Genesis 37: The Dreamer Sold by His Brothers
Jacob favors Joseph, whose dreams stir his brothers' hatred until they sell him into slavery in Egypt.
Genesis 37 (WEB)
1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan.
2 This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors.
4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.
5 Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.
6 He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 His brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words.
9 He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.”
10 He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?”
11 His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.
12 His brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
13 Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” He said to him, “Here I am.”
14 He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16 He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”
17 The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.
18 They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
19 They said one to another, “Behold, this dreamer comes.
20 Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”
21 Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.”
22 Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;
24 and they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.
25 They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
27 Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him.
28 Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
30 He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?”
31 They took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.
32 They took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son’s coat or not.”
33 He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.”
34 Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning.” His father wept for him.
36 The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.
Genesis 37 (KJV)
1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
12 And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.
33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.
Genesis 37 (ASV)
1 And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought the evil report of them unto their father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.
4 And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7 for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
12 And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Are not thy brethren feeding the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
14 And he said to him, Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren, and well with the flock; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
16 And he said, I am seeking my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding the flock.
17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
18 And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, An evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
21 And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, Let us not take his life.
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him: that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;
24 and they took him, and cast him into the pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brethren hearkened unto him.
28 And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood;
32 and they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found: know now whether it is thy son’s coat or not.
33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat: an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.
34 And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning. And his father wept for him.
36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.
Summary
Joseph, seventeen years old, is loved by his father Israel more than all his sons, and Jacob gives him a coat of many colors. His brothers hate him, and their hatred deepens when Joseph reports two dreams in which their sheaves and even the sun, moon, and stars bow down to him. Sent by his father to check on his brothers in Shechem, Joseph follows them to Dothan, where they conspire to kill him. Reuben persuades them to throw him into a pit instead, hoping to rescue him, but in his absence Judah proposes selling Joseph to passing Ishmaelite traders for twenty pieces of silver. The brothers deceive their father with Joseph's blood-stained coat, and Jacob mourns inconsolably, believing his son devoured. Joseph is carried into Egypt and sold to Potiphar.
Main Characters
- Joseph — Jacob's favored seventeen-year-old son whose God-given dreams provoke his brothers' hatred and who is sold into Egypt.
- Jacob (Israel) — The father whose favoritism toward Joseph fuels family strife, and who mourns deeply when deceived by the blood-stained coat.
- Reuben — The eldest brother who intervenes to spare Joseph's life, intending to rescue him and return him to their father.
- Judah — The brother who proposes selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites rather than killing him outright.
Key Verse
Genesis 37:4 (WEB)
His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.
Lessons Learned
- Parental favoritism sows division and bitterness within a family.
- Envy left unchecked can grow into cruelty and even murderous intent.
- God can give a person a glimpse of his purposes long before they are fulfilled.
- Sin compounds itself; one deception leads to another and brings grief to the innocent.
- Favoritism wounds the whole family. Israel loves Joseph more than all his children and marks it with a special coat, and his brothers cannot speak peaceably to him (Genesis 37:3-4, WEB).
- Envy hardens the heart. The brothers' jealousy grows with each dream until they conspire to kill the one they call 'this dreamer' (Genesis 37:19-20, WEB).
- God reveals his purposes in his own time. Joseph's dreams of sheaves and stars bowing down hint at a future none of them can yet imagine (Genesis 37:7-9, WEB).
- One voice can restrain great evil. Reuben speaks up so that no blood is shed, planning to deliver Joseph back to his father (Genesis 37:21-22, WEB).
- Greed cheapens what is precious. Joseph is sold for twenty pieces of silver, his brothers valuing profit over the bond of flesh (Genesis 37:28, WEB).
- Deception multiplies grief. The brothers cover their crime with a goat's blood and a torn coat, and their father is left to mourn a son who is still alive (Genesis 37:31-35, WEB).
- How does the way Israel treats Joseph compare with the way he treats his other sons (Genesis 37:3-4)?
- What is it about Joseph's dreams that makes his brothers hate him all the more (Genesis 37:8)?
- How do Reuben and Judah each respond to the plot against Joseph, and how do their motives differ?
- Have you ever felt the sting of being favored less, or the temptation of envy toward someone else? How did you handle it?
- When you cannot yet see how God will use a painful season, how can Joseph's story shape your trust?
- Israel loves Joseph more than all his children because he is the son of his old age, and gives him a coat of many colors (37:3); the visible favoritism makes the brothers unable even to speak peaceably to him.
- The dreams picture the brothers bowing to Joseph, and they bristle at the thought of him reigning over them; their pride cannot bear the suggestion of his rule (37:8).
- Reuben acts to save Joseph's life and means to restore him to their father (37:21-22), while Judah suggests selling him for profit (37:26-27); both stop short of murder, but Reuben's aim is rescue and Judah's is gain.
- Personal: invite honest reflection. Encourage members to name feelings of being overlooked or envious, and to bring those wounds to God who sees and values each person.
- Personal: point the group beyond present pain to the God who was with Joseph even in the pit and the slave caravan, working toward a good they could not yet see.