Genesis 37

Genesis 37 Commentary

Overview

Genesis 37 marks a significant turning point in the life of Joseph. The narrative centers on Jacob's family, particularly Joseph, detailing his dreams, his brothers' jealousy, and his eventual sale into slavery in Egypt. These events serve as the beginning of Joseph's suffering and ultimate glory, providing a crucial example of how God's providence works even amidst human wickedness. Chapter 37 opens the prelude to Joseph's eventful life, laying the groundwork for his journey to becoming a prime minister in Egypt.

Structure of the Text

Verses 1-11: Jacob's Favoritism and Joseph's Dreams

Verses 1-2: Jacob's dwelling place, Joseph's age, and his relationship with his brothers.

Verses 3-4: Jacob's favoritism towards Joseph and his brothers' jealousy.

Verses 5-11: Joseph's two dreams and the deepening hatred of his brothers.

Verses 12-28: Joseph Sent to His Brothers and Sold to Egypt

Verses 12-17: Joseph goes in search of his brothers.

Verses 18-22: The brothers' plot and casting Joseph into the pit.

Verses 23-28: Joseph is sold to Ishmaelite traders.

Verses 29-36: Joseph's Absence, Jacob's Grief, and the Sale in Egypt

Verses 29-32: Jacob is deceived with Joseph's coat.

Verses 33-35: Jacob's grief and mourning.

Verse 36: Joseph is sold to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh in Egypt.

Key Themes

Intra-family Conflict and Jealousy: Jacob's favoritism breeds deep conflict and hatred among the brothers, leading to the tragedy of Joseph being sold.

God's Sovereignty and Providence: Despite the wicked plans of men (the brothers' jealousy and sale), God guides Joseph to Egypt, fulfilling His plan to save a great nation.

Refinement Through Suffering: Joseph endures extreme hardship, being abandoned by his brothers and sold into slavery, but this becomes a process of refining his character and faith.

Dreams and Revelation: Joseph's dreams are not mere fantasies but divine revelations foretelling his special destiny and mission.

Sectional Commentary

Verses 1-11: Jacob's Favoritism and Joseph's Dreams

Verses 1-2: Jacob settled in the land of Canaan, living a nomadic life. At this time, 17-year-old Joseph was tending the flock with his brothers. Joseph was with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives, suggesting he was more closely involved in managing his father's household than other brothers.

Verses 3-4: Jacob, in his old age, loved Joseph, his son born to him, more than his other sons. This favoritism is clearly demonstrated by Jacob making a coat of many colors for Joseph. This special garment symbolized his father's love but became the cause of his brothers' jealousy and hatred. The Reformed tradition points out that such parental favoritism can lead to negative consequences, causing discord within the family.

Verses 5-11: Joseph had two dreams and told them to his brothers. In the first dream, he saw sheaves of grain belonging to his brothers bowing down to his sheaf. In the second dream, he saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. These dreams prophesied that Joseph would one day rule over his brothers and father. According to Greek commentaries, these dreams were not mere imagination but had a revelatory character from God. Upon hearing these dreams, the brothers hated Joseph even more, but Jacob kept these words in mind. The German Pietist tradition interprets these dreams as revealing God's plan, while human sinfulness causes misunderstanding and hatred towards it.

Verses 12-28: Joseph Sent to His Brothers and Sold to Egypt

Verses 12-17: While the brothers were tending the flocks in Shechem, Jacob sent Joseph to inquire about their welfare and the condition of the flock. Joseph searched for his brothers and finally found them in Dothan.

Verses 18-22: Seeing Joseph coming from afar, the brothers plotted to kill him. Reuben, the eldest, suggested throwing Joseph into a pit instead of killing him, intending to save his life, but this was more of a temporary measure to avert immediate danger rather than a complete rescue from death. The brothers stripped Joseph of his coat of many colors and threw him into an empty pit.

Verses 23-28: While the brothers were eating, at Judah's suggestion, they decided to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders. These traders were on their way to Egypt, and the brothers sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver. The Baptist tradition sometimes emphasizes the redemptive-historical significance of Joseph being sold by his sinful brothers.

Verses 29-36: Joseph's Absence, Jacob's Grief, and the Sale in Egypt

Verses 29-32: When Reuben returned and found Joseph gone from the pit, he was greatly distressed. The brothers dipped Joseph's coat of many colors in goat's blood and took it to Jacob, lying that Joseph had been eaten by a wild animal.

Verses 33-35: Seeing Joseph's coat, Jacob was convinced of his death and fell into deep sorrow. He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for Joseph for a long time. The Wesleyan/Methodist tradition highlights this scene as showing the tragic consequences within a family, illuminating the intersection of human grief and God's providence.

Verse 36: Meanwhile, Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold to an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. The Anglican tradition views this event as the beginning of Joseph's suffering, emphasizing that his life was unfolding within God's greater plan. According to Greek commentaries, the name 'Potiphar' could mean 'the one whom Baal has given'.

Original Language Insights

שַׂק (sac): Means "sackcloth." It refers to the garment Jacob wore in his grief over Joseph's death, symbolizing deep mourning and despair. (v. 34)

כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים (ketonet passim): Means "coat of many colors" or "long, patterned tunic." It was a special garment made for Joseph by Jacob, representing paternal love and favoritism, and becoming a symbol that provoked the brothers' jealousy and envy. (vv. 3, 23, 31)

חֲלוֹם (halom): Means "dream." The dreams Joseph had carried a prophetic character about the future, hinting at his special destiny. (vv. 5, 9)

שָׂנְאוּ (sane'u): The plural form of the verb 'שָׂנֵא (sane')', meaning "to hate." It expresses the deep hatred the brothers felt towards Joseph. (vv. 4, 8)

Theological Perspectives — Comparative Traditions

Reformed: Emphasizes God's sovereign providence, explaining how Joseph's suffering was ultimately used as a tool to fulfill God's plan of salvation. It also points out the negative impact of parental favoritism on families.

Wesleyan/Methodist: Views Joseph's story as illustrating how human emotions (jealousy, grief) are intertwined with God's guidance. It also highlights God's grace being present even in suffering.

Lutheran: Compares Joseph's suffering to the suffering of Christ, contrasting the sinful nature of humanity with God's gracious plan of salvation.

Puritan: Emphasizes the importance of perseverance and faith for believers through Joseph's life, teaching an attitude of trusting God even in hardship.

Baptist: Stresses that Joseph's story should be understood not just in the context of an individual life but within the broader framework of God's redemptive history.

Anglican: Offers theological insight by showing how human evil can be used to accomplish God's good purposes through Joseph's suffering.

Greek Commentary: Through the meaning of the original words, it clarifies that Joseph's dreams were not mere fantasies but divine revelations and analyzes the meanings embedded in the names of the characters.

German Pietism: Demonstrates through Joseph's life how human sinfulness and God's grace operate, emphasizing the importance of inner spiritual maturity.

Cross-References

Genesis 37:1-11 (Joseph's Dreams and His Brothers' Envy):

Genesis 40:1-23 (Interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh's officials)

Genesis 41:1-57 (Interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams and Joseph's rise to power)

Galatians 5:19-21 (Works of the flesh: jealousy and envy)

Genesis 37:12-36 (Joseph's Sale):

Genesis 42:1-38 (The brothers' visit to Egypt)

Genesis 45:1-15 (Joseph reveals himself)

Psalm 105:17 (God's providential guidance)

Acts 7:9-10 (Stephen's sermon on Joseph's story)

Sermon/Application Points

The Danger of Favoritism: Parental favoritism can destroy sibling relationships and cause family discord. It is important to love and treat all children equitably.

The Destructive Power of Jealousy: Jealousy makes people irrational and leads them to commit evil acts. We must guard against jealousy in our hearts and cultivate a spirit of blessing others' successes.

God's Presence in Suffering: Joseph did not abandon God even in extreme hardship, and God was with him. We too must trust in God and maintain our faith in difficult situations.

God Turns Evil into Good: The brothers' evil plan actually led Joseph to Egypt, where he became the instrument for God's great plan to save his family and nation. The difficulties we face in our lives can also be interpreted within God's good purposes.

The Importance of Dreams and Vision: Joseph's dreams were revelations of his future. We too should hold onto dreams and visions within God's will and pursue them.