Session 9
Genesis 37:5-8,18-28
Memory Verse: Proverbs 27:4
Webster’s dictionary defines jealousy as “hostility toward a rival or toward someone believed to enjoy an advantage we don’t have.” This emotion often involves a real or perceived threat to something we value. It may be accompanied by resentment, anger, inadequacy, and bitterness. In his play Othello, Shakespeare described jealousy as a “green-eyed monster.” Centuries earlier, the apostle Paul listed jealousy as one of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21). And long before that, the Old Testament account of Joseph and his brothers reveals that jealousy opens the door for acts of hatred.
As you prepare this week, search your heart for areas where jealousy may have subtly crept into your relationships and ask God to forgive you. Also, ask Him to use you to help others identify and deal with their own jealousy before it pushes them to say or do something that they can’t take back.
People want to be treated at least fairly. In truth, we would prefer to be treated better than what we deserve. At the same time, we are often troubled when we see people being treated better than us and better than what we think they deserve. That is when jealousy comes knocking at the door of our hearts. Jealousy is dangerous because it corrupts one’s heart and usually leads to more tragic sin. The story of Joseph and his brothers attests to this truth. (PSG, p. 82)
Genesis 37:2 begins by introducing readers to Joseph, the older of Jacob’s two sons by his favorite wife, Rachel. Joseph’s name, which means “adding,” constituted part of Rachel’s prayer at his birth (Gen. 30:24). While shepherding his father’s sheep, Joseph delivered a negative report to his father regarding the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. Bilhah served as Rachel’s maid or servant. When Rachel failed to bear children to Jacob, Rachel offered Bilhah to became his concubine. Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naphtali, whose descendants later formed two of the tribes of Israel. Zilpah, Leah’s maid, also functioned as Jacob’s concubine. Zilpah gave birth to Gad and Asher, whose later descendants formed two more of Israel’s tribes.
Jacob, whose name the Lord changed to Israel (Gen. 32), favored Joseph as a son of his old age. Jacob demonstrated that favoritism by giving him a special robe. As a result, Joseph’s brothers despised him (37:2-4).
Their hatred for Joseph increased when he began to share his dreams with them. In his first dream, Joseph’s sheaf of grain stood upright, while his brothers’ sheaves bowed down to it. In his next dream, Joseph saw the sun, moon, and eleven stars paying homage to him. While his brothers responded with jealousy, Jacob stored the matter away in his mind (37:5-11).
One day when the brothers were pasturing the family’s flocks at Shechem, Jacob sent Joseph to check on them. After discovering that the brothers had moved to another location, Joseph found them at Dothan. While observing his arrival from a distance, the brothers plotted to murder Joseph. They determined to get rid of the dreamer and thereby destroy his dreams. However, Reuben, the eldest son, convinced the others to throw Joseph into a pit rather than to kill him. Reuben intended to rescue Joseph later. So the brothers stripped Joseph of his special robe and dumped him in an empty cistern (37:12-24).
After temporarily disposing of the dreamer, the brothers callously sat down to eat a meal. When they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites/Midianites passing by, they decided to sell their brother to these traders. Reuben obviously was absent when the others made this decision and conducted the sale. Once he returned and found the empty pit, he tore his garments in anguish.
In an attempt to cover up their evil deed, the brothers dipped Joseph’s robe in goat’s blood. They sent it to their father and allowed him to draw his own conclusion. Jacob assumed that Joseph had been killed by a vicious animal and mourned uncontrollably, refusing to be comforted.
Despite the sad events to this point, verse 36 sheds a ray of light on the rest of the story. Neither the dream nor the dreamer was dead. Joseph was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh (37:25-36).
As you read Genesis 37:5-8,18-28, consider what the passage reveals about the dangers of jealousy. (PSG, p. 83)
EXPLORE THE TEXT
5 Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 “Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.
Joseph
Joseph was the first son of Jacob by his favorite wife, Rachel. His name means “adding.” While Jacob and Rachel viewed him as a blessing added to their family, his brothers generally perceived him as an unwelcome rival for their father’s attentions. Demonstrating his favoritism, Jacob gave Joseph a special robe. The brothers’ hatred for Joseph intensified when he began sharing his dreams with them.
(v. 5) Dream: Years earlier, Joseph’s father, Jacob, had experienced a dream of a stairway reaching from earth to heaven. Scripture records that God sometimes spoke to people through dreams and visions. According to Deuteronomy 13:1-5, dreams should be tested in the same way that prophecy was tested.
Bible scholars have identified three types of dreams. First, a simple message dream did not need to be interpreted. Next, a simple symbolic dream used symbols, but they were clear enough that no interpreter was needed. Finally, a complex symbolic dream required an interpreter. Although dreams sometimes served as a channel of the Lord’s revelation, they were neither foolproof nor infallible.
(v. 5) His brothers: Jacob fathered twelve sons by his two wives (Leah and Rachel) and their maids (Zilpah and Bilhah). The brothers that Jacob sent Joseph to check on at Shechem most likely did not include Benjamin, who was younger than Joseph and the only other son of Rachel.
(v. 5) Hated: This verb expresses an emotional attitude toward people and things that are detested. The one doing the hating desires to have no contact or relationship with the person or thing despised. The hating typically depicted in the Old Testament is the opposition, ill-will, or aversion of human beings toward each another.
As the opposite of love that unites, hate separates and alienates. At least in part, the favoritism that Jacob demonstrated toward Joseph motivated the brothers’ hatred of him. Also Joseph may have antagonized his brothers by bragging about his dream.
(v. 7) Sheaves: The Hebrew term used here derives from a verb meaning “to bind.” A sheaf designates a quantity of stalks and ears of a cereal grass or other plant material that have been bound together. The sheaves in Joseph’s dream call to mind the heads of grain in Pharaoh’s dream that Joseph will later interpret (Gen. 41:22). It also could foreshadow Joseph’s wisdom in preparing for the famine by filling the granaries in Egypt (41:47-49).
(v. 7) Bowed down: The form of the Hebrew verb translated bowed down indicates an act of prostration that expresses homage, respect, reverence, and/or worship. The dream imagery of the bowed sheaves was fulfilled decades later when Joseph’s brothers bowed before him when they came to Egypt to buy grain (42:6; 43:26,28).
(v. 8) Reign . . . rule: These two Hebrew words convey a similar message. The word translated reign also means “be king.” In the Old Testament, leaders in civil government who might be designated by other titles in today’s world were regularly designated by the term translated “king.” Thus the word might refer to the role of various officials including governors and chieftains. The verb rendered rule carries a similar meaning. The principle of authority lies behind both terms.
18 They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Oh, look, here comes that dream expert! 20 So now, come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!” 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them. He said, “Let’s not take his life.” 22 Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him” - intending to rescue him from them and return him to his father.
(v. 18) Plotted: This particular Hebrew verb, occurring only four times in the Old Testament, carries the idea of acting craftily or deceitfully. Joseph’s brothers dealt deceptively with their younger brother. The term appears in Malachi 1:14 to identify “the deceiver” who vows to make an acceptable offering to the Lord but sacrifices a defective animal instead. That Joseph’s brothers talked among themselves (Gen. 37:19) indicates that no leader among them instigated the proposed murder. In reality, a mob mentality prevailed.
Dream expert
In the original language this phrase literally translates as “the lord of dreams.” By using this phrase to designate Joseph and by deciding to kill him, the brothers exposed their concern about his dreams. Their words revealed not only their jealousy, but also their determination to act in such a manner as to guarantee that Joseph’s dreams would not be fulfilled. In plotting to kill Joseph, the brothers schemed to get rid of the dream by destroying the dreamer.
(v. 20) One of the pits: The Hebrew term can also be translated “cisterns” or “wells.” Ancient residents of this arid region would dig these reservoirs to catch rainfall, which would supplement existing supplies of water. Verse 24 indicates the pit into which the brothers dumped Joseph was dry. The limestone from which these man-made cisterns were dug was porous, so it was usually plastered to prevent water from escaping. This one was probably dry because of a lack of rain or because the plaster was cracked. Centuries later, the Lord used the analogy of cracked cisterns to depict His people’s idolatry (Jer. 2:13).
(vv. 21-22) Reuben: The eldest of all of Jacob’s sons, Reuben appears in both a positive and a negative light. Negatively, he had sexual relations with one of his father’s concubines (Gen. 35:22) and received Jacob’s condemnation (49:1-4). Positively, he demonstrated compassion for Joseph when his brothers wanted to kill him (37:21-22).
Years later, Joseph learned of Reuben’s efforts to save his life, which moved him to tears (42:21-24). Reuben also assumed responsibility for Benjamin when Joseph required that his younger brother appear in Egypt (42:36-37). In Canaan, the tribe of Reuben received territory located just east of the Dead Sea (Num. 32).
(v. 21) Save: The basic physical sense of the verb is that of drawing or pulling out. Often the verb appears in contexts of physical deliverance with spiritual overtones. In Psalm 39:8 David prayed that the Lord would “rescue” him from his sins. In Psalm 51:14, he prayed that the Lord would “save” him from the guilt of bloodshed after committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband, Uriah, murdered.
(v. 22) Blood: The Israelites recognized blood as the source of life (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11). Thus, shedding or removing blood meant ending life. Several principles emerge from the relationship between blood and life. First is the sanctity of human life. Second, an animal’s blood had to be drained and disposed of before the sacrifice (Ex. 12:7; Lev. 1:5; 4:6; Deut. 12:24). Third, eating blood was prohibited because the shedding of blood was the most important element in atonement (Lev. 3:17; 17:10-13; 1 Sam. 14:31-35).
23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off Joseph’s robe, the long-sleeved robe that he had on.
24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty, without water. 25 They sat down to eat a meal, and when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and his brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.
Robe
Traditionally, this robe has been imagined as a multi-colored garment, though the Hebrew is unclear. The Hebrew text has been interpreted to mean either a long robe reaching to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet or a coat with diverse colors. This latter interpretation follows the Septuagint (Greek) or Vulgate (Latin) translations of the Hebrew text.
Whatever the specifics of the robe, this special garment signaled Jacob’s elevation and distinction of Joseph. Ironically this robe that had given Jacob great pleasure became the symbol of his continuing anguish when the brothers presented it to their father after dipping it in goat’s blood (Gen. 37:31-35).
(v. 25) Sat down to eat: Joseph’s brothers displayed a calloused attitude. Apparently, they did not consider sharing any of their food with their brother in the cistern. Ironically, Joseph would later provide food for the whole world, including his brothers (Gen. 41:57; 42:5).
(v. 25) Caravan: This Hebrew term designates a traveling company. Such travelers were usually merchants journeying through the desert with pack animals. Because biblical Palestine lay along the major travel and trade routes between Egypt, Arabia, and Mesopotamia, many caravans passed through the region.
(v. 25) Ishmaelites: This tribal name was applied to the descendants of Ishmael, Abram’s son by the Egyptian slave Hagar (16:15-16; 25:12-16). The term Ishmaelites generally designated the nomadic tribes of northern Arabia. Since they were nomadic, they were regarded as an ethnic group without being connected to any geographical area. The Ishmaelites are mentioned along with the Midianites not only in Genesis 37:27-28 but also in the account of Gideon’s triumph over Midian (Judg. 8:22-24).
(v. 25) Gilead: This place name, meaning “rugged” or “raw,” designates the north-central section of the Transjordanian highlands. Gilead consists of mountain peaks, as well as grassland plains suitable for raising flocks and herds. In biblical times, part of the region was heavily forested.
An important international trade route known as the King’s Highway passed through Gilead. An aromatic and medicinal preparation known as the balm of Gilead probably was obtained from the resin of a small balsam tree in the region.
(v. 28) Midianite traders: Midianite means “strife.” Keturah, Abraham’s wife after Sarah, gave birth to Midian. Abraham sent Midian and his brothers to the east (Gen. 25:1-6). Israel experienced both positive and negative relationships with the Midianites. When Moses fled from Pharaoh, he went to Midian where he married a daughter of the priest of Midian (Ex. 2:15-16,21). In the time of the judges, the Midianites raided Israel until Gideon defeated them (Judg. 6-8).
(v. 28) Twenty pieces of silver: Before 500 BC, silver was the most valued metal in the ancient Near East. A slave typically could be sold for twenty pieces of silver in the early second millennium BC.
The Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. (See Proverbs 11:29; 1 Timothy 5:8.)
Use a Bible dictionary or concordance to understand a key word.
Read the article on jealousy in a Bible dictionary. Use a concordance to find biblical references to jealousy. List biblical examples of jealousy. (Joseph’s brothers [Gen. 37]; Saul’s jealousy of David [1 Sam. 18]; the prodigal son’s older brother [Luke 15:11-31]) What do the examples teach about jealousy? What does God mean when He describes Himself as “a jealous God” (Ex. 20:5; 34:14)?