Bible Discussion Thread

Joseph must have not spent much time with these brothers. Maybe children were brought up with their mothers and since Jacob had 5 wives, they may not have interacted much with their youngest two brothers from Rachel. None of his older brothers had Rachel for a mother. The brothers schemed about a way to kill him. Rueben was sensible and more honorable than the others. He wanted to trick is brothers and rescue Joseph. He didn't want Joseph to be killed and suggested an alternative plan whereby he could later rescue Joseph. The brothers agreed with him and put him into a dry cistern. Rueben was not wit the brothers when Judah suggested to sell Joseph to the caravan that included Ishmaelites (from Abraham and Hagar) and Midianites (from Abraham and Keturah). They apparently associated together, at least for trade purposes). Judah may have wished to spare Joseph, or maybe he just wanted to be able to make a buck off of his brother.

In Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an official of the Pharaoh. Rueben was very upset when he came to the cistern and found Joseph gone. He did not know what had happened to Joseph.

Then the brothers covered up their plot by taking his coat, killing a kid goat, and soaking the coat in the blood. Jacob was none the wiser in tis matter. When the sons came with the bloody coat he was convinced that Joseph had died from an animal attack even though Joseph's body was no where to be found. Jacob grieved long and hard for Joseph. The brothers tried to comfort their father, but he was not easily comforted.

This is when the story ends.

Joseph was a dreamer, given this gift from God. It is not revealed how aware Joseph was of God and how closely he followed Him. His character and relationship with God will be tested in the years to come.