Genesis 37 – Joseph’s Dreams & Betrayal by His Brothers

Overview: Joseph’s Dreams & His Brothers’ Treachery

🔹 Timeframe: Joseph is 17 years old when this event occurs.

🔹 Setting: Canaan, near Hebron, where Jacob and his family dwell.

🔹 Theme: Jealousy, betrayal, and divine preparation for future deliverance.

🔹 Connection to Future Events: Joseph’s journey to Egypt sets the stage for Israel’s later enslavement and eventual exodus (Exodus 1:8-10).

Key Takeaways

🔑 God’s calling often invites opposition, but His plan prevails.

🔑 Jealousy leads to destructive actions when left unchecked.

🔑 Even in betrayal, God is positioning His people for purpose.

🔑 Foreshadowing of Christ shows that rejection often precedes exaltation.

Prophetic Patterns & Dual Fulfillment

🔮 Joseph as a Type of Christ – Both Joseph and Jesus were beloved of their fathers, rejected by their brethren, and later exalted.

🔮 Betrayed & Sold for Silver – Just as Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver, Jesus was sold for thirty.

🔮 A False Report of Death – Joseph’s coat was dipped in blood to deceive Jacob, just as false reports were spread about Jesus’ body (Matthew 28:12-13).

Historical & Cultural Context

📜 The Importance of the Firstborn & Favoritism – Though Reuben was the firstborn, Joseph was favored due to being Rachel’s firstborn, leading to division.

📜 Prophetic Dreams in the Ancient World – Dreams were often seen as divine messages, though Joseph’s brothers rejected them.

📜 The Slave Trade in the Ancient Near East – Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver, a common price for a slave at the time.

💡 Final Reflection: God’s Plan Prevails Even in Betrayal

Joseph’s story reminds us that God is always working, even in life’s darkest moments.

📌 Are we trusting God even when circumstances seem unjust?
📌 Are we guarding our hearts against jealousy and resentment?
📌 Do we recognize that trials may be God’s way of preparing us for greater things?

🚀 Genesis 37 teaches that betrayal is never the end of the story—God’s plan prevails, even through suffering!

Joseph’s Dreams
Gen 37:1  And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 
Gen 37:2  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. 
Gen 37:3  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. 
Gen 37:4  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. 
Gen 37:5  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 
Gen 37:6  And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 
Gen 37:7  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. 
Gen 37:8  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. 
Gen 37:9  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. 
Gen 37:10  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? 
Gen 37:11  And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. 

Joseph Sold by His Brothers
Gen 37:12  And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 
Gen 37:13  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. 
Gen 37:14  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. 
Gen 37:15  And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 
Gen 37:16  And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. 
Gen 37:17  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. 
Gen 37:18  And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 
Gen 37:19  And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 
Gen 37:20  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. 
Gen 37:21  And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 
Gen 37:22  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. 
Gen 37:23  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; 
Gen 37:24  And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 
Gen 37:25  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. 
Gen 37:26  And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 
Gen 37:27  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. 
Gen 37:28  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. 
Gen 37:29  And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 
Gen 37:30  And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? 
Gen 37:31  And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 
Gen 37:32  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. 
Gen 37:33  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. 
Gen 37:34  And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 
Gen 37:35  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. 
Gen 37:36  And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.