1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
3 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 colors.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7 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.
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9 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.
10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
20 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.
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him;
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
32 And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.
33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
The thirty-seventh chapter of the book of Genesis in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible tells the story of Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob and the first son of his beloved wife Rachel. This chapter is a pivotal point in the narrative of Joseph's life, as it sets the stage for the events that will ultimately lead to his rise to power in Egypt. The main themes of this chapter include dreams, betrayal, and the providence of God. Through the story of Joseph, we can learn valuable lessons about faith, forgiveness, and the power of God to turn even the most difficult circumstances into blessings.
The chapter begins by introducing us to Joseph, who is seventeen years old at the time. He is described as a young man who is loved by his father Jacob, but also hated by his brothers. This hatred stems from the fact that Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob, and he is given a special coat of many colors as a symbol of his father's love and favor. This coat becomes a source of envy and resentment for his brothers, who see it as a sign of Joseph's superiority.
One night, Joseph has two dreams that he shares with his family. In the first dream, he sees himself and his brothers binding sheaves in the field, and his sheaf stands upright while his brothers' sheaves bow down to it. In the second dream, he sees the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. These dreams are symbolic of Joseph's future rise to power and authority over his family, and they further fuel his brothers' hatred towards him.
Joseph's dreams can be seen as a foreshadowing of the events that will unfold in his life. They also serve as a reminder of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants will be a great nation. Joseph's dreams are a testament to God's faithfulness and His plan for Joseph's life, despite the challenges and obstacles that he will face.
Joseph's brothers' hatred towards him reaches a boiling point when Jacob sends him to check on his brothers who are tending to their flocks in Shechem. When they see Joseph approaching, they plot to kill him and throw him into a pit. However, Reuben, the eldest brother, convinces them to instead throw him into a pit and leave him there to die. Reuben's intention is to secretly rescue Joseph and return him to their father.
As Joseph approaches, his brothers strip him of his coat and throw him into a pit. They then sit down to eat, callously ignoring Joseph's cries for help. While they are eating, a group of Ishmaelite traders pass by, and Judah suggests that they sell Joseph to them instead of killing him. The brothers agree, and Joseph is sold for twenty pieces of silver, the price of a slave.
The betrayal of Joseph by his own brothers is a heartbreaking and shocking turn of events. It is a reminder of the destructive power of envy and jealousy, and the lengths that people will go to in order to get what they want. Joseph's brothers' actions also show the consequences of holding onto bitterness and resentment, as it ultimately leads to their betrayal of their own flesh and blood.
Despite the betrayal and suffering that Joseph experiences, we see the providence of God at work in his life. The Ishmaelite traders who buy Joseph take him to Egypt and sell him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. In Egypt, Joseph finds favor in Potiphar's eyes and is put in charge of his household. However, Joseph's faithfulness and integrity are tested when Potiphar's wife falsely accuses him of trying to seduce her. As a result, Joseph is thrown into prison.
Even in prison, Joseph finds favor with the prison keeper and is put in charge of the other prisoners. While in prison, he interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker, who are also imprisoned. His interpretations come true, and the chief butler promises to remember Joseph and speak to Pharaoh on his behalf. However, the chief butler forgets about Joseph, and he remains in prison for two more years.
Through these events, we see God's hand at work in Joseph's life. Despite the betrayal and injustice he faces, God is with him and continues to bless him. Joseph's rise to power in Egypt is a testament to God's providence and His ability to turn even the most difficult circumstances into blessings. It also serves as a reminder that God's plans for our lives are greater than we can imagine, and He will use even the most challenging situations to fulfill His purpose.
The story of Joseph in Genesis 37 teaches us many valuable lessons that are still relevant today. Through Joseph's experiences, we can learn about the power of dreams, the destructive nature of envy and jealousy, and the providence of God in our lives.
Joseph's dreams are a significant aspect of this chapter, and they hold great significance in his life. They serve as a reminder of God's promise to his ancestors and His plan for Joseph's life. Dreams have been used by God throughout the Bible to communicate His will and purpose to His people. They can also serve as a source of guidance and direction in our lives, as long as they align with God's Word and His will for us.
However, we must also be careful not to become consumed by our dreams and allow them to become a source of pride and arrogance. Joseph's dreams ultimately lead to his brothers' betrayal and his suffering. It is essential to seek God's guidance and wisdom in interpreting our dreams and to trust in His timing and plan for our lives.
Joseph's brothers' betrayal is a result of their envy and jealousy towards him. Envy and jealousy are destructive emotions that can lead to harmful actions and broken relationships. In the case of Joseph's brothers, their envy blinded them to the love and favor that their father had for them. It also caused them to act out of malice and betray their own brother.
Envy and jealousy are also harmful to the person who harbors them. They can consume our thoughts and actions, leading us down a path of bitterness and resentment. As Christians, we are called to love one another and rejoice in each other's blessings. We must guard our hearts against envy and jealousy and instead focus on God's plan for our lives.
The story of Joseph is a powerful example of God's providence and His ability to turn even the most challenging circumstances into blessings. Despite the betrayal and suffering that Joseph faces, God is with him and continues to bless him. Joseph's rise to power in Egypt is a testament to God's faithfulness and His plan for his life.
As Christians, we can take comfort in the fact that God is always with us, even in the midst of our trials and struggles. He has a plan for our lives, and He will use even the most difficult situations to fulfill His purpose. We must trust in His timing and have faith that He is working all things together for our good.
One of the most powerful lessons we can learn from Joseph's story is the power of forgiveness. Despite the betrayal and suffering he experiences, Joseph chooses to forgive his brothers and reconcile with them. He recognizes that God has used their actions to bring about His plan and purpose for his life.
Forgiveness is not easy, especially when we have been deeply hurt by someone. However, as Christians, we are called to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Just as Joseph chose to forgive his brothers, we must also choose to forgive those who have wronged us. It is through forgiveness that we can experience true healing and restoration in our relationships.
The thirty-seventh chapter of Genesis is a powerful and significant chapter in the Bible. Through the story of Joseph, we can learn valuable lessons about faith, forgiveness, and the providence of God. Joseph's dreams, his brothers' betrayal, and God's faithfulness all serve as reminders of God's plan for our lives and His ability to turn even the most difficult circumstances into blessings. As we reflect on Joseph's story, may we be reminded of God's faithfulness and trust in His plan for our lives.
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