Genesis 37-41
Now 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
Introduction
Perhaps you’ve heard Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1965 musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” complete with songs like “Joseph’s Dreams” and “Joseph’s Coat.” The beautiful design of the garment might, for most of us, symbolize Jacob’s love for Joseph.
However, traditions from Judaism, Islam, and Christianity suggest this was more than just a simple, brightly colored garment. According to many accounts, the clothing originates from a sacred artifact from the Garden of Eden, made by God for Adam and Eve. This artifact’s history is an epic tale of faith, theft, and inheritance, intertwined with the lives of the great patriarchs. We will delve into this “forgotten history” within this blog post. The post will investigate the garment’s role as a stunning symbol of the Atonement. Let’s look at the story of the “coat of many colors” through a new lens.
Word Origin
The phrase “coat of many colors” originates from a translation of the Hebrew term ketonet passim (כתנת פסים). While it is the most famous description of Joseph’s garment, many scholars and ancient traditions suggest that the “colors” aspect results from translation choices rather than the original Hebrew meaning.
History of the Coat
The history of the coat, according to differing ancient traditions and apocryphal records, is an epic saga of a sacred relic that originated in the Garden of Eden and was passed down through the patriarchs as a symbol of priesthood authority.
Edenic Origins
The garment’s history begins in the Garden of Eden. Rabbinic tradition suggests that Adam and Eve originally wore “garments of light,” which were stripped from them upon their Fall. To allow them to withstand the presence of God in their fallen state, God Himself—or an angel acting on His behalf—fashioned “coats of skins” to cover them.
When Genesis 3:21 says God made garments of skin (ketonet ‘or) for Adam and Eve, ancient Jewish interpreters understood this to mean animal skin, implying that an animal sacrifice had taken place (Bereshit Rabbah 20:12). This was not a man-made covering — it was a divinely provided garment, provided for Adam and Eve. This garment symbolized the Savior’s atonement (Moses 5:6–8).
The garment stands as a consistent symbol of divine authority, priesthood, and covenantal favor. This set Adam and Eve apart and enabled them to make sacrifices. The garments worn by Levitical priests directly against their skin symbolized their sacred authority and dedication, as stated in Exodus 28:39–40. Ultimately, this coat represented the restoration of the garment of light and served as a token of the glorious celestial robes the faithful would eventually receive.
Some traditions, cited by scholars like Hugh Nibley, argue that the coat of many colors was really a “garment of certain marks”. These marks identified the coat as the original garment of the priesthood that had belonged to Adam in the Garden of Eden. Also, these marks are described in related traditions as charagmata (cuts or rents).
Ancient Jewish traditions preserve a remarkable story: the actual garment God made for Adam in the Garden of Eden was carefully preserved and passed down through the patriarchs. According to Jubilees 4:20-23, sacred items, including the coat or garments, were passed from Adam to Seth, and then to Noah and the patriarchs, showing that the covenant line carried concrete proof of God’s power.
Post-Flood
Noah brought the garment onto the Ark so it would be preserved during the flood. Ancient sources describe the garment as a symbol of both priestly authority and kingship. Following the Flood, Ham stole the garment from his father Noah, later passing it to his son Cush, who gave it to Nimrod. Nimrod used the divine properties of the garment to become a “mighty hunter” as the vestment caused all animals and birds to prostrate themselves before him in honor.
The garment was eventually recovered for the line of Shem by Esau who ambushed Nimrod in the wilderness and took the valuable raiment. Jacob later obtained the garment when he purchased the birthright from Esau for a bowl of pottage. Rebecca subsequently used this “goodly raiment” to clothe Jacob so that his father, Isaac, would recognize the “smell of paradise” on him and bestow the patriarchal blessing upon him instead of Esau.
Joseph and the Rent Coat
The birthright typically went to the eldest son. Reuben, however, forfeited this honor (see Genesis 35:22). Joseph, as the eldest son of Jacob’s second wife, Rachel, inherited the birthright. The ketonet passim was given to Joseph as a symbol of the birthright. Later Rabbinic interpretations, like Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Genesis 37, link the garment Jacob gave Joseph to the same sacred vestment Adam once wore, signifying Joseph’s chosen and distinct status.
Joseph’s brothers were furious that Joseph received the ketonet passim. They stripped Joseph of the garment, dipped it in goat’s blood, and presented it to Jacob as evidence that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast. When Joseph’s brothers presented the blood-stained coat to their father, these marks were recognized by Jacob—who was nearly blind at the time—by touch, confirming that the garment belonged to Joseph.
The Fate of the Remnant
“Ginzberg [in Legends of the Jews] also records that after Joseph was reunited with his family in Egypt, his father gave him two gifts, the first being the city of Shechem and ‘the second gift was the garments made by God for Adam and passed from hand to hand, until they came into the possession of Jacob” (Millet & McConkie, Gospel Symbolism, 140).
The Book of Mormon emphasizes that the “remnant of the coat” was preserved and had not decayed.
- The Undecayed Piece: Jacob reportedly saw in a vision that while most of the coat was torn, a specific remnant was preserved and did not decay. This was taken as a prophecy that a “remnant” of Joseph’s seed would likewise be preserved by God.
- Captain Moroni: Captain Moroni consciously drew upon the tradition of the rent coat of Joseph when he created the Title of Liberty. He identified his people as the “outcasts of Joseph” and used his own torn garment as a banner to rally the people to a covenant of faithfulness. Moroni reminded the people that if they were unfaithful, their own “garments should be rent by [their] brethren,” just as Joseph’s had been.
- The High Priest: Some Jewish traditions claim that the garment was eventually cleaned and repaired, serving as the tunic for the High Priest in the Tabernacle to atone for the sins of Israel.
Conclusion
Joseph’s “coat of many colors” is one of the most famous garments in history, but ancient traditions suggest it was far more than a simple fashion statement. From Eden to Egypt, God’s garments consistently symbolize divine favor, priesthood authority, atonement, and covenants. They are never mere decoration or clothing.
