Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Genesis 37
Genesis 37:4But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
This verse establishes the root of the conflict. The brothers' hatred was a deep-seated feeling. They could not speak a kind word to Joseph, which set the stage for their violent actions.Genesis 37:11His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Here we see two crucial, contrasting reactions to Joseph's dreams. The brothers' jealousy hardens into a desire for revenge, while Jacob, despite his rebuke, senses something more and holds onto the memory.Genesis 37:28Then 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.
This is the turning point of the chapter and Joseph's life. Selling their own brother for a handful of silver was a significant betrayal that moved Joseph to Egypt, precisely where God needed him to be for the future.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Family Poisoned by Favoritism
The story opens in the household of Jacob, a family already marked by rivalry and dysfunction. Jacob's blatant favoritism toward Joseph, the son of his beloved wife Rachel, is on full display. He gives Joseph a special, ornate robe, a clear symbol of his elevated status. This act, combined with Joseph's habit of bringing bad reports about his brothers, creates a toxic environment where hatred is allowed to fester and grow.
The Dreamer Walks into a Trap
Joseph's two dreams, which predict his family will one day bow down to him, are the final straw. While perhaps divinely inspired, his youthful lack of wisdom in sharing them only intensifies his brothers' rage. Sent by his father to check on them, Joseph obediently seeks them out, unaware that he is walking into a trap born of years of resentment. His journey from Hebron to Dothan was more than physical. It was a journey toward a betrayal that would change his life and the course of his family's history.
From a Favored Son to a Slave
Genesis 37 unfolds in the fields of Canaan, where the sons of Jacob are tending their flocks. The scene begins with the simmering tensions at home in Hebron and follows Joseph on a fateful journey north to find his brothers near Shechem and Dothan. It's a story that moves from a place of privilege to a pit of despair, all under the watchful, though unseen, eye of God.
The Coat, the Dreams, and the Hatred (Genesis 37:1-11)
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.
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.
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.
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.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.
6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed:
7 And behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright.
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.
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."
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?"
11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Commentary:
Jacob's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams ignite his brothers' intense hatred.
The Conspiracy at Dothan (Genesis 37:12-24)
12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.
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.”
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.
15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, "What are you seeking?"
16 And he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.”
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.
18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.
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.”
21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."
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.
23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.
24 Then they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Commentary:
Joseph's brothers see him coming and plot to kill him, but Reuben intervenes, and they throw him into a pit instead.
Sold for Twenty Shekels (Genesis 37:25-28)
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.
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
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.
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.
Commentary:
At Judah's suggestion, the brothers sell Joseph as a slave to passing traders for twenty pieces of silver.
The Deception and the Grief (Genesis 37:29-36)
29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
30 Then he returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?"
31 Then they took Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.
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.”
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.”
34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
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.
36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
Commentary:
The brothers deceive their father Jacob with a bloody robe, causing him inconsolable grief, while Joseph is sold to a high-ranking official in Egypt.
God's Unseen Hand in Human Failure
The Sovereignty of God
This chapter powerfully illustrates that God's plan is not derailed by human sin. The brothers' evil actions - born of jealousy and hatred - are the very means God uses to get Joseph to Egypt, where he will eventually save his family and many others. It shows that God is always working in the background, weaving even the darkest threads into His redemptive design.
The Destructive Power of Sin
Genesis 37 is a raw portrait of how sin spirals out of control. What starts as jealousy, fueled by favoritism, escalates to hatred, conspiracy, and ultimately, a brutal act of betrayal. The story serves as a sober warning about the danger of harboring bitterness and resentment in our hearts.
Foreshadowing Redemption
Joseph's story contains many parallels to the story of Jesus. He is a beloved son, sent by his father to his brothers, who reject and betray him for silver. He is handed over to Gentiles and presumed dead, yet his suffering ultimately leads to the salvation of his people. This chapter begins a narrative that points toward a greater future redemption.
Lessons from a Broken Family
Genesis 37 shows that showing favoritism, as Jacob did for Joseph, creates a toxic environment of resentment and division (Genesis 37:4). It's a powerful reminder to treat people with equal love and value, whether in our families, workplaces, or churches, because singling someone out for special honor can deeply wound others and break relationships apart.
Joseph's youthful eagerness to share his dreams teaches us the need for wisdom and discernment. While God can give us vision for the future, this story suggests that sometimes it's better to treasure those things in our hearts, like his father did (Genesis 37:11), and let God bring them to pass in His timing. Not every revelation needs to be immediately broadcast, especially if it could be perceived as arrogance.
Joseph's story begins with him being thrown in a pit, the lowest possible point. Yet, this was the first step on his path to the palace. It encourages us to trust that even when we are victims of someone else's sin and can't see a way out, God is still sovereign. He is able to turn the evil others intend for our harm into something for our ultimate good and His glory.
God's Plan in a Painful Pit
Genesis 37 shows how God's grand purposes are often hidden within human brokenness. Through family favoritism, jealousy, and brutal betrayal, God sets in motion the very events that will one day save that same family from famine. The message is a powerful reminder that God is sovereign over our worst moments, weaving them into a story of redemption we can't yet see.
What This Means for Us Today
The story of Joseph begins not with a heroic act, but with a descent into a pit of betrayal. It invites us to trust God's unseen plan, especially when our circumstances feel hopeless and we feel abandoned. We are reminded that even from the lowest points, God is writing a story of redemption.
- In what 'pit' do you find yourself today, and how can you trust God's presence in it?
- Have you ever been hurt by jealousy or favoritism? How does this story encourage you to forgive and trust God with the outcome?
- Who in your life needs to hear that God can turn evil intentions into good outcomes?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter recounts the birth of Benjamin and the death of Rachel, which helps explain why Jacob treasured Joseph so deeply as the firstborn of his favorite wife.
The narrative picks up immediately with Joseph's arrival in Egypt, showing how God was with him and gave him success in Potiphar's house.
Connections Across Scripture
Joseph himself provides the ultimate commentary on these events, telling his brothers, 'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.'
In his final sermon, Stephen summarizes this story, stating, 'Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him.'
This psalm poetically recounts Joseph's story, emphasizing that his suffering was a trial from God to prepare him for his future role.
Discussion Questions
- Where do you see the sins of the father (Jacob's own history of deception and family strife) being repeated in this generation of his sons?
- Reuben and Judah both tried to intervene, but with different motives and outcomes. What does their behavior reveal about their character and leadership?
- Joseph seems naive or even arrogant at the beginning of the story. How does this initial portrayal make his later transformation in Egypt more powerful?
Glossary
places
Hebron
An ancient city in Canaan where Jacob and his family were living at the start of the story.
Shechem
A city north of Hebron where Joseph first went to look for his brothers.
Dothan
The place where Joseph's brothers had moved their flocks and where they ultimately betrayed him.
Gilead
A region east of the Jordan River known for its spices and balms, from which the traders' caravan came.
Egypt
The powerful nation to the south where Joseph was taken as a slave, and where he would eventually rise to power.
figures
Jacob (Israel)
The father of twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel; his favoritism for Joseph sparked the conflict.
Joseph
Jacob's favored son, who received prophetic dreams and was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers.
Reuben
Jacob's oldest son, who tried to save Joseph but ultimately failed to prevent the betrayal.
Judah
Another of Jacob's sons, who suggested selling Joseph into slavery instead of killing him.
Potiphar
A high-ranking Egyptian official, the captain of Pharaoh's guard, who purchased Joseph as a slave.