Joseph and His Brothers

Joseph and His Brothers
Part One - Genesis 37, 39

Chapter 37

Joseph was born to Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob loved Joseph very much, and he made him a coat of many colors. Joseph's brothers hated him because they knew their father loved Joseph more than them, and also because Joseph dreamed dreams where his brothers bowed down to him.

One day while his brothers were caring for their father's flock of sheep, Jacob sent Joseph to them, and when the brothers saw Joseph coming, they began to think of ways they could kill him, because they hated him.

First they said they should kill him and throw him into a pit and they would say that a wild animal ate him, But Reuben said "Let us not kill him, but let us throw him into the pit"

And so when Joseph came to them, they took his coat and threw him into a pit, and then when they were eating, they saw a caravan with camels going to Egypt.

And so Judah, one of the brothers, said "what will we gain if we kill our brother, let us sell him, for he is our brother and his death should not be upon us." And so Joseph was sold to the caravan for twenty pieces of silver, and he was taken to Egypt.

When Reuben returned, he saw that Joseph was not in the pit, and he was very upset, so they took Joseph's coat, and killed a baby goat, and put its blood on the coat. And they brought the coat to their father Jacob and Jacob believed that Joseph was killed, and he was very sad, and he tore his clothes and mourned for his sons many days. His other children tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said that he would mourn until he died because he loved Joseph so much, and he wept for him.

And Joseph was sold by the caravan to a man called Potiphar, who was an officer of the Pharaoh.

Chapter 39

The LORD was with Joseph, and Potiphar saw that the LORD was with Joseph, and that all that Joseph did was for good. And Potiphar made Joseph in charge of all things in his house, and so God blessed Potiphar's house for Joseph's sake, and he blessed all in his house, and all in his field.

But one day Joseph was put into prison because of Potiphar's wife. She told a lie about him, and Potiphar believed her, so Joseph was put in prison. She lied about Joseph, but God knew the truth, that Joseph was an honorable man.

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and made the keeper of the prison care for Joseph. And all the prisoners that were in the prison were put in Joseph's hands. And everything that the keeper of the prison did, the LORD made it good, because of Joseph.

Memory verse: But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour.......Genesis 39:21

Questions:
1. Why did Joseph's brothers hate him?
2. What did they do with Joseph?
3. What did Jacob do when he saw Joseph's coat?
4. Why did God bless Potiphar and his house?
5. How did God care for Joseph in prison?

Answers:
1. Because they knew that their father loved him, and because Joseph had dreamed a dream where they bowed down to him.
2. They sold him to a caravan, then they killed a baby goat and put its blood on Joseph's coat so their father Jacob would think that he was dead.
3. He believed that Joseph was dead, he tore his clothes and mourned, saying that he would mourn for him until he died. And he wept for Joseph.
4. Because Potiphar saw that the LORD was with Joseph, and he made him in charge of all that he had.
5. The LORD showed Joseph mercy, and made the keeper of the prison care for him.

VickiGross/Aug'02

Back to Stories