The Story of Joseph (2): Genesis 37:12-24

Joseph’s ten older brothers were shepherds. That means that they took care of sheep on the hills and fields of the country. One day they were gone from home a long time. Jacob became worried.

“Joseph,” he called, “your brothers usually go to Shechem to feed the sheep. Go to them and see if everything is well.”

Joseph was proud to help his father. He put on the coat of many colors. Quickly he walked and walked until he came near the city of Shechem. He hurried to the field where his brothers usually went. He couldn’t wait to see them! Maybe they would treat him nice for once. He would try not to say anything to make them angry.

But his brothers weren’t there! Where did they go? They could be almost anywhere! He had no time to check all over. His father would worry!

Suddenly he heard a voice. There was a man coming toward him. “What are you looking for?”

“I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph answered. “Can you tell me where they went with their sheep?”

“Yes, I can,” the man said. “They have left. I heard them say they were going to go to Dothan.”

Dothan! That was another long, long walk. But Joseph didn’t quit. His father had asked him to find his brothers, and so he was going to! His brothers would be happy to see him, too. And so, on he walked.

Joseph’s brothers saw him coming even before he saw them. But, no, they were not happy to see him. They only hated him.

“There comes that dreamer!” said one of the ten brothers.

“Maybe he has another dream to tell us about,” said another brother angrily. “I have an idea! Why don’t we kill him and throw him in that hole. Then we will tell our father that a wild animal killed him.”

Joseph’s brothers’ hearts got harder as they ignored his cries.

“Yes, let’s do that!” cried another brother. “Then let’s see what happens to his dreams! Then they can’t come true. We can’t bow down to him then!”

But Reuben didn’t like that idea. He was Joseph’s oldest brother, and he was more kind. He knew how sad his father would be.

“No, boys,” Reuben said. “Lef s not kill him. Just throw him in this hole and leave him there.”

Wasn’t that mean, too? Was Reuben really so nice after all?

It sounds means, but Reuben had another plan, a secret plan. When the men put Joseph in the pit, he was going to sneak back later and get him out!

“Judah, Simeon!” called Joseph as he came running up. “I am so glad to see all of you! I went to Shechem, but you weren’t there, and then a man told me to go to Dothan! I got so worried!”

But something was wrong. His brothers were not smiling! They looked very angry.

“What’s wrong?” Joseph asked. “Why are you taking off my coat? That’s my beautiful coat of many colors, you know. Father gave it to me.”

But the brothers didn’t listen to poor Joseph. And before he could get away, they threw him into a big hole!

“Oh, please take me out of here!” cried Joseph. “Please, Judah! Simeon! It’s cold and dark down here. Father will wonder what happened to me!”

But the brothers didn’t listen to him. In fact, they sat down to eat!

I wonder how the brothers could eat. Do you think they prayed when they sat down? I don’t think so. I don’t think they thought about the God of their father. They kept hearing Joseph. He cried, begged, and called, but no one listened to him. They were probably laughing and telling stories while they ate. And poor Joseph cried to them for help, but they didn’t listen.

We might say that the boys had “hard hearts.” Many people today have hard hearts. They are hard because they are like ice. They can’t feel. They are too cold. They cannot cry because of their sins. They cannot feel anything when they go to church. Did you know that we never leave church the same way as we came in? We always leave church either harder or softer.

And Joseph’s brothers’ hearts got harder as they ignored his cries.

— SW

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