Traits to Avoid

“Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age, and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him” (Genesis 37:3‑4, scriptures from NIV).

— John Trzeciak

Giving in to hatred became the poison Joseph’s older brothers drank while plotting to put Joseph out of their family. They demonstrated the sinful qualities of disrespect, jealousy, deception, greed, and lack of genuine love that would forever change them and their legacy.

Disrespect

One day, Joseph stayed home with his father while his brothers tended the flocks near Shechem. Jacob had no news from his sons. Worried about their fate, Jacob sent Joseph to find them and bring news. When Joseph found his brothers, he was likely overjoyed to find them safe and well. However, his brothers did not feel the same toward him. “Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him. ‘Here comes that dreamer!’ they said to one another. ‘Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him’” (Genesis 37:18‑20).

The brothers were overwhelmed with jealousy and hatred toward their younger brother, throwing Joseph into a dry well. Applying animal blood to Joseph’s “ornate robe” that their father made from love for him, the brothers intended to deceive Jacob into believing a beast had killed Joseph. We can only imagine the sorrow Jacob would have felt when told his beloved son was dead. How could Joseph’s brothers cause such agony to their father in his old age? It was a terrible demonstration of disrespect, not only toward their father but toward God as well, the protector of their families.

While the brothers did not end up killing Joseph, they did banish him by selling him as a slave to Midianite merchants. The Midianites were a nomadic tribe descended from Midian, a son of Abraham and Keturah. This group then sold Joseph as a slave into Egypt.

Hate

The brother’s sins were born out of their hatred toward Joseph. Hatred is often caused by envy (wanting what the other person has) and contempt (believing another person to be inferior). Someone who hates often discredits or devalues a situation or an individual to bring recognition to themselves. Joseph’s brothers allowed hatred and jealousy to grow in their hearts.

Genesis 37 also details Joseph’s two dreams that angered his brothers. They interpreted his dreams as a prophecy they would someday bow to him. They were offended, which added to their intense feelings toward him. The Apostle John describes the deep ditch they were falling into: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

The Greek word for “sin” is hamartia, an archery term for “missing the mark.” Sin is not only making an error in judgment but also missing the whole point of human life. It is not only a violation of law but an insult to a relationship with God. Sin is not just a servant’s failure to carry out a master’s orders, but the ingratitude of a child to their parent and their heavenly Father. Joseph’s brothers certainly missed the mark in all these ways.

Jealousy

Jealousy can produce various demeaning character traits, leading to hatred. When we become “jealous,” we envy what others own. This kind of jealousy is a sin and must not be part of the character of a true Christian. Allowing jealousy to grow in the heart demonstrates its control by our fleshly desires (1 Corinthians 3:3). “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (Galatians 5:26). In the case of Joseph’s brothers, their jealousy removed any love they may have had for Joseph from their hearts.

Jealousy also prevented the older brothers from demonstrating more wisdom, understanding, and love for their father. Jacob loved his sons, but jealousy led them to usurp their father’s authority. Their jealousy was so intense that it bound them together for the next twenty years as they maintained their terrible secret.

Deception

Deception is the act of causing someone to believe that something false is true. The brothers deceived Joseph and their father, Jacob, and in the process, they sinned against their heavenly Father. Sin has its consequences, and the family would never be the same.

How may we apply this lesson to ourselves? Do we have pure thoughts? Do we stop ourselves before our impure thoughts turn into deceptive practices? Do we strive to walk in the light of God’s word and submit to His corrections along the way? The example of Joseph’s brothers warns us that the way we relate to our family is an important indicator of our Christian walk.

The scriptures contain several other accounts of deception within a family and its consequences. The word “deceive” appears 67 times; other examples of deception include:
(1) Jacob deceived his father, Isaac (Genesis 27).
(2) Delilah deceived Samson into revealing his secret (Judges 16).
(3) The serpent deceived Eve to eat the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3).

Deception is sometimes driven by jealousy. The desire for worldly goods often drives the worldly‑minded society around us (Revelation 18:1‑4). We must not let our flesh drive us to participate in this sin; it is a deception and a violation of the tenth commandment: “Thou shalt not covet” (Exodus 20:17).

Rather, we should celebrate the blessings of others as from God. If Joseph’s brothers had celebrated Joseph’s favor as a blessing from their heavenly Father, they would have never thought to hurt Joseph or to deceive Jacob. The lesson for us is to put away the works of the flesh and instead show compassion, understanding, and love. Greed and jealousy are cruel, hurtful, and as cruel as the grave (Song of Solomon 8:6).

Greed

In a moment of compassion, Judah asked his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother and covering up his death? Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites. Let’s not hurt him because he is our brother, our own flesh and blood” (Genesis 37:26‑27).

His brothers listened to Judah and agreed to sell him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver (Gen 37:28). The silver may teach us lessons. Silver in the Bible symbolizes:
(1) Redemption and salvation (Matthew 26:15, Zechariah 11:12‑13).
(2) Wealth and prosperity (Genesis 13:2, Proverbs 3:14‑15).
(3) Purity and holiness (Exodus 26:19, Numbers 7:13).

Forgiveness

Joseph’s ultimate forgiveness of his brothers is the beautiful result of the goodness of character developed in his heart despite his many difficult experiences. The forgiveness of his brothers coincided with their bringing Benjamin, their youngest brother to Egypt.

Benjamin (Hebrew: Binyamin, “Son of [the] right [hand]”) was the twelfth born and youngest son in Jacob’s family, born to Rachel, making him the full brother of Joseph. Unlike Joseph, Benjamin was born in Canaan and is the progenitor of the Tribe of Benjamin.

The land of Canaan is the area God promised to Abraham and his descendants. This was their sworn inheritance as God’s chosen people: “The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:8), “A land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:17, Numbers 13:27, Amos 3:2).

Joseph blessed his brother Benjamin with greater portions than his other brothers. Perhaps this is a foretaste of how God not only blesses the firstborn of His creation but how He will bless Israel and the world of mankind as well.

After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers feared that Joseph would take revenge on them for their prior behavior. Pre‑empting Joseph, they begged for forgiveness by claiming a request by their father before he died (Genesis 50:16‑17). Joseph was deeply saddened and wept over their appeal.

Revenge was surely the last thing on Joseph’s mind. Instead, he told them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:19‑20).

Forgiveness is intentionally letting go of resentment and anger. The forgiveness of his brothers was Joseph’s greatest achievement and his legacy to his children and to us.

In the sins of Joseph’s brothers, we see an unchecked sibling rivalry. We see a strong father‑son relationship. We see Joseph demonstrating faith by submitting to God’s authority. We see God’s power and providence in developing Israel as a great nation by principles we must take to heart.

Jesus taught us a very important lesson about love in John 13:34 that was certainly reflected in Joseph’s experiences. We are called to forgive those who offend us. We are called to see our struggles as part of God’s individualized plan for us, to learn how to serve others and thereby bring Him honor and glory. Loving one another, especially our brethren, is an essential character quality we must initiate and nurture.

Genuine Love

Genuine love is strong, sincere, and realistic. It brings a lasting and deep affection that involves mutual regard, understanding, and forgiveness. In the beginning, Joseph’s brothers were so enraged and consumed with jealousy and hatred that they could not see the beautiful, loving family within their reach. They would eventually learn the consequences of their sin. We pray that compassion and love will always be the priority in our decisions. Love always wins in God’s due time.

Conclusion

The sins of Joseph’s brothers are a cautionary tale, a warning against sin’s destructive power. They coveted their father’s favor and descended into hatred for Joseph. Joseph’s story can be our story; he recognized the favor of his heavenly Father and showed us the constructive power of integrity, compassion, and love as the path God has appointed for us through our own struggle.

Let us follow Jesus’ example, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). To God be the Glory.