Monday, November 25, 2024

Yusuf

 The unnumbered Bismillah introduction feels like one of the only things worth uncovering in the entire book.

1: And its related enigma, the الٓر ۚ, here ironically paired with an invocation to clarity.

2-3: The audience here is explicitly of one, both by language and by invitation.

4-6: A strikingly different version than that in Genesis 37, on several points: in that Joseph told his father the dream, not his brothers, and that he recognized it as a sign, rather than rebuking him.

7-9: And no mention of the coat, which would be enough to drive anyone to jealousy.

10-15: And several other slight differences, which give this account the flavor of originating from an entirely different source.  It is not the omissions, but rather the insignificant differences that make one wonder if the oral recounting of the story diverged at some earlier point,rather than both versions coming from more or less the same text.

16-19: The differences have the general effect so far of painting Joseph in quite a positive light, and removing redeeming qualities from certain of the brothers: Judah and Reuben.

20-21: Perhaps the idea of Potiphar (here unnamed)'s affection for Joseph may come from this source, or some Jewish tradition.  In Genesis, it is all business.

22-25: Slightly different framing here:Joseph is specifically prevented from sin by his رَبِّهِۦۚ, a troublesome fly in the larger ointment of free will and predestination.

26-31: A delightful and fascinating embellishment to the story.  It makes one want to create a new version fusing the two.It makes one wonder how Joseph's exoneration will affect the rest of the story though.

32-35: This dovetails with the Genesis story, and makes the two accounts reconcilable.

36: Again, avoiding identifying the Egyptians in questions, unlike GOnly minor devi     enesis.

37-40: Joseph gives a better summary of his theology than we have received elsewhere: don't divide the indivisible, and be grateful.

41-42: Pretty parallel to the Genesis account, though missing the details of the interpretation.

43: fairly offputting to avoid transitions, but that's the consistent style.

44-49: Only minor deviations here, such as the addition of the year of plenty after the drought.

50-52: This might be my favorite additional detail: the comeuppance of the women.  Also, it is clear that Hulusi's interpretation of رَبِّكَ has more credence than I originally thought.

53-56: Hulusi's translation of نَفۡسِيۖ as "special friend" makes certain extrapolations irresistible.

57: None of the translations I'm considering agree on the best rendition of يَتَّقُونَ  translating it as protecting themselves (Hulusi),  pious, mindful, and god-fearing.

58-66: For the most part the accounts are reconcilable.  I did not remember, however, that it was Simeon who remained behind.  One wonders about his treatment while in Egypt alone.  

67-68: Jacob/Israel comes across rather better in this account again.

69-70: And cluing Benjamin in on the trick is a nice touch.  One is touched by the brotherly love in this and in the Genesis account.

71-77: Again the brothers come off rather worse in this account.

78: Evidently ٱلۡعَزِيزُ was not Potiphar's name, but a title.  He (and the brothers) remain unnamed.

79-80: Reuben is slightly less terrible here, but again unnamed.

82-86: And Jacob is quite a model of patience and submission here.  He always came across as flat and vague in the Genesis account.

87-90: Joseph and Benjamin must have been cracking up during all of this, though rather a cruel trick to play on their father.

91-93: Clearly he knew his father well.

94-98: A small moment, but I love it.

99: His mother too, evidently.  I don't recall Rachel being mentioned much in Genesis.

100-101: A lovely prayer from Joseph, and one that focuses on what is presumably the focus of the whole volume: مُسۡلِمٗا, submission.

102-107: This alternate account is attributed to direct revelation, though it still has the flavor of an oral tradition.

108-111: And the summary/application is . . . tenuous.  I would rather say the point of the story is that all things are revealed, and have their timely purpose--even what seems to be evil at first.


 



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