Joseph and His Brothers

Joseph was the favored son of Jacob, who loved him more than his other sons because Joseph was born to him in his old age. Jacob made Joseph an ornate robe—a symbol of status that inflamed his brothers' jealousy. Joseph also had dreams that showed him ruling over his family, which he unwisely shared with his brothers. Their hatred grew until they could barely speak a civil word to him.

One day, Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers who were grazing flocks far from home. When they saw him coming, they plotted to kill him. 'Here comes that dreamer!' they said sarcastically. 'Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams.' Reuben, the oldest, convinced them to throw Joseph into a cistern without killing him, secretly planning to rescue him later.

When Joseph arrived, his brothers stripped him of his robe and threw him into an empty cistern. While eating their meal, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelite merchants heading to Egypt. Judah suggested selling Joseph rather than killing him—at least they could profit from their crime. They sold their brother for twenty shekels of silver. The merchants took Joseph to Egypt and sold him as a slave. The brothers killed a goat, dipped Joseph's robe in its blood, and deceived their father into thinking Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.

In Egypt, Joseph was bought by Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh. The Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered, rising to manage Potiphar's entire household. But when Potiphar's wife falsely accused Joseph of assault after he refused her advances, he was thrown into prison. Even there, God was with Joseph, and he gained favor with the prison warden. Joseph correctly interpreted dreams for Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker, asking only to be remembered when the cupbearer was restored—but he was forgotten for two more years.

Finally, when Pharaoh had troubling dreams that none of his magicians could interpret, the cupbearer remembered Joseph. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, predicting seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, and recommended a plan to prepare. Pharaoh recognized God's spirit in Joseph and appointed him second-in-command over all Egypt. At thirty years old—thirteen years after being sold into slavery—Joseph was given authority to implement his plan.

The famine eventually reached Canaan, and Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain, keeping only Benjamin (Joseph's younger brother) at home. When the brothers appeared before Joseph, they didn't recognize the powerful Egyptian official as their brother. Joseph recognized them immediately and tested them, accusing them of being spies and demanding they bring Benjamin. Through various tests, Joseph observed that his brothers had changed—they showed remorse for what they'd done to him and protected Benjamin.

Finally, Joseph could no longer control himself. He sent all the Egyptians away and revealed himself to his brothers: 'I am Joseph! Is my father still living?' His brothers were terrified, but Joseph comforted them: '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.' He saw God's providence in everything that had happened. Joseph invited his entire family to settle in Egypt, and they were reconciled. Years later, after Jacob's death, when the brothers feared Joseph might take revenge, he reassured them: 'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.'