Imagine being a slave at 17, in prison in your 20s, and the leader of an empire at 30. The Bible’s first book, Genesis, contains just such a story.

Joseph was a Hebrew man who lived around c. 1700 BC. But his rise to power is only half of a story filled with dreams, betrayal, and redemption.

Joseph grows up in ancient Israel, the youngest of eleven half-brothers. His father Jacob chooses Joseph as his favorite and gives him an elaborately crafted coat to signify this. This special treatment, as one might expect, causes great jealousy in Joseph’s brothers.

Joseph further drives the wedge between him and his brothers by telling them of his recurring dreams which signify he would someday rule over them. This is more than his brothers can handle and they plot to kill him the next time they have him alone in the pastures.

Joseph walks into their trap and is thrown into an empty cistern in the ground. When a caravan passes on its way to Egypt, the brothers realize they can sell Joseph as a slave. So they do, then lie to their father that he had been killed by wolves.

In Egypt, Joseph is sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. God blesses Joseph and Potiphar’s house, and Joseph is given greater responsibilities. But he attracts more than just responsibility—Potiphar’s wife takes notice of Joseph and attempts to seduce him.

Joseph resists her advances, but Potiphar’s wife turns the story against him, telling her husband that Joseph attempted to take advantage of her. So Joseph is thrown in prison. But again, while in prison, Joseph is blessed by God and given responsibility over the prison.

While in prison, Joseph correctly interprets the prophetic dreams of two fellow prisoners. Just as Joseph predicted, one prisoner is put to death, while the other is reinstated to his position in Pharaoh’s service.

After years in prison, word of Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams has traveled far. He has a great opportunity when Pharaoh himself has a recurring dream that no one can interpret. Joseph tells Pharaoh the dream means a severe famine will ravage Egypt in seven years’ time.

Pharaoh is struck by Joseph’s wisdom and believes that his interpretation is divinely inspired as Joseph claims. Thus, Pharaoh makes Joseph second-in-command of all Egypt, and he takes control of the preparations for the famine, storing abundant amounts of grain.