ETB Genesis 37:5-8,18-28

Session #9 - p.82 - Dreamer

“Jealousy eats away at relationships like acid. It’s corrosive and destructive. It destroys trust and intimacy.” (Dr. Gary Chapman)

“A tranquil heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones .” (Prov. 14:30)

Webster’s dictionary defines jealousy as “hostility toward a rival or toward someone believed to enjoy an advantage we don’t have.” This emotion often involves a real or perceived threat to something we value. It may be accompanied by resentment, anger, inadequacy, and bitterness. In his play Othello, Shakespeare described jealousy as a “green-eyed monster.” Centuries earlier, the apostle Paul listed jealousy as one of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21). And long before that, the Old Testament account of Joseph and his brothers reveals that jealousy opens the door for acts of hatred. [LifeWay Adults (2024). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide, Spring 2024]

Ask: Why is jealousy so dangerous and corrupting? (PSG, p. 82)

Understand the Context

Genesis 37:2 begins by introducing readers to Joseph, the older of Jacob’s two sons by his favorite wife, Rachel. Joseph’s name, which means “adding,” constituted part of Rachel’s prayer at his birth (Gen. 30:24). While shepherding his father’s sheep, Joseph delivered a negative report to his father regarding the sons of Bilhah (Dan and Naphtali) and Zilpah (Gad and Asher). [Joseph was the youngest except for Benjamin.]

Jacob, whose name the Lord changed to Israel (Gen. 32), favored Joseph as a son of his old age. Joseph was the first son of Jacob by his favorite wife, Rachel. His name means “adding.” While Jacob and Rachel viewed him as a blessing added to their family, his brothers generally perceived him as an unwelcome rival for their father’s attentions. Demonstrating his favoritism, Jacob gave Joseph a special robe. As a result, Joseph’s brothers despised him (37:2-4). [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Explore the Text

Genesis 37:5–8 ESV

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 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 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.

v.5

Joseph had a dream

Years earlier, Joseph’s father, Jacob, had experienced a dreamof a stairway reaching from earth to heaven. Scripture records that God sometimes spoke to people through dreams and visions. According to Deuteronomy 13:1-5, dreams should be tested in the same way that prophecy was tested. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Some English version have the more literal “dreamed a dream” using both the verb and noun form of dream. This gives us the distinction that this was not one of Joseph’s making but while he was a sleep. MLKJ’s “I have a dream” speech has the noun form of dream but his is one of his one making while awake. Both very real and inspiring and the true Originator may be the same, but the way they formed in these men’s minds was much different.

they hated him even more

The hating typically depicted in the Old Testament is the opposition, ill-will, or aversion of human beings toward each another. As the opposite of love that unites, hate separates and alienates. At least in part, the favoritism (love) that Jacob demonstrated toward Joseph is in contrast to and motivated the brothers’ hatred of him. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Hated him more than what?

Back up one verse and we see the first time the phrase is use. It also tells us one one way the “hatred” manifested by not being able to “speak peacefully to him.” Ever known someone like that, no matter what was said to them they seems to be angry in their response?

This phrase is repeated again in verse 8 making this important, and imminent in its manifestation.

Joseph either did not mind or did not understand the depth of their animosity and added “fuel to the fire.”

v.6-7

Hear this dream that I have dreamed

Was this a command or request?

It appears to be in the “imperative” which usually makes it more of a command but a request is also implied.

Many years later the ancestors would be commission to learn the “Shema”, which is the word used here. I do not think it accidental that Moses wrote it in this way.

Deut 6:4 starts with “Hear of Israel, The Lord our God.” Who is Joseph talking to? The same future nation of Israel.

His dream is from God, but he does not state that or give Him the credit for it so instead of hearing about God revealing, they hear about their younger brother’s inflated ego.

we were binding sheaves in the field

Everyone starts on equal footing. All (even Joseph) is working in the field.

A sheaf designates a quantity of stalks and ears of a cereal grass or other plant material that have been bound together for drying, transport, or processing. The sheaves in Joseph’s dream call to mind the heads of grain in Pharaoh’s dream that Joseph will later interpret (Gen. 41:22). [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

my sheaf arose and stood upright

He does not say that “he stood” his sheaf up, but that “it” arose and stood up. This points to someone else in control of Joseph’s authority and power, but the brother’s did not seem to notice that part and Joseph did not state it.

your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down

The form of the Hebrew verb translated bowed down indicates an act of prostration that expresses homage, respect, reverence, and/or worship. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Joseph does not say “you placed your sheaves around” or you “bowed your sheaves” but again an external force did the moving of the sheaves. The brother’s did not notice this either, but somehow still correctly interpreted the dream, although their conclusions about it were not accurate.

v.8

Ask: What are the advantages and disadvantages of sharing our aspirations with others? (PSG, p. 85)

Without clear context and intentions for the sharing the goals can be easily misinterpreted. But we need to share them for accountability and help in reaching them.

This failure of clarity on Joseph’s part and biased interpretation of the brothers led to the misinterpretation which caused the jealously and hatred to grow.

Genesis & Exodus Commentary

They believed the dreams but wished they had received these prophecies rather than their hated brother. If any of Joseph’s brothers had received these dreams, they too would have shared them because divine revelations that involved everyone had to be shared.

Are you indeed to reign over us? .... rule over us?

Several comments about the use of two different words for having dominion over the brothers.

How would describe the different between “reigning” over someone and “ruling” over someone?

This first word is used other places in Scripture and is almost always has a “royal sovereignty” attached to it. It is a governmental type of authority over another. It is use of both God and humans.

Ruling appears to have more of an intrinsic authority or inherent power attached to it. The Genesis imagery of the sun and moon fits well as it it also used in Joseph’s second dream.

Genesis 1:16–18 “16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.”

Joseph probably knew that this was from the Lord even at this young age. The brother’s also recognized that the authority his dream was exhibiting would have to come from God as it was not something their father could give.

they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words

Genesis & Exodus Commentary

Earlier they had been incensed over their sister’s rape, and two of them had avenged the crime by killing the Shechemites (ch 34), but now the brothers plotted to kill their own brother because he was faithful to their father and destined for greatness.

Joseph probably knew that this dreams was from the Lord even at this young age. The brother’s also recognized that the authority his dream was exhibiting would have to come from God as it was not something their father could give.

Now not only was he visibly favored by their father, it appears that even God was showing him favoritism. More fuel on the fire of anger and jealousy. But what the brother’s saw as favoritism, was actually prophesy and a warning - both of which went unheeded.

The quarterly skips over a second dream with similar meaning but which indicated the imminence of them coming about. It also added even more animosity to the brother’s hearts. The quarterly picks up the passage after 10 of the brothers have been shepherding far to the north beyond where they said they were going. Jacob sends Joseph to bring back news of them and his livestock. Joseph eventually tracks them down, past Shechem, close to Dothan and the northern most edge of the Promised Land. The brother’s however are not eager for him to join them.

Genesis 37:18–22 ESV

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.

v.18-20

They saw him from afar

They had gone back to Shechem (both in locale and in spirit) and moved even farther north, farther away from Bethel and Hebron the places they needed to be (particularly in spirit and attitude). They saw Joseph coming from far off - probably because they knew where they “said” they would be and were not there so the “guilty conscience” had them looking over their shoulders constantly waiting to get caught. I think Joseph even now really loved his brothers even if they did not reciprocate. He probably waved at them, and that heaps coals on their anger.

they conspired against him to kill him

This particular Hebrew verb, occurring only four times in the Old Testament, carries the idea of acting craftily or deceitfully. Joseph’s brothers dealt deceptively with their younger brother. The term appears in Malachi 1:14 to identify “the deceiver” who vows to make an acceptable offering to the Lord but sacrifices a defective animal instead. That Joseph’s brothers talked among themselves (Gen. 37:19) indicates that no leader among them instigated the proposed murder. In reality, a mob mentality prevailed. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

The Shechem mentality has also come back again. That was the first conspiracy to kill others, this is the second planned fratricide (the first being Abel), but I think this if the first “group” planning to kill an “individual” in Scripture. What makes it worse was that it was within the same family, nearly all of Jacob’s sons.

Here comes this dreamer

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 37

The brothers’ comment is full of sarcasm; the Hebrew expression implies “master/owner of the dreams.”

It appears that the “dreams” are what finally caused the brother’s hatred to boil over. They do not mention being “daddy’s boy” or his special robe but it is the dreams of authority over them that they cannot tolerate.

Let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits

The conspiracy begins to coalesce into actionable goals. There is now a plan for disposing of the body and their own alibis.

we will see what will become of his dreams

Ask: Why would his brothers want to make sure that Joseph’s dreams didn’t come true?

Back to their motive for the plot for murder. They attribute the dreams to the receiver and not the One who gave them to Joseph. No where in our passage today is God’s name brought out. If Joseph or one of the brother’s had, they may have realized who they were truly working against and were plotting to thwart.

v.21-22

One of the ten, begins to diverge from the plan and Reuben speaks out against some of it.

Let us not take his life.

LEB is more emphatic about the statement being a necessity instead of a choice with “We must not take his life.”

Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament Volume 1 (Genesis–Job) Genesis 37:19–21

A man who wavers back and forth, oldest brother Reuben doesn’t exactly know how to handle this situation. In this, he’s a lot like Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:24).

We are not told in the text anywhere why Reuben changed his mind. Any conclusion based on the circumstances surrounding this narrative are speculation and hearsay at best. God needed one of the brothers to say no long enough to keep Joseph alive until the traders came by. Reuben appears to have responded to God’s prompting and spared his life.

All of these plans and adaptations and developed between the time they see Joseph on the horizon and when he gets to the camp. God’s sovereign influence through Reuben stays their hands from murder, but only just so.

Genesis 37:23–28 ESV

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 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.

v.23

the robe of many colors

This is one of those phrases that I remember as a child and saw portrayed in kids books but this week’s studies and reading revealed how much of that was probably based on tradition.

CSB & LEB = the long-sleeved robe.

Older scholars list this as “richly ornamented; made with many colors”

I think the best commentary on these Hebrew words was “the meaning is uncertain” and it moved on to the next word - tunic. Moses’ first readers and hearers of this story probably understood what was meant but its definition has been lost over time.

Something about this robe was different than the ones that the other brother’s had. Something made it stand out and symbolize the authority over them that they had grown to hate which they saw and heard was developing in Joseph.

v.24

The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Some suggest that even though the cistern did not have water, it may not have been “dry” and Joseph could have been standing in a muddy bottom. The wording is similar to the account of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 38:6 “6 So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.”

v.25

Then they sat down to eat.

I’m not sure if this shows a level of callousness on the brother’s part or not. We know that for some reason Reuben did not join them as we read of him “returning” after Joseph has already been sold away. I think it was probably a meal of some kind involving goat meat for that is the blood they used to coat the robe and return it to their father.

Apparently, they did not consider sharing any food with their brother in the cistern. I like the contrast that this scene provides with the future when Joseph would later provide food for the whole world, including his brothers (Gen. 41:57; 42:5). This also further supports the typology of Joseph being a symbol of Christ as He provides for all the sins of the world while being unjustly isolated on the cross.

I remember when I was younger that any time I finished a task, I felt like eating. There were 9 “boys/men” here so food was significant. It could have been that time of the day for another meal. God may have needed them to start a fire to attract the attention of the Midianites. For whatever reason they chose, it gave them a chance to stop and look around and see another option in their conspiracy.

v.26-28

What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him

They had satisfied (to an extent) their hatred toward Joseph and the coat. They had temporarily sated their hunger. Their thoughts turn to satisfying their wallets.

Now they consider that making money AND getting rid of there brothers with the possibility of someone else killing him sounds even better. Not sure how they would explain to the father the extra money but maybe 2 shekels a piece would not be noticed.

Ishmaelites and Midianite traders.

Keturah, Abraham’s wife after Sarah, gave birth to Midian. Abraham sent Midian and his brothers to the east (Gen. 25:1-6). Israel experienced both positive and negative relations with the Midianites. When Moses fled from Pharaoh, he went to Midian where he married a daughter of the priest of Midian (Ex. 2:15-16,21). [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 37

Midianite is another designation for Ishmaelites in this narrative. Mention of the descendants of Ishmael (21:9–13) and Midian (25:1–6) call to mind the kind of sibling rivalry that is taking place here again.

They took Joseph to Egypt

Dothan, where they were and it is as far north as they could go and still be in Canaan. Egypt is south of the all the Promised Land. Jacob their father is somewhere in between.

What would have happened if these traders had stopped to try and trade with the second richest man in the land?

God’s sovereignty however prevented this, maybe guiding the traders to take coastal route instead of through the heartland.

The brother’s are probably quite pleased with themselves and have removed the “burden” of Joseph for a time, but now the ever present weight of sin will be upon them for many years to come because of one day’s impulsive actions.

The Moody Bible Commentary a. Joseph Is Sold into Slavery by His Brothers (37:2–36)

There are three results for the sad events described in this chapter. First, Joseph will now live in slavery (cf. 39:1–6). Second, Jacob is to live the next 22 years in sorrow, grieving for his favorite son (37:35). Third, Joseph’s brothers will continue to live in guilt, always seeing the sin against their brother as the source of all their woes (cf. 42:21–22; 44:16).

Apply the Text

Believers should be wise in what they share and with whom.

Believers must guard against following peers bent on hurting others.

Believers must be aware of callousness in their own lives.

Pray: Praise God for his mercy and forgiveness. Ask Him to protect adults’ hearts against jealousy and hatred and to heal broken relationships within the family and within the church. Forgive us for passing by or ignoring those we see in the pit. Comfort and help those who feel they are down in the pit now.