The Plot to kill Joseph by his Brothers (Gen 37:2-36): It’s Place within the Joseph Story and Lessons for Christians in Nigeria

Abstract

Joseph is the twelfth son of Jacob, born of Rachel his beloved wife. The preferential love of Joseph by Jacob was clearly manifest to the other children who, as well as their mothers, were not, as the case may be, equally loved by Jacob. This elicited the serious hatred of Joseph by these other siblings, a hatred that Joseph also aggravated by his dominance-indicating dreams. The chilling result was that Joseph’s brothers then planned to kill him. They were actually in the process of executing this plot when providence kindly intervened by providing Ishmaelite traders who then bought Joseph and sold him as a slave in Egypt (Gen 37:2-36). That brothers should plan to kill a brother, is, certainly, highly obnoxious, evil and repugnant to everything good. But there is more to it all, in the story of Joseph. This article, therefore, aims at studying this plan by the brothers to kill Joseph, situating it appropriately within the entire story of Joseph. The method employed in the study is sociological-theological, to be augmented with the Historical Critical method which will be used in the exegesis of the biblical Hebrew text when necessary. All these would help to bring out the lessons contained in this whole plot, particularly the need for thorough soul-searching on the part of all the citizens, concerning insecurity in Nigeria, a soul searching that would ultimately lead to a better social order, aided by mutual forgiveness and reconciliation. These lessons would also be urged on all believers in God, all people of goodwill and, especially, Christians in Nigeria – whose role in nation-building would, thereby, be expected to be more optimally maximized. Thus, the recommendation to all these groups is that given the ever-operative divine presence in the lives and affairs of all who believe in Him, as well as appropriate human responsibility on their part, “in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose†(Rom 8:28).