At the end of chapter thirty five of Genesis, Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and dies in childbirth. Chapter thirty six of Genesis details the generations of Esau, who became the people of Edom. At the beginning of Genesis thirty seven, we see that Joseph has become Jacob’s favorite son. Jacob even makes him a special coat of many colors which separates him from the other brothers. This does not set well with them. To make matters worse, Joseph dreams two dreams which imply that he will rule over all of the other brothers.
Genesis 37:3-8 ESV Now Israel; loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. (4) But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. (5) Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. (6) He said to them, "Hear this dream that I have dreamed: (7) Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf." (8) His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
Telling his brothers; that because he had a dream that revealed that he would rule over them; a second dream just pushed their jealousy to the breaking point. In the second dream, it appears that Joseph will rule over even his father and mother. Enraged feelings start to smolder.
Genesis 37:9-11 ESV Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me." (10) But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?" (11) And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Jacob sends Joseph out to take some provisions to his brothers who are attending the flocks some distance away. When they see Joseph coming, they conspire to kill him, but Reuben stops them from doing it. Instead, they strip him of his coat of colors and throw him in a pit.
Genesis 37:16-24 ESV "I am seeking my brothers," he said. "Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock." (17) And the man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. (18) They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. (19) They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer. (20) Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams." (21) But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life." (22) And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him"--that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. (23) So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. (24) And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Judah gets the brothers to agree to sell Joseph into slavery when a caravan of Ishmaelites comes by. The caravan is on its way to Egypt where Joseph will be taken and sold.
Genesis 37:26-28 ESV Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? (27) Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him. (28) Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
The brothers then take the coat of colors and rip it to shreds; kill a lamb and pour the blood on the torn coat. Then they take if back to their father Jacob and tell him that they found the torn coat and that Joseph must have been attacked by a ferocious beast and killed. Jacob then goes into morning.
Genesis 37:31-34 ESV Then they took Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. (32) And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, "This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not." (33) And he identified it and said, "It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces." (34) Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
Jacob refuses to be comforted and insists on mourning Joseph until the day he dies. All the while, Joseph is in Egypt and is sold to Potiphar,
Genesis 37:35-36 ESV All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him. (36) Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
There are times when things can’t seem to get any worse and then more bad news comes. For both Jacob and his most beloved son Joseph, there seems to be no hope; yet this is just the beginning of a story that will show God’s fulfilled prophet WORD given to Abraham so many years prior to this time. God told Abraham that his descendants would be sojourners in a foreign land and would be servants afflicted for four hundred years.
Genesis 15:13-14 ESV Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. (14) But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
God allows Joseph to be sold into slavery, in Egypt, as the first step of fulfilling this prophecy to Abraham. Things look bleak for Joseph, but God has a plan. Sometimes things look bleak for us as well and there seems to be no way out! Jesus Christ is the way and all things work for good for those who love the LORD.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Help me to always trust in your hand upon my life, that you will always make a way of escape and make all thing work for good. Help me to have faith when there seems to be no hope. Live in me through your Holy Spirit, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
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