(1325–1225 BC)
As Joseph was growing up, he was largely envied by the people and his brothers. He was favored by his father Jacob over his three brothers.
He traveled and was a successful merchant whom women adored very much. In fact he was so admired by women of all ages and envied by 89
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his lords that he was later put in jail, rather than to have conflict with his master.
Prior to this event, Joseph was traveling abroad and was considered a prophet by many across the lands. He interpreted dreams and other interpretations of God in his lifetime. His father Jacob knew that he was going to be betrayed and Joseph predicted that he would later become cup bearer to the czar and governor of Egypt, as well as become a high lord to the land. He told Jacob that he had dreams that his brothers would be before his throne one day negotiating to do business.
Jacob understood; however, Joseph failed to understand that his complete betrayal would eventually lead to his success.
So Joseph traveled with his brothers along the trade routes with his colored tunic given to him by his father Jacob. Along the way his brothers decided to strip him of his tunic and push him in a pit and say to their father Jacob that Joseph was dead. His father was favoring him and showed him more love after all. The temptation was immense and the young men could not resist the temptation to betray their brother.
After the brothers ate a meal they decided to instead sell him to an Ishmaelite for a small profit. An Ishmaelite merchant was on a trade mission and encountered the young men and offered a price for Joseph, which was twenty shekels of silver. This alternative was better for the brothers as the blood of their brother would not be on their hands. The merchant then took Joseph to Egypt to serve him.
“what ProfIt Is there If we kIll our Brother and ConCeal hIs Blood? CoMe let us sell hIM to the IshMaelItes, and let not our hand Be uPon hIM, for he Is our Brother and our flesh.” GeNesis 37: 26–27 (NKJV)
Joseph began to travel with this man and serve him as his servant and bodyguard into Egypt. He was later purchased from the Ishmaelites and sold to an Egyptian captain. Since Joseph was a holy man, the Lord was with him in everything that he did. The captain took notice of this and put him in charge as an overseer of his house and his affairs.
The brothers later returned home and told their father that Joseph had fallen to wolves or lions in the wilderness. They brought his father 90
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his colored tunic, and immediately Jacob knew that ill fate had come upon his beloved son. After this, Jacob had a longing in his heart to find his son again; however, he trusted his son’s interpretation of his dreams and the prophecy that would follow. He lamented for years, hoping that his faith in God would again extend his wishes across the land.
After a time of Joseph serving his Egyptian master, the master’s wife did in fact covet Joseph. Joseph refused to sleep with her and her anger was aroused. While Joseph attempted to escape the wife and report this to his master, the master’s wife was able to grab and tear one of his garments. Having evil in her heart she called for the men of her household and she made false testimony against Joseph. She claimed that Joseph was coveting her. In defense of himself Joseph said, It was she that sought to seduCe Me froM My true self. and one of her household saw thIs and Bore wItness sayIng; If It Be that hIs shIrt Is torn froM the front, then her tale Is true, and he Is a lIar!
But If It Be that hIs shIrt Is torn froM the BaCk, then It Is she the lIar, and he Is tellIng the truth.
surah 12: 26–27 yusuf3
But It haPPened aBout thIs tIMe, when JosePh went Into the house to do hIs work, and none of the Men of the house was InsIde, that she Caught By hIs garMent sayIng; “lIe wIth Me.” But he left hIs garMent In her hand, and fled and ran outsIde.
GeNesis 39:11–12 (NKJV)
Joseph later asked to be thrown in jail or was thrown in jail by his master. While Joseph was there he began to interpret dreams for the men in the prison. Joseph’s interpretations began to become true and some of the prisoners were released; Joseph asked that he be remembered and asked that good favor of him should be told to the pharaoh on his behalf. A baker who later was released remembered this after a few years when pharaoh was having troubled dreams. He spoke of a Hebrew man in the royal prisons who interpreted dreams and was accurate, citing himself as testament to his prophecy.
Joseph was later asked to appear before the pharaoh and correctly interpret his dreams. After Joseph accurately did this he gained favor in the eyes of the pharaoh. His fame soon spread across the land, and he was later promoted to governor of Egypt and was in charge of administering the food reserves and dealing with trade. Later on in time 3 Ibid.
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his brothers came to negotiate business on behalf of their father Jacob and the people of Israel; they sought grain from the land of Egypt, as Egypt was the only prospering people in a famine. During the meeting, Joseph recognized that these men were his brothers. Joseph later revealed himself to them and forgave them for the trespasses on the condition that they bring his father to him.
Jacob was advanced in his years and was sick. When he heard his son was alive and on one of thrones of Egypt, he could not believe it.
He wept with joy and made the journey to Egypt. Jacob later died in the presence of Joseph, and peace was extended across the land until the death of Joseph. After this time, Ramses II took control of the land and enslaved the Hebrew people and half of the world. Moses made his appearance in the world to rescue the Jewish people from slavery and oppression.
The point of the historical account of Joseph is to recognize that Joseph did in fact have clairvoyance or prophecy granted to him. Not only is the purpose to illustrate prophecy, but also the struggles men of such virtue must endure. For the more virtuous one is, the more trials and persecution one must in fact face. It is these virtues that have led our teachings from our forefathers and been handed down to us. Also the tribulations of Joseph are testament to what the prophets must go through. Not all the time is the final result the same success that was met by Joseph; many times it is finished in tragedy, like in the story of Jesus Christ.