Genesis 37

1 habitavit autem Iacob in terra Chanaan in qua peregrinatus est pater suus

2 et hae sunt generationes eius Ioseph cum sedecim esset annorum pascebat gregem cum fratribus suis adhuc puer et erat cum filiis Balae et Zelphae uxorum patris sui accusavitque fratres suos apud patrem crimine pessimo

3 Israhel autem diligebat Ioseph super omnes filios suos eo quod in senectute genuisset eum fecitque ei tunicam polymitam

4 videntes autem fratres eius quod a patre plus cunctis filiis amaretur oderant eum nec poterant ei quicquam pacificum loqui

5 accidit quoque ut visum somnium referret fratribus quae causa maioris odii seminarium fuit

6 dixitque ad eos audite somnium meum quod vidi

7 putabam ligare nos manipulos in agro et quasi consurgere manipulum meum et stare vestrosque manipulos circumstantes adorare manipulum meum

8 responderunt fratres eius numquid rex noster eris aut subiciemur dicioni tuae haec ergo causa somniorum atque sermonum invidiae et odii fomitem ministravit

9 aliud quoque vidit somnium quod narrans fratribus ait vidi per somnium quasi solem et lunam et stellas undecim adorare me

10 quod cum patri suo et fratribus rettulisset increpavit eum pater et dixit quid sibi vult hoc somnium quod vidisti num ego et mater tua et fratres adorabimus te super terram

11 invidebant igitur ei fratres sui pater vero rem tacitus considerabat

12 cumque fratres illius in pascendis gregibus patris morarentur in Sychem

13 dixit ad eum Israhel fratres tui pascunt oves in Sycimis veni mittam te ad eos quo respondente

14 praesto sum ait vade et vide si cuncta prospera sint erga fratres tuos et pecora et renuntia mihi quid agatur missus de valle Hebron venit in Sychem

15 invenitque eum vir errantem in agro et interrogavit quid quaereret

16 at ille respondit fratres meos quaero indica mihi ubi pascant greges

17 dixitque ei vir recesserunt de loco isto audivi autem eos dicentes eamus in Dothain perrexit ergo Ioseph post fratres suos et invenit eos in Dothain

18 qui cum vidissent eum procul antequam accederet ad eos cogitaverunt illum occidere

19 et mutuo loquebantur ecce somniator venit

20 venite occidamus eum et mittamus in cisternam veterem dicemusque fera pessima devoravit eum et tunc apparebit quid illi prosint somnia sua

21 audiens hoc Ruben nitebatur liberare eum de manibus eorum et dicebat

22 non interficiamus animam eius nec effundatis sanguinem sed proicite eum in cisternam hanc quae est in solitudine manusque vestras servate innoxias hoc autem dicebat volens eripere eum de manibus eorum et reddere patri suo

23 confestim igitur ut pervenit ad fratres nudaverunt eum tunica talari et polymita

24 miseruntque in cisternam quae non habebat aquam

25 et sedentes ut comederent panem viderunt viatores Ismahelitas venire de Galaad et camelos eorum portare aromata et resinam et stacten in Aegyptum

26 dixit ergo Iudas fratribus suis quid nobis prodest si occiderimus fratrem nostrum et celaverimus sanguinem ipsius

27 melius est ut vendatur Ismahelitis et manus nostrae non polluantur frater enim et caro nostra est adquieverunt fratres sermonibus eius

28 et praetereuntibus Madianitis negotiatoribus extrahentes eum de cisterna vendiderunt Ismahelitis viginti argenteis qui duxerunt eum in Aegyptum

29 reversusque Ruben ad cisternam non invenit puerum

30 et scissis vestibus pergens ad fratres ait puer non conparet et ego quo ibo

31 tulerunt autem tunicam eius et in sanguinem hedi quem occiderant tinxerunt

32 mittentes qui ferrent ad patrem et dicerent hanc invenimus vide utrum tunica filii tui sit an non

33 quam cum agnovisset pater ait tunica filii mei est fera pessima comedit eum bestia devoravit Ioseph

34 scissisque vestibus indutus est cilicio lugens filium multo tempore

35 congregatis autem cunctis liberis eius ut lenirent dolorem patris noluit consolationem recipere et ait descendam ad filium meum lugens in infernum et illo perseverante in fletu

36 Madianei vendiderunt Ioseph in Aegypto Putiphar eunucho Pharaonis magistro militiae

Genesis 37 Commentary

Chapter 37

Joseph is loved of Jacob, but hated by his brethren. (1-4) Joseph's dreams. (5-11) Jacob sends Joseph to visit his brethren, They conspire his death. (12-22) Joseph's brethren sell him. (23-10) Jacob deceived, Joseph sold to Potiphar. (31-36)

Verses 1-4 In Joseph's history we see something of Christ, who was first humbled and then exalted. It also shows the lot of Christians, who must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom. It is a history that has none like it, for displaying the various workings of the human mind, both good and bad, and the singular providence of God in making use of them for fulfilling his purposes. Though Joseph was his father's darling, yet he was not bred up in idleness. Those do not truly love their children, who do not use them to business, and labour, and hardships. The fondling of children is with good reason called the spoiling of them. Those who are trained up to do nothing, are likely to be good for nothing. But Jacob made known his love, by dressing Joseph finer than the rest of his children. It is wrong for parents to make a difference between one child and another, unless there is great cause for it, by the children's dutifulness, or undutifulness. When parents make a difference, children soon notice it, and it leads to quarrels in families. Jacob's sons did that, when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have done at home with him; but Joseph gave his father an account of their ill conduct, that he might restrain them. Not as a tale-bearer, to sow discord, but as a faithful brother.

Verses 5-11 God gave Joseph betimes the prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him under his long and grievous troubles. Observe, Joseph dreamed of his preferment, but he did not dream of his imprisonment. Thus many young people, when setting out in the world, think of nothing but prosperity and pleasure, and never dream of trouble. His brethren rightly interpreted the dream, though they abhorred the interpretation of it. While they committed crimes in order to defeat it, they were themselves the instruments of accomplishing it. Thus the Jews understood what Christ said of his kingdom. Determined that he should not reign over them, they consulted to put him to death; and by his crucifixion, made way for the exaltation they designed to prevent.

Verses 12-22 How readily does Joseph wait his father's orders! Those children who are best beloved by their parents, should be the most ready to obey them. See how deliberate Joseph's brethren were against him. They thought to slay him from malice aforethought, and in cold blood. Whosoever hateth his brother is ( 1 John. 3:15 ) because their father loved him. New occasions, as his dreams and the like, drew them on further; but this laid rankling in their hearts, till they resolved on his death. God has all hearts in his hands. Reuben had most reason to be jealous of Joseph, for he was the first-born; yet he proves his best friend. God overruled all to serve his own purpose, of making Joseph an instrument to save much people alive. Joseph was a type of Christ; for though he was the beloved Son of his Father, and hated by a wicked world, yet the Father sent him out of his bosom to visit us in great humility and love. He came from heaven to earth to seek and save us; yet then malicious plots were laid against him. His own not only received him not, but crucified him. This he submitted to, as a part of his design to redeem and save us.

Verses 23-30 They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, see ( Amos 6:6 ) ; for when he was pining in the pit, they sat down to eat bread. They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin. But the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain, ( Psalms 76:10 ) . Joseph's brethren were wonderfully restrained from murdering him, and their selling him as wonderfully turned to God's praise.

Verses 31-36 When Satan has taught men to commit one sin, he teaches them to try to conceal it with another; to hide theft and murder, with lying and false oaths: but he that covers his sin shall not prosper long. Joseph's brethren kept their own and one another's counsel for some time; but their villany came to light at last, and it is here published to the world. To grieve their father, they sent him Joseph's coat of colours; and he hastily thought, on seeing the bloody coat, that Joseph was rent in pieces. Let those that know the heart of a parent, suppose the agony of poor Jacob. His sons basely pretended to comfort him, but miserable, hypocritical comforters were they all. Had they really desired to comfort him, they might at once have done it, by telling the truth. The heart is strangely hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Jacob refused to be comforted. Great affection to any creature prepares for so much the greater affliction, when it is taken from us, or made bitter to us: undue love commonly ends in undue grief. It is the wisdom of parents not to bring up children delicately, they know not to what hardships they may be brought before they die. From the whole of this chapter we see with wonder the ways of Providence. The malignant brothers seem to have gotten their ends; the merchants, who care not what they deal in so that they gain, have also obtained theirs; and Potiphar, having got a fine young slave, has obtained his! But God's designs are, by these means, in train for execution. This event shall end in Israel's going down to Egypt; that ends in their deliverance by Moses; that in setting up the true religion in the world; and that in the spread of it among all nations by the gospel. Thus the wrath of man shall praise the Lord, and the remainder thereof will he restrain.

Chapter Summary

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.