Part Two: Joseph Betrayed

WRITTEN BY DREW MATZ

Finding Hope and Redemption in the Story of Joseph: Part Two

We continue the story of Joseph and his brothers as we explore the relational dynamics of this story.

Joseph Sold

As we explored in part one, Joseph’s brothers have become incensed by his propensity for scandalous dreams. Already jealous of the favoritism shown to him by their father Jacob, his dreams have only served to add fuel to the fire. So, when his brothers were out at pasture, Jacob sends Joseph out to join his brothers and help them shepherd their family’s flock. When they see him approaching, they begin to conspire with one another. Planning to kill him, they eventually decided on simply throwing him into a pit:

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Genesis 37:23-24

When they had thrown Joseph into the pit, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites approaching as they sat down to eat. It is decided among the brothers that it would be preferable for them to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites as they journeyed toward Egypt as opposed to killing their own brother. It is decided that they will sell their brother to them for twenty shekels of silver.

Jacob Deceived

Once Joseph had been sold, the brothers needed to figure out some way to account for Joseph’s disappearance. Having torn away his robe, they decide to cover the robe in the blood of a slaughtered goat and present the robe to their father as evidence of Joseph’s demise at the hands of a fierce animal:

Then they took Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not.” And he identified it and said, “It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

Genesis 37:31-34

Jacob is so distraught over what his sons are telling him that he refuses the comfort that his family offers to him. He falls into a deep depression in mourning for his son.

The Dynamics of Betrayal

In part one we discussed how the dynamics of favoritism and jealousy are always a manifestation of our sinful nature. Contrary to popular belief, the families of the patriarchs would probably be more at home on Maury than Leave it to Beaver. Dysfunction was often the rule, not the exception. Consider this: Joseph’s family consisted of multiple step-mothers, step-siblings, and an all too passive Father who all lived together at once. If that isn’t awkward and unstable, then what is?

This bedrock of dysfunction is often worked out in relationships. The insecurity manifested among the brothers is easily traceable to a lack of structure and leadership within their household itself. The jealousy experienced by Joseph’s brothers is the same jealousy that present in the dynamics between Cain and Abel. The brothers had no foundational security, so the coveting of Joseph’s favored status didn’t motivate them to strive to improve their relationships. Rather, it drove them to become treacherous and murderous toward their own flesh and blood. Even Reuben, who did not appear to endorse the plans of his brothers, still played along with the deception of his Father. Their jealousy usurped any propensity toward virtue.

Without excusing their behavior, it seems Joseph also shares some culpability in the matter. Joseph seems not to have given much thought to the way he came across in his privileged position. His comments and the way in which he would brashly communicate his dreams to his brothers showed little sensitivity for the way it made them feel. After all, Jacob was their father as well. Joseph’s carelessness toward his own brothers only served to reinforce their feelings of insecurity. In fact, they were so blinded by their jealousy of Joseph that they elected to hurt their father as well by selling Joseph out and then lying to him about it, the implications of which will be felt well into the future.