All things bear record · Genesis

Genesis 37

6 witnesses of Christ here.

Joseph as a type of Christ

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. Genesis 37:3–4

Joseph is the specially beloved son of his father, honored with a distinctive robe, and hated by his own brethren for it. Jesus is the Beloved Son of the Father, and 'his own received him not.'

VerifiedProphecy or typeA person who is a type of Him

How we know: a traditional type, cited

  • a type of what is in Matthew 3:17 — 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
  • a type of what is in John 1:11 — 'He came unto his own, and his own received him not.'

Joseph as a type of Christ

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. Genesis 37:5–11

Joseph's dreams foretell that his family will bow to him and that he will reign, and his brethren hate him for it. Christ was rejected when He was proclaimed King, yet every knee will bow to Him.

VerifiedProphecy or typeA person who is a type of Him

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a traditional type, cited

  • fulfilled by Genesis 42:6 — Joseph's brethren 'bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.'
  • a type of what is in Philippians 2:10 — 'At the name of Jesus every knee should bow.'

Joseph as a type of Christ

And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. Genesis 37:13–14

The father sends his beloved son to seek the welfare of brethren who hate him, and the son answers, 'Here am I.' So the Father sent His Son, who volunteered in the premortal council, to seek His brethren.

VerifiedProphecy or typeA person who is a type of Him

How we know: a traditional type, cited

  • a type of what is in Abraham 3:27 — 'And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me.'
  • a type of what is in Matthew 21:37 — 'But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.'

Joseph as a type of Christ

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. Genesis 37:18–20

Seeing the sent son coming, his brethren plot to kill him. Jesus' parable of the vineyard uses nearly the same words for how the Son would be treated, and the leaders of His own people took counsel to put Him to death.

VerifiedProphecy or typeA person who is a type of Him

How we know: a traditional type, cited

  • a type of what is in Matthew 21:38 — 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.'
  • a type of what is in John 11:53 — 'From that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.'

Joseph as a type of Christ

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; Genesis 37:23–24

Joseph is stripped of his robe and cast into a dry pit, a picture of death. Jesus was stripped by soldiers and went down into death before rising again.

VerifiedProphecy or typeA person who is a type of Him

How we know: a traditional type, cited

  • a type of what is in Matthew 27:28 — 'And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.'
  • alluded to by Zechariah 9:11 — 'By the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.'

Joseph as a type of Christ

And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Genesis 37:26–28

At the suggestion of Judah, the brethren sell Joseph for pieces of silver. Jesus was betrayed by Judas (the Greek form of Judah) for thirty pieces of silver.

VerifiedProphecy or typeA person who is a type of Him

How we know: a traditional type, cited

  • a type of what is in Matthew 26:14-15 — Judas Iscariot: 'they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.'
  • the same event in Acts 7:9 — Stephen: 'the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him.'