his father of their last scholarly discussion before Joseph departed in search of his brothers on that fateful day, Jacob knew that Joseph was alive. Jacob felt like a changed man. He was greatly cheered and strengthened by the good tidings, and immediately prepared for the journey to Egypt, for he wanted to see Joseph before he died.
On The Way to Egypt
With his entire household of seventy persons, Jacob left his native land, but not before he had visited Beershiva, where he offered sacrifices to G0d Shiva. Here God appeared to him and told him not to be afraid to go to Egypt, because He would be with him and eventually turn his small family into a great nation; then He would bring them back from Egypt and they would settle in the land of Canaan.
From Beer-Sheba Jacob continued his journey to Egypt. He sent Judah before him to make preparations for the arrival of the family, and especially to set up a school and an academy for the children.
Jacob Meets Joseph
When Joseph heard that his father was coming, he prepared a big reception. All of Egypt was celebrating the arrival of their govenor’s father. Joseph himself went to meet his father on the way. When Joseph saw his father from a distance, he stepped down from his royal carriage and ran forward to greet him. They embraced each other affectionately and shed many tears over their long separation. Finally, Jacob said: “Now that I have seen your face again, I can die in peace.”
Jacob Visits Pharaoh
Soon after his father’s arrival, Joseph went to Pharaoh and told him that his father and brothers had arrived with all their possessions. Pharaoh was very pleased and granted them the land of Goshen for residence. Then Joseph introduced his father and brothers to the king. Pharaoh, impressed with Jacob’s wisdom and patriarchal appearance, asked him how old he was. Jacob replied that he was one hundred and thirty years old; that most of these years had been full of sorrow and pain, but that now he was looking forward to his happiest years. Jacob then blessed Pharaoh.
Joseph gave his father and brothers’ good land in Goshen, where they settled to live in peace and were provided with everything they needed. When the years of famine were over, the land gradually returned to normal. However, every one knew that if it had not been for Joseph, the entire population would have perished of starvation.
Joseph married Osnath, Dinah’s daughter, who had been brought up in the house of Potiphar. She bore him two children, Manasseh and Ephraim. When his father settled in Goshen, Joseph sent his two sons to stay with their grandfather to be instructed in the knowledge of God.
Jacob’s Last Request
Jacob lived in Goshen for seventeen years. When he felt that his end was approaching, he sent for Joseph and had him swear not to bury him in Egypt, but to take him back to Canaan and lay him to rest with his fathers, in the Cave of Machpelah.
Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Children
One day Joseph was told that his father was seriously ill. Joseph took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to see Jacob.
The aged Jacob was lying on his sick-bed. It was the first case of sickness before death, for beforehand people had died suddenly of old age. Jacob, however, had prayed to G-d that death come not unexpectedly, in order that man might have a chance to look back upon his life and make amends through timely repentance.
When Joseph entered his room, Jacob raised himself in his bed and greeted him. Then he blessed Joseph and put Ephraim and Manasseh on an equal footing with his own sons, giving them rights equal to those of Reuben and Simeon. Thus he made Ephraim and Manasseh members of the twelve tribes. (They took the place of Joseph and Levi). Then he placed his hands on the heads of his two grandchildren, and said: “The angel who has redeemed me from all evil will bless the children, and let in there my name be called and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and may they multiply in the midst of the earth. With you shall everyone in Israel bless his children, saying, ‘G-d make you as Ephraim and Manasseh.’“
Jacob’s Death
Then Jacob called all his sons together to bless them. He warned his children to keep together and to remain staunch in their belief in God, Jacob died, after he had again told them to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah. Jacob was one hundred and forty-seven years old when G-d took his holy soul back to heaven.
Jacob’s Burial
All of Egypt mourned with Joseph over the passing of Jacob, who, in the time of his stay in Goshen, had gained the esteem and love of all the people. Jacob’s children fulfilled their promise and carried the coffin all the way to Canaan. When the procession reached the border of Canaan, thirty-one kings turned out to pay homage to the dead. Esau, too, heard of his brother’s death, and came to accompany his body to its place of rest. Finally they reached Hebron and made preparations to bury Jacob in the Cave of Machpelah.
Esau’s Death
Esau did not want to give permission to bury Jacob in the Cave of Machpelah. He wanted to: reserve the place next to his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham for himself, even though twenty-seven years before, when he and Jacob had divided the inheritance of their father, he had sold Jacob all rights to the land. Fighting broke out between Esau’s men and the sons of Jacob in which forty of Esau’s people were killed. Hushim, the son of Dan, who was hard of hearing, had been sitting by the hearse of his dead grandfather. When he finally heard the noise of fighting and observed the delay of the burial, he asked for the reason. He did not understand exactly what had happened. He heard only that Esau withheld permission for Jacob’s burial. He took a sword, ran into the camp, and slew Esau. Esau’s head fell to the floor and was buried in the Cave of Machpelah, where his ancestors had found their last rest. His body was taken back to his home in Seir.
Joseph’s Pledge to His Brothers
After Jacob’s death, his sons be came afraid that Joseph might now take revenge for the evil they had committed against him in his youth. So they sent word to him, telling him that before his death their father had asked them to tell him that he should forgive his brothers for what they had done to him. Joseph, however, calmed their fears and told them not to worry about the past, adding that it had been G-d’s will that had turned everything just the right way. He assured them of his undying love and loyalty, and pledged to sustain them and their families. They were all greatly moved by his words, and their eyes were filled with tears.
Joseph’s Death
When Joseph felt that his end was coming, he asked his brothers to swear that when G-d took them out of Egypt and brought them back to Canaan, the land that G-d had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they would take his bones along. This the brothers promised on oath, which was to be upheld by their children from generation to generation, until the day of their departure from Egypt.
Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years. He was embalmed and put into a sarcophagus (a coffin made out of stone) that was let down into the Nile river. (The Egyptians hoped that the children of Israel would never be able to fulfill their promise, and would thus have to remain in Egypt. But before the Jews left Egypt, Moses went looking for Joseph’s casket. Serach, the daughter of Asher, who was a prophetess, showed him the place where the sarcophagus had been immersed in the water. Moses called to Joseph, and the casket rose from the water. During all the years of wandering through the desert, the children of Israel carried Joseph’s bones along, until they brought them to the Promised-Land, where they were laid to rest).
Jews have descended mostly from the tribes of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and of Leah and Simeon, the second son of Jacob and of Leah and partially from the tribes of Benjamin the youngest son of Jacob with Rachel and Levi, who had all together formed the ancient Kingdom of Judah (alongside the remnants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who migrated to their Southern counterpart and assimilated there).A closely related group is the Samaritans, who claim descent from the Israelite tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, while according to the Bible their origin is in the people brought to Israel by the Neo-Assyrian Empire and some Cohanim (Jewish priests) who taught them how to worship the "native God"
Israel and his entire house of seventy, gathered up with all their livestock and began their journey to Egypt. En route, Israel stopped at Beershiva for the night to make a sacrificial offering to his God, Yahweh.
From the above statement we can understand that God of BeerShiva told about in Bible is non other than Mahadev himself. No Christain or Islamic system does sacrifice to God. Sacrifice is part of vedic studies. Vedas are the root of all religions in modern world. The teachings of Vedism has manifested into different from in different ages.
The anthropomorphic masculine form of YHWH, i.e., the body of the Lord, is translucent blue, indeed, fiery blue, as evidenced by biblical, talmudic, midrashic, and mystical texts, such as the Book of Daniel, Menahot, Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer, and Shi’ur Qomah. The Hebrew terms tarshish, sapir, and tekhelet are used to describe the blueness of the Lord’s body as well as his accoutrements and abode.
For example, in the Book of Daniel, the main character, Daniel, comes face to face with an incredible being, whom he describes using the words “ugviyahto ch’tarshish,” which translate as “his body was like tarshish” (Daniel 10:6). Joseph ben David Ibn Yahya recognized this being as the Lord, and Radak understood tarshish to be a bluish stone.
The Sanskrit origin of tarshish, sapir, and tekhelet shifts our attention to the Hindu pantheon, where we find the blue deity Shiva, whose behavior and whose cult, as scholars have been quietly pointing out for more than a century, appear similar, in certain aspects, to that of YHWH. Shiva manifests himself as a “pillar of fire” (jyotirlingam) in Vayu Purana 55.13-57 and YHWH appears as a “pillar of fire” in Exodus 13:21-22 and 14:24, for instance. The similarity of these theophanies warrants our taking a brief look at them.
Yes, the blue god of Judaism. The god that Jews worship is as blue as the Hindu god Shiva, the supreme being in Shaivism, the oldest sect within Hinduism. In some ways, the ancient Hebrews were more similar to modern-day Hindus than Jews. They acknowledged the existence of deities other than YHWH (whom Christians generally refer to as Yahweh) and, like their neighbors, looked to a pantheon of gods and goddesses to satisfy their individual and collective needs.
The biblical God Himself was a pillar resident in his early days, when he lived in a cylindrical stone (=LINGA) of the sort called BETH-EL dwelling-place of a deity :"This stone , which I have set for a pillar , shall be GOD'S house" (genesis 28:22)
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