Responsibility in the Joseph narrative (Gen 37-50)

Abstract

The Joseph narrative (Gn 37-50) has fascinated scholars since the discovery of sources in the Pentateuch. However, it was Gerhard von Rad (1901-1971) who opened scholars’ eyes to the wisdom current in the narrative. In recent years, narrative criticism became an important exegetical toll to analyze biblical stories. The dissertation makes use of the “quinary scheme” which narrative critics identified in some story plots since this scheme fits the plot of the Joseph narrative like a glove. There is an “initial situation”, a “complication”, a “transforming action”, a “denouement” and a “final situation”. However, the dissertation also takes the Israelite understanding of wisdom into account in assessing whether the different characters acted in a responsible or irresponsible way. Each of the sections of the plot is scrutinized to see how the different characters behave and to judge whether that behaviour can be classified as responsible in a wisdom sense.