Genesis 37:1-11

The Dreams of Joseph

1 And Jacob settled in the land of the sojourning of his father, in the land of Canaan.

2 These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers. Now he [was] a helper with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, for he [was] a son of his old age. And he made a robe with long sleeves for him.

4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and were not able to speak peaceably to him.

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told [it] to his brothers. And {they hated him even more}.

6 And he said to them, "Listen now to this dream that I dreamed.

7 Now behold, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field and, behold, my sheaf stood up and it remained standing. Then behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf."

8 Then his brothers said to him, "Will you really rule over us?" And {they hated him even more} on account of his dream and because of his words.

9 Then he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brothers. And he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream again, and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

10 And he told [it] to his father and to his brothers. And his father rebuked him and said to him, "What [is] this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the ground to you?"

11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter [in mind].

Genesis 37:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 37

In this chapter begins the history of Joseph, with whom the remaining part of this book is chiefly concerned; and here are related the hatred of his brethren to him, because he brought an ill report of them to his father, and because his father loved him, and which was increased by the dream he dreamed, and told them of, Ge 37:1-11; a visit of his to his brethren in the fields, whom he found after a long search of them, Ge 37:12-17; their conspiracy on sight of him to slay him, but by the advice of Reuben it was agreed to cast him into a pit, which they did, Ge 37:18-24; and after that, at the motion of Judah, sold him to the Ishmaelites, who were going to Egypt, Ge 37:25-28; this being done, Reuben being absent, and not finding Joseph in the pit, was in great distress, Ge 37:29,30; their contrivance to deceive their father, and make him believe that Joseph was destroyed by a wild beast, which on the sight of the coat he credited, and became inconsolable, Ge 37:31-35; and the chapter concludes with the sale of Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, Ge 37:36.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "family records"
• [b]. Or "of many colors"
• [c]. Literally "they added still to hate him"
• [d]. Literally "they added still to hate him"