After Ja'cob had attended his father's funeral, he and his sons and their shepherds settled at He'bron, where they continued to raise sheep and cattle. Their flocks and herds had increased so greatly that it was difficult to find enough pasture land to feed them, and it was necessary to let them graze over large tracts of land.
Ten of Ja'cob's sons had been born during the early years of his exile in Mes-o-po-ta'mia, and had now become full-grown men. Jo'seph, the son of his beloved wife Ra'chel, was much younger, and Ben'ja-min, who was born in Ca'naan at the time when Ra'chel died, was a small child.
Ja'cob was especially fond of Jo'seph for several reasons. He was the son of his old age, having been born when Ja'cob was ninety years old, and was the child of Ra'chel, whom Ja'cob loved more than Le'ah. He was also a child of prayer, for Ja'cob and Ra'chel had prayed for many years that a child be given them.
Jo'seph was very different from his half-brothers, who were much older. He was quiet and thoughtful, well behaved, and polite. His brothers were rough and ill-mannered, often disobedient, and careless in the duties of worship. When they were at work in the fields, or busy caring for their father's sheep, they would often say things or do things which Jo'seph knew were wrong, and which he felt should be told to his father. He was not a tale-bearer, but rather an obedient son who did not want his father's good name to suffer from the evil deeds of his brothers.
Because he was very fond of Jo'seph, and because he thought that so good a son deserved a reward, Ja'cob showed him many favors. They spent much time together, and both father and son came to love one another more deeply every day. As a sign of his fondness for Jo'seph, Ja'cob made him a long coat of many colors, very much like those worn by princes. The boy was very proud of this coat, wearing it on special occasions, and when sent on long journeys by his father.
Partly because of the good conduct which Jo'seph showed at all times, and partly because he was their father's favorite son, the older brothers became very jealous of him. They were also angered by the dreams which Jo'seph was unwise enough to tell them. It was only natural that a boy with a quick mind and a lively imagination should dream of glorious days to come in the future, but his brothers could not understand his dreams and hopes.
There were two dreams in particular which added to the envy and hatred of Jo'seph's brothers. In the first, he dreamed that he and his brothers were binding sheaves of wheat in the field, and that his sheaf suddenly stood upright, while the sheaves of his brothers bowed before it. In the other dream, he saw the sun, moon and eleven stars also bowed before him.
