Genesis 37:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Genesis 37:4

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 ^abad report of them to his father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was ^athe son of his old age. Also he ^bmade him a tunic of many colors.

4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they ^ahated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.

6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:

7 ^aThere 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.”

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.

9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, ^athe sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

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 ^ayour brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”

11 And ^ahis brothers envied him, but his father ^bkept the matter in mind.

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.

13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in ^aShechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.”

Verse Comparison: Genesis 37:4

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American Standard Version
And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

Amplified® Bible
But when his brothers saw that their father loved [Joseph] more than all of his brothers, they hated him and could not say, Peace [in friendly greeting] to him {or} speak peaceably to him.

Contemporary English Version
to show that he was his favorite son, and so Joseph's brothers hated him and would not be friendly to him.

Darby English Version
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.

Good News Bible
When his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than he loved them, they hated their brother so much that they would not speak to him in a friendly manner.

King James Version
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

New American Standard Bible
His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and {so} they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

New International Version
When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

New King James Version
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.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

Revised Standard Version
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.

Young's Literal Translation
and 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.

New English Translation
When Joseph’s¹ brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them,² they hated Joseph³ and were not able to speak to him kindly.⁴

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