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Israel is another name for Jacob

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Jacob had 12 sons

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The Joseph Story

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the last 14 chapters of the book of Genesis

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chapters 37 to 50

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Genesis 37:1

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Joseph speaks ill of Bilhah and Zilpah

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Jacob makes Joseph nice coat

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Joseph's brothers hate Joseph for this

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significant detail

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Joseph is introduced in this story as a shepherd

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this is typical of Biblical stories and stories of the ancient Near East about individuals who are bound to become leaders

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the shepherd was an image of royalty

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even in Mesopotamian culture, one can kind images of kings represented as shepherd shepherding his flock

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Jesus is portrayed as "the good shepherd" from the New Testament

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Psalm 23: the Lord is my shepherd

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so it's not by chance when Joseph is introduced in the Book of Genesis, that he is introduced as a shepherd

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this tells us as readers that Joseph is destined for great significance

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King David as parallel to Joseph story

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1 Samuel 15

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David's predecessor Saul being rejected by the prophet Samuel

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Samuel is commanded by God to go to the city of Bethlehem to find Israel's next king

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arrives in Bethlehem

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summons Jesse and his son's to come and see him

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1 Samuel 16:6

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Lord: do not look at his stature

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man looks at the outward appearance

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the Lord looks on the heart

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Jesse passes Abinadab and Shammah, or seven of his other sons

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Samuel says to each one: the Lord has not chosen these

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Samuel says, "are these all of your son?"

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Jesse: there remains yet the youngest (David) but he is tending the sheep

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Joseph was also young, the second youngest

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Samuel: we will not sit down until he comes here

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David was "ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome"

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the Lord said: arise and anoint him for this is he

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the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David

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two things to be noted in this story

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1. both David and Joseph were not the first son but a latter born sun

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therefore, the choosing and preferred treatment of David and Joseph comes as a surprise

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2. both are shepherds

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the relationship of shepherd to rulership

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Psalms 78:71 He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart, with skillful hands he led them.

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this shepherd motif will reappear in the New Testament as a characterization of Jesus