The Bible story of Joseph was always a favorite of mine as a kid. It’s also one I enjoyed telling my kids. In fact, we had the tradition of attending the show Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat any time it came to town, usually through community theater. 

The best performance was a professional version in 1998, starring David Osmond (cousin to Donny Osmond who played the Broadway lead as Joseph from 1992 to 1997). I couldn’t buy tickets ahead of time because the show was scheduled for July 18, my 40th birthday—and two days from the due date of my fourth child. But when I woke up that morning with no signs of impending birth, I ordered tickets and took my two girls that evening. 

God isn’t even mentioned in this Broadway version of Joseph, but the story stays mostly true to the Biblical account. God’s fingerprints are all over it whether people acknowledge it or not. 

The Bible story culminates in the well-known quote of Joseph: “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” Not just in supplying physical needs during a famine, but behind the scenes. God was at work in the hearts in each person involved. 

Doing the math adds an extra dimension. The patriarch Jacob lived without knowledge of his son being alive for twenty years. Twenty years!

Meanwhile, the brothers carried their guilt for betraying Joseph and their father. Number Four Son Judah wallows in his own misery due to his part. Even so, the Messiah comes through Judah’s line, sprouting from one of the messiest Bible stories ever: Judah, his three wayward sons, and his daughter-in-law Tamar. 

To really immerse yourself in this amazing tale, read The Prince and the Prodigal by Jill Eileen Smith. Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt and Judah’s downfall are perfectly juxtaposed. The way they swing back together makes Joseph’s story all the richer. 

It also shows there’s no corner that God’s mercy cannot reach. Nothing He can’t redeem, including a tainted heritage. And it all starts in Genesis.

Blurb

Two brothers. One betrayal.

The patriarch Jacob has made it no secret that young Joseph is his favorite son. Growing up as the pampered heir to his father’s legacy, Joseph thrives under the praise of his father but struggles with the disdain of his older brothers, especially Judah. When a chance comes along to rid themselves of Joseph, his brothers sell him to slave traders and deceive their father about his fate.

Joseph, now serving the captain of Pharaoh’s palace guard, is imprisoned after being falsely accused of rape. Back home, Judah leaves his father and builds a new life in Canaan, attempting to flee the memory of his complicity in the betrayal of his younger brother.

Decades later, the brothers will come face-to-face, and this time Joseph has the upper hand. Will forgiveness or vengeance win the day?

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My Thoughts

I would have enjoyed reading just the story of Joseph, but juxtaposing Judah’s story throughout enriched this experience tenfold. 

Jill Eileen Smith perfectly balances Judah’s and Joseph’s stories. The groundwork is laid in Canaan where the entire family lives and works initially. After Joseph is sold into slavery, the story regularly alternates between Joseph and Judah in their respective lives—one on his zigzag rise to glory, and the other on a downward spiral of shame. 

The author’s portrayal of Joseph’s character as the favored son rang true—his discomfort with the favoritism and the ramifications of his brothers’ jealousy. Joseph wrestles with loneliness and rejection while the brothers realize there’s nothing they can do to earn more of their father’s love and acceptance above Joseph’s. I could feel the pain of everyone involved. 

Sometimes we got a glimpse from the women’s point of view, particularly Leah, mother of the ten brothers. I was glad to see her daughter Dinah in this story as a beloved sister.

Some readers might be bothered by a few sex scenes. Though not graphic, there is more detail than what some people might feel comfortable with. 

As with all Biblical fiction, go to the source when you’re done reading this account. Enjoy the richness and depth and appreciate things the author brings to light of these very real people who were players in God’s story about his very own people.

Join me for some Q & A with Jill Eileen Smith.

Questions about The Prince and the Prodigal

How and why did you first decide to try Biblical fiction? Did you consider other genres?

I fell in love with the Bible after reading a biblical novel when I was sixteen. That novel, Two from Galilee, was my Christmas read for years afterward. Years later, after co-teaching a Bible study on the life of King David, I wanted to read a novel on his life.

I could not find one that satisfied me, so I set out to write the book I wanted to read. That book was the start of my journey into learning the craft of writing and twenty years later led to publication of The Wives of King David, my first biblical fiction series.

When I was attempting to sell my biblical fiction, I came at a bad time for that genre, so yes, I did write several books in other genres in an attempt to publish. In the end, however, the Lord opened the door for biblical fiction to become popular again and my agent was able to present my series to Revell. I’ve been with them ever since.

I love that you wrote the the book you wanted to read! And I’m glad the Biblical fiction genre has returned, stronger than ever. The Prince and the Prodigal features male protagonists rather than female. How and why did you decide to write Joseph’s and Judah’s stories?

After I finished writing The Wives of the Patriarchs, I wanted to continue Rachel’s story, but I couldn’t because her life came to an end. After I wrote the Daughters of the Promised Land, there came a time when I really wanted to add to both The Wives of King David and The Wives of the Patriarchs. That resulted in a contract that included a story about Joseph’s life and one about King Solomon. Joseph’s story became The Prince and the Prodigal.

I have always loved Judah’s story in the greater story of Jacob’s life because he was the real-life version of the prodigal son. He left home for over twenty years after his part in selling Joseph into slavery, and I don’t think he could face his father again. So, I enjoyed exploring their intertwining stories.

I had no trouble writing about male protagonists because most of my books prior to publication featured male leads. I raised three sons. I’ve been the only woman in a household of men for many years, so it wasn’t hard for me to imagine stories from the male point of view.

No doubt being the only woman in your household has helped you write from a male perspective. Which cultural details did you have to fill in with your imagination? Were there any scenes that were particularly challenging to write?

At this period in history, we know some things about ancient Egypt where Joseph ended up, but little about ancient Canaan where Judah resided. Their gods, forms of worship, customs, and dress were different.

But the most important part of any story deals with the human heart and that doesn’t change. I focused on their motives and actions. These are always the focal points in my stories. I do my best to draw on the cultural details that we know, but where I fill in the blanks is more in regard to my characters motivations. Why did they act as they did? How might this have all come together? I take what Scripture says and don’t change what happened. I just imagine how it might have been.

I didn’t find any scenes more challenging than others. I just had to be sure I understood how they behaved, who they worshiped, and what was likely to be acceptable or not in their day.

Right–the human heart doesn’t change. Besides studying the Biblical text, which tools or reference books have helped your understanding of the culture of that time? How did your trip to Israel influence your stories?

For all of my books, I read the Scriptures first. Then I search for life and times books, cultural atlases, commentaries, listen to sermons on the subject, and whatever else I might need. I might spend part of a day on YouTube videos watching how to climb a palm tree or how weaving was done in ancient times or pottery was made, etc. I use whatever resources are available to me.

My trip to Israel was one of the highlights of my life. I often look at the photos we took there – though now I have them in my mind and don’t need to look back so often.

I can’t say that the trip helped with The Prince and the Prodigal as we didn’t visit any areas that were places that Joseph or Judah lived. The Negev (wilderness) was probably the closest thing to what the topography might have looked like back then, but even that changes constantly.

Our pastor at the time said that twenty years earlier it didn’t look like it did when we were there, and I’m certain it has changed yet again. So, the trip was a blessing, but I wouldn’t say it influenced any of my stories.

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Questions about writing

Not everybody embraces fictionalized versions of Bible stories. What concerns do you have about writing Biblical fiction?

I strive to stay true to the Bible in everything I write. In most stories about biblical people, however, there is not a lot to draw on, so that leaves much to the imagination. I want my imagined “how and why” to be true to the whole of Scripture.

My only concern is that people will read my words and think they are inspired or that I’m rewriting Scripture. Only God’s Word is inspired and I would never rewrite what He has inspired in His Holy Word. I tell my readers to compare my work to Scripture for what actually happened. Anything I’ve added is poetic license not set-in-stone truth.

Dawn of Grace (Feb 2025) was a break from your Old Testament female characters. What projects are you working on now and which direction do you want to go as an author?

I just turned in the story of the woman at the well, which will release in 2026. I’m currently working on another little-known woman of the New Testament, which will release in 2027. After that, we’ll see what direction God has for me. It’s in His Hands.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Start smaller. Study the craft and learn it well. I began writing a two-volume epic of King David’s life without knowing anything about the craft like point-of-view, plotting, showing vs. telling, overuse of adverbs, etc. It took me twenty years to truly be publishable.

If I had started with a smaller project, I hope I would have taken the time to learn before I tried to sell. Don’t learn the hard way of constant rejections.

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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . . 

If you like historical fiction, you might enjoy my newest novel A Hundred Magical Reasons  (launched January 2025). This story spotlights L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here. 

A Hundred Magical Reasons awards:

• First Place in American Fiction Awards (American BookFest) for Literary Fiction (June 17, 2025) 
• Hawthorne Prize Winner for Fiction (May 25, 2025)
• First Place in The BookFest for Literary Historical Fiction (April 2025)
• First Place in the Firebird Book Awards for Biographical Fiction (April 2025)
• Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Fiction (March 2025) 
• Bronze Medal for the Illumination Book Awards for General Fiction (February 2025)
• 3 five-star Readers’ Favorite reviews

If you like Southern fiction and small town/rural stories about family dynamics and secrets, you might enjoy my novel All That Is Hidden. Set near North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1968, the story spotlights the bond of family and the connections of a tight-knit community. Northern exploitation threatens as a father’s hidden past catches up to him and tests family ties. Learn more and watch the trailer here.

All That Is Hidden awards:

• Pacific Book Review finalist for fiction (May 20, 2025)
• American Legacy Book Awards finalist for Coming of Age Fiction (May 2025)
• First Place in the Firebird Book Awards for Southern Fiction (April 2025)
• First Place in the Firebird Book Awards for Literary Fiction (April 2025)
• Winner of the Artisan Book Reviews Book Excellence Award
• Semifinalist in Serious Writer’s Book of the Decade contest

I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you 7 Oz-inspired recipes:  A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com

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Jill Eileen Smith bio— from website/media page

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of many biblical novels, including her first series The Wives of King David. She has been married to the love of her life for 47 years and counting and lives in a quiet neighborhood in southeast Michigan. Learn more on her website. 

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Join me next time for a visit with author Angela Hunt.

Meanwhile, have you read any Biblical fiction by Jill Eileen Smith? Any favorites? Answer in the comments below.

Ever reading,

Laura

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and receive the 7 free Oz-inspired recipes:  A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com