Joseph

Also known as: Jehoseph · Family: Israelites · Role: son of Jacob · First appears: The Favorite Son

Joseph, also called Jehoseph, was Jacob’s favored son and, until seventeen, studied at the Bet ha-Midrash and taught his brothers the Halakot he had learned from his father. Jacob gave him a coat of many colors and recorded his dream, but Joseph’s reports about his brothers’ conduct helped turn them against him; Gad was especially hostile. At Dothan, Simon and Gad raised their hands against him, and his brothers stripped him and cast him into a pit. Reuben had argued against killing him, but the brothers sold Joseph to the Midianites for twenty pieces of silver, and the Ishmaelites later bought him and carried him to Egypt. Joseph concealed that he was Jacob’s son so as not to shame his brothers.

In Egypt, Joseph became the slave of Potiphar, who entrusted him with his household. After Zuleika accused him falsely, Joseph was imprisoned; he remained there for ten years, became overseer, and was later kept for two more years. When summoned before Pharaoh, he interpreted the dreams of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh appointed him second in the land and renamed him Zaphenath-paneah. Joseph stored grain during the plentiful years and provided food during the famine. He married Asenath, who bore Manasseh and Ephraim.

When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for grain, he tested them and required them to return with Benjamin. He later revealed himself: “Behold, I am Joseph your brother!” He reassured them that he held no vengeance, saying, “Now be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve life.” He reunited with Jacob, brought his family to Goshen, and provided for them. At Jacob’s request, Joseph swore to bury him in Canaan and carried out that promise. Joseph ruled Egypt for forty-eight years after Pharaoh left him the crown, then died ten years before his allotted time. Before his death he secured his brothers’ oath to carry his bones to Palestine; the Israelites later buried them in Shechem.