We enter into the Yosef period where the actions by the brothers alter the fate of the entire tribe.
“Initially the tale is one of family emotions, and it is in fact extreme emotions which give it a distinctive flavor….For this story of how “ill” – with all its connotations of fate, evil, and disaster-is changed to good. Despite the constant threat of death to Yosef, to the Egyptians, and to Binyamin, the hidden, optimistic thrust of the story is ‘life”, a word that appears in various guises throughout…A major subtheme of the plot is the struggle for power between Re’uven and Yrhuda. Its resolution has implications that are as much tribal as personal, for the tribe of Yehuda later became the historical force in ancient Israel as the seat of the monarchy..
But the initial blame for what happens clearly lies with the father(vv.3-4) and is amde unbearable by Yosef’s own behavior. Inpoint in fact he is largely responsible for his own downfall, bearing tales about his brothers (v.2) even before Yaakov’s perference for him is noted.” Schocken Bible: Volume 1 The Five Books of Moses Commentary and notes by Everett Fox.
Yosef, seventeen years old, used to tend the sheep along with his brothers,
for he was serving-lad with the sons of Bilha and the sons of Zilpa, his father’s wives.
And Yosef brought a report of them, an ill one, to their father.
Now Yisrael loved Yosef above all sons,
for he was a son of old age to him,
so he made him an ornamented coat.(Gen:37:2-3)
Schocken Bible: Volume 1 The Five Books of Moses Commentary and notes by Everett Fox.
