Joseph Becomes a Slave

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Introduction

Last week we looked at the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau. After 20 years in Haran, Jacob returned to Canaan with his family. For a time he lived in Succoth and Shechem, towns near the Jordan river north of the Dead Sea. Jacob had learned many lessons and returned to Canaan a changed man. He was no longer Jacob the deceiver, but Israel the man of God. Jacob had wrestled with God and man, and had come out on the other side with restored relationships in both realms.

While Jacob was in Shechem, Genesis 34 records the account of Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, being defiled and her brothers seeking revenge. Jacob eventually moved on to Bethel. Genesis 35 describes another encounter between Israel and God, who called him to go to Bethel, affirmed his name change, and confirmed the covenant he had made.

• What is significant about Jacob’s return to Bethel? Jacob had had the dream of the ladder and had received the covenant after Abraham and Isaac. He set up an altar there and called the place Bethel—house of God. Jacob had also made a vow to follow God on the morning after his dream (28:10–22).

  We also read in Genesis 35 of the death of Rachel. The family was traveling south to see Isaac in Mamre (where Abraham had lived), and Rachel died after giving birth to Benjamin, the twelfth son of Israel (35:22–26). Isaac died at age 180 and was buried by Esau and Jacob.

  Today, we are going to look at Genesis 37. Jacob (now referred to as Israel) is living with his family near Hebron. We are going to look at the chapter in two segments—Joseph’s dreams and his tragic departure.

Joseph Dreams

Many of you have heard this account or seen it dramatized. Try to set those ideas aside as they may or may not be true when compared to the actual events.

Let’s read Genesis 37:1–11 together. Assign a reader.

• Where was Joseph in the birth order? He was the last one born before they left Haran, so only Benjamin is younger. Joseph is 11 of 12.
• What clue in the text tells us Joseph was younger? It refers to him as “a boy with the sons of” the servants, indicating his youth compared to his brothers.
• How old was Joseph at this time? He was 17. From this we can conclude that they had been back in Canaan for 10 or 11 years since they had arrived.
• Joseph had been feeding the sheep with his brothers. What did Joseph do? Joseph brought a bad report about his brothers to Israel (Jacob).
• How is the relationship between Israel and Joseph described? Israel loved Joseph more than the other children.
• What relationship that we looked at previously does this remind us of? Jacob was favored by his mother Rebekah, while Isaac favored Esau (Genesis 25:28).
• How did Israel demonstrate this favoritism? He made Joseph a robe of many colors. (Some translations use a “long-sleeved robe,” but the intent of the clothing remains the same. It is also referred to as a coat or tunic.)
• What was significant about the robe? The robe was a sign of importance. The older brothers resented that their younger brother was given the symbol of prominence in the family.
• How did Joseph’s brothers react to the situation (two responses)? Seeing that Israel loved them less than Joseph, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
• What did Joseph see in his first dream? Twelve sheaves of wheat were harvested by the twelve brothers and eleven bowed down to Joseph’s sheaf, which was standing up in the middle.
• How did the brothers interpret this dream? They interpreted the sheaves bowing down as the brothers bowing down to Joseph as he ruled over them.
• How did his brothers respond to hearing his dream? They hated Joseph even more and scoffed at the idea that he, the youngest besides Benjamin, would rule over them.
• Joseph told his second dream to his brothers first and then his father. What did this dream contain? The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him.
• How did Israel respond to Joseph and interpret this dream? Israel rebuked Joseph and understood the dream to mean that the family would bow down to Joseph.
• Looking at verse 11, what was the difference between Israel’s response and the brothers’ response? The brothers envied Joseph while Israel kept it in mind.
• What did these two dreams seem to indicate about Joseph’s future? They seemed to suggest that Joseph would rule over his family in the future.
• Where did these dreams come from? The text does not tell us directly. Knowing the full account, we can discern these were prophetic dreams from God.
• What type of literary device is used in verse 5? The narrator foreshadows the outcome even though Joseph had not yet told them the dream.

Discover the Truth

In this account, we see some of the same themes that have been present from the time of Abraham: favoritism within the family (Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau), God’s providing a revelation of his plans to an individual, a wife who could not conceive for a time, and a younger brother who was to inherit the promises made to Abraham as well as the leadership of the family.

The robe mentioned in the passage was typically given to the firstborn, so for Joseph to have the robe was a sign that Joseph had been given the blessing instead of Reuben, the oldest. This seems to be confirmed in the dreams Joseph had. The fact that he had two dreams on the same theme close to one another indicated that they would surely and soon come to pass (see Genesis 41:32).

It seems that Israel did not learn the lesson of the strife that comes from favoritism. And as you probably know, things are about to get ugly. While we don’t have any explicit statements of motive from the text, it seems that Joseph was a bit arrogant and unwise. He shared his dreams with his brothers knowing full well it would provoke them. Joseph’s lack of discretion created only more strife.

Betrayed

So Joseph’s brothers’ hatred carries us into the next section of the text.

Let’s read Genesis 37:12–36 together. Have someone read the passage aloud.

• What circumstances took Joseph to Shechem? His brothers had gone there to feed the flocks, and Israel sent Joseph to check on them.
• What happened once Joseph arrived in Shechem? A man told him his brothers had gone to Dothan.
• How did the brothers respond when they saw Joseph approaching? They made plans to kill the “dreamer” in an effort to stop the fulfillment. They also intended to cover up the murder by saying a beast had killed him.
• What was their intent? To stop his dreams from coming to reality.
• Who interceded for Joseph? Reuben encouraged them to not kill their brother.
• What was Reuben’s proposal? He encouraged them to throw Joseph into a pit rather than shedding blood.
• What did Reuben secretly intend to do? He planned to rescue him out of the pit and return him to Israel.
• How was Joseph treated as he met his brothers? They took his multicolored tunic and threw him in a pit.
• When the Ishmaelites appeared, what did Judah propose? He proposed to sell Joseph to make a profit rather than kill him.
• What two motives for harming their brother are evident in the text? They were envious of Joseph, and they were greedy.
• What price did the brothers receive for Joseph? Twenty shekels of silver—a common price for slaves at the time.
• Where were the traders coming from, and where were they headed? They were coming from Gilead, in the northeast, and heading to Egypt.
• What apparent contradiction do you see in verse 28? It refers to the traders as both Ishmaelites and Midianites.
• Was Reuben aware of Joseph being sold? Apparently not since he returned to the pit looking for him as he had secretly planned.
• What was Reuben’s reaction when he found that Joseph was gone? He tore his clothes in anguish—he had wanted to rescue Joseph.
• Why did he say “where shall I go?” in verse 30? He was the eldest, and his father would have held him responsible for Joseph, so he was afraid to return home.
• How did the brothers intend to cover up their sins against Joseph? They planned to lie and cover up their role in the plot by telling Israel that Joseph had died. The brothers covered Joseph’s multicolored robe in the blood of a goat.
• How did the brothers continue their deception in verse 32? They asked Israel if he knew whether the tunic was Joseph’s when they knew full well it was.
• How did Israel respond to seeing the bloody robe? He believed it was proof that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast, so he tore his clothes and dressed himself in sackcloth as a sign of mourning.
• For how long did Israel intend to mourn for Joseph? Until he died—using the figure “go down to Sheol” to describe this period.
• What does Sheol refer to? Sheol is the Hebrew name for the place of death and is used to represent being dead and in the grave. This is the first reference to this place and concept in the Bible
• What was Joseph’s fate at the close of this passage? He had been sold to Potiphar, an official in Egypt.

Discover the Truth

Once again, we see how the sinful attitudes within this family have brought about turmoil. There was so much pride, deceit, and hatred that Joseph’s brothers were willing to kill him While the most significant consequences of their sin would be judged by God, they also experienced the consequences in a temporal sense. They saw their father devastated by the loss of his favored son, and they continued to cover up their evil deeds.

Notice from the text that verses 25 and 26 say the traders were Ishmaelites, but then in verse 28 they are called Midianites. The terms seem to be used interchangeably. Some skeptics point to this as a contradiction in the Bible, proof that it can’t be the reliable and authoritative Word of God if it can’t get this little detail right.

• Is this a contradiction in the text? No, the Bible cannot contain contradictions since it is the true Word of God. There are a couple of reasonable explanations for this apparent contradiction. Either the terms were used interchangeably at the time because the two tribes were intermarried, or the traders were from the tribe of Ishmael in the land of Midian. Some skeptics will try to point this out as a passage that shows the Bible contains errors, but that is just not the case. This is the type of issue that we need to be prepared to address as we seek to point skeptics to the truth and even encourage other believers.

  Joseph’s brothers had such an intense hatred for him that they were willing to kill him out of jealousy. Reuben interceded for his half-brother, but they still intended to harm him. While Reuben was away, Judah saw some traders and decided to sell Joseph for what amounted to a modest sum split between ten brothers. To their jealousy they added greed, and they had already intended to lie to cover up their sins.

  In a bit of irony, Jacob (Israel) had deceived his father with young goats (covering his arms and neck with their skins), and now his sons used a young goat to deceive him into thinking his son was dead. Israel had lost his favored son, or so he thought, and his grief was inconsolable.

  The brothers had given in to their jealousy and greed, and they had sold their brother and lied to their father. This was a cover-up that they would maintain for over twenty years until they met Joseph again. But we’ll have to save that for later.

A Providential Journey Activity

• How does God typically accomplish his will on the earth? Although God works miracles, God primarily accomplishes his purposes on the earth by acting through people.

  Pass out the A Providential Journey worksheets. We are going to do a short activity using this map to see how God used Joseph’s brothers and the Midianite traders to take Joseph into Egypt to fulfill God’s plans to save many people from a coming famine. Fill out the worksheet, and we will review it in a few minutes. Have the students complete the activity in groups.

Connect to the Truth

As you looked through this passage and the map, you should have noticed that several important routes all come together at Dothan. On your map, you should have drawn arrows from Hebron (Genesis 37:14) to Bethel, then to Shechem, and on to Dothan. Show the answer key and point out the route of the blue and green arrows.

We know where Dothan was as it has been identified by archaeologists. At Dothan, there are remains consistent with the biblical account and even a well, a cistern pit in the ground, known as Joseph’s Well or Pit. Cisterns, often cut out of rock, were used to store water. They collected rainwater or water from springs to provide for humans and cattle.

• What connection did you find in the Jeremiah verses? Both connect Gilead to balm, as the traders were taking balm to Egypt.

  On your map, you can see two major trade routes, both coming from Damascus. The King’s Highway continued south to the Gulf of Aqaba and further north of Damascus. This was the route taken by the Israelites mentioned in Numbers 20.

  The other route went toward the Mediterranean Sea and took its name from “the way of the sea” mentioned in Matthew 4:15 and Isaiah 9:1— via maris in Latin. It was also known as the Great Trunk Road or the Way of the Philistines.

• If the traders were coming from Gilead and heading toward Egypt, how might they have traveled? From Gilead through Dothan and to the Via Maris.

  Many routes crisscrossed these two highways, but God brought these Midianite traders to the well at Dothan just as Joseph arrived. It was not a matter of coincidence or lucky timing, but a providential arranging of events that would take Joseph to Egypt, where, as we will see in the lessons that follow, God used him to save the lives of millions of people when a famine struck the region. It is another reminder from Scripture of God’s sovereignty over his creation, including the evil acts of men.

  This archaeological and historical support should remind us that we can trust what Scripture teaches and that an accurate understanding of history depends on what Scripture teaches.

Application

God had revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel), and now God had revealed his plans to Joseph in the dreams that showed him ruling over his family. When Joseph seemed to flaunt his dreams to his brothers and when Israel showed him great favoritism, the brothers were provoked to jealousy. Rather than taking control over their sinful attitudes, they took the opportunity in Dothan to get rid of the “dreamer.”

Knowing what was to come, that Joseph would be instrumental in saving millions of people from a famine, we can see God’s sovereign hand in all of these events. From the provoking of jealousy as Joseph (foolishly) shared his dreams with his brothers, to Israel’s sending him to check on his brothers, who had moved on to an area along a major trade route, to the timely arrival of the Midianite traders, God was orchestrating his perfect plans. Things looked bleak for Joseph, and sin was piled upon sin as the storyline progressed. But there is always hope, and God always has a plan in place.

Let us make sure that we think of how we can apply these ideas as we leave and go out into the world we live in. We want to make sure that we are not merely hearing the Word, but seeking to be doers of what we read in it.

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  In what ways is living as a Christian contrary to the norms of society today? Believing in one true God, avoiding immoral activities, dedicating time and money to serving others rather than self, believing the Bible is true, etc. God’s plans are often contrary to the world’s plans.
• In this series of events, one sin led to another to cover up what had become a cycle of sin. How can we learn from this in order to avoid similar cycles in our lives? We need to understand that if we do not recognize sin and, through the Holy Spirit, fight against it, we will wind up in the same cycle. It will likely not lead to covering up a murder, but it can quickly turn into a web of lies and deceit.
• What consolation do you find for your own life when you consider how God eventually used this horrible event in Joseph’s life to bring about a good end? It should allow us to trust God and rest in his good purposes even when we face trials. Romans 8:28 tell us that God works ALL things together for good to those who love him.
• What attributes of God do we see accented in chapter 37? Discuss ideas including: Sovereignty in his direction of the circumstances; Patience in not judging sin immediately; Kindness in revealing his plans to Joseph.
• How do the archaeological details of this account help assure you of the Bible’s reliability? Discuss various answers, reminding students that the Bible is a true book and that its historical details are true.

Group Prayer

Be sure to pray with your class before you dismiss them.

• Praise God for his sovereign control over all of creation.
• Ask God for patience and wisdom to accept his plans.
• Thank God for his perfect plans, even when we can’t see them clearly.