Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 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... read more
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 37:12-36
2. The sale of Joseph into Egypt 37:12-36Joseph’s brothers met his second recorded visit to them with great antagonism. They plotted to kill him and so render his dreams impossible to fulfill. For practical reasons they decided to sell him and to deceive Jacob into thinking that a wild beast had killed him. In spite of their plan God kept Joseph alive and safe in Egypt. Ironically, by selling Joseph into Egypt his brothers actualized the dreams they sought to subvert. The focus of this pericope... read more