1. Jacob's Favoritism and Joseph's Dreams
Jacob loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age. He made Joseph a tunic of many colors. When his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than them, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Joseph had two dreams. In the first, they were binding sheaves in the field, and Joseph's sheaf arose and stood upright, and his brothers' sheaves bowed down to it. In the second, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him. His brothers hated him even more, and his father rebuked him but kept the saying in mind.
2. The Brothers' Conspiracy to Kill Joseph
Joseph's brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. Jacob sent Joseph to see if they were well. Joseph went to Shechem but could not find them. A man told him they had gone to Dothan. Joseph went to Dothan. When his brothers saw him coming, they conspired against him to kill him. They said, "Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!"
3. Reuben's Attempt to Rescue Joseph
Reuben heard their plan and delivered Joseph out of their hands. He said, "Let us not kill him." Reuben said, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him." Reuben intended to rescue Joseph and restore him to his father. When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his tunic of many colors, took him, and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Reuben left, intending to return later to rescue Joseph.
4. Judah's Suggestion to Sell Joseph
While Reuben was absent, Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." His brothers listened. A company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, going to carry them down to Egypt. The brothers pulled Joseph up and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. This fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be betrayed for silver.
5. The Deception of Jacob
Reuben returned to the pit, and Joseph was not there. He tore his clothes and said, "The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?" The brothers took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. They sent the tunic to Jacob, saying, "We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?" Jacob recognized it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces." Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. His children tried to comfort him, but he refused.
6. Joseph's Descent into Egypt
The Midianites (Ishmaelites) brought Joseph into Egypt. He was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. Joseph went from being the beloved son of Jacob to a slave in a foreign land. The descent was physical, emotional, and spiritual. Yet the Lord was with Joseph. This descent is a type of Christ, who, though He was in the form of God, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant. Joseph's slavery points to the humiliation of Christ.
7. The Evil Intent and God's Providence
Joseph later said to his brothers, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to save many people alive." The brothers' intent was evil—jealousy, hatred, murder, greed. But God overruled their evil for His good purposes. The same is true of the crucifixion. The religious leaders meant evil when they handed Jesus over to be crucified. But God meant it for good—to save many people alive. Joseph's sale into slavery was the first step toward his exaltation and the salvation of Egypt and his family.
8. Joseph as a Type of Christ Betrayed for Silver
Joseph was sold by his brothers for twenty pieces of silver. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Both were betrayed by their own people. Both were sold for silver. Both were innocent. Both were condemned unjustly. Both were sent to a foreign land (Joseph to Egypt; Jesus to the realm of death). The parallels are striking and intentional. Joseph's sale points to the betrayal of Christ.
9. Joseph's Slavery as a Type of Christ's Servant Form
Joseph went from being the favored son to a slave. Jesus, the beloved Son of the Father, took the form of a servant. He who was rich became poor. He came not to be served but to serve. Joseph's slavery was temporary; Christ's servanthood was voluntary. Both served faithfully. Joseph served Potiphar; Christ served the Father. Joseph's service led to his exaltation; Christ's obedience led to His exaltation as Lord of all.
10. The Application for Believers Today
The selling of Joseph teaches believers that God is sovereign over evil. What men intend for harm, God intends for good. Believers can trust that even in the darkest circumstances—betrayal, injustice, slavery—God is working out His purposes. Joseph's story also points to Christ. He was betrayed, sold, and sent away. He suffered unjustly. But through His suffering, salvation came. Let every believer trust in the providence of God and look to Jesus, who was betrayed for our sins and exalted for our salvation.
Conclusion
Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. They hated him because of their father's favoritism and his dreams. They conspired to kill him but sold him to Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar. This event, though evil in the brothers' intent, was used by God to preserve many people. It is a powerful type of Christ, who was betrayed for silver, rejected by His own, and sent to save many. Let every believer see the hand of God in the evil of men and trust in the greater Joseph, Jesus Christ.