Joseph (Hebrew Bible) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph
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| יוֹסֵף | |
Joseph Recognized by His Brothers (1863 painting by Léon Pierre Urbain Bourgeois)
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| Pronunciation | Yosef |
| Born | 1 or 27 Tammuz |
| Died | 1445 BCE or 1444 BCE (AM 2317 or AM 2318) (aged 110) |
| Resting place | Joseph's Tomb, Nablus |
| Spouse(s) | Asenath |
| Children | Manasseh (son) Ephraim (son) |
| Parents | |
Joseph is a very important person in the Bible, especially in the Book of Genesis. His story tells how he was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. But Joseph didn't stay a slave! He became a powerful leader in ancient Egypt. He was known as a "vizier," which was like being the second most powerful person after the Pharaoh (the king). Because of Joseph, his family, the Israelites, moved from their home in Canaan to live in Egypt.
Contents
Joseph: A Story of Dreams and Forgiveness
Joseph's Early Life
Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachel. He lived in the land of Canaan with his family. Joseph had ten older half-brothers and one younger full brother. He also had at least one half-sister.
Joseph was Rachel's first son and Jacob's eleventh son. Jacob loved Joseph more than his other children. He showed this love by giving Joseph a special "coat of many colors."
When Joseph was about seventeen, he had two dreams. These dreams seemed to show that he would become more important than his brothers. This made his brothers very angry and jealous of him.
Sold into Slavery
Joseph's half-brothers were very jealous of him. Most of them wanted to kill him. But one brother, Reuben, suggested a different plan. He told them to throw Joseph into an empty cistern (a deep pit for water). Reuben secretly planned to rescue Joseph later.
The other brothers agreed and put Joseph in the cistern. Soon after, they saw a group of merchants. These merchants were traveling to Egypt with spices and perfumes. Joseph's brothers then sold him to these merchants as a slave.
Joseph in Egypt
Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave. Even though he started in a difficult situation, Joseph became very successful. He was known for his wisdom and his ability to interpret dreams.
Eventually, Joseph became the vizier of Egypt. This meant he was the most powerful person in the country, second only to the Pharaoh. He helped Egypt prepare for a long famine (a time when there was no food).
During the famine, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy food. They did not recognize him at first. After some tests, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. He forgave them for what they had done.
Joseph's Legacy
Joseph lived to be 110 years old. He saw his great-grandchildren before he died. Before his death, Joseph made the children of Israel promise something important. He asked them to take his bones with them when they left Egypt.
When the children of Israel finally left Egypt during the Exodus, Moses remembered this promise. He took Joseph's bones with them. Joseph's bones were later buried in Shechem. This was a piece of land that Jacob had bought. Today, this place is traditionally known as Joseph's Tomb.
Images for kids
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Joseph's Bloody Coat Brought to Jacob by Diego Velázquez, 1630
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Joseph in prison, by Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, 17th century
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The triumph of Joseph (1657), Toulouse Cathedral
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Joseph gave orders to his servants to fill their sacks with wheat: illuminated Bible by Raphaël de Mercatelli, Ghent, late 15th century.
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Joseph's cup found in Benjamin's sack, illustration by Philip De Vere
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Joseph weeps.
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Burying the Body of Joseph (illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible)
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Joseph Interprets the Dream of Pharaoh (19th-century painting by Jean-Adrien Guignet).
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Children of Jacob sell his brother Joseph, by Konstantin Flavitsky, 1855.
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Joseph Overseer of the Pharaoh's Granaries, oil on canvas, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1874
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Joseph's dream of grain
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Joseph's dream of stars
See also
In Spanish: José (patriarca) para niños
