Genesis 37 Commentary

Genesis 37 Commentary

The LORD God communicated to Joseph’s great-grandfather (Abraham) via dreams. Chapter 15. Joseph’s father, Jacob, received messages from the LORD God through dreams. (Of course, God spoke to Abraham in many other different ways)

We can immediately tell the LORD God has communicated to young Joseph through dreams. But Joseph is young so the message is packaged in easy-to-understand graphics. The message isn’t different from what the LORD God communicated to Jacob several years earlier.

Joseph’s brothers react in anger and bitterness, but Jacob won’t let anger cloud the core message. Jacob “keeps the matter in mind.” Probably Jacob knows what is going on here. His own blessing made his brother Esau mad.

“Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.” 27v29b

The LORD God has made His choice! Joseph is the LORD’s choice. We shall read the rest of Jacob’s account with this in mind.

Jacob’s polygamous marriage means children from the 4 mothers won’t easily get along. Things get worse when Jacob decides to love one more than the rest. The rest unite in their hatred of the one – Joseph.

Things reach a breaking point when the LORD God singles out the same son for a special status.

Joseph must die. There are no two ways about it. The brothers quickly plot his killing and weak Reuben won’t do anything about it. Of course, his plan to rescue Joseph isn’t strong enough. He needs to be bold enough and stop his murderous brothers. His decision was going to be respected but Reuben is weak and won’t be straight about his godly intention.

But Judah isn’t Reuben. He is a decision-maker. He is strong enough to dissuade his angry brothers from murder. A less harsh punishment sees Joseph sold as a slave.

Jacob must swallow his own medicine. His children deceive him – the deception that he passed on to them! Jacob holds a funeral. The LORD God knows Joseph isn’t dead but won’t say a word. Let life flow unperturbed. Let mourning Jacob mourn. He will speak, but not now.

Indeed, the dreams come to nothing, so the brothers think. But the LORD God loves living on the edge! Sarah’s dead womb, and now Joseph’s “death”; the LORD God thrives on such impossible planning! The events are real but always painful to ponder. The loss of a son isn’t equivalent to reporting a lost smart phone!

For now, Jacob must live with this loss. The LORD God knows the truth. Jacob’s sons also know the truth. Deception at play; deception at full throttle; deception as a teaching aid – we can all see who is smiling! But the LORD God has it all covered perfectly!

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