Scripture Compass
Who's Who
Painterly portrait of a young Hebrew man wearing an ornate striped coat of many colors over linen robes.
Painterly interpretation — not a historical likeness.

Old Testament

Joseph (son of Jacob)

Betrayed and enslaved — raised to save the family that sold him.

Traditional datingc. 1800s BC (traditional)

Their story, briefly

  1. Favorite son of Jacob; given the coat of many colors and dreams of his brothers bowing.
  2. Sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers; falsely accused and imprisoned under Potiphar.
  3. Interpreted Pharaoh's dreams; raised to second in command over Egypt.
  4. Stewarded grain through seven years of famine, saving Egypt and the surrounding nations.
  5. Forgave his brothers: 'You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.'

Key passages

  • Genesis 37:23-28
  • Genesis 39:20-23
  • Genesis 41:38-43
  • Genesis 45:4-8
  • Genesis 50:20

How their life points to Christ

Joseph is rejected by his brothers, suffers innocently, and ends up the one who saves them. Jesus is rejected by his own, suffers innocently, and becomes the bread of life for the world that betrayed him.

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More from Scripture

Painterly portrait of an aged Hebrew man with a long white beard, holding stone tablets, robed in earth tones.

Moses

Reluctant prophet who led Israel out of Egypt and received the Law.

Painterly portrait of an aged patriarch with a long white beard and tan headcloth, gazing upward at a starry sky.

Abraham

The father of faith — called out from Ur, promised a nation through him.

Painterly portrait of a strong middle-aged Hebrew warrior with a short dark beard, in simple bronze-trimmed armor over earth-tone robes.

Joshua

Moses' successor — the commander who led Israel into the Promised Land.