Genesis 37:1-17
The Son Who Was Loved
1Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had resided, the land of Canaan.
2This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.
4When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
6He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:
7We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
8“Do you intend to reign over us?” his brothers asked. “Will you actually rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and his statements.
9Then Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that you have had? Will your mother and brothers and I actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”
11And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.
12Some time later, Joseph’s brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks near Shechem.
13Israel said to him, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flocks at Shechem? Get ready; I am sending you to them.” “I am ready,” Joseph replied.
14Then Israel told him, “Go now and see how your brothers and the flocks are faring, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. And when Joseph arrived in Shechem,
15a man found him wandering in the field and asked, “What are you looking for?”
16“I am looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Can you please tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”
17“They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
Berean Standard Bible
Jacob settles in the land where his father lived as a stranger. The story now follows the family of Jacob. Joseph is seventeen and shepherds the flock with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. Joseph brings a bad report about them to his father.
Israel loves Joseph more than all his other sons because Joseph was the son of his old age. He makes Joseph a long robe with sleeves. The brothers see that their father loves Joseph more than them, and they hate him so much that they cannot speak peacefully to him.
Joseph has a dream and tells it to his brothers. They are binding sheaves in the field when Joseph's sheaf rises and stands upright, and their sheaves gather around and bow to it. His brothers ask whether he intends to rule over them. They hate him even more because of the dream and his words.
Joseph dreams another dream. The sun, moon, and eleven stars bow down to him. He tells it to his father and brothers. His father rebukes him and asks whether the whole family will bow down to him. Jacob keeps the matter in mind, but the brothers are jealous.
The brothers are responsible for their hatred, but Jacob's favoritism has helped create a combustible household. Joseph may be young and tactless, yet the family should not answer immaturity with violence. The dreams are not explained here; they become part of the tension between promise, pride, and jealousy.
Joseph's dreams may be part of God's unfolding purpose, but Joseph's household does not yet know what to do with them. A gift or calling can be genuine and still need maturity, humility, and wise timing. The family will need more than a correct dream; it will need healing for the way favoritism has shaped everyone's behavior.
Questions
1 How old was Joseph?
AnswerJoseph was seventeen years old.
2 Why did Israel love Joseph especially?
AnswerJoseph was the son of Israel’s old age.
3 What did Joseph’s first dream show?
AnswerHis brothers’ sheaves gathered around and bowed to his sheaf.
4 How did the brothers respond?
AnswerThey hated Joseph and could not speak peacefully to him.
What This Means for Us
Favoritism teaches people to compete for love, and publicizing our advantages can make resentment worse. Parents should bless children without ranking them. Siblings should speak about jealousy before it becomes cruelty. If someone seems arrogant, correct them honestly; do not turn their immaturity into permission for harm.
Prayer
God who sees every sibling and parent, heal the rivalries our favoritism creates. Help parents love without ranking and children speak honestly without provoking or humiliating one another. Give our family courage to correct pride with kindness and to stop resentment before it becomes destructive. Amen.