Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Genesis Chapter 37 mean?

Beginning with this chapter, Genesis takes up the story of Jacob’s son Joseph. Joseph, just 17, is both deeply loved and deeply hated. Described as the son of Jacob’s old age, as well as being the firstborn of Jacob’s beloved late wife Rachel, Joseph is clearly favored by his father over his older ten half-brothers. It’s not surprising, then, to learn of their hatred for Joseph, especially when Jacob gives to him a princely, multicolored robe. This gift may have indicated Jacob’s plan to make Joseph his primary heir. Joseph doesn’t make it better. He reports on his brothers’ misdeeds to Jacob. He also tells them of powerful prophetic dreams he experiences that suggest all of them will one day bow down to him (Genesis 37:1–11).

After that, the fury and jealousy of Joseph’s older brothers reaches a boiling point. They are ready to kill him. Apparently unaware of how bad things are, Jacob gives them just such an opportunity. The ten of them are pasturing the family flocks near Shechem, north of the family household in Hebron. This is the same area where Jacob’s sons demonstrated their willingness to engage in violence when angered (Genesis 34:26–27). Jacob charges Joseph to go to his brothers, alone, to get a report on how the flocks are doing (Genesis 37:12–14).

Joseph obeys, eventually locating his brothers even farther to the north near Dotham. When they see Joseph coming, the brothers immediately form a plan to kill him outright. This is the chance they’ve been waiting for. They will kill him, throw his dead body in a nearby pit, and report to their father Joseph has been killed by a wild animal. The oldest, however, objects. Reuben insists that they throw Joseph alive into the pit, implying that they will leave Joseph to die in the wilderness. Reuben’s secret plan is to return and rescue Joseph later and bring him safely to Jacob. Having disgraced himself (Genesis 35:22), it’s possible Reuben sees this as an opportunity to be redeemed (Genesis 37:15–22).

The brothers agree to Reuben’s plan. They strip Joseph of his multicolored robe and lower him alive into the pit. When they sit down to eat together, while Reuben is away, they spot a caravan of traders traveling by on the road to Egypt. Judah suggests a new plan. Why not make some money and get rid of Joseph at the same time? If they sell him as a slave instead of killing him, or allowing him to die, they can claim they are innocent of the blood of a family member, as well. Those present agree, and Joseph is immediately sold to the traders (Genesis 37:23–28).

When Reuben returns and finds the pit empty, he is heartbroken. Much of this grief may be selfish. His mother, Leah, had hoped that giving birth to a son would make Jacob love her—that son was Reuben (Genesis 29:31–32). Her plan failed, and Reuben’s scheme to present a rescued Joseph to his father has also fallen through (Genesis 37:29–30).

To fully sell the lie that Joseph is gone, and the brothers are innocent, they fabricate evidence. They kill a goat and smear the blood on Joseph’s ornate, unique robe. They return to Jacob and, cruelly, ask him to confirm that this belongs to Joseph. Jacob reaches the exact conclusion they hoped for: that Joseph has been eaten by a wild animal (Genesis 37:31–33).

The brothers would have expected Jacob to be intensely grieved at the loss of his favorite son. Even so, Jacob’s shattered reaction seems to catch them by surprise. Typical mourning for a dead son in that era—formal steps such as wearing sackcloth—might last as long as a month. But Jacob refuses to stop grieving and mourning, or even to be comforted, after the customary time of mourning has come and gone. This display is so emotional that Judah—mastermind of the plot—will offer his own freedom while seeking to spare Jacob from another tragic loss (Genesis 44:18, 30–34). For the time being, there is nothing else to be done, and Jacob is locked in a state of despair (Genesis 37:34–35).

Meanwhile, Joseph has arrived in Egypt, sold as a slave to an Egyptian officer named Potiphar (Genesis 37:36).

Chapter 38 will relate some of the unpleasant events which happened to Jacob’s family while Joseph is gone. Chapter 39 will resume Joseph’s story, now as a captured slave.

Chapter Context
Following the death of Isaac and the story of Esau’s people, Genesis begins a section called the “generations of Jacob.” The story will focus primarily on Jacob’s son Joseph. Joseph is deeply hated by his brothers. While alone with him in the wilderness, they sell him to slave-traders, who take Joseph to Egypt. Chapter 38 details some of the scandals which happened while Joseph was gone. Genesis 39 will resume a focus on Joseph’s experiences.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Jacob lived in the land of his father ‘s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

This summarizes the story arc which began in Genesis 28, following Jacob’s travels and adventures. He had fled home to escape the murderous rage of his twin brother (Genesis 27:42–43). That rage was driven by the bitter favoritism of Jacob’s parents (Genesis 25:27–28) and Jacob’s own deception (Genesis 27:30–35). After amassing wealth and a large family, Jacob was reunited with his brother (Genesis 33:1–4), but Esau’s family moved away because the land couldn’t support both massive tribes (Genesis 36:6–8).

Chapter 36 described the descendants of Esau and their conquest of the land of Seir. Jacob, renamed Israel by God (Genesis 35:10), remained in the territory Isaac had never left: the land of Canaan. This is the land God promised to make the possession of Jacob and his descendants (Genesis 12:4–7; 26:1–5; 35:9–12).

Context Summary
Genesis 37:1–11 describes Jacob’s love and favor for one of his sons, Joseph. The most obvious sign of this extreme partiality is an extravagant robe given to Joseph by his father. Jacob seems to have forgotten the damage done by his parents’ own favoritism (Genesis 25:27–28). He ignores or fails to recognize the jealous hatred brewing among his other sons. The situation festers until the brothers can’t say a kind word to Joseph. After Joseph reports two prophetic dreams which suggest he will one day rule over them all, they become even more jealous and enraged.

Verse 2. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father ‘s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.

Genesis is divided into sections by “generations,” from the Hebrew word tōlēdot’. Each of these segments focuses on an important descendant of a certain patriarch. Prior sections were associated with names such as Adam (Genesis 5:1), Noah (Genesis 6:9), Terah (Genesis 11:27), and Isaac (Genesis 25:19). The section titled the “generations of Isaac” focused primarily on Jacob’s story and ended with Isaac’s death at the conclusion of Genesis 35. Genesis 36 briefly described the “generations of Esau.” Now begins a new section: The “generations Jacob,” focusing primarily on Jacob’s son Joseph born to him by his beloved late wife Rachel (Genesis 30:22–24).

Joseph and his brothers were separated by bitterness and jealousy (Genesis 37:4, 8, 11). This one-sided sibling rivalry was grounded in extreme favoritism. Jacob, their father, deeply loved Joseph’s mother Rachel (Genesis 29:30–31), while regarding Leah and his two slave-wives with much less care. A blatant example of this preference was a gift given to Joseph: the infamous “robe [coat] of many colors” (Genesis 37:3). Jacob’s parents engaged in favoritism between their twin sons (Genesis 25:27–28), and Jacob has apparently not learned from their mistakes.

After working to pasture the flock with his half-brothers (Genesis 35:25–26), Joseph brought a “bad report” about them to his father. The nature of the report is not given. The Hebrew phrase used here is et dibbāt ām’ rā’āh’. Sometimes a “bad report” can mean a smear; when dibbāt is used elsewhere in Genesis, it’s associated with something misleading (Numbers 13:32; 14:36; 37) or slanderous (Proverbs 10:18; Ezekiel 36:3). Rā’āh’ is broad, but can imply something hurtful, miserable, disagreeable, or even wicked. This unquestionably means the message made Joseph’s brothers look bad. What’s less clear is whether it was truthful.

This raises two possibilities. The first is consistent with the character seen throughout Joseph’s life: that he honestly reported his brothers’ severe misconduct. It’s possible they were doing something so heinous that Joseph felt he had no choice but to tell his father. The second option is possible, but less likely: that Joseph exaggerated or invented criticism of his brothers when speaking to Jacob.

We’re not explicitly told that Joseph felt angst towards his older brothers as they did for him. Nor does Scripture explicitly say Joseph did something immoral. However, his actions in this passage are consistently naïve (Genesis 37:5, 9). Regardless of the exact nature of his “bad report,” it would have deepened the wedge between Jacob and his brothers.

Verse 3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

Hard feelings between 17-year-old Joseph and his ten older stepbrothers have probably been building for a while. The previous verse reports he brought some drastic, scandalously bad report about his brothers to their father, Jacob (Genesis 37:2). The favoritism implied in other parts of this passage is stated explicitly here. Jacob (Genesis 35:10) saw Joseph as his favorite son. This is probably because Joseph was the first born to Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel (Genesis 30:22–24).

Jacob’s own parents displayed blatant favoritism (Genesis 25:27–28). Clearly not learning from that example, Jacob gives Joseph an extravagant gift. The Hebrew term describing this is usually translated as a “multicolored robe” or a “coat of many colors.” The original language seems to be a figure of speech: the garment was probably long-sleeved and finely woven with gold or other colors. Normal tunics of that era would have been plain and sleeveless. Joseph’s may also have had ornate trim or other designs. In that context, such an item was not something worn for manual labor. It may suggest Jacob thought of Joseph as his primary heir.

The brothers’ response to this outrageous partiality is not surprising. They hate Joseph so much they can’t even speak to him in civil terms (Genesis 37:4). Whether Jacob notices this, or cares, is never explained. When Jacob’s naivety leads him to describe dreams that further elevate him (Genesis 37:5, 9), bitterness will become bloodthirst (Genesis 37:18, 28).

Verse 4. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

Joseph’s ten half-brothers responded to their father’s open and obvious favoritism for him (Genesis 37:3) with hatred. That’s not surprising. Jacob’s own childhood was marked by the favoritism of his parents (Genesis 25:27–28). His mother Rebekah openly preferred him; his father Isaac preferred Esau. The resulting conflict and manipulations (Genesis 27:30–35) led to Jacob’s separation from his parents and brother for many years (Genesis 27:42–43).

Amazingly, Jacob is following in his parents’ footsteps. His love for Joseph, his son by his late and most loved wife Rachel (Genesis 30:22–24), is blatant and grieves his other sons. Joseph’s interactions in this early phase of his life are, at least, naïve (Genesis 37:2, 5, 9), and did not help his relationship with his brothers. Still, it was Jacob’s obvious—even oblivious—favoritism for Joseph that caused the other sons to turn on him. Their fury was so great they could not even muster a kind or peaceful word for him. Their resentment should have been easy to see.

Scripture gives us no indication as to whether Jacob notices, or cares, about this tension.

Verse 5. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

Joseph’s life will be greatly shaped by prophetic dreams and their interpretations (Genesis 40:8; 41:15–16). In this case, a dream spoke of his own future life and relationships. Years later, his older brothers will, indeed, be at the mercy of Joseph’s good will (Genesis 42:6).

At this point, Joseph’s brothers view him with so much hatred they can’t speak politely to him (Genesis 37:2–4). Why he chooses to share this dream is not clear. Perhaps he naively thought describing the dream to his brothers would increase his esteem in their eyes. Instead, they hated him even more. The following verses describe this dream (Genesis 37:6), and another (Genesis 37:9), making it easy to understand why the dreams provoked his jealous brothers to greater anger.

Verse 6. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed:

Prophetic dreams are often powerful experiences (Genesis 20:3; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 4:5). The prophecy is real: many years later, Joseph’s brothers would be entirely at his mercy (Genesis 42:6).

We’re not sure if Joseph was aware of how much his ten half-brothers hated him (Genesis 37:2–4). Perhaps he thought telling them his dream (Genesis 37:5) would cause them to respect him more. Or he was responding to their hate by telling them that one day he would have the upper hand over them. In either case, he demanded their attention and told them the dream (Genesis 37:7).

Verse 7. Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”

Joseph, 17, has had a powerful and prophetic dream about his life (Genesis 37:5). He decides to tell his ten older half-brothers, all already resentful of him (Genesis 37:4), about the dream. Joseph has seen himself and his brothers binding sheaves of grain in the field together. Suddenly, Joseph’s sheaf stands upright like a person. All his brothers’ bundles gather around Joseph’s sheaf and bow down to it, as subjects would bow down to a ruler.

Anything is possible in dreams, but the images in a prophetic vision have a symbolic meaning. These strange images communicated a powerful message to Joseph’s brothers—one which will come true many years later (Genesis 42:6). In this case, the implication is clear enough that a prophet isn’t needed to grasp the basic idea. That is what Joseph’s brothers will react to in the following verse (Genesis 37:8).

Verse 8. His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Already hated by his ten older half-brothers (Genesis 37:4–5), Joseph has just related a wild dream he had. While farming, his brothers’ bundles of wheat bowed down to his bundle in a field, as subjects would bow down to a ruler. The brothers react with pointed questions about what Joseph thinks his dream means. Of course, the symbolism of this dream is clear. Does he believe he will reign and rule over them? Their hatred, already seething, rises another notch because of his dreams and what he says about them.

This reaction might have been because the brothers are already afraid of what the dream suggested. The richly ornamented tunic given to Joseph by their father (Genesis 37:3) might have implied he was inclined to favor Joseph with a greater portion of the inheritance. This, despite Joseph being the youngest son other than his baby brother Benjamin (Genesis 35:16–18). From their perspective, Joseph is practically bragging that his dream was predicting he would become head of their clan.

While this is not exactly how the prophecy will be fulfilled, there will come a time when Joseph’s brothers will all bow before him in submission (Genesis 42:6).

Verse 9. Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

Despite a harsh reaction from his ten older half-brothers, after telling them about his first dream (Genesis 37:5–8), Joseph decides to describe his next prophetic dream. In this one, he has seen the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. This is even more dramatic and casts Joseph, in the eyes of his family members, as even more arrogant and self-serving. To see the sun, moon, and stars bowing to him seems presumptuous enough. To make it clear that those astral bodies represent his father and 11 brothers groveling before him only increases their bitterness (Genesis 37:4).

Scripture only tells us the fact that Joseph shared these dreams. It does not explicitly tell whether his decision was wise. All we know are how his family reacted, the consequences it created (Genesis 37:18, 28), and the godly purpose behind those events (Genesis 42:6; 50:20).

Verse 10. But when 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? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”

Joseph has revealed a second prophetic dream (Genesis 37:5–7) where the sun, moon, and 11 stars bowed down to him (Genesis 37:9). As the story of Genesis will reveal, Joseph’s dreams will be fulfilled (Genesis 42:6). His family will eventually bow down before him, in submission and need.

Leading up to this, Joseph’s brothers already hated him so much they couldn’t speak politely (Genesis 37:4). Genesis doesn’t comment as to whether Joseph was wise to tell them about the dreams instead of keeping them to himself. All the same, things are beginning to reach a boiling point for this family. Even Jacob, who clearly loves and favors Joseph over his brothers (Genesis 37:3), scolds him for suggesting they will one day bow themselves to the ground as if they were his subjects. Jacob’s own experience with dreams (Genesis 28:10–16) suggests he’s not angry at Joseph for having the dream, but for the way he chose to share it.

Jacob’s harsh reprimand likely provides Joseph’s brothers with enough justification to finally act on their hatred and jealousy in the following verses (Genesis 37:18, 28).

Verse 11. And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

The ten older half-brothers of Joseph already hated him so deeply they couldn’t bring themselves to say a single friendly word to him (Genesis 37:4). After all, he and his baby brother Benjamin were the youngest of the 12, but their father clearly loved them best (Genesis 37:3; 42:3–4). Worst, Jacob had given Joseph a princely robe, perhaps signaling his preference to give Joseph the family birthright and a greater share of the inheritance when the time came (Genesis 37:3).

Then came Joseph’s dreams of all of them bowing down to him (Genesis 37:5–9). Even Jacob rebuked Joseph for sharing these visions (Genesis 37:10). His brothers’ jealousy has reached dangerous new levels. The following verses will reveal they are ready to harm their younger brother (Genesis 37:18, 28).

Interestingly, even though Jacob scolded Joseph for sharing his dream of ruling over the family, he doesn’t entirely dismiss the vision. Jacob, himself, saw God-given dreams (Genesis 28:10–16). He doesn’t reject the possibility that Joseph’s dream may have some validity (Genesis 42:6), though he does not share that thought with the rest of the family. Jacob simply keeps the idea in the back of his mind.

Verse 12. Now his brothers went to pasture their father ‘s flock near Shechem.

This begins a scene in which Joseph’s ten older half-brothers finally act on their longstanding hatred and jealousy of him (Genesis 37:3–5). It seems neither Joseph nor Jacob anticipates this danger.

First, the brothers head north to pasture their flocks in the area around Shechem. This is an interesting choice, since Jacob had moved away from this area for a very good reason. Previously, the brothers massacred all the men of Shechem in retaliation for the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34:26–27). The mention of Shechem reminds us of the level of violence these ten men are capable of when they are angry. They are deeply resentful towards Joseph. What they are about to do is motivated by hatred. However, God’s plan is to use these men’s angst to provide for the rescue of the entire family (Genesis 37:28; 42:6; 50:20).

Context Summary
Genesis 37:12–36 describes how Joseph’s wildly resentful brothers finally get rid of him. They hate Joseph for being Jacob’s favorite (Genesis 37:3) and for his grandiose dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9). When Joseph arrives alone at the camp of his brothers, very far from home, they have an opportunity. Only Reuben’s intervention keeps them from killing Joseph outright. Instead, while Reuben is absent, the brothers sell Joseph to passing slave traders and later convince their father he has been killed by a wild animal. Joseph becomes a slave in an Egyptian home. Genesis 39 will return to Joseph’s story.

Verse 13. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.”

Genesis is inspired Scripture: it is both the Word of God and ancient literature that masterfully tells a powerful story. We have already seen that Joseph’s ten brothers are furiously jealous of him (Genesis 37:3–5). We know they are capable of great violence when angry (Genesis 34:26–27). And yet, Jacob—renamed Israel (Genesis 35:10)—has a puzzling way of being oblivious to some of these concerns. He barely reacted when his daughter was raped (Genesis 34:5). No immediate reaction is recorded in response to his oldest sons’ depravity (Genesis 35:22). He was raised in sibling rivalry driven by his own parents (Genesis 25:27–28), yet he’s overtly lavished favor on Joseph (Genesis 37:3).

Apparently blind to the hatred and tension towards Joseph, Jacob is sending Joseph with some degree of authority. Joseph had reported back on his brothers once before (Genesis 37:2). Jacob might be wondering why his sons are near Shechem (Genesis 37:12), so he will send Joseph to get a status update (Genesis 37:14). Jacob may have suspicions, and it turns out the brothers won’t be where Jacob expects (Genesis 37:15–17).

This encounter suggests both Joseph and his father are clueless to the danger of letting Joseph be alone with his brothers. It’s also possible Joseph may have anticipated the danger and chosen to obey his father without mentioning it.

Verse 14. So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

Unknowingly, Jacob is sending Joseph into a lion’s den. He is either unaware or indifferent to the hatred and jealousy of Joseph’s ten older brothers (Genesis 37:3–4). The main reason for this is Jacob’s own favoritism. Joseph’s grandiose dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9–10) and willingness to bring bad news about them to their faither (Genesis 37:2) have made things even worse. Neither Jacob nor Joseph indicate they know the brothers’ simmering hatred has reached a boiling point. Jacob instructs Joseph to travel, alone, from their home in the Valley of Hebron north to where the flocks are being pastured near Shechem (Genesis 37:12). If Joseph knows his brothers are dangerous, he does not mention it to Jacob.

Joseph arrives in the area with the mission of collecting a report on the status of the flocks from his brothers and returning to their father. Jacob’s reason for sending Joseph might be a well-justified suspicion. The brothers are not where they were expected to be Genesis 37:15–17). Joseph will find them, but He won’t make it back home (Genesis 37:28).

Verse 15. And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?”

Joseph doesn’t seem to know the danger he is in, but as readers we are fully aware. The tension keeps ratcheting up. Overt favoritism (Genesis 37:3–4), Joseph’s reports on his brothers (Genesis 37:2) and his audacious dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9) have enraged his older brothers. He has arrived in Shechem (Genesis 37:12), sent by his father. His purpose is to gather a report on the flocks from his brothers (Genesis 37:13–14). He is alone and isolated.

Surprisingly, though, he can’t find his brothers. This hints at a possible reason for Jacob sending Joseph to check on the flocks. A stranger from the area finds the 17–year-old wandering in the fields and asks what he is looking for.

Verse 16. “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.”

Jacob sent Joseph to Shechem to gather a report on the flocks from his brothers (Genesis 37:12–14). It might have been suspicion which motivated Jacob, since Joseph arrives to find they are not in the expected location. Instead, he finds himself wandering the fields looking for the family. A stranger noticed the lost-looking 17–year-old and asked what he is searching for. Now Joseph asks where his brothers have gone.

The following verse reveals they have moved the flocks to Dothan, even farther from home (Genesis 37:17). By the time Joseph finds them, he will truly be isolated from any protection his father might have provided. Joseph’s furious and jealous older brothers are stung by Jacob’s favoritism (Genesis 37:3–5) and Joseph’s dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9). Catching their hated sibling far from home is an opportunity they won’t pass up (Genesis 37:18, 28).

Verse 17. And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

Near the city of Shechem, a stranger finds Joseph, 17, wandering around in search of his older brothers (Genesis 37:12–16). His brothers have taken their family flocks even further north, near the town of Dothan. Joseph was sent by his father Jacob to gather a report on the condition of the flocks. That the brothers are not where Jacob expected them to be hints that he might be sending Joseph out of justified suspicion (Genesis 37:2).

Joseph gives no indication he knows how angry his brothers are with him (Genesis 37:3–5) or what they are willing to do to be rid of him (Genesis 37:18, 28).

Verse 18. They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

Sent by his father Jacob, Joseph has travelled well north of home to find his 10 older brothers and the family flocks. This chapter has repeatedly revealed that Joseph’s brothers hate him. This is driven mostly by their father’s favoritism (Genesis 37:3–5). It’s also bitterness towards Joseph (Genesis 37:2) and offense at the nature of his dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9). Jacob seems entirely clueless about the depth of their hate—otherwise he would not have sent Joseph into such a vulnerable state. Whether Joseph also realizes this, Scripture does not say.

As Joseph approaches their camp, the group sees him coming. They begin to discuss murdering Joseph outright. It’s unclear how much time has passed since these ten men slaughtered the men of Shechem (Genesis 34:26–27), not far to the south of where they are now. Certainly, they are willing and able to kill when they feel justified. Joseph is in real trouble.

Verse 19. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.

Jacob, renamed Israel by God (Genesis 35:10), was raised by parents who displayed obvious favoritism (Genesis 25:27–28). That contributed to rivalry and tension with his twin brother, Esau. Seeming to learn nothing from this, Jacob has lavishly favored his son, Joseph, over his other children (Genesis 37:3–5). This resulted in deep resentment. Joseph, for his part, has naively inflamed those emotions (Genesis 37:2), especially by talking about his audacious dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9). Joseph’s brothers are capable of terrible violence (Genesis 34:26–27). And yet, Jacob has sent Joseph far from the safety of home to bring back a report on these men (Genesis 37:12–17).

As Joseph approaches his brothers’ camp, they are plotting to murder him in cold blood (Genesis 37:18). Sarcastically, they refer to him as a “dreamer,” referring to Joseph’s self-reported dreams about ruling over all of them. They have hated him for some time because of his dreams and because of their father’s clear preference for him. Now they are ready to act on that hatred.

Verse 20. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”

As Joseph approaches their camp, his 10 older brothers are plotting to murder him in cold blood (Genesis 37:18). They mock him to each other, referring to Joseph’s self-reported dreams about ruling over them all (Genesis 37:5, 9, 19). Their hate is mostly inspired by their father’s blatant favoritism (Genesis 37:3–5). Joseph is far from the safety of home, and the opportunity is ripe for an act of revenge (Genesis 37:12–17).

As Joseph draws nearer, the brothers lay out a plan. They scheme to kill Joseph and throw his body into a hole in the ground. The Hebrew word bowr is used generically to describe a “pit,” but it can also refer to a dungeon. In this case, the brothers are speaking about “cisterns:” temporary wells used to gather rainwater (Genesis 37:24).

After murdering Joseph, the brothers plan to return home and report to their father Jacob that a wild animal killed and ate Joseph. They conclude by mocking Joseph’s dreams of ruling over them once more. Murdering him, they think, will prevent his predictions from coming to pass. Literature often includes villains who try to thwart prophecy, only to find their actions helped fulfill it. What these murderous siblings don’t realize is that they are making Joseph’s dreams come true (Genesis 37:28; 42:6), as part of God’s masterful behind-the-scenes plan (Genesis 50:20).

Verse 21. But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”

Joseph’s older brothers want him dead (Genesis 37:3–5, 18), and so have arranged a plot. When he arrives at their camp (Genesis 37:12–17), they have planned to kill him and throw his body in a nearby dry cistern (Genesis 37:19–20). Later, they can then tell their father that his favorite son was killed by a wild animal.

For reasons Scripture does not directly explain, the oldest brother objects. Reuben insists they should not kill Joseph. His plan is to rescue Joseph and present him back to Jacob (Genesis 37:22). One possible motivation for Reuben might be seeking to restore himself to his father, after committing a depraved sin with one of his father’s wives (Genesis 35:22). This would also be an ironic echo of his own birth, where his mother Leah hoped that bearing Jacob a son would make him love her (Genesis 29:31–32). Reuben might hope that bringing Jacob’s favorite son back would restore some of his lost reputation.

Verse 22. And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him” — that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.

The oldest of Joseph’s ten brothers is attempting to save Joseph’s life from their murderous rage. The rest of his brothers have described a plan to kill Joseph and report that he was eaten by a wild animal (Genesis 37:18–20). Reuben says no (Genesis 37:21). His hope is that by preventing Joseph from being killed outright, he can rescue him and present Jacob’s favorite son, safe and sound (Genesis 37:3).

Perhaps Reuben hopes that by saving Joseph, he will regain the favor he lost when he slept with his father’s concubine (Genesis 35:22). This would be a poignant echo of his mother’s own hopes; Leah had dreamed that by bearing a son to Jacob, she would be loved (Genesis 29:31–32). Or maybe he just wants to do the right thing.

In either case, Reuben urges his brothers to throw Joseph into a dry cistern (Genesis 37:24) without hurting him. His brothers likely believe he is suggesting they leave Joseph in the pit to die in the wilderness. In that way, they can deceptively claim they did not “kill” Joseph. Reuben’s real plan is to come back and free Joseph, to return him to their father.

Verse 23. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.

Finally, Joseph reaches his brothers. They have seen him coming and have been debating how to get rid of him once and for all (Genesis 37:12–20). One source of their fury toward Joseph is their father’s blatant favoritism (Genesis 37:3–4). A lavish sign of this favor is the robe given to him by their father. The unique Hebrew words used to describe this garment imply colors, length, and variation. A typical tunic would have been sleeveless and plain; Joseph’s is long and ornate. Intricate robes like this one were sometimes worn by the prince of a tribe or nation. The gift of the robe may have indicated that Jacob planned to make Joseph the primary heir and head of the clan.

It’s not surprising, then, that the first action taken by the brothers when Joseph arrives is to rip the robe from him. Their intent is to kill him outright. The oldest, Reuben, appeared to suggest they simply leave him to die in a dry well (Genesis 37:21–22). In truth, he plans to sneak Joseph out to return him to their father.

Verse 24. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Apparently, Reuben’s influence as the oldest carried weight with his brothers. They had planned to kill Joseph outright (Genesis 37:18). Reuben had urged them to simply throw their younger brother, just 17, into a nearby pit without harming him. The idea the other brothers took from that was to leave Joseph in the pit to die in the wilderness. This would have allowed them a perverse—and dishonest—claim that they didn’t “kill” their brother, and that his fate was not their responsibility. In reality, Reuben planned to return to get Joseph out and return him safely to Jacob (Genesis 37:21–22).

The pit in question was a cistern used for holding water, but it was dry. This made it a perfect place to stash Joseph for as long as they needed to. The same Hebrew term used to describe a pit or cistern is also used to depict a dungeon: Joseph is being tossed into a hole in the ground.

Verse 25. Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

Joseph’s older brothers have just ripped off his multi-colored robe (Genesis 37:3–4), a sign of their father’s outrageous favoritism. Their initial plan seems to be to throw him into a dry cistern (Genesis 37:24) and leave him there to die.

After ambushing their younger brother and throwing him into a hole, the men then sit down to a meal. Aside from Reuben (Genesis 37:18–22), Joseph’s brothers are portrayed as being intensely cold-hearted toward him. They clearly and truly despise Joseph.

At some point in the meal, they see a caravan approaching from the north. Dothan, where they were camped, is near a common trade route to Egypt. This was a caravan of merchants coming from Gilead and carrying a variety of goods to sell and trade. These traders were carrying various kinds of valuable multi-purpose gums, also referred to as spices, balm, and myrrh, made from plants in the region. Seeing a passing caravan will give Joseph’s brothers another idea about how to dispose of him (Genesis 37:26–27).

Later, these travelers will be described as “Midianites.” True Ishmaelites were descendants of Abraham by Hagar (Genesis 25:12), while Midianites came from Abraham by his concubine Keturah (Genesis 25:1–2). However, by this time, it seems the word “Ishmaelites” had come to be a general description of any of the nomadic tribes in the region. Thus, at this time, Midianites were spoken of as one of several Ishmaelite peoples.

Verse 26. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

Joseph (Genesis 37:3–4) is trapped in a pit nearby (Genesis 37:24), having escaped being murdered only by the intervention of his oldest brother Reuben (Genesis 37:18–22). Reuben planned to come back and rescue Joseph later. Now another of Joseph’s brothers sees an opportunity to not only get rid of Joseph, but to make money doing so.

Nomadic traders are passing along on their way to Egypt (Genesis 37:25). Judah starts out by asking what gain is had from killing Joseph and covering it up. Revenge was their first impulse, but Judah notices an opportunity for both vengeance and profit. In the following verse, he will suggest an alternative to murder (Genesis 37:27). Reuben’s plan to rescue Joseph will fail—and it would seem he is not aware of the new plot proposed by Judah (Genesis 37:29).

Verse 27. Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.

Joseph’s brothers had planned to kill him. The oldest, Reuben, argued against it, urging them to throw him alive into a nearby pit. The intent for most of the brothers seems to have been leaving Joseph to die in the wilderness without killing him themselves. Reuben, however planned to come back and free him (Genesis 37:12–24).

Now, however, Judah comes up with another idea: Sell Joseph as a slave to the traders passing on their way to Egypt (Genesis 37:25–26). He argues this has as double benefit. First, they would gain a profit on the sale of their hated younger brother (Genesis 37:3–4). Also, they would avoid the bloodguilt of killing their own family member either directly or indirectly.

It’s unlikely Judah means to spare Joseph out of any sense of guilt. He is not avoiding murder for any sense of morality—this is simply the option providing less risk and more benefit. His brothers agree to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites. A notable exception is Reuben, who is apparently not present for this exchange. Even if he is, he will not be able to rescue Joseph in time (Genesis 37:29).

Verse 28.Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

Except for Reuben, who was not present (Genesis 37:22), Joseph’s older brothers have agreed to sell him as a slave to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 25:23–27). In this verse, the specific group passing by are referred to “Midianite” traders. Scholars suggest that by this point in history, nomadic tribes in the region were referred to as “Ishmaelites,” whether they were specifically descended from Hagar’s son (Genesis 25:12) or not. This group of nomads were Midianites, descended from Abraham’s concubine Keturah (Genesis 25:1–2).

Joseph is lifted out the pit and handed over to the traders in exchange for 20 shekels of silver. Apparently, this was the going rate for a teenage slave at the time. Joseph’s brothers profited from his sale. They assume they have seen the last of Joseph as he is hauled away to Egypt. Instead, God will use their cold-hearted actions to bring Joseph’s dreams to reality in the most unexpected of ways (Genesis 42:6; 50:20).

Verse 29. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes

After securing Joseph in the pit, Reuben seems not to have stayed to eat with his brothers (Genesis 37:18–25). He seems to have missed the exchange recorded in the last few verses, in which Judah talked his brothers into selling Joseph as a slave to passing traders (Genesis 37:26–28).

When Reuben returns to check on Joseph—perhaps to free him and return him to their father—he finds the pit empty. Heartbroken, Reuben tears his clothes in a sign of grief. Unlike the modern era, where people often see clothes as disposable, garments in the ancient world were meant to last. Tearing one’s clothes was both an act of sacrifice and a clearly visible sign of mourning. Reuben is deeply upset by what has happened.

Depending on his motives for rescuing Joseph, this might be selfish grief. It’s possible Reuben saw rescuing Joseph as a way of redeeming himself, after defiling the family by sleeping with his father’s concubine (Genesis 35:22). Now that opportunity is lost (Genesis 37:30).

Verse 30. and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?”

With Joseph temporarily safe in the pit (Genesis 37:22–24), Reuben was away from his murderous brothers long enough for them to sell Joseph as a slave to passing traders (Genesis 37:25–28). When Reuben returns and finds the pit empty, he tears his clothes in grief (Genesis 37:29). Now he expresses his dismay, saying “where shall I go?” How can he return to his father and tell him that his beloved Joseph, the firstborn son of his beloved late wife Rachel, is gone?

Reuben is heartbroken, but this grief might be somewhat selfish. It’s entirely possible Reuben was hoping to restore his ruined reputation (Genesis 35:22) by rescuing his father’s favorite son. We’re not told if any of the other brothers felt badly. Prior history suggests they do not (Genesis 37:3–4).

Verse 31. Then they took Joseph ‘s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

With Joseph out of the way, sold as a slave and bound for Egypt (Genesis 37:12–30), the brothers turn their attention to concocting a story to tell their father. An extravagant example of Jacob’s favoritism was the ornate robe he had given Joseph (Genesis 37:3–4). The brothers kill a goat and smear the blood on Joseph’s multi-colored garment. This would give the appearance that Joseph had been mauled by a wild animal. Most likely, they took other steps to mangle the garment, making it look like something they’d recovered after an attack.

Yet again, deception continues to play a key role in the history of this family. At the urging of his mother, Jacob deceived his father by covering his hands with the skin of slaughtered animal (Genesis 27:15–17). Now his children deceive him with the blood of an animal, as well.

Verse 32. And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son ‘s robe or not.”

To cover up selling their brother Joseph to slave traders (Genesis 37:18–30), Joseph’s older brothers have stained his ornate coat (Genesis 37:3–4) in goat’s blood to simulate an attack from a wild animal. Now, having returned home, they bring the ruined coat to Jacob and ask him to identify whether this was Joseph’s coat or not.

Of course, they know the answer. There is no question whose robe this is, and that Jacob will recognize it. The question is deeply cruel. For their scheme to hold up, they need to Jacob to believe with certainty that Joseph is truly dead. They pose the identification of the robe as a question only he can answer, as if they were unsure.

As one might expect, Jacob will not take the news well (Genesis 37:33–35). In a poignant twist, Jacob’s shattered reaction to this news will influence Judah—mastermind of the plot—to avoid grieving his father again. Years later, he will offer himself as collateral to protect another of Jacob’s sons by Rachel (Genesis 44:18, 30–34).

Verse 33. And he identified it and said, “It is my son ‘s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.”

Jacob’s 10 oldest sons have returned with their flocks from the north (Genesis 37:12). Joseph has not (Genesis 37:18–30). Instead, the brothers bring Joseph’s blood-covered robe, the one specially given to him by Jacob (Genesis 37:3–4). Of course, this is a trick meant to disguise their own betrayal (Genesis 37:31–32). They cruelly asked their father to identify it.

Jacob affirms that the robe is Joseph’s. He reaches exactly the conclusion they were hoping he would: that a wild animal has eaten Joseph. It’s a skillful lie that requires no telling. Jacob is convinced that his favorite son, the firstborn of his beloved late wife Rachel (Genesis 30:22–24), has died at 17. His grieving will be intense, and, so it seems, permanent (Genesis 37:34–35). The depths of Jacob’s pain are such that the mastermind of this plot, Judah, will one day offer himself as a substitute for his brother, Benjamin, to keep his father from another such experience (Genesis 44:18, 30–34).

Verse 34.Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

Jacob’s deceitful sons have convinced him that his beloved Joseph is dead, killed by a wild animal (Genesis 37:31–33). As they must have anticipated, Jacob takes the news very badly. Joseph was the firstborn of his dear wife, Rachel (Genesis 30:22–24), and Jacob’s clear favorite (Genesis 37:3–4). His heart is fully broken. Mourning for the dead often included the tearing of clothing and wearing of sackcloth.

Formal mourning for a child may have lasted a week or even a month. As the following verses show, Jacob refused to stop his mourning long past the normal number of days. His family will react with concern (Genesis 37:35), though the brothers know there is nothing they can do to restore Joseph now (Genesis 37:28). Such is the impact of Jacob’s grief that Judah, years later, will bargain to become a captive to stop Jacob from losing another of Rachel’s sons (Genesis 44:18, 30–34).

Verse 35. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

Convinced by his sons (Genesis 37:31–34) that his favorite son (Genesis 37:3–4) is dead, Jacob has entered a period of customary mourning. This included wearing rough clothes, tearing them, and openly expressing sorrow. He continues in this heartbroken state of mourning long past the customary week or month. He refuses all efforts to comfort him, even when his children apparently try to talk him into moving on. Instead, Jacob insists that he will continue in this state of intense anguish until he dies.

Jacob reveals his expectation that when he dies, he will go to a place known as sheol, where he expects to be reunited with Joseph. Ancient Israelites held only a vague set of beliefs about this part of the afterlife. Sheol wasn’t pictured as a happy place, necessarily, but neither was it a place of torment. Rather, it was something of a shadowy underworld. Psalm 16:10 includes the confident statement that God would not abandon the writer’s soul to sheol, looking forward to an existence with the Lord apart from that place.

The verse ends with a simple statement that Jacob wept for Joseph, indicating that his mourning was not a show. He was utterly devastated. This created discomfort for his older 10 sons, as well, as they watched their father suffer on and on because of their secret crime. This would even influence Judah, many years later, to offer his own freedom in exchange for sparing Jacob from another such experience (Genesis 44:18, 30–34).

Verse 36. Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

Joseph’s deceitful older brothers are watching helplessly as their father Jacob suffers (Genesis 37:31–35). Meanwhile, Joseph arrives as a slave in Egypt (Genesis 37:18–30), having been sold by his jealous siblings (Genesis 37:3–4). Joseph was purchased by Potiphar, a high ranking official in Pharaoh’s government (Genesis 39:1).

The following chapter will focus on a series of sordid events in the life of Judah. However, God has not abandoned Joseph. He is directly in the center of God’s difficult will for his life. What Joseph’s brothers have done out of hatred and evil will be used, by God, to save their entire family (Genesis 50:20).

End of Chapter 37.

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