Section 9 - Part 1: Jacob’s Sons

Order of Service:

Announcements

Martyrs and Missionaries

Communion

Worship

Teaching

Fellowship / Discussion

Prayer time as a group

Current Sermon Position:

Gen 1:1-2:4 The generations of the heavens and the earth

Gen 2:4-5:1 The book of the generations of Adam

Gen 5:1-6:9 The generations of Noah

Gen 6:9-10:1 The generations of the sons of Noah

Gen 10:1-11:10 The generations of Shem

Gen 11:10-11:27 The generations of Terah

Gen 11:27-25:19 The generations of Isaac

Gen 25:19-37:2 The generations of Jacob

Gen 37:2-Ex 1:1 The generations of the Sons of Jacob

Hermeneutic Notes:

Rhetorical or Narrative Changes:

The transition to being about his sons occurs through the lens of Joseph

Topical Concerns:

Fatherly Leadership towards Godliness

Parental favoritism

Pride

Hate

Murder

Deceit

Slavery

False hope

Familial Hate

Familial responsibility (The oldest son, Reuben, does not do what he should)

Context:

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

1 Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob.

Background about his brothers: His brothers already were known for their lack of control with their anger. These brothers showed themselves to be deceivers and wicked prior to what happened to Joseph.

Genesis 34

Genesis 35

Joseph was the youngest son of the 12 (until Benjamin came)

Genesis 30:22–24 “Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me another son.””

Text

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And

Joseph tattled on his brothers

Israel gave preferential treatment to Joseph over his other sons.

The other 11 knew Joseph was favored over them

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

5

Joseph had a dream - something he could not control

He told his brothers the dream - something he could control

Hated him more because he told them their dream

Hated him more that his dream was about them being subservient to him

The youngest will be served by the older (all of them)

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold,

Joseph had a second dream - something he could not control

Even his father rebuked him

His brothers were jealous of him

His father, though he rebuked him for saying it to them, kept it in mind. The rebuke appears to be more about (1) being told they would bow down to him, and (2) that Jospeh would even be telling him and his brothers at all.

This dream escalated the impact of who Joseph would rule over

Joseph’s mother, Rebecca, was still alive. This shows Benjamin had not been born as of yet.

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

12 Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “I will go.” 14 Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and

Knowing the hatred his sons have for Joseph, Jacob still sends Joseph out to his brothers.

Knowing the hatred his sons have for Joseph, Jacob still wanted Joseph to report on his brothers.

The brothers were not where they should have been

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

18 When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they

Reuben was the oldest son

They wanted to kill him (hatred of heart is murder)

Reuben wanted to keep Joseph safe and save him

It was an empty pit with nothing to sustain him

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

25 Then

What relevance are these if any?

aromatic gum

balm

myrrh

Reuben was not around for this decision

See the family trees where Midian and Ishmael were half brothers

New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 37

29 Now

Reuben returned to the pit not knowing what happened and grieved his brother

They lied to their father and caused him substantial harm

Joseph was sold to someone in authority over Egypt

Reuben returned to the pit after ensuring the brothers did not kill him, but didn’t find him. His response is (vs. 30) “The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?” He is the first born and should have protected his brother but failed.

Jacob mentions Sheol, this means they had an idea of the afterlife early on in history.

Application:

Hatred is murder

Leviticus 19:17 “‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.”

Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.”

Matthew 5:21–22 ““You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”

1 John 2:9–11 “The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

Father’s Role:

Colossians 3:21 “Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.”

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

NOTE:

What was Judah’s role in Joseph’s story?

Judah intervened when his brothers plotted to kill Joseph, proposing instead that they sell him to Ishmaelite traders (Gen 37:26–27)—a decision that preserved Joseph’s life, though it set in motion the separation that would define both brothers’ trajectories.

Beyond this initial rescue, Judah’s role throughout the narrative proves exceedingly important: he attempts to save Joseph, his own departure from his brothers parallels Joseph’s downward journey and prepares him for reconciliation, and his speech in Genesis 44 ultimately persuades Joseph to reveal himself and reconcile with his brothers, effectively replacing Reuben as the family’s spokesman[1]. Judah convinces Jacob to allow Benjamin to travel to Egypt with the brothers, and his sacrificial offer to take Benjamin’s place as Joseph’s servant convinces Joseph that genuine repentance and reconciliation are possible[2].

The narrative structure itself underscores Judah’s centrality. Joseph and Judah together dominate the story at three crucial moments: at the beginning, where they create the plot’s initial force; at the crisis point, where Judah pleads for Benjamin and Joseph responds with forgiveness; and in the resolution, where they dominate Jacob’s final prophecies concerning Israel’s twelve tribes[2]. Judah’s acknowledgment of Tamar’s righteousness marks the beginning of his faith journey—a transformation completed when he offers himself in place of Benjamin[3]. Judah’s rise from moral failure to becoming the family’s leader contrasts sharply with Reuben’s steady degradation[4], positioning him as the character whose redemption mirrors and makes possible Joseph’s forgiveness.

[1] Catherine Upchurch, Irene Nowell, and Ronald D. Witherup, eds., Little Rock Catholic Study Bible (Little Rock, AR: Little Rock Scripture Study, 2011), 133. [2] Samuel Emadi, From Prisoner to Prince: The Joseph Story in Biblical Theology, ed. D. A. Carson, New Studies in Biblical Theology (Downers Grove, IL; London: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press; APOLLOS, 2022), 59:59–60. [3] Douglas Mangum, Miles Custis, and Wendy Widder, Genesis 12–50, Logos Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2026). [See here.] [4] Greg Trull, “The Bible as Art: Joseph in the Art Gallery of Genesis,” Bible Study Magazine (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press; Faithlife, 2020), 12:5:25.

Here are the key brothers and their specific actions in Joseph’s life:

Reuben — Opposed the plan to kill Joseph, urging his brothers not to shed blood and proposing instead that they throw him into a pit in the wilderness, intending to rescue him and restore him to his father (Genesis 37:21–22). When Reuben returned to the pit, he discovered Joseph was gone and asked his brothers in distress where he could go (Genesis 37:29–30). Later, when Jacob feared losing Benjamin, Reuben offered to put his own two sons to death if he failed to return Benjamin safely (Genesis 42:36–37).

Judah — Redirected his brothers from murder to commerce, proposing they sell Joseph to Ishmaelites rather than kill him, and his brothers agreed (Genesis 37:26–27). When Jacob hesitated to send Benjamin to Egypt, Judah pledged himself as surety for the boy, saying he would bear the blame forever if Benjamin wasn’t returned (Genesis 43:8–9). When the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, Judah and his brothers fell before Joseph, and Judah approached Joseph to plead for Benjamin’s release (Genesis 44:3, 14, 18).

Simeon — Joseph took Simeon from his brothers and bound him before their eyes (Genesis 42:24). Simeon was later released when the brothers returned with Benjamin (Genesis 43:23).

Benjamin — Though not part of the initial betrayal, Joseph wept upon seeing his full brother Benjamin (Genesis 43:29), and Joseph gave Benjamin gifts far exceeding those of his other brothers—five changes of garments and three hundred pieces of silver (Genesis 45:22).

Fatherly Direction

Colossians 3:21 directly addresses this concern, instructing fathers not to exasperate their children so they will not lose heart. This verse captures the principle that excessive parental pressure can damage a child’s emotional and spiritual well-being.

Ephesians 6:4 similarly warns fathers against provoking their children to anger, instead calling them to raise children through discipline and instruction rooted in the Lord. The contrast here is instructive—discipline and correction are appropriate, but they must be administered in ways that don’t trigger harmful anger or resentment.

These passages work together to establish a boundary: while fathers have responsibility to guide and correct their children, they must do so in measured ways that preserve the child’s dignity and emotional stability. The concern isn’t discipline itself, but rather the manner and excess of parental demands that can crush a child’s spirit or provoke destructive anger.