Yosef is the eleventh son of Yaakov fand first son of Rachel. Upon his birth, Rachel wishes that God add (“yosef”) yet another son.
Yosef is Yaakov's favorite son, a preference the father demonstrates by giving Yosef a special coat. Yosef further provokes his brothers by reporting their offenses to Yaakov and by relating dreams he has had. In his first dream Yosef is represented by a bale of wheat, and his brothers by other sheaves which are bowing down to him. In his second dream eleven stars and the sun and moon similarly honor him. Later, Yaakov sends Yosef to check on his brothers who are tending sheep away from home. Seeing him from afar, the brothers plot to kill Yosef. Reuven intervenes and persuades the others to throw him into a pit instead (planning to later rescue the lad). In Reuven's absence, Yehuda suggests that they haul Yosef out of the pit and sell him to a band of passing Yishmaelim (Ishmaelites). He is then traded to some Midianim (Midianites) who take him to Egypt. There, Yosef is sold to Potifar, an officer of Pharaoh. With God's assistance, Yosef becomes very successful as Potifar's servant and the master entrusts Yosef with all the responsibilities of his house.
Yosef is good looking and this draws the attention of Potifar's wife - the first recorded case of sexual harassment in the work place. Yosef repeatedly rebuffs her, whereupon she accuses him of trying to sleep with her. Potifar’s has Yosef imprisoned but God makes him shine in the eyes of the warden who allows Yosef the run of the jail. One day Yosef offers to interpret the disturbing dreams of two prisoners, Paroh's wine steward and chief baker. Yosef explains that the dreams portend the butler's reinstatement and the baker's execution. Indeed, the fates of the two play out according to Yosef's predictions. (Parashat Vayeshev)
Two years after that episode, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, has twin dreams about seven pairs of cows and seven pairs of ears of wheat. Yosef's old acquaintance, the butler (Sar HaMashkim) remembers Yosef's talent and recommends him to Pharaoh. Yosef is summoned from the prison and explains to Pharaoh that God is sending the king a message: seven years of plenty are about to begin but they will be followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh trusts Yosef's interpretation and appoints Yosef prime minister over Egypt, giving him the task of overseeing the collection and storage of food in preparation for the famine. Pharaoh re-names Yosef “Tzafnat Pa’aneah” (which might mean "He who deciphers the hidden”).
Yosef marries and has two sons: Menashe and Ephraim. When the famine eventually hits, it strikes Canaan too, and Yaakov sends ten of his remaining sons to Egypt to buy food, keeping Binyamin with him. Yosef recognizes his brothers but they do not know him. Yosef accuses the men of being spies and when they argue that they are all brothers and they have another at home, he orders them to return to Canaan to bring back Binyamin. This will prove that their story is true. Yosef imprisons Shimon as collateral for the others' return. Eventually, the brothers do return to Egypt with Binyamin, and Yosef is overwhelmed at the sight of his brother. Yosef lets the company go but plants a silver goblet in Binyamin's pack. After the brothers have left the city, Yosef sends soldiers after them to accuse them of theft. The goblet is found and Yosef declares his intention to keep Binyamin as a slave and to allow the rest to return to Canaan. (Parashat Mikketz)
Yehuda makes an impassioned speech to Yosef describing the predicament he is in and the problem he faces in returning to Yaakov without Binyamin. Yosef cannot keep up the facade any longer and reveals himself to his brothers who are understandably shocked. Yosef directs his brothers to return to Canaan and to bring Yaakov and his family to Egypt. Yaakov and Yosef are reunited and Yosef presents his family to Pharaoh. Yosef settles his family in the Goshen area of Egypt and continues to administer the food distribution of the country. (Parashat Vayigash)
Yosef presents his sons Menashe and Ephraim to his father Yaakov when the latter is on his deathbed. Yaakov insists on putting his right hand on Ephraim's head when he blesses the two, despite the fact that Menashe is the first born. Yosef objects and tries to correct his father, but Yaakov is adamant and says that he knows what he's doing. After Yaakov's death, Yosef has his father embalmed and then seeks Pharaoh's permission to take a leave of absence and travel to Canaan to bury Yaakov there. The request is granted and the entire family participates in the funeral and mourning period in Canaan. Upon the return to Egypt, Yosef's brothers tell him that Yaakov instructed them to tell Yosef to forgive their sale of him nearly 40 years earlier. Yosef assures them that he bears no grudge. Yosef too asks his brothers not to bury him in Egypt when he dies but to eventually take his body with them when God takes the family back to Canaan. Yosef dies at the age of 110 having lived to see his grandchildren. (Parashat Vayehi)
When Bnei Yisrael leave Egypt in Sefer Shemot they take the bones of Yosef with them (Parashat Beshallah). The body is buried after the conquest of the land of Israel (Joshua 24:32).
Adapted from TanakhProfiles.org by HaTanakh.com