The Story of Joseph of Egypt (Son of Jacob) in The Bible

Joseph of Egypt was an iconic figure of the Old Testament, known for his prophetic dreams and his unshakable trust in God. Born into a family of thirteen brothers and being the favorite of his father, Jacob, Joseph soon aroused the wrath and envy of his brothers, resulting in an incredible life saga that took him from the depths of a pit to the grandeur of Egyptian power.

Joseph's talent for interpreting dreams began his impressive journey, first as a slave sold by his own brothers, and later as a prisoner wrongfully accused. Through these adversities, Joseph stands out; his unshakable faith in God and his incorruptible character lead him to a surprising awakening of prosperity and power in Egypt.

The story of Joseph of Egypt shows the virtue of perseverance, the importance of trust in God, and the power of forgiveness. It tells the story of a man who, despite all obstacles, never lost his faith, and whose life exemplifies the truth that God can transform the darkest circumstances into shining light. The life of Joseph is an exciting journey of faith, full of valuable lessons that resonate to this day.

Birth and Rivalry with His Brothers

Of all thirteen sons of Jacob, Joseph was one of the youngest. The Bible states that Joseph was, in fact, Jacob's favorite son, to the point of gifting him with a beautiful robe, a valuable item in antiquity. His brothers envied him because they saw that Jacob treated him in a special way.

In addition to being a talented young man, skilled in writing and arithmetic, God granted Joseph the ability to have prophetic dreams that revealed a distant future. Jacob had two significant dreams mentioned in the Bible, in the book of Genesis, chapter 37.

Joseph dreamed that he and his brothers were binding sheaves of wheat in the field. However, the sheaves of his brothers bowed down before Joseph's sheaf (Genesis 37:5-7). In the second dream, he saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down before him (Genesis 37:9-10).

For all his brothers, this was an affront; how could such a young son be greater than the others? How could a young man reign over his own parents? Everything was a mystery, which even left Jacob pondering such things.

See also: Who Were The 12 Tribes of Israel In The Bible (And Their Meanings)

Joseph Sold into Slavery to Egyptians

Carrying the animosity of his various brothers, Joseph was in danger. One time, his brothers were working in the field, and his father, Jacob, asked him to find them. Having been spotted on the way, his brothers planned to kill him, mocking his visions.

The only brother who still cared for him was Reuben, who advised the others not to kill him but to just throw him into a pit.

So they did; they waited for him to arrive, grabbed him, and tore off the beautiful robe that his father had given him, then threw him into an empty pit. Joseph remained in the pit for some time, as his brothers sat down to eat.

When the group saw a caravan of Ishmaelites, Judah thought it would be better to sell their brother than to kill him, as they would still profit from him. Thus, they sold their brother to the Ishmaelites, who in turn sold Joseph to Potiphar, the official of Pharaoh of Egypt and captain of the guard.

Reuben, who saved Joseph's life, was away from the group when they sold their younger brother. When he returned to the pit to rescue him, he saw that he had come back too late, and Joseph was no longer there. He mourned deeply (Genesis 37:29-30).

The brothers also devised a grand excuse; they took Joseph's robe, stained it with animal blood, and returned it to Jacob. When the father saw that it was the robe of his beloved son Joseph, he fell into deep mourning, to the point that no one could console him.

The Blessing upon Joseph and the Temptation by Potiphar's Wife

After Potiphar bought Joseph, he put him to work in his house. Everything that Joseph did prospered, to the point that he lived in Potiphar's house, granting him the administration of the entire household and later the management of all his land.

As Joseph was blessed by God and was handsome in appearance, over time Potiphar's wife became attracted to the young man. One day, she invited him to lie with her, but Joseph responded:

And although the woman sought him and insisted on this sin, Joseph continually refused and avoided her wherever he went.

Until one day, seeing that no other servant was in the house besides Joseph, Potiphar's wife approached Joseph, grabbed him, and insisted once again that they be together. At that moment, Joseph escaped from her and fled the house, leaving his cloak behind. The woman then took the cloak and told the servants and her husband that Joseph had assaulted her.

After that, Potiphar ordered that Joseph be imprisoned. However, in prison, God continued to bless him, granting him the favor of the jailer. This jailer, seeing that Joseph was special, gave him the position of chief of the prisoners, making him responsible for everything that happened there.

Joseph Interprets the Dreams of Two Prisoners

While Joseph was still in prison, two new prisoners were sent there by Pharaoh himself. They were the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.

The two new prisoners had mysterious dreams that they could not understand. Seeing this situation, Joseph told them to share their dreams. Joseph listened to them and gave each dream its interpretation, showing that the chief cupbearer would return to his position of honor beside the king. On the other hand, he foretold that the chief baker would be hanged on a tree.

The only thing Joseph asked of the chief cupbearer was to remember him and to advocate for him before Pharaoh, since he was innocent. Besides having been taken forcibly to Egypt, he was also falsely accused by Potiphar's wife. And despite this request, the chief cupbearer forgot about Joseph.

Joseph Meets Pharaoh and Interprets His Dream

Later on, Pharaoh began to have strange dreams. He called all the magicians and wise men of Egypt, but no one could tell him what his dreams meant. It was at this moment that the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph, who was summoned into Pharaoh's presence.

Joseph quickly prepared to see the king of Egypt and hear his dreams. The Bible says in Genesis 47 that Pharaoh was astonished by Joseph's ability, as he gave an exact interpretation of his dreams. The dreams indicated that Egypt would go through a great period of famine.

Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint a governor, someone who could coordinate and supervise the land's production so that Egypt could build a large stockpile to avoid hunger in the future.

In light of such good advice and seeing that the Lord was with Joseph, Pharaoh placed him in the position of governor of Egypt, the most powerful man in that place, second only to Pharaoh himself.

Joseph's life changed completely from that moment on, living in luxury, wearing fine linen, a gold chain, and Pharaoh's signet ring. He was also given a wife, the daughter of a priest.

Joseph Reunites with His Brothers

In light of the famine predicted by Joseph, Jacob sent ten of his sons down to Egypt to buy grain to survive. Benjamin, however, stayed with their father.

When Jacob's sons arrived in Egypt, Joseph encountered them. The new governor recognized them, but the brothers did not recognize Joseph. Thus, Joseph manipulated them so that they would fetch Benjamin in order for one of them to be released from prison (Genesis 42:15-16).

On their return to Canaan, Joseph ordered that they fill their donkeys with grain and returned the silver they used to pay. Because of this, the brothers thought they would be accused again of causing trouble in Egypt. Therefore, they returned to Egypt with Benjamin, gifts, all the silver they received back, and even double, out of fear of Joseph.

But upon arriving in Egypt again, they were warmly welcomed, receiving a grand lunch at Joseph's house. He, in turn, was very emotional to reunite with his younger brother, Benjamin, and had to leave the room to cry. Until then, none of the brothers had recognized Joseph.

Joseph Reveals His Identity

After yet another trick to deceive his brothers, making them promise Benjamin as a slave, Joseph reveals the truth to his brothers! They were astonished by this news and by what God had done through Joseph's life.

Thus, Joseph instructs that Jacob move to Egypt, away from the famine. Pharaoh himself intervenes in Joseph's actions, assisting them in their immigration from Canaan to Egypt. Chariots, provisions, and land were provided for them to settle. Jacob heard the entire story, and his spirit was revived.

When Jacob arrived in Egypt, Joseph ran to him, embraced him, and cried tears of joy. Jacob was also very joyful, to the point of saying he could die in peace. Jacob was taken to meet Pharaoh and then received the best land in Egypt.

The famine spread strongly, and Joseph was shrewd in administering Egypt. He sold the stored grain in exchange for all the silver, all the livestock, all the land, and all the people, making Pharaoh even more powerful than he already was.

The Death of Joseph

Time passed, and Jacob was about to die. He blessed all his sons and was buried, embalmed, and placed in a sarcophagus in Egypt (just as was done with Egyptian leaders). Before dying, the governor of Egypt said his last words to his brothers:

Joseph died in peace at the age of 110.

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