The father's injudicious gift to Joseph of a costly coat, or tunic, such as was usually worn by persons of distinction, seemed to them another evidence of his partiality, and excited a suspicion that he intended to pass by his elder children, to bestow the birthright upon the son of Rachel. Their malice was still further increased as the boy one day told them of a dream that he had had. "Behold," he said, "we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf." 210

Da faderen i ubetænksomhed skænkede Josef en kostbar kjortel af den slags, der sædvanligvis brugtes af fremstående personer, så de heri endnu et bevis på hans partiskhed, og de fik mistanke om, at han havde til hensigt at forbigå sine ældre børn og lade førstefødselsretten tilfalde Rakels søn. Deres had forøgedes yderligere, da drengen en dag fortalte dem en drøm, han havde haft. Han sagde: "Hør dog, hvad jeg har drømt! Se, vi bandt neg ude på marken, og, se, mit neg rejste sig op og blev stående medens Eders neg stod rundt omkring og bøjede sig for det!"