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“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD.” — Isaiah 1:18
Come, Follow Me · Old Testament 2026 · Week 11
“The Lord Was with Joseph”
March 9–15, 2026Genesis 37–415 chapters · 169 verses
Jacob's favorite son is hated by his brothers, sold into Egypt, falsely accused and forgotten in prison. Yet the same phrase keeps coming back: “the Lord was with Joseph.” Through it all he stays faithful, and the young slave becomes the man who saves Egypt, and his own family, from famine.
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Place
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Study guide
Joseph's story is one of the most carefully told in the Bible. These notes help you follow its patterns and see Christ in it.
How to read this week
Track the refrain. “The Lord was with Joseph” appears four times in chapter 39. Notice where Joseph is each time: a slave's house and a prison. God's presence doesn't mean the absence of trials.
Watch the garments. Joseph loses his coat to his brothers (37:23), his garment to Potiphar's wife (39:12), and is clothed by Pharaoh in fine linen (41:42). Each change marks a turn in his life.
Don't skip chapter 38. It seems to interrupt, but it begins Judah's change. The Judah who sold Joseph will later offer himself in place of Benjamin (44:33).
Look for Christ. Beloved son, rejected by his brothers, sold for silver, falsely accused, then exalted to save the people who rejected him. The manual and scripture helps list more parallels.
Notice what Joseph says about God. In every crisis, he points to God (39:9; 40:8; 41:16).
Joseph's descent and rise
Age 17 — Favored son with prophetic dreams (37:2–11)
Dothan — Sold by his brothers (37:17–28)
Egypt — Overseer in Potiphar's house (39:1–6)
Prison — Falsely accused; trusted by the keeper (39:7–23)
Two years later — Still forgotten by the butler (40:23; 41:1)
Age 30 — Ruler over Egypt (41:41–46)
Images and ideas to recognize
Passage
Image
What it means
Gen 37:3
The coat
Favor and birthright; later torn and bloodied (37:31).
Gen 37:24
The pit
Joseph's lowest point, from which God would raise him.
Gen 37:28
Twenty pieces of silver
A beloved son sold by his own. Compare Judas.
Gen 39:12
The garment left behind
Choosing to flee rather than sin.
Gen 41:42
Ring, linen and gold chain
Exaltation after faithful endurance.
Gen 41:35–36
Stored grain
Preparation in good times for hard times.
Restoration connections
Alma 46:23–24 — A remnant of Joseph's coat was preserved, a symbol of a preserved remnant of his seed.
2 Nephi 3 — Lehi quotes a prophecy of Joseph of Egypt about a latter-day seer.
1 Nephi 5:14 — Lehi learns he is a descendant of Joseph.
D&C 121:7–8; 122:7 — The Lord's counsel to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail echoes Joseph's prison years.
Questions for the week
When have you felt the Lord was with you during a hard time, even though the hardship didn't end right away (39:2, 21)?
How does Joseph's question in 39:9 change the way you think about temptation?
Joseph waited two years after the butler forgot him. How do you stay faithful when help seems forgotten?
What do you need to “store up” now, spiritually or temporally, for leaner times?
Which parallels between Joseph and Jesus Christ stand out to you most?
Conference talks & Church resources
Talks the Church's lesson points to this week, plus other Church resources that teach from these chapters.
Scholarly papers
Faithful scholarship from BYU and related publishers, tagged with the chapters each one discusses.
Podcasts & video
Come, Follow Me shows and episodes covering this week's reading.