1Jaakob siedelte im Land der Gastschaft seines Vaters, im Land Kanaan. 2Dies sind die Zeugungen Jaakobs. Jossef, siebzehnjährig, war mit seinen Brüdern beim Weiden der Schafe, als Jungknecht mit den Söhnen Bilhas und den Söhnen Silpas, der Weiber seines Vaters. Jossef brachte ihren Ruf, einen bösen, vor ihren Vater. 3Es liebte aber Jissrael den Jossef über alle seine Söhne, denn ein Sohn des Alters war er ihm, und er machte ihm einen knöchellangen Leibrock. 4Als seine Brüder sahn, daß ihn ihr Vater über all seine Brüder liebte, haßten sie ihn, und sie vermochten nicht, ihn zum Frieden anzureden. 5Jossef träumte einen Traum und vermeldete ihn seinen Brüdern - seitdem haßten sie ihn noch mehr - , 6er sprach zu ihnen: Hört doch diesen Traum, den ich träumte: 7da, wir binden Garbenbündel inmitten des Felds, und da, meine Garbe richtet sich auf und steht auch schon, und da, eure Garben umringen sie und neigen sich vor meiner Garbe. 8Seine Brüder sprachen zu ihm: König sein möchtest gar, König über uns oder walten gern, walten du bei uns? Seitdem haßten sie ihn noch mehr, für seine Träume, für seine Reden. 9Er aber träumte nochmals, einen andern Traum, und erzählte ihn seinen Brüdern. Er sprach: Da, noch einen Traum habe ich geträumt: da, die Sonne und der Mond und elf Sterne neigen sich vor mir. 10Als ers seinem Vater und seinen Brüdern erzählte, schalt sein Vater ihn und sprach zu ihm: Was ist das für ein Traum, den du geträumt hast! kommen sollen wir, ich, deine Mutter und deine Brüder kommen, 11uns vor dir zur Erde zu neigen?! Seither neideten ihn seine Brüder. Aber sein Vater bewahrte die Rede. 12Seine Brüder gingen, die Schafe ihres Vaters in Sichem zu weiden. 13Jissrael sprach zu Jossef: Weiden nicht deine Brüder in Sichem? auf, ich will dich zu ihnen schicken. Er sprach zu ihm: Da bin ich.. 14Er aber sprach zu ihm: Geh doch, sieh nach dem Wohl deiner Brüder und nach dem Wohl der Schafe und erstatte mir Rede. So schickte er ihn aus dem Tal von Hebron, und er kam nach Sichem. 15Ein Mann fand ihn, da er auf dem Feld umirrte, und der Mann fragte ihn, sprechend: 16Was suchst du? Er sprach: Meine Brüder suche ich, melde mir doch, wo hier sie weiden. 17Der Mann sprach: Aufgebrochen sind sie von hinnen, denn ich hörte sie sprechen: Wir wollen nach Dotan gehn. Jossef ging seinen Brüdern nach und fand sie in Dotan. 18Sie sahen ihn von fern, und ehe er sich ihnen näherte, ränkelten sie wider ihn, ihn zu töten. 19Sie sprachen einer zum andern: Ach, da kommt ja jener Meister der Träume daher! 20und nun, auf, bringen wir ihn um und werfen wir ihn in eins der Wasserlöcher und sprechen: Ein böses Tier hat ihn gefressen! Dann laßt uns sehn, was aus seinen Träumen wird! 21Ruben hörte es und wollte ihn aus ihrer Hand retten, er sprach: Wir wollen ihn nicht am Leben schlagen. 22Ruben sprach zu ihnen: Nimmer sollt Blut ihr vergießen! werft ihn in dieses Loch in der Wüste, aber legt nicht Hand an ihn! - damit er ihn aus ihrer Hand rette, ihn zu seinem Vater zurückzuführen.. 23Es geschah, als Jossef zu seinen Brüdern kam: sie streiften Jossef seinen Leibrock ab, den knöchellangen Leibrock, den er anhatte, 24und nahmen ihn und warfen ihn ins Loch; das Loch aber war leer, kein Wasser drin. 25Und sie setzten sich, das Brot zu essen. Sie hoben ihre Augen und sahn: da kam ein Warenzug von Jischmaelitern einher, aus Gilad, ihre Kamele Tragant, Mastix und Ladanharz tragend, auf dem Gang, es hinab nach Ägypten zu führen. 26Jehuda sprach zu seinen Brüdern: Was ists für ein Gewinn, wenn wir unsern Bruder umbringen und sein Blut verhüllen? 27Auf, verkaufen wir ihn den Jischmaelitern, aber unsre Hand sei nicht an ihm, denn unser Bruder ist er, unser Fleisch! Und seine Brüder hörten zu. 28Derweil schritten Männer vorbei, Händler aus Midjan. Sie holten Jossef aus dem Loch herauf, und sie verkauften Jossef an die Jischmaeliter um zwanzig Silberstücke. Die aber ließen Jossef mitkommen nach Ägypten. 29Ruben kehrte ans Wasserloch zurück, da: Jossef war nicht mehr in dem Loch! Er zerriß seine Gewänder 30und kehrte zu seinen Brüdern und sprach: Das Kind ist nicht da! und ich, ach wo komme ich hin! 31Sie nahmen den Leibrock Jossefs, sie metzten einen Ziegenbock und tauchten den Leibrock ins Blut. 32Sie schickten den knöchellangen Leibrock fort,daß man damit zu ihrem Vater komme und spreche: Dies haben wir gefunden, betrachte doch, ob es deines Sohns Leibrock ist oder nicht. 33Er betrachtete ihn und sprach: Meines Sohns Leibrock! ein böses Tier hat ihn gefressen, zerfleischt, zerfleischt ist Jossef! 34Jaakob zerriß seine Gewänder, er legte das Sackleinen um seine Hüften und trauerte um seinen Sohn viele Tage. 35All seine Söhne und all seine Töchter standen auf, ihn zu trösten, er aber weigerte, sich trösten zu lassen. Er sprach: Nein, hinabfahren will ich zu meinem Sohn, trauernd, ins Gruftreich! So weinte sein Vater um ihn. 36Die Midjaniter aber hatten ihn nach Ägypten hin verkauft, dem Potifar, einem Höfling Pharaos, dem Obersten der Palastwache.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PARENTAL PARTIALITY. (
Gen 37:1-
Gen 37:4)
Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger--that is, "a sojourner"; "father" used collectively. The patriarch was at this time at Mamre, in the valley of Hebron (compare
Gen 35:27); and his dwelling there was continued in the same manner and prompted by the same motives as that of Abraham and Isaac (
Heb 11:13).
2 generations--leading occurrences, in the domestic history of Jacob, as shown in the narrative about to be commenced.
Joseph . . . was feeding the flock--literally, "Joseph being seventeen years old was a shepherd over the flock"--he a lad, with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. Oversight or superintendence is evidently implied. This post of chief shepherd in the party might be assigned him either from his being the son of a principal wife or from his own superior qualities of character; and if invested with this office, he acted not as a gossiping telltale, but as a "faithful steward" in reporting the scandalous conduct of his brethren.
3 son of his old age--Benjamin being younger, was more the son of his old age and consequently on that ground might have been expected to be the favorite. Literally rendered, it is "son of old age to him"--Hebrew phrase, for "a wise son"--one who possessed observation and wisdom above his years--an old head on young shoulders.
made him a coat of many colors--formed in those early days by sewing together patches of colored cloth, and considered a dress of distinction (
Judg 5:30;
2Sam 13:18). The passion for various colors still reigns among the Arabs and other people of the East, who are fond of dressing their children in this gaudy attire. But since the art of interweaving various patterns was introduced, "the coats of colors" are different now from what they seem to have been in patriarchal times, and bear a close resemblance to the varieties of tartan.
4 could not speak peaceably unto him--did not say "peace be to thee" [
Gen 43:23, &c.], the usual expression of good wishes among friends and acquaintances. It is deemed a sacred duty to give all this form of salutation; and the withholding of it is an unmistakable sign of dislike or secret hostility. The habitual refusal of Joseph's brethren, therefore, to meet him with "the salaam," showed how ill-disposed they were towards him. It is very natural in parents to love the youngest, and feel partial to those who excel in talents or amiableness. But in a family constituted as Jacob's--many children by different mothers--he showed great and criminal indiscretion.
5 THE DREAMS OF JOSEPH. (Gen. 37:5-36)
Joseph dreamed a dream--Dreams in ancient times were much attended to, and hence the dream of Joseph, though but a mere boy, engaged the serious consideration of his family. But this dream was evidently symbolical. The meaning was easily discerned, and, from its being repeated under different emblems, the fulfilment was considered certain (compare
Gen 41:32), whence it was that "his brethren envied him, but his father observed the saying" [
Gen 37:11].
12 his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem--The vale of Shechem was, from the earliest mention of Canaan, blest with extraordinary abundance of water. Therefore did the sons of Jacob go from Hebron to this place, though it must have cost them near twenty hours' travelling--that is, at the shepherd rate, a little more than fifty miles. But the herbage there was so rich and nutritious that they thought it well worth the pains of so long a journey, to the neglect of the grazing district of Hebron [VAN DE VELDE].
13 Israel said, . . . Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem?--Anxious to learn how his sons were doing in their distant encampment, Jacob despatched Joseph; and the youth, accepting the mission with alacrity, left the vale of Hebron, sought them at Shechem, heard of them from a man in "the field" (the wide and richly cultivated plain of Esdraelon), and found that they had left that neighborhood for Dothan, probably being compelled by the detestation in which, from the horrid massacre, their name was held.
17 Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan--Hebrew, Dothaim, or "two wells," recently discovered in the modern "Dothan," situated a few hours' distance from Shechem.
18 when they saw him afar off--on the level grass field, where they were watching their cattle. They could perceive him approaching in the distance from the side of Shechem, or rather, Samaria.
19 Behold, this dreamer cometh--literally, "master of dreams"--a bitterly ironical sneer. Dreams being considered suggestions from above, to make false pretensions to having received one was detested as a species of blasphemy, and in this light Joseph was regarded by his brethren as an artful pretender. They already began to form a plot for Joseph's assassination, from which he was rescued only by the address of Reuben, who suggested that he should rather be cast into one of the wells, which are, and probably were, completely dried up in summer.
23 they stripped Joseph out of his coat . . . of many colors--Imagine him advancing in all the unsuspecting openness of brotherly affection. How astonished and terrified must he have been at the cold reception, the ferocious aspect, the rough usage of his unnatural assailants! A vivid picture of his state of agony and despair was afterwards drawn by themselves (compare
Gen 42:21).
25 they sat down to eat bread--What a view does this exhibit of those hardened profligates! Their common share in this conspiracy is not the only dismal feature in the story. The rapidity, the almost instantaneous manner in which the proposal was followed by their joint resolution, and the cool indifference, or rather the fiendish satisfaction, with which they sat down to regale themselves, is astonishing. It is impossible that mere envy at his dreams, his gaudy dress, or the doting partiality of their common father, could have goaded them on to such a pitch of frenzied resentment or confirmed them in such consummate wickedness. Their hatred to Joseph must have had a far deeper seat. It must have been produced by dislike to his piety and other excellencies, which made his character and conduct a constant censure upon theirs, and on account of which they found that they could never be at ease till they had rid themselves of his hated presence. This was the true solution of the mystery, just as it was in the case of Cain (
1John 3:12).
they lifted up their eyes, . . . and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites--They are called Midianites (
Gen 37:28), and Medanites, in Hebrew (
Gen 37:36), being a travelling caravan composed of a mixed association of Arabians. Those tribes of Northern Arabia had already addicted themselves to commerce, and long did they enjoy a monopoly, the carrying trade being entirely in their hands. Their approach could easily be seen; for, as their road, after crossing the ford from the trans-jordanic district, led along the south side of the mountains of Gilboa, a party seated on the plain of Dothan could trace them and their string of camels in the distance as they proceeded through the broad and gently sloping valley that intervenes. Trading in the produce of Arabia and India, they were in the regular course of traffic on their way to Egypt: and the chief articles of commerce in which this clan dealt were
spicery from India, that is, a species of resinous gum, called storax, balm--"balm of Gilead," the juice of the balsam tree, a native of Arabia-Felix, and myrrh--an Arabic gum of a strong, fragrant smell. For these articles there must have been an enormous demand in Egypt as they were constantly used in the process of embalming.
26 Judah said, . . . What profit is it if we slay our brother?--The sight of these travelling merchants gave a sudden turn to the views of the conspirators; for having no wish to commit a greater degree of crime than was necessary for the accomplishment of their end, they readily approved of Judah's suggestion to dispose of their obnoxious brother as a slave. The proposal, of course, was founded on their knowledge that the Arabian merchants trafficked in slaves; and there is the clearest evidence furnished by the monuments of Egypt that the traders who were in the habit of bringing slaves from the countries through which they passed, found a ready market in the cities of the Nile.
they . . . lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold him--Acting impulsively on Judah's advice, they had their poor victim ready by the time the merchants reached them; and money being no part of their object, they sold him for
twenty pieces of silver--The money was probably in rings or pieces (shekels), and silver is always mentioned in the records of that early age before gold, on account of its rarity. The whole sum, if in shekel weight, did not exceed Ł3.
they brought Joseph into Egypt--There were two routes to Egypt: the one was overland by Hebron, where Jacob dwelt, and by taking which, the fate of his hapless son would likely have reached the paternal ears; the other was directly westward across the country from Dothan to the maritime coast, and in this, the safest and most expeditious way, the merchants carried Joseph to Egypt. Thus did an overruling Providence lead this murderous conclave of brothers, as well as the slave merchants both following their own free courses--to be parties in an act by which He was to work out, in a marvellous manner, the great purposes of His wisdom and goodness towards His ancient Church and people.
29 Reuben returned unto the pit--He seems to have designedly taken a circuitous route, with a view of secretly rescuing the poor lad from a lingering death by starvation. His intentions were excellent, and his feelings no doubt painfully lacerated when he discovered what had been done in his absence. But the thing was of God, who had designed that Joseph's deliverance should be accomplished by other means than his.
31 they took Joseph's coat--The commission of one sin necessarily leads to another to conceal it; and the scheme of deception which the sons of Jacob planned and practised on their aged father was a necessary consequence of the atrocious crime they had perpetrated. What a wonder that their cruel sneer, "thy son's coat," and their forced efforts to comfort him, did not awaken suspicion! But extreme grief, like every other passion, is blind, and Jacob, great as his affliction was, did allow himself to indulge his sorrow more than became one who believed in the government of a supreme and all-wise Disposer.
34 Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins--the common signs of Oriental mourning. A rent is made in the skirt more or less long according to the afflicted feelings of the mourner, and a coarse rough piece of black sackcloth or camel's hair cloth is wound round the waist.
35 and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son--not the earth, for Joseph was supposed to be torn in pieces, but the unknown place--the place of departed souls, where Jacob expected at death to meet his beloved son.