Hello! Welcome to today’s bible study on Genesis 37 where we will read about Joseph’s dreams and how he ended up in Egypt. According to Bible scholars, the events of Genesis 37 took place in 1898 B.C. approximately.
I encourage you to turn to Genesis 37 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 37. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. No one else can teach you better than the Holy Spirit Himself. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 35 and Genesis 36, we read about Jacob’s return to Bethel, Rachel and Isaac’s death and Esau’s descendants. In this bible study on Genesis 37, we will learn about Joseph (Jacob’s eleventh son) and how he ended up in Egypt.
Backstory on Genesis 35 and Genesis 36: Genesis 35 is about Jacob’s return to Bethel based on God’s instruction and he built an altar to the Lord. Deborah, who was Rachel’s nurse dies and so does Rachel later during child birth. Isaac also dies in Genesis 35. Genesis 36 covers Esau’s family line. Esau had three wives one of whom was Ishmael’s daughter.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 37, shall we?
Genesis 37 Summary
Jacob, also known as Israel, lived in Canaan. Joseph was Jacob’s eleventh son. At the age of seventeen, Joseph was tending to the flock with his brothers (sons of Zilphah and Bilhah, Jacob’s concubines), and he reported their bad behavior to Jacob.
Jacob had a special affection for his son Joseph among all his children. This was because Joseph was born to him in his old age and he was the firstborn of Jacob and his beloved wife Rachel. As a symbol of his love, Jacob made Joseph a tunic (coat) of many colors. Joseph’s brothers despised him for being their father’s favorite.
Joseph had a dream and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He explained how he had dreamt that they were binding sheaves in the field. In the dream, his sheaf arose and stood upright, and all the sheaves of his brothers stood all around and bowed down to his sheaf. Joseph’s brothers were angry and rebuked him.
Then he dreamed another dream where the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him. He told his brothers, and even his father, Jacob, about this dream. Jacob questioned Joseph and his dream, however, he kept the matter in mind.
Jacob sends Joseph to search for his other sons, who were tending flocks in Shechem. Upon reaching Shechem, Joseph learns that his brothers have moved to Dothan.
When Joseph’s brothers saw Joseph approaching them from far away, even before he came near them, they decided to kill him to destroy him and his dreams. However, Reuben intervened and suggested they put him in a nearby pit instead of killing him. The brothers stripped Joseph of his tunic and threw him into the pit.
As they sat down to eat a meal, they noticed a group of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with camels carrying spices, balm and myrrh heading to Egypt. Judah suggested that they sell Joseph to the traders. They sold him for 20 shekels of silver, and he was taken to Egypt. Both Reuben and Judah were Leah’s sons.
When Reuben returned, he was distraught to find that Joseph was no longer in the pit. Therefore, together with his brothers, they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a goat kid and dipped the tunic in its blood, and brought it to their father Jacob. They asked him to identify if the tunic belonged to Joseph.
When Jacob saw Joseph’s tunic, he was devastated and he concluded that a wild beast had devoured Joseph and torn him to pieces. He mourned and refused to be comforted. Jacob’s sons did not reveal the truth about Joseph to him.
Meanwhile, the Midianites who brought Joseph sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard in Egypt.
Genesis 37 Commentary
1. Genesis 37:3
The tunic of many colors that Jacob gifted to Joseph also prophetically symbolized the many nations Joseph would assist during the famine described later in the Bible.
2. Genesis 37:5-9
The sheaf in Joseph’s first dream is again a prophetic indication of how prosperous Joseph would be and that the famine wouldn’t strike Joseph. Whereas, it foretold the famine that would affect Joseph’s brothers.
The sun and moon and the eleven stars in Joseph’s second dream refer to Joseph’s father, mother and his eleven brothers. These dreams were fulfilled in Joseph’s life and we will find out as we study the upcoming chapters.
3. Genesis 37:28,36
God already knew that Joseph’s brothers would sell him because nothing surprises God. Therefore, He made sure that Joseph went to Potiphar’s house and used everything that his brothers intended for evil for Joseph’s good which eventually benefitted the entire family. In short, it was no coincidence that Joseph was sold to Potiphar who was an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard in Egypt.
4. Genesis 37:35
The actions of Joseph’s brothers to comfort their father Jacob when he mourned for Joseph were insincere and deceptive to say the least. Instead of telling Jacob the truth about Joseph, they chose to hide it and inflicted intentional pain on both Jacob and Joseph. They acted as if Joseph was truly killed by an animal.
Note on Genesis 37:12:
It is not clear if Joseph’s younger blood-brother Benjamin born to Rachel and Jacob was also tending the sheeps or not. For the most part the brothers who intended Joseph’s harm were born to different mothers because Jacob had two wives and two concubines. Jacob’s beloved was Rachel and she bore him two sons namely Joseph and Benjamin.
Note on Genesis 37:25-28
The Ishmaelites and the Midianite traders mean the same group of people. They are used interchangeably in these verses. Also, it is interesting to note that Ishmael was born to Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant of Sarah, and Abraham.
Genesis 37 Lessons
1. Do not share your God-given dreams/plans unless God tells you to
Joseph made the mistake of sharing his God-given dreams with his brothers. Maybe he wanted to boast about his dreams seeing that they were already jealous. I, personally, don’t think Joseph was oblivious to his brothers’ jealousy. However, he wouldn’t have expected them to try to kill him or sell him. Jealousy drives people to do evil things and it is not of God.
We must always exercise discernment with whom we share what God has revealed to us. For the very people with whom you share God-given ideas might steal it or try to sabatage it or destroy it out of sheer jealousy that God has chosen you and not them.
2. God is capabale of redeeming you even when you make mistakes
Despite Joseph’s error of sharing his dreams with his brothers, God turned it around for his good. Sure, there were consequences for him to face. He was in the pit and was sold to the Midianites who then sold him to Potiphar. Later, as the story evolves, we will further see the repercussions that ensued because of Joseph’s seemingly-simply error of sharing his God-given dreams. If only Joseph’s had kept his dreams to himself, things might have been a little less difficult for him.
3. Do not be dejected when you are in the pit and when people do you wrong
Now, Joseph could have easily been angry at God and refused to serve him or turn away from him because of the things that his brothers did to him. But, he didn’t do so. He could have been bitterly angry with his brothers (for valid reasons). Joseph spent his time in the pit and was sold to the Egyptians and there was no record of him protesting it. He kept quiet and went through his tribulation. He kept still and let God redeem him and work on his behalf which God eventually did as we will see in the chapters that follow.
Genesis 37: Common questions and answers
1. What is the main point of Genesis 37?
The main point of Genesis 37 is Joseph and his dreams and how his brothers were jealous of him. They desired to kill him when they saw him coming alone towards them, and they put him in a pit and eventually sold him to Midianite traders who took him to Egypt and he ended up at Potiphar’s house. They also deceived their father Jacob by making him believe that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. There is a power struggle, jealousy and prophecies at play in Genesi 37.
2. What are the lessons from Joseph’s dreams?
Joseph’s dreams were prophetic and indicated how he would deliver his family during the famine about to strike Egypt and the surrounding regions. The dreams also prophesied his rise to power and how his family would ultimately benefit and survive under his leadership.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study lesson on Genesis 37. I hope you enjoyed this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with others. Also, share your thoughts about it and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you about Genesis 37. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
What are your thoughts about Genesis 37?
Until next time!