Genesis 37

This chapter introduces Joseph to readers. This makes me ask who is the Joseph we see in Genesis 37? What are his character traits? What are the circumstances around his life? Joseph is 17, a teenager. He is the youngest of 12 sons. He has eleven older brothers and he is the favorite one. His dad loves him the most. He gives Joseph things he never gives the other sons. A very expensive robe made from many colors. This would be like giving your son a new BMW when the rest of your kids are driving Honda accords. Jacob favors Joseph. What effect does this have on Joseph? I wonder if he was arrogant. And his arrogance is really what drove his brothers against him. This makes sense as a product of his favoring and in the dreams. He is having these dreams about how his brothers and parents will one day bow down and serve him. What is more he even tells his brothers about these dreams. This fits with someone who is arrogant and prideful. From this chapter we can infer that Joseph was arrogant, and his brothers hated him for it (v.4). This hatred in their hearts led them to a desire to kill him (v.18). This is why Jesus said to hold hatred in your heart against another is the same as murder. Murder is the fruit of hatred. His brothers would have killed him, if Reuben did not have a conscience. Reuben in a sense, spared Joseph’s life. Instead of killing him, they seized him and threw him into a pit.
How humbling it must have been for Joseph to be thrown into this pit. He believes that one day he will lord over his brothers, and now he is stuck in a pit, while his brothers eat discussing what to do with him. This had to be a gut check for him. He probably feared for his life and felt hatred for his brothers. This is the bottom for Joseph.
Another interesting thing is where is God in all this? The God who of Jacob who has provided for him and walked with him. Where is he in this chapter? It doesn’t mention anything of Joseph being a devout follower of God. It does not mention that he walks with God like it does with other leaders in the OT. I think Joseph knows about God, through his father and the stories of his father wrestling with God and trusting God. But Joseph is not walking with God, himself. He is not trusting God. No, he trusts himself. He is arrogant. Where is God in this chapter? I think God is working behind the scenes to humble Joseph. God is breaking him to make Joseph turn to God for help.