Genesis 37:31
“They took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.”
What does Genesis 37:31 mean?
Joseph's brothers have just decided to sell him into slavery, but first they need to cover their tracks. They slaughter a goat and use its blood to stain Joseph's distinctive coat, planning to show it to their father Jacob as false evidence that a wild animal has killed his beloved son. It's a calculated cruelty, designed not just to rid themselves of their favored brother but to devastate their grieving father. The coat itself, which Jacob had given Joseph as a sign of special love, becomes the instrument of deception. This moment captures how quickly jealousy and anger can lead us to hurt those around us and the people who love them most.