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Who Was Joseph (Son of Jacob)?

Joseph was the favored eleventh son of Jacob, sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, who rose to become the most powerful official in Egypt after Pharaoh. His story fills Genesis 37 to 50 and ends with him forgiving his brothers and bringing the whole family to Egypt during a famine.

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One of the profiles in People of the Bible, with every point tied to a chapter and verse you can check.

What Joseph (son of Jacob) is known for

  • His special robe and his father's open favoritism
  • Being sold into slavery by his brothers
  • Interpreting dreams, including Pharaoh's dreams of the famine
  • Rising to govern Egypt and store grain for seven lean years
  • Forgiving the brothers who betrayed him

Joseph (son of Jacob)’s life in order

  1. The favored son and his dreams

    Genesis 37:1–11

    Jacob loves Joseph more than his other sons and gives him a special robe. Joseph dreams that his family will bow down to him and tells them about it. His brothers come to hate him.

  2. Sold by his brothers

    Genesis 37:12–36

    When Joseph visits his brothers in the fields, they throw him into an empty pit. They then sell him to traders heading for Egypt. They dip his robe in goat's blood and let Jacob believe a wild animal killed him.

  3. In Potiphar's house

    Genesis 39:1–20

    In Egypt, Joseph serves Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, and is put in charge of his household. Potiphar's wife tries again and again to seduce him, and he refuses. She accuses him falsely, and he is thrown into prison.

  4. Dreams in prison

    Genesis 40

    In prison, Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker. Things turn out just as he said. But the cupbearer, restored to his post, forgets all about Joseph.

  5. Pharaoh's dreams and Joseph's rise

    Genesis 41:1–45

    Two years later, Pharaoh has troubling dreams that no one can explain. Joseph is brought from prison and says they foretell seven years of plenty and seven of famine. Pharaoh puts him in charge of all Egypt.

  6. The brothers come for grain

    Genesis 42

    The famine reaches Canaan, and Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt to buy food. They bow before him without recognizing him. Joseph tests them, keeping Simeon and demanding they bring Benjamin.

  7. Joseph reveals himself

    Genesis 45:1–15

    When Judah offers himself as a slave in Benjamin's place, Joseph can no longer hold back. He weeps and tells his brothers who he is. He says God sent him ahead of them to save lives.

  8. Jacob comes to Egypt

    Genesis 46:1–47:12

    Jacob learns that Joseph is alive and sets out for Egypt with the whole family. Father and son are reunited and weep together. Pharaoh gives them land in the region of Goshen.

  9. Forgiveness and Joseph's death

    Genesis 50:15–26

    After Jacob dies, the brothers fear Joseph will take revenge. Joseph reassures them that God turned their harm into good. He dies at 110 and asks that his bones be carried back to the promised land one day.

What does the name Joseph (son of Jacob) mean?

In Genesis 30:23–24, Rachel names her firstborn Joseph. The text links the name to two Hebrew words: one meaning “take away,” because God took away her disgrace, and one meaning “add,” as she hopes for another son.

The second link, “may he add,” is the one most often given as the meaning of the name.

Key verses

“And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.”

Genesis 39:2BSB

““I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.””

Genesis 41:16BSB

“And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.”

Genesis 45:5BSB

“As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.”

Genesis 50:20BSB

Verse text: Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain.

What Joseph (son of Jacob)’s story shows

Favoritism hurts a family

Jacob's open preference for Joseph feeds his brothers' hatred (Genesis 37:3–4). The story shows how a parent's choices can set off years of pain.

Integrity when no one is watching

In Potiphar's house, Joseph refuses an affair even though it costs him his freedom (Genesis 39). His honesty is not rewarded right away.

Waiting through setbacks

Joseph is forgotten in prison for two more years after helping the cupbearer (Genesis 40:23–41:1). The narrative moves slowly, and much of Joseph's life is spent waiting.

Forgiveness without pretending

Joseph does not say his brothers did nothing wrong. He names their intent as harm and still chooses not to repay it (Genesis 50:19–21). Many readers see this as one of the Bible's clearest pictures of forgiveness.

Joseph's legacy

Before he dies, Jacob adopts Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own (Genesis 48). Their descendants became two of the tribes of Israel. Joseph's family line therefore has a double share among the tribes.

Joseph's request about his bones is carried out generations later. Moses takes them out of Egypt (Exodus 13:19), and they are buried at Shechem (Joshua 24:32). The New Testament recalls Joseph in Acts 7:9–16 and Hebrews 11:22.

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Frequently asked questions

What kind of coat did Joseph have?

Genesis 37:3 says Jacob made him a special robe, called a “robe of many colors” in the BSB and widely known as the “coat of many colors.” The Hebrew phrase is uncertain, and some translations render it as an ornate robe or a long robe with sleeves. Either way, it marked him as the favorite.

How old was Joseph when he was sold?

Genesis 37:2 says Joseph was seventeen when the story begins. He was thirty when he entered Pharaoh's service (Genesis 41:46). So about thirteen years passed between his sale and his rise.

How many brothers did Joseph have?

Joseph had eleven brothers. Ten were older half-brothers, and Benjamin was his younger full brother, also born to Rachel. He also had a half-sister, Dinah (Genesis 30:21).

Is this the same Joseph as the husband of Mary?

No. Joseph son of Jacob lived many centuries earlier, in the time of the patriarchs. Joseph the husband of Mary appears in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2. Interestingly, Matthew 1:16 also names that Joseph's father as Jacob.

Where was Joseph buried?

Joseph was first embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50:26). The Israelites later carried his bones out during the Exodus and buried them at Shechem (Joshua 24:32).

Bible text is quoted from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain); retellings and notes are our own. How we write: editorial policy. Spotted an error? Report a mistake.