God Mean Am for Good

One old man sit up for bed. Im eyes no dey see well again. Two boys stand for im front, and their papa carefully put di senior one near di old man right hand. But di old man stretch out im arms, cross dem, and put im right hand on top di younger boy head.

Jacob, wey dem also dey call Israel, don live for Egypt for seventeen years. E don reach one hundred and forty-seven years, and e dey sick. Im son Joseph, governor of Egypt, hurry come im bedside with im two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, wey dem born for Egypt. Jacob gather im strength. E remember how God appear to am long ago for Bethel and promise say im family go become great people. Your two sons, e tell Joseph, go be my own, just like Reuben and Simeon.

So di boys come near, and Jacob cross im hands. Joseph think say im papa don make mistake. E hold im papa hand to move am. No be so, my papa. Na dis one be di first son. But Jacob refuse. I know, my son, I know. Di younger one go become greater pass di senior one. E dey happen again and again for Genesis: Isaac instead of Ishmael, Jacob instead of Esau, Joseph instead of im senior brothers. Di way God dey choose no always follow di normal order. Then Jacob pray over di boys. Di God wey don be my shepherd all my life reach today, di angel wey don rescue me from every evil, make e bless dis boys.

Then Jacob call all im twelve sons. Gather round and listen to Israel your papa. Im last words to dem dey honest, and some dey hard to hear. E remind Reuben, Simeon and Levi of di wrong wey dem do. But Judah, di brother wey once offer imself instead of Benjamin, hear say e be like lion, and say di sceptre no go comot from am. Jewish readers don hear for dat line di royal line of King David; Christians also don hear promise wey dey point to di Messiah. Over Joseph, Jacob talk about vine wey dey bear fruit near spring of water. Archers attack am with bitterness, but im bow stand firm, di Mighty One of Jacob make am strong. Then Jacob ask make dem bury am for di cave wey im grandpapa Abraham buy, for Canaan. E draw im legs up enter di bed, breathe im last, and e join im people.

Joseph fall on top im papa face and cry. Egypt doctors embalm Jacob, and di whole Egypt mourn am for seventy days. Then one big procession, chariots and horsemen and Pharaoh officials, travel go reach Canaan. For there im sons bury am for di cave of Machpelah, near Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Leah.

Back for Egypt, cold fear catch Joseph brothers. Their papa don go. Wetin if na because of am alone Joseph dey kind to dem? Wetin if now e go pay dem back? So dem send message give am. Before your papa die, e beg you make you forgive your brothers. When Joseph hear am, e cry. Im brothers come fall down before am. We be your servants. And Joseph talk, Make una no fear. Abi I dey for God place? Una plan evil against me, but God mean am for good, to save many lives, as e dey happen today. So make una no fear. I go provide for una and una small children. And e comfort dem and talk to dem with kindness. Many years after, when Joseph imself dey die, e tell dem, God go surely come help una, and bring una comot from dis land. And na so Genesis end, with one coffin for Egypt, and one family wey dey wait for God to keep im word.

Di way Genesis describe Jacob burial na proper Egyptian way. Genesis talk say di embalming take forty days and Egypt mourn for seventy. Di Greek historian Herodotus, wey visit Egypt for di fifth century before Christ, write say embalmers dey cover di body with natron, one natural salt wey dey dry am, for seventy days before dem wrap am. Jacob, one shepherd from Canaan, receive honour like great Egyptian, but im sons still carry am go home to di promised land.

Jacob bless im sons. You go find am for Genesis chapter forty-eight to fifty. Joseph brothers plan evil against am, and Joseph refuse to take God place as judge. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When person do you wrong, you go trust God with am, and choose to talk with kindness?