Joseph Sold into Egypt
Jacob's open favouritism — the ornamented robe given to Joseph, the son of his old age — and Joseph's own tactlessness in reporting dreams in which his family bows to him, make him hated by his brothers. Sent to check on them at Dothan, he is seized. Reuben talks them out of murder and Judah proposes profit instead: Joseph is sold to a passing caravan for twenty pieces of silver, and the robe is dipped in goat's blood and shown to their father.
In Egypt he is bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, and rises to run the household — then is falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and imprisoned.
The narrative repeats one line at each turn: the Lord was with Joseph. It is the hinge of Genesis, moving the family from Canaan to Egypt and setting up the Exodus four centuries later.
Where in scripture
[1] Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan. [2] This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father. [3] Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors. [4] His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him. [5] Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. [6] He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: …
Genesis 37:1–36 — opening verses
[1] Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there. [2] Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian. [3] His master saw that Yahweh was with him, and that Yahweh made all that he did prosper in his hand. [4] Joseph found favor in his sight. He ministered to him, and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. [5] From the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. Yahweh’s blessing was on all that he had, in the house and in the field. …
Genesis 39:1–23 — opening verses
[9] “The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him, [10] and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
Acts 7:9–10
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
