Throughout the preceding hero narrative of Genesis and subsequent national miracle legends of Exodus God is everywhere, telling people what to do, intervening in their affairs, suspending the laws of nature, klutzing up the plot. Indeed, only one character figures it out. Its job is to get us down to Egypt. At the beginning of the novella, when Jacob gives Joseph that beautiful coat, the Jews are a bunch of recalcitrant nomads living in the Promised Land in daily communication with God. Something seems to have happened.
Nobody gets it.
Nobody, that is, but Joseph. All the players remain stuck in their own convictions that no one is running anything but themselves. Joseph's brothers think they can get away with either killing or selling him. Reuben figures he can outwit them. Judah figures he can skip town without penalty.