Genesis study chapter

Genesis 37

c. 1700-1600 BCJoseph’s brothers sell him into slavery, but God is already working through the crisis.

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Key Verses: Genesis 37:3-4, 37:18-20, 37:28

Jacob dwells in Canaan, the land of his father’s sojournings. At seventeen, Joseph shepherds the flock with his brothers (Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher). He brings a bad report about them to their father. Israel loves Joseph more than all his sons, because he’s the son of his old age. He makes him a robe of many colors. His brothers see their father loves Joseph more than them; they hate him and can’t speak peacefully to him. Joseph dreams: they’re binding sheaves in the field when his sheaf arises and stands, and their sheaves gather around and bow to his. His brothers say, “Are you to reign over us?” They hate him even more. He dreams again: the sun, moon, and eleven stars bow to him. He tells his father and brothers. His father rebukes him: “Shall I and your mother and brothers indeed bow to you?” His brothers envy him, but his father keeps the saying in mind. Joseph’s brothers tend the flock at Shechem. Israel sends Joseph to check on them. Joseph travels to Shechem, then Dothan where they are. They see him from afar. Before he reaches them, they conspire to kill him. “Here comes this dreamer. Come, let’s kill him, throw him in a pit, and say a fierce animal devoured him. We’ll see what becomes of his dreams.” Reuben hears and delivers him, saying don’t shed blood-throw him in the pit but don’t lay hands on him. (He intends to rescue him and return him to their father.) When Joseph arrives, they strip his robe and throw him in a pit (empty, no water). They sit to eat. Looking up, they see Ishmaelite traders coming from Gilead with camels bearing spices to Egypt. Judah proposes: “What profit if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not harm him, for he’s our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agree. Midianite traders pass by; they pull Joseph up, selling him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who take him to Egypt. Reuben returns to the pit-Joseph isn’t there. He tears his clothes, returning to his brothers: “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” They take Joseph’s robe, kill a goat, dip the robe in blood, sending it to their father: “We found this. Please identify whether it’s your son’s robe.” He recognizes it: “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” Jacob tears his garments, puts sackcloth on, mourns many days. His sons and daughters try to comfort him, but he refuses, saying he’ll go down to Sheol mourning his son. The chapter ends noting Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard.

This chapter launches the Joseph narrative, the longest continuous story in Genesis (chapters 37-50). The pattern of parental favoritism continues-as Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob, now Jacob blatantly favors Joseph. The special robe signals Joseph’s favored status, provoking intense brotherly hatred. Joseph’s dreams are divinely given prophetic visions, but his telling them shows immaturity and perhaps pride. The brothers’ murderous jealousy recalls Cain and Abel. Reuben attempts to save Joseph (perhaps to restore his standing after defiling Bilhah), and Judah proposes selling him instead of murder. Yet selling Joseph into slavery is still grievous sin. The irony is thick-attempting to thwart Joseph’s dreams, they actually fulfill them by sending him to Egypt where he’ll rise to power. Jacob’s grief over the bloodied robe (deception with a goat and clothing) mirrors his own earlier deception of Isaac. The measure he used is measured back. Joseph in the pit prefigures Christ-rejected by brothers, sold for silver, descended into darkness, yet raised to exaltation. The chapter sets up God’s sovereign plan to preserve Jacob’s family through Joseph in Egypt.

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Discussion Questions:

  1. How does Jacob’s favoritism toward Joseph (shown by the special robe) create family dysfunction, and what does this warn us about parental favoritism?
  2. How do the brothers’ attempt to thwart Joseph’s dreams ironically fulfill them, and what does this teach about God’s sovereignty over human evil?
  3. In what ways does Joseph’s experience (rejected by brothers, sold for silver, descended into pit but later exalted) prefigure Christ’s death and resurrection?