Study Desk

This is the family history of Jacob: Joseph was a young man, seventeen years old. He and his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives, cared for the flocks. Joseph gave his father bad reports about his brothers.

Since Joseph was born when his father Israel was old, Israel loved him more than his other sons. He made Joseph a special robe with long sleeves.

One time Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more.

His brothers said, "Do you really think you will be king over us? Do you truly think you will rule over us?" His brothers hated him even more because of his dreams and what he had said.

Then Joseph had another dream, and he told his brothers about it also. He said, "Listen, I had another dream. I saw the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me."

Joseph also told his father about this dream, but his father scolded him, saying, "What kind of dream is this? Do you really believe that your mother, your brothers, and I will bow down to you?"

Joseph's brothers were jealous of him, but his father thought about what all these things could mean.

His father said, "Go and see if your brothers and the flocks are all right. Then come back and tell me." So Joseph's father sent him from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph came to Shechem,

The man said, "They have already gone. I heard them say they were going to Dothan." So Joseph went to look for his brothers and found them in Dothan.

Let's kill him and throw his body into one of the wells. We can tell our father that a wild animal killed him. Then we will see what will become of his dreams."

Don't spill any blood. Throw him into this well here in the desert, but don't hurt him!" Reuben planned to save Joseph later and send him back to his father.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they pulled off his robe with long sleeves

Then Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and hide his death?

When Reuben came back to the well and Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes to show he was upset.

Then he went back to his brothers and said, "The boy is not there! What shall I do?"

Then Jacob tore his clothes and put on rough cloth to show that he was upset, and he continued to be sad about his son for a long time.

All of his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he could not be comforted. He said, "I will be sad about my son until the day I die." So Jacob cried for his son Joseph.

About that time, Judah left his brothers and went to stay with a man named Hirah in the town of Adullam.

Judah chose a girl named Tamar to be the wife of his first son Er.

Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Go back to live in your father's house, and don't marry until my young son Shelah grows up." Judah was afraid that Shelah also would die like his brothers. So Tamar returned to her father's home.