The story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is integral to the overall narrative of the Israelites’ descent into Egypt. It also tells us that anyone can make his or her dreams come true. His progression from dream interpreting shepherd to minister of Egypt is one of the most elaborate stories in the Bible, the Book of Genesis. Joseph was born in a family of 12 boys and Joseph was his father’s favorite. Jacob wanted to show everyone how much he loved Joseph and decided to give him coat of many colors. The coat of colors was a prestige gift in Canaan, because it was very expensive back then. Joseph had a dream of 11 sheaves of corn that turned and bowed down to a golden sheaf of corn another dream that was about the sun, moon, and sky with eleven stars bowing down before a bright golden star. He knew that someday he was meant for more things to come that are powerful in his life. This was God’s way to show him that he will be great someday and be a ruler. With the combination of knowing Joseph is Jacob’s favorite son and Joseph’s dreams of being one that he may be a ruler of some kind, the 11 brothers become very jealous. One day, they decided that they wanted to kill him, but before they get the chance, they came across a couple of Ishmaelite’s on their way to Egypt. They decided to sell Joseph as a slave. As Joseph is taken to Egypt, his brothers return home, told their father that Joseph is dead; they brought back his coat stained with goat blood
From what we are told, we can obviously tell that Joseph has a very difficult life as it is, “What can a crippled, speechless boy do, asked Joseph…” Nolan is telling us that Joseph thinks of himself in a negative manner. But while he may look in himself in a negative way, he is still optimistic, explaining
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the biblical story of Joseph, who was born in Canaan, or ancient Israel. In the musical version, he is listed as the last of the sons of Jacob. His brothers are jealous of Joseph and when they were in the fields, they beat him up and sold him into slavery to a group of Ishmaelites. The Ishmaelites take Joseph to Egypt, where he first serves the house of Potiphar, one of the richest men in Egypt. He is accused of attacking Potiphar’s Wife and sent to jail. After several years in Jail, Joseph is sent to interpret the dreams of the Pharaoh. Joseph predicted Pharaoh’s dreams were a premonition about seven years of good crops and climate, which were followed by seven years of drought and
In each of these biblical characters, the change of names gives them a new sense of self. Joseph is also given an Egyptian wife, Potiphera. This intercultural marriage affirms that Joseph’s descendents will now become Egyptian not only by title, but by blood, furthering his identity as an Egyptian. An additional argument that supports his full assimilation is the tremendous authority that is given to him—the whole country of Egypt. Because he becomes the second highest ruler in the land, the remaining pieces of his Jewish identity are swept away. Even the language that he learns becomes so infused in him that he uses a translator, although he does not need one: “They did not know that Joseph understood them, since he spoke with them through an interpreter” (Genesis 42.23). One of the most major traits that show how much Joseph has assimilated to the Egyptian culture is found in the last sentence of Genesis: “And Joseph died… he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt” (Genesis 50.24). Embalmment was not a Jewish custom and Joseph requests that he does not be buried in Egypt. He wants his bones to instead be carried from Egypt back to where his forefathers were buried in, the cave of Machpelah in Canaan, but his wish is not granted.
Joseph began his life as the favorite son of Jacob who tended to the flocks as a shepherd.3 These humble beginnings foreshadow how one day Joseph will tend to the Seed of the Woman during times of famine in the land by giving food to this eleven brothers. Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, had eleven other sons who were jealous of the special attention that Joseph received. In fact, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.4 Joseph had a dream that predicted that Joseph would one day reign over his older brothers. This upset his brothers and they tricked Joseph by selling him into slavery. Joseph was then taken to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar and became a servant in
So when Joseph came to them, they took off his beautiful robe and they threw him in an empty well. Then they sold him to people that were going to Egypt. The brothers took the robe and dipped it in animal’s blood and brought it to their father. They told Jacob that an animal killed him. Jacob was really upset. Joseph was now in Egypt working as a slave. He was Potiphar’s helper and made him mandated of everything he owned. Then the Pharaoh sent him to jail. After some time in jail a cupbearer and a baker’s Pharaoh had a dream that he was going to get out of jail soon. Joseph told them to tell the Pharaoh about him but the cupbearer forgot. Two years later the Pharaoh had a dream, but nobody could understand it. Then the cupbearer remembered what Joseph did for him, and Joseph was brought to Pharaoh. Joseph explained him and the Pharaoh believed all that he told him, and put him in charge of all the land of Egypt. People came from all over to buy grain from Joseph, including Joseph's brothers. When his brothers came, Joseph was able to recognize them, but they did not. Joseph told them that he was their brother and even thought they were afraid Joseph was not mad at them because he knew that God had a better plan for him. After it his entire family moved to Egypt
Joseph was often sent out to spy on his brother for their father. He often tattled to his father about their wrongdoings. Joseph had dreams that he shared with his brothers that made them not like him even more. In his dreams, he had power over his entire family. This caused Joseph’s older brothers to hate him so much that they plotted to kill him. Instead of killing him; they beat him and sold him
him into Egypt slavery. The reason begin, Joseph father, guided and love him more. This of
Joseph was one of the 12 sons fathered by Jacob. He was the first born son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph was much younger than his brothers and highly loved and favored by his father. Jacob gave Joseph an ornate robe that displayed that nepotism. Joseph had some pretty momentous dreams when he was only 17 years old. His dreams indicated that his brothers were going to bow down to him. Joseph told his family of his dreams in an attempt to seek the meaning behind them. Jacob’s favoritism caused his sons to be jealous. Joseph’s brothers decided to sell him into slavery to an Egyptian man, named Potiphar. Joseph excelled at everything he did. Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his home. Joseph grew up to be a very handsome man. Potiphar’s wife coveted him, but Joseph would not commit sin against Potiphar or God, so the wife had him thrown in prison. He continued to exceed while in prison. He interpreted dreams for prisoners and eventually Pharaoh. Pharaoh gave Joseph authority over all the land and began storing food for the inevitable famine. This lead to Joseph’s family coming to ask for food
The super-spiritual say; “Oh, if God wants it to happen it will just happen”. That is more super-slacker than super-spiritual. Joseph wasn’t lazy– not out in the sheep pastures, not in Potipher’s palace, not in prison or in Pharaoh’s employ – Joseph worked. Dreams entail work.
The story of Joseph in the Bible begins with explanations of Joseph’s youth and innocence and how his brothers were jealous of him because he was the “blessed son”. It involves a lot of specifics, like it mentions that Joseph was seventeen years
Joseph was the first born child of Rachel and because he was born to Jacob in his old age, Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons and made Joseph a richly ornamented robe, therefore Joseph’s brothers hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph also had dreams that indicated that he would reign over his brothers and this caused more hatred toward him. His brothers were jealous of the love that he received from their father and because of his dreams. Consequently, Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him but instead they sold him to some Ishmaelites that were passing through to Egypt.
It is important to know that “In antiquity, dreams were thought to be signs from divine powers exposing their intent” (Plaut, 388). This view toward dreams makes Joseph’s gift very valuable. Throughout the writing we see that “Dreams play an important role and hint at unusual developments” within the story (Plaut, 360). The dreams come in three different episodes, each episode contains two dreams. This is one form of repetition that is used with regard to the dreams (cfr. Humphreys, 97). The first set of dreams occurs at the beginning of the narrative. Joseph has a dream and he goes to share it with his brothers: “There we were binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf stood up and remained upright; then your sheaves gathered around and bowed low to my sheaf” (Gen. 37:7). The brothers are extremely disgusted with Joseph and they see his dream as a purposeful attempt to mock them and show his power over them (cfr. Levenson, 75). They already do not like him because he is the favorite son, but they hate him even more after his dream. The second dream which occurs within this episode is similar to the first. This time Joseph describes the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. Joseph’s brothers and father take exception to his dream.
The dream depicts the sun, moon, starts, and eleven planets kneeling before him. Joseph has eleven brothers whom are all the prophets of Jacob. Once they discover the dream they construct a plan casting Joseph as a slave into the land of Egypt and out of the land of Canaan. Looking at this from a biblical stand point, Jacob holds it true his son could be dead. Therefore, for days he grieved his son. However, the Quran states his sons are lying and patience is important standing in his position. His father further says when you accept Allah he can help you when you look to him for answers. Through Joseph’s brothers sins, mistrust, and dishonesty, Allah is the all-powerful and supreme being. He is to look at him in times of
One of the inherent conflicts in the story of Joseph is the tension between Joseph and his brothers. The tension between them is caused by both Jacob and Joseph. First, Jacob shows favoritism toward Joseph, because he is the son of his favorite wife Rachel. Second, Joseph brings back bad reports when he is out pasturing with his brothers. However, what truly increased the hatred and jealousy was the Joseph’s dreams. The author notes that when Joseph recounts the dreams, “they hated him even more (Gen. 37:8).” Their jealousy for Joseph is strong enough that they are willing to murder him. However, they decide to instead sell him into slavery, and convince Jacob that he was killed.
Joseph then found himself here in jail wrongfully accused of doing something he had no intent on ever doing. He woke up in a great startle he finally had seen it, he had seen the darkness of his life, but bigger yet he had seen how positive things still had become, out of the most despicable times. He could also see how his heavenly father is a majestic, powerful heavenly father has even been with him in the darkness. He also began to see how all he had done was to the glory of God and he became reminded of how powerful his father was in those situations and how he was able to make it through on the very extravagance of his heavenly father. So he thought to himself how could this time in this cave be any different, my father's light can never be covered up, even if I am under hundreds of feet of cold damp, dark cobble stone, for God that is nothing but a thin piece of paper to shine his light through. My God is almighty and I know he has a plan for me even if it is for me to sit in this cave for