1. Jacob lived in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived.
2. This is the family history of Jacob.Joseph was a young man, 17 years old. He and his brothers cared for the flocks. His brothers were the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph gave his father bad reports about his brothers.
3. Joseph was born when his father Israel, also called Jacob, was old. So Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons. He made Joseph a special robe with long sleeves.
4. Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than he loved them. So they hated their brother and could not speak to him politely.
5. One time Joseph had a dream. When he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more.
6. Joseph said, “Listen to the dream I had.
7. We were in the field tying bundles of wheat together. My bundle stood up, and your bundles of wheat gathered around mine. Your bundles bowed down to mine.”
8. His brothers said, “Do you really think you will be king over us? Do you truly think you will rule over us?” His brothers hated him even more now. They hated him because of his dreams and what he had said.
9. Then Joseph had another dream. He told his brothers about it also. He said, “Listen, I had another dream. I saw the sun, moon and 11 stars bowing down to me.”
10. Joseph also told his father about this dream. But his father scolded him, saying, “What kind of dream is this? Do you really believe that your mother, your brothers and I will bow down to you?”
11. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him. But his father thought about what all these things could mean.
12. One day Joseph’s brothers went to Shechem to herd their father’s sheep.
13. Jacob said to Joseph, “Go to Shechem. Your brothers are there herding the sheep.”Joseph answered, “I will go.”