And someone was ready to stoke those embers.
The son of Pharaoh, consumed by his own wicked ambitions, wasn't about to let things lie. He'd already failed to turn Simon and Levi against Joseph. But he had another card to play: the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, the handmaids of Rachel and Leah. He figured, maybe these brothers would be more susceptible to manipulation.
According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, the Pharaoh's son called them in and spun a tale. He claimed he'd overheard a conversation between Joseph and Pharaoh himself. In this twisted version, Joseph was supposedly waiting for news of his father Jacob's death so he could eliminate the sons of the handmaids, blaming them for selling him into slavery all those years ago.
Can you imagine the rage that must have ignited in those brothers? They already carried the weight of that past. This accusation, true or not, was enough to push them over the edge. They agreed to the Pharaoh's son's plan. It was a dark pact: He would kill Pharaoh, Joseph's friend, and they, in turn, would murder their own brother.
Talk about sibling rivalry taken to a whole new level!
They were even provided with muscle – six hundred warriors and fifty spearmen, ready to carry out this horrific plan.
But here's where things took a turn. The first part of the plan, the murder of Pharaoh, completely fell apart. The palace guard, ever vigilant, wouldn't even allow the heir to the throne to enter his father's bedchamber. He had to slink away, his murderous intent thwarted.
So, what happens next? Does the plan change? Do they find another way? Well, that’s a story for another time. But it certainly makes you think about the enduring power of family feuds and the lengths some will go to for power, doesn't it?