1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 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.
9 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.
12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “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.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
We are introduced to Joseph, the seventeen-year-old son of Jacob who brings home a bad report about his half-brothers from when they were out shepherding together. Jacob shows his approval of Joseph and his love for him by making him a special robe. When his brothers saw that Jacob loved Joseph more than them, they hated him and could not speak nicely to him. This is not a healthy family situation. Joseph might be considered a tattle-tale, and while this has never been popular, there is no indication that he reported any falsehood and the rest of Genesis shows Joseph to be a righteous man. Jacob loves Joseph more than his brothers and shows him favouritism. He should have known better because he grew up in a family where his father loved his brother more than he, and it resulted in him being separated from his family as it is going to do to Joseph. The brothers don’t seem to be a great bunch. Although we don’t know what it was, the story begins with them doing something that warranted Joseph reporting it to their father, now they have grown to hate of Joseph and can’t bring themselves to speak peacefully with him. If you look at your family, how might you place yourself in this story? Are you living right before God and find yourself misunderstood and even hated by others (careful, it can be easy to think we are the Joseph in the story, even when we are not). Or are you like the brothers, looking at your siblings or others and growing in bitterness as they seem to be receiving what you believe is rightfully yours?
God confirmed Jacob’s choice of his faithful son through two dreams. God used different ways to communicate with His people in the Old Testament. Dreams were one of those ways he had used with Abraham and Jacob previously. In Joseph’s two dreams God predicted that Joseph would rule over his family. His brothers hated him even more because of these dreams but Jacob kept these things in mind, knowing that God could declare His choice through dreams. The brother’s reaction may seem understandable but it only served to confirm Jacob and God’s choice of Joseph as the leader. When God chooses a leader, it often brings out jealousy in those who have to submit. Rather than submit to God’s decision, the brothers grow in their hatred of Joseph. While their actions were prompted by their desire to lead, it only showed that they were not worthy to be leaders.
The passage ends with Joseph again serving in obedience to his father’s request to check on the wellbeing of his brothers in spite of their hatred for him.