The
Story of Joseph
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other
sons, because he had been born to him in his old age, and he made a richly ornamented
robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any
of them, they hated him. (37:3-4a).
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of
grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your
sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers said to
him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And
they hated him all the more" (37:5-8a).
Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Israel
said to Joseph…"Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with
the flocks, and bring word back to me." And he sent him off from the Valley
of Hebron (37:12-13a, 14b). When his brothers saw Joseph approaching, they wanted
to kill him, but Reuben convinced them otherwise (37:21-22). Instead… they
stripped him of his robe - the richly ornamented robe he was wearing - and they
took him and threw him into the cistern. (37:23-24a). When … Midianite merchants
came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty
shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt (37:28). The brothers
dipped Joseph's robe in goat's blood and made it look like he had been killed
by a wild beast (37:31-33). When Israel saw the robe, he was greatly distressed
and mourned for many days (37:34-35).
An
Egyptian official, named Potiphar, bought Joseph (39:1). The LORD gave Joseph
success in everything he did, so Potiphar put him in charge of his household (39:3-4).
Potiphar's wife was attracted to Joseph, but when Joseph refused her advances,
she accused him of attempting to sleep with her (39:7-18). Potiphar burned with
anger, and threw Joseph into prison (39:19-20). Some time later, the king's baker
and cupbearer and were thrown into prison with Joseph (40:1-3). One night, both
servants had dreams. Joseph, with God's guidance, interpreted their dreams correctly
- the baker would be executed and the cupbearer would be released (40:5-22).
Two
years later, the king (Pharaoh) had two troubling dreams, which no one could interpret
(41:1-8). Then the cupbearer remembered Joseph in prison, and he told Pharaoh
(41:9-13). So Pharaoh sent for Joseph so he could interpret his dreams (41:14-15).
With God's guidance, Joseph explained that God had revealed what would happen
(41:16, 25). There would be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of
famine (41:28-30). Joseph recommended they store up food during the good years
so they would have food during the famine (41:34-36). He also recommended that
Pharaoh choose a wise man to administer this project (41:33). Pharaoh chose Joseph,
and he became "second-in-charge" over Egypt (41:39-43).
When
the famine came, Egypt had food (41:54), and all the countries came to Egypt to
buy food from Joseph (41:57). When Jacob (Israel) learned that there was food
in Egypt, he said to his sons, "…Go down and buy some for us, so that
we may live and not die." Then ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy
grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin (42:1a, 2b-4a). When Joseph's
brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground (42:6b).
Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him (42:8). (NIV)
Joseph
accused his brothers of being spies and demanded that they bring their youngest
brother Benjamin (42:14-15). He sent them back to Canaan with grain, but kept
Simeon in prison (42:19-20, 24b). The brothers began to feel they were being punished
by God for treating Joseph so badly (4:21-22). When the grain was gone, the brothers
had to return to Egypt (43:1). They could not return without Benjamin, so Israel
allowed him to go, though it grieved Israel (43:3-14). While they were in Egypt,
Joseph tested his brothers by placing his silver cup in Benjamin's sack, then
accusing him of stealing it, and threatening to make Benjamin his slave (44:1-17).
His brothers were greatly distressed, and pleaded with Joseph (44:13, 18-34).
One of the brothers (Judah) offered to take Benjamin's place as his slave. Judah
said, "How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not
let me see the misery that would come upon my father." (45:34).
Then
Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried
out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph
when he made himself known to his brothers (45:1). Joseph said to his brothers,
"I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not
able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. Then Joseph said
to his brothers, "…I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!
And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling
me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you… God
sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives
by a great deliverance" (45:3-7). (NIV)
When
the news reached Pharoah's palace that Joseph's brothers had come…Pharoah
said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals, and return
to the land of Canaan, and bring your father and your families back to me. I will
give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land"
(45:16-18).
Later,
after Israel's family (seventy in all) moved to Egypt, Israel died, and Joseph's
brothers became worried (46:27; 49:33; 50:15). They said, "What if Joseph
holds a grudge against us and pays us back for the wrongs we did to him? (50:15)
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You
intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being
done, the saving of many lives" (50:20). (NIV)
Discussion
Questions
1.
Why did Joseph's brothers hate him? How would you describe their attitude? What
factors contributed to their hatred?
2.
Joseph seems to be a relatively "good person." Yet, after his brothers
abandon their idea of murdering him, he is thrown into a cistern, sold to slave
traders, and later, wrongly accused and thrown into prison. Why do these things
happen? In general, why do bad things happen to "good people?"
3.
When his brothers come to Egypt, Joseph hides his identity from them, accuses
them of being spies, keeps Simeon in prison, and demands that they bring Benjamin
back. Later, he plants his silver cup in Benjamin's sack, accuses Benjamin of
stealing it, and then threatens to make Benjamin his slave. Why do you think Joseph
does these things?
4.
Joseph's brothers treat him very badly. Years later, when Joseph makes himself
known to them, they are very afraid. How does Joseph respond and why?
5.
What do we learn about God from this story?
6.
What lessons can we learn from Joseph's life? In what ways is he a good example
of faith?
Reflection/Application
†
When
something "bad" happens in your life, how does it affect your thoughts
about God? How does it affect your thoughts about yourself, and the other people
involved?
†
As
a Christian, how do you respond when something "bad" happens in your
life? Is your response characterized by trust in God and his purposes? The Bible
says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV)
Read Romans 8:28-39.
