Boys · Hebrew · Both Testaments · classic · Patriarchal (OT) / Birth of Jesus (NT)
Joseph
/JOH-sef/
יוֹסֵף
"He will add; God increases; may he add"
Genesis 30:24
RoleOT: Son of Jacob, ruler of Egypt. NT: Husband of Mary, foster father of Jesus
Etymology
From the Hebrew root 'yasaf' (to add, to increase). Rachel named him Joseph, saying 'May the Lord add to me another son' — a prayer for more, grounded in gratitude for what had already been given.
Who they were
Two Josephs carry this name through scripture, and both are defined by quiet faithfulness in impossible circumstances. The Old Testament Joseph was Jacob's favourite son — given the famous coat of many colours — and his brothers' jealousy drove them to sell him into slavery. He was taken to Egypt, rose to prominence in Potiphar's house, was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and imprisoned, interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's officials, and was eventually summoned to interpret Pharaoh's own dream. His interpretation — seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine — elevated him to second-in-command of all Egypt. When his brothers came to buy grain during the famine, Joseph tested them, wept over them, revealed himself, and spoke one of the Bible's most profound theological statements: 'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.' The New Testament Joseph was a carpenter from Nazareth engaged to Mary. When she was found to be pregnant, he resolved to divorce her quietly — the text says he was 'a righteous man' who did not want to expose her to public disgrace. An angel appeared in a dream and told him the child was from the Holy Spirit. Joseph obeyed. He married Mary, protected the child, fled to Egypt when Herod threatened, and returned when it was safe. He is never recorded as speaking a single word in scripture — he simply did what was right, quietly, faithfully, at great cost. Both Josephs are models of integrity under pressure, falsely accused or socially shamed, trusting God's larger purposes when their own lives made no sense.
Character qualities
- Integrity under false accusation
- Forgiveness of those who wronged him
- Administrative brilliance (OT)
- Quiet obedience without self-promotion (NT)
- Trust in God's larger plan
Key verse
Genesis 50:20
Where they appear
Themes
Variants & related forms
Joe · Joey · José · Giuseppe · Yosef · Yusuf
Read their story
Joseph's story begins in Genesis.
The full passage is at Genesis 30:24. Any modern translation will do — the NLT and NIV are the most readable; the ESV and NKJV stay close to the wording the church has used for centuries.
Find a Bible to read it in →