Joseph is Sold into Slavery

Today I read Genesis 37 which tells the story of young Joseph who is sold by his brothers into slavery all out of envy. Jacob loves Joseph and the way the story is written, seems to give him preferential treatment over his brothers. Jacob buys him a coat of many colors to dote on him, which of course makes his brothers hate him all the more. I often wonder if parents are just oblivious to this children bickering in such ways, or what is the reason they don't take a more active role? Perhaps Jacob tried but was unable to control his sons. We just don't know. I would like to think that Jacob was not oblivious to how his treatment of Joseph made the others feel and that he tried to intervene but they were too headstrong. We just don't know.

Not too long ago my wife and I were talking about the story of Joseph and discussing if perhaps maybe Joseph was a little arrogant and that is why his brothers grew upset with him and treated him the way they did. Perhaps that is why he had to suffer so much, to teach him humility. The fact of the matter is, again, we don't know. However, I don't think his brothers hated him because of his attitude. I think his brothers hated him because he was the favorite son of his father. He was the teacher's pet if you will. Envy is a hateful thing and will often breed contempt. Despite the desire of the person wanting to be the person they envy, they hate the person for how they are treated, never once seeming to realize, or care, that the other person is only treated that way because of their actions in a lot of cases. I'm sure there are people who are doted on by their parents or whomever and it is not justified, but a good portion of the cases it is.

I have always felt absolutely horrible for Joseph personally. We don't know his situation really beyond the bare bones of the story, but I have always felt like he was innocent and treated quite unfairly by his brothers. This is true to an extent no matter what Joseph was like in my opinion. No one deserves to be sold as a slave, no matter what they have done. Slavery is an evil and degrading practice that should have been abolished centuries before it was in public and should be abolished now despite it still going on in the shadows. What a horrible betrayal for Joseph to be sold by those he probably loved and looked up to the most. It's possible that Joseph did not even know why his brothers hated him, or perhaps didn't even know they did. Can you even imagine being thrown in a pit by your own family and when they finally bring you out you see them gleefully taking money for you and turning you over to strangers who then bind you. What a horrible, awful betrayal. No one deserves that.

I also feel badly for Reuben. He of all his brothers tried to save Joseph and bring him back to their father. He was not part of the rest who sold him into slavery. He tried to save Joseph and was not able to do so. I wonder if perhaps he blamed himself for all those years for not being able to better handle his brothers. Still, his plight was nothing compared to Joseph's. Perhaps God comforted Joseph right from the beginning and let him know that He was near by and that this would all turn out right in the end. I like to think that he did, He is merciful and loves us very much after all. We'll know some day. Until tomorrow.