“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.” (Genesis 37:3)
As I had said in “The Wives. The Story of Jacob Part II” family relationships are tough, and when there is more than one wife it gets tougher. Our children learn from us and it is common for a couple to have arguments in front of their children. The Children listen and take away bad examples they don’t understand. It is obvious that both Rachel and Leah harbored jealousy between them. This would also extend to Bilhah and Zilpah.
Jacob loved his children, but he favored Joseph the most. Going so far as to make a coat that had many colors. What colors? We don’t know, but we do know it was a coat made to be special for Joseph.
Joseph’s brothers were jealous of how Jacob treated him better than he did them. Keep in mind that at this same time Dinah was off having fun with her friends. The parents in this story are distracted by their own problems and now the problems of their children.
Jacob wanted his son Joseph to go to where his brothers were working and then return a report to him about their activities. Joseph was not being a tattle tale he was doing what his father told him to do.
Joseph had dreams that showed him future happenings. So, he told his brothers of a dream he had.
“For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.” (Gen 37:7)
Needless to say, Joseph’s brothers hated him, now they hated him more since his dream said that his brothers would bow down to him. He dreams again.
“And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.” (Gen 37:9)
This time he told the dream to his father and brothers. Jacob asked him “Shall I and your mother bow to you?” Jacob paid attention to the dream, but Joseph’s brothers hated him even more.
His brothers hating him sounds a lot like Cain and Able. Cain hated Able because he thought God loved Able the most.
Jacob sends Joseph once more to check on his brothers to make sure they are OK. Joseph’s brothers see him coming.
“And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” (Gen 37:19-20)
Reuben, Jacob’s first son stopped his brothers. Reuben did not want to kill him and knew he would need Jacob to come and settle the argument. Reuben suggested they put him in a pit, then Reuben would go get Jacob.
While Reuben was gone the brothers continued to discuss whether to kill him or not. While eating they saw a caravan of Ishmeelites, this gave Judah an Idea.
“And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.” (Gen 37:26-27)
Judah and his brothers took Joseph out of the pit and sold him to Midianite merchants for 20 pieces of silver. To cover up the disappearance of Joseph they dip his coat of many colors into goats blood and show it to Jacob.
Jacob falls into great sorrow for his son Joseph has been killed by a wild beast and devoured. All of Jacob’s sons and daughters tried to console Jacob, but he wept for many days over the loss of his son.
“And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.” (Gen 37:36)
To be continued….
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