It's quite a story, one that goes far beyond the familiar narrative in Genesis.
Famine had gripped the land, remember? And the people, desperate for food, first spent all their money. Then, they bartered away their livestock. But the hunger persisted. Soon, they had nothing left but the very ground beneath their feet.
Imagine the scene: people covered in clay, emblems of their destitution, pleading with Joseph. "O lord king, see me and see my possessions!" they cried. And one by one, field by field, they sold everything to Joseph, becoming his tenants. In the end, according to the Biblical account, they gave a fifth of their harvest to Joseph (Genesis 47:24).
But there's more to it than just economics. Not everyone lost their land. There was one group that remained untouched by Joseph's acquisitions: the priests. Why? Well, according to Legends of the Jews, compiled by Rabbi Louis Ginzberg, Joseph owed them a debt of gratitude.
You see, the Egyptians had initially hesitated to make Joseph their viceroy. They were troubled by the accusations of adultery leveled against him by Potiphar's wife. How could they elevate a man suspected of such a crime to such a high office?
It was the priests, according to this telling, who came up with a clever solution. They suggested examining Joseph's torn garment, the very garment Potiphar's wife had presented as evidence. The key was to see where the tear was located.
If the tear was in the front, it would prove his guilt. He had attacked the woman, and she had torn his cloak in self-defense. But if the tear was in the back, it would demonstrate his innocence. He was fleeing, and she had grabbed him, causing the tear as he tried to escape.
Now, here's where things get interesting. According to Legends of the Jews, the angel Gabriel intervened. He supernaturally moved the tear from the front of the garment to the back! With this divine intervention, the Egyptians were convinced of Joseph's innocence. Their doubts vanished, and they readily appointed him as their ruler.
So, the priests, by facilitating Joseph's rise to power, earned his gratitude. And in return, they were allowed to keep their land during the famine. A fascinating twist, isn't it? A reminder that even in the direst of circumstances, alliances and debts of gratitude can shape history. It makes you wonder, what unseen forces are shaping the world around us today?