A Biblical Record of Major Crimes: Attempted Manslaughter and Human Trafficking
A Biblical Record of Major Crimes: Attempted Manslaughter and Human Trafficking.
“Tell all the truth, but tell it slant. Truth in indirection lies.” (Emily Dickenson).
A Different Look to a True Story. Emily Dickenson’s advice was to come at the truth from different angles; reveal the truth while approaching it sideways. There are times when only an indirect story will effectively grab a reader’s attention and will inspire a fresh perspective on an ancient truth. There are occasions when coming at a truth from the side through a story will go further than a didactic, systematic study using logic and reason. We seem to be created in a way in which truth can often be better understood from the side instead of head-on through a blunt statement of raw truth. This fictional story below is intended to reveal the truth of a biblical crime story in a way that brings a fresh perspective, an unexpected layer of meaning, to a familiar story. Perhaps we can learn something new in this indirect approach to the true story of Joseph and his coat of many colors (Genesis 37).
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This is me, Albert the Tailor, signing in, making another entry into my private diary. This story is so unlikely that I had no choice but to write it down in detail so I can confirm in my own mind that it actually happened. As a famous tailor for the stars here in Hollywood, I receive special requests constantly for unique designs of every type of clothing imaginable. But this one particular request was highly unusual, and it developed into such a surprising story of unexpected twists and turns that I can only repeat that observation that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
This story that took on a life of its own started on a typically sunny day here in southern California, when a dignified, elderly man walked into my tailor shop with the authority of someone who is used to being large and in charge. He walked right up to me and introduced himself as Jake, no last name. He quickly explained what he wanted me to design and produce… a one-of-a-kind robe for his son Joe, a robe that would be made of the finest silk material, full-length, covered with my original designs. The elaborate embroidery was to generously highlight the shiny presence of gold thread. The long sleeves were to have cuffs that would reach mid-palm, like all the royal robes he had seen in photographs. Jake told me to spare no expense in Joe’s robe, and that he would pay whatever it costs. This robe, he said, was to announce to all who see it that Joe was a privileged child, a special son who is obviously the heir apparent.
Hmmm. Okay, Mr. Jake, I said. But I have a couple of questions for you… You are aware, of course, that this robe would be impossible to wear at the son’s work site. So I assume this robe will only be for special occasions, correct? Jake didn’t hesitate when he replied that his favorite son would wear this royal robe all day, every day, and that he will not be doing any work that would require the need to remove it. He told me that he will leave all the manual labor in his family business to his other sons, all eleven of them. I assumed then that this special son of his must be the first-born. Jake corrected me once again. No, he said, he is my favorite son because he was the first child of my favorite wife who was barren for so many years. I bit my tongue as I thought, Jake, are you sure you want to be doing this with your son? But I kept my opinion to myself. Jake left me with a written detailed list of Joe’s measurements, and I went to work on this plush robe made for royalty.
As so often happens, Jake and I became good friends as he made several visits to my shop to check on the progress on the robe. He would bring coffee and danish, and we would have pleasant conversations together. After several weeks, I brought the finished product to Jake’s home and had Joe try it on to make sure it fit properly. Fortunately, both Jake and Joe thought it was perfect. I was then paid the large amount due for my services, and I returned to my shop to get started on some other projects. I still wondered at the wisdom of Jake’s plan, but I kept my thoughts to myself.
During the next visit from Jake a couple of weeks later, he told me that Joe is not handling his celebrity status very well at all. He evidently is acting like a completely spoiled child who is entitled to every privilege in the family, even though he hasn’t earned a thing. Jake reported that Joe was even foolish enough to excitedly tell his brothers about these dreams he’s been having in which all the brothers bow down to him as if he was a prince and they were his servants. Jake couldn’t believe that Joe was so immature as to treat his brothers this way. What was he thinking, Jake asked? So Jake left the shop that day in a daze and wondering what he should do.
Several weeks later, Jake came crashing through my shop’s front door, obviously distraught. I quickly asked him what troubled him so, and we sat down so I could hear his tale of woe. He told me he was desperate, that Joseph is missing! He explained how all of Joe’s brothers became extremely resentful of Joe’s privileged status, especially that this robe of his meant that he would be first in line when it came to the inheritance. Jake sadly reported that all the brothers angrily resented Joe for obvious reasons, and their jealous resentment grew into a seething hatred. Evidently, Jake sent Joe to the site of the family business one day recently, and he never came back! And the brothers soon returned from work that day with Joe’s beautiful robe covered in blood, declaring that a wild animal had attacked Joe in the country, killed him, and took his body away. They brought the bloodied robe to Jake as proof that this really happened. I don’t know what to think, Jake said to me, it somehow doesn’t ring true. But I still grieve his absence, even if I don’t fully believe he is dead, he said. I tried to console Jake as best I could, while also thinking, what did you expect to happen with that robe and all?
Two weeks later, Jake again rushes through the front door, updating me on the latest chapter in this tragic saga of Joe. Jake was once again inconsolable, and I soon heard why. Jake discovered from some servants what really happened with Joe and his brothers. They grew to hate Joe so deeply that they simply wanted to kill him. So they planned on throwing him into this deep empty well out in the country and just let him stay there until he died of thirst and hunger. The oldest son, though, talked some sense into his brothers and told them this is really a bad, bad idea. The eldest was thinking at this time that he would help Joe escape when the brothers were sleeping. So they threw Joe into the well, and then all the brothers were having second thoughts about actually killing their own flesh and blood so viciously like this. So another of the brothers said he had a better idea. He explained that he knew of a gang in the city nearby that specialized in the profitable business of human trafficking, in selling people to willing buyers in a foreign country. So why don’t we sell Joe to this gang, earn some money, and have Joe survive somewhere as a slave and at least learn what a hard day’s work looks like? So the brothers agreed on this plan. They hauled Joe out of the well, brought him all tied up to the local gang of traffickers, and returned home with that bloody robe of his.
But, Albert, Jake kept saying to me in tears, I still don’t know what to think of all this! What a monstrous thing for my sons to do to their own brother! And what a foolish parent I’ve been to even encourage this to happen, so thoughtless of the consequences! I will continue to be filled with sorrow about Joe, Jake said to me with grief written on his whole face… about what my sons have done, what I have done, and I’ll keep praying that Joe is kept safe wherever he is. I wonder if I will ever see him again, Jake said as he stumbled out the door.
This ends my diary entry, hoping that there will somehow, some way, be a healing in this poor broken family, and that Joe will end up okay. Signing off, this is Albert.