Sibling Rivalry In The Bible

Over centuries, birth order and rivalries between siblings have played crucial roles in the development of social and family structures. It is not just suburban moms who face the struggle of making sure there is no animosity among their children: even Adam and Eve’s sons competed with each other to an unheard of degree. Competition between siblings had been a part of humanity for as long as humanity has been around: Adam and Eve, Joseph and his brothers, Remus and Romulus, and now today in our own lives.
There are many themes and lessons that come from the Bible and sibling rivalry occurs in several stories throughout the book. First with Adam and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel. In perhaps what is the ultimate example of sibling rivalry, Cain murders his brother Abel in a fit of jealous rage. God had accepted Abel’s offer of meat, but not Cain’s offer of fruits and grains. Despite God’s warning to Cain against sin, Cain lets an all consuming jealousy towards his brother lead him into a blind rage. This story from Genesis 4 teaches us about how jealousy and learning to respect and support siblings are huge parts of sibling rivalry.
While this story is an extreme example of rivalry and jealousy …show more content…
This time Jacob, the father of Joseph and his eleven brothers, truly does regard Joseph above their other sons. When Jacob gives Joseph an ornamented robe, it really is because he is the favorite, unlike the car situation with Christopher and his sister. While Christopher’s parents tried to diffuse the situation, Jacob worsened the dissension by making his favoritism obvious. Joseph’s brothers’ jealousy brings them to sell him into slavery in Egypt. Eventually, Joseph rises to a position of power in Egypt and uses his newfound position to toy with his brothers. Many will say that this shows that it takes two to have a rivalry, but I do not believe this to be