Genesis 37:19

19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.

Genesis 37:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:19

And they said one to another
According to the Targum of Jonathan, Simeon and Levi said what follows: nor is it unlikely, since they were hot, passionate, cruel, and bloody minded men, as appears by the affair of Shechem; and perhaps this may be the reason why Joseph afterwards, when governor of Egypt, took Simeon and bound him, ( Genesis 42:24 ) ; which was but a just retaliation for his advice to cast him into a pit when slain:

behold, this dreamer cometh;
or "master of dreams" F18; not of the interpretation of them, but of dreaming them; that had them at his command when he pleased, as they jeeringly flouted him; as if he was a framer and contriver of them, and only pretended to them when he had none, or else that he was frequently dreaming and telling his dreams; this they said in a sarcastic way, and, perhaps, as pleased, and rejoicing that such an opportunity offered to take their revenge on him: this shows that it was on the account of his dreams chiefly that they bore such a grudge against him, that this was uppermost on their minds, and was revived at first sight of him, and from whence their malice sprung.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (twmlxh leb) "magister somniorum", Tigurine version, Montanus; "dominus somniorum", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius

Genesis 37:19 In-Context

17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
18 Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.
20 “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.
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