Génesis 37

1 Los sueños de José
Entonces Jacob volvió a establecerse en la tierra de Canaán, donde su padre había vivido como extranjero.

2 Este es el relato de Jacob y su familia. Cuando José tenía diecisiete años de edad, a menudo cuidaba los rebaños de su padre. Trabajaba para sus medio hermanos, los hijos de Bilha y Zilpa, dos de las esposas de su padre, así que le contaba a su padre acerca de las fechorías que hacían sus hermanos.

3 Jacob
amaba a José más que a sus otros hijos porque le había nacido en su vejez. Por eso, un día, Jacob mandó a hacer un regalo especial para José: una hermosa túnica.

4 Pero, por el contrario, sus hermanos lo odiaban porque su padre lo amaba más que a ellos. No dirigían ni una sola palabra amable hacia José.

5 Una noche José tuvo un sueño, y cuando se lo contó a sus hermanos, lo odiaron más que nunca.

6 —Escuchen este sueño —les dijo—.

7 Resulta que estábamos en el campo atando gavillas de grano. De repente, mi gavilla se levantó, y las gavillas de ustedes se juntaron alrededor de la mía, ¡y se inclinaron ante ella!

8 Sus hermanos respondieron:
—Así que crees que serás nuestro rey, ¿no es verdad? ¿De veras piensas que reinarás sobre nosotros?
Así que lo odiaron aún más debido a sus sueños y a la forma en que los contaba.

9 Al poco tiempo José tuvo otro sueño y de nuevo se lo contó a sus hermanos.
—Escuchen, tuve otro sueño —les dijo—. ¡El sol, la luna y once estrellas se inclinaban ante mí!

10 Esta vez le contó el sueño a su padre además de a sus hermanos, pero su padre lo reprendió.
—¿Qué clase de sueño es ese? —le preguntó—. ¿Acaso tu madre, tus hermanos y yo llegaremos a postrarnos delante de ti?

11 Sin embargo, mientras los hermanos de José tenían celos de él, su padre estaba intrigado por el significado de los sueños.

12 Poco tiempo después, los hermanos de José fueron hasta Siquem para apacentar los rebaños de su padre.

13 Cuando ya llevaban un buen tiempo allí, Jacob le dijo a José:
—Tus hermanos están en Siquem apacentando las ovejas. Prepárate, porque te enviaré a verlos.
—Estoy listo para ir —respondió José.

14 —Ve a ver cómo están tus hermanos y los rebaños —dijo Jacob—. Luego vuelve aquí y tráeme noticias de ellos.
Así que Jacob despidió a José, y él viajó hasta Siquem desde su casa, en el valle de Hebrón.

15 Cuando José llegó a Siquem, un hombre de esa zona lo encontró dando vueltas por el campo.
—¿Qué buscas? —le preguntó.

16 —Busco a mis hermanos —contestó José—. ¿Sabe usted dónde están apacentando sus rebaños?

17 —Sí —le dijo el hombre—. Se han ido de aquí, pero les oí decir: “Vayamos a Dotán”.
Entonces José siguió a sus hermanos hasta Dotán y allí los encontró.

18 José es vendido como esclavo
Cuando los hermanos de José lo vieron acercarse, lo reconocieron desde lejos. Mientras llegaba, tramaron un plan para matarlo.

19 —¡Aquí viene el soñador! —dijeron—.

20 Vamos, matémoslo y tirémoslo en una de esas cisternas. Podemos decirle a nuestro padre: “Un animal salvaje se lo comió”. ¡Entonces veremos en qué quedan sus sueños!

21 Pero cuando Rubén oyó el plan, trató de salvar a José.
—No lo matemos —dijo—.

22 ¿Para qué derramar sangre? Solo tirémoslo en esta cisterna vacía, aquí en el desierto. Entonces morirá sin que le pongamos una mano encima.
Rubén tenía pensado rescatar a José y devolverlo a su padre.

23 Entonces, cuando llegó José, sus hermanos le quitaron la hermosa túnica que llevaba puesta.

24 Después lo agarraron y lo tiraron en la cisterna. Resulta que la cisterna estaba vacía; no tenía nada de agua adentro.

25 Luego, justo cuando se sentaron a comer, levantaron la vista y vieron a la distancia una caravana de camellos que venía acercándose. Era un grupo de mercaderes ismaelitas que transportaban goma de resina, bálsamo y resinas aromáticas desde Galaad hasta Egipto.

26 Judá dijo a sus hermanos: «¿Qué ganaremos con matar a nuestro hermano? Tendríamos que encubrir el crimen.

27 En lugar de hacerle daño, vendámoslo a esos mercaderes ismaelitas. Después de todo, es nuestro hermano, ¡de nuestra misma sangre!». Así que sus hermanos estuvieron de acuerdo.

28 Entonces, cuando se acercaron los ismaelitas, que eran mercaderes madianitas, los hermanos de José lo sacaron de la cisterna y se lo vendieron por veinte monedas
de plata. Y los mercaderes lo llevaron a Egipto.

29 Tiempo después, Rubén regresó para sacar a José de la cisterna. Cuando descubrió que José no estaba allí, se rasgó la ropa en señal de lamento.

30 Luego regresó a donde estaban sus hermanos y dijo lamentándose: «¡El muchacho desapareció! ¿Qué voy a hacer ahora?».

31 Entonces los hermanos mataron un cabrito y mojaron la túnica de José con la sangre.

32 Luego enviaron la hermosa túnica a su padre con el siguiente mensaje: «Mira lo que encontramos. Esta túnica, ¿no es la de tu hijo?».

33 Su padre la reconoció de inmediato. «Sí —dijo él—, es la túnica de mi hijo. Seguro que algún animal salvaje se lo comió. ¡Sin duda despedazó a José!».

34 Entonces Jacob rasgó su ropa y se vistió de tela áspera, e hizo duelo por su hijo durante mucho tiempo.

35 Toda su familia intentó consolarlo, pero él no quiso ser consolado. A menudo decía: «Me iré a la tumba
llorando a mi hijo», y entonces sollozaba.

36 Mientras tanto, los mercaderes madianitas
llegaron a Egipto, y allí le vendieron a José a Potifar, quien era un oficial del faraón, rey de Egipto. Potifar era capitán de la guardia del palacio.

Génesis 37 Commentary

Chapter 37

Joseph is loved of Jacob, but hated by his brethren. (1-4) Joseph's dreams. (5-11) Jacob sends Joseph to visit his brethren, They conspire his death. (12-22) Joseph's brethren sell him. (23-10) Jacob deceived, Joseph sold to Potiphar. (31-36)

Verses 1-4 In Joseph's history we see something of Christ, who was first humbled and then exalted. It also shows the lot of Christians, who must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom. It is a history that has none like it, for displaying the various workings of the human mind, both good and bad, and the singular providence of God in making use of them for fulfilling his purposes. Though Joseph was his father's darling, yet he was not bred up in idleness. Those do not truly love their children, who do not use them to business, and labour, and hardships. The fondling of children is with good reason called the spoiling of them. Those who are trained up to do nothing, are likely to be good for nothing. But Jacob made known his love, by dressing Joseph finer than the rest of his children. It is wrong for parents to make a difference between one child and another, unless there is great cause for it, by the children's dutifulness, or undutifulness. When parents make a difference, children soon notice it, and it leads to quarrels in families. Jacob's sons did that, when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have done at home with him; but Joseph gave his father an account of their ill conduct, that he might restrain them. Not as a tale-bearer, to sow discord, but as a faithful brother.

Verses 5-11 God gave Joseph betimes the prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him under his long and grievous troubles. Observe, Joseph dreamed of his preferment, but he did not dream of his imprisonment. Thus many young people, when setting out in the world, think of nothing but prosperity and pleasure, and never dream of trouble. His brethren rightly interpreted the dream, though they abhorred the interpretation of it. While they committed crimes in order to defeat it, they were themselves the instruments of accomplishing it. Thus the Jews understood what Christ said of his kingdom. Determined that he should not reign over them, they consulted to put him to death; and by his crucifixion, made way for the exaltation they designed to prevent.

Verses 12-22 How readily does Joseph wait his father's orders! Those children who are best beloved by their parents, should be the most ready to obey them. See how deliberate Joseph's brethren were against him. They thought to slay him from malice aforethought, and in cold blood. Whosoever hateth his brother is ( 1 John. 3:15 ) because their father loved him. New occasions, as his dreams and the like, drew them on further; but this laid rankling in their hearts, till they resolved on his death. God has all hearts in his hands. Reuben had most reason to be jealous of Joseph, for he was the first-born; yet he proves his best friend. God overruled all to serve his own purpose, of making Joseph an instrument to save much people alive. Joseph was a type of Christ; for though he was the beloved Son of his Father, and hated by a wicked world, yet the Father sent him out of his bosom to visit us in great humility and love. He came from heaven to earth to seek and save us; yet then malicious plots were laid against him. His own not only received him not, but crucified him. This he submitted to, as a part of his design to redeem and save us.

Verses 23-30 They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, see ( Amos 6:6 ) ; for when he was pining in the pit, they sat down to eat bread. They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin. But the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain, ( Psalms 76:10 ) . Joseph's brethren were wonderfully restrained from murdering him, and their selling him as wonderfully turned to God's praise.

Verses 31-36 When Satan has taught men to commit one sin, he teaches them to try to conceal it with another; to hide theft and murder, with lying and false oaths: but he that covers his sin shall not prosper long. Joseph's brethren kept their own and one another's counsel for some time; but their villany came to light at last, and it is here published to the world. To grieve their father, they sent him Joseph's coat of colours; and he hastily thought, on seeing the bloody coat, that Joseph was rent in pieces. Let those that know the heart of a parent, suppose the agony of poor Jacob. His sons basely pretended to comfort him, but miserable, hypocritical comforters were they all. Had they really desired to comfort him, they might at once have done it, by telling the truth. The heart is strangely hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Jacob refused to be comforted. Great affection to any creature prepares for so much the greater affliction, when it is taken from us, or made bitter to us: undue love commonly ends in undue grief. It is the wisdom of parents not to bring up children delicately, they know not to what hardships they may be brought before they die. From the whole of this chapter we see with wonder the ways of Providence. The malignant brothers seem to have gotten their ends; the merchants, who care not what they deal in so that they gain, have also obtained theirs; and Potiphar, having got a fine young slave, has obtained his! But God's designs are, by these means, in train for execution. This event shall end in Israel's going down to Egypt; that ends in their deliverance by Moses; that in setting up the true religion in the world; and that in the spread of it among all nations by the gospel. Thus the wrath of man shall praise the Lord, and the remainder thereof will he restrain.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 37

In this chapter begins the history of Joseph, with whom the remaining part of this book is chiefly concerned; and here are related the hatred of his brethren to him, because he brought an ill report of them to his father, and because his father loved him, and which was increased by the dream he dreamed, and told them of, Ge 37:1-11; a visit of his to his brethren in the fields, whom he found after a long search of them, Ge 37:12-17; their conspiracy on sight of him to slay him, but by the advice of Reuben it was agreed to cast him into a pit, which they did, Ge 37:18-24; and after that, at the motion of Judah, sold him to the Ishmaelites, who were going to Egypt, Ge 37:25-28; this being done, Reuben being absent, and not finding Joseph in the pit, was in great distress, Ge 37:29,30; their contrivance to deceive their father, and make him believe that Joseph was destroyed by a wild beast, which on the sight of the coat he credited, and became inconsolable, Ge 37:31-35; and the chapter concludes with the sale of Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, Ge 37:36.