Joseph’s Brothers Hate Him

SEE how sad and hopeless the boy is. This is Joseph. His brothers have just sold him to these men who are on their way to Egypt. There Joseph will be made a slave. Why have his half brothers done this bad thing? It is because they are jealous of Joseph.

Their father Jacob liked Joseph very, very much. He showed him favor by having a beautiful long coat made for him. When his 10 older brothers saw how much Jacob loved Joseph, they began to be jealous and to hate Joseph. But there was also another reason why they hated him.

Joseph had two dreams. In both of Joseph’s dreams his brothers bowed down to him. When Joseph told his brothers these dreams, their hatred grew even more.

Now one day when Joseph’s older brothers are taking care of their father’s sheep, Jacob asks Joseph to go and see how they are getting along. When Joseph’s brothers see him coming, some of them say: ‘Let’s kill him!’ But Reuʹben, the oldest brother, says: ‘No, don’t you do that!’ Instead they grab Joseph and throw him into a dried-up water hole. Then they sit down to decide what to do with him.

About this time some Ishʹma·el·ite men come along. Judah says to his half brothers: ‘Let’s sell him to the Ishʹma·el·ites.’ And that’s what they do. They sell Joseph for 20 pieces of silver. How mean and unkind that was!

What will the brothers tell their father? They kill a goat and again and again dip Joseph’s beautiful coat into the goat’s blood. Then they take the coat home to their father Jacob and say: ‘We found this. Look at it, and see if it is not Joseph’s coat.’

Jacob sees that it is. ‘A wild animal must have killed Joseph,’ he cries. And that is just what Joseph’s brothers want their father to think. Jacob is very, very sad. He weeps for many days. But Joseph is not dead. Let’s see what happens to him where he is taken.

Genesis 37:1-35.

Joseph’s Brothers Hate Him

Why were Joseph’s brothers jealous of him, and what did they do?
What do Joseph’s brothers want to do to him, but what does Reuben say?
What happens when Ishmaelite traders come along?
What do Joseph’s brothers do to make their father think that Joseph is dead?

Additional questions:

ReadGenesis 37:1-35.
1. How can Christians imitate Joseph’s example by reporting wrongdoing in the congregation? (Gen. 37:2; Lev. 5:1; 1 Cor. 1:11)
2. What led Joseph’s brothers to deal treacherously with him? (Gen. 37:11, 18; Prov. 27:4; Jas. 3:14-16)
3. What action by Jacob is a normal part of grieving? (Gen. 37:35)

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