Genesis 37

What do our honest reactions to good things happening to others say about our picture of God and our understanding of God being in perfect control of our lives?

Joseph’s story occupies more space in Genesis than any other individual including: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, or Jacob.

I. The Effects of Favoritism (vv. 1-4)

“Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 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. 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. 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.” (Genesis 37:1–4, ESV)

Joseph was special to Jacob because he was given to him at an old age.

Also, because he was a child of his favored wife, Rachel.

Favoritism seems to be a theme with the Patriarchs.

Jacob was his mother’s favorite, while his father loved Esau more.

More important than being a nice coat, this set Joseph apart from his brothers as the favorite.

This probably indicated that he would also receive his father’s inheritance.

II. Joseph the Dreamer (vv. 5-11)

“Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 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.”” (Genesis 37:5–7, ESV)

“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. 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.” 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?” And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.” (Genesis 37:8–11, ESV)

Joseph doesn’t decide to dream these dreams. God is the One who gives him the dreams.

The other brothers missed the fact that they are stars in the 2nd dream.

They still have positions of authority, but they missed it because of their jealousy of Joseph.

III. The Search (vv. 12-17)

The man is directing Joseph to discover his brothers so that God’s plan for the salvation of Jacob and the nation of Israel might take place.

IV. The Result of Envy (vv. 18-28)

“They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 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.”” (Genesis 37:18–20, ESV)

“But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 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.” (Genesis 37:21–22, ESV)

“So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.” (Genesis 37:23–24, ESV)

“Then they sat down to eat.” (Genesis 37:25a, ESV)

The irony is that the brothers are eating while Joseph was left in the pit to starve.

Twenty two years later, Joseph will feed his brothers and save them from starvation.

“And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 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.” (Genesis 37:25b–27, ESV)

“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.” (Genesis 37:28, ESV)

“Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen.” (Genesis 42:21a)

It is the selling of Joseph by his brothers that actually sets in motion the dream that they are trying to avoid.

V. The Deception (vv. 31-36)

“Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 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.”” (Genesis 37:31–32, ESV)

Jacob’s life has now come full circle.

The deceiver (Jacob) is now being deceived by his own sons.

“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.” Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 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. Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.” (Genesis 37:33–36, ESV)

So many of the characters are focused on what is right in front of them:

- Joseph is wrapped up with being the favorite.

- Jacob is wrapped up in Joseph and doesn’t see what it is doing to his other sons.

- The brothers are wrapped up in jealousy and hatred towards Joseph.

God is going to use Joseph in His big picture to keep His promises and to redeem the world.

Joseph’s story is not about Joseph… it’s about God keeping His promise.

The question is not, “God, what about me?”
The question is, “How can I trust God in what He is doing right now?”

Instead of asking, “What about me?” God is calling for us to bow down to Him. He is calling us to cast aside our jealousy and envy and simply worship Him for who He is.

When we choose to bow down to God, it means we are releasing our doubts and trusting Him with everything.

Joseph did not know the end of his story when he was in the bottom of the pit, but he trusted God completely. He must have had an expansive view of God and His purposes.