The beginnings
Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son. His brothers sold him as a slave, and he ended up in an Egyptian prison. God gave him the meaning of Pharaoh’s dreams, and he rose to rule Egypt and save his family from famine. When his brothers came begging, he forgave them.
8 moments
See where Joseph fits on the Bible timeline
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Jacob gives 17-year-old Joseph a special robe. Joseph dreams his brothers will bow to him, and they hate him for it.
His brothers throw him in a pit and sell him to traders headed for Egypt. They tell Jacob a wild animal killed him.
Joseph serves well in an Egyptian officer’s house. He refuses the officer’s wife, and she has him jailed on a lie.
He explains the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer forgets him for two years.
Joseph explains Pharaoh’s dreams of seven fat and seven thin cows. Pharaoh puts him over all Egypt at 30.
Famine sends his brothers to Egypt for grain. They bow to him without knowing him, and he tests them.
He tells them who he is and weeps. He brings Jacob and the whole family to live in Egypt.
After Jacob dies, Joseph tells his afraid brothers what God did with their evil. He dies at 110.
Read these first
Yahweh was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
Genesis 39:2The Lord was with Joseph
But now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
Genesis 45:5God sent me ahead of you
You devised evil against me, but God devised it for good, so that he might bring about what is happening today—keeping many people alive.
Genesis 50:20You meant evil, God meant good
Questions people ask
Each answer is marked: in the Bible, tradition, readers disagree, or not known.
Readers disagree
The Hebrew words are rare and not clear. The King James Version says “a coat of many colours”, following the old Greek. Many newer Bibles say “a long robe with sleeves” or “an ornate robe”. Either way it marked him as the favorite.
See Genesis 37:3
Not known
Genesis never names him. Guesses range across several centuries.
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