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Summary

Genesis 37:1–11 – Joseph’s favor and dreams

What happens: Joseph reports on his brothers and receives a special robe from Jacob, provoking jealousy. He dreams of sheaves and stars bowing to him and tells his family. His brothers hate him more.

What it means: Favor without wisdom invites conflict. God sometimes reveals future plans in ways that test hearts. Envy resists God’s choice and harms unity.


Genesis 37:12–24 – Plot and the pit

What happens: Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers. They seize him, strip his robe, and throw him into a pit. Reuben plans to rescue him later.

What it means: Hatred grows into violence when unchecked. God’s hidden providence works even in dark pits. Leadership requires courage when others plot evil.


Genesis 37:25–28 – Sold for silver

What happens: Seeing traders, Judah suggests selling Joseph. They sell him for twenty pieces of silver to Ishmaelites, who take him to Egypt.

What it means: Greed masks cruelty as practicality. God can steer betrayal toward future salvation. Human sin never blocks God’s larger design.


Genesis 37:29–36 – Deception and grief

What happens: The brothers dip Joseph’s robe in goat’s blood and show it to Jacob. He weeps and refuses comfort. Joseph is sold in Egypt to Potiphar.

What it means: Lies shatter homes and break hearts. God sets the stage for rescue far from home. Pain today may prepare redemption tomorrow.


Application

  • Resist envy and speak with wisdom about your gifts.
  • Stand against group sin even when you are outnumbered.
  • Trust God’s providence when life drops you in a pit.
  • Refuse deceptive shortcuts that bring lasting sorrow.

Bible

1And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

2These 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.

3Now 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.

4And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

6And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7For, 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.

8And 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.

9And 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.

10And 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?

11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

12And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

13And 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.

14And 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.

15And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

16And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

17And 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.

18And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

19And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

20Come 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.

21And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.

22And 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.

23And 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;

24And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

25And 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.

26And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

27Come, 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.

28Then 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.

29And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

30And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

31And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

32And 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.

33And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

34And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

35And 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.

36And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

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