What does Genesis 37:18 mean?
Sent by his father Jacob, Joseph has travelled well north of home to find his 10 older brothers and the family flocks. This chapter has repeatedly revealed that Joseph's brothers hate him. This is driven mostly by their father's favoritism (Genesis 37:3–5). It's also bitterness towards Joseph (Genesis 37:2) and offense at the nature of his dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9). Jacob seems entirely clueless about the depth of their hate—otherwise he would not have sent Joseph into such a vulnerable state. Whether Joseph also realizes this, Scripture does not say.As Joseph approaches their camp, the group sees him coming. They begin to discuss murdering Joseph outright. It's unclear how much time has passed since these ten men slaughtered the men of Shechem (Genesis 34:26–27), not far to the south of where they are now. Certainly, they are willing and able to kill when they feel justified. Joseph is in real trouble.
Genesis 37:12–36 describes how Joseph's wildly resentful brothers finally get rid of him. They hate Joseph for being Jacob's favorite (Genesis 37:3) and for his grandiose dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9). When Joseph arrives alone at the camp of his brothers, very far from home, they have an opportunity. Only Reuben's intervention keeps them from killing Joseph outright. Instead, while Reuben is absent, the brothers sell Joseph to passing slave traders and later convince their father he has been killed by a wild animal. Joseph becomes a slave in an Egyptian home. Genesis 39 will return to Joseph's story.
Joseph, 17, is deeply loved by his father Jacob and deeply resented by his ten older brothers thanks to Jacob's favoritism. Jacob gives Joseph a princely robe, and Joseph reports dreams that predict his family will one day bow before him. When alone with Joseph in the wilderness, the brothers decide to kill him. Reuben stops them, suggesting they throw him alive into a pit, instead. While Reuben is gone, however, the brothers sell Joseph to slave-traders, later convincing their father Joseph has been killed by a wild animal. Joseph is placed in the home of an Egyptian nobleman.
