Joseph’s resentment-filled brothers attempt to destroy both him and the divine revelation he represents in a desperate act of envy.
In Genesis 37, Joseph’s older brothers see him coming at a distance, and they plot to end his life because of the favoritism their father Jacob has shown him and because of Joseph’s prophetic dreams of future leadership (Genesis 37:5-9). They say, “Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” (v.20). Joseph, who was born around 1916 BC as the eleventh son of Jacob (also called Israel), finds himself in a dire risk, as his siblings allow their jealousy to drive them to contemplate murder. Their words reveal a desire not only to silence Joseph, but also to test whether his God-given visions would truly come to pass in spite of their meddling.
When they plot to kill him, the plan involves discarding his body into one of the pits. Such pits could have been dry cisterns or wells, common in the region near Dothan in Canaan. Dothan lies on a key trade route north of Shechem, roughly 60 miles north of Jerusalem, a place where nomadic herdsmen often roamed in the second millennium BC. The brothers’ willingness to use deceit by blaming a wild beast reflects how far envy can push people to sin. The phrase, “Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” (v.20), underscores their determination to undermine any sense of divine plan in Joseph’s future. Yet, Scripture later affirms that God’s sovereign purpose prevailed (Genesis 50:20), foreshadowing themes of redemption and divine rescue that echo in the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 21:38 also depicts a group plotting to kill the heir, mirroring this attitude).
Viewed in light of the entire story, this verse highlights humanity’s tendency to resist God’s purposes and clash with spiritual truths. Joseph’s life, often seen as a foreshadowing of Christ’s redemptive work, points forward to Jesus’ own experience of betrayal at the hands of those closest to Him (Matthew 26:14-16). This verse thus illustrates that, although people may seek to forestall divine plans through violent schemes, God’s sovereignty ultimately prevails in rescuing and exalting those He has chosen.
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Genesis 37:20 meaning
In Genesis 37, Joseph’s older brothers see him coming at a distance, and they plot to end his life because of the favoritism their father Jacob has shown him and because of Joseph’s prophetic dreams of future leadership (Genesis 37:5-9). They say, “Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” (v.20). Joseph, who was born around 1916 BC as the eleventh son of Jacob (also called Israel), finds himself in a dire risk, as his siblings allow their jealousy to drive them to contemplate murder. Their words reveal a desire not only to silence Joseph, but also to test whether his God-given visions would truly come to pass in spite of their meddling.
When they plot to kill him, the plan involves discarding his body into one of the pits. Such pits could have been dry cisterns or wells, common in the region near Dothan in Canaan. Dothan lies on a key trade route north of Shechem, roughly 60 miles north of Jerusalem, a place where nomadic herdsmen often roamed in the second millennium BC. The brothers’ willingness to use deceit by blaming a wild beast reflects how far envy can push people to sin. The phrase, “Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” (v.20), underscores their determination to undermine any sense of divine plan in Joseph’s future. Yet, Scripture later affirms that God’s sovereign purpose prevailed (Genesis 50:20), foreshadowing themes of redemption and divine rescue that echo in the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 21:38 also depicts a group plotting to kill the heir, mirroring this attitude).
Viewed in light of the entire story, this verse highlights humanity’s tendency to resist God’s purposes and clash with spiritual truths. Joseph’s life, often seen as a foreshadowing of Christ’s redemptive work, points forward to Jesus’ own experience of betrayal at the hands of those closest to Him (Matthew 26:14-16). This verse thus illustrates that, although people may seek to forestall divine plans through violent schemes, God’s sovereignty ultimately prevails in rescuing and exalting those He has chosen.