Genesis Chapter 37
Showing all 36 verses for Genesis Chapter 37.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And Jacob in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Jacob settled in the land of Canaan, where his father Isaac had lived as a foreigner."
Jacob settles in the very land his own father had once wandered as a stranger. There is real meaning in finally arriving at a place your family has hoped and journeyed towards for generations, even when the story isn't yet finished.
"These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. "
"This is the account of Jacob's family. Joseph, seventeen years old, was out with his brothers tending the flock - working alongside the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah - and he brought his father a bad report about them."
Joseph, still young, reports his brothers' misdeeds to their father. Even a well-intentioned honesty can strain a relationship when it isn't tempered with wisdom about timing and tone; truth-telling still calls for real care in how it's delivered.
"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. "
"Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because Joseph was born to him in his old age, and he made Joseph a richly decorated robe."
Jacob's evident favouritism towards Joseph is expressed through a special coat. Be mindful of how visibly you show preference among people who should feel equally valued; even genuine love can wound others when it isn't shared with real fairness.
"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. "
"When his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than any of them, they hated him and couldn't even speak to him civilly."
The brothers' hatred grows so deep they can't even speak kindly to Joseph. Notice how quickly unaddressed resentment can poison ordinary interactions entirely; left unspoken and unresolved, it tends to spread rather than fade.
"And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. "
"Joseph had a dream and told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more because of it."
Joseph shares his dream, unaware of how it will be received by brothers who already resent him. Consider not just whether something is true, but how sharing it might land on people already carrying real hurt; timing and sensitivity matter alongside honesty.
"And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: "
"He said to them, 'Listen, please, to this dream I had.'"
Joseph eagerly invites his brothers to listen to his dream. Innocent enthusiasm can sometimes overlook how deeply painful its content might be for the very people being asked to hear it.
"For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. "
"'We were out in the field tying up bundles of grain, and suddenly my bundle stood up straight, and your bundles gathered round and bowed down to mine.'"
The dream depicts Joseph's sheaf standing while his brothers' sheaves bow down to it. However true a sense of your own future purpose may be, sharing it without humility can needlessly provoke the very people you'll one day need to walk beside.
"And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. "
"His brothers said to him, 'Do you really think you're going to rule over us?' And they hated him even more, both for the dreams and for the way he talked about them."
The brothers' hatred deepens further because of the dream's implications. Watch how quickly perceived arrogance, even when unintentional, can turn ordinary sibling rivalry into something far more dangerous.
"And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. "
"Then he had another dream and told his brothers about it too: 'Look, I've had another dream - the sun, the moon and eleven stars were all bowing down to me.'"
Joseph shares a second dream, even more expansive than the first. Repeating something that has already caused real offence, without adjusting how you share it, risks deepening a wound rather than simply restating a truth.
"And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? "
"He told his father as well as his brothers, and his father scolded him, saying, 'What kind of dream is this? Are your mother, your brothers and I really going to come and bow down to you on the ground?'"
Jacob rebukes Joseph, questioning the dream's implications for the whole family. Even a parent who loves you deeply may need to correct you honestly when your words or actions are creating real strain within the family.
"And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. "
"His brothers were envious of him, but his father kept turning the matter over in his mind."
The brothers' envy deepens, while Jacob quietly keeps the matter in mind. Consider how a wise response to something unsettling isn't always outward reaction; sometimes it's a thoughtful, private consideration of what it might actually mean.
"And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. "
"His brothers went to graze their father's flocks near Shechem."
The brothers travel to Shechem to tend the flocks, putting real distance between themselves and their father. Physical distance from family tension doesn't resolve it; unaddressed resentment travels with people wherever they go.
"And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. "
"Israel said to Joseph, 'Aren't your brothers grazing the flock at Shechem? Come, I'll send you to them.' Joseph replied, 'I'm ready.'"
Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers, and Joseph responds simply, 'Here am I.' A willing, obedient spirit towards a parent's request reflects real character, even when, as here, it unknowingly leads into genuine danger.
"And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. "
"Jacob said, 'Go and check that your brothers and the flocks are alright, and bring word back to me.' So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and Joseph travelled to Shechem."
Jacob sends Joseph on a long journey to look after his brothers' and the flocks' wellbeing. Genuine concern for the wellbeing of people you love, even distant or estranged ones, is worth the real effort of checking in on them.
"And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? "
"A man found him wandering in the countryside and asked him, 'What are you looking for?'"
Joseph wanders, lost, until a stranger helps direct him towards his brothers. Sometimes an unexpected, seemingly minor encounter with a stranger turns out to redirect your entire path; stay open to the quiet ways guidance can arrive.
"And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. "
"Joseph said, 'I'm looking for my brothers - can you tell me where they're grazing the flock?'"
Joseph explains simply that he's looking for his brothers. Clear, honest communication of your purpose, even to someone you've just met, can open doors you didn't expect.
"And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. "
"The man said, 'They've moved on from here - I heard them say they were going to Dothan.' So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan."
The stranger's directions lead Joseph straight to his brothers in Dothan. Trust that even ordinary, unplanned assistance can be part of a larger providence moving your life forward, whether towards difficulty or ultimately towards good.
"And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. "
"They spotted him from a distance, and before he even reached them, they plotted to kill him."
The brothers see Joseph approaching from a distance and begin plotting against him. Left unchecked, resentment can escalate with startling speed from private bitterness into an active, deliberate plan to cause harm.
"And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. "
"They said to each other, 'Look, here comes that dreamer.'"
The brothers mock Joseph, calling him 'this dreamer' with open contempt. Mockery of someone's hopes or sense of purpose reveals more about the mocker's own bitterness than it does anything true about the person being mocked.
"Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. "
"'Come on, let's kill him and throw him into one of these pits, and we'll say a wild animal ate him. Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams.'"
The brothers plan Joseph's murder and a cover story to deceive their father. However deep the resentment, plotting real harm against someone, and deceiving those who love them, represents a devastating collapse of conscience worth taking seriously as a warning.
"And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. "
"When Reuben heard this, he stepped in to save Joseph from them, saying, 'Let's not take his life.'"
Reuben intervenes, urging his brothers not to kill Joseph outright. Even within a group moving towards real wrongdoing, one person's willingness to push back can meaningfully change the outcome; don't underestimate the value of being that one voice.
"And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. "
"Reuben said to them, 'Don't shed blood - throw him into this pit here in the wilderness instead, but don't touch him yourselves' - his plan being to come back later and rescue Joseph and return him to their father."
Reuben proposes throwing Joseph into a pit instead, secretly intending to rescue him later. A private, compassionate intention can sometimes only be pursued indirectly when you're unable to openly oppose those around you; even partial protection is still worth attempting.
"And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; "
"When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his robe - the richly decorated robe he was wearing."
The brothers strip Joseph of the coat that symbolised his favoured status. Notice how deeply resentment can focus itself on a specific symbol of another's favour, rather than addressing the real relational wounds underneath.
"And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. "
"They took him and threw him into a pit - an empty pit, with no water in it."
Joseph is thrown into an empty pit, left alone and vulnerable. However abandoned or forgotten a low moment in your life may feel, it is never actually the final word on your story.
"And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. "
"Then they sat down to eat. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelite traders coming from Gilead, their camels loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, on their way down to Egypt."
The brothers sit down to eat while Joseph suffers nearby, and a caravan happens to pass. Even in the middle of real cruelty, circumstances can shift unexpectedly, opening a door that changes everything that follows.
"And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? "
"Judah said to his brothers, 'What do we actually gain if we kill our brother and try to cover it up?'"
Judah proposes selling Joseph rather than killing him, reasoning from self-interest more than genuine compassion. Be honest about the true motives behind a decision that spares someone from the worst outcome; avoiding the greatest wrong is still not the same thing as doing what's fully right.
"Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. "
"'Let's sell him to these traders instead, and not lay a hand on him ourselves - after all, he's our own brother, our own flesh and blood.' His brothers agreed."
The brothers agree, framing the sale as somehow better because Joseph is family. Justifying a real wrong by comparing it to a worse one doesn't make it right; family loyalty deserves better than the bare minimum of restraint.
"Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. "
"As Midianite traders were passing by, the brothers pulled Joseph up out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver, and they took him to Egypt."
Joseph is sold into slavery for twenty pieces of silver and taken towards Egypt. However devastating and unjust your circumstances may currently be, they are not necessarily the end of what God is able to do with your life.
"And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. "
"When Reuben came back to the pit, Joseph wasn't there, and he tore his clothes in anguish."
Reuben returns to find Joseph gone and tears his clothes in genuine grief. Real remorse, even arriving too late to prevent harm, still matters and reflects a conscience that hadn't been fully silenced.
"And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? "
"He went back to his brothers and said, 'The boy is gone! What am I going to do now?'"
Reuben, panicked, doesn't know what to do or say to his father. Facing the consequences of a group's wrongdoing, even when your own part in it was more restrained, can still leave you carrying real dread and uncertainty.
"And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; "
"They took Joseph's robe, killed a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood."
The brothers stage a deception, using an animal's blood to fake Joseph's death. Deceiving someone you love to cover a wrong compounds the original harm; the cover-up often causes as much lasting damage as the initial act.
"And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. "
"They sent the richly decorated robe to their father and said, 'We found this - please check whether it's your son's robe or not.'"
The bloodied coat is presented to Jacob as supposed proof of Joseph's death. A carefully staged deception can be devastatingly convincing; the people closest to us are often the most vulnerable to being deeply hurt by our dishonesty.
"And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. "
"He recognised it and said, 'It's my son's robe. A wild animal has eaten him - Joseph has been torn to pieces.'"
Jacob immediately assumes the worst, believing Joseph was killed by a wild animal. Grief born from false information is no less real or devastating for the person experiencing it; the pain inflicted by a lie is genuine, whatever the actual truth may be.
"And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. "
"Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth (rough mourning clothing), and grieved for his son for a long time."
Jacob tears his clothes and mourns deeply, refusing comfort. Let real, prolonged grief be honoured rather than rushed; some losses take far longer to move through than others are comfortable watching.
"And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. "
"All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, saying, 'I will go on mourning until I join my son in the grave.' So his father wept for him."
Jacob's other children try to comfort him, but he insists he will mourn until his own death. Even well-intentioned comfort can't always reach the depth of someone else's grief; sometimes the most loving thing is simply to stay present rather than to fix it.
"And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard. "
"Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials and the captain of the palace guard."
Joseph, meanwhile, is sold into Potiphar's household in Egypt, an official in Pharaoh's court. However far and unjustly you've been carried from where you expected to be, God can still be quietly positioning you for something significant ahead.