Bereshis 37:1

1 7 And Ya’akov dwelt in the eretz megurei Aviv (in the land wherein his father was a ger) in Eretz Canaan.

Bereshis 37:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:1

And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger,
&c.] And this stands opposed unto, and is distinguished from the case and circumstances of Esau and his posterity, expressed in the preceding chapter, who dwelt in the land of their possession, not as strangers and sojourners, as Jacob and his seed, but as lords and proprietors; and so these words may be introduced and read in connection with the former history; "but Jacob dwelt" ^F1; and this verse would better conclude the preceding chapter than begin a new one. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases the words, "and Jacob dwelt quietly"; or peaceably, in tranquillity and safety; his brother Esau being gone from him into another country, he remained where his father lived and died, and in the country that by his blessing belonged to him:

in the land of Canaan,
and particularly in Hebron, where Isaac and Abraham before him had dwelt.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 (bvyw) "at habitavit", Schmidt.

Bereshis 37:1 In-Context

1 7 And Ya’akov dwelt in the eretz megurei Aviv (in the land wherein his father was a ger) in Eretz Canaan.

2 These are the toldot Ya’akov. Yosef, being seventeen years old, was ro’eh with his achim to the tzon; now the na’ar was with the bnei Bilhah, and with the bnei Zilpah, the ne’shei Aviv (the wives of his father); and Yosef brought unto Avihem (their father) dibbatam ra’ah (a bad, evil report of them).

3 Now Yisroel loved Yosef more than all his children, because he was the ben zekunim (the son of his old age); and he made him a kesones passim (ketonet [tunic] reaching to palms and soles, [see Messianic significance Yn 19:23 OJBC]).

4 And when his achim saw that Avihem loved him more than all his achim, they hated him, and could not speak with shalom unto him.

5 And Yosef dreamed a chalom (dream [see Mt 2:22 OJBC]), and he told it to his achim; and they hated him yet the more.