“Genesis 42–50,” Old Testament Institute Teacher Manual (2026)
Joseph of Egypt, by Michael T. Malm
Genesis 42–50
During the seven years of famine foretold by Joseph of Egypt, his brothers traveled from Canaan to Egypt to buy food. Joseph eventually revealed his identity to his brothers and forgave them. Jacob and all his family came to live in Egypt. Before his death, Jacob blessed his descendants and prophesied that in the latter days, the Lord would raise up a prophet to bring the people out of spiritual darkness. This prophet was Joseph Smith.
Additional Resources
Scripture Helps: Old Testament, “Genesis 42–50”
Note: The “Introduction to the Course” provides guidance on how to use the standard lesson elements that follow.
Encouraging Personal Study
Before class, consider sending students one or more of the following messages or some of your own:
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Reflect on the power of forgiveness in your life as you study Genesis 45. You could bring a favorite scripture or statement about forgiveness to share in class.
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As you study Genesis 49, think about the significance of priesthood blessings in your life.
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In what ways has your life been blessed because the Lord restored His gospel through Joseph Smith? Ponder this as you study the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 50:24–38 (found in the Bible appendix or on Gospel Library).
Questions and Sharing
Provide time for students to ask questions and share insights and truths they discovered in their personal study of Genesis 42–50.
Skill Training
The learning activities for Genesis 49 and Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 50:24–38 could be good places to help students practice the skill “Using Restoration Scripture to Understand the Bible” in Scripture Study Skills.
Learning Activity Options
Multiple learning options are provided for you and your students. Prayerfully choose which option or options will be most meaningful for your class. You could also seek input from your students.
Improving Our Teaching and Learning
Help students feel the Savior’s love through you. When people feel your love, they are more likely to also feel the Savior’s love as you teach. “Remember that your concern for teaching a lesson should never distract you from expressing love through your words and actions. Often the way you treat people is just as important as what you teach them” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 14–15).
How can God help me forgive others?
Write the phrase forgiving others on the board. Then invite a few students to come up and write words they associate with forgiving others on the board. You might also ask:
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What can make it hard to forgive others?
Invite students to think about ways they have responded when someone did something hurtful to them. Encourage them as they study today to be mindful of impressions from the Holy Ghost that can help them better follow the Savior’s example of forgiveness.
To help students understand the context of Genesis 45, explain that Joseph, after being sold into slavery by his brothers, was later made a ruler in Egypt by Pharaoh. When a famine came, Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt to buy food. Joseph did not reveal his identity right away but instead tested them to see if they had changed in the years since they committed their cruel acts toward him. Eventually, Joseph chose to tell his brothers who he was.
Invite students to study Genesis 45:1–15, looking for indications that Joseph had forgiven his brothers. (If desired, you could also invite students to study Genesis 50:14–21, which describes another interaction Joseph had with his brothers years later.)
To help students share what they learned from these verses, consider discussing questions like the following:
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Which of Joseph’s words or actions stood out to you?
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What can we learn from Joseph’s example of forgiveness? (Students might identify a principle like this: Forgiving others helps us experience healing and peace.)
Ask students to imagine that they know someone who is struggling to forgive another person. Invite them to search for scriptures or statements from Church leaders that might help this person. For students who need assistance, you could suggest that they study some of the following scriptures and the statement by Elder Ulisses Soares:
The courage to forgive comes to those who put their faith and trust in the Lord. With His help, we can find the strength to forgive others, whether the wrongdoer has committed a serious sin or an unintended offense. (“Asking, Seeking, and Knocking: A Compassionate Pattern” [Brigham Young University–Hawaii devotional, Jan. 29, 2023], speeches.byuh.edu)
Invite students to share a scripture or statement they found in small groups. Ask them to explain how their chosen passage might help someone who is struggling to forgive.
After the small-group discussions, consider asking questions like the following:
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How can gaining a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ and His Atonement help us forgive others?
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When have you witnessed the healing and peace that come from forgiving others? As part of this discussion, you could show the videos “Forgiving Others: An Easter Message from President Russell M. Nelson” (5:01) or “With the Power of God in Great Glory” (watch from time codes 10:24 to 12:13).
5:113:16
Invite students to reflect on their own need to forgive or seek forgiveness. Give them time to write down steps they will take to apply what they have learned and felt today.
How can priesthood blessings help me?
Invite the class to share types of priesthood blessings they have given or received. List students’ responses on the board (examples include patriarchal blessings; father’s blessings; and other blessings of healing, comfort, or counsel). If needed, ask a student to briefly explain what priesthood blessings are. You could also invite students to reflect on the role priesthood blessings have played in their lives.
Consider displaying the image below as you share the following explanation of Genesis 48–49:
Jacob Blessing His Sons (Jacob Blessing Joseph), by Harry Anderson
At the end of his life, Jacob gave priesthood blessings to his each of his twelve sons. Jacob’s two most detailed blessings were given to Judah and Joseph.
Consider displaying the following table. Invite students to study the blessing of either Judah or Joseph, along with a few of the additional resources to help their understanding. (This could also be a good place to help students practice “Using Restoration Scripture to Understand the Bible,” in Scripture Study Skills.)
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Judah’s blessing |
Joseph’s blessing |
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Judah’s blessing Additional resources:
| Joseph’s blessing Additional resources:
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After students have studied, ask them to share what they learned. You could use the following questions to guide the discussion:
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What insights did you gain from your study?
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What do these verses help you understand about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? (As part of this discussion, you could help students identify a truth like the following: Through priesthood blessings, the Lord can promise us blessings and help us understand our future possibilities.)
Consider using one or both of the following ideas to help students better understand how priesthood blessings can bless their lives:
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Invite a few students to share examples of times when the Lord fulfilled promises made through priesthood blessings, either in their own lives or the lives of others.
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Explain that the blessings Jacob bestowed upon his sons were similar to patriarchal blessings we can receive today. You could give students time to learn more about patriarchal blessings by studying “Patriarchal Blessings” in Topics and Questions (Gospel Library). Students who have received a patriarchal blessing and have it available could read it during this time. (Members can access their patriarchal blessing by signing in to ChurchofJesusChrist.org and navigating to “Patriarchal Blessing” in the “Resources” drop-down menu.)
After studying, invite students to share what they learned or felt. Students who have received a patriarchal blessing could also share how their blessing has impacted them and their relationship with God. Be sure students understand that they should not share specific details about their patriarchal blessings (see General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 18.17, Gospel Library).
Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 50:24–38
How does the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith bless my life?
Consider displaying an image of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Invite students to reflect on the following questions and write down their responses:
Brother Joseph, by David Lindsley
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How might your life be different if the Lord had not restored the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith? How might your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ be affected?
Encourage students to continue to ponder these questions throughout this learning activity. Explain that they will have the opportunity to share their thoughts later.
Explain that before his death, Joseph of Egypt prophesied that the Lord would raise up two great prophets to deliver His people. The first was Moses, who would deliver the children of Israel from Egypt. The second was a great seer who would help bring people out of spiritual darkness in the last days. This great seer was the Prophet Joseph Smith.
To prepare students to study Joseph’s prophecy, help them locate the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 50:24–38 in their scriptures. These verses can be found in the Bible appendix of Latter-day Saint editions of the scriptures or in Gospel Library (navigate to Scriptures and then Study Helps to find “Joseph Smith Translation Appendix”). Students who do not have access to these resources could study Lehi’s summary of this prophecy in 2 Nephi 3:4–11.
Invite students to study the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 50:24–33. To guide their study, display the following table and invite students to complete it. Students could also study entries related to these verses in Scripture Helps: Old Testament to help them complete the chart.
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Prophecies about Joseph Smith (JST, Genesis 50:24–33) |
Possible Fulfillment of Prophecies |
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Prophecies about Joseph Smith (JST, Genesis 50:24–33) | Possible Fulfillment of Prophecies |
After students have completed their study, invite them to share what they learned or felt. As part of this discussion, students could identify truths like this: Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord restored His gospel to the earth and brought forth the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon and Bible bring peace, truth, and a knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
To help students better understand these truths, consider asking the following questions:
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In what ways has your life been blessed because the Lord restored His gospel through Joseph Smith?
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How have the Book of Mormon and the Bible helped you draw closer to Jesus Christ?
You could also discuss this statement by Elder Neil L. Andersen and then ask the questions that follow:
Each believer needs a spiritual confirmation of the divine mission and character of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This is true for every generation. …
The negative commentary about the Prophet Joseph Smith will increase as we move toward the Second Coming of the Savior. The half-truths and subtle deceptions will not diminish. There will be family members and friends who will need your help. (“Joseph Smith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 29–30)
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What has helped you strengthen your testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith?
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How can you assist friends or family members who may need your help?
Encourage students to consider ways they can strengthen their testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith or share their testimony with others. Invite them to record the ideas and spiritual impressions they have.