It was time for Jacob to settle down - 'Vayeshev'
After battles and hassles and running around
Jacob had found no peace until now
So he prayed that the days of struggle would be behind him
So calm and ease could find him
Now Rachel was Jacob's favourite wife
And having a favourite made for some strife
Amongst the sons of the other mothers
There was much dis-ease amongst the brothers
The twelve of them knew that until now
The family saga of a recurring sibling drama
Only one brother had been singled out
To get their dad's blessing
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And yeh, no doubt
From their perspective you were either the one selected
Or else you'd get rejected
And this was the model that they'd accepted
They didn't yet know a new way would prevail
That they, the 12 tribes of Israel
To become a people of rich and varied talents
Would require a perfect balance
A multi-dimensional society of of Jews
Shining through many different hues
But this they could not then compute
Competition was the only way they knew
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So when Jacob gives Joseph a many-colored coat
It causes hatred in a way that might have been anticipated
Cos Joseph was clearly his daddy's chosen favourite
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Now remember - Joseph was only seventeen
He didn't know better than to tell his dreams:
'Listen to this - we were binding sheaves
In the field, and our destinies were revealed
When my sheaf stood up tall and proud
And yours all gathered round and bowed'
Now his brothers were angry and jealous
And Joseph began to sense their menace
And although he was young and naïve and vain
He already had a kind of deeper faith
That everything would work out for the best
And with this he passed the test
When the brothers were tending sheep in Shechem,
Jacob sent Joseph to check up on them
He knew his brothers would be there waiting
And he knew the danger that he was facing
By putting on a brave face
He made his way to a strange place
Where he'd be sure he'd find his bros,
And sure enough
As he approached
The brothers saw him from a distance
They knew his strutting in an instant
All they saw was peacock pride
-
They didn't know that deep inside
The dreamer had begun to change
He'd realised what was on the way
They grabbed him but he wrestled free
-
And threw himself at each one's feet
And begged for freedom life and peace
He begged that he might be released
But that wasn't what was meant to be
-
The brothers stripped Joseph of his colorful coat
And cast him into a deep moat
They gave the coat to Jacob, dyed bloody red
And he mourned his son
His favourite
Now presumed dead
So instead of dwelling in peace
Jacob lived the years with tears and grief
Meanwhile, merchants found Joseph in that deep pit
And they sold him as a slave
And he ended up in Egypt
Where a powerful Egyptian
Baselessly accused him of rape
And most unjustly thrown in jail
But in the end his faith prevailed
-
Joseph became a chief inside the prison
Because it seemed God was with him
Interpreting the dreams of prison servants
He knew who'd be hung
And whom returned to service
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And that is where Vayeshev ends
The curtain falls and our good friend
Joseph is living in an Egyptian prison.