Joseph - the Dreamer

Joseph, the Dreamer

(A Synopsis and Reaction Paper)

Joseph was loved by Jacob, his father, more than all his siblings because he was the son of old age. Once, his father made him a coat of many colors arousing the jealousy and hatred of his brethren as they knew that he was treasured more than all of them.

Joseph dreamed dreams about him being superior among the siblings and told it to them, adding up fuel to the fire.

One day,Jacob, desiring to hear tidings of his sons, who had gone toShechem with their flocks, sentJoseph as his messenger to make inquiry regarding them. As soon as his brothers saw him coming, they began to plot againsthim, and would have killed him had not Reuben interposed. Theysold him to a company of Ishmaelite merchants fortwenty pieces (shekels) of silver. Thesemerchants were going down with a varied assortment ofmerchandise to the Egyptian market, and there they conveyed him; they sold him as a slave to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's and captain of the guard. The Lordblessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake, and Potipharmade him overseer over his house.

At length, a false chargehaving been brought against him by Potiphar's wife; he was at once cast into the state prison where he remained forat least two years. After a while the chief of the cupbearers and the chief of the bakers of Pharaoh's household were castinto the same prison. Each dreameda dream in the same night, which Joseph interpreted, the event occurring as he had said.

This led to Joseph's being remembered subsequently by thechief butler when Pharaoh also dreamed. At his suggestion, Josephwas brought from prison to interpret the king's dreams. Pharaohwas well pleased with Joseph's wisdom in interpreting hisdreams, and with his counsel with reference to the events then predicted; and he set him over all the land of Egypt.During this period of famine, Joseph's brethren also came downto Egypt to buy corn. The history of his dealings with them, andof the manner in which he at length made himself known to them, is one of the most interesting narratives that can be read in the Bible (Gen. 42-45).

Joseph directed his brethren to return and bring Jacoband his family to the land of Egypt, saying, "I will give youthe good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of theland. Regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land isyours." Accordingly Jacob and his family, to the number ofthreescore and ten souls, together with "all that they had,"went down to Egypt. They were settled in the land of Goshen,where Joseph met his father, and "fell on his neck, and wept onhis neck a good while" (Gen. 46:29).

REACTION:

Bitterness.Loneliness. These are difficult enemies all of us today