January 13 A READ GENESIS 37–40
Joseph’s Slavery in Egypt
OVERVIEW
Abraham . . . Isaac . . . Jacob . . . and now comes Joseph, the fourth major character in the Genesis account of the patriarchs (fathers of the faith). Favored by his father but alienated by his brothers, Joseph is sold into Egyptian slavery. Imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and ignored by the forgetful cupbearer, Joseph finds his faith and his integrity sorely tested. Though Joseph doesn’t realize it, God is preparing him for an important role that will bring fruition to his childhood dreams.
MY DAILY WALK
“God, why did you let this happen to me?” Have you ever felt the urge to ask that question?
Why is a question Christians frequently ask—and God often leaves unanswered. Joseph must have been tempted often to ask for a heavenly explanation for his earthly troubles. Though God did not answer all of Joseph’s questions, he did meet all of Joseph’s needs (39:21)—and he has promised to do the same for you (Philippians 4:13, 19). That means giving you power over discouragement when you’re down in the pits (Gen. 37:24), power over temptation from lustful thoughts (39:12), and purpose for living even when you’re mistreated or ignored (39:20-21).
Joseph’s faith in God fortified him to face the pit in Canaan, the prison in Egypt, and everything in between. You can develop a faith like that, too. Read about it in James 1:2-4. Then write a reminder that you are a Joseph in progress, and post it where you can see it often.
IT IS BETTER TO GO STRAIGHT THAN TO MOVE IN THE BEST OF CIRCLES.
INSIGHT
Brothers in the Business | Gen. 37:28
The members of the caravan who bought Joseph from his brothers and sold him in Egypt were called Midianites (37:28, 36). Midian and Medan were two sons of Abraham and his second wife, Keturah (25:2). From them developed a nomadic people who intermarried with the descendants of Ishmael and became the Jews’ constant enemies (Judges 6:1-6), despite being their blood brothers.
INSIGHT
A Spotless Reputation | Gen. 39:23
In the stories of all the patriarchs, we can see hints and shadows of the life and work of the Messiah who was to come. But in Joseph’s life, the symbolism of redemption and deliverance is clearer than in the others. Among many characters in Scripture that prefigure the Messiah, Joseph is one of the few about whom nothing negative is ever said.
Joseph’s Dreams
1So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner.
2This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.
3Jacob* loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.* 4But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.
5One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. 6“Listen to this dream,” he said. 7“We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”
8His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.
9Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”
10This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” 11But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.
12Soon after this, Joseph’s brothers went to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them.”
“I’m ready to go,” Joseph replied.
14“Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along,” Jacob said. “Then come back and bring me a report.” So Jacob sent him on his way, and Joseph traveled to Shechem from their home in the valley of Hebron.
15When he arrived there, a man from the area noticed him wandering around the countryside. “What are you looking for?” he asked.
16“I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?”
17“Yes,” the man told him. “They have moved on from here, but I heard them say, ‘Let’s go on to Dothan.’” So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there.
Joseph Sold into Slavery
18When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19“Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20“Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
21But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. 22“Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.
23So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.
26Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime.* 27Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. 28So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces* of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.
29Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. 30Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, “The boy is gone! What will I do now?”
31Then the brothers killed a young goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in its blood. 32They sent the beautiful robe to their father with this message: “Look at what we found. Doesn’t this robe belong to your son?”
33Their father recognized it immediately. “Yes,” he said, “it is my son’s robe. A wild animal must have eaten him. Joseph has clearly been torn to pieces!” 34Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time. 35His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave* mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep.
36Meanwhile, the Midianite traders* arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard.