Joseph's Coat, Gen. Ch. 37. V. 31.-The Blood Stained Garment Widely Spread, Compels The Patriarch's Tears to Flow, While Joseph He Laments As Dead With Grief Which None But Parents Know

Description

This engraving depicts the scene described in Genesis, Chapter 37, verses 31-34, of Joseph's blood-soaked shirt being brought to their father Jacob by his brothers. After selling him into slavery, Joseph's brothers, in an attempt to conceal the truth, smear his shirt with blood and bring it back to their father. Jacob recognizes the shirt, believes his son is dead, and is deeply grieved. This scene is the starting point of the grand story of Joseph's future rise in Egypt to save his family from famine, within God's plan. This seemingly catastrophic moment actually points to the workings of divine wisdom. At the center are the brothers offering Joseph's shirt, and Jacob, facing them, raises his hands in despair. The figures' facial expressions convey a range of emotions, from grief to guilt to feigned concern. The silhouettes of palm trees and mountains in the background lend the scene a pastoral depth.