Genesis 37

Being a teacher means handling constant disagreements among students and one thing I find myself repeating each time I have to settle another dispute is:

“Don’t blame everything on the other person alright? It takes two to make a quarrel.”

Truly, more often than not, when we examine a problem, we realise that it is the fault of not one but both parties. In the case we are looking at today, it’s more a matter of three parties being responsible for a rather tragic family feud.

Let’s read on and see if you agree with me.

Bible Passage:  Genesis 37

What do you think? Here’s why I said all three parties are at fault.

No reason enough for hatred

But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.  (Gen 37:4)

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. (Gen 37:5)

And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. (Gen 37:8)

The brothers of Joseph are often the ones, mostly if not fully, blamed for the familial disagreement and it is undeniable that they were the ones who sold Joseph to Egypt.

While we should be fair and take into consideration that they did have reasons to dislike Joseph, we should also be clear that their ultimate fault was in hating him despite being brothers.

This is a clear indicator to us, especially in the big family of the church where such diverse people come together. No matter what reasons we may have, there is no reason enough for hating our brethren and we should always check ourselves lest we fall in the path of Joseph’s brothers.

Remember what the Bible says:

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. (1 John 2:9)

Favouritism = dissension

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colours. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.  (Gen 73:3-4)

As mentioned earlier, the brothers of Joseph did have reasons enough to dislike him and one of it is Israel’s (Jacob’s) favouritism.

It is unavoidable that we like some people more than others but showing preferential treatment because of this is something that should be avoided at all costs for we see from the Bible as well as the events around us that favouritism can only end in dissension and tragedy. Again, this requires us to check ourselves and be honest as well as cognisant in our interaction with people.

Some things can be left unsaid

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. (Gen 37:5)

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” (Gen 37:9-10)

What about poor, innocent Joseph? Surely he was not at fault?

Well, I have to say for a young man of seventeen, Joseph is rather tactless. Was it really necessary for him to blurt out everything? Especially since his brothers must have made it pretty clear they were not exactly fans of his. Did he think that telling them his dreams would make them like him?

This is also something we should learn.

There are things that we can leave unsaid. If what we want to say will not edify or benefit others, maybe it shouldn’t be said after all.