Genesis 37:19–27; 39:1–2

Bible Studies for Life 
Samford University and Brookwood Baptist Church, Mountain Brook

Overcome Betrayal

Genesis 37:19–27; 39:1–2

Hatred and Jealousy Can Cause Others to Betray Us (37:19–24)

It took Joseph approximately three days to travel from Hebron to Shechem but when he arrived there he learned that his brothers had moved 13 miles north to Dothan. The latter city was another day’s journey. When Joseph came into their range of vision they immediately recognized him from far away due to his colorful garment. At this point the brothers began to make their cruel plans. Reuben had every reason to hesitate over the plot. Blood, especially a brother’s blood, was sacred and not to be spilled. As the eldest of the family, Reuben would be the most answerable for any wrong done to Joseph.

Cisterns were dug into the ground and lined with plaster. Since most of Israel’s rainfall is limited to three or four months of the year, these cisterns collected rainwater and made it available during the long dry spell. It was not at all unusual that during part of the year they were dry. After Joseph is stripped of his status and tossed into the cistern, his brothers sit down comfortably to eat. At this point they showed no signs of guilty consciences.

God is at Work on Our Behalf Even When Others Abandon Us (37:25–27)

The alternation of the names “Ishmaelites” and “Midianites” suggests they were synonymous or overlapping terms. While some have argued against this suggestion, it is in fact settled by Judges 8:24, which says of the Midianites “they had golden earrings, because they were ‘Ishmaelites.’” Many expand on this argument to suggest that “Ishmaelite” had already become less an ethnic designation and more a term like “gypsy” or “Bedouin,” which describes a way of life.

The goods the caravan is transporting were common commodities for trade. Myrrh was imported from southern Arabia and must have come by caravan up the Incense Road, which wound around the west coast of Arabia all the way over to Damascus. 

The 20 shekels sale price was typical for slaves in this period and represents about two years’ wages for a common shepherd. Jacob’s family is well-to-do so the money is of little consequence to the brothers. Furthermore by the time they divided it up among themselves they did not have much to show for their treachery.

People Betray; God Doesn’t (39:1–2)

Potiphar was a high official in Pharoah’s court. His name, which means “he whom Re gives,” occurs occasionally in Egyptian inscriptions from between the seventh and third centuries B.C. We know little else about Potiphar but his historical connections are not important. He is described as captain of the guard or, as some suggest, captain of the bodyguard. Regardless of the exact meaning of his title, the term suggests that he was part of an elite, courageous band of rugged men. The narrative’s focus proceeds immediately to Potiphar’s temptress wife who attempts to cause Joseph to stumble in his faith and convictions.

Joseph found himself in a country and culture he did not know, surrounded by a language he did not understand. The once yearned-for child of Rachel and the favorite son of Jacob had been sold as a common slave. He had come from a rural culture, an unsophisticated people. The changes and adjustments he faced must have been overwhelming. But not only did Joseph adjust to his new circumstance, he flourished in it. 

How does one account for this adaptability? The reason is given and it is a marvelously simple one: the Lord was with Joseph. The Sovereign God of Israel was with Joseph and guiding him through all of his travails. God was the secret of his success. Indeed the Joseph narrative is an exposition of Romans 8:28 that in all things God works for good.