5Now Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they In both vv 5 and 8 “hated him even more” is properly translated, but there is an interesting play on words. The literal Hebrew says, “they added to hate”—the Hebrew word for “added” is the same for the word for Joseph—“they ‘Josephed’ their hate for him.”hated him even more. 6He said to them, “Please listen to [the details of] this dream which I have dreamed; 7we [brothers] were binding sheaves [of grain stalks] in the field, and lo, my sheaf [suddenly] got up and stood upright and remained standing; and behold, your sheaves stood all around my sheaf and bowed down [in respect].” 8His brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Are you really going to rule and govern us as your subjects?” So they hated him even more for [telling them about] his dreams and for his [arrogant] words. Genesis 37:5-8 AMP
We’ve spent the last few weeks looking at Jacob, who we now know as Israel and the experiences that he had with God in his journey from a sheltered momma’s boy, to the patriarch of the nation of Israel. We now transition to his 2nd to youngest, and favorite son Joseph, who is his firstborn son with his 2nd wife Rachel, who was also is favorite wife. Joseph was born into an interesting situation in that there was already alot of discord in the family between Israel’s wives, mistresses, and children of those wives. Joseph being the firstborn of the favorite wife would already have been entitled to alot just based off the fact that Israel would have been more happy, and more inclined to shower Rachel and Joseph with gifts compared to his other wife and children.
3Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a [distinctive] The meaning of this word is uncertain; some sources indicate that it refers to a long-sleeved tunic that reaches the ankles, essentially a light robe. In any case, the tunic was a visible reminder to Joseph’s brothers of their father’s favoritism toward him.multicolored tunic. 4His brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than all of his brothers; so they hated him and could not [find it within themselves to] speak to him on friendly terms.
Genesis 37:3-4 AMP
This sibling rivalry was sparked solely by Israel’s affection towards his favorite son, and the other sons jealously of it. All this anger and resentment continue to boil when Joseph shares his dream in the verses above with his family. Now it is important to remember that dreams have always been interpreted or believed to be a way that God communicates with people.
13“Why do you complain against Him? That He does not answer [you with] all His doings.14For God speaks once, And even twice, yet no one notices it [including you, Job].15In a dream, a vision of the night [one may hear God’s voice],When deep sleep falls on men While slumbering upon the bed,16Then He opens the ears of men And seals their instruction,
Job 33:13-16 AMP
The first dream as mentioned in the main verses was interesting on multiple levels because one could almost assume that Joseph based off of age and favoritism possibly didn’t have the same responsibilities as his brothers, yet here he was including himself in there harvesting activities. Also one could assume that the other brothers based off of age and experience would have been completing more work than he would have been yet, he was distinguishing his own sheave as the one that would take center stage and be honored. Joseph was usurping natural order and authority with this dream, in that he was skipping man’s customs/traditions of the current time in regards to the oldest son of the 1st wife (who was Rueben) receiving the firstborn blessing. HOWEVER, if these men understood anything about God and how he had operated in the life of their own father Israel, they would have seen that God had in fact overruled man’s traditions and blessed Israel rather than Esau. If you combine that God operates outside of man’s customs, and that he can speak through dreams, then one could have realize or accepted that God was in fact at work in this situation…..if you can overcome pride, ego, jealousy, and a strict adherence to customs/tradition. I believe that Joseph’s brothers hated or disliked everything that Joseph did, and this dream was another thing in a list that their father’s favorite did just to spite them. It would also be hard for them to believe that Israel’s 2nd youngest son could skip 10 of his older siblings in hierarchy for the firstborn blessing. On the other hand, it’s possible they felt like their father loved Joseph enough to give him the blessing over the rest of them and this was a painful indicator that now Joseph even believed that as evidence of his “dream.”
Reflection Time
Do you believe that God can or does speak to YOU through dreams? Are all dreams an indicator of something that is going to happen, or something that God desires to do in your life, or others? Was Joseph wrong for sharing his dream his with his brothers? Was Joseph’s brothers wrong for getting mad at Joseph when he revealed his dream to them? Have you ever shared something that you believed that God had told to you to others and it cause animosity or strife between you all?
