Genesis 37
I have to be upfront.
Ask me who my favorite Bible character is.
Just ask.
Okay, Jesus, of course. But behind him, who is next?
Joseph.
I just have to be upfront in case I sound biased for the next few readings...
I will explain more why at a later time.
I am sure you can't wait, dear (three or so) readers. :)
So here is Joseph. He is 17 years old. And his father loves him. Favoritism. It can be a bad thing. Israel (once known as Jacob) even gave him a colorful robe, something special. This rubbed the brothers the wrong way.
Even more disturbing to them was the dreams Joseph had. He had two distinct dreams that his family would bow down to him one day. That didn't go over so well with the brothers either. Even dear daddy questioned these thoughts. I like this line though in verse 10.
Joseph's brothers were jealous of him, but his father thought about what all these things could mean.
Though Dad was not happy about Joseph's revelations, he obviously gave some thought to them and wondered what they might mean. He of all people knew that God could speak volumes through those dreams.
One day, Israel sends his beloved son out to find the other brothers who have taken the flocks grazing. Oops, big mistake.
The brothers seized the opportunity to get rid of the object of their envy. They threw Joseph into a well. Note that the first plans were to kill him. Thankfully Reuben intervened and convinced them to throw him into the well instead. I like the reasoning...so it doesn't hurt him. Um, a dry well in the middle of the desert? Does that not sound a bit painful. It doesn't say they gracefully lowered him into the well. They threw him into the well. Gotta love brothers!
Later the brothers are eating their lunch (while Joseph is in the well), and some strangers come by. The brothers see an opportunity here. Instead of killing Joseph, they can sell him, make a little money, and then be rid of his pesky existence.
Another interesting point I saw here was that Reuben had planned to go back and rescue Joseph from the well later. Toward the end of the chapter, he returns tot he well and finds that Joseph was not there. He tore his clothes to show that the was upset. I am thinking he wasn't in on the whole money making slavery scheme. Where was he? And did the other brothers share at this point? Or did they just continue to watch Reuben and then later Israel grieve for their lost son, sitting there knowing exactly what happened to him?
More in a minute,
Reba
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