Free Bible lesson for kids · Joseph
The Coat of Many Colours
Jacob loved Joseph more than all his children and made him a coat of many colours, so his brothers hated him. Joseph dreamed that his brothers’ sheaves bowed down to his sheaf, and that the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. His brothers envied him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
- Bible passage
- Genesis 37:1–11
- Big idea
- Envy hurts families, but God’s plans are good.
- Memory verse
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
Jacob lived in the land of Canaan, and his son Joseph, who was seventeen, helped his brothers feed the flock (Genesis 37:1–2). Jacob, also called Israel, loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colours (Genesis 37:3). When his brothers saw this, they hated Joseph and could not speak kindly to him (Genesis 37:4).
Joseph dreamed that his brothers’ bundles of grain bowed down to his bundle, and his brothers hated him even more (Genesis 37:5–8). Then he dreamed that the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed down to him (Genesis 37:9). His father scolded him and asked if the whole family would really bow down to him (Genesis 37:10). His brothers envied him, but his father kept the saying in mind (Genesis 37:11).
Read it in the Bible: Genesis 37:1–11 (KJV)
1And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. 4And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. 5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7For, behold, 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. 8And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
Questions to ask
What did Jacob make for Joseph?
A coat of many colours (Genesis 37:3).
What bowed down to Joseph’s sheaf in his first dream?
His brothers’ sheaves (Genesis 37:7).
What bowed down to Joseph in his second dream?
The sun, the moon and the eleven stars (Genesis 37:9).
What this story teaches
- Favoritism in a family can lead to hurt and hatred (Genesis 37:4).
- Envy and hatred grow when we do not stop them (Genesis 37:8).
- Love is kind and does not envy others (1 Corinthians 13:4).
- God’s plans come true, just as He showed Joseph (Genesis 42:6, 9).
Jesus Came to His Own
Joseph’s own brothers hated him. Jesus came to His own people, and they did not receive Him, but all who receive Him become children of God.
John 1:11–12
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us be glad for others instead of envying them. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Envy hurts families, but God’s plans are good.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say 1 Corinthians 13:4 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors or out · about 10 minutes
Coat of Many Colours Relay
You need: A big colorful shirt or robe for each team, cones
- Each team gets one big colorful coat.
- The first child puts it on, runs to the cone and back, takes it off and helps the next child put it on.
- The first team to finish sits down and shouts, “God was with Joseph!”
Joseph’s brothers took his coat, but they couldn’t take away God’s plan. The LORD was with Joseph.
For youth group · activity · outdoors · about 60 minutes
Tie-Dye Night
You need: White shirts, tie-dye kits, gloves, rubber bands, trash bags
- Make tie-dye shirts: your own coat of many colors.
- While they set, talk about favoritism and jealousy in Joseph’s family.
- Ask: where do you feel jealous, and what would help?
Jealousy tore Joseph’s family apart, but God was working His plan the whole time.
Pray
Ask God to help us be glad for others instead of envying them.