Genesis 37 - Joseph Dreams of Greatness

http://bibleencyclopedia.com/pictures/Genesis_37_Joseph%27s_dream_of_sheaves_of_wheat.htm

Summary https://marksbiblejourney.blogspot.com/2019/10/genesis.html
"At the age of 17, Joseph along with his older brothers are shepherds.  Joseph brings a bad report about some of his brothers to his father, Jacob.  Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because he was Rachel's child and he was born to him in his old age.  Jacob loved Joseph so much, he gave him a coat of many colors.  Joseph's brothers became jealous of him.  Joseph has a dream that contains symbolism of him ruling over his brothers.  Joseph's brothers begin to hate him even more.  Joseph has another dream where the sun, moon, and 11 stars were bowing down to him.  His father rebukes him, and his brothers grow even more jealous.  Israel sends Joseph to help his brothers pasture the flocks at Shechem and to bring back word about how they are doing.  Joseph finds his brothers at Dothan.  Upon seeing Joseph approaching from a distance, the brothers plot to kill him and blame his death on a vicious animal.  Reuben, the oldest brother, was the only one opposed to killing Joseph.  Upon his arrival, the brothers strip Joseph of his robe and throw him into a pit.  The pit was empty and there was no water in it.  Instead of leaving Joseph to die they take him out of the pit and sell him to Midianite traders for 20 pieces of silver.  Then, Joseph's brothers fake his death by slaughtering a goat and putting the blood on his coat of many colors.  They return to Israel with the news of Joseph's death.  Israel mourns for his son for many days.  The Midianites sell Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard."

Reading from the Amplified Bible (AMP) version..

• "Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a [distinctive] multicolored tunic. His brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than all of his brothers; so they hated him and could not [find it within themselves to] speak to him on friendly terms." v.3-4

• "Now Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more." v.5

• "And when they saw him from a distance, even before he came close to them, they plotted to kill him. They said to one another, “Look, here comes this dreamer." v.18-19

• "Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood (murder)? Come, let us [instead] sell him to these Ishmaelites [and Midianites] and not lay our hands on him, because he is our brother and our flesh.” So his brothers listened to him and agreed." v.26-27

• "So Jacob tore his clothes [in grief], put on sackcloth and mourned many days for his son. Then all his sons and daughters attempted to console him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “I will go down to Sheol (the place of the dead) in mourning for my son.” And his father wept for him. Meanwhile, in Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph [as a slave] to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the [royal] guard." v.34-36

My personal observations and reflections...

 After reading about Esau's genealogy in the previous chapter, we are now back to the story of Jacob's family. This time, it is focusing on Rachel's first son, "She named him Joseph (may He add) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.” Genesis 30:24

Interesting reference! From https://www.slideshare.net/EdthePastor/set-up-for-failure-genesis-37

• A FAVORITE SON. Considering that Rachel has been barren for a long time, and she was desperate to have a son with Jacob, the birth of Joseph seems like a miracle. "Then God remembered [the prayers of] Rachel, and God thought of her and opened her womb [so that she would conceive]. So she conceived and gave birth to a son; and she said, “God has taken away my disgrace and humiliation.” Genesis 30:22-23

The birth of Joseph was also mentioned as the time when Jacob ended his stay and service with uncle Laban for 20 years, "Now when Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go back to my own place and to my own country." Genesis 30:25

Jacob dearly loved Rachel, and now that she already passed away, I could understand why Jacob seems to favor and love Joseph, more than his other 11 sons. That doesn't mean it is right. It is unfair, just as most things in our lives are unfair, and not perfect, because of 'sin'. This is why Jacob and all the people of God in the Bible are all relatable-- they sin, they strive to obey/follow God, they sin again, but God shows His faithfulness despite all that. Jacob is not a perfect father, there are no perfect families. It goes the same for us, there is no perfect family, no perfect parents, no perfect sons and daughters. But if we all choose to submit and surrender our lives to God, our Creator and Father, then we can have love, peace and joy, even if we can't make sense of life sometimes.

* "Jacob’s parents played favorites with their two boys, and now Jacob plays favorites with his sons.  Neither family functions happily as a result." Dwelling in the Word

This is the source of our comfort:
"For there is no partiality with God. / For God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:11

• A MULTICOLORED TUNIC. What does it mean, aside from Jacob's very obvious display of love and favoritism to Joseph?

* "I have read that the Hebrew phrase here translates as “tunic of many colors” but means a long-sleeved robe.  Such a robe indicated a life of privilege and status.  A working man could not function in such a garment." Dwelling in the Word
  
* Bible Footnotes- Genesis 37:3 "The meaning of this word is uncertain; some sources indicate that it refers to a long-sleeved tunic that reaches the ankles, essentially a light robe. In any case, the tunic was a visible reminder to Joseph’s brothers of their father’s favoritism toward him."

https://www.slideshare.net/EdthePastor/set-up-for-failure-genesis-37 

As a shepherd boy, I'm sure Joseph cannot use it in the fields; nevertheless, I think Joseph was very happy upon receiving it. I agree that the 'ornate robe/coat of many colors' is a sign of higher status, almost fit for a king. I feel like this is somehow a foreshadowing of the status God will give Joseph after all his hardship.

• EVIL THOUGHTS, ANGER, HATRED, ENVY, RESENTMENT BREWING. From the verse "Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father." (v.2)-- Joseph seems to me, to be an honest, frank, straightforward guy. Though I have no way of knowing, but considering Joseph's actions in the future (Genesis 38 onward), I believe Joseph wants to stand for righteousness that's why he was reporting to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing (specifically Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, who were sons of Jacob's secondary wives, Bilhah & Zilpah).

So far, Joseph seems to have done nothing wrong or offensive to his brothers. Still, they hated him for being a more loved and favored son by their father Jacob. I can't help but feel sorry for Joseph. In our lives, we can also find ourselves in Jacob's, Joseph's, and the brothers' shoes at one point or another. We can be like Jacob, who showed partiality or favoritism to a particular person, child, or friend; we can be like Joseph who just wants to do the right thing and yet some people can still hate or not like us; or we can be like the brothers who feel hurt or annoyed by someone just because they are loved and more favored by other people. Because, in and out of ourselves, our tendency is for our love to be 'conditional.' And it is only God who can help us to truly love, unconditionally. When we receive and understand God's perfect love, we can avoid gravely sinning in our hearts.

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:26-27

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7
 
"See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;" Hebrews 12:15

• AWESOME, MYSTERIOUS DREAMS. Although not referred directly, God was moving in Jacob's family and Joseph's life. Joseph's significant and symbolic dreams clearly came from God. From what I read, Joseph was simply sharing and stating what he dreamed of to his brothers, and yet they hated him already for it. Joseph may sounded a bit arrogant (maybe), or overexcited while talking, but he himself did not have any explanation or interpretation of it yet (or did he have?). I wonder if Joseph had somehow felt that (most of) his brothers disliked him at this point? Anyway, Joseph seems to be a naive, innocent, pure-hearted guy, for me. Maybe that is why God chose and use him for His great plans and purposes for Israel.

https://www.biblecartoons.co.uk/cartoons/genesis-37-joseph-s-dreams-scene-03-dream-images

"we [brothers] were binding sheaves [of grain stalks] in the field, and lo, my sheaf [suddenly] got up and stood upright and remained standing; and behold, your sheaves stood all around my sheaf and bowed down [in respect].” (v.7)

"[this time I saw] eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowed down [in respect] to me!” (v.9)

Wow! The dreams are a foreshadowing of what will happen in the future! (Genesis 47 - Joseph and the Famine)

I believe all these things were orchestrated by God.. What a loving, good, and faithful God we have! He knows that a great famine will come, and so He chose Joseph (to endure hardship and suffering temporarily in Egypt) to make sure Jacob's family line will survive the famine. Jacob and his sons may be clueless about what God was doing through Joseph, but God was saving them. Out of Jacob's family (Tribe of Judah), will come the Messiah-- Jesus, the Son of God, who is God's ultimate plan of salvation.

• THE PLOT AGAINST JOSEPH. Jacob seems confident about his son Joseph and he trusted him. "Israel (Jacob) said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing [the flock] at Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said, “Here I am [ready to obey you].” Then Jacob said to him, “Please go and see whether everything is all right with your brothers and all right with the flock; then bring word [back] to me.” (v.13-14)

https://www.casualenglishbible.com/genesis-37/

* Discussion Question: "Jacob sends his 17-year-old son, Joseph, on a solo trip to check on the other boys in the family who are tending the flock. Jacob expects that to be about a 50-mile (80 km) walk north—a three-day journey. Why do you think he would send his favorite son on what seems like a dangerous trip?"

This is where the story took a dark turn. When the brothers saw Joseph coming from a distance, they began acting out the hatred and evil thoughts they had for their brother; they plotted to kill him and they thought of lies on what they will tell their father Jacob. This is what we may call a premeditated murder. Thankfully, God intervened by allowing the other brothers to speak up for helpless Joseph. Reuben, the eldest, may have felt afraid and responsible, so he said “Let us not take his life.” Reuben said to them, “Do not shed his blood, but [instead] throw him [alive] into the pit that is here in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him [to kill him]”—[he said this so] that he could rescue him from them and return him [safely] to his father." (v.21-22)

One versus 10 brothers. No wonder they could have easily stripped him of his tunic, and thrown him into the pit, which has no water. We do not read anything from Joseph's perspective, but he must have been very afraid and shocked with what was happening.

*Bible Footnotes: Genesis 37:20 "These were earthen tanks that were dug or carved into rocky ground (perhaps limestone), designed to collect rainwater in the desert during winters. Some were cavernous, with a staircase carved into one of the walls for access to the bottom. The cistern selected by Joseph’s brothers must have been deep enough to make escape very difficult for someone of his size, but constructed without a staircase or other means of access (other than a rope)."

• SOLD FOR 20 SHEKELS OF SILVER. For a moment, I thought of Jesus and how he was sold by one of his friend/disciples ("thirty pieces of silver was the price for which Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, according to an account in the Gospel of Matthew 26:15 in the New Testament.)

As if some kind of a miracle and divine appointment from God, "they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead [east of the Jordan], going on their way to carry the cargo down to Egypt." (v.25), and Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood (murder)? Come, let us [instead] sell him to these Ishmaelites [and Midianites] and not lay our hands on him, because he is our brother and our flesh.” So his brothers listened to him and agreed." (v.26-27)

God spared Joseph's life for a purpose!

 Bible Footnotes:
*Ishmaelites- Genesis 37:25 Descendants of Abraham and Hagar (Sarah’s maid, 16:15).
*Midianites- Genesis 37:27 Descendants of Abraham and Keturah, his concubine.
*Genesis 37:28 The relationship between the Midianites and the Ishmaelites as they are mentioned here is unclear. It is possible, as some have suggested, that “Ishmaelites” came to be used as a general term for desert tribes, and that the same merchants are called by both names in this verse. This would also explain the reference to the “Midianites” in v 36. Another explanation, which was offered by the rabbis, is that Joseph was sold first to the Ishmaelites, who then sold him to the Midianites. Another possibility is that they were Ishmaelites from the area of Midian.

• JACOB DECEIVED BY HIS SONS. It seems a perfect crime, Jacob believed his son's lies for he saw the blood (of a male goat) to his favorite son's tunic. Meanwhile in Egypt, Joseph's amazing, but hard adventure is about to start.

*"A heartless way to bring the news and an unconscionable lie.  Yet one cannot deny the poetic justice here.  Jacob, who had once deceived his own father, is now deceived by his sons." Dwelling in the Word

* "Egypt was a large and thriving kingdom for at least a thousand years before Joseph came. The Egyptians were wealthy and had massive natural resources. They were educated and had no real enemies at the time. When Joseph came to Egypt, some of the pyramids already looked old and the Sphinx was already carved.
Yet in God’s eyes, the most impressive thing about Egypt was that Joseph was now there. “Though stripped of his coat, he had not been stripped of his character.” (Meyer)" –David Guzik https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Gen/Gen-37.cfm

Read the Bible here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37&version=AMP#en-AMP-1109