Genesis 37:29-36

Reuben was absent during the sale of Joseph. When he returned and found Joseph missing he felt great distress. Jacob would have held him responsible for Joseph’s safety since Reuben was the oldest of the brothers. Joseph’s brothers covered one sin with another.

"The message accompanying the cloak [Genesis 37:32] has a certain blunt brutality about it. They did not try to soften the blow." [Note: Leupold, 2:973.]

Jacob had deceived his father with the skin of a goat (Genesis 27:16). Now his sons were deceiving him with the blood of a goat (Genesis 37:31).

Had Jacob believed more strongly in God’s revelations in Joseph’s dreams he might not have jumped to the conclusion that Joseph was dead, and his sorrow might not have been as great (cf. 2 Samuel 18:33). Jacob’s fears were groundless, but he did not realize this because he chose in this instance to live by sight rather than by faith.

The Pharaoh referred to (Genesis 37:36) was probably Ammenemes II (1929-1895 B.C.), and the capital of Egypt during this period (the twelveth dynasty) was Memphis. This is where Joseph was taken. Potiphar, as Pharaoh’s bodyguard captain, would have been in charge of the king’s executioners who carried out the capital sentences ordered by Pharaoh. "Potiphar" is a shortened form of Potiphera (Genesis 41:45) meaning "he whom Ra [the sun-god] has given." The meaning of the Hebrew word saris, translated in Genesis 37:36 "officer" or "official," changed in meaning in the first millennium B.C. to "eunuch." [Note: Kitchen, Ancient Orient . . ., pp. 115-66.] Josephus called Potiphar Pharaoh’s chief cook, which may or may not have been correct. [Note: Josephus, 2:4:1. See Magen Broshi, "The Credibility of Josephus," Journal of Jewish Studies 33:1-2 (Spring-Autumn 1982):379-384.]

This chapter is the first of many in the record of Joseph’s experiences that demonstrates God’s ability to cause the wrath of men to praise Him (Psalms 76:10). He can make even bad situations work for the accomplishment of His purposes and for the blessing of His elect (Romans 8:28).

"Envy is the root of almost every sin against our brethren. And whenever it is harbored, there is an end of all peace, rest, and satisfaction. Envy is ’the rottenness of the bones’ (Prov. xiv. 30), and no one can stand against it (Prov. xxvii. 4). ’Where envying is, there is confusion and every evil work’ (James iii. 16)." [Note: Thomas, pp. 361-62.]

"The Genesis account presents Joseph as a very unusual young man, possessed of a strong and sterling character, of a high morality and fidelity to God and his superiors. He was also characterized by gentleness in human relations. Remarkably, Joseph’s spiritual and moral strength does not appear to be based on or related to God’s periodic and direct revelations, as was true of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. Presumably then Jacob must have put a lot of character building truth into the young man’s life at an early time. It does not appear that he could have obtained such information from any other source. If this is the case, Jacob did a much better job with Joseph than with his other sons." [Note: H. Vos, p. 134.]

"They [Joseph’s older brothers] had been brought up under the influence of the old Jacob, while Joseph had been the companion of the changed Jacob or ’Israel.’" [Note: Thomas, p. 355.]

Joseph’s motives are not completely clear in the text. Consequently students of his life have made judgments about his character that are both positive and negative. Most have concluded that he was one of the greatest men in history. [Note: See Thomas Mann’s 1,600-page Joseph and His Brothers.] A few have contested this view and have believed that he was selfish and manipulative. [Note: E.g., Maurice Samuel, Certain People of the Book; idem, "Joseph-The Brilliant Failure," Bible Review 2:1 (Spring 1986):38-51, 68.] I believe the textual evidence favors the former view primarily, though some of his early actions seem to be unwise at best and arrogant at worst.

People who serve faithfully as unto the Lord often experience severe persecution, but God will preserve them so they can fulfill their God-given destiny.