Before this gesture, I didn’t realize that slavery was bad. Who could have known?
Joseph (of the Coat of Many Colors) was sold into slavery by his brothers.
Many years later, Joseph is second only to Pharaoh in Egypt. His brothers have traveled to Egypt during a time of famine, seeking to buy food for their families back in Canaan. They are take into Joseph’s court, where they eventually learn that he is their long lost brother, whom they had sold into slavery. After a few agonizing moments and thoughts of, “Oh, no, we are DOOMED!”, they hear Joseph say to them,
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. “
Genesis 50:20
English Standard Version
Slavery provided several very bad moments for Joseph. However, older & wiser, he saw that God allowed his enslavement so that Egypt, Joseph’s family and Joseph himself would ultimately be blessed by his enslavement.
Romans 8:28
English Standard Version
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
Leviticus 25:44 “‘As for your male and female slaves who may belong to you—you may buy male and female slaves from the nations all around you. 46 You may give them as an inheritance to your children after you to possess as property. You may enslave them perpetually. However, as for your brothers the Israelites, no man may rule over his brother harshly… NETBibleTagger, Provided by bible.org