Neat tidbit.

Tonight I finished my first OT lecture. It only took me... a month. Niiiiiiiice.

I'm always shocked when something I learn completely rocks my (albiet rather limited) understanding of some biblical passage or idea. I'll begin this whole thing by stating that most of my initial knowledge of Joseph and his silly coat comes from playing set for about 100 performances of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at the community theater many, many years ago. I'm also sad to report I've taught this lesson to my Junior Church kids. (Come now -- not completely from aforementioned source of information. Cut me some slack.)

Anyway, so I'm astounded at the fact that it wasn't a colorful coat at all. (I never thought it was a "dreamcoat," people. Again, some slack.) I guess the original translators had problems with the word, so he translated it into "fine fabric" in Latin. Problem is, as the language evolved, that word came to mean "multicolored fabric," which isn't what the Hebrew intends at all. So, then the NKJ folks got ahold of it, also had trouble and just went with this colorful bit. But, reeeeeally, the Hebrew means "long-sleeved coat," which is a special overgarment. In the Hebrew tradition, the father would give the eldest son said robe, which represented his inheritance. Soooo, when Jacob gave the coat to his then youngest son (Benjamin wasn't around yet), it was completely bogus per tradition, which kind of makes me understand more why his brothers were so ticked off. (I'll admit that my lack of consideration of this before is quite disheartening.)

Is this common knowledge? Am I being a baby Christian again?

Whatever, this is where I'm at, where God has me -- to be amazed by something as stupid as a long-sleeved coat. Woo woo. :)