Genesis 37:1-8

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land where his father sojourned -- in the land of Canaan.

2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, fed the flock with his brethren; and he was doing service with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought to his father an evil report of them.

3 And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was son of his old age; and he made him a vest of many colours.

4 And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, and they hated him, and could not greet him with friendliness.

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told [it] to his brethren, and they hated him yet the more.

6 And he said to them, Hear, I pray you, this dream, which I have dreamt:

7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the fields, and lo, my sheaf rose up, and remained standing; and behold, your sheaves came round about and bowed down to my sheaf.

8 And his brethren said to him, Wilt thou indeed be a king over us? wilt thou indeed rule over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words.

Genesis 37:1-8 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 'was tending.'
• [b]. Or 'he was as a youth with.'
• [c]. Or 'their evil discourse.'
• [d]. Or 'a coat with sleeves;' and so vers. 23,32.
• [e]. As ch. 18.2.