Genesis 37.12-24-Joseph's Brothers Plot to Kill Him
Wednesday November 1, 2006
Genesis: Genesis 37:12-24-Joseph’s Brothers Plot to Kill Him
Lesson # 231
Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 37:2.
This evening we will continue with our study of Genesis 37, which presents to us the story of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers and so by way of review of Genesis 37, we have noted the following:
Genesis 37:2 presented the account of Jacob’s sons as well as Joseph giving his father Jacob a slanderous report of his brothers.
In Genesis 37:3a, we noted that since the name “Israel” is divine in origin and was used in the context of the unfair treatment that Joseph suffered at the hands of his brothers, that these events were a manifestation of the providence of God, which refers to the fact that Joseph’s life was not ruled by chance or fate but by God.
In Genesis 37:3-4 we saw Jacob favoring Joseph over his other sons because he was the son of his old age, which led to Joseph’s brothers resenting him.
Then, in Genesis 37:5-11 we saw Joseph having two prophetic dreams, which he relates to his brothers resulting in Joseph being the object of his brothers’ hate and jealousy, which eventually led to their plotting to kill Joseph.
This evening we will study Genesis 37:12-24, where we will see Joseph’s brothers attempting to kill Joseph but are restrained by Reuben who suggests an alternative plan to throw Joseph into a cistern and let him die by natural causes.
However, Reuben’s real intent was to buy time so he could deliver Joseph at a more opportune moment when his brothers were not around.
Genesis 37:2, “These are the records of the generations of Jacob. 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 brought back a bad report about them to their father.”
Genesis 37:3, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.”
Genesis 37:4, “His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.”
Genesis 37:5, “Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.”
Genesis 37:6-7, “He said to them, ‘Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
Genesis 37:8, “Then his brothers said to him, ‘Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.”
Genesis 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, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’”
Genesis 37:10, “He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?’”
Genesis 37:11, “His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.”
Genesis 37:12, “Then his brothers went to pasture their father's flock in Shechem.”
Genesis 37:13, “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.’”
“Shechem” is approximately thirty-five miles north of Jerusalem and fifty miles north of Hebron, directly west of the Jabbok River and approximately twenty miles from the Jordan in the land of Canaan.
Just a few years before, Shechem was the site of one of the darkest days in the history of the nation of Israel for it was the place where Simeon and Levi and their servants killed Shechem, his father Hamor and all men of the city of Shechem in retaliation for Shechem raping their sister Dinah (See Genesis 33:18-34:31).
Jacob owned land in Shechem since Genesis 33:19 records that Jacob purchased a tract of land just outside the city of Shechem from Hamor, Shechem’s father for one hundred pieces of money.
Since Shechem was approximately fifty miles north of Hebron, this would be quite a journey for Israel’s sons to travel to feed the family flocks.
However, it was not uncommon for shepherds to lead their flocks many miles from home in search of pasture.
In fact, it is still common for Bedouin shepherds in that land to move northward as the summer progresses since there is more rain and better water supply the further north one travels.
Even so, it does “not” make good sense that Israel’s sons would go near Shechem since the massacre of that city had only taken place a few years before and God had to intervene and protected them from being attacked by the Canaanites and the Perizzites (See Genesis 35:5).
Even though Israel owned land in Shechem, he could “not” have agreed to this trip by his sons to Shechem since Genesis 34:30 records that Israel feared that the Canaanites and Perizzites would attack his family in retaliation for his sons killing all the men of Shechem.
Therefore, the idea to go to Shechem had to originate with Israel’s sons, which is further indicated in that Israel voices his concern to Joseph about the safety of his sons and thus, sends Joseph.
Also, it is implied that Israel’s sons had sent word to Israel that they were at Shechem since Israel himself did not send them to Shechem but rather the visit to Shechem originated with Israel’s sons.
Israel’s sons went to Shechem even though they knew that their father feared retaliation from the Canaanites and Perizzites because they were attempting to get back at their father for the long sleeve colorful coat that he gave to Joseph, which symbolized his desire to bestow the birthright upon Joseph rather than on one of them.
Furthermore, Israel’s sons would not be afraid of this trip to Shechem and in particular Simeon and Levi would be embolden and would not fear the Canaanites and Perizzites since they easily dispatched with the Hivites in Shechem.
Genesis 37:13, “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.’”
The name “Israel” is used rather than “Jacob” emphasizing that the plot to kill Joseph and the selling of him into slavery by his brothers as well as Joseph ending up in Egypt as prime minister was according to the plan of God.
Since the name “Israel” is divine in origin, it implies that Joseph’s brothers plot to kill him and his being sold into slavery by them and his ending up in Egypt as prime minister was a part of God’s sovereign will that is based upon His omniscient knowledge of all the facts concerning what will take place in the future.
The name “Israel” implies that the events in the life of Israel’s sons were figured into the divine decree and was a part of the providence of God, which is the outworking of the divine decree, the object being the final manifestation of God’s glory.
The statement “I will go” expresses Joseph’s obedient response to his father’s command to check to see if his brothers are safe in Shechem, and which obedience reveals another reason why Joseph was Israel’s favorite.
The responsibility of Christian children to their parents is obedience to their commands.
Colossians 3:20, “Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”
Genesis 37:14, “Then he said to him, ‘Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.’ So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.’”
“Welfare” is the noun shalom (<WLv^) (shaw-lome), which in context means, “safety” indicating that Israel was concerned about the “safety” of his sons and his flocks they were shepherding in the area of Shechem.
Israel’s concern for the welfare of his family and his flocks was not without foundation since as we noted earlier, Shechem was the city where Israel’s sons massacred the city of Shechem in retaliation for the rape of their sister Dinah.
In fact, Genesis 34:30 records Israel’s concern for the safety of his family after the massacre of Shechem where he communicates to Simeon and Levi his fear that inhabitants of Canaan would get wind of the massacre of Shechem and then retaliate against Israel’s family.
The fact that Israel sent his beloved Joseph emphasizes that Israel was very concerned and feared for the safety of his sons and flocks since he would never risk the safety of his beloved Joseph unless it was for good reason.
At this point in the narrative, Israel was residing in “the valley of Hebron,” which was just outside of the city of Hebron since the city of Hebron is located 3,040 feet above sea level, dominating a beautiful and fruitful area filled with ancient oaks called terebinth trees.
“Hebron” was located fifty miles south of Shechem, which is approximately a two day journey.
Genesis 37:15, “A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, ‘What are you looking for?’”
Genesis 37:16, “He said, ‘I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.’”
Genesis 37:17, “Then the man said, ‘They have moved from here; for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.”
This scene where Joseph gets lost in the wilderness keeps the reader in suspense by delaying the confrontation of Joseph with his brothers and by heightening our awareness of the danger Joseph faces so far removed from his father Israel.
The appearance of an unidentified man is another manifestation of the providence of God, which expresses the fact that this was not an accident that this unidentified man came along to help Joseph but rather was a part of God’s eternal plan.
“Dothan” is the proper noun dothan (/t*D)) (do-thawn), which means, “two wells” and is approximately fifteen miles north of Shechem and is located on a hill surrounded by a flat, fertile valley and is known for its rich pastureland.
It is interesting that even today shepherds from the Hebron area still come to Dothan to take advantage of the great water supply as well as well as caravans and camel trains.
Beginning in Genesis 37:18, the scene shifts to the encampment of Joseph’s brothers and views things from their perspective and enables the reader to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Genesis 37:18, “When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.”
Genesis 37:19, “They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer!’”
Genesis 37:20, “Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!”
Joseph’s brothers could see him coming from a distance because of the distinctive long sleeved colorful coat he was wearing that was given to him by their father, which in turn reminded them of Joseph’s dreams.
Notice that it doesn’t take long for Joseph’s brothers to decide to kill him indicating that they had been thinking about the idea for quite some time.
“They plotted against” is the verb nakhal (lk^n*) (naw-kal), which means, “to conspire against” someone.
To conspire against someone is to “agree together, especially secretly to do something wrong, evil or illegal” and the word “conspiracy” refers to an “evil, unlawful, treacherous or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons.”
Therefore, the verb nakhal indicates that Joseph’s brothers with the exception of Benjamin, Reuben and Judah agreed together in secret to murder Joseph.
The statement “Here comes this dreamer” in the Hebrew text literally means, “the lord of the dreams.’
To be the “lord” of something means that you are an expert or a specialist in a particular area of endeavor.
Therefore, Joseph’s brothers mock him by identifying him as “this master-dreamer” or in other words, Joseph who in his dreams is master over his brothers.
The statement “this master-dreamer” is sarcastic, contemptuous mockery of the dreams God gave to Joseph indicating that his brothers had decided to prove his dreams were fantasy by killing him and that they considered Joseph good for nothing else but dreaming.
“Kill” is the verb haragh (gr^h*) (haw-rag), which is used in a technical legal sense of murdering someone by violence.
The Word of God prohibits murder according to Exodus 20:13 and is one of the sins that God hates according to Proverbs 6:16-19 and according to Genesis 9:6 is to be punished through capital punishment.
Joseph’s brothers become bold and conspire to kill him because their father is not around to restrain them and they have murdered before when they killed all the men of the city of Shechem in retaliation for the rape of their sister Dinah.
Joseph’s brothers conspired to murder him and then throw his body down into one of the cisterns, which caught the runoff from the rains and were commonly located at the bottom of the hills.
Archaeologists have found a large number of cisterns all over Israel, which are bottle shaped pits hewn out of rock for retaining water and range from 6 to 20 feet in depth.
Undoubtedly, Simeon and Levi are the master minds behind this plan since they were the master minds of the massacre at Shechem and they were the older sons of Leah, who held the greatest resentment of Joseph since Jacob favored Joseph’s mother Rachel over Leah.
Genesis 37:21, “But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, ‘Let us not take his life.’”
Genesis 37:22, “Reuben further said to them, ‘Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him’ -- that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.”
Genesis 37:23-24, “So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.”
The verbs “stripped,” “took,” and “threw” conveys the speed and roughness of the brothers’ assault on Joseph.
Joseph’s brothers immediately strip off his long sleeved colorful coat that their father gave him, which symbolized their father’s desire to give the birthright to Joseph rather than them and for Joseph to rule the family.
The fact that Leah’s oldest son Reuben attempts to stop this plot to murder Joseph clearly indicates that he was not a part of the conspiracy.
The statement “Let us not take his life” is an inaccurate translation but rather should be translated “we will emphatically not take his life.”
Reuben orders his brothers to not shed Joseph’s blood but rather throw him into a cistern and let nature do him in, which had some definite advantages, and so the plan was agreed to.
By exerting his authority as the oldest brother in the family and ordering that Joseph not be killed and ordering instead that he be thrown into the pit, Reuben was apparently seeking to buy some time, intending to rescue Joseph and return him back home to the safety of their father when the others were not around.
Therefore, Reuben in effect saves Joseph’s life since if he was not there to stop his brothers, they would have murdered Joseph, which again is another manifestation of the providence of God in the life of Joseph.
Reuben hid his motives for having Joseph thrown into a pit rather than murdered because he feared his brothers would not listen to him, which reveals that his younger brothers did not respect him.
Even so Reuben should have dealt with his brothers more forcefully and never should have suggested a compromise solution by throwing Joseph into the pit, but rather should have emphatically stated that Joseph would not be killed.
Reuben’s attempt to solve this problem with cunning and a crafty scheme rather than a more forward honest approach backfires on him since when his back is turned his brothers sell Joseph into slavery.
However, it is very commendable that Reuben at least made this attempt since he of all the brothers should have resented Joseph the most since he was the oldest and was rejected by his father for committing incest with his concubine Bilhah.
Joseph undoubtedly realized that Reuben was trying to save him and years later he indicated he remembered Reuben’s actions by holding Simeon, the next oldest of the sons rather than Reuben, captive in prison (See Genesis 42:24).
The statement “now the pit was empty” explains why Joseph did not drown when he was thrown into the cistern.
We can just imagine Joseph advancing towards his brothers, totally unsuspecting of their fierce resentment and hatred towards him and how astonished and terrified he must have been at their fierce and brutal treatment.
Genesis 42:21 records that Joseph was greatly distressed in his soul and pleaded for mercy with his brothers to not throw him into the pit and to not sell him into slavery.