The The Joseph Paradox: A Radical Reading of Genesis 37-50

An accessible interpretation of the Joseph story, this book is a reader-friendly treatment of one of the most popular tales in the Bible. Instead of its usual reading as an Horatio Alger success story, the text proposes that we are presented with a cautionary tale of high achievement and the pursuit of success. In the context of the larger biblical narrative, Joseph’s short-term success leads to the enslavement of his descendants and the centuries-long derailment of the destiny of the Children of Israel. The self-limiting nature of the pursuit of power is just one of the themes illuminated in this work.