1. Sold Into Slavery

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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