Genesis 37:1-121And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. 4And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. 5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. 12And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. (Genesis 37:1‑12)
There were twelve sons in Jacob’s family: the two youngest were Joseph and Benjamin, who stayed with the father; but the ten oldest had charge of the large docks and herds, often keeping them on lands some distance from the home at Hebron. They were grown men at this time and very rough and evil in their lives, caring not to honor God or for the wishes of their father.
When Joseph helped his brothers with the care of the flocks, he saw their evil ways and told his father of them. It was right for Joseph to tell his father, but it made his brothers hate him, and they would not speak well to him. They also envied Joseph because they knew their father loved hint very much and had given him a line coat, made in many colors. Such a coat was different from what the others had, and better, and was it mark of special favor.
Then Joseph had two dreams which angered them-still more; and we next read how wickedly they treated him and what they did to his coat. Do you know how old Joseph was at this time? If not, read verse 2 of our chapter.
Below are the names of Jacob’s twelve sons; Some are very easy, although some are hard. Learn all of them if you can, as they are used many times after this in the books of the Old Testament, and all are in the New Testament, except one. Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Levi, Judah, Gad, Asher, Is-sa-char„ Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin.
ML 09/27/1936