Genesis 37:19

19 And each said to his brother, Behold, that dreamer comes.

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 And the man said to him, They have departed hence, for I heard them saying, Let us go to Dothaim; and Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothaim.
18 And they spied him from a distance before he drew nigh to them, and they wickedly took counsel to slay him.
19 And each said to his brother, Behold, that dreamer comes.
20 Now then come, let us kill him, and cast him into one of the pits; and we will say, An evil wild beast has devoured him; and we shall see what his dreams will be.
21 And Ruben having heard it, rescued him out of their hands, and said, Let us not kill him.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.