Genesis 37
Commentary from 9 fathers
AND Jacob dwelt in the land where his father sojourned, in the land of Chanaan.
ΚΑΤῼΚΕΙ δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐν τῇ γῇ, οὗ παρώκησεν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, ἐν γῇ Χαναάν.
Всели́сѧ же і҆а́кѡвъ въ землѝ, и҆дѣ́же ѡ҆бита̀ і҆саа́къ, ѻ҆те́цъ є҆гѡ̀, въ землѝ ханаа́ни.
And Jacob loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was to him the son of old age; and he made for him a coat of many colours.
᾿Ιακὼβ δέ ἠγάπα τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι υἱὸς γήρως ἦν αὐτῷ· ἐποίησε δὲ αὐτῷ χιτῶνα ποικίλον.
І҆а́кѡвъ же люблѧ́ше і҆ѡ́сифа па́че всѣ́хъ сынѡ́въ свои́хъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ сы́нъ въ ста́рости є҆мꙋ̀ бы́сть: и҆ сотворѝ є҆мꙋ̀ ри́зꙋ пе́стрꙋ.
And so we are taught the proper nature of parental love and filial gratitude. It is pleasant to love one’s children and very pleasant to love them exceedingly, but often even parental love does harm to the children unless it is practiced with restraint; for it may give the beloved child free rein out of excessive indulgence or, by preference shown to one child, may alienate the others from the spirit of brotherly love. That son gains more who gains the love of his brothers. This is a more splendid manifestation of generosity on the part of the parents and a richer inheritance for the sons. Let the children be joined in a like favor, who have been joined in a like nature.…What wonder if quarrels arise among brothers over an estate or a house, when enmity blazed up among the sons of holy Jacob over a tunic? What then? Should we find fault with Jacob because he preferred the one son to the others? But we cannot take from parents their freedom to love the more those children whom they believe to be the more deserving, nor ought we to cut off the sons from their eager desire to be the more pleasing. To be sure, Jacob loved the more that son in whom he foresaw the greater marks of virtue; thus he would not appear to have shown preference so much as father to son but rather as prophet to a sacred sign. And Jacob was right to make for his son a tunic of many colors, to indicate by it that Joseph was to be preferred to his brothers with his clothing of manifold virtues.
On Joseph the Patriarch
What is meant by “he loved Joseph more than all his other sons, as he was a son of his old age”? Since he was born in Jacob’s old age, it is saying, toward the end of his life, on this account he loved Joseph more than all the others. You see, somehow the children born to one in old age seem particularly dear and manage to attract their father’s favor in greater measure. For us to learn, however, that this was not the only factor in winning his father and causing him to prefer him to his brothers, sacred Scripture teaches us that even after him another son was born. If the manifestation of love had proceeded according to natural inclination, that last son would have been loved more for being truly a son of his old age and born at the time the good man reached the end of his life. So what can we say it means? That it was a kind of grace from on high that made the young man amiable and rendered him preferable to all the others on account of the virtue of his soul.… In Scripture the reason is given as his being a son of his old age and on that account he loved him more, in case the real reason might increase the brothers’ envy.
Homilies on Genesis 61.3
(Chapter 37, Verse 3) And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. As for the coat of many colors, Aquila interprets it as a long-sleeved tunic, that is, a talar garment. Symmachus, a tunic with sleeves, or because it reached down to the ankles, and was distinguished by the wonderful variety of the craftsman's hands: or because it had sleeves: For the ancients used more often to wear woven garments.
Hebrew Questions on Genesis
Therefore, in order that our words do not wander from the right way, we say that the Immanuel was born to the Father as a Son of his old age, because he appeared in the latter times of the world, that is, in these times, and after him there will be no other. We expect to be saved in no one else. He alone is sufficient, because we say that the salvation and life of the world is placed in no one else. He shepherds us forever, according to the words of the psalmist, and we will be the subjects of him who is beloved, who appeared in the latter times of the world, as I just said, after he had assumed the flesh and who preexisted as God. In fact, we say that he is coeternal with the Father.
Glaphyra on Genesis, 6.4
When the Christian people devoutly come to church, of what benefit is it that they hear how the holy patriarchs took their wives or begot their children, unless they perceive in a spiritual sense why these things happened or what the facts prefigured? Behold, we have heard that blessed Jacob begot a son and called his name Joseph and that he loved him more than the rest of his sons. In this place blessed Jacob prefigured God the Father; holy Joseph typified our Lord and Savior. Therefore Jacob loved his son because God the Father loved his only-begotten Son, as he himself said, “This is my beloved Son.”
Sermon 89.1
According to a mystical or allegorical interpretation Joseph prefigured a type of our Lord. Now if we consider the actions of Joseph, at least in part, we clearly recognize in him an obvious figure of the Lord. Joseph had a multicolored tunic; our Lord and Savior is known to have had one also, since he took the church, which was composed of various nations, like the covering of a garment. The variety of this tunic, that is, of the church that Christ took, is of a different sort; the church has different, varied graces—the martyrs, confessors, priests, ministers, virgins, widows and those who perform works of justice. This variety of the church is not one of colors but of graces; for in this variety of his church our Lord and Savior shines with a multicolored, precious garment. Joseph was sold by his brothers and procured by the Ishmaelites; our Lord and Savior was sold by the Jews and acquired by the Gentiles. Moreover, the Ishmaelites who bought Joseph carried different kinds of perfumes with them; this was to show that the Gentiles who came to believe would be fragrant throughout the world with the different odors of justice.
Sermon 93.3
And his brethren having seen that his father loved him more than all his sons, hated him, and could not speak anything peaceable to him.
ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ φιλεῖ ἐκ πάντων τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, ἐμίσησαν αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο λαλεῖν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν εἰρηνικόν.
Ви́дѣвше же бра́тїѧ є҆гѡ̀, ꙗ҆́кѡ лю́битъ є҆го̀ ѻ҆те́цъ па́че всѣ́хъ сынѡ́въ свои́хъ, возненави́дѣша є҆го̀ и҆ не можа́хꙋ глаго́лати къ немꙋ̀ ничто́же ми́рно.
Envy is a terrible passion, you see, and when it affects the soul, it does not leave it before bringing it to an extremely sorry state. [It damages] the soul that gives it birth and affect[s] the object of its envy in the opposite way to that intended, rendering him more conspicuous, more esteemed, more famous—which in turn proves another severe blow to the envious person. Notice at any rate in this instance how this remarkable man is depicted as ignorant of what was going on and conversing cheerfully in great simplicity with them as his brothers who had caused the same birth pangs as he.… They for their part were in the grip of the passion of envy and were thus brought to hate him.
Homilies on Genesis 61.4
And Joseph was loved by his father a great deal. And he gave him a multicolored garment as an excellent gift and a proof of the love with which he accompanied him. And this was an incentive to envy for his brothers and a cause of hatred, as the following events will demonstrate. In fact, the Pharisees were inflamed with anger against the beloved, that is, Christ, because he had been clothed by God the Father with a multiform glory. He was admirable in different forms, partly as a vivifying God, partly as a light that was able to illuminate those who were in the darkness, and to purify the lepers, and to raise from the dead those who were already decomposing, and to reprove the seas and to be carried on the waves through his power. And the Jews being in difficulty and burning with the flames of envy, said to each other, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.” The multicolored garment is the symbol of the multiform glory with which God the Father clothed the Son made similar to us through his human nature. However, with regard to his own nature, he himself is the Lord of glory, even though, because of the likeness he has with us, he says, “Father, glorify your Son.” Therefore for the reasons that I have examined, the sons of the concubines were induced to anger and envy and became suspicious after the dream was related. Since they knew in advance that in time they would have become subjects to their brother and would have adored him, and he would have been superior to them by far and would have been brought to such a glory to be adored by their own parents, they gnashed their teeth and planned to kill him. And so the Jews were angered too, and not less afflicted, since they understood that the Immanuel would have been superior to the holy patriarchs themselves and would have been necessarily adored by all the people and indeed by the whole world. And being aware of this, they said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”
Glaphyra on Genesis, 6. 4
It is written concerning blessed Joseph, dearly beloved, that his brothers envied him and therefore “could not even greet him.” It is true, beloved brothers, that so dangerous is the disease of envy that it cannot even spare brothers, not to mention strangers. Indeed, at the very beginning of the world Cain, a wicked brother, killed the just Abel through envy. Holy and faithful Joseph then was shown to be a more just servant of the Lord because of his tribulations. Through envy he was first sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites as a slave, and after having been sold by the very people by whom he had seen himself worshiped, he was later handed over to an Egyptian master.
Sermon 90.1
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and reported it to his brethren.
᾿Ενυπνιασθεὶς δὲ ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἐνύπνιον ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτὸ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ.
Ви́дѣвъ же і҆ѡ́сифъ со́нъ, повѣ́да и҆̀ бра́тїи свое́й
See the extraordinary degree of their blindness: they themselves interpreted the dream. In fact, it is not possible to claim that it was in ignorance of the future that they bore him ill will; rather, it was learning the future from the dreams that added to their hatred. O excess of stupidity! They should have shown Joseph greater favor after learning the facts, set aside any grounds for hatred, banished the passion of envy. But they were dulled in their thinking and could not see at a glance that everything they were doing rebounded on themselves, and so they aggravated their hatred of him. O why, poor tormented creatures, do you display such envy, denying your condition as brothers and the fact that the revelation of dreams makes obvious God’s favor for him? After all, surely you do not now believe that the events foretold by God can be thwarted? You see, just as you made an interpretation of the dream, so will it shortly come to pass, no matter how many ruses you intend to devise. I mean, the Lord of all, creative and wise as he is, revealing the abundance of his characteristic power, often allows many obstacles to develop before fulfillment so that he may put into effect his previous decisions and thus demonstrate the extraordinary degree of his power.
Homilies on Genesis 61.7
And he said to them, Hear this dream which I have dreamed.
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἀκούσατε τοῦ ἐνυπνίου τούτου, οὗ ἐνυπνιάσθην·
и҆ речѐ и҆̀мъ: послꙋ́шайте сна̀ сегѡ̀, є҆го́же ви́дѣхъ:
I thought ye were binding sheaves in the middle of the field, and my sheaf stood up and was erected, and your sheaves turned round, and did obeisance to my sheaf.
ᾤμην ὑμᾶς δεσμεύειν δράγματα ἐν μέσῳ τῷ πεδίῳ, καὶ ἀνέστη τὸ ἐμὸν δράγμα καὶ ὠρθώθη, περιστραφέντα δὲ τὰ δράγματα ὑμῶν προσεκύνησαν τὸ ἐμὸν δράγμα.
мнѣ́хъ ва́съ вѧ́жꙋщихъ снопы̀ средѣ̀ по́лѧ: и҆ воста̀ мо́й сно́пъ и҆ ста̀ прѧ́мѡ, ва́ши же снопы̀ ѡ҆брати́вшесѧ поклони́шасѧ моемꙋ̀ снопꙋ̀.
And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us, or shalt thou indeed be lord over us? And they hated him still more for his dreams and for his words.
εἶπαν δὲ αὐτῷ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ· μὴ βασιλεύων βασιλεύσεις ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς ἢ κυριεύων κυριεύσεις ἡμῶν; καὶ προσέθεντο ἔτι μισεῖν αὐτὸν ἕνεκεν τῶν ἐνυπνίων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕνεκεν τῶν ρημάτων αὐτοῦ.
Рѣ́ша же є҆мꙋ̀ бра́тїѧ є҆гѡ̀: є҆да̀ ца́рствꙋѧ ца́рствовати бꙋ́деши над̾ на́ми, и҆лѝ госпо́дствꙋѧ госпо́дствовати бꙋ́деши над̾ на́ми; И҆ приложи́ша є҆щѐ ненави́дѣти є҆го̀ снѡ́въ ра́ди є҆гѡ̀ и҆ ра́ди слове́съ є҆гѡ̀.
Why do you envy and hate the righteous, if God revealed to him his own mysteries and made clear through visions what would have happened at the end of time? Why do you grieve at the sight of his embroidered tunic, if the just Father honored him by loving him more than everybody else, and sent him to visit you as a Shepherd among the shepherds, and presented to the world a trustworthy witness and a sheaf for his old age, and raised from the dead a holy firstborn as first fruits? Why do you get angry if the sun and the moon and the eleven stars worship him? They are there from the ancient times to prefigure him. And neither Jacob was called “sun,” nor Rachel was called “moon,” and the events did not happened in this manner.
On the Blessings of Isaac and Jacob 2
Indeed, God’s grace shone on Joseph even in his boyhood. For he had a dream that when he was binding sheaves with his brothers—so it appeared to him in the vision—this sheaf rose up and stood straight, while the sheaves of his brothers turned and bowed down to his sheaf. Now in this the resurrection of the Lord Jesus that was to come was revealed. When they saw him at Jerusalem, the eleven disciples and all the saints bowed down; when they rise, they will bow down bearing the fruits of their good works, just as it is written, “Coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.” Although his brothers disparaged the reliability of the dream out of their envy, still they expressed his interpretation of it in their own words when they replied, “Are you to be our king? Are you to rule over us?” For that vision indicated the King who was to come, and before him all human flesh would bow down with bended knee.
On Joseph the Patriarch
And he dreamed another dream, and related it to his father, and to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream: as it were the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars did me reverence.
εἶδε δὲ ἐνύπνιον ἕτερον καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτῷ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ ἐνυπνιασάμην ἐνύπνιον ἕτερον, ὥσπερ ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ ἕνδεκα ἀστέρες προσεκύνουν με.
Ви́дѣ же со́нъ дрꙋгі́й и҆ повѣ́да є҆го̀ ѻ҆тцꙋ̀ своемꙋ̀ и҆ бра́тїи свое́й, и҆ речѐ: сѐ, ви́дѣхъ дрꙋгі́й со́нъ: а҆́ки бы со́лнце и҆ лꙋна̀ и҆ є҆динона́десѧть ѕвѣ́здъ покланѧ́хꙋсѧ мнѣ̀.
And his father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream which thou hast dreamed? shall indeed both I and thy mother and thy brethren come and bow before thee to the earth?
καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τί τὸ ἐνύπνιον τοῦτο, ὃ ἐνυπνιάσθης; ἆρά γε ἐλθόντες ἐλευσόμεθα ἐγώ τε καὶ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου προσκυνῆσαί σοι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν;
И҆ запретѝ є҆мꙋ̀ ѻ҆те́цъ є҆гѡ̀ и҆ речѐ є҆мꙋ̀: что̀ со́нъ се́й, є҆го́же є҆сѝ ви́дѣлъ; є҆да̀ прише́дше прїи́демъ а҆́зъ и҆ ма́ти твоѧ̀ и҆ бра́тїѧ твоѧ̑ поклони́тисѧ тебѣ̀ до землѝ;
Moreover, Joseph saw another dream and told it to his father and brothers, that the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to him. On this account his father reproved him and said, “What will be the meaning of this vision that you have dreamed? Can it be that I and your mother and your brothers will come and bow to the ground before you?” Who is he before whom parents and brothers bowed down to the ground but Jesus Christ? Joseph and his mother with the disciples bowed down before him and confessed the true God in that body, of whom alone it was said, “Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you stars and light.” Further, what is the meaning of the father’s reproach but the hardness of the people of Israel? Christ comes from them according to the flesh, but today they do not believe that he is God and are not willing to bow down to him as their Lord, because they know that he was born from among themselves. Accordingly they hear his replies, but they do not understand them. They themselves read that the sun and moon praise Christ, but they are unwilling to believe this was said with reference to Christ. Therefore Jacob is mistaken in regard to the symbol, which refers to another, but is not mistaken in the love, which is his own. In him paternal love did not go astray, but rather there is depicted an affection for a people that was going to go astray.
On Joseph the Patriarch
Moreover, Joseph had another dream in which the sun, the moon and eleven stars worshiped him. His father replied to him, “Can it be that I and your mother and your brothers will come to bow to the ground before you?” This could not be fulfilled in that Joseph; but in our true Joseph, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ, the mysteries of that dream were fulfilled. The sun, the moon and eleven stars worshiped him when after the resurrection holy Mary as the moon, blessed Joseph as the sun and eleven stars, that is, the blessed apostles, bent down and prostrated before him. Then was fulfilled the prophecy that said, “Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.” The interpretation of this dream was not accomplished in that Joseph for the important reason that we read his mother had died many years before he saw the aforementioned dreams. Truly, how could it happen to his brothers that they should adore him like the stars, since the night of envy had made them obscure and gloomy? They had lost the brightness of the stars, because they had extinguished in themselves the light of charity. We truly believe that this was deservedly fulfilled in our Lord and Savior, for, as I already said, we read that blessed Joseph, blessed Mary and the eleven apostles worshiped him quite frequently. That the apostles possessed the light of the stars our Lord himself tells us in the Gospel: “You are the light of the world.” Again, he says concerning the same men and those who are similar: “When the just will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
Sermon 89.4
And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
ἐζήλωσαν δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ διετήρησε τὸ ρῆμα.
Позави́дѣша же є҆мꙋ̀ бра́тїѧ є҆гѡ̀: ѻ҆те́цъ же є҆гѡ̀ соблюдѐ сло́во сїѐ.
And his brethren went to feed the sheep of their father to Sychem.
᾿Επορεύθησαν δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ βόσκειν τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν εἰς Συχέμ.
Ѿидо́ша же бра́тїѧ є҆гѡ̀ пастѝ ѻ҆́вцы ѻ҆тца̀ своегѡ̀ въ сѷхе́мъ.
And Israel said to Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed their flock in Sychem? Come, I will send thee to them; and he said to him, Behold, I [am here].
καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς ᾿Ιωσήφ· οὐχὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ποιμαίνουσιν εἰς Συχέμ; δεῦρο ἀποστείλω σε πρὸς αὐτούς. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ ἐγώ.
И҆ речѐ і҆и҃ль ко і҆ѡ́сифꙋ: є҆да̀ бра́тїѧ твоѧ̑ не пасꙋ́тъ въ сѷхе́мѣ; грѧдѝ, да послю́ тѧ къ ни̑мъ. Рече́ же є҆мꙋ̀: сѐ, а҆́зъ.
And Israel said to him, Go and see if thy brethren and the sheep are well, and bring me word; and he sent him out of the valley of Chebron, and he came to Sychem.
εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ᾿Ισραήλ· πορευθεὶς ἰδέ, εἰ ὑγιαίνουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου καὶ τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ἀνάγγειλόν μοι. καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς κοιλάδος τῆς Χεβρών, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Συχέμ.
Рече́ же є҆мꙋ̀ і҆и҃ль: ше́дъ, ви́ждь, а҆́ще здра́вствꙋютъ бра́тїѧ твоѧ̑ и҆ ѻ҆́вцы, и҆ повѣ́ждь мѝ. И҆ посла̀ є҆го̀ ѿ ю҆до́ли хеврѡ́ни. И҆ прїи́де въ сѷхе́мъ:
Therefore the patriarch did not refuse to believe in a dream so mighty, for in a twofold prophecy he prophesied both together; that is, he represented and personified the just man and the people, because the Son of God was going to come to earth to be loved by just men and denied by unbelievers. And so Jacob, in sending his son to his brothers to see if it was well with the sheep, foresaw the mysteries of the incarnation that was to come. What sheep was God searching for in the concern manifested even at that time by the patriarch? The very ones of whom the Lord Jesus himself said in the Gospel, “I did not come except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” “And he sent him to Shechem,” which name is interpreted as “shoulder” or “back.” That is, to those who did not turn to the Lord but fled from his face and turned away, an expression properly applied to the sinner, for “Cain went out from the face of the Lord,” and the psalmist says, “You will make them turn their back.” Now the just person does not turn away from the Lord but runs to meet him and says, “My eyes are ever toward the Lord.” And when the Lord said, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah offered himself of his own accord and said, “Behold, here I am.” Simeon also waited to see Christ the Lord; after he saw him, because he had seen the Pardoner of sins and Redeemer of the whole world, he asked to be freed from the use of this flesh, just as he had been relieved of his sin, and said, “Now dismiss your servant, Lord, because my eyes have seen your salvation.” Zacchaeus too first gained the special privilege of having the Lord’s commendation bestowed on him for this, that he climbed a tree to see Christ. Therefore Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers, or rather by that Father “who has not spared his own Son but has delivered him for us all,” by that Father of whom it is written, “God, sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.”
On Joseph the Patriarch
Now all this happened so that Joseph’s regard for his brothers might be demonstrated and their murderous intent might come to light. On the other hand it happened also as a type of things to come, the outlines of truth being sketched out ahead of time in shadow. As Joseph went off to his brothers to visit them, to those who had no respect for brotherhood or for the reason of his coming and who first intended to do away with him and then sold him to foreigners, so too our Lord in fidelity to his characteristic love came to visit the human race. Taking flesh of the same source as ours and deigning to become our brother, he thus arrived among us. Paul too cries out in these words, “It is not the condition of angels he takes to himself but descent from Abraham. Hence the need for him to become like his brothers in everything.”
Homilies on Genesis 61.10
And a man found him wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
καὶ εὗρεν αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπος πλανώμενον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ· ἠρώτησε δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ ἄνθρωπος λέγων· τί ζητεῖς;
и҆ ѡ҆брѣ́те є҆го̀ человѣ́къ заблꙋжда́юща на по́ли: вопроси́ же є҆го̀ человѣ́къ глаго́лѧ: чесогѡ̀ и҆́щеши;
“And Joseph was wandering about,” because he could not find his brothers. And it was right that he wandered about, for he was seeking those that were going astray. Yes, “the Lord knows who are his.” Indeed, Jesus also, when he was wearied from his journey, sat at the well. He was wearied, for he was not finding the people of God whom he was seeking; they had gone out from the face of the Lord. The person who follows sin goes out from Christ. The sinner goes out; the just person enters in. Indeed, Adam hid himself as a sinner, but the just person says, “Let my prayer enter in before you.”
On Joseph the Patriarch
Jacob sent his son to manifest solicitude for his brothers, and God the Father sent his only-begotten Son to visit the human race, which was weak from sin and like lost sheep. When Joseph was looking for his brothers he wandered in the desert. Christ also sought the human race, which was wandering in the world; he too as it were, wandered in the world because he was seeking the erring. Joseph searched for his brothers in Shechem. Shechem is interpreted as a shoulder, for sinners always turn their backs in the face of the just, and shoulders are behind. Just as Joseph’s brothers, struck with envy, offered their back rather than their face to fraternal love, so also the unhappy Jews preferred to envy rather than to love the Author of salvation who came to them. Of such people it is said in the psalms: “Let their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, and keep their backs always feeble.”
Sermon 89.1
And he said, I am seeking my brethren; tell me where they feed [their flocks].
ὁ δὲ εἶπε· τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου ζητῶ· ἀπάγγειλόν μοι, ποῦ βόσκουσιν.
Ѻ҆́нъ же речѐ: бра́тїи моеѧ̀ и҆щꙋ̀: повѣ́ждь мѝ, гдѣ̀ пасꙋ́тъ.
And the man said to him, They have departed hence, for I heard them saying, Let us go to Dothaim; and Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothaim.
εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ἀπῄρκασιν ἐντεῦθεν, ἤκουσα γὰρ αὐτῶν λεγόντων· πορευθῶμεν εἰς Δωθαείμ. καὶ ἐπορεύθη ᾿Ιωσὴφ κατόπισθεν τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ εὗρεν αὐτοὺς ἐν Δωθαείμ.
Рече́ же є҆мꙋ̀ человѣ́къ: ѿидо́ша ѿсю́дꙋ: слы́шахъ бо и҆̀хъ глаго́лющихъ: по́йдемъ въ дѡѳаі́мъ. И҆ и҆́де і҆ѡ́сифъ в̾слѣ́дъ бра́тїи своеѧ̀ и҆ ѡ҆брѣ́те ѧ҆̀ въ дѡѳаі́мѣ.
Now Joseph found his brothers in Dothan, which means “desertion.” And where is the person who deserts God but in desertion? No wonder if they deserted who did not hear him saying, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Therefore Joseph came to Dothan, “and they saw him coming from afar, before he drew near to them, and they raged that they might kill him.” It is right that they were far off who were in desertion, and so they were raging, because Christ had not drawn near to them. For if the model of Christ had drawn near to them, they would surely have loved their brother. But they could not be near, for they were plotting fratricide. “Behold, that dreamer is coming. Now therefore come, let us kill him.” Were not the men who were saying such words plotting a sacrilegious fratricide, as Solomon says of them, “Let us remove the just one, because he is profitless to us”?
On Joseph the Patriarch
And they spied him from a distance before he drew nigh to them, and they wickedly took counsel to slay him.
προεῖδον δὲ αὐτὸν μακρόθεν πρὸ τοῦ ἐγγίσαι αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπονηρεύοντο τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι αὐτόν.
Пред̾ꙋзрѣ́ша же є҆го̀ и҆здале́че, пре́жде приближе́нїѧ є҆гѡ̀ къ ни̑мъ, и҆ ѕлѣ̀ ᲂу҆мы́слиша ᲂу҆би́ти є҆го̀:
18–28Every kind of honour and happiness was bestowed upon you, and then was fulfilled that which is written, "My beloved ate and drank, and was enlarged and became fat, and kicked." [Deuteronomy 32:15] Hence flowed emulation and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and disorder, war and captivity. So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years. For this reason righteousness and peace are now far departed from you, inasmuch as every one abandons the fear of God, and has become blind in His faith, neither walks in the ordinances of His appointment, nor acts a part becoming a Christian, but walks after his own wicked lusts, resuming the practice of an unrighteous and ungodly envy, by which death itself entered into the world. [Wisdom 2:24]
For thus it is written: "And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God; and Abel also brought of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat thereof. And God had respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain and his sacrifices He did not regard. And Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance fell. And God said to Cain, Why are you grieved, and why is your countenance fallen? If you offer rightly, but do not divide rightly, have you not sinned? Be at peace: your offering returns to yourself, and you shall again possess it. And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field. And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." [Genesis 4:3-8] You see, brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother. Through envy, also, our father Jacob fled from the face of Esau his brother [Genesis 27:41-45]. Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto death, and to come into bondage. [Genesis 37:18-28] Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he heard these words from his fellow-countryman, "Who made you a judge or a ruler over us? Will you kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" [Exodus 2:14] On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their abode without the camp. [Numbers 12:14-15] Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, through the sedition which they excited against God's servant Moses. [Numbers 16:33] Through envy, David not only underwent the hatred of foreigners, but was also persecuted by Saul king of Israel. [1 Samuel 21:10-15]
Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapters 3-4
And each said to his brother, Behold, that dreamer comes.
εἶπε δὲ ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ· ἰδοὺ ὁ ἐνυπνιαστὴς ἐκεῖνος ἔρχεται·
рече́ же кі́йждо къ бра́тꙋ своемꙋ̀: сѐ, снови́децъ ѻ҆́ный и҆́детъ:
Now then come, let us kill him, and cast him into one of the pits; and we will say, An evil wild beast has devoured him; and we shall see what his dreams will be.
νῦν οὖν δεῦτε ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτὸν καὶ ρίψωμεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν λάκκων καὶ ἐροῦμεν· θηρίον πονηρὸν κατέφαγεν αὐτόν· καὶ ὀψόμεθα, τί ἔσται τὰ ἐνύπνια αὐτοῦ.
нн҃ѣ ᲂу҆̀бо прїиди́те, ᲂу҆бїе́мъ є҆го̀ и҆ вве́ржимъ є҆го̀ во є҆ди́нъ ѿ рвѡ́въ, и҆ рече́мъ: ѕвѣ́рь лю́тъ снѣдѐ є҆го̀: и҆ ᲂу҆́зримъ, что̀ бꙋ́дꙋтъ сѡ́нїѧ є҆гѡ̀.
And in Genesis they also said, “And we shall see what will become of his dreams.” This is written in regard to Joseph, but it is fulfilled in regard to Christ, when the Jews said in the course of his passion, “If he is the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusts in God; let him deliver him now, if he wants him.” But were those brothers so unholy as to kill their brother? And from what source do the merits of the mighty patriarchs derive, so that the law designates the tribes of the entire people by their names? How are names of holiness in accord with marks of crime? In this also they served as a model of the people; their own souls were not toiling under a burden of crime. This gave rise to all the enmity and the plotting of fratricide; the enmity is by way of figure, the holiness by way of love.
On Joseph the Patriarch
And Ruben having heard it, rescued him out of their hands, and said, Let us not kill him.
ἀκούσας δὲ Ρουβὴν ἐξείλετο αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν· οὐ πατάξωμεν αὐτὸν εἰς ψυχήν.
Слы́шавъ же рꙋви́мъ, ѿѧ̀ є҆го̀ и҆з̾ рꙋ́къ и҆́хъ и҆ речѐ: не ᲂу҆бїе́мъ є҆го̀ на дꙋшѝ.
Indeed, Reuben and Judah observed the holy bonds of brotherhood and desired to free Joseph from their hands. Judah receives the preference by his father’s blessing, and rightly so, when it is said to him, “The sons of your father shall bow down to you. A lion’s whelp is Judah, and he is the expectation of nations.” Surely this is appropriate to Christ alone, for whom it was in store that he should be worshiped by his brothers and awaited by the nations and that he should wash his tunic in wine by the passion of his own body, because he did not stain his flesh with any spot of sin.…Conferring together against that counsel, the brothers abused him in whom “the blessing prevailed over the blessings of the enduring mountains and was stronger than the desires of the everlasting hills.” Who did Joseph understand was being prefigured in himself? Only he who surpasses the merits of all people and possesses the summit of limitless power beyond the desires of all the saints, he whom no one matches in prayer. And so, in the case of the patriarchs, enmity is repaid through grace, for they are excused from their guilt and made holy by the gift of revelation. For it is not so much a matter of blame in having said what refers to the people as it is a matter of happiness in having seen what refers to Christ. The people assumed the character of a sinner to receive the grace of their Lord and Redeemer. Assuredly grace destroyed guilt; guilt did not diminish grace.
On Joseph the Patriarch
And Ruben said to them, Shed not blood; cast him into one of these pits in the wilderness, but do not lay [your] hands upon him; that he might rescue him out of their hands, and restore him to his father.
εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς Ρουβήν· μὴ ἐκχέητε αἷμα· ἐμβάλλετε αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν λάκκων τούτων τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, χεῖρα δὲ μὴ ἐπενέγκητε αὐτῷ· ὅπως ἐξέληται αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀποδῷ αὐτὸν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ.
Рече́ же и҆̀мъ рꙋви́мъ: не пролі́йте кро́ве, вве́рзите є҆го̀ во є҆ди́нъ ѿ рвѡ́въ си́хъ, и҆̀же въ пꙋсты́ни, рꙋки́ же не возложи́те на него̀: (тща́шесѧ бо) ꙗ҆́кѡ да и҆зы́метъ є҆го̀ ѿ рꙋ́къ и҆́хъ и҆ ѿда́стъ є҆го̀ ѻ҆тцꙋ̀ своемꙋ̀.
And it came to pass, when Joseph came to his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his many-coloured coat that was upon him.
ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἦλθεν ᾿Ιωσὴφ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, ἐξέδυσαν ᾿Ιωσὴφ τὸν χιτῶνα τὸν ποικίλον τὸν περὶ αὐτόν
Бы́сть же є҆гда̀ прїи́де і҆ѡ́сифъ къ бра́тїи свое́й, совлеко́ша со і҆ѡ́сифа ри́зꙋ пе́стрꙋю, ꙗ҆́же на не́мъ,
Accordingly, even at that time, the cross that was to come was prefigured in sign; and at the same time that he was stripped of his tunic, that is, of the flesh he took on, he was stripped of the handsome diversity of colors that represented the virtues. Therefore his tunic, that is, his flesh, was stained with blood, but not his divinity; and his enemies were able to take from him his covering of flesh but not his immortal life.
On Joseph the Patriarch
And they took him and cast him into the pit; and the pit was empty, it had not water.
καὶ λαβόντες αὐτόν ἔρριψαν εἰς τὸν λάκκον· ὁ δὲ λάκκος κενός, ὕδωρ οὐκ εἶχεν.
и҆ пое́мше є҆го̀ вверго́ша въ ро́въ: ро́въ же то́щь, воды̀ не и҆мѧ́ше.
And they sat down to eat bread; and having lifted up their eyes they beheld, and lo, Ismaelitish travellers came from Galaad, and their camels were heavily loaded with spices, and resin, and myrrh; and they went to bring them to Egypt.
᾿Εκάθισαν δὲ φαγεῖν ἄρτον καὶ ἀναβλέψαντες τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁδοιπόροι ᾿Ισμαηλῖται ἤρχοντο ἐκ Γαλαάδ, καὶ αἱ κάμηλοι αὐτῶν ἔγεμαν θυμιαμάτων καὶ ρητίνης καὶ στακτῆς· ἐπορεύοντο δὲ καταγαγεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον.
И҆ сѣдо́ша ꙗ҆́сти хлѣ́бъ, и҆ воззрѣ́вше ѻ҆чи́ма ви́дѣша, и҆ сѐ, пꙋ̑тницы і҆сма́ильтѧне и҆дѧ́хꙋ ѿ галаа́да, и҆ вельблю́ды и҆́хъ пѡ́лны ѳѷмїа́ма и҆ риті́ны {тꙋ́къ масти́тый и҆з̾ дрѣ́ва текꙋ́щїй} и҆ ста́кти: и҆дѧ́хꙋ же везꙋ́ще во є҆гѵ́петъ.
Joseph was rejected by his brothers and was received by the Ishmaelites; in the same manner our Lord and Savior was rejected by the Jews and received by the pagans. The Ishmaelites who received Joseph carried along with them all kinds of perfumes, and this fact showed that the pagans by embracing the faith would spread the different perfumes of justice all over the world.
Sermon 24.3
And Judas said to his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
εἶπε δὲ ᾿Ιούδας πρὸς τούς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ· τί χρήσιμον, ἐὰν ἀποκτείνωμεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν καὶ κρύψωμεν τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ;
Рече́ же і҆ꙋ́да ко бра́тїи свое́й: ка́ѧ по́льза, а҆́ще ᲂу҆бїе́мъ бра́та на́шего и҆ скры́емъ кро́вь є҆гѡ̀;
Come, let us sell him to these Ismaelites, but let not our hands be upon him, because he is our brother and our flesh; and his brethren hearkened.
δεῦτε ἀποδώμεθα αὐτὸν τοῖς ᾿Ισμαηλίταις τούτοις, αἱ δὲ χεῖρες ἡμῶν μὴ ἔστωσαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν καὶ σὰρξ ἡμῶν ἐστιν. ἤκουσαν δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ.
грѧди́те продади́мъ є҆го̀ і҆сма́ильтѧнѡмъ си̑мъ: рꙋ́цѣ же на́ши да не бꙋ́дꙋтъ на не́мъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ бра́тъ на́шъ и҆ пло́ть на́ша є҆́сть. Послꙋ́шаша же бра́тїѧ є҆гѡ̀.
And so that we may understand that all this concerning the people and the mystery of the Lord Jesus: Come, he says, let us sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites. What is the interpretation of the name Joseph, except that it signifies divine grace and the expression of the highest God? Who, therefore, is sold, except he who, while being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal to God: but he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant? For we would not have sent him, if they had not sold him. Those who sold him did a bad job, those who bought him did even worse. They sold a good odor to merchants, they bought a traitor. Judas sold him, the Ishmaelites bought him, who are called in Latin interpretation, hating their God. Therefore, in one place we find him bought for twenty, in another place for twenty-five gold coins, in another place for thirty; because Christ is not valued by everyone at the same price. To some less, to others more. Faith is the increase of goods: to the religious, God is more precious, to the sinner, the redeemer is more precious. He is also more worth to whom more grace has been given; but even to whom many things have been given, he is more worth; because to whom more has been forgiven, he loves more, as the Lord himself pronounced in the Gospel concerning that woman who poured ointment on his feet, and washed them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, and dried them with kisses, of whom he said to Simon: For which reason I say to you: Her many sins are forgiven her, because she loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, less He loves.
On Joseph the Patriarch
Also, to signify the figure of the Lord's Passion, Judah the patriarch says: Let us sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites: but let not our hands be upon him. And earlier he had said well: But let not our hands be upon him. What the Jews said in the Lord's Passion: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. This is to fulfill Jesus' words, signifying by what death He would die.
On Joseph the Patriarch
And the men, the merchants of Madian, went by, and they drew and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ismaelites for twenty pieces of gold; and they brought Joseph down into Egypt.
καὶ παρεπορεύοντο οἱ ἄνθρωποι οἱ Μαδιηναῖοι ἔμποροι, καὶ ἐξείλκυσαν καὶ ἀνεβίβασαν τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου καὶ ἀπέδοντο τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ τοῖς ᾿Ισμαηλίταις εἴκοσι χρυσῶν, καὶ κατήγαγον τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ εἰς Αἴγυπτον.
И҆ мимоидо́ша человѣ́цы мадїа́мстїи кꙋпцы̀: и҆ и҆звлеко́ша и҆ возведо́ша і҆ѡ́сифа и҆з̾ ро́ва, и҆ прода́ша і҆ѡ́сифа і҆сма́ильтѧнѡмъ на два́десѧть златни́цъ. И҆ поведо́ша і҆ѡ́сифа во є҆гѵ́петъ.
Let us observe a great mystery: for Joseph twenty pieces of gold were given, for the Lord thirty pieces of silver. The servant was sold at a higher price than the Master. To be sure people are wrong in fixing the price of the Lord, because the One who is sold is beyond human evaluation. Let us consider this mystery with more attention. For the Lord the Jews offered thirty pieces of silver; for Joseph the Ishmaelites offered twenty pieces of gold. The Ishmaelites bought the servant at a higher price than that paid by the Jews for the Master. The first worshiped in Joseph the image of Christ; the latter only had contempt for the reality itself that was in Christ. Therefore the Jews offered a lower price for Christ, because they estimated the passion of the Lord to be cheap. But how is it possible to estimate the passion of the Lord to be cheap, when it is the price for the redemption of the entire world? Listen to the apostle, who demonstrates that to us by saying, “You were bought at a high price.” And listen to the apostle Peter, who says in a similar manner, “You were ransomed from your futile ways not with perishable things like silver and gold but with the precious blood of the immaculate Son of God.” If we were bought back from death with gold or silver, our ransom would have been cheap, because humanity is more precious than gold and silver; but in truth we are ransomed at an invaluable price, because the one who ransomed us through his passion is invaluable.
Sermon 24.4
What an unlawful contract! What baleful profit! What illicit sale! The one who caused the same birth pangs as yourselves, the one so dear to your father, the one who came to see you, who never did you the slightest wrong, you endeavored to sell—and sell to savage people traveling down to Egypt.What unlawful frenzy! What dreadful malice! I mean, even if you did this out of fear of the dreams, convinced that they would certainly come to pass in every detail, why did you attempt the impossible and give evidence by what you did of your hostility toward God, who had foretold this to Joseph? If, on the contrary, you give no credence to the dreams but consider them nonsense, why did you do what brought you everlasting defilement and caused your father irreparable grief? But what excess of passion—or rather, of a bloodthirsty intention! You see, when someone is obsessed with some improper exploit and becomes intoxicated with improper designs, he does not keep before him the unsleeping eye; he has no respect even for nature or anything else that could bring him to compassion. That was the situation with these men too. They were not concerned that he was their brother, that he was only a youth, that he was so dear to their father, that he had no experience of life in foreign parts or living in exile and yet was on the point of departing for such a land and living among savages. Instead, they abandoned every sane consideration and had one thing on their minds, allowing their envy to have (as they thought) an immediate effect.
Homilies on Genesis 61.15-16
(Verse 28) And the Ishmaelites sold Joseph for twenty silver coins. In Hebrew, silver coins are used instead of gold coins. For the Lord should not be sold for a lesser metal than Joseph.
Hebrew Questions on Genesis
Upon seeing Joseph, his brothers discussed his death; just as when the Jews saw the true Joseph, Christ the Lord, they all resolved with one plan to crucify him. His brothers robbed Joseph of his outside coat that was of divers colors; the Jews stripped Christ of his bodily tunic at his death on the cross. When Joseph was deprived of his tunic he was thrown into a cistern, that is, into a pit; after Christ was despoiled of human flesh, he descended into hell. Afterward Joseph is lifted up out of the cistern and is sold to the Ishmaelites, that is, to the Gentiles; when Christ returns from hell, he is bought by all nations at the price of faith. Upon the advice of Judah, Joseph is sold for thirty pieces of silver; Christ is sold for the same amount upon the counsel of Judas Iscariot. Now in different translations Joseph is not written as sold at the same price, for some say it was twenty pieces of silver and others thirty. This spiritually signifies that Christ was not to be believed and loved equally by all people. In fact, even in the church some love him more, others less, for Christ means more to the soul that loves him with greater charity. Joseph went down to Egypt; Christ went into the world. Joseph saves Egypt from want of grain; Christ frees the world from a famine of the Word of God.
Sermon 89.2
And Ruben returned to the pit, and sees not Joseph in the pit; and he rent his garments.
ἀνέστρεψε δὲ Ρουβὴν ἐπὶ τὸν λάκκον καὶ οὐχ ὁρᾷ τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ. καὶ διέρρηξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ.
Возврати́сѧ же рꙋви́мъ къ ро́вꙋ и҆ не ᲂу҆зрѣ̀ і҆ѡ́сифа въ ро́вѣ: и҆ растерза̀ ри̑зы своѧ̑,
And he returned to his brethren and said, The boy is not; and I, whither am I yet to go?
καὶ ἐπέστρεψε πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ. καὶ εἶπε· τὸ παιδάριον οὐκ ἔστιν, ἐγὼ δὲ ποῦ πορεύομαι ἔτι;
и҆ прїи́де ко бра́тїи свое́й и҆ речѐ: ѻ҆́трочища нѣ́сть, а҆́зъ же ка́мѡ и҆дꙋ̀ ктомꙋ̀;
And having taken the coat of Joseph, they slew a kid of the goats, and stained the coat with the blood.
Λαβόντες δὲ τὸν χιτῶνα τοῦ ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἔσφαξαν ἔριφον αἰγῶν καὶ ἐμόλυναν τὸν χιτῶνα τῷ αἵματι.
Взе́мше же ри́зꙋ і҆ѡ́сифовꙋ, закла́ша ко́злище ѿ ко́зъ и҆ пома́заша ри́зꙋ кро́вїю:
Now the fact that they sprinkled his tunic with the blood of a goat seems to have this meaning, that they attacked with false testimony and brought into enmity for sin him who forgives the sins of all people. For us there is a lamb, for them a goat. For us the Lamb of God has been killed, who took from us the sins of the world, whereas for them a goat piled up sins and amassed offenses. Therefore “fill up the measure of your fathers.” And Jacob rightly lamented the losses to his posterity; as a father he wept for his lost son, and as a prophet he mourned the destruction of the Jews. Indeed, Jacob also tore his clothing; similarly, at the time of the Lord Jesus’ passion, the chief priest tore his robe. He exercised not a private role but an office with a public function. The curtain of the temple was also torn, so that it might be made clear by such signs that the mysteries had been profaned, the people stripped of the garments of salvation, and that the kingdom had been divided and was to be destroyed, because every divided kingdom will easily be destroyed.
On Joseph the Patriarch
And they sent the coat of many colours; and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found; know if it be thy son's coat or no.
καὶ ἀπέστειλαν τὸν χιτῶνα τὸν ποικίλον καὶ εἰσήνεγκαν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῶν. καὶ εἶπαν· τοῦτον εὕρομεν, ἐπίγνωθι εἰ χιτὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ σού ἐστιν ἢ οὔ.
и҆ посла́ша ри́зꙋ пе́стрꙋю, и҆ принесо́ша ко ѻ҆тцꙋ̀ своемꙋ̀ и҆ реко́ша: сїю̀ ѡ҆брѣто́хомъ: познава́й, а҆́ще ри́за сы́на твоегѡ̀ є҆́сть, и҆лѝ нѝ;
And he recognised it, and said, It is my son's coat, an evil wild beast has devoured him; a wild beast has carried off Joseph.
καὶ ἐπέγνω αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπε· χιτὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ μού ἐστι· θηρίον πονηρὸν κατέφαγεν αὐτόν, θηρίον ἥρπασε τὸν ᾿Ιωσήφ.
И҆ позна̀ ю҆̀ и҆ речѐ: ри́за сы́на моегѡ̀ є҆́сть: ѕвѣ́рь лю́тъ снѣдѐ є҆го̀: ѕвѣ́рь восхи́ти і҆ѡ́сифа.
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
διέρρηξε δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέθετο σάκκον ἐπὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπένθει τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἡμέρας πολλάς.
И҆ растерза̀ і҆а́кѡвъ ри̑зы своѧ̑, и҆ возложѝ вре́тище на чрє́сла своѧ̑, и҆ пла́кашесѧ сы́на своегѡ̀ дни̑ мнѡ́ги.
And all his sons and his daughters gathered themselves together, and came to comfort him; but he would not be comforted, saying, I will go down to my son mourning to Hades; and his father wept for him.
συνήχθησαν δὲ πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες καὶ ἦλθον παρακαλέσαι αὐτόν, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελε παρακαλεῖσθαι λέγων ὅτι· καταβήσομαι πρὸς τὸν υἱόν μου πενθῶν εἰς ᾅδου. καὶ ἔκλαυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.
Собра́шасѧ же всѝ сы́нове є҆гѡ̀ и҆ дщє́ри и҆ прїидо́ша ᲂу҆тѣ́шити є҆го̀: и҆ не хотѧ́ше ᲂу҆тѣ́шитисѧ, глаго́лѧ: ꙗ҆́кѡ сни́дꙋ къ сы́нꙋ моемꙋ̀ сѣ́тꙋѧ во а҆́дъ. И҆ пла́касѧ ѡ҆ не́мъ ѻ҆те́цъ є҆гѡ̀.
And the Madianites sold Joseph into Egypt; to Petephres, the eunuch of Pharao, captain of the guard.
οἱ δὲ Μαδιηναῖοι ἀπέδοντο τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ εἰς Αἴγυπτον τῷ Πετεφρῇ τῷ σπάδοντι Φαραώ, ἀρχιμαγείρῳ.
Мадїа́не же прода́ша і҆ѡ́сифа во є҆гѵ́петъ пентефрі́ю є҆ѵнꙋ́хꙋ фараѡ́новꙋ, а҆рхїмагі́рꙋ.
Then Jacob sent Joseph to the flock that he might bring back to him a report on his brothers. But the brothers, by means of the cloak that was bespattered with blood, sent Jacob a report on Joseph. With no mercy they cast him into a pit in the desert, but they wept over Joseph with tears in the house. They sold him naked to the Arabs but wept over him and wailed in the presence of the Canaanites. They put irons on his hands and feet and sent him on his way but composed lamentations over him in the village. Joseph went down to Egypt and was sold; within a few days he had changed owners twice.
Commentary on Genesis 33:2
But as for what pertains to the moral interpretation, because our God wishes all people to be saved, through Joseph he also gave consolation to those who are in slavery, and he gave them instruction. Even in the lowliest status, people should learn that their character can be superior and that no state of life is devoid of virtue if the soul of the individual knows itself. The flesh is subject to slavery, not the spirit, and many humble servants are more free than their masters, if in their condition of slavery they consider that they should abstain from the works of a slave. Every sin is slavish, while blamelessness is free. On this account the Lord also says, “Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.” Indeed, how is each greedy person not a slave, seeing that he auctions himself off for a very tiny sum of money? The person who has piled up what he is not going to use is afraid that he may lose all that he has piled up; the more numerous his acquisitions, the greater the risk he will run in keeping them.…Moreover, how is that person who is subject to lust not also a slave? First, he blazes with his own fires, and he is burned up by the torches within his own breast. To such people the prophet rightly says, “Walk in the light of your own fire and in the flame that you have kindled.” Fear takes hold of them all and lies in wait for each one when he is asleep; so that he may gain control over one object of desire, a person becomes the slave of them all. The one who makes his own masters is the slave to a wretched slavery indeed, for he wishes to have masters that he may fear; indeed, nothing is so characteristic of slavery as the constant fear. But that one, whatever his servile status, will always be free who is not seduced by love or held by the chains of greed or bound by fear of reproach, who looks to the present with tranquility and is not afraid of the future. Doesn’t it seem to you that a person of the latter kind is the master even in slavery, while one of the former kind is a slave even in liberty? Joseph was a slave, Pharaoh a ruler; the slavery of the one was happier than the sovereignty of the other. Indeed, all Egypt would have collapsed from famine unless Pharaoh had made his sovereignty subject to the counsel of a mere servant.
On Joseph the Patriarch
I think this was a further blow to those men: they saw that Jacob gave evidence of such ardent love for the one who was not present, nay rather was considered taken by wild beasts, and they were even more racked with envy. But whereas they would merit no excuse for being so cruel to their brother and their father, even the Midianites … serve the divine plan further by handing Joseph over to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chief steward. Do you see how things proceed gradually and systematically, and how in every circumstance Joseph shows his characteristic virtue and endurance so that, just as an athlete who has nobly contended will be crowned with the kingdom’s garland, likewise the fulfillment of the dreams would … teach those who sold him that no advantage accrued to them from their awful ruse? Virtue, you see, has such power that even when under attack it emerges even more conspicuous. Nothing, after all, is stronger than virtue, nothing more powerful … not because it has such power of itself but because the one who acquires it also enjoys grace from on high. By enjoying grace from on high and being accorded assistance from there, virtue would be more powerful than anything, invincible and proof against not only the wiles of human beings but also the snares of the demons.
Homilies on Genesis 61.2
(Verse 36.) Now the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an eunuch of Pharaoh and the chief of the royal executioners. In many places the Scriptures mention the chief of the executioners as the chief of the cooks, for μαγειρεύειν in Greek means to cook. Therefore, Joseph was sold to the chief of the army and the warriors, not to Potiphar, as it is written in Latin, but to Potiphar the eunuch. The question arises, how he is later said to have a wife. The Hebrews report that Joseph was bought by this person because of his excessive beauty for a disgraceful service, and after the Lord's men were dried up, he was later chosen according to the custom of the Hierophants as the high priest of Heliopolis; and his daughter was Aseneth, whom Joseph later took as his wife.
Hebrew Questions on Genesis
And these are the generations of Jacob. And Joseph was seventeen years old, feeding the sheep of his father with his brethren, being young; with the sons of Balla, and with the sons of Zelpha, the wives of his father; and Joseph brought to Israel their father their evil reproach.
αὗται δὲ αἱ γενέσεις ᾿Ιακώβ· ᾿Ιωσὴφ δὲ δέκα καὶ ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν ἦν, ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ, ὢν νέος, μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν Βαλλᾶς καὶ μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ζελφᾶς τῶν γυναικῶν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ· κατήνεγκαν δὲ ᾿Ιωσὴφ ψόγον πονηρὸν πρὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν.
Сі́и же ро́ди і҆а̑кѡвли. І҆ѡ́сифъ же бѧ́ше седмина́десѧти лѣ́тъ, пасы́й ѻ҆́вцы ѻ҆тца̀ своегѡ̀ съ бра́тїею свое́ю, ю҆́нъ сы́й, съ сынмѝ ва́ллы и҆ съ сынмѝ зе́лфы, же́нъ ѻ҆тца̀ своегѡ̀: нанесо́ша же на і҆ѡ́сифа ѕлꙋ̀ клеветꙋ̀ ко і҆и҃лю ѻ҆тцꙋ̀ своемꙋ̀.