It sounds like a dream, right? But what if everyone around you is dead-set against it? That's the situation Joseph found himself in, according to Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, when Pharaoh decided to elevate him.
Pharaoh's astrologer-counselors were not happy. Can you blame them? "A slave," they protested, "someone bought for a mere twenty pieces of silver, you want to make him our master?"
The idea seemed absurd. They questioned Pharaoh's judgment, reminding him, as Ginzberg tells it, that Joseph was basically property. How could someone like that possibly lead them?
But Pharaoh was convinced. He insisted that Joseph was not only a free man, without a doubt, but that he was also descended from a noble lineage. Pharaoh saw something special in Joseph, something beyond his current circumstances.
Still, the princes weren't buying it. They weren’t silenced by Pharaoh’s pronouncements. They had another card to play. "Don't you remember the unwavering law of the Egyptians?" they argued. "No one can be king or viceroy unless they speak all the languages of men!"
This was a serious point. Language, communication, understanding – these were crucial for leadership. And Joseph? "This Hebrew," they pointed out, "knows only his own tongue." How could he possibly rule over them if he couldn't even speak their language?
Their challenge was direct: send for him. Examine him on all the things a ruler should know. Put him to the test. And then, only then, decide if Pharaoh’s choice was truly wise.
It's a pretty shrewd move, isn't it? They weren't outright defying Pharaoh, but they were setting up a seemingly impossible hurdle for Joseph to overcome. It makes you wonder, what happened next? Could Joseph, the Hebrew slave, possibly meet their challenge? We'll have to see where the legend takes us next...