Bible story · 9 min

Joseph and His Dreams

A story about dreams, family, and God's faithfulness

Long ago, in the land of Canaan, there lived a young man named Joseph.

Joseph belonged to a very large family. He had many brothers, and together they helped care for their father Jacob's sheep.

Joseph beside his father Jacob and their sheep in Canaan — Joseph lived in Canaan with his father Jacob and his many brothers.

Jacob loved Joseph very much. One day, he gave him a beautiful robe. It was long, special, and had many bright colors.

Joseph smiled as the soft cloth moved in the wind.

But when his brothers saw the robe, they felt jealous.

“Why did our father give Joseph such a special gift?” they wondered.

Instead of talking about how they felt, the brothers allowed their jealousy to grow.

One night, Joseph had a strange dream.

The next morning, he ran to tell his family.

“In my dream, we were tying bundles of wheat in a field,” Joseph explained. “My bundle stood very tall, and your bundles gathered around and bowed down to mine.”

Joseph dreams of bundles of wheat bowing down to his bundle — In Joseph's first dream, the bundles of wheat bowed down.

His brothers frowned.

“Do you think you will rule over us one day?” they asked him.

Soon afterward, Joseph had another dream.

This time, he dreamed that the sun, the moon, and eleven bright stars bowed down to him.

Joseph watches the sun, the moon, and exactly eleven stars in his dream — The second dream was filled with light, stars, and wonder.

Joseph told this dream to his father and brothers too.

His brothers felt even more jealous. But Jacob kept those dreams in his heart and wondered what they might mean.

Sometime later, Joseph's brothers traveled far from home to find fresh grass for the family's sheep.

One morning, Jacob called Joseph.

“Your brothers have been away for a long time,” he said. “Please go and make sure they are well.”

“Yes, Father. I will go,” Joseph answered.

Joseph put on his special robe and began the journey. His sandals tapped along the dusty road as he crossed hills and fields.

Joseph walks along a dusty path toward his brothers — Joseph crossed hills and fields to find his brothers.

At last, Joseph saw his brothers in the distance. He raised a hand to greet them.

But when they saw his colorful robe, they felt jealous again.

“Here comes the dreamer,” one brother said.

Some of them wanted to hurt him. But Reuben, the oldest brother, did not want that to happen.

“Do not hurt him,” Reuben said. “Let us put him in that empty well.”

In secret, Reuben planned to return later, lift Joseph out of the well, and take him safely home.

When Joseph reached his brothers, they took away his special robe. Then they lowered him into the empty well.

A frightened Joseph is lowered into a dry well by his satisfied brothers — Reuben hoped he could take Joseph out of the well later.

The well was deep, dark, and dry.

“Brothers!” Joseph called. “Please, help me!”

But his brothers sat down to eat.

As they ate, they heard the creak of wheels and the soft footsteps of several camels.

A group of travelers was passing by on the way to the distant land of Egypt. Their camels carried spices, perfumes, and other goods to sell.

One of Joseph's brothers had an idea.

“Instead of leaving Joseph in the well, we can sell him to these travelers,” he said.

The brothers agreed.

They pulled Joseph out of the well. The travelers gave them twenty silver coins and took Joseph with them.

The camels began walking toward Egypt. Their bells rang softly as the caravan moved away along the dusty road.

A sad Joseph walks beside a camel caravan traveling toward Egypt — The caravan left for Egypt as the stars began to shine.

Joseph looked back until he could no longer see his home.

He felt frightened and alone. He did not understand his dreams or know what would happen next.

But Joseph was not truly alone.

God saw Joseph on that long road to Egypt. God had not forgotten him, and Joseph's story was only beginning.