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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Genesis 37:5

Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said, "Listen to this dream I had. We were all out in the field gathering bundles of wheat. All of a sudden my bundle stood straight up and your bundles circled around it and bowed down to mine."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Dream;   Envy;   Jealousy;   Joseph;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Dreams;   Home;   Joseph;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Dreams;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Joseph;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Dream;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mission;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Dream;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Genesis;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Agriculture;   Dream;   Dream (2);   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Dreams;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jo'seph;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Dreams;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Joseph;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Augury;   Divide;   Dream;   Sheaf;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Antipater;   Dreams;   Dwarf;   Joseph;   Nisibis;   Sidra;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Yosef dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.
King James Version
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Lexham English Bible
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers. And they hated him even more.
New Century Version
One time Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more.
New English Translation
Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more.
Amplified Bible
Now Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more.
New American Standard Bible
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ioseph dreamed a dreame, and told his brethren, who hated him so much the more.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; so they hated him even more.
Contemporary English Version
One day, Joseph told his brothers what he had dreamed, and they hated him even more.
Complete Jewish Bible
Yosef had a dream which he told his brothers, and that made them hate him all the more.
Darby Translation
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told [it] to his brethren, and they hated him yet the more.
Easy-to-Read Version
One time Joseph had a special dream. Later, he told his brothers about this dream, and after that his brothers hated him even more.
English Standard Version
Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.
George Lamsa Translation
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him yet the more.
Good News Translation
One time Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more.
Christian Standard Bible®
Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
Literal Translation
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brothers. And they increased to hate him still more.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ioseph also had once a dreame, and tolde his brethre therof. The hated they him ye more,
American Standard Version
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Bible in Basic English
Now Joseph had a dream, and he gave his brothers an account of it, which made their hate greater than ever.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Moreouer, when Ioseph had dreamed a dreame, he tolde it his brethren, which hated hym yet the more.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more.
King James Version (1611)
And Ioseph dreamed a dreame, and he told it his brethren, and they hated him yet the more.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and reported it to his brethren.
English Revised Version
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it bifelde that he telde to hise britheren a sweuene seyn, which cause was `the seed of more hatrede.
Young's Literal Translation
And Joseph dreameth a dream, and declareth to his brethren, and they add still more to hate him.
Update Bible Version
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers: and they hated him all the more.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told [it] to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
World English Bible
Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.
New King James Version
Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
New Living Translation
One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever.
New Life Bible
Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
New Revised Standard
Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brethren, and they went on yet more to hate him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now it fell out also that he told his brethren a dream, that he had dreamed: which occasioned them to hate him the more.
Revised Standard Version
Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.

Contextual Overview

5Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said, "Listen to this dream I had. We were all out in the field gathering bundles of wheat. All of a sudden my bundle stood straight up and your bundles circled around it and bowed down to mine." 8 His brothers said, "So! You're going to rule us? You're going to boss us around?" And they hated him more than ever because of his dreams and the way he talked. 9 He had another dream and told this one also to his brothers: "I dreamed another dream—the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down to me!" 10When he told it to his father and brothers, his father reprimanded him: "What's with all this dreaming? Am I and your mother and your brothers all supposed to bow down to you?" Now his brothers were really jealous; but his father brooded over the whole business.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

dreamed: Genesis 37:9, Genesis 28:12, Genesis 40:5, Genesis 41:1, Genesis 42:9, Numbers 12:6, Judges 7:13, Judges 7:14, 1 Kings 3:5, Psalms 25:14, Daniel 2:1, Daniel 4:5, Joel 2:28, Amos 3:7

and they: Genesis 37:4, Genesis 37:8, Genesis 49:23, John 17:14

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:3 - a dream Genesis 37:19 - dreamer Genesis 40:9 - a vine Genesis 41:7 - a dream 2 Kings 4:20 - and then died Jeremiah 23:25 - dreamed Daniel 2:22 - revealeth John 7:3 - Depart

Cross-References

Genesis 37:8
His brothers said, "So! You're going to rule us? You're going to boss us around?" And they hated him more than ever because of his dreams and the way he talked.
Genesis 37:14
He said, "Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing and bring me back a report." He sent him off from the valley of Hebron to Shechem.
Genesis 40:5
As time went on, it happened that the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt crossed their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the head cupbearer and the head baker, and put them in custody under the captain of the guard; it was the same jail where Joseph was held. The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to see to their needs. After they had been in custody for a while, the king's cupbearer and baker, while being held in the jail, both had a dream on the same night, each dream having its own meaning. When Joseph arrived in the morning, he noticed that they were feeling low. So he asked them, the two officials of Pharaoh who had been thrown into jail with him, "What's wrong? Why the long faces?" They said, "We dreamed dreams and there's no one to interpret them." Joseph said, "Don't interpretations come from God? Tell me the dreams." First the head cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: "In my dream there was a vine in front of me with three branches on it: It budded, blossomed, and the clusters ripened into grapes. I was holding Pharaoh's cup; I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh." Joseph said, "Here's the meaning. The three branches are three days. Within three days, Pharaoh will get you out of here and put you back to your old work—you'll be giving Pharaoh his cup just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. Only remember me when things are going well with you again—tell Pharaoh about me and get me out of this place. I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews. And since I've been here, I've done nothing to deserve being put in this hole." When the head baker saw how well Joseph's interpretation turned out, he spoke up: "My dream went like this: I saw three wicker baskets on my head; the top basket had assorted pastries from the bakery and birds were picking at them from the basket on my head." Joseph said, "This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days; within three days Pharaoh will take off your head, impale you on a post, and the birds will pick your bones clean." And sure enough, on the third day it was Pharaoh's birthday and he threw a feast for all his servants. He set the head cupbearer and the head baker in places of honor in the presence of all the guests. Then he restored the head cupbearer to his cupbearing post; he handed Pharaoh his cup just as before. And then he impaled the head baker on a post, following Joseph's interpretations exactly. But the head cupbearer never gave Joseph another thought; he forgot all about him.
Genesis 41:1
Two years passed and Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile River. Seven cows came up out of the Nile, all shimmering with health, and grazed on the marsh grass. Then seven other cows, all skin and bones, came up out of the river after them and stood by them on the bank of the Nile. The skinny cows ate the seven healthy cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
Genesis 42:9
Joseph, remembering the dreams he had dreamed of them, said, "You're spies. You've come to look for our weak spots."
Psalms 25:14
God-friendship is for God-worshipers; They are the ones he confides in.
Daniel 2:1
In the second year of his reign, King Nebuchadnezzar started having dreams that disturbed him deeply. He couldn't sleep. He called in all the Babylonian magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and fortunetellers to interpret his dreams for him. When they came and lined up before the king, he said to them, "I had a dream that I can't get out of my mind. I can't sleep until I know what it means."
Joel 2:28
"And that's just the beginning: After that— "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters. Your old men will dream, your young men will see visions. I'll even pour out my Spirit on the servants, men and women both. I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: Blood and fire and billowing smoke, the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Judgment Day of God , the Day tremendous and awesome. Whoever calls, ‘Help, God !' gets help. On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be a great rescue—just as God said. Included in the survivors are those that God calls."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph Was Sold into Egypt

17. דתין dotayı̂n Dothain, “two wells?” (Gesenius)

25. נכאת neko't “tragacanth” or goat’s-thorn gum, yielded by the “astragalus gummifer”, a native of Mount Lebanon. צרי tsērı̂y “opobalsamum,” the resin of the balsam tree, growing in Gilead, and having healing qualities. לט loṭ, λῆδον lēdon, “ledum, ladanum,” in the Septuagint στακτή staktē. The former is a gum produced from the cistus rose. The latter is a gum resembling liquid myrrh.

36. פוטיפר pôṭı̂yphar Potiphar, “belonging to the sun.”

The sketch of the race of Edom, given in the preceding piece, we have seen, reaches down to the time of Moses. Accordingly, the history of Jacob’s seed, which is brought before us in the present document, reverts to a point of time not only before the close of that piece, but before the final record of what precedes it. The thread of the narrative is here taken up from the return of Jacob to Hebron, which was seventeen years before the death of Isaac.

Genesis 37:1-5

Joseph is the favorite of his father, but not of his brethren. “In the land of his father’s sojournings.” This contrasts Jacob with Esau, who removed to Mount Seir. This notice precedes the phrase, “These are the generations.” The corresponding sentence in the case of Isaac is placed at the end of the preceding section of the narrative Genesis 25:11. “The son of seventeen years;” in his seventeenth year Genesis 37:32. “The sons of Bilhah.” The sons of the handmaids were nearer his own age, and perhaps more tolerant of the favorite than the sons of Leah the free wife. Benjamin at this time was about four years of age. “An evil report of them.” The unsophisticated child of home is prompt in the disapproval of evil, and frank in the avowal of his feelings. What the evil was we are not informed; but Jacob’s full-grown sons were now far from the paternal eye, and prone, as it seems, to give way to temptation. Many scandals come out to view in the chosen family. “Loved Joseph.” He was the son of his best-loved wife, and of his old age; as Benjamin had not yet come into much notice. “A Coat of many colors.” This was a coat reaching to the hands and feet, worn by persons not much occupied with manual labor, according to the general opinion. It was, we conceive, variegated either by the loom or the needle, and is therefore, well rendered χιτὼν ποικίλος chitōn poikilos, a motley coat. “Could not bid peace to him.” The partiality of his father, exhibited in so weak a manner, provokes the anger of his brothers, who cannot bid him good-day, or greet him in the ordinary terms of good-will.

Genesis 37:5-11

Joseph’s dreams excite the jealousy of his brothers. His frankness in reciting his dream to his brothers marks a spirit devoid of guile, and only dimly conscious of the import of his nightly visions. The first dream represents by a figure the humble submission of all his brothers to him, as they rightly interpret it. “For his dreams and for his words.” The meaning of this dream was offensive enough, and his telling of it rendered it even more disagreeable. A second dream is given to express the certainty of the event Genesis 41:32. The former serves to interpret the latter. There the sheaves are connected with the brothers who bound them, and thereby indicate the parties. The eleven stars are not so connected with them. But here Joseph is introduced directly without a figure, and the number eleven, taken along with the eleven sheaves of the former dream, makes the application to the brothers plain. The sun and moon clearly point out the father and mother. The mother is to be taken, we conceive, in the abstract, without nicely inquiring whether it means the departed Rachel, or the probably still living Leah. Not even the latter seems to have lived to see the fulfillment of this prophetic dream Genesis 49:31. The second dream only aggravated the hatred of his brothers; but his father, while rebuking him for his speeches, yet marked the saying. The rebuke seems to imply that the dream, or the telling of it, appears to his father to indicate the lurking of a self-sufficient or ambitious spirit within the breast of the youthful Joseph. The twofold intimation, however, came from a higher source.

Genesis 37:12-17

Joseph is sent to Dothan. Shekem belonged to Jacob; part of it by purchase, and the rest by conquest. Joseph is sent to inquire of their welfare (שׁלום shālom “peace,” Genesis 37:4). With obedient promptness the youth goes to Shekem, where he learns that they had removed to Dothan, a town about twelve miles due north of Shekem.

Genesis 37:18-24

His brothers cast him into a pit. “This master of dreams;” an eastern phrase for a dreamer. “Let us slay him.” They had a foreboding that his dreams might prove true, and that he would become their arbitrary master. This thought at all events would abate somewhat of the barbarity of their designs. It is implied in the closing sentence of their proposal. Reuben dissuades them from the act of murder, and advises merely to cast him into the pit, to which they consent. He had a more tender heart, and perhaps a more tender conscience than the rest, and intended to send Joseph back safe to his father. He doubtless took care to choose a pit that was without water.

Genesis 37:25-30

Reuben rips his clothes when he finds Joseph gone. “To eat bread.” This shows the cold and heartless cruelty of their deed. “A caravan” - a company of travelling merchants. “Ishmaelites.” Ishmael left his father’s house when about fourteen or fifteen years of age. His mother took him a wife probably when he was eighteen, or twenty at the furthest. He had arrived at the latter age about one hundred and sixty-two years before the date of the present occurrence. He had twelve sons Genesis 25:13-15, and if we allow only four other generations and a fivefold increase, there will be about fifteen thousand in the fifth generation. “Came from Gilead;” celebrated for its balm Jeremiah 8:22; Jeremiah 46:11. The caravan road from Damascus to Egypt touches upon the land of Gilead, goes through Beth-shean, and passes by Dothan. “Spicery.” This gum is called tragacanth, or goats-thorn gum, because it was supposed to be obtained from this plant. “Balm,” or balsam; an aromatic substance obtained from a plant of the genus Amyris, a native of Gilead. “Myrrh” is the name of a gum exuding from the balsamodendron myrrha, growing in Arabia Felix. “Lot,” however, is supposed to be the resinous juice of the cistus or rock rose, a plant growing in Crete and Syria. Judah, relenting, and revolting perhaps from the crime of fratricide, proposes to sell Joseph to the merchants.

Midianites and Medanites Genesis 37:36 are mere variations apparently of the same name. They seem to have been the actual purchasers, though the caravan takes its name from the Ishmaelites, who formed by far the larger portion of it. Midian and Medan were both sons of Abraham, and during one hundred and twenty-five years must have increased to a small clan. Thus, Joseph is sold to the descendants of Abraham. “Twenty silver pieces;” probably shekels. This is the rate at which Moses estimates a male from five to twenty years old Leviticus 27:5. A man-servant was valued by him at thirty shekels Exodus 21:32. Reuben finding Joseph gone, rends his clothes, in token of anguish of mind for the loss of his brother and the grief of his father.

Genesis 37:31-36

The brothers contrive to conceal their crime; and Joseph is sold into Egypt. “Torn, torn in pieces is Joseph.” The sight of the bloody coat convinces Jacob at once that Joseph has been devoured by a wild beast. “All his daughters.” Only one daughter of Jacob is mentioned by name. These are probably his daughters-in-law. “To the grave.” Sheol is the place to which the soul departs at death. It is so called from its ever craving, or being empty. “Minister.” This word originally means eunuch, and then, generally, any officer about the court or person of the sovereign. “Captain of the guards.” The guards are the executioners of the sentences passed by the sovereign on culprits, which were often arbitrary, summary, and extremely severe. It is manifest, from this dark chapter, that the power of sin has not been extinguished in the family of Jacob. The name of God does not appear, and his hand is at present only dimly seen among the wicked designs, deeds, and devices of these unnatural brothers. Nevertheless, his counsel of mercy standeth sure, and fixed is his purpose to bring salvation to the whole race of man, by means of his special covenant with Abraham.


 
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