Genesis 37:12-36

2. The sale of Joseph into Egypt 37:12-36

Joseph’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 is deceit, which is a recurring feature of the Jacob and Joseph narratives.