How Many Brothers Did Joseph Have?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 26, 2020

Photograph by Magda Indigo/Moment/Getty Images

Joseph, the son of Jacob, had 11 brothers: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin. According to the book of Genesis, the12 brothers are the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel that bear their names.

Genesis describes Joseph as the favorite son of his father Jacob. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery to a caravan bound for Egypt. Many years later, the brothers were sent to Egypt to beg for food due to a great famine. To their astonishment, Joseph, now vizier of Egypt, welcomed them and invited their families to take up residence in Egypt.