NIV 1984

37:1 Jacob lived in the land [Hebrew verb yashav means to sit, remain, settle, or dwell] where his father [Isaac son of Abraham; mother was Rebecca] had stayed [refers to living as a foreigner or temporary resident], the land of Canaan [the visible expression of God’s covenant promise].

Note: Living in the place of God’s promise does not mean living without hardship. Jacob was exactly where God wanted him, yet sorrow and disruption were coming.


37:2 This is the account [can refer to someone’s descendants, family history, or what came forth from that person] of Jacob [although Joseph becomes the central character; through Joseph, God would preserve Jacob’ s descendants and continue the covenant line]. Joseph [Rachel’s firstborn and Jacob’s favored son], a young man of seventeen [his age provides a chronological framework for his story; he was sold into slavery at 17 and entered Pharaoh’s service at 30; a period of 13 years from the pit to the palace (period of forging: testing, preparation, spiritual formation], was tending the flocks [this was the family business; can include feeding, guiding, protecting, counting, and caring for the animals] with his brothers [he saw what they were doing, and later reported it to their father], the sons of Bilhah [Dan and Naphtali] and the sons of Zilpah [Gad and Asher], his father’s wives [they had begun as servants and then became Jacob’s concubines and mothers of four of his sons], and he brought their father [the brothers likely viewed Joseph as an informer who enjoyed privileged access to Jacob] a bad report [from the Hebrew dibbah — refers to an unfavorable, damaging, or troubling report; same word appears in Numbers 13:32 when ten spies spread a “bad report” about the Promised Land] about them.

Note: The crises that shape our lives often begin in ordinary settings—with family relationships, everyday responsibilities, and seemingly small decisions.

37:3 Now Israel [formerly Jacob (cf. Gen. 32:28); name means “he struggles with God”] loved Joseph [firstborn son of his preferred wife Rachel; Joseph was 17 years old at this time (cf. Gen. 37:2)] more than [Jacob showed favoritism; recall that Jacob was favored by his mother Rebekah and Esau favored by his father Isaac] any of his other sons [had 12 sons, including Joseph], because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe [a sign of Jacob’s special love for Joseph and a constant reminder to his brothers that their father favored him] for him [Jacob (Israel) did not extend this favor to his other sons].

Note: Favoritism may elevate one person, but it wounds relationships and plants seeds of jealousy and division.

37:4 When his brothers saw [they noticed the favoritism] that their father loved him more than [which made the brothers feel like less than] any of them, they hated [this was the bitter fruit of Jacob’s preferential treatment of Joseph] him and could not speak a kind word [peaceably] to him [to Jacob or to Joseph].

Note: Unresolved jealousy can turn wounded relationships into hatred and make peaceful communication impossible.

37:5 Joseph had a dream [the dream showed where Joseph was going, but it did not reveal how he would get there or the process it would take to get there], and when he told it [from Hebrew nagad, meaning to declare, report, announce, or make something known; verse does not say why Joseph told them; although decision to share shows a lack of sensitivity, text does not directly accuse Joseph of arrogance] to his brothers [would later call Joseph “the dreamer” (Gen. 37:19)], they hated him all the more [Joseph’s dream suggested that he would rise above them; dream did not create the hatred; it exposed and intensified what was already there].

Note: Sharing truth without wisdom or sensitivity can intensify resentment in already-broken relationships.

37:6 He said to them [deliberately addressed his brothers—the very people who already resented him], “Listen [Hebrew expression is shim‘u-na—“Please listen” or “Hear, I pray”; small word na softens the command; Joseph was not necessarily speaking harshly or arrogantly] to this dream [Joseph possessed revelation without having complete interpretation; God had shown him the destination but not the journey] I had [Joseph and his family did not realize at this time what Joseph’s dreams indicated about his destiny and the destiny of the family]:

Note: Wisdom requires discerning not only what to share, but when and with whom to share it.

37:7 We were binding sheaves of grain [bundles of harvested grain; imagery is significant because grain would later become central to Joseph’s story] out in the field [a place of shared labor] when suddenly [conveys the surprising nature of Joseph’s elevation] my sheaf rose and stood upright [image suggests stability, prominence, and authority; dream revealed the elevation but not the suffering that would precede it], while your sheaves gathered around mine [portrays dependence; Joseph’s elevation had a saving purpose] and bowed down to it [represented respect, submission, and recognition of authority].”

Note: God may reveal His future purposes long before others—or even we ourselves—are prepared to understand or accept them. God elevates people not merely for prominence, but to position them to serve His purposes and preserve others.

37:8 His brothers said [they heard the dream through the filter of resentment] to him, “Do you intend to reign [from Hebrew malak related to the word melek, meaning “king”; word describes occupying a royal or governing position] over us? Will you actually rule [from Hebrew mashal, meaning to govern, exercise dominion, or have authority over someone] us [Joseph only described the dream but never said he intended to rule over his brothers; offensive to them because Joseph was younger than ten of his brothers and in their culture, authority and inheritance normally followed seniority]?” And they hated him all the more [Hebrew wording means they “added still more” to their hatred] because of his dream [jealousy often interprets another person’s blessing as a personal loss] and what he had said [text does not explicitly describe Joseph as boastful].

Note: Pride and jealousy can cause people to reject God’s purposes when those purposes threaten their position or authority.

37:9 Then he had another dream [second dream confirms and expands the message of the first dream; in Scripture, repetition often establishes the certainty of divine revelation], and he told it to his brothers [again shared the dream with the very people who already resented him]. “Listen [the manner in which truth is communicated can affect how it is received],” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon [the main point is that even if the precise identity of the moon is uncertain, Joseph would one day occupy a position of authority and honor before the entire household of Israel] and eleven stars [represent Joseph’s eleven brothers] were bowing down [signifies honor, submission, and recognition of authority] to me [see fulfillment in Gen. 42:6].”

Note: God may reveal the destination before revealing the difficult process through which He will prepare us to fulfill His purposes. God revealed Joseph’s future position but withheld the painful process through which He would prepare him for it.

37:10 When he told his father as well as his brothers [because the second dream included symbols representing the entire family, Joseph told Jacob as well as his brothers], his father rebuked him [a strong verbal correction; Jacob apparently regarded Joseph’s words as inappropriate, presumptuous, or disrespectful] and said, “What is this dream you had [in their culture, children honored and submitted to their parents, and younger brothers respected older brothers, yet Joseph’s dream appeared to overturn both expectations; the dream revealed Joseph’s future authority but did not yet reveal its saving purpose]? Will your mother [may refer to Leah, who occupied the principal maternal role in the household after Rachel’s death] and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground [bowing “to the ground” represented profound respect, submission, or recognition of superior authority] before you?”

Note: God’s purposes may challenge established expectations and provoke disbelief, but human resistance cannot prevent what God has determined to accomplish.

37:11 His brothers were jealous [did not merely dislike Joseph’s behavior; they resented the favored position he occupied and the greater position his dreams predicted; their jealousy would soon develop into conspiracy, attempted murder, human trafficking, deception, and prolonged cruelty toward their father] of him, but [marks a deliberate contrast; the brothers reacted emotionally, while Jacob responded reflectively] his father kept the matter in mind [means that Jacob “guarded” or “preserved” the matter; he stored Joseph’s words in his memory and continued thinking about them; see Luke 2:19 re: Mary].

Note: Jealousy reacts against what threatens us, but faith remains open to what God may be doing—even when His purposes are difficult to understand.

37:12 Now his brothers had gone [they were far from Jacob’s supervision leaving the brothers free to act on their growing hatred of Jospeh; this ordinary journey would become the setting for both terrible betrayal and the beginning of God’s plan to preserve Israel] to graze [refers to feeding or pasturing the flock] their father’s flocks [they were stewards of what their father owned] near Shechem [approximately fifty miles north of the Hebron region],

Note:Sin hidden in the heart waits for an opportunity to act, but even human evil cannot place events beyond God’s sovereign purposes.

37:13 and Israel [Jacob, whose name God changed after wrestling with him (Genesis 32:28)] said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks [required the brothers to travel in search of sufficient pasture and water] near Shechem [approximately fifty miles north of Hebron]. Come, I am going to send you [entrusted Joseph with a specific mission] to them [to his brothers; God would use that journey to send Joseph ahead of the entire family into Egypt, where he would eventually preserve their lives (Genesis 45:5–7)].” “Very well, [literally, “Here I am”]” he replied.

Note: Faithful obedience may lead us into circumstances we did not anticipate, but God can use the path before us to accomplish purposes we cannot yet see.

37:14 So he said to him, “Go and see [sent to observe and assess the situation and return with reliable information] if all is well [Hebrew phrase is literally, “See the shalom of your brothers and the shalom of the flock”; shalom means more than the absence of conflict; it includes well-being, safety, health, completeness, and prosperity] with your brothers and with the flocks [Jacob was concerned about his sons and the flocks; they were grazing in a place associated with the family’s earlier violence and hostility (Genesis 34)], and bring word back to me [see Joseph’s earlier “bad report” concerning his brothers (Genesis 37:2)].” Then he sent him off [Jacob expected Joseph to return from this assignment, but Joseph would not see his father again for many years] from the Valley of Hebron [the family’s home; associated with Abraham, Isaac, and God’s covenant promises]. When Joseph arrived at Shechem [his brothers were no longer there; he willingly continued searching in order to carry out his father’s instructions],

Note: Faithful obedience may carry us away from what is familiar and secure, but God can use an ordinary assignment to begin accomplishing an extraordinary purpose.

37:15 a man found him [the man is not identified; appears unexpectedly and then disappears after directing Joseph toward Dothan; text does not call him an angel, however his timely presence points Joseph in the right direction] wandering around [to wander, stray, or lose one’s way] in the fields [the grazing areas surrounding Shechem] and asked him, “What are you looking for [this ordinary conversation became the turning point that directed Joseph toward both suffering and his God-appointed destiny]?”

Note: When we feel lost or uncertain, God may use an ordinary encounter to redirect our steps toward a purpose we cannot yet see.

37:16 He replied, “I’m looking [intentionally trying to find them] for my brothers [the purpose of his search; identified them as “my brothers” conveying a sense of family loyalty]. Can you tell me [acknowledged that he needed help] where they are grazing their flocks [like Jesus, Joseph was a beloved son sent by his father to seek his brothers, and those brothers rejected him]?”

Note: Faithful obedience means reaching out to others and following the task God has given us, even when it is hard or takes us to people who might not accept us.

37:17 “They have moved on from here [his assignment became more difficult than expected but he chose to continue rather than return home],” the man answered. “I heard them say [the man had the information Joseph needed], ‘Let’s go to Dothan [approximately fifteen miles north of Shechem; location would position Joseph near the route that would carry him to Egypt].’” So Joseph went after his brothers [traveled farther from the safety of home] and found them near Dothan [location placed Joseph at the threshold of the painful process that would take him to Egypt].

Note: God can use changed plans, ordinary encounters, and perseverance to position us within His purposes—even when the next stage of the journey leads through suffering.

37:18 But they saw him in the distance [likely recognized him by his ornate robe], and before he reached them [began planning while Joseph was still too far away to hear or defend himself], they plotted [acting craftily, deceitfully, or treacherously] to kill him [their resentment had reached the boiling point; God would ultimately use their evil decision as the means of sending Joseph to Egypt (Genesis 45:5–7; 50:20)].

Note: If we allow negative feelings to stay in our hearts, they can grow from resentment into hatred and even lead to harmful actions. That’s why it’s important to face jealousy and bitterness before they start to influence what we do.

37:19 “Here comes that dreamer! [spoken with contempt; Joseph’s dreams had become the basis of all their bitterness and hatred]” they said to each other.

37:20 “Come now, let’s [it is likely that no one of the brothers would have carried out such a sinister plot alone] kill [their festering jealousy and bitterness came to the surface] him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say [they came up with a plausible cover-up] that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”

37:21 When Reuben [Jacob’s firstborn son; oldest brother; son of Leah (Gen. 29:32)] heard this, he tried to rescue [Hebrew verb nāṣal means “to deliver,” “snatch away,” or “rescue from danger”] him from their hands [in Hebrew thought, the “hand” often represents power, possession, or control]. “Let’s [identified him with the group while attempting to redirect it] not take his life,” he said [God can use even hesitant and incomplete acts of courage to restrain evil and advance His purposes].

Note: What does it take to stand up to a crowd and say no? What risks are involved? What are the potential benefits? When others are being mistreated, will I merely disagree with the wrong—or courageously intervene to protect them?

Note: God can use one person’s actions to hold back evil, but real courage means going further than just disagreeing in private. It calls for taking clear action to help those who are at risk.

37:22 “Don’t shed any blood [expression refers to taking innocent human life]. Throw him into this cistern [hewn out of the ground to collect water; had narrow opening at the top and a wide basin at the bottom] here in the desert [isolated location; no one would likely hear Joseph’s cries for help], but don’t lay a hand on him [a direct form of harming another as opposed to the cistern, an indirect form of harming].” Reuben said this to rescue [Hebrew verb nāṣal means “to deliver,” “snatch away,” or “rescue from danger”] him from them [Reuben wanted to restrain violence without revealing his opposition to his brothers’ plan] and take him back to his father [his plan was to come back later, lift Joseph out of the cistern, and restore him safely to Jacob].

Note: Good intentions are not enough; protecting someone from harm may require courageous, timely, and decisive action.

37:23 So when Joseph came to his brothers [after a 65-mile journey from Hebron to Dothan], they [reveals collective responsibility] stripped him [brothers no longer treated Joseph as “our brother” but as “this dreamer”] of his robe [the focal point of their growing anger; their hatred moved from abusive words (cf. Gen. 37:8,19) to violent action; they stripped him of the visible symbol of Jacob’s favoritism]—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing [the symbol of privilege, honor, and special status; Joseph seemed insensitive or ignorant with regard to how his brothers felt about the robe]—

Note: When hatred goes unchecked, it can take away not just what people own, but also the dignity and identity those things stand for.

37:24 and they [emphasizes collective responsibility] took him [Hebrew verb lāqaḥ means “to take,” “seize,” or “lay hold of”] and threw him into the cistern [originally Reuben’s idea (cf. Gen. 37:21-22); Reuben intended to later rescue Joseph; they did not carefully lower Joseph into the cistern; they cast him down into it]. Now the cistern [a place of Isolation, helplessness, rejection, fear, dependence; Joseph would be unable to escape without assistance (cf. Gen. 37:28); the cistern may have seemed like the end of his dreams but from God’s perspective it became the first stage in their fulfillment; the pit was not Joseph’s destination but instead part of the painful route by which God would bring him to the place where he could preserve his family] was empty [had it been full, Joseph might have drowned]; there was no water in it [thus no danger of drowning and no water to drink].

Note: What looks like a place of abandonment may become a place of preservation in God’s providence; the pit is not necessarily the end of the story.

37:25 As they sat down to eat their meal [Joseph’s brother’s ate while he awaited his uncertain fate; exposes the hardness of their hearts; Genesis 42:21 reveals that Joseph was distressed and pleaded with them for mercy but they ignored his cries], they looked up and saw a caravan [God’s providence was at work; Dothan located near important trade routes connecting regions east of the Jordan with Egypt] of Ishmaelites [used interchangeably with “Midianites”; descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar; distant relatives of Jacob’s family] coming from Gilead [a region in northern Transjordan; a famous source of balm (cf. Jer. 8:22)]. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh [used in Egypt for incense, medicine, embalming], and they were on their way to take them down [reflects both geographical direction and elevation; Joseph’s downward journey—down into the cistern, down in social status, down into slavery, down to Egypt] to Egypt [products were valuable in Egypt for medicine, perfume, religious practices, and burial preparations].

Note: Sin can make our hearts hard, so we get used to life as usual even when someone else is hurting because of what we have done.

37:26 Judah said [his suggestion saved Joseph from death; presented an alternative that would benefit them financially] to his brothers, “What will we gain [murder would eliminate Joseph, but would provide no financial benefit] if we kill our brother [the words “our brother” should have awakened affection, loyalty, and responsibility] and cover up his blood [concealing the murder and hiding their guilt]?

Note: Choosing a less harmful sin is not the same as doing what is right. True righteousness means choosing to obey, not just settling for an easier or more beneficial kind of wrongdoing.

37:27 Come, let’s sell him [not a righteous alternative to murder but the replacement of one serious evil with another] to the Ishmaelites [used interchangeably with “Midianites”; caravan was traveling toward Egypt] and not lay our hands on him [avoiding direct violence does not remove responsibility for deliberately placing someone in danger; Judah reasoned: “At least we did not kill him” — a less evil action that may have made them feel less guilty but that was still an evil action]; after all, he is our brother [Judah acknowledged the truth of their relationship without accepting the responsibility that relationship required], our own flesh and blood [expression describes a close family bond and shared identity.].” His brothers agreed [their unity was not evidence that the decision was right].

Note: We do not become truly righteous just by picking the lesser evil. Real obedience means not taking advantage of someone else’s suffering and always looking for what is truly right.

37:28 So when the Midianite [used interchangeably with “Ishmaelites”] merchants came by [at the moment the brothers were considering Judah’s proposal], his brothers pulled Joseph up [Joseph may have thought that they were releasing him] out of the cistern [the pit was not Joseph’s final destination but instead a temporary stop on the road to Egypt] and sold him [Hebrew verb māḵar means “to sell” or “transfer ownership for payment”; later Israelite law would condemn kidnapping and selling a person as a capital offense (Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7)] for twenty shekels [shekel was a unit of weight] of silver [betrayed their brother and devastated their father for a remarkably small personal gain] to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt [in Egypt, Joseph would enter Potiphar’s household, endure imprisonment, interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, and ultimately be raised to a position of authority].

Note: People may put a price on our worth and treat us as expendable, but they cannot determine our true value or stop God from accomplishing His purposes through our lives.

37:29 When Reuben returned [text does not explain where he had gone or why he left; while away, circumstances changed and opportunity to rescue Joseph disappeared] to the cistern [leaving Joseph there made him vulnerable to the decisions of others] and saw [Hebrew hinneh—“behold” or “look”—conveys Reuben’s sudden shock.] that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes [an ancient expression of intense grief, horror, distress, or despair; an indication that Joseph’s disappearance affected him deeply].

Note: If we hesitate to show courage, we may put others at risk. When someone is in danger, it is important to turn good intentions into timely, decisive action.

37:30 He went back to his brothers [returned to confront the group] and said, “The boy [description emphasizes Joseph’s youth and vulnerability; Joseph was seventeen; Reuben was the firstborn and considerably older] isn’t there! Where can I turn now ?”

Note: Regret asks, “What will happen to me?” Repentance asks, “What is right, and what must I do now to take responsibility?”

37:31 Then they got Joseph’s robe [became an instrument for inflicting grief on Jacob and concealing their crime; the brothers had removed Joseph’ s robe but not God’s calling on his life], slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe [this was a calculated deception] in the blood [in Genesis 27, Jacob used a young goat and its skins to deceive his father Isaac and obtain Esau’s blessing; ironically Jacob’s sons used a goat to deceive him].

Note: Sin rarely stays hidden. When we try to cover up our sins, we often have to create more lies, which only makes things worse and causes more pain.

37:32 They took the ornamented robe [the brothers intentionally placed the bloodstained garment before Jacob] back to their father [they chose to inflict profound grief on him rater than tell him the truth] and said, “We found this [statement was carefully worded; did not explicitly say a wild animal had killed Joseph; allowed Jacob to construct the false explanation himself]. Examine it [Hebrew verb nāḵar means “to recognize,” “identify,” or “acknowledge”] to see whether it is your son’s robe [did not say “our brother’s robe”].”


Note: We deceive others not just by telling outright lies, but also by changing evidence, hiding the truth, and leading them to conclusions we know are false.

37:33 He recognized it [correctly recognized the garment; incorrectly interpreted what had happened] and said, “It is my son’s robe [unintentionally reflects the family division created by Jacob’s favoritism]! Some ferocious animal has devoured him [the brothers did not have to state the lie because they had arranged the evidence to make Jacob state it for them]. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces [Hebrew uses an emphatic construction: ṭārōp ṭōraph, literally, “torn—surely torn”].”

Note: What we see may be real, but our interpretation may be mistaken.

37:34 Then Jacob [the deceiver was now deceived] tore his clothes [an outward expression of intense grief, horror, or emotional devastation; see Genesis 37:29 regarding Reuben], put on sackcloth [a rough, uncomfortable material commonly made from goat or camel hair; discomfort of the fabric corresponded to the pain he felt within] and mourned [because there was no body to recover or bury, he had no opportunity for closure; the favoritism that Jacob had shown Joseph did not justify the cruelty his sons had inflicted upon him] for his son [emphasizes the personal nature of Jacob’s loss] many days [expression indicates prolonged mourning].

Note: Our grief may be real even when our understanding is incomplete. Still, God can be working in ways we cannot see. What feels like the end may not be the end of the story.

Note: Read 2 Samuel 12:19-23 regarding how David handled the grief of losing a child.

37:35 All his sons [participated in comforting Jacob while knowing they had caused the grief] and daughters [only Dinah is specifically named in the narrative; may include daughters-in-law, granddaughters, or other female members of the extended household] came to comfort him [Hebrew verb nāḥam can mean “to comfort,” “console,” or “cause someone to change their emotional state”], but he refused to be comforted [shows depth of his love for Joseph; inconsolable sorrow; all Jacob had was the bloodstained robe and the terrifying image of Joseph being torn apart]. “No,” he said [Jacob did not regard his mourning as temporary], “in mourning will I go down [Jacob expected to grieve for the remainder of his life; believed that only his own death would end his sorrow] to the grave [Hebrew word is Sheol, referring to the realm of the dead or the place to which the departed were understood to go] to my son.” So his father wept for him [tears reveal the depth of his love and the devastating consequences of the brothers’ actions].

37:36 Meanwhile [while Jacob was mourning because he believed Joseph was dead; focus moves away from Jacob’s grief and toward Joseph’s unfolding future], the Midianites [the merchants that transported Joseph from Canaan to Egypt; called Ishmaelites in verses 25, 27, 28; called Midianites in verses 28, 36] sold Joseph [sold for a second time; Joseph treated as property] in Egypt [the destination toward which God had been providentially moving Joseph; the country where the dreams Joseph had would eventually come true] to Potiphar [an Egyptian official serving Pharaoh; name commonly understood to mean something like “he whom Ra has given”; Joseph was purchased by a man connected with the royal government; Potiphar may also have had oversight connected with the royal prison (see Genesis 40:3)], one of Pharaoh’s [the royal title used for the ruler of Egypt] officials [a royal officer or court official], the captain of the guard [likely referred to the commander of Pharaoh’s bodyguard, security forces, or royal executioners].

Note: When one chapter ends in loss and uncertainty, God may already be positioning us for purposes that will become clear only in the chapters ahead.