In Genesis, chapter thirty-seven, verse two begins the “generations of Jacob.” Jacob’s son Joseph was born to him by his beloved late wife, Rachel. The time of Joseph reveals how Jacob’s descendants became a nation that lived in Egypt. Joseph’s loyalty shows toward his God and the many ways by which God protected and directed his life for the good of others. The life of Joseph emphasizes the truth that though the righteous may suffer in an evil and unjust world, ultimately, the purpose of God may triumph.
Joseph’s challenge starts when he and his brothers separate because of bitterness and jealousy. As a young teen working to pasture the flock with his half-brothers, he brought a “bad report” about them to his father. The nature of the report is not known. However, sometimes a piece of bad news could be a smear, misleading, or defamatory. Sometimes bad news is broad but can imply something hurtful, miserable, disagreeable, or wicked. It could unquestionably mean the message made Joseph’s brothers look bad. What’s less clear is whether it was truthful.
The “bad report” raises two possibilities. The first is consistent with the character seen throughout Joseph’s life: he honestly reported his brothers’ severe misconduct. The possibility of doing something so heinous that Joseph felt he had no choice but to tell his father. The second option is probable but less likely: that Joseph exaggerated or invented criticism of his brothers when speaking to Jacob. We’re not explicitly told that Joseph felt angst towards his older brothers as they did for him. Nor does Scripture explicitly say Joseph did something immoral. However, his actions are consistently naive. Regardless of the exact nature of his “bad report,” it would have deepened the wedge between Jacob and his brothers. Good versus bad. Which prevails?