Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
These are the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colours. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
Comment: Isaac is dead and Jacob is now the head of the family which is at the centre of these chapters in the book of Genesis. Rachel, Jacob’s favourite wife died giving birth to the infant Benjamin. Joseph, Rachel’s only adult (17yo) son is spoiled by his doting father. He has a very special coat made for him. Joseph is working with the slave-wives’ children and tittle-tattles on them. Not surprisingly this leads to him being hated by these brothers. Then he has a dream which may have been prophetic or possibly was from self aggrandisement. He then had the audacity to announce, possibly boasted of, his dream. In the dream he saw himself as special. In the hearing thereof his brothers saw him as a boasting stripling, and their hatred of him was increased.
Prayer: Help me to keep humble and truthful. To things through and be wise as I discuss provocative, unsettling things.
As I read it! 