GENESIS 37
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. – Genesis 37:5-11
GENESIS 37 JOSEPH’S TWO PROPHETIC DREAMS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Joseph had two dreams that got him in much trouble
First, he dreamed of bundles of grain in the field that stood up
Joseph’s bundle was in the middle while theirs gathered around it
These sheaves around the middle bowed down to Joseph’s
The next dream was about the sun, moon and stars bowing down
All the eleven stars were also bowing down to Joseph
Then Jacob rebuked his son for it seemed like they too were bowing to him
All of Joseph’s brothers got so envious of him, so Jacob kept the dreams to himself.
Joseph’s first prophetic dream was scorned by his older brothers. They couldn’t bear thinking of the older ones being under the reign of the younger. They already had a hard time accepting that Joseph was the favorite of their father. It is aggravating to hear that he will have authority over them. Of course, they took it literally and not like a prophecy.
The second dream was another prophetic dream he shared to them as well. Jacob gently rebuked his son to protect him from further negative reactions from his brother, but took note of it. He knew that God can manifest his plans in a dream, so he kept quiet about it.
REFLECTION
- How were these two dreams prophetic also of Jesus’ coming and his authority?
