58
WE WILL SEE
WHAT WILL
BECOME OF
HIS DREAMS
GENESIS 37:20, JOSEPH THE DREAMER
T
he second youngest
of Jacob’s 12 sons, and
the patriarch’s favorite,
Joseph is celebrated in Genesis
as a dreamer. Through keeping
faith with the messages of his
divinely inspired dreams, Joseph
rises to become chief adviser to
the Egyptian Pharaoh and brings
his family, destined to found the
12 tribes of Israel, into Egypt.
Joseph’s story is a continuation
of the history of the Israelites’
ancestry, with divine calls and
promises, but God is less obviously
present than in earlier stories. Here,
the emphasis is on the importance
of forgiveness and reconciliation.The meaning of dreams
From a young age, Joseph believes
that his dreams contain messages
about future events. However, hisIN BRIEF
PA S SAGE
Genesis: 37:1–50:26THEME
Dreams and their
interpretationSETTING
2000–1600 bce Canaan and
Egypt.KEY FIGURES
Jacob A patriarch, who is also
called Israel.Joseph Jacob’s favorite son,
born to Rachel.Reuben and Judah Joseph’s
half-brothers.Pharaoh Ruler of Egypt.Potiphar Captain of
Pharaoh’s guard.US_058-061_Joseph_the_Dreamer.indd 58 21/09/17 11:26 am