Genesis 37 · Grade 5
The Dreamer
Read and Think
Genesis 37 opens the final major section of Genesis: This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, seventeen, brings a bad report about his brothers, and Israel openly favors him with a special robe. The family that already suffered from Jacob's preference for Rachel now passes that wound to the next generation. The brothers hated him, and couldn't speak peaceably to him.
Joseph's two dreams, of sheaves bowing and of the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing, are God's revelation of the future, and they will be fulfilled in Egypt. But Joseph's youthful sharing of them fuels his brothers' envy. Even Jacob rebukes him, though he kept this saying in mind. Envy, Scripture warns, rots the bones (Proverbs 14:30).
At Dothan the brothers' envy becomes violence. They plan murder; Reuben intervenes, hoping to rescue Joseph later; Judah proposes selling him instead, for profit. They sell their brother for twenty shekels of silver and deceive their father with a goat's blood and the robe, an ironic echo of Jacob's own deception of Isaac. Jacob refuses comfort. Yet the chapter ends with a quiet note of hope: Joseph is in Egypt, in the house of Potiphar. Later Joseph will say, You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).
Show What You Know
How did Jacob's favoritism pass a wound to the next generation?
Were Joseph's dreams from God? How do we know?
What different roles did Reuben and Judah play?
What is ironic about the brothers' deception of Jacob?
How does Genesis 50:20 help us read this chapter?
Word Bank Fill-In
Use the word bank to fill in each blank.
- , seventeen, brings a bad report about his brothers, and Israel openly favors him with a special robe.
- Yet the chapter ends with a quiet note of hope: Joseph is in , in the house of Potiphar.
- Later Joseph will say, You meant evil against me, but meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).
Think About It
Proverbs says envy rots the bones. How does envy harm the person who feels it?
How does knowing Genesis 50:20 help you face hard situations you don't understand?
Memory Verse
“His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.”
Genesis 37:11 (WEB)
Copy It
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for today's Bible story. Help me to . Amen.
Take It Home
For families: talk about these together.
- How can you be glad when good things happen to others?
- How can you speak about your gifts without bragging?
- How can you trust God when someone treats you badly?
Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.