Joseph: The Dreamer

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People Jacob. Jacob ran close to the canvas wall and placed his face beside it. 00:00:10 Speaker 2: And here my love. 00:00:12 Speaker 1: Rachel closed her eyes and smiled. Having Jacob close helped. She had longed to give him a child since the first time they met. Now, after nearly a lifetime together, here she was only moments away from her dream. She propped her head up and nodded to the midwife. She curled forward and pushed with all her might. The minute Jacob heard those cries from the other side of the tent, he ran in. His son cried in Rachel's arms. He was the most beautiful thing Jacob had ever seen. Finally he had a child born from love. All other blessings in his life seemed to fade into the background as he gazed upon his miracle child. He held him in his arms, his beaming smile red field his old and cracked face. 00:01:02 Speaker 3: My son, my son, I shall name you Joseph. 00:01:07 Speaker 1: He kissed his son's cheek and laid him in the arms of his mother. Out of all of his brothers, Joseph carried the favor of his father. The boy would grow up under the attentive wing of his parents and increase in knowledge, skill and pride. Great would be his rise in his family, and great would be his four joseph sandy curls were damp with sweat clinging to his forehead. As he worked the fields, he looked over his shoulder, comparing the angle of his swing with Judas. Although Judah wasn't the oldest, he was certainly the leader among his brothers. He stood taller than them, with tight muscles wound around his arms and legs. Alias, tall and muscular, already watched everything Judah did, mimicking his every motion. Yet it was all from a distance. He dared not get too close. He swung his sickle, binding the sheaves of grain over his broad shoulders alone, listening to his brother's laughter. His upper lip glistened with sweat, the first signs of a beard breaking through. Wiping his face, he puffed out his chest, threw the sickle over his shoulder, and strolled closer to them. 00:02:32 Speaker 4: Judah, I've devised a new sheaving system. 00:02:35 Speaker 2: If you go from left. 00:02:36 Speaker 4: To right, you'll have to return to pick up the bundles and take them to the cistern. But if you begin backward and work away from the cistern. 00:02:44 Speaker 2: You'll cut a lot of time. 00:02:46 Speaker 5: Oh, I didn't realize. Father put you in charge of the fields over me. Go ahead, Joseph continue. 00:02:52 Speaker 2: I'm not in charge, Judah. 00:02:54 Speaker 4: A good idea is a good idea, right? 00:02:56 Speaker 2: Does it really matter who came up with it? 00:02:58 Speaker 5: If the idea came from someone who only works half the time, then yes, yes it does matter. We work the fields and tend to the flock every day. You saunter in and out of work as you please. 00:03:14 Speaker 1: Joseph opened his mouth to reply, but then heard the voice of his father calling out from the tents. 00:03:20 Speaker 3: Joseph, come here, my boy, I have something to show you. 00:03:26 Speaker 5: Ah. There it is. The bell rings for you, Joseph, Judah, what does it come here, my son? 00:03:35 Speaker 4: Oh? 00:03:36 Speaker 5: Father needs his favorite by his side. Leave with your ideas while we keep working. 00:03:43 Speaker 1: Joseph turned to run down the hill and embrace his father. Jacob wrapped Joseph in his arms and laughed. Judah watched, tilting his head to the ten of the brothers. 00:03:54 Speaker 5: Take a good look, boys, that's what fatherly affection looks like. 00:04:00 Speaker 1: The second born, sharp featured and sharper tongued, spat in Joseph's direction. 00:04:05 Speaker 4: He pads behind father like a puppy, yelps like one too. I took an extra fig kick two days ago, and the little. 00:04:14 Speaker 2: Rat told on me. 00:04:16 Speaker 4: I'm a grown man and got scolded for taking a piece of cake. 00:04:21 Speaker 1: Reuben, the eldest, tall and muscular, already a father himself, took Simeon under his arm, squeezing him playfully. 00:04:29 Speaker 3: You're a grown man, all right, no need for more fig cakes. 00:04:35 Speaker 1: Joseph ran into his father's arms. Although he longed for his brother's approval, Joseph saw his father's favor as far more valuable. Jacob wrapped Joseph up and squeezed. 00:04:46 Speaker 3: Ah, my son, come in and see what we have made you. 00:04:51 Speaker 1: Jacob put his hands over Joseph's eyes and led him into the tent. 00:04:56 Speaker 3: Winter is approaching, and you've already grown out of your old Your mother has been hard at work getting the material for these. 00:05:06 Speaker 1: Jacob took his hands off Joseph's eyes. In front of him, his mother held a long, flowing coat adorned with many colors. Joseph's eyes shone at the sight. The coat's shoulders were bright red, the sleeves deep blue, the hem purple with silver patterns and the straps brilliant orange. Rachel slipped the coat onto Joseph and kissed his cheek. Joseph stepped to the water basin and looked at his reflection. The coat fit perfectly. Its shimmering colors showcased Joseph's favor over his other brothers. It was a physical reminder that he alone held his father's heart. Joseph walked outside with the coat. The sun shone directly on it, causing the patterns to pop in the light. Joseph turned and hugged his parents. 00:05:56 Speaker 2: Ah, this is brilliant. I feel like a pharaoh. 00:06:00 Speaker 3: Oh, oh, the colors suit you. Run along and return to work, but try not to ruin your coat. Tell Ruben that the well beside the fields is missing a few stones. 00:06:14 Speaker 1: With the coat flowing behind him, Joseph sauntered back to the fields. Reuben spotted him, rolled his eyes and warned the others. 00:06:23 Speaker 3: Here he comes. Behave yourselves. 00:06:26 Speaker 1: The brothers scoffed. As Joseph approached his coat, shimmering in the late afternoon sun, he made a spectacle of it, fully aware of his favor. 00:06:35 Speaker 4: Did you see what father gave me? Its design looks good enough to be Egyptian. 00:06:41 Speaker 1: Simeon scoffed and threw down his plow. 00:06:44 Speaker 4: I'm sure you can afford to wear such. 00:06:46 Speaker 2: A lovely coat, Joseph. 00:06:48 Speaker 4: You don't spend enough time working to get it dirty. 00:06:52 Speaker 2: Don't be bitter, Simeon. 00:06:53 Speaker 4: I'll be sure to let you borrow it next time you visit the prostitutes and Timna. 00:06:58 Speaker 1: The rest of the brothers gasped. Simeon's eyes widened, first with embarrassment, then with rage. He drove his shoulder down and tackled Joseph to the ground. The two of them scraped through the dirt. Joseph was a head taller than Simeon. He confidently swung his hips, wrapped his arms around Simeon, and pinned him to the ground. Simeon kicked, thrusting Joseph back. He lunged, but Joseph got the upper hand, locking Simeon's shoulders and neck from behind. 00:07:28 Speaker 2: Get your hands off me, ask nicely. 00:07:32 Speaker 1: Joseph, entertained by his brother's begging, only laughed and squeezed harder. His fun was short lived, though, as Judah took Joseph by the coat and threw him into the creek. Bed a few feet away. The brothers laughed as Joseph sat soaking wet. He looked up at Judah, straining to hold back. 00:07:50 Speaker 2: Tears, your old children. 00:07:56 Speaker 1: Reuben helped Joseph out of the creek and patted his cheek. 00:08:00 Speaker 5: Easy, little brother, your coat may be brighter, but your blood is red. Is like ours. 00:08:09 Speaker 1: Reuben pointed to the blood dripping down Joseph's lip. He smiled, wiped his lip, and nodded. The other brothers returned to work, and Joseph picked up a plow and began to help. For a moment, the brothers were at peace with one another. However, there was always tension between Joseph and the others. An unseen evil slithered in the reeds between them. The same evil that devoured the heart of Cain was close by in the sons of Jacob, an evil that lurked in the shadows, awaiting its moment to strike. Later that evening, Joseph returned to camp, where Jacob and his wives prepared a meal. The scent of dark, bubbling stew filled the air. The brothers sow from their labor gathered around. Simeon dunked his head in the water while Goad and KSh dipped their fingers in the stew. The end of the day was a joyous event for the sons of Israel, with their mothers preparing a feast and Jacob telling stories. Children played and servants laughed. But the mood shifted when Jacob saw Joseph's face. He touched his son's chin. 00:09:18 Speaker 3: What is this? 00:09:20 Speaker 1: Joseph's eyes quickly darted to Simeon, then back at his father. Jacob puffed his chest and turned to Simeon. 00:09:27 Speaker 3: Did you strike my son? 00:09:29 Speaker 2: Aren't I your son too? 00:09:31 Speaker 4: Aren't you worried about the bruise on my back the size of a goat? 00:09:35 Speaker 3: Answer the question, Simeon, did you strike Joseph? 00:09:39 Speaker 4: Yes, your precious jewel was scuffed a bit, but I'm sure there's nothing a little kiss from daddy can't help. 00:09:47 Speaker 1: The rest of the brothers chuckled. Jacob was not amused. 00:09:51 Speaker 3: Be careful of that sharp tongue, Sybyan. Joseph has told me of your dealings in Timna. I know how all of you you have gone into the Canaanite cities to get drunk and lounge about when you should be working. 00:10:06 Speaker 1: The rest of the brothers sneered at Joseph. He had been spying on them for quite some time, and their wives had no idea where he had gone for knights at a time, the brother's sins were exposed in the open, and it was Joseph's fault. He had sniffed out their sin like a hound and returned a bad report to his father. Joseph saw every one of his brother's imperfections as another foot of separation between him and them. Since his father had given him so much favoritism, Joseph truly believed he was superior to them. Pride puffed him up. He would soon find out about the prison of pride. It would ensnare him like a trap and isolate him. His hubris would be his downfall. Throughout the night, Jacob argued with Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, holding them responsible for leading their brothers astray. Their bickering was white noise to Joseph, who was used to such sounds. He had grown up amidst the endless squabbles of his mother, aunts, and their maid servants, all repeating the same spiteful jabs and insults. Joseph sighed, peering through a crack in his tent at the stars. The canvas moved gently with the evening breeze. He took a deep breath, Rolling on to his side, with his colorful coat draped over him, Joseph drifted into a deep sleep, unaware of the trials ahead. Joseph's eyes opened. He was standing in a field of grain. The golden stalk swayed in the wind, a shimmering sea under a sunless sky, lit by another worldly glow. In his hand, he found a sickle, and with it he cut a large sheaf of grain, laying it gently on the ground around him. His brothers toiled their arms, lay maiden with sheaves, which they placed in a circle about his Suddenly, his sheaf rose high into the sky, lifting Joseph with it. He looked down to see his brother's sheaves bowing before his, a warm feeling welling up within him as he watched. He smiled, arms raised to the heavens, until the dream dissolved into the waking world. The rising sun peeped through the entrance to his tent, pulling him back to reality. Joseph arose, draping his coat over his back. The cool morning air was sharp against his face, He moved to the water trough, splashing his face and clearing the remnants of sleep from his eyes. As the ripples subsided, he saw Simeon's reflection in the water. Joseph looked up, meeting Simeon's unblinking stare. Simeon said nothing, merely drawing some water and taking a sip before dropping the ladle back into the trough, splashing Joseph in the process. Issakha, the ninth born approached and handed Joseph a bowl of broth and a piece of bread. He smiled, gesturing for Joseph to join the others by the fire. Joseph sat down and began eating the broth's warmth seeping into his bones. 00:13:16 Speaker 2: I heard you laughing in your sleep last night. What was that about? 00:13:21 Speaker 1: Joseph nodded, his thoughts drifting back to his dream. He should have remained silent and shrugged off the comment, but could not resist the urge to share his vision. 00:13:31 Speaker 4: Oh, I had this spectacular dream. We were binding sheaves in the field, and my sheaf arose and stood upright, and and then your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheave. 00:13:46 Speaker 5: So are you to rule over us Joseph. 00:13:51 Speaker 1: Joseph realized immediately that he had made a grave mistake. The brothers stood up, bowing mockingly before him. They laughed, scoffed, and left him alone by the fire, their hearts hardened against him. Jacob, however, had been listening from a distance. He was familiar with dreams such as these, often sent by God. He pondered them in his heart, as Joseph should have. But Joseph sought any excuse to rise above his brothers, craving their submission. The next night, Joseph lay on his back, staring up at the stars. His eyes grew heavy as the firmament glowed with galaxies stretching into eternity. The crickets chirped, harmonizing with the evening breeze. As Joseph watched, the stars began to move, and he felt himself being lifted into the heavens. The wind blew swiftly, carrying him up into the dark sky. Eleven stars flashed around him, their brilliant lights encircling him. As before, the stars bowed before him, and then the Sun and the moon appeared, their light bla finding yet halting to bow as well. Joseph felt like a king, but a tinge of sorrow tugged at his heart. Their reverence, he sensed, would come at a great cost. He woke with a start, rushing out of his tent to find Jacob and Rachel eating beside the rest of the family. He sat down beside them, his heart pounding. 00:15:23 Speaker 4: Mother, Father, last night, I had another dream. Ah, the king has had another vision. Please, my Lord, tell us your dream. 00:15:34 Speaker 1: The others laughed, but Jacob remained silent, eager to hear Joseph's dream. 00:15:40 Speaker 4: Well, it was similar to before, but this time there were more. I was surrounded by the stars, and they all bowed down to me. Even the Sun and the moon joined in. 00:15:53 Speaker 1: Jacob looked down at the fire. He pondered for a moment, furrowing his brow. 00:15:58 Speaker 3: So not only did your brothers bow to you, but your mother and I as well. 00:16:06 Speaker 2: Father, I didn't mean to say that. I really don't. 00:16:08 Speaker 3: Believe tall I bow to you, my son. Shall your mother treat you as a lord? 00:16:14 Speaker 1: Jacob turned and walked away, leaving Joseph stunned. His brothers gave sly grins, grabbing their tools to work the fields, No matter how true, Joseph's dreams might be. His words fell on deaf ears, Laced as they were with pride and self righteousness. The days passed with a heavy air of tension. Joseph's dreams, once a source of personal pride, had become a point of contention among his family. His brother's hearts grew colder, their patients thinner, and as Joseph toiled in the fields, he could feel the weight of their resentment pressing down on him, a silent, unseen force waiting to strike. This Prey dot Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, Narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey dot Com productions on the Prey dot Com app available on the Apple App Store and Google play Store. If you enjoyed the Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.