Joseph's Brothers Hate Him

 Joseph feels very sad and hopeless. His brothers just sold him to these men who are on their way to Egypt. There Joseph will be made a slave. Why have all his half brothers done this bad thing?  It is because they are jealous of Joseph.

Their father Jacob liked Joseph very much. He showed him favor by having a beautiful long coat made for him.  When his 10 brothers saw how much Jacob loved Joseph, they began to be jealous and to hate Joseph. There was also another reason why they hated him. 

Joseph had two dreams. In both of Joseph's dreams his brothers bowed down to him. When Joseph told his brothers these dreams, their hatred grew even more.

Now one day when Joseph's older brothers are taking care of their father's sheep, Jacob asks Joseph to go and see how they are getting along.  When Joseph's brothers see him coming, some of them say: 'Let's kill him!'  But Rue'ben, the oldest brother, says: 'No, don't you do that!'  Instead they grab Joseph and throw him into a dried-up water hole.  Then they sit down to decide what to do with him.

Next time: Conclusion of Joseph's Brothers Hate Him

From the jw.org publications

Note: This is a good example of what not to do,  Whether putting someone in a water hole, killing them or whatever, it does not warrant a reason to hurt or kill or cause any emotional pain whatsoever. It is all out wrong and God does not approve of anyone doing that. Plus, eventually, it will all come back to bite you in your butt  and if the law doesn't do anything to punish that person, that person doing the wrong will get punished by God, no lie. He may just get punished twice.  The same lying etc. Wrong is wrong, no matter how you look at it.  It does not pay to do anything like that. No one and nothing is worth going to prison for.