# Who was Joseph in the Bible?

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.

- When: Some generations after Abraham, before Israel’s years in Egypt. The Pharaoh is never named, so the date is not known.
- Read: Genesis 37–50. Start with [Genesis 37](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/37).

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/joseph. Scripture quotations are from the Lumin Translation.

## Joseph’s life, in order

1. **The favorite son** ([Genesis 37:1-11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/37#1-11)). Jacob gives 17-year-old Joseph a special robe. Joseph dreams his brothers will bow to him, and they hate him for it. Map: [Hebron](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#hebron).
2. **Sold into slavery** ([Genesis 37:18-36](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/37#18-36)). His brothers throw him in a pit and sell him to traders headed for Egypt. They tell Jacob a wild animal killed him.
3. **Potiphar’s house** ([Genesis 39:1-23](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/39#1-23)). Joseph serves well in an Egyptian officer’s house. He refuses the officer’s wife, and she has him jailed on a lie. Map: [Egypt](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#egypt).
4. **Dreams in prison** ([Genesis 40:1-23](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/40#1-23)). He explains the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer forgets him for two years.
5. **Ruler of Egypt** ([Genesis 41:14-46](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/41#14-46)). Joseph explains Pharaoh’s dreams of seven fat and seven thin cows. Pharaoh puts him over all Egypt at 30.
6. **His brothers bow** ([Genesis 42:1-24](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/42#1-24)). Famine sends his brothers to Egypt for grain. They bow to him without knowing him, and he tests them.
7. **“I am Joseph”** ([Genesis 45:1-15](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/45#1-15)). He tells them who he is and weeps. He brings Jacob and the whole family to live in Egypt.
8. **God meant it for good** ([Genesis 50:15-26](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/50#15-26)). After Jacob dies, Joseph tells his afraid brothers what God did with their evil. He dies at 110.

## Key verses

> Yahweh was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master. ([Genesis 39:2](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/39#2))

> 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 45:5](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/45#5))

> 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 50:20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/50#20))

## What the Bible says, and what tradition adds

### Was it a coat of many colors?

**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](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/37#3).

### Which Pharaoh did Joseph serve?

**Not known.** Genesis never names him. Guesses range across several centuries.

## Related people

- [Abraham](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/abraham): Left home at God’s call. Father of Isaac and of Israel.
- [Moses](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/moses): Led Israel out of Egypt. Received the law at Sinai.
- [Daniel](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/daniel): Taken to Babylon young. Served its kings. Kept praying.