For I Heard Them Say, "Let’s Go to Dothan"

By Pinnacle Message

“And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.” – Genesis 37:17b (KJV)

Narration: A Search Rooted in Obedience

Joseph was seventeen, a shepherd boy beloved by his father Jacob, yet despised by his older brothers. Why? Because of his dreams. Dreams that spoke of destiny. Dreams that pointed to greatness. Dreams that stirred up envy in the hearts of his own blood.

Jacob, unaware of the hostility festering among his sons, sent Joseph from the Valley of Hebron to check on them grazing their flocks. Joseph obeyed. But when he reached Shechem, they were not there. Then a man found him wandering and asked, “What seekest thou?” And Joseph replied, “I seek my brethren.”

The man said, “They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan.” (Genesis 37:17).

And so, Joseph, still unaware of the storm brewing in their hearts, went after them to Dothan.

Exposition: The Rift Between Brothers

Dothan was not just a location—it was the pivot where betrayal would begin, and prophecy would unfold. The moment Joseph was seen from afar, his brothers conspired:
“Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him…” (Genesis 37:19–20).

But God’s hand restrained them. Reuben, the eldest, pleaded for his life. Judah suggested profit over murder. So they threw Joseph into a pit—“an empty pit where there was no water” (Genesis 37:24)—and later sold him to Ishmaelite traders.

What should have been a brotherly reunion became a scene of treachery. Joseph came in peace; they responded in violence. He came with obedience; they answered with cruelty. The robe of many colors was stripped off, soaked in goat’s blood, and presented to Jacob as a false token of death.

Interpretation: God’s Judgment and Sovereignty

Dothan was a place of decision. But while the brothers judged Joseph wrongly, God was judging hearts from above. His plan was never thwarted. What they meant for evil, God was setting up for good (Genesis 50:20).

Though Joseph’s journey took him from the pit to Potiphar’s house, from prison to Pharaoh’s palace—each stage carried divine intention. God's judgment was not just punishment; it was providence. The brothers would later bow before the very dreamer they despised (Genesis 42:6).

The judgment of God upon their betrayal was not instant lightning—it was a slow-burning fire of conviction, leading to repentance. Years later, they would weep before Joseph and confess their sin (Genesis 45:3–5).

Spiritual Reflection: What Dothan Teaches Believers Today

Dothan reminds us that betrayal often begins with envy, and God's judgment begins with truth. It teaches believers that the path to divine purpose is sometimes paved with the stones of rejection. But rejection is not abandonment.

Joseph’s life assures us:

• When we are thrown into a pit, God sees us.

• When we are sold out, God preserves us.

• When we are forgotten by men, we are remembered by heaven.

Believer, have you been misjudged? Mocked for your dreams? Walk on?  For the one who sees in secret will reward you in the open. If you find yourself going down to Dothan—take heart, for the story doesn’t end in the pit. It ends in purpose.

Supporting Verses:

1. Genesis 37:17 – “I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’”

2. Genesis 37:19-20 – “Here comes this dreamer! … let us kill him.”

3. Genesis 37:24 – “They took him and threw him into a pit.”

4. Genesis 37:28 – “They sold him for twenty shekels of silver…”

5. Genesis 45:5 – “God sent me before you to preserve life.”

6. Genesis 50:20 – “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

7. Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good…”

Closing Word

Joseph sought his brothers. They sought his end. But God sought His glory. The journey to Dothan is not a detour—it is often the beginning of divine promotion. Trust God when you can’t trace Him. For in the silence of betrayal, His purpose is still speaking.