Genesis 37:7
For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
Joseph's sheaf rising and standing upright while his brothers' sheaves stood round about and bowed to it meant that he would have dominion over them and rise to rule in Egypt while they bowed down and submitted to his authority. The dream was a message from God revealing the future to Joseph as a youthful inspired prophet. His brothers at once understood it as his claim to become greater and rule over them, and telling it innocently stirred their envy, anger and hatred against him. Despising the dream, they labored to prevent its fulfillment by purposing to kill him and then selling him as a slave into Egypt, thinking this would leave no possibility of its coming to pass. But God controlled events and overruled the very course they took to exalt Joseph, so the prediction was fulfilled when they came to buy corn in Egypt and bowed before him with their faces to the earth, and he recognized their bowing as the fulfillment of his dreams. Jacob joined the dream to the promise made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to himself and centered his hopes on Joseph as the beloved Rachel's eldest son, for Joseph was chosen while young to do special work for God and become saviour to his father's family, illustrating how Christ was made Redeemer and ruler of the world through the very murder by which His enemies sought to stop Him becoming king.
Dream and Its Meaning
The scene is a field where Joseph and his brothers are binding sheaves of grain, and in the dream Joseph's sheaf arises and stands upright while their sheaves stand round about and bow to it. The dream is a message from God, the Lord revealing the future to Joseph. It was given to him as a youthful prophet whose dream was inspired. Its meaning is that Joseph would have dominion over his brothers and rule over them, rising to prominence in Egypt while they would bow down to him, become subject to him, recognize his authority, and submit to it. That same bowing foretold that they would one day bow before him. That meaning was at once understood by the brothers as his claim that he would become greater than they and rule over them, with its implication of their submission stirring them. Joseph told the dream to his brothers, and he did so innocently.
Fulfillment Despite Opposition
The brothers despised the dream of the upright sheaf and labored to prevent its fulfillment by getting rid of Joseph. They first purposed to kill him and then were content to sell him as a slave into Egypt. They did this thinking it would end trouble from his dreams and leave no possibility of fulfillment.
Their effort to stop the dreams instead helped bring about their fulfillment. God controlled events and directed them, and overruled the very course they took to stop the dream. By that overruling He exalted Joseph to dominion over them. By ill-treating Joseph and selling him they acted their part in fulfilling what they meant never to happen.
The prediction was fulfilled when the brothers came with the crowd of buyers to purchase corn and food in Egypt. There they bowed down before Joseph with their faces to the earth. Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed of them and recognized their bowing as the fulfillment.
In Egypt they repeatedly made obeisance to Joseph according to the dream. They stood before him as Egypt's ruler. When he revealed himself they stood before him condemned and amazed, with all their cruelty, contempt, and the despised dreams painfully before them.
Responses and Larger Significance
The telling of the sheaf dream provoked indignation among the brothers and deepened their hatred and malice toward Joseph, stirring envy and anger and a desire for revenge so that they hated him yet more for the dream and for what he said. That jealousy, hatred, and revenge were taken by the elder sons as sufficiently warranted when the dream was joined to the father's unconcealed favor. Their hatred was rooted in the contrast between his character and their own, for he was innocent and righteous while they refused to leave their wicked ways. They accused him of relating the dream to exalt himself above them and to gain still more of their father's love.
Jacob himself had confidence in the dream and joined it to the promise made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to himself. He centered his disappointed hopes on Joseph as the eldest son of his beloved Rachel, hoping God would wonderfully bless him. His words against the dream were only apparent severity, for his voice of tremulous affection betrayed his true belief and love. That affection was openly shown by the gorgeous colored coat, which with the dream gave the elder sons occasion for jealousy, hatred, and revenge. Had he known the hatred the telling aroused he would have been alarmed.
God had chosen Joseph while he was young to do special work for His people. By overruling the very course taken to stop the dream, God exalted Joseph to dominion over his brothers and made him saviour to his father's family. His rise despite envy illustrates Christ, for as the Jewish leaders' murder of Christ to stop Him becoming king made Him Redeemer and ruler over the whole world, so Joseph was made ruler and redeemer through the actions of those who sought to prevent him from becoming king. That overruling use of evil for good did not lessen the guilt of those who did it.