[3] Méhul probably met Duval, an ex-soldier and actor, at the salon of Sophie Gay and suggested composing an opera on the Biblical story of Joseph (Genesis 37–45).

In writing Joseph, Méhul and his librettist may have been trying to exploit the contemporary vogue for operas on religious themes and the French fascination for Egypt after Napoleon's expedition to the country in 1798.

Duval was directly inspired by Pierre Baour-Lormian's verse tragedy Omasis, ou Joseph en Égypte, which had appeared in September 1806.

Nevertheless, it ran for only a few weeks after its premiere and, although it enjoyed several revivals in France in the 19th century, it was more favourably received in Italy, Belgium and Germany, where it was often performed as an oratorio (the many choral and ensemble numbers outweigh those for the soloists).

[7] According to the writer Stephen C. Meyer, Méhul "used a self-consciously austere style, the musical counterpart of the pure and noble faith of the Hebrews" when composing Joseph.

[8] Berlioz discussed the opera in his Evenings with the Orchestra, where he describes the music "almost throughout" as "simple, touching, rich in felicitous, though not very daring modulations, full of broad and vibrant harmonies and graceful figures in the accompaniment, while its expression is always true.

"[9] He later qualifies this, by writing in Joseph, "simplicity is carried to a point which it is dangerous to approach so closely ... in its learned soberness [the] orchestra lacks colour, energy, movement, and the indescribable something which gives life.

Champs paternels, Hébron, douce vallée" has been recorded by many singers, including John McCormack, Georges Thill, Richard Tauber (in German), Raoul Jobin, Léopold Simoneau, Michael Schade and Roberto Alagna.