Joseph’s Coat (37:1-4)
The story of Joseph is set during the Second Intermediate Period (1710-1550 B.C.) of Egyptian history, when the Semitic Hyksos ruled over Egypt
However, Joseph’s story really begins in the land of Canaan when he is seventeen years old.
He gives a bad report about his brothers to his dad.
Israel (or Jacob) loves Joseph more than his other kids.
Israel makes a colorful coat for Joseph.
His brothers hated him.
Joseph’s Dreams(37:5-11)
Joseph told his brothers about a dream he had which made them hate him even more.
Joseph dreamed that his brothers had 11 sheaves of grain that bowed down to his sheaf.
Later, Joseph dreamed that the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down before him.
His brothers didn’t like this dream either.
Joseph told his dad the dream, and he also didn’t care for it. He was like, "What are you crazy? You think your brothers and your mother and I will bow to you?"
Meaning of the dreams?
11 sheaves = 11 brothers
One sheaf = Joseph
11 sheaves bow to 1 sheaf = 11 brothers bow to Joseph
Sun bowing to Joseph = father bowing to Joseph
Moon bowing to Joseph = mother bowing to Joseph
11 stars bowing to Joseph = 11 brothers bowing to Joseph
Joseph Sold by His Brothers (37:12-36)
Israel sent Joseph out to go spy on his brothers.
His brothers saw him coming in the distance and plotted to kill him.
Reuben tried to protect Joseph.
They took Joseph’s coat and threw him in a cistern, then sat down and ate lunch.
While Reuben was gone, the other brothers decided to sell Joseph as a slave to some Ishmaelite traders who were passing by.
The text also refers to the traders as Midianites.
Joseph’s brothers sold him for 20 pieces of silver.
When Reuben came back and found out, he was angry.
The brothers convinced him to tell their father that a wild animal ate Joseph.
They put goat blood on Joseph’s coat and gave it to their father.
The traders took Joseph to Egypt and sold him as a slave to a man named Potiphar, who was the captain of Pharaoh’s guards.
Judah and Tamar (38:1-30)
At this point, the Joseph story begins to follow Judah’s life.
Judah leaves his brothers and goes off on his own.
Judah married a Canaanite woman and they had three sons – Er, Onan, and Shelah.
The text says that Judah got a wife for his son Er named Tamar, but because Er was so wicked, God eventually got tired of him and killed him off.
According to the custom of the day, Tamar was then given to Onan to be his wife.
Onan wanted to dishonor his family so whenever he would have sex with Tamar, he would refuse to go all the way.
God didn’t like Onan very much either, so He killed him.
Judah was afraid to give Tamar to his last son, Shelah, so he dishonored her and told her she would just have to be a widow for awhile and he sent her back to her father.
A long time later, Judah’s wife died.
Some time after that, Judah went up to shear his sheep.
When Tamar found out that Judah was in the area, she dressed up as a prostitute and waited for him to walk through town.
Judah saw her and didn’t recognize her and had sex with her.
Judah promised to give her a goat as payment.
Tamar made him give her his staff and his seal as pledge until he kept his word.
After Judah left, Tamar found out she was pregnant.
Judah sent his servant back to the town with the goat, but the “prostitute” was no where to be found.
Later, Judah heard that his daughter-in-law Tamar was “guilty of playing the whore” and was now pregnant.
Judah had her brought out to be burned.
Tamar then pulled out Judah’s staff and seal, and said, “The man who got me pregnant left these behind!”
Judah was embarrassed and confessed that she was “more righteous” than he was.
Tamar gave birth to twin boys.
The first boy stuck his hand out and the midwife put a red string on his wrist, but then he drew his hand back in, and his brother came out first.
They were named “Perez” and “Zerah.”
“Perez” means “breaking out.”
“Zerah” means “bright red.”
This story has a connection to King David and to Christ in fact that both individuals were directly descended from the the result of this perverted relationship that Judah had with his daughter-in-law.
This also shows that God can redeem all situations. God used this terrible story to give Israel David, their greatest king, as well as the messiah for the whole world, Jesus.
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife (39:1-20)
Meanwhile, Joseph worked in the house of Potiphar.
God blessed everything he did.
Potiphar’s wife had her eye on Joseph.
She went to him day after day and tried to seduce him.
He refused to even be near her.
One day, she caught him alone and forced herself on him.
He ran away, but she grabbed his cloak as he fled and he left it with her.
Potiphar’s wife began screaming in anger.
When people came to investigate, she told them that Joseph tried to rape her and used his cloak for evidence.
Potiphar was furious and had Joseph thrown in prison.
This story was intentionally placed right after the story of Judah and Tamar by the editors. This placement highlights some important differences here between Joseph and Judah. Both men were tempted with sexual sin, but they both responded in very different ways. Not everything in Bible was meant to serve as a good example for us to follow. Judah is an example of bad-living, and Joseph is an example of good-living. We must read both of these stories in the context of each other in order to see the bigger picture.
The Cupbearer and the Baker (39:21-40:23)
Joseph was in prison for three years.
The jailer noticed how smart he was and put him in charge of the other prisoners.
One night, two prison-mates, who were respectively the former cupbearer and baker of Pharaoh, had dreams.
Joseph interpreted the dreams.
3 clusters of grapes.
3 baskets of bread.
Good news for Pharaoh’s Cupbearer.
Bad news for Pharaoh’s Baker.
The Cupbearer promised to tell Pharaoh about Joseph's plight after he was released... but then completely forgot about Joseph once he got out.
Pharaoh’s Dreams (41:1-32)
Pharaoh began to have dreams that troubled him greatly.
None of his magicians could interpret his dreams.
Finally, the cupbearer remembered Joseph.
Joseph was brought from prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.
The first dream was about cows.
The second dream was about grain.
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| Dream of seven skinny cows eating seven fat cows |
Interpretation of the Dreams
Just like the seven fat cows were eaten by the seven skinny cows, the seven healthy stalks of grain were swallowed up by the seven sickly stalks.
Joseph interpreted the dreams:
7 fat cows = 7 years of plenty
7 skinny cows = 7 years of famine
7 healthy grain stalks = 7 years of plenty
7 sickly grain stalks = 7 years of famine
Bad cows eating good cows = bad years will make us forget good years
Bad grain eating good grain = bad years will make us forget good years
Two versions of same dream = this will certainly happen
Joseph in Charge of Egypt (41:33-57)
Joseph told Pharaoh that he needed to appoint someone to oversee a grain tax on the people to store up enough food during the seven years of plenty to save for the seven years of famine.
Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of this project.
Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian wife and a new Egyptian name.
Joseph’s Egyptian name was Zaphenath-Paneah.
We don’t know what it means – possibly “The god speaks, he lives.”
Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain.
He had two sons named Manasseh and Ephraim.
“Manasseh” means “forget.”
“Ephraim” means “twice fruitful.”
After the seven years of plenty were over, the famine struck hard.
Joseph opened the store-houses and began the distribution to the people.
“The whole world” came to buy grain.
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt (42:1-38)
The famine was also in Canaan.
Jacob sent his sons down to Egypt to get grain.
Jacob didn’t allow Benjamin to go.
When Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt, they appeared before Joseph to get grain and bowed down before him.
Joseph recognized them, but his brothers did not recognize him.
Joseph accused them of being spies.
They denied this and told him about their family, mentioning that Benjamin stayed behind, as well as Joseph’s “death.”
Joseph had them arrested for three days.
After this, Joseph told them that he would give them all grain, but that he would hold one of them hostage until they returned with Benjamin in order to prove their story.
Joseph chose to speak through an interpreter.
They began to say to each other that this was happening to them as punishment for what they did to Joseph.
Reuben says “I told you so!”
Joseph had to leave for awhile because he couldn’t help but start crying.
When Joseph came back, he sent them on their way with more grain than they needed, but he kept Simeon as a hostage.
Joseph also had his servants put his brothers’ silver back into their sacks when they weren’t looking.
When they returned to their father they told him what the man in Egypt had said, which made Jacob upset.
They then emptied their sacks and found the silver that Joseph had put in them. They were frightened and their father was even more upset with them and refused to let them take Benjamin back with them.
Reuben swears on the life of his own two sons that he will keep Benjamin safe.
The Second Journey to Egypt (43:1-34)
The grain ran out and Jacob told his sons to go back to Egypt to get more.
Judah reminded him that if they did not bring Benjamin with them then their trip would be pointless.
Jacob again reminds them how they messed up the first trip, but eventually gives in.
Jacob had them return the silver and bring extra gifts for “the man” down in Egypt.
When they returned, Joseph had them all gathered together for a meal.
The brothers thought it was a trap and that they would all be made into slaves.
They returned the silver to Joseph’s servant, but he told them that he had received their silver and he didn’t know what they were talking about.
When Joseph saw Benjamin, he had to excuse himself again because he could not hold back the tears.
Joseph returned Simeon to his brothers and then they all had a meal together.
As the brothers were eating, they noticed that the man had arranged their seats in the order of their birth.
Joseph gave Benjamin five times as much food as his brothers.
A Silver Cup in a Sack (44:1-34)
Before the brothers left, Joseph had his servant fill all their sacks with extra grain and then hide their silver inside.
He also hid an expensive silver cup inside of Benjamin’s sack.
After they left, Joseph sent his servants after them to have them arrested for stealing his silver cup.
They denied any wrong-doing and said if anyone stole anything he would be put to death and the rest of them would become slaves to the Egyptians.
The servants went through all their sacks and found the cup in Benjamin’s.
The brothers were scared to death and threw themselves at Joseph’s feet when they were brought back.
Judah begged for him to spare Benjamin and make the rest of them slaves.
Joseph said no.
Judah begged and begged, explaining that his father’s heart would be broken if Benjamin did not return. Judah offered himself in exchange for Benjamin.
Joseph Makes Himself Known (45:1-28)
Joseph ordered everyone to leave except his brothers.
He then started crying so loud that the people outside could hear him.
He proclaimed, “I am Joseph!”
The brothers were terrified.
“Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ When they had done so, he said, ‘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. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.’”
-- Genesis 45:4-7
Pharaoh sent his servants to bring the rest of Joseph’s family down to Egypt to live.
Pharaoh gave Joseph’s family “the best of Egypt.”
Before the brothers left to get their families, Joseph reminded them “not to quarrel along the way.”
Jacob didn’t believe his sons at first when they gave him the news about Joseph.
Group Discussion
Did God cause all of these things to happen to Joseph or not?
Jacob Goes to Egypt (46:1-47:12)
God spoke to Jacob again:
“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”
-- Genesis 46:3-4
Jacob moved all his family down to Egypt.
Chapter 46 is mostly a list of all of Jacob’s kids and grandkids.
Some texts say 70 people, others say 75.
Pharaoh gave them some of the best land in Egypt to live, the region of Goshen.
Pharaoh had Jacob brought before him, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
Pharaoh asked him how old he was, and Jacob said 137.
The text also says that Pharaoh let Joseph and his brothers live in the district of Rameses.
Joseph and the Famine (47:13-31)
The famine was still severe.
The Egyptians ran out of money for grain.
Joseph now accepted their livestock as payment for grain.
Eventually, the Egyptians ran out of livestock.
The Egyptians sold their land to Joseph for grain.
The Egyptians sold themselves to the state in return for grain.
This passage serves as an interesting contrast to the story that soon follows - the story of the Exodus. At the end of this story, the Egyptians have sold themselves as slaves to Joseph - a Hebrew. At the beginning of the next story, the Hebrews have been forced into slavery by the Egyptians.
Joseph established a “one-fifth” tax on everybody’s crops, so that once people could plant grain again, one-fifth of it would belong to Pharaoh.
Jacob made Joseph promise not to bury him in Egypt when he died, but to bring his body back to Canaan where his fathers were buried.
Manasseh and Ephraim (48:1-22)
Jacob became ill.
Joseph brought his sons to Jacob and he blessed them.
Jacob declared that Ephraim and Manasseh would receive an inheritance from him just like his own sons.
Jacob started to bless the youngest one first.
Joseph tried to correct him.
Jacob insisted on giving the blessing of the eldest child to the youngest son.
Jacob also gave Joseph extra land in Canaan.
Jacob Blesses His Sons (49:1-28)
Reuben
You defiled my couch…
Simeon and Levi
Cursed be your anger…
Judah
Your brothers will praise you…
You are a lion…
The scepter will not depart from you…
Zebulun
You will live by the seashore…
Issachar
He is a “rawboned donkey”…
Dan
You’re a snake…
Gad
You will be attacked…
Asher
You will have rich food…
Naphtali
He’s a doe with beautiful fawns…
Joseph
You’re a “fruitful vine”…
You are strong…
You have God’s protection…
All good blessings go to you…
Benjamin
He’s a ravenous wolf…
The Death of Jacob (49:29-50:14)
Jacob commanded his sons to bury him in Abraham’s tomb.
People buried here:
Abraham
Sarah
Isaac
Rebekah
Leah
Jacob died.
Joseph and the Egyptians mourned for him and embalmed his body.
Jacob’s sons and all the Egyptian dignitaries journeyed to Canaan and buried Jacob in Abraham’s tomb.
Joseph Reassures His Brothers (50:15-21)
After Jacob died, his sons were afraid that Joseph was holding a grudge against them.
They made up a story and told Joseph that their father wanted them to tell him that he should forgive his brothers.
When Joseph got their message, he wept.
His brothers came and offered themselves as slaves to him.
“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. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”
-- Genesis 50:19-21
The Death of Joseph (50:22-26)
Joseph lived to be 110.
Joseph predicted that one day God would lead the descendants of Israel up out of Egypt.
Before he died, he made his family promise that when they returned to Canaan in the future, they would bring his body with them.
Joseph died and was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Parallel Arrangement of Joseph’s Story
1A. Trouble with brothers: Joseph’s brothers hate him
1B. Trouble with brothers: Joseph’s brothers get rid of him
2A. Sexual temptation story: Tamar successfully seduces Judah
2B. Sexual temptation story: Potiphar’s wife unsuccessfully tries to seduce Joseph
3A. Joseph interprets two dreams: dreams of two prison mates
3B. Joseph interprets two dreams: dreams of Pharaoh
4A. Brothers come to Egypt for food: they bow to Joseph, Joseph fills sacks with grain and money, Reuben offers his sons as surety for Benjamin
4B. Brothers come to Egypt for food: they bow to Joseph, Joseph fills sacks with grain and money, Judah offers himself as surety for Benjamin
5A. Joseph calls for his family: includes only his brothers, they weep and have joyful reunion
5B. Joseph calls for his family: includes his brothers, their families, and his father, they weep and have joyful reunion
6A. Prospering in Egypt: Joseph prospers in his rule over all Egypt, Joseph is a blessing to the Egyptians
6B. Prospering in Egypt: Joseph’s family prospers and flourishes, Jacob blesses his sons
7A. Death of Patriarch: Jacob dies
7B. Death of Patriarch: Joseph dies
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