About 1898 BC (About 3,900 years ago)
Joseph, who was one of Jacob’s twelve sons, was his father’s favorite. To show this special affection, Jacob gave him an ornate robe -- a coat of many colors, which made his brothers jealous (Genesis 37). Joseph also had prophetic dreams that foretold that he one day would rule over his brothers, which added to their resentment of him.
And so, his brothers plotted against him and sold him to a caravan of traders who were traveling to Egypt. The brothers then deceived their father, Jacob, into believing that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.
The traders sold Joseph in Egypt as a slave. But, Joseph later rose to prominence, becoming the second-in-command to Pharaoh, after interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams about an upcoming famine (Genesis 41).
When the famine struck, Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt to buy grain, unaware that their long-lost brother was the one they were dealing with. Joseph tested them to see if they had changed, accusing them of being spies and demanding that they bring their youngest brother, Benjamin (Genesis 42–44).
When Joseph saw that his brothers were willing to sacrifice themselves to protect Benjamin, he revealed his identity and forgave them (Genesis 45). He assured them that, even though they had meant to do harm against him, God had used the event to accomplish something good -- to save many lives.
Afterward, all of the Israelites left Canaan and came to Egypt, where Joseph ensured their survival during the famine (Genesis 46–50). This event ultimately led to the Israelites settling in Egypt, where they later became enslaved, setting the stage for the Exodus under Moses.
Joseph and his brothers are the fathers of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The tribes are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.
Next: Israelites leave Canaan and take refuge in Egypt during time of famine
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