Joseph

Joseph is the 11th son of Jacob and the first son of his mother, Rachel. The story of Joseph was told in music and humor in the Broadway hit “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” written by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. The story lends itself to the retelling due to its many levels of psychological and emotional appeal.After many years of bareness Rachel, the more beloved wife of Jacob, finally gives birth to Joseph. Jacob declares that Joseph his is favorite of 11 sons, and gives him a ‘coat of many colors.’ Not only is Joseph singled out as special, but Joseph brags to his brothers that he has dreams which are easily interpreted to mean that Joseph will one day rule over them.  The brothers decide to kill Joseph, but one of the brothers convinces them that it is better to sell him as a slave. Joseph ends up in Egypt, working for a wealthy Egyptian with connection in government, Potiphar. Potiphar’s wife is attracted to Joseph due to his extreme good looks (the Bible tells us he is handsome) and although Joseph runs away from her advances, he is nevertheless accused of having relations with  Potiphar’s wife and ends up in jail. Due to Joseph’s uncanny ability to interpret dreams, he is eventually released from prison to become Pharaoh’s right hand man. Joseph dies in Egypt and is buried there, but when the Jews leave Egypt about 210 years later, Joseph’s bones are retrieved and make the trip with the Children of Israel through the desert until they finally arrive in the Land of Israel (Canaan) and are buried near Shechem, (Nablus.)

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