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Genesis Chapter
Thirty-seven
Genesis 37 Outlines
New King James Version (NKJV)
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
Genesis 37:1; a
visit of his to his brethren in the fields
whom he found after a long search
of them
Genesis 37:12;
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
Genesis 37:18; and
after that
at the motion of Judah
sold him to the Ishmaelites
who were going
to Egypt
Genesis 37:25; this
being done
Reuben being absent
and not finding Joseph in the pit
was in
great distress
Genesis 37:29;
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
Genesis 37:31; and
the chapter concludes with the sale of Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar
an officer
of Pharaoh's
Genesis 37:36.
Genesis 37:1. Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger
in the land of Canaan.
YLT 1And Jacob dwelleth in the
land of his father's sojournings -- in the land of Canaan.
And Jacob dwelt
in the land wherein his father was a stranger
....
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"
&c.F1וישב "at habitavit"
Schmidt. ; 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.
Genesis 37:2. 2 This
is the history of Jacob. Joseph
being seventeen years old
was
feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of
Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah
his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad
report of them to his father.
YLT 2These [are] births of
Jacob: Joseph
a son of seventeen years
hath been enjoying himself with his
brethren among the flock
(and he [is] a youth
) with the sons of Bilhah
and
with the sons of Zilpah
his father's wives
and Joseph bringeth in an account
of their evil unto their father.
These are
the generations of Jacob
....
But no genealogy
following
some interpret this of events or of things which befell Jacob
and
his family
particularly with respect to his son Joseph
as Aben Ezra and Ben
Melech take the sense of the word to be from Proverbs 27:1; but
the words may refer to what goes before in the latter end of chapter 35
where
an account is given of Jacob's sons
with regard to which it is here said
"these are the generations of Jacob"; the whole of chapter 36
which
contains the genealogy of Esau
being a parenthesis
or at least an
interruption of the above account
the history of Jacob and his posterity is
here reassumed and carried on:
Joseph being
seventeen years old
was feeding his flock with his brethren;
or "in the
flock"F2בצאן "in
pecudibus"
Montanus; "in grege"
Vatablus. ; he was with them
in the pastures
where the flocks were fed
not so much to assist them in it
as to be taught by them how to feed
they being older than he:
and the lad was
with the sons of Bilhah
and with the sons of Zilpah
his father's wives:
his secondary wives or
concubines
called his wives
because their children shared in the inheritance.
These sons of theirs were Dan and Naphtali
the sons of Bilhah; and Gad and
Asher
the sons of Zilpah; with these Jacob rather chose Joseph should be
than
with the sons of Leah; and especially that he should be with the sons of
Bilhah
who was the handmaid of Rachel
Joseph's mother
and she being dead
it
might be thought that Bilhah and her sons would have the most respect for
Joseph:
and Joseph
brought unto his father their evil report;
for not being able to bear
with their evil deeds
and yet not having authority enough
being a junior
to
reprove
correct
and check them
he reported them to his father: what the
things were reported is not said
perhaps their quarrels among themselves
their contempt of Joseph
their neglect of their flocks
&c. Some of the
Jewish writers make them to be abominable acts of uncleannessF4Bereshit
Rabba
sect. 84. fol. 73. 1. Jarchi in loc.
others eating of the member of a
creature alive
particularly the flesh of the tails of lambs while livingF5Targum
Jon. in loc. Pirke Eliezer
c. 38. .
Genesis 37:3. 3 Now
Israel loved Joseph more than all his children
because he was the son
of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
YLT 3And Israel hath loved
Joseph more than any of his sons
for he [is] a son of his old age
and hath
made for him a long coat;
Now Israel
loved Joseph more than all his children
....
He being the firstborn of
his beloved Rachel
and a lovely youth
of a beautiful aspect
very promising
prudent and pious: the reason given in the text follows:
because he was
the son of his old age;
being ninety one years of
age when he was born; and the youngest children are generally most beloved
and
especially such as are born to their parents when in years. Benjamin indeed was
younger than Joseph
and is described in like manner
Genesis 44:20; and
for this reason one would think had the greatest claim to his father's
affections; wherefore some give a different sense of this phrase
and render
it
the "son" or disciple of "elders"
"senators"
i.e. a wise and prudent man: and indeed
if being the son
of his old age was the reason of his affection
Benjamin had the best claim to
it
being the youngest
and born to him when he was still older; and this sense
is countenanced by Onkelos
who renders it
"because he was a wise son to
him:'and so the reason why he loved him more than the rest was
because of his
senile wisdom; though a child in years
he was old in wisdom and knowledge.
Abendana observes
that it was a custom with old men to take one of their
little children to be with them continually
and attend upon them
and minister
to them
and lean upon their arm; and such an one was called the son of their old
age
because he ministered to them in their old age:
and he made him
a coat of many colours;
that is
had one made for
him
which was interwoven with threads of divers colours
or painted
or
embroidered with divers figures
or made with different pieces of various
colours: according to JeromF6Trad. Heb. in Gen. fol. 72. A.
it was
a garment which reached down to the ankles
and was distinguished with great
variety by the hands of the artificer
or which had long sleeves reaching to
the hands; and so the Jewish writersF7Bereshit Rabba
ut supra.
(sect. 84. fol 73.1.) say it was called "passim"
because it reached
to the palms of the hands: this might be an emblem of the various virtues which
early appeared in him; or rather of the several graces of the Spirit of God
implanted in him
and of the raiment of needlework
the righteousness of
Christ
with which he was clothed
Psalm 45:14; and of
the various providences which Jacob
under a spirit of prophecy
foresaw he
would be attended with.
Genesis 37:4. 4 But
when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers
they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
YLT 4and his brethren see that
their father hath loved him more than any of his brethren
and they hate him
and have not been able to speak [to] him peaceably.
And when his
brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren
....
Which they perceived by
various things in his behaviour to him
by his words
his looks
his gestures
and particularly by the coat he had made him
which distinguished him from the
rest:
they hated him
and could not speak peaceably unto him;
they not only inwardly
hated him
but they could not conceal their hatred
but betrayed it by their
speech unto him; they could not speak to him on any occasion
but in a cross
surly
ill natured manner; they could not salute him
or give him the common
salutation
Peace be to thee
as Aben Ezra suggests.
Genesis 37:5. 5 Now
Joseph had a dream
and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him
even more.
YLT 5And Joseph dreameth a
dream
and declareth to his brethren
and they add still more to hate him.
And Joseph
dreamed a dream
and he told it his brethren
....
As a dream
in the
simplicity of his heart; not understanding it
or imagining there was any
meaning in it; he told it not with any design to affront them
but as an
amusement
and for their diversion
there being something in it odd and
ridiculous
as he himself might think:
and they hated
him yet the more;
not only because he had
carried an ill report of them to his father
and because he loved him more than
they
but still more because of this dream; the meaning of which they at once
understood
though he did not
which yet they supposed he did
and that he told
them it in a boasting manner
and to irritate them.
Genesis 37:6. 6 So
he said to them
“Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
YLT 6And he saith unto them
`Hear ye
I pray you
this dream which I have dreamed:
And he said
unto them
hear
I pray you
this dream which I have dreamed.
Hear now
so the Targums
of Onkelos and Jonathan
immediately
directly
lest he should forget it
having perhaps dreamt it the night before; though our version expresses more
modesty and submission. The dream follows:
Genesis 37:7. 7 There
we were
binding sheaves in the field. Then behold
my sheaf arose and also
stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my
sheaf.”
YLT 7that
lo
we are binding
bundles in the midst of the field
and lo
my bundle hath arisen
and hath also
stood up
and lo
your bundles are round about
and bow themselves to my
bundle.'
For
behold
we
were binding sheaves in the field
....
So it was represented in
his mind in a dream
as if it was harvest time
and he and his brethren were at
work together in the field binding up sheaves of corn that were reaped
in
order to be carried home:
and
lo
my
sheaf arose
and stood upright;
it seemed to him
that
after he had bound and laid it on the ground
that it rose up of itself
and
stood erect:
and
behold
your sheaves stood round about
and made obeisance to my sheaf;
the sheaves which his
brethren bound up
they also stood upright
and all around his sheaf
and bowed
unto it; so it appeared to him in his dream. This was a fit emblem of their
coming to him into Egypt for corn
and bowing to him
when their sheaves were
empty
and his was full. In an ancient book of the JewsF8Raya
Mehimna in Zohar in Gen. fol. 87. 2. Joseph's sheaf is interpreted of the
Messiah
whom they call the son of Ephraim. Joseph no doubt was a type of the
true Messiah
and in this of his exaltation and glory
and of that honour given
him by all his saints who come to him
and receive from him all the supplies of
grace.
Genesis 37:8. 8 And
his brothers said to him
“Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed
have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his
words.
YLT 8And his brethren say to
him
`Dost thou certainly reign over us? dost thou certainly rule over us?' and
they add still more to hate him
for his dreams
and for his words.
And his
brethren said unto him
....
After he had told his
dream
being highly offended with him
understanding the dream
and the meaning
of it
better than he did:
shalt thou
indeed reign over us? or shall thou indeed have dominion over us?
denying that he ever
should
and reproving him for his vanity
in concluding from hence that he
would have the dominion over them. So the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan
dost
thou think
suppose
or imagine that thou shall rule over us? it looks as if by
telling us this dream that such a whim and fancy has got into thine head:
and they hated
him yet the more for his dreams and for his words;
for it seems by this that
he had dreamt
and told them more dreams besides this
and they hated him both
for them
and for his telling them to them; though Jarchi thinks the phrase
"for his words"
refers to the ill report he gave of them to his
father
Genesis 37:2.
Genesis 37:9. 9 Then
he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers
and said
“Look
I
have dreamed another dream. And this time
the sun
the moon
and the eleven
stars bowed down to me.”
YLT 9And he dreameth yet another
dream
and recounteth it to his brethren
and saith
`Lo
I have dreamed a
dream again
and lo
the sun and the moon
and eleven stars
are bowing
themselves to me.'
And he dreamed
yet another dream
....
Relating to the name
subject as the former
and
for the confirmation of it
only the emblems are
different
and more comprehensive:
and told it his
brethren
and said
behold
I have dreamed a dream more;
another dream
and which
he told
either as not knowing fully the resentment of his brethren at his
former dream
or in order to clear himself from any charge of feigning the
dream
or having any ill intention in telling it; seeing he had another to the
same purpose
and therefore thought fit to acquaint them with it
that they
might more seriously consider of it
whether there was not something divine in
it
which he himself began to think there was:
and
behold
the sun
and the moon
and the eleven stars
made their obeisance to me:
in his dream it seemed to
him
either that he was taken up into the starry heaven
and these luminaries
bowed unto him
or else that they descended to him on earth
and paid their
respects unto him.
Genesis 37:10. 10 So
he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him
and said to him
“What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your
mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before
you?”
YLT 10And he recounteth unto his
father
and unto his brethren; and his father pusheth against him
and saith to
him
`What [is] this dream which thou hast dreamt? do we certainly come -- I
and thy mother
and thy brethren -- to bow ourselves to thee
to the earth?'
And he told it
to his father
and to his brethren
....
After he had told it to
his brethren
he told it to his father a second time in their hearing
that he
might pass his judgment on it
and give his sense of it before them:
and his father
rebuked him;
not as being ignorant of
the meaning of the dream
for by what follows he had a clear understanding of
it
or as if he thought it was an idle dream
and would never have any
accomplishment: but he thought fit
in his great wisdom and prudence
to put on
such an air
partly to check young Joseph
lest he should grow proud
and
haughty
and insolent upon it
and behave in a disagreeable manner to himself
and to his brethren; and partly to conciliate the minds of his brethren to him
which he perceived were exasperated by his dreams:
and said unto
him
what is this dream that thou hast dreamed?
what dost thou take to be
the meaning of it? canst thou imagine that it is of God? is it not a mere whim
and imagination of thine own wandering brain in thy sleep? why dost thou tell
such an idle dream as this
as if there were something divine in it
when it
appears the most absurd and irrational?
shall I
thy
mother
and thy brethren
indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the
earth?
whereby it plainly shows
he understood the meaning of the dream
though he would not seem to countenance
it. By the "sun" he understood himself
the principal and head of the
family
the active instrument of the generation of it
the light
life
and
support of it; and by the "moon" his wife
the passive instrument of
generation
who had the lesser share of rule in the family
yet contributed
much to its good and welfare; by whom is meant not Rachel
the real mother of
Joseph
who was dead
unless this is observed to show the seeming absurdity of
it
from whence the whole might appear ridiculous; but rather Leah
who was now
Jacob's only true wife
and the stepmother of Joseph; or else Bilhah
Rachel's
handmaid
who since her death was a mother to Joseph; and by the eleven
"stars" he understood the eleven brethren of Joseph
who were as stars
that receive their light from the sun; and in allusion to the twelve
constellations in the Zodiac
to which Joseph and his eleven brethren answered.
This had its fulfilment
in some measure
when Jacob sent presents to Joseph
when governor of Egypt
though unknown to him
and when he and his family went
thither
when
no doubt
Jacob showed a civil respect according to his dignity
and in regard to the office he bore: and so his wife
if he then had any
that
went with him
and if not personally
yet in her posterity paid a deference to
him
as it is certain all his brethren did. Grotius observes from the
Oneirocritics or interpreters of dreams
particularly Achmes
that according to
the doctrine of the Persians and Egyptians
that if anyone should dream that he
rules over the stars
he shall rule over all people.
Genesis 37:11. 11 And his brothers envied
him
but his father kept the matter in mind.
YLT 11and his brethren are
zealous against him
and his father hath watched the matter.
And his
brethren envied him
....
Notwithstanding all the
precaution Jacob took to prevent it; they suspecting and fearing that these
dreams portended the pre-eminence of Joseph over them
or however served to
fill his mind with the hopes and expectation of it:
but his father
observed the saying;
what Joseph had said in
relating his dream; he laid it up in his mind and kept it there
often thought
of it
and waited to see its accomplishment.
Genesis 37:12. 12 Then
his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
YLT 12And his brethren go to feed
the flock of their father in Shechem
And his
brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
Very probably some
considerable time after the telling of the above dreams; it was usual to remove
flocks from place to place for the sake of pasturage; and sometimes at a great
distance
as Shechem was from Hebron
where Jacob now dwelt
saidF9Bunting's
Travels
p. 79. Ainsworth in loc. to be about sixty miles; but this is not so
much to be marvelled at as the place itself
whither they went
for though
Jacob had bought a parcel of a field in this place
Genesis 33:19;
which might be a reason for their going thither to feed their father's flocks
in his own field; yet it was the place where they had committed a most
outrageous action in destroying all
the males there
and therefore might fear
the inhabitants of the neighbouring cities would rise upon them and cut them
off.
Genesis 37:13. 13 And
Israel said to Joseph
“Are not your brothers feeding the flock in
Shechem? Come
I will send you to them.”
So he said to
him
“Here I am.”
YLT 13and Israel saith unto
Joseph
`Are not thy brethren feeding in Shechem? come
and I send thee unto
them;' and he saith to him
`Here [am] I;'
And Israel said
unto Joseph
....
After his brethren had
been gone some time to Shechem:
do not thy
brethren feed the flock in Shechem?
this question is put
not
as ignorant of it
or doubting about it
but to put Joseph in mind of it
and
in order to what follows:
come
and I
will send thee unto them;
which is pretty much he
should
considering the length of the way
sixty miles
the dangerous place in
which they were feeding their flocks
and especially seeing his brethren envied
and hated him; but Jacob might think that by this time things had wore off of
their minds; and it is certain he had no suspicion of their hatred rising so
high as to attempt his life; and it is plain he had none concerning them
when
his coat was brought to him
but believed it was wild beasts that had devoured
him:
and he said
unto him
here am I;
showing his readiness to
obey his father
and go on this errand
though it was a long journey
and he to
go it alone
and his brethren also bore no good will to him.
Genesis 37:14. 14 Then
he said to him
“Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well
with the flocks
and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley
of Hebron
and he went to Shechem.
YLT 14and he saith to him
`Go
I
pray thee
see the peace of thy brethren
and the peace of the flock
and bring
me back word;' and he sendeth him from the valley of Hebron
and he cometh to
Shechem.
And he said to
him
go
I pray thee
....
Or "now"F11נא "nunc"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius.
directly
immediately
which is more agreeable
to the authority of a father:
see whether it
be well with thy brethren
and well with the flocks;
it having been many days
and perhaps months
since he had heard anything of them; and the rather Jacob
might be under a concern for them
because of the danger they were exposed to
from the neighbouring tribes and nations of the Canaanites
on account of their
having some time ago destroyed the Shechemites; so the Targum of Jonathan
paraphrasing on the preceding part
makes Jacob to say
"I am afraid
lest
the Horites should come and smite them
because of their smiting Hamor and
Shechem
and the inhabitants of that city; come
and I will send thee
&c."
and bring me
word again;
of their welfare
and of
the state of their flocks:
so he sent him
out of the vale of Hebron:
the same with the plains
of Mamre near the city of Hebron
which was built on a hill:
and he came to
Shechem:
after he had travelled
sixty miles.
Genesis 37:15. 15 Now
a certain man found him
and there he was
wandering in the field. And the man
asked him
saying
“What are you seeking?”
YLT 15And a man findeth him
and
lo
he is wandering in the field
and the man asketh him
saying
`What seekest
thou?'
And a certain
man found him
....
Many of the Jewish writersF12Pirke
Eliezer
c. 38. Targum Jon. & Jarchi in loc. say
this was an angel
the
angel Gabriel
in the likeness of a man; but according to Aben Ezra
it was a
traveller he met on the road; but it is more probable
as Schimidt observes
that it was some man at work in the field that came upon him and took notice of
him:
and
behold
he
was wandering in the field;
in some field near
Shechem
perhaps the same his father Jacob had purchased
and where he expected
to have found his brethren
and was looking out for them
going to and fro in
search of them; which the labouring man in the field observed:
and the man
asked him
saying
what seekest thou?
seeing him walking about
and first looking one way
and then another
concluded he was in search of
something
either of some man or of some creature
a sheep or an ox that was
lost; and therefore put this question to him
with a view to give him what
direction and assistance he could.
Genesis 37:16. 16 So
he said
“I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their
flocks.”
YLT 16and he saith
`My brethren
I am seeking
declare to me
I pray thee
where they are feeding?'
And he said
I
seek my brethren
....
Whom
no doubt
he
described to the man
and told him who they were
and to whom they belonged; or
otherwise the man would have been at a loss to know who he meant
and what
further to say to him
and without which Joseph would never have made the
following request to him:
tell me
I pray
thee
where they feed their flocks;
in what part of the
country they are
what field they are in
how far to it
and which the way.
Genesis 37:17. 17 And
the man said
“They have departed from here
for I heard them say
‘Let us go
to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.
YLT 17And the man saith
`They
have journeyed from this
for I have heard some saying
Let us go to Dothan
'
and Joseph goeth after his brethren
and findeth them in Dothan.
And the man
said
they are departed hence
....
They had been there
in
the field where he and Joseph were
and which was probably the field before
mentioned; but for good reasons
perhaps for want of pasture
or in order to
find better feeding for their cattle
they were gone from thence
from the
fields about Shechem:
for I heard
them say
let us go to Dothan;
this was
as some say
four miles from Shechem
others eightF13Bunting's Travels
p. 79.
Ainsworth in loc. ; according to BrochardusF14Apud Drusium in loc.
it was a plain country between fruitful hills
contiguous to fountains
was
pasture ground
and very fit for feeding cattle; and its very name
as HillerusF15Onomastic.
Sacra
p. 526. notes
signifies grassy
or a place of tender grass: here
afterwards
was a city built
not far from Samaria
2 Kings 6:13; about
twelve miles to the north of it
as says JeromF16Loc. Heb. fol. 90.
H. ; it was in the tribe of Manasseh
about forty four miles from Jerusalem to
the north
and six miles from Tiberias to the westF17:
and Joseph went
after his brethren
and found them in Dothan;
which shows that he had a
real desire to see them
and know their state and condition
that he might
report it to his father; since he might have returned on not finding them at
Shechem
that being the place he was sent to
and would have been sufficient to
have shown obedience to his father's commands
though perhaps it might not have
come up to his full sense and meaning.
Genesis 37:18. 18 Now
when they saw him afar off
even before he came near them
they conspired
against him to kill him.
YLT 18And they see him from afar
even before he draweth near unto them
and they conspire against him to put him
to death.
And when they
saw him afar off
....
They knew him as soon as
they saw him
by his stature
his gesture or manner of walking
and especially
by his coat of various colours he now had on
Genesis 37:23
even before he came
near unto them;
the distance he was from
them when they first spied him is particularly remarked and repeated
not to
show the quickness of their sight
but for the sake of what follows; to observe
how soon their passions were raised
how intense and prepense their malice
and
which put them upon devising ways and means to destroy him
for it follows:
they conspired
against him
to slay him;
they entered into a
consultation
and devised the most crafty methods they could think of to take
away his life
and yet conceal the murder.
Genesis 37:19. 19 Then
they said to one another
“Look
this dreamer is coming!
YLT 19And they say one unto
another
`Lo
this man of the dreams cometh;
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"F18בעל החלמות
"magister somniorum"
Tigurine version
Montanus; "dominus
somniorum"
Vatablus
Junius & Tremellius. ; 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.
Genesis 37:20. 20 Come
therefore
let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say
‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his
dreams!”
YLT 20and now
come
and we slay
him
and cast him into one of the pits
and have said
An evil beast hath
devoured him; and we see what his dreams are.'
Come now
therefore
and let us slay him
....
Agree to do it
and
actually do it:
and cast him
into some pit;
or
"one of the
pits"F19באחד הברות
"in unam cisternarum"
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius; "in unam ex
cisternis istis"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "in unam
fovearum"
Schmidt.
which were near
and were dug for the collection of
rainwater
as was usual in those countries where water was scarce:
and we will
say
some evil beast hath devoured him;
which would seem
plausible
since wild beasts were frequent in those parts
as lions and bears
see 1 Kings 13:24
and we shall
see what will become of his dreams;
who will be the lord then
and reign
and have the dominion
he or we.
Genesis 37:21. 21 But Reuben heard it
and he delivered him out of their hands
and said
“Let us not kill him.”
YLT 21And Reuben heareth
and
delivereth him out of their hand
and saith
`Let us not smite the life;'
And Reuben
heard it
....
Overheard what they said
not being in the consultation; perhaps knowing his temper and disposition to be
more mild and gentle
and being the elder brother
might fear he would overrule
matters against them
and therefore Simeon and Levi did not choose to have him
in the debate; or he might be at some distance and entirely absent when the
consultation was held
and their intention was reported to him by some of them:
and he
delivered him out of their hands;
from slaying him; that is
he endeavoured to do it by proposing another scheme:
and said
let
us not kill him;
or let us not smite the
soulF20לא נכנו נפש "ne percutiamus vel occidamus animam"
Sam.
Ar. Syr. ; the dear soul
or take away life.
Genesis 37:22. 22 And
Reuben said to them
“Shed no blood
but cast him into this pit which is
in the wilderness
and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out
of their hands
and bring him back to his father.
YLT 22and Reuben saith unto them
`Shed no blood; cast him into this pit which [is] in the wilderness
and put
not forth a hand upon him
' -- in order to deliver him out of their hand
to
bring him back unto his father.
And Reuben said
unto them
shed no blood
....
Innocent blood
as the
Targum of Jonathan; the blood of a man
a brother's blood
one that had not
done anything wherefore it should be shed
and which would involve in guilt
and bring vengeance on them: he seems to put them in mind of the original law
in Genesis 9:6
but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness
and lay
no hand upon him:
which might seem to answer
the same purpose
namely
by depriving him of his life in another way
by
starving him; but this was not Reuben's intention
as appears by the next
clause
and by his going to the pit afterwards
as it should seem
with a view
to take him out of it privately; this advice he gave:
that he might
rid him out of their hands
to deliver him to his father again;
safe and sound
in order
as it is thought by many interpreters
to reconcile his father to him
whose
bed he had abused.
Genesis 37:23. 23 So
it came to pass
when Joseph had come to his brothers
that they stripped
Joseph of his tunic
the tunic of many colors that was on
him.
YLT 23And it cometh to pass
when
Joseph hath come unto his brethren
that they strip Joseph of his coat
the
long coat which [is] upon him
And it came to
pass
when Joseph was come unto his brethren
....
To the very place where
they were
and had
in a kind and obliging manner
asked of their welfare
and
related their father's concern for them
who had sent him on this errand:
that they stripped
Joseph out of his coat; his coat of many colours
that was
on him;
according to Jarchi and
Aben Ezra
this was not one and the same coat
but divers
and that the sense
is
that with his coat of many colours
and besides that
they stripped him of
his lower garment
which was next to his skin
his shirt; so that he was quite
naked when they cast him into the pit
and this they did as soon as he came up
to them
so cruel and hardhearted were they.
Genesis 37:24. 24 Then
they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there
was no water in it.
YLT 24and take him and cast him
into the pit
and the pit [is] empty
there is no water in it.
And they took
him
and cast him into a pit
....
Into the same that Reuben
pointed to them
whose counsel they gladly took and readily executed
supposing
he meant the same thing they did
starving him to death:
and the pit was
empty
there was no water in it;
only serpents and
scorpions
as the Targum of Jonathan; and Jarchi adds
this remark
that there
was no water in it
seems to be made either to furnish out a reason why Reuben
directed to it
that he might be the more easily got out of it
and not be in
danger of losing his life at once
or of being drowned in it; or else to show
the uncomfortable situation he was in
having not so much as a drop of water to
refresh him; see Zechariah 9:11.
Dothan is said to remain to this day
and the inhabitants of it show the
ancient ditch into which Joseph was castF21Bunting's Travels
p. 80.
.
Genesis 37:25. 25 And
they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked
and there
was a company of Ishmaelites
coming from Gilead with their camels
bearing
spices
balm
and myrrh
on their way to carry them down to Egypt.
YLT 25And they sit down to eat
bread
and they lift up their eyes
and look
and lo
a company of Ishmaelites
coming from Gilead
and their camels bearing spices
and balm
and myrrh
going
to take [them] down to Egypt.
And they sat
down to eat bread
....
Not at all concerned at
what they had done
nor in the least grieved for the affliction of Joseph
and
without any pity and compassion for him in his distress
but joyful and glad
they had got him into their hands
and like to get rid of him for ever:
and they lifted
up their eyes
and looked
after they had eaten their
food
or while they were eating it:
and
behold
a
company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead;
a place of merchandise for
spices and balm
and such like things after mentioned. The Targums of Onkelos
and Jonathan call them Arabians; and the Targum of Jerusalem
Saracens; these
were the posterity of Ishmael
who came out of Arabia to Gilead
where they
took up their merchandise
at least part of it
and were travelling to Egypt
with it
and their way thither lay by Dothan; these travelled in companies
now
called "caravans"
partly on the account of robbers
and partly by
reason of wild beasts
with both which they were sometimes beset in the deserts
through which they travelled:
with their
camels bearing spicery
and balm
and myrrh;
the first word is general
according to our version
and others
and signifies various spices
a
collection of them; and so Jarchi takes it; but Aquila translates it
"storax"; and BochartF23Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 4. c. 12. Colossians 532.
by various arguments
seems to have
proved
that this is particularly intended; though the Targum of Jonathan
renders it "wax"F24So in Bereshit Rabba & Targum
Jerusalem in R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 20. 2. ; and so other versions: and
"balm" is by some taken to be "rosin"
since there was no
balm or balsam in Gilead
on the other side Jordan
nor indeed any in Judea
until it was brought thither from Arabia Felix
in the times of Solomon; and
what we render "myrrh"
is in the Hebrew called "lot"
and
is by some thought to be the same with "laudanum": this their
merchandise was carried on camels
very fit for their purpose every way
as
they were strong creatures made to carry burdens
and could travel many days
without water
which they were sometimes obliged to do in the deserts:
going to carry it
down to Egypt;
where these things grew
not
and were much in use
at least some of them
both in medicines
and in
embalming dead bodies
much practised in Egypt; an Arabic writerF25Patricides
p. 21. apud Hottinger. Smegma Orient. p. 367
368. makes this merchandise to
consist of
nuts
turpentine
and oil.
Genesis 37:26. 26 So
Judah said to his brothers
“What profit is there if we kill our brother
and conceal his blood?
YLT 26And Judah saith unto his
brethren
`What gain when we slay our brother
and have concealed his blood?
And Judah said
unto his brethren
....
In sight of the
Ishmaelites
a thought came into his mind to get Joseph sold to them:
what profit is
it if we slay our brother
and conceal his blood?
it could be no advantage
to them even if they could have concealed his blood from men; and if it was discovered
as it would
in all likelihood
by come means or another
then they must be
answerable for it; and if not
God would take vengeance on them
from whom they
could never conceal it; and therefore it would be most profitable and
advantageous to them to sell him
and not destroy him
or take away his life;
and to suffer him to lie in the pit and die was the same thing.
Genesis 37:27. 27 Come
and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites
and let not our hand be upon him
for
he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened.
YLT 27Come
and we sell him to
the Ishmaelites
and our hands are not on him
for he [is] our brother -- our
flesh;' and his brethren hearken.
Come
and let
us sell him to the Ishmaelites
....
For a slave
and that will
defeat his dream; and as these were going down to Egypt
where they would sell
him
he would be far enough from them
and there would be no probability of his
ever being lord over them:
and let not our
hand be upon him;
to take away his life
either by stabbing or starving him:
for he is
our brother
and our flesh;
they had all one father
though different mothers
and therefore
as the relation was so near
some
sympathy and compassion should be shown; some degree of tenderness at least
and not savageness and cruelty:
and his
brethren were content;
they agreed to the motion
inasmuch as they supposed it would answer their end as well
which was to
prevent his dominion over them.
Genesis 37:28. 28 Then
Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted
him out of the pit
and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels
of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
YLT 28And Midianite merchantmen
pass by and they draw out and bring up Joseph out of the pit
and sell Joseph
to the Ishmaelites for twenty silverlings
and they bring Joseph into Egypt.
Then there
passed by Midianites
merchantmen
....
The same with the
Ishmaelites before mentioned
as appears from the latter part of this verse;
for as these were near neighbours
so they might join together in merchandise
and travel in company for greater safety
and are sometimes called the one
and
sometimes the other
as well as they might mix together in their habitations
and marriages; and are hence called Arabians by the Targums
as before
observed
and so by Josephus
which signifies a mixed people:
and they drew
and lifted up Joseph out of the pit:
not the Midianites
but
his brethren:
and sold Joseph
to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver;
for twenty shekels
which
amounted to twenty five shillings of our money. The JewsF26Pirke
Eliezer
c. 38. say
they each took two shekels apiece
and bought with them a
pair of shoes
according to Amos 8:6; but there
were but nine of them
Reuben was absent:
and they
brought Joseph into Egypt;
some think these
Midianites were different from the Ishmaelites
and that Joseph was sold many
times
first to the Midianites
and then by them to the Ishmaelites
and by the
latter to Potiphar. JustinF1E. Trogo
l. 36. c. 2.
an Heathen
writer
gives an account of this affair in some agreement with this
history;"Joseph (he says) was the youngest of his brethren
whose
excellent genius they feared
and took him secretly
and sold him to
"foreign merchants"
by whom he was carried into Egypt.'
Genesis 37:29. 29 Then
Reuben returned to the pit
and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he
tore his clothes.
YLT 29And Reuben returneth unto
the pit
and lo
Joseph is not in the pit
and he rendeth his garments
And Reuben
returned unto the pit
....
It is very probable he had
pretended to go somewhere on business
with an intention to take a circuit
and
come to the pit and deliver his brother
and go home with him to his father.
The Jews sayF2Pirke Eliezer
ut supra. (c. 38.) he departed from his
brethren
and sat down on a certain mountain
that he might descend in the
night and take Joseph out of the pit
and accordingly he came down in the
night
and found him not. So JosephusF3Antiqu. l. 2. c. 3. sect. 3.
says
it was in the night when Reuben came to the pit
who calling to Joseph
and he not answering
suspected he was killed:
and
behold
Joseph was not in the pit;
for neither by looking
down into it could he see him
nor by calling be answered by him
which made it
a clear case to him he was not there:
and he rent his
clothes;
as a token of distress and
anguish of mind
of sorrow and mourning
as was usual in such cases; Jacob
afterwards did the same
Genesis 37:34.
Genesis 37:30. 30 And
he returned to his brothers and said
“The lad is no more; and I
where shall I go?”
YLT 30and he returneth unto his
brethren
and saith
`The lad is not
and I -- whither am I going?'
And he returned
unto his brethren
....
From the pit
and whom he
suspected had took him and killed him
as was their first design
not being
with them when they proposed to sell him
and did:
and said
the
child is not;
not in the pit
nor in the
land of the living
but is dead
which is sometimes the meaning of the phrase
Jeremiah 31:15; he
calls him a child
though seventeen years of age
because the youngest brother
but one
and he himself was the eldest
and also because of his tender concern
for him:
and I
whither
shall I go?
to find the child or flee
from his father's face
which he could not think of seeing any more; whom he
had highly offended already in the case of Bilhah
and now he would be yet more
incensed against him for his neglect of Joseph
who
he might have expected
would have taken particular care of him
being the eldest son: he speaks like
one in the utmost perplexity
not knowing what to do
what course to steer
being almost distracted and at his wits' end.
Genesis 37:31. 31 So they took Joseph’s
tunic
killed a kid of the goats
and dipped the tunic in the blood.
YLT 31And they take the coat of
Joseph
and slaughter a kid of the goats
and dip the coat in the blood
And they took
Joseph's coat
....
After they had told Reuben
what they had done with him
who being willing to make the best of things as it
was
joined with them in the following scheme: by this it appears
that when
they took Joseph out of the pit they did not put his coat on him
but sold him
naked
or almost so
to the merchants:
and killed a
kid of the goats
and dipped the coat in the blood;
that being
as the Targum
of Jonathan and Jarchi observe
most like to human blood.
Genesis 37:32. 32 Then
they sent the tunic of many colors
and they brought it to their
father and said
“We have found this. Do you know whether it is your
son’s tunic or not?”
YLT 32and send the long coat
and
they bring [it] in unto their father
and say
`This have we found; discern
we
pray thee
whether it [is] thy son's coat or not?'
And they sent
the coat of many colours
....
Which was what they dipped
in the blood of the kid; this they sent to Jacob in such a condition
by the
hand of some messenger; the Targum of Jonathan says
the sons of Zilpah and
Bilhah; but more probably some of their servants
whom they instructed what to
say to their father when they presented it to him; not caring to appear in
person at first
lest they be thrown into such commotion and confusion at their
father's distress
as might tend to lead on to a discovery of the whole affair:
and they
brought it to their father
and said
this we have found;
that is
the messengers
carried to the father of Joseph's brethren
who were sent with it
and taught
to say
that they found it in some field in this condition
but found no man
near it
only that by itself
and suspected it might be the coat of his son
Joseph
if he had sent him out in it:
know now
whether it be thy son's coat or no;
look upon it
see if any
marks can be observed in it
by which it may with any certainty be known
whether it his or not.
Genesis 37:33. 33 And
he recognized it and said
“It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has
devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.”
YLT 33And he discerneth it
and
saith
`My son's coat! an evil beast hath devoured him; torn -- torn is
Joseph!'
And he knew it
and said
it is my son's coat
....
He took it
and examined
it
and was soon convinced
and well assured it was his son's coat; read the
words without the supplement "it is"
and the pathos will appear the
more
"my son's coat!" and think with what a beating heart
with what
trembling limbs
with what wringing of hands
with what flowing eyes
and faultering
speech
he spoke these words
and what follow:
an evil beast
hath devoured him;
this was natural to
conclude from the condition the coat was in
and from the country he was sent
into
which abounded with wild beasts
and was the very thing Joseph's brethren
contrived to say themselves; and in this view they wished and hoped the affair
would be considered
and so their wickedness concealed:
Joseph is
without doubt rent in pieces;
or "in rending is
rent"F4טרף טרף
"discerpendo discerptus est"; Drusius
Schmidt. ; he is most
certainly rent in pieces
there is no question to be made of it; it is plain
and it must be the case.
Genesis 37:34. 34 Then
Jacob tore his clothes
put sackcloth on his waist
and mourned for his son
many days.
YLT 34And Jacob rendeth his
raiment
and putteth sackcloth on his loins
and becometh a mourner for his son
many days
And Jacob rent
his clothes
....
As expressive of his grief
and mourning for the death of his son
as he supposed:
and put
sackcloth upon his loins;
put off his usual apparel
and put on a coarse garment on his loins next to his flesh
as another token of
his great trouble and affliction for the loss of his son; which though
afterwards was frequently done in times of public or private mourning
yet this
is the first time we read of it; whether Jacob was the first that used it
whom
his posterity and others imitated
is not certain; however it appears that this
usage
as well as that of rending clothes on sorrowful occasions
were very
ancient:
and mourned for
his son many days:
or years
as days
sometimes signify; twenty two years
according to Jarchi
even until the time
he went down to Egypt and saw him alive.
Genesis 37:35. 35 And
all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be
comforted
and he said
“For I shall go down into the grave to my son in
mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.
YLT 35and all his sons and all
his daughters rise to comfort him
and he refuseth to comfort himself
and
saith
`For -- I go down mourning unto my son
to Sheol
' and his father
weepeth for him.
And all his
sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him
....
His sons must act a most
hypocritical part in this affair; and as for his daughters
it is not easy to
say who they were
since he had but one daughter that we read of
whose name
was Dinah: the Targum of Jonathan calls them his sons wives; but it is a
question whether any of his sons were as yet married
since the eldest of them
was not more than twenty four years of age; and much less can their daughters
be supposed to be meant
as they are by some. It is the opinion of the Jews
that Jacob had a twin daughter born to him with each of his sons; these his
sons and daughters came together
or singly
to condole his loss
to sympathize
with him
and speak a word of comfort to him
and entreat him not to give way
to excessive grief and sorrow:
but he refused
to be comforted;
to attend to anything that
might serve to alleviate his mind
and to abstain from outward mourning
and
the tokens of it; he chose not to be interrupted in it:
and he said
for I will go down into the grave unto my son
mourning;
the meaning is
not that
he would by any means hasten his own death
or go down to his son in the grave
strictly and literally taken; since
according to his apprehension of his son's
death he could have no grave
being torn to pieces by a wild beast; but either
that he should go into the state of the dead
where his son was
mourning all
along till he carne thither; or rather that he would go mourning all his days
"for his son"F5אל בני "propter filium suum"
Grotius
Quistorpius;
so Jarchi and Abendana.
as some render it
till he came to the grave; nor
would he
nor should he receive any comfort more in this world:
thus his father
wept for him;
in this manner
with such
circumstances as before related
and he only; for as for his brethren they
hated him
and were glad they had got rid of him; or
"and his
father"
&c.F6ויבך "et
flevit"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c. ; his father Isaac
as the Targum of
Jonathan
he wept for his son Jacob on account of his trouble and distress; as
well as for his grandson Joseph; and so many Jewish writersF7Jarchi
Aben Ezra
and Abendana
in loc. interpret it; and indeed Isaac was alive at
this time
and lived twelve years after; but the former sense seems best.
Genesis 37:36. 36 Now
the Midianites[a] had sold
him in Egypt to Potiphar
an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the
guard.
YLT 36And the Medanites have sold
him unto Egypt
to Potiphar
a eunuch of Pharaoh
head of the executioners.
And the
Midianites sold him into Egypt
....
Or Medanites
who sprung
from Medan
a brother of Midian
and son of Keturah
Genesis 24:2; and
were distinct from the Midianites
though they dwelt near them
and were now in
company with them
and with the Ishmaelites
and were all concerned in the
buying and selling of Joseph
and therefore this is sometimes ascribed to the
one
and sometimes to the other:
unto Potiphar
an officer of Pharaoh;
the word is sometimes used
for an eunuch
but cannot design one here
since Potiphar had a wife
and some
say a child; but he either was a chamberlain
or however some officer at court
besides what follows:
and captain of the guard;
of Pharoah's guard
his
bodyguard; some render it
"of the slaughterers"F8שר חטבחים αρχιμαγειρω Sept. "principi coquorum"
Cartwright; so Josephus
"principi lanionum"
Pagninus
Montanus
"capitalium rerum
praefecto"
Tigurine version. ; meaning either cooks or butchers
of whom
he was the chief; or rather executioners
he having the charge of prisoners
and the care of executing them
like our sheriffs. Joseph was a most eminent
type of Christ
and there are so many things in this chapter which show an
agreement between them that cannot be passed over. Joseph was the son of his
father's old age
Christ the son of the Ancient of days; Joseph was in a
peculiar manner beloved by his father
Christ is the dear son of his Father's
love; Jacob made for Joseph a coat of many colours
God prepared a body in
human nature for Christ
filled and adorned with the various gifts and graces
of the Spirit without measure. Joseph was hated by his brethren
and they could
not endure to think he should have the dominion over them. The Jews
of whom
Christ was according to the flesh
hated him
and would not have him to reign
over them; Joseph was sent by his father a long journey to visit his brethren
and know the welfare of them and their flocks
Christ was sent from heaven to
earth to seek and save the lost sheep of the house of Israel; Joseph's
brethren
when they saw him come to them
conspired to take away his life
the
Jews
who were Christ's own
when he came to them
received him not
but said
this is the heir
let us kill him
and they consulted to take away his life;
Joseph was stripped of his clothes
and sold for twenty pieces of silver at the
motion of Judah
and Christ
by one of the same name
was sold for thirty
pieces of silver
and was stripped of his clothes by the Roman soldiers; Joseph
was delivered into the hands of foreigners
and Christ into the hands of the
Gentiles; Joseph being reckoned as dead by his father
and yet alive
may be
herein an emblem of Christ's death
and his resurrection from the dead.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Genesis 37:36
Masoretic Text reads Medanites.