18 March 2022

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. 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.

From Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28, NRSV

In today’s reading we have the beginning of the long and eventful story of Joseph, son of Israel (Jacob). We hear of the favouritism shown towards him by his father and of the resulting envy and hatred of his brothers. Such was their hatred that they decided to get rid of him; first by leaving him to die in a pit and then taking advantage of a passing group of merchants to sell him into slavery. The whole of this long story with its many twists and turns often shows some of the worst traits in people: envy, greed, dishonesty, hatred, greed. Even Joseph, the main character, is a young man with his own flaws. Yet this story is ultimately one about God’s power to redeem and save his people. The nation of Israel was eventually founded because Jacob and his family were saved.

• • What makes this such a popular and memorable story?
  • Does this story have any meaning for us today?

We are given just a short extract of the story here – you may like to read the rest of it from the Book of Genesis.