A doubled Joseph and 13 tribes -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 20:50:35 04/07/08 Mon
Author: Betsy Peters
Subject: A doubled Joseph and 13 tribes

There are plenty of doubles in the Joseph story--a brother rivalry gone way wrong (Jacob and Esau) following their rivaling dad and uncle (Isaac and Ishmael), two rival sisters who become rival wives, two sons of Leah who rival to act as eldest (Reuben and Judah), two favored sons of a barren wife (Joseph and Benjamin), two men in prison (the baker and the cup-bearer), two rival components to Pharaoh's dream (skinny cows and fat cows, skinny corn and fat corn). The double I find most interesting in the Joseph story, however, are Joseph's sons. Joseph literally splits into two at the end of the Genesis narrative (Genesis 37). When Jacob blesses Joseph, he blesses him through his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. These two kiddos take their dad's place in the tribes of Israel. There is no "tribe of Joseph." This doubleness actually creates 13 tribes in Israel, but we never see 13 listed because Levi never receives land and inheritance like everyone else. Nonetheless, it is interesting that one of the doubled tribes, Manasseh, splits again into two halves that live on opposite sides of the Jordan River. What does this tell us about doubless and the sort of rivalry it create and the need to resolve it through distance?

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