Signs of the Times, Book 1 - Ellen G. White

emonstrated with them; but they hated him for his entreaties, and for daring
to reprove them who were so much older than he, and accused him of being a
spy upon their actions. As Joseph saw that his words and entreaties only
excited wrath against himself, he laid the plans and evil purposes of his
brethren before his father, which gave him knowledge of many things he
otherwise would not have known. The fathers of children among the
Hebrews were made responsible in a great degree for the sins of their
children, when they were left without the exercise of authority and restraint.
When the father's solicitude was expressed to his sons in a voice tremulous
with grief, and he implored them to have respect for his gray hairs and not
make his name a reproach, and to be despised because of their course, the
sons felt sorry and ashamed before their father, because their wickedness was
known, but felt envious and jealous of Joseph because he had informed his
father of their course of sin. Jacob flattered himself that his sons repented of
their wickedness, and he trusted they would reform.
Jacob unwisely gave expression to his love for Joseph in making him a
present of a coat of beautiful colors. This only increased the hatred of his
brothers against him; for they thought Joseph had stolen their father's
affections from them, and they considered themselves ill treated and
deprived of their father's confidence and love. They did not see that their
own wicked course was a continual shame and disgrace to his gray hairs, and
that his affections centered upon Joseph because of his purity and true
excellence of character.
The Lord gave Joseph a dream which he related; Jacob would have been
alarmed had he suspected the hatred and malicious feelings this dream
aroused in the hearts of his sons against his beloved child. Joseph dreamed
that while they were all engaged binding sheaves of grain, his sheaf arose
and stood upright, and the sheaves of all the rest stood round about and
bowed before his sheaf. No sooner was his dream related than they all
understood its significance. His brothers exclaimed with indignation, "Shalt
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