Genesis 37: Something About a Dreamcoat...

Now, we're shifting to the story of Joseph, Jacob's favorite son... you may know much of his story from a certain musical...

Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons because he was born to him when he was older.  And, to show his love, he gives Joseph a long, decorate robe.

When Joseph's brothers see the robe, they become jealous that he's the favorite. "They hated their brother so much that they would not speak to him in a friendly manner." [Genesis 37:4]

Not that Joseph does much to quell their jealousy. He starts dreaming.  Worse, he tells his brothers about his dreams.

Exhibit A: "Listen to the dream I had. We were all in the field tying up sheaves of wheat, when my sheaf got up and stood up straight.  Yours formed a circle around mine and bowed down to it." [Genesis 37:6-7]

Exhibit B: "I had another dream in which I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me." [Genesis 37:9]

Gee, is it any wonder that his brothers hated him? 

One day, when Joseph's brothers were out of town, taking care of their flock, Jacob tells him to go check on them and come back.

His brothers see him in the distance coming toward him and decide to plot his murder. "Here comes that dreamer. Come on now, let's kill him and throw his body into one of the dry wells. We can say that a wild animal killed him. Then we will see what becomes of his dreams." [Genesis 37:19-20]

Ouch.

But, one of the brothers, Reuben, convinces the rest to spare his life and just throw him in a well alive, planning to save him later. So, they do.  They also tear the sleeves off his fancy coat.

While the brothers were eating, they see some Egyptian traders come by. Judah, one of the brothers, thinks of a way that they can get rid of Joseph, without the hassle (and guilt) of actually killing him: Sell him to the Egyptians!

Twenty pieces of silver later, the Egyptians have themselves a new slave. 

The brothers take the sleeves of Joseph's coat, dip them in goat's blood and show their father.

Jacob, convinced that Joseph has been killed by a wild animal, spends the rest of his life mourning Joseph's "death."

Comments

[Barb Mills]

I was always taught that he was Jacob's favorite because he was the son of Rachel, the wife that Jacob loved the most and the longest, whom he worked 14 years for.