Sold Into Slavery

The Seeds of Jealousy Genesis 37:1-4 The sons of Bilhah, Dan and Naphtali, and Zilpah, Gad and Asher, did something wrong while tending their father’s sheep When Joseph informed their father, their hearts were stirred against him Joseph, Rachel’s firstborn, was Jacob’s favorite Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors His brothers concluded he was loved more and hated him for it and would not speak to him

Joseph’s Dreams Genesis 37:5-11 Joseph had a dream that made them hate him more The sheaves of his brothers bowed down to the sheave of Joseph, which stood erect They concluded he would rule over them Joseph had another dream The sun, moon and stars bowed down to Joseph Jacob kept the matter in his heart

An Opportunity for Revenge Genesis 37:12-22 Jacob sent Joseph to look for his brothers as they tended their father’s sheep near Shechem After a man told him where they went, Joseph found them in Dothan Some wanted to kill him, but Reuben convinced them to throw him in an empty cistern He planned to rescue him and return him safely to their father

Sold By His Brothers Genesis 37:23-36 Stripped of his coat, Joseph was cast into the pit A caravan of Ishmaelites going from Gilead to Egypt was sighted by the brothers Judah suggested they sell Joseph They received 20 shekels of silver They took his coat dipped in goat’s blood to their father Jacob assumed a wild animal had killed him Jacob mourned and would not be comforted Joseph was sold to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh’s guard

Judah’s Marriage to a Canaanite Woman Genesis 38:1-10 Judah married a Canaanite woman and had 3 sons, Er, Onan and Shelah Judah arranged a marriage contract for Er Before Er and Tamar could bear children, God killed Er for wickedness By the law of levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10), Judah gave Tamar to Onan Onan, apparantly to avoid bearing a son to his brother, spilled his semen on the ground and God killed him for this act

Judah’s Adultery with Tamar Genesis 38:11-30 Judah told Tamar to wait until Shelah reached an age for marriage When Judah went to Timnah to shear sheep after the death of his wife, Tamar covered herself with a harlot’s veil When Tamar was found with child, Judah would have burned her if she had not produced the signet ring and staff She bore Perez and Zerah The Lord came from the tribe of Judah