Joseph: The Dreamer Who Forgave

Aaron Abel Abigail Abihail Abner Abraham Abram Adam Ahinoam Amos Andrew Anna Asa Athaliah Azubah Barak Barnabas Bartholomew Bathsheba Benjamin Berenice Bilhah Cain Caleb Chloe Claudia Dan Daniel David Deborah Delilah Dinah Drusilla Eleazar Eli Elijah Elisabeth Elisha Enoch Ephraim Esau Esther Eve Ezekiel Gabriel Gideon Hannah Hezekiah Hosea Isaac Isaiah Jacob Jael James Japheth Jason Jedidah Jemimah Jeremiah Jesse Jesus Jethro Joanna Joel John Jonah Jonathan Joseph Joshua Judith Keturah Leah Levi Luke Lydia Magdalene Mahalath Malachi Mara Mark Martha Mary Matthew Matthias Meshach Micah Michael Michal Miriam Mordecai Moses Naomi Nathan Nathanael Noah Orpah Paul Peter Philip Priscilla Rachel Rebecca Rueben Ruth Salome Samson Samuel Sarah Saul Seth Shem Silas Simeon Simon Solomon Stephen Tabitha Tamar Thomas Timothy Uriah Zachariah Zebedee Zechariah Zedekiah Zephaniah Zilpah Zipporah

The desert wind blew softly over the tents of Jacob, who was now called Israel. He had twelve sons, strong and full of energy, each with his own mind and temper. But among them all, one stood out — Joseph, the eleventh son, born to Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel.

Joseph had bright eyes, a curious mind, and a heart full of dreams. While his brothers were rough and loud, Joseph loved stories, learning, and listening. His father adored him — maybe too much.

To show his love, Jacob gave Joseph a beautiful robe of many colors, its sleeves long and its fabric shining in the sunlight. The other brothers saw the robe and felt the sting of jealousy. “Why does Father love him more than the rest of us?” they muttered. “He’s just a spoiled dreamer.” And then came the dreams.

One morning, Joseph came running to his brothers. “I had a dream!” he said, breathless. “We were out tying bundles of grain in the field, and suddenly my bundle stood upright, and yours gathered around and bowed down to mine!”

The brothers stared. “So you think you’ll rule over us?” one snapped. But Joseph couldn’t stop himself. “And another dream — the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me!”

Even Jacob frowned at that one. “Are you saying your mother and I will bow to you too?” Joseph didn’t mean to sound proud — he was just excited. But his brothers’ anger grew darker, and their jealousy burned like fire.

A few weeks later, Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers, who were tending sheep far away. Joseph set out, wearing his colorful robe, the symbol of his father’s love. When his brothers saw him coming in the distance, they whispered together.

“Here comes the dreamer,” one said. “Let’s get rid of him.”

They seized Joseph, tore off his robe, and threw him into a dry pit. He cried out, terrified, but they ignored him. Then a caravan of traders passed by, carrying spices and goods to Egypt.

“Why kill him?” Judah said. “Let’s sell him instead.”

And so they did. The traders paid twenty silver coins and carried Joseph away, bound and heartbroken. The brothers dipped his robe in goat’s blood and brought it to their father. “Look,” they said, “is this your son’s coat?”

Jacob tore his clothes and wept. “A wild animal has devoured him!” he cried. “My son is gone!” And for years, he refused to be comforted.

Meanwhile, far from home, Joseph was sold again — this time to Potiphar, an Egyptian official. Even as a slave, Joseph worked faithfully. He was smart, honest, and skilled. Soon, Potiphar trusted him with everything in his household.

But trouble found him again. Potiphar’s wife grew jealous of Joseph’s success and told lies about him. Potiphar, furious and misled, threw Joseph into prison.

At first, Joseph felt completely forgotten. He had lost his family, his freedom, his dreams. But he remembered the God his father had told him about — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even in the dark, Joseph whispered prayers of trust.

In time, the prison guards noticed his honesty and made him responsible for other prisoners. Among them were two of the Pharaoh’s servants — a cupbearer and a baker — who had strange dreams one night.

“Tell me your dreams,” Joseph said gently. “God can help me understand them.”

He listened carefully and explained what they meant: the cupbearer would soon be freed and return to Pharaoh’s service, but the baker would not survive. And just as Joseph said, the dreams came true.

“Remember me when you’re free,” Joseph begged the cupbearer.But the man forgot him — for two whole years.

Then, one night, Pharaoh himself had two troubling dreams. In one, seven fat cows came out of the river, followed by seven thin cows that swallowed them up. In the other, seven healthy heads of grain were eaten by seven shriveled ones. None of Pharaoh’s wise men could explain them.

Then the cupbearer remembered. “There was a man in prison who interprets dreams!” he said. Pharaoh sent for Joseph immediately.

Standing before the ruler of Egypt, freshly shaved and robed, Joseph bowed. “I hear you can explain dreams,” Pharaoh said.

“I can’t,” Joseph replied, “but God can.”

Joseph listened to the dreams and said, “Both mean the same thing: seven years of great harvest are coming, followed by seven years of famine. You must store food now, so the people won’t starve later.”

Pharaoh stared, amazed. “Who could be wiser than this man?” he said.He placed his own ring on Joseph’s hand and made him governor over all Egypt — second only to Pharaoh himself.

Just like that, the slave became a ruler. And Joseph remembered the dreams he’d had long ago.

The years of plenty came and went. Then the famine began, spreading across lands, even to Canaan — where Joseph’s brothers and father lived.

Jacob heard that Egypt still had grain. “Go,” he said to his sons, “and buy food for us, or we’ll die.”

They traveled to Egypt and bowed before the governor — not knowing it was Joseph. He recognized them instantly but stayed silent. His heart raced as he looked into the faces of the brothers who had betrayed him.

He spoke harshly at first, testing them. “You are spies!” he accused.They protested their innocence and told him about their family — including their youngest brother, Benjamin, still at home.

Hearing Benjamin’s name broke Joseph’s heart. He sent the others home with grain but secretly ordered their silver returned in the bags. He told them, “Don’t come back unless you bring your youngest brother.”

When they finally returned months later with Benjamin, Joseph could no longer hide his emotions. He dismissed his servants and began to weep.

“I am Joseph,” he said, tears streaming down his face. “Is my father still alive?”

The brothers were speechless — terrified. But Joseph stepped forward and embraced them. “Don’t be afraid,” he said softly. “You meant to harm me, but God turned it for good — to save lives.” He forgave them completely.

When Jacob heard that Joseph was alive, he could hardly believe it. But soon the family traveled to Egypt, where Joseph met his father again. They fell into each other’s arms and wept for a long time.

Joseph provided for them all — the brothers who had once sold him and the father who had mourned him. He became the protector of his family, the one who turned tragedy into hope.

Years later, when Jacob died, the brothers again feared Joseph’s revenge. But he told them, “Do not be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” And he kept his promise.

Joseph’s life began in jealousy and ended in mercy. He lost his robe, his freedom, and his home — but never his faith. He learned that even in prison, even in pain, God’s purpose was still unfolding. God’s plans are bigger than our pain. What others meant for evil, God used for good.

Forgiveness is stronger than revenge. Joseph had every reason to hate his brothers, but he chose to heal instead of hurt. And when his brothers bowed before him, just as he had dreamed, he understood at last: The dream had never been about power. It had been about forgiveness.