Scripture Post #1,631: *HATED FOR SHARING*

Genesis 37:8:

"And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words."

Gen. 37:5: "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more."

V. 6: "And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:"

V. 7: "For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf."

V. 8: "And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words."

Joseph was 17 when his father, Israel, favored him and gave him a special coat of many colors. Joseph had 10 older brothers, 1 older sister and 1 younger brother (Benjamin). Joseph was Israel's favorite because he had him in his old age. When Joseph received a special coat from his dad out of favoritism, it angered his older brothers. But when Joseph dreamed, it angered them even more, to the point of pure hatred. 

Joseph dreamed that he and his brothers were tying bundles of grain in the field. And that his bundle of grain stood upright. But his brother's grains bowed down to his grains. This situation was one of complexity:

• Joseph's dream was one of prophecy 
• It symbolized that all his brothers would one day rely on him to save them with grains of food at a time of extreme famine and hunger 
• Joseph probably shared with great excitement which was misinterpreted for boastfulness 
• Joseph was only speaking the truth and was hated for it
• Being the 2nd to youngest child, he perhaps looked up to his older brothers but could never meet their acceptance because of their father's favoritism 
• Another reason Joseph was favored may've been because his mother was Israel's favorite out of the 4 women he had children with 

Originally Published: Wed. 3 • 1 • 17