Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob and the firstborn of Rachel, was an important figure in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). His life story can be found in the book of Genesis, chapters 37 through 50. The name “Joseph” is derived from the Hebrew name “Yosef,” which means “he will add” or “may God increase.”
Early Life of Joseph
Joseph was born in Paddan-Aram (modern-day Syria) to Jacob and his wife, Rachel (Genesis 30:22-24). As the firstborn son of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, Joseph was the object of his father’s special affection, which caused resentment among his elder half-brothers. To display his favoritism, Jacob gave Joseph a royal coat (Genesis 37:3-4), which further exacerbated the tensions between him and his siblings.
Joseph’s Dreams
As a young man, Joseph had a series of prophetic dreams that foretold his future greatness. In one dream, he saw sheaves of wheat bowing down to his own sheaf (Genesis 37:5-8), and in another, he saw the sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him (Genesis 37:9-11). When he shared these dreams with his family, it fueled their jealousy and resentment even further.
Joseph Sold into Slavery
One day, when Joseph was sent by his father to check on his brothers as they tended the flocks, they seized the opportunity to get rid of him. They stripped him of his coat, threw him into a pit, and sold him to a group of Midianite traders who were traveling to Egypt (Genesis 37:12-28). Once in Egypt, Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard (Genesis 37:36).
Joseph in Potiphar’sHouse
Joseph’s time in Potiphar’s household was marked by his ability to interpret dreams and his unwavering faith in God. He quickly gained the trust of his master, who eventually put him in charge of all his affairs (Genesis 39:1-6). However, Joseph was falsely accused of misconduct by Potipar’s wife and thrown into prison (Genesis 39:7-20).
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
In prison, Joseph continued to interpret dreams, including those of two of Pharaoh’s officials (Genesis 40). Eventually, Pharaoh himself experienced troubling dreams and, having heard of Joseph’s gift, summoned him to interpret them (Genesis 41:1-14). Joseph successfully interpreted the dreams as a warning of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh was so impressed by Joseph’s wisdom that he appointed him as governor of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself (Genesis 41:37-45).
Famine and Reunion with Family
During the seven years of famine, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy grain. They did not recognize him, but Joseph recognized them and put them through a series of tests to see if they had changed (Genesis 42-44). Eventually, Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers and forgave them for their past actions (Genesis 45). Joseph then invited his father, Jacob, and his entire family to live in Egypt, where they were reunited and provided for during the remainder of the famine (Genesis 45-46).
Death of Joseph
Joseph lived in Egypt for 110 years (Genesis 50:22). Before his death, he asked his brothers to promise that they would carry his bones back to Canaan when God led the Israelites out of Egypt (Genesis 50:24-25). Joseph died and was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50:26).
Exodus from Egypt and Joseph’s Bones
As promised, when the Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus, Moses took Joseph’s bones with them (Exodus 13:19). They carried his remains throughout their wanderings in the wilderness. Eventually, when the Israelites entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, they buried Joseph’s bones in Shechem, in the parcel of ground that Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor (Joshua 24:32).
Extrabiblical References to Joseph
Joseph is also mentioned in Islamic tradition, where he is considered a prophet. His story is recounted in the Quran in the twelfth chapter, which is named “Yusuf” after him.