Derived from gur ('to sojourn as a resident alien'). The term captures the patriarchal paradox: the land is simultaneously home and foreign territory. Abraham and Isaac dwelt as gerim (resident aliens), not owners, and Jacob now inhabits the same tension of promise without possession.
Translator Notes
'Settled' (vayyeshev) — the verb yashav ('to dwell, settle') opens the Joseph narrative with a note of permanence. Jacob has returned from his long exile and now inhabits the promised land. Yet the verb carries irony: Jacob 'settles,' but his family is about to be torn apart and eventually uprooted to Egypt.
'The land of his father's sojournings' (erets megurei aviv) — megurim ('sojournings') derives from gur ('to sojourn as an alien'). The land is simultaneously home and foreign territory. Abraham and Isaac dwelt there as resident aliens (gerim), not owners. Jacob now inhabits the same paradox: he is settled in a land that is promised but not yet possessed.
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers. He was a youth among the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and Joseph brought their bad report to their father.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
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Key Terms
תֹּלְדוֹתtoledot
"generations"—generations, descendants, genealogical record, family history, account
The structuring formula of Genesis, used here for the final time. Strikingly, the 'generations of Jacob' immediately focuses on Joseph — signaling that what follows is not merely Joseph's biography but the culmination of Jacob's entire family saga.
The noun dibbah carries negative connotations — slander, defamation, or a report of genuine wrongdoing. Whether Joseph was tattling or faithfully reporting actual misconduct is left deliberately ambiguous, establishing him as aligned with his father rather than his peers.
Translator Notes
'These are the generations of Jacob' (elleh toledot Ya'aqov) — the final toledot formula in Genesis. Strikingly, though it says 'generations of Jacob,' the narrative immediately focuses on Joseph. The toledot of Jacob is the story of Joseph — the favored son through whom the family's destiny unfolds. This literary device signals that what follows is not merely Joseph's biography but the culmination of Jacob's entire family saga.
'Bad report' (dibbatam ra'ah) — dibbah means a report, usually with negative connotations (slander, defamation, or simply a report of wrongdoing). Whether Joseph was tattling or faithfully reporting genuine misconduct is left deliberately ambiguous. The text neither condemns nor commends Joseph's action, but it establishes him as set apart from his brothers — aligned with his father rather than his peers.
'A youth among the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah' — Joseph is specifically placed with the sons of the concubine-wives, the lower-status brothers. This detail may explain why Joseph had opportunity to observe and report their behavior, and may also suggest his own intermediate social position despite being Rachel's son.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, for he was the son of his old age, and he made him an ornamented robe.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
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כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּיםketonet passim
"ornamented robe"—ornamented robe, coat of many colors, long-sleeved tunic, decorated garment, royal robe
The Hebrew passim is obscure; it may relate to pas ('palm, sole'), suggesting a garment reaching to the palms and soles, or to decorative strips. The same term describes the royal garment of Tamar, David's daughter (2 Sam 13:18-19), indicating a garment of aristocratic or royal distinction.
The recurring verb of parental preference in Genesis. The pattern of preferential love — Isaac loved Esau, Rebekah loved Jacob (25:28), Jacob loved Rachel over Leah (29:30) — is the recurring wound of the patriarchal family, now repeated as Jacob loves Joseph above all his sons.
Translator Notes
'Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons' (Yisra'el ahav et-Yosef mikkol-banav) — the narrator uses 'Israel' rather than 'Jacob,' emphasizing the patriarch's covenant identity. The phrase 'loved more than all' (ahav... mikkol) echoes the pattern of preference that has plagued the family for generations: Isaac loved Esau, Rebekah loved Jacob (25:28), Jacob loved Rachel over Leah (29:30). Parental favoritism is the recurring wound of the patriarchal family.
'Son of his old age' (ben-zequnim) — Benjamin was actually younger, so this phrase may mean 'the son born in his mature years' or may carry the nuance of 'the son of his wisdom,' a child who is the comfort of aging. Some suggest it means the son who attends him in old age.
'Ornamented robe' (ketonet passim) — the traditional rendering 'coat of many colors' derives from the LXX (chitōn poikilon). The Hebrew passim is obscure; it may relate to pas ('palm, sole'), suggesting a garment reaching to the palms and soles (a long-sleeved, full-length robe), or to decorative strips or patches. The same term describes the royal garment of Tamar, David's daughter (2 Sam 13:18-19), indicating it was a garment of distinction, possibly aristocratic or even royal. The rendering 'ornamented robe' captures the sense of an exceptional, status-marking garment without over-specifying.
When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak a peaceful word to him.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
2 terms
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וַיִּשְׂנְאוּvayyisne'u
"hated"—hated, despised, detested, were hostile toward, bore enmity
A strong, unqualified verb of enmity marking the breakdown of fraternal relationship. The brothers' hatred is presented as a direct consequence of the father's favoritism, distributing culpability between Jacob's preferential love and the brothers' destructive response.
לְשָׁלֹםleshalom
"a peaceful word"—peaceably, in peace, with goodwill, harmoniously, for well-being
Shalom encompasses wholeness, well-being, and harmonious relationship. The brothers' inability to speak shalom marks the collapse of familial communication and foreshadows the bitter irony of v. 14, where Jacob sends Joseph to inquire about his brothers' shalom — brothers who have no shalom to give.
Translator Notes
'They hated him' (vayyisne'u oto) — the verb sane' ('to hate') is strong and unqualified. The brothers' hatred is presented as a direct consequence of the father's favoritism. The text distributes culpability: Jacob's preferential love creates the conditions for the brothers' destructive hatred.
'Could not speak peaceably to him' (velo yakhelu dabbero leshalom) — literally 'could not speak to him for peace (shalom).' The inability to speak shalom is the collapse of familial relationship. Shalom encompasses wholeness, well-being, and harmonious relationship. Its absence means communication itself has broken down. This detail foreshadows the bitter irony of v. 14, where Jacob sends Joseph to inquire about the shalom of his brothers — brothers who have no shalom to give.
Joseph dreamed a dream and told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more.
KJV And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Dreamed a dream' (vayyachalom... chalom) — the cognate accusative construction (dreaming a dream) intensifies the experience. Dreams in Genesis are vehicles of divine communication (20:3; 28:12; 31:10-11), and in the Joseph narrative they become the primary mode of revelation. Joseph is introduced here as a dreamer — a role that will define his destiny.
'They hated him even more' (vayyosifu od seno oto) — the verb yasaf ('to add, do again') with seno ('to hate') indicates escalation. Each new provocation compounds the brothers' animosity. The narrative builds tension incrementally: favoritism (v. 3) → hatred (v. 4) → increased hatred (v. 5) → still more hatred (v. 8).
He said to them, "Please listen to this dream that I have dreamed:
KJV And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Please listen' (shim'u-na) — the particle na ('please, I pray') softens the imperative, yet the very act of summoning his brothers to hear his dream of supremacy reveals either naivety or provocation. Joseph seems genuinely eager to share his vision without calculating its effect.
Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright, and behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf."
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
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Key Terms
אֲלֻמִּיםalumim
"sheaves"—sheaves, bundles of grain, bound stalks, harvest bundles
Bundles of harvested grain, the central image of Joseph's first dream. The agricultural imagery is not accidental — it anticipates the literal grain that will bring the brothers to bow before Joseph in Egypt (42:6), fulfilling the dream with precise literalness.
וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָvatishtachaveynah
"bowed down"—bowed down, prostrated themselves, paid homage, worshipped, did obeisance
The hishtaphel of chavah, the language of homage and worship. The brothers' sheaves encircle and prostrate before Joseph's — a verb of obeisance that will be literally fulfilled when the brothers bow before the Egyptian vizier (42:6; 43:26, 28).
Translator Notes
'Behold... behold... behold' (vehinneh... vehinneh... vehinneh) — three instances of hinneh ('behold') create vivid, scene-by-scene narration, as if Joseph is reliving the dream. Each hinneh introduces a new movement: the binding, the rising, the bowing. The effect is cinematic.
'My sheaf arose and stood upright' (qamah alummati vegam-nitstsavah) — two verbs of elevation: qum ('to arise') and natsav ('to stand firm, be stationed'). Joseph's sheaf doesn't merely rise — it stands established, planted with authority. The double verb intensifies the imagery of dominion.
'Your sheaves gathered around and bowed down' (tessubeynah alumoteikhem vatishtachaveynah) — the verb chavah in the hishtaphel ('to bow down, prostrate oneself') is the language of homage and worship. The brothers' sheaves encircle and prostrate before Joseph's. The agricultural imagery is not accidental — it anticipates the literal grain that will bring the brothers to bow before Joseph in Egypt (42:6).
His brothers said to him, "Will you indeed reign over us? Will you indeed rule over us?" And they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of his words.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
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הֲמָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְhamalokh timlokh
"reign"—reign, rule as king, exercise sovereignty, govern, hold dominion
An infinitive absolute construction expressing incredulous emphasis. The brothers' sarcastic question inadvertently becomes prophecy — Joseph will indeed exercise both royal authority (malakh) and governing power (mashal) in Egypt as Pharaoh's second-in-command.
Translator Notes
'Will you indeed reign... will you indeed rule' (hamalokh timlokh... im-mashol timshol) — two infinitive absolute constructions (malokh timlokh, mashol timshol) express incredulous emphasis. The brothers use two distinct verbs: malakh ('to reign as king') and mashal ('to rule, govern'). Their sarcasm inadvertently becomes prophecy — Joseph will indeed exercise both royal authority and governing power in Egypt.
'Because of his dreams and because of his words' (al-chalomotav ve'al-devarav) — the brothers' hatred has a double source: the content of the dreams (which implies their subjugation) and Joseph's words (his act of telling, which implies either arrogance or insensitivity). Dreams and words — revelation and proclamation — together provoke the crisis.
He dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brothers, saying, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream: the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
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הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַhashemesh vehayareach
"the sun and the moon"—the sun and the moon, the luminaries, the greater and lesser lights
Cosmic symbols representing father (sun) and mother (moon) in the dream's framework. The escalation from agricultural imagery to celestial bodies expands the scope of Joseph's anticipated authority from fraternal dominance to the entire family, including the parents.
Translator Notes
'The sun and the moon and eleven stars' (hashemesh vehayareach ve'achad asar kokhavim) — the dream escalates from agricultural imagery to cosmic. Joseph's first dream depicted fraternal dominance; this one extends to the entire family, including the parents. Sun = father (Jacob), moon = mother (here problematic, since Rachel is dead by this point — see 35:19), eleven stars = eleven brothers. The cosmic scale of the imagery anticipates Joseph's role as the savior of nations.
'Were bowing down to me' (mishtachavim li) — the same root (ch-v-h, hishtaphel) as in the first dream, but now the heavenly bodies themselves perform the obeisance. The dream's scope has expanded from earth to heaven.
He told it to his father and to his brothers, and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down to you to the ground?"
KJV 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?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'His father rebuked him' (vayyig'ar-bo aviv) — ga'ar means to rebuke sharply, to scold. Even the favoring father finds this dream too much. Yet the rebuke is measured — it is a question, not a condemnation. Jacob challenges the dream's plausibility rather than denouncing Joseph's character.
'Your mother' (immekha) — Rachel has already died (35:19). Jacob may be speaking loosely, referring to Leah or Bilhah (Rachel's maidservant who may have served as surrogate mother), or the dream's symbolism may not require literal correspondence. The reference creates a tension the text does not resolve.
His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
KJV And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
Notes & Key Terms
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וַיְקַנְאוּvayeqan'u
"jealous"—were jealous, envied, were zealous, burned with envy, were resentful
The verb qana' shifts the brothers' response from mere hatred to jealousy — they not only despise Joseph but covet his favored position and divine attention. The jealousy implies recognition that the dreams may be genuine, making them all the more threatening.
שָׁמַר אֶת־הַדָּבָרshamar et-haddavar
"kept the matter in mind"—kept the matter, guarded the word, preserved the saying, watched over the matter, stored up the word
The verb shamar ('to keep, guard, watch over') suggests Jacob stored the dream away for contemplation. He rebuked publicly but pondered privately, recognizing something significant in Joseph's dreams even as he resisted their implications.
Translator Notes
'Were jealous' (vayeqan'u) — the verb qana' means to be jealous, zealous, or envious. It shifts the brothers' response from mere hatred to envy — they not only despise Joseph but covet his favored position and divine attention. Jealousy implies that the brothers recognize the dreams may be genuine, which makes them all the more threatening.
'His father kept the matter in mind' (ve'aviv shamar et-haddavar) — shamar ('to keep, guard, watch over') suggests Jacob stored the dream away for contemplation. He rebuked publicly but pondered privately. The phrase echoes Luke 2:19, 51 ('Mary kept all these things in her heart'), though the parallel may be coincidental. Jacob recognizes something significant in Joseph's dreams even as he resists their implications.
His brothers went to pasture their father's flock at Shechem.
KJV And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Shechem' — the brothers return to the very place where Simeon and Levi perpetrated the massacre (ch. 34). The location carries ominous overtones. Shechem is dangerous territory for Jacob's family, both because of what they did there and because of how they might be perceived by the surrounding peoples. That the brothers go there to pasture flocks suggests either boldness or indifference to the danger.
Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." He said to him, "Here I am."
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
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הִנֵּנִיhinneni
"Here I am"—here I am, behold me, I am ready, present, at your service
The response of willing obedience, echoing Abraham's hinneni before the binding of Isaac (22:1) and anticipating Moses at the burning bush (Exod 3:4). Joseph goes willingly, unaware he is walking toward betrayal — the innocent obedience of the son sent by the father carries deep typological resonance.
Translator Notes
'Here I am' (hinneni) — Joseph's response echoes the great responses of obedience in Genesis: Abraham's hinneni before the binding of Isaac (22:1), and later Moses at the burning bush (Exod 3:4). The word signals readiness and willing submission. Joseph goes willingly, unaware that he is walking toward betrayal. The innocent obedience of the son sent by the father to his brothers carries deep typological resonance.
'I will send you' (ve'eshalachakha) — the verb shalach ('to send') establishes Joseph as a sent one. The irony is layered: Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers' welfare, but this sending will result in Joseph's own suffering and ultimately in the salvation of the entire family.
He said to him, "Go now, see to the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring me back word." So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
KJV 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 sends Joseph to find the shalom of his brothers — the very thing the brothers cannot offer him (v. 4, where they 'could not speak shalom to him'). The quest for shalom among brothers who have no shalom for Joseph is one of the chapter's central ironies.
Translator Notes
'See to the welfare' (re'eh et-shelom) — literally 'see the shalom of your brothers.' Jacob sends Joseph to find the very thing the brothers cannot offer him (v. 4 — they 'could not speak shalom to him'). The quest for shalom among brothers who have no shalom for Joseph is one of the chapter's central ironies.
'From the Valley of Hebron' (me'emeq Chevron) — Hebron sits on a ridge; there is no literal valley of Hebron. The phrase may refer to the broader lowland region near Hebron, or it may function as a symbolic marker: Joseph descends from the place where Abraham and Sarah are buried, the seat of the patriarchal promise, into a journey that will lead far from the promised land.
A man found him — he was wandering in the field — and the man asked him, "What are you seeking?"
KJV And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'A man found him' (vayyimtsa'ehu ish) — the unnamed man is one of Genesis's mysterious figures. Some rabbinic interpreters identify him as an angel (Gabriel, according to Rashi), since he appears providentially to redirect Joseph toward his destiny. The text leaves his identity unspecified, allowing the reader to sense divine guidance operating through an ordinary encounter.
'Wandering in the field' (to'eh basadeh) — the participle to'eh ('wandering, going astray') suggests Joseph is lost. The image of the obedient son, sent by his father, now wandering without direction, is poignant. He needs guidance to reach his brothers — the very brothers who will betray him.
He said, "I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are pasturing."
KJV And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'I am seeking my brothers' (et-achai anokhi mevaqesh) — Joseph's statement is both simple and laden with meaning. He seeks his brothers not knowing they seek his destruction. The phrase resonates beyond the immediate narrative: the search for fraternal reconciliation will drive the entire Joseph story.
The man said, "They have moved on from here, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Dothan' (Dotan) — a site about 13 miles north of Shechem, identified with modern Tell Dothan. It lay on a major trade route connecting the Jezreel Valley with the coastal road to Egypt. This geographical detail is crucial: the caravan route through Dothan is what makes the sale of Joseph to traveling merchants possible. Providence positions Joseph precisely where international commerce passes.
From nakhal in the hitpael, meaning to act with cunning or treacherous scheming. The brothers' plot is premeditated — they see Joseph approaching from a distance and begin scheming before he arrives, converting hatred into calculated action.
Translator Notes
'They conspired against him' (vayyitnakkelu oto) — the verb nakhal in the hitpael means to act with cunning, to scheme, to deal craftily. The same root appears in Numbers 25:18 for treacherous dealing. The brothers' plot is premeditated — they see Joseph approaching and begin scheming before he arrives. The distance between them (merachoq, 'from afar') gives them time to convert hatred into action.
'To kill him' (lahamito) — the infinitive lahamit ('to cause to die, to kill') states the brothers' intent with stark clarity. The beloved son, sent by his father seeking shalom, is marked for death before he can even speak.
They said to one another, "Look, here comes that master of dreams!"
KJV And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
Notes & Key Terms
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בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמוֹתba'al hachalomot
"master of dreams"—master of dreams, lord of dreams, dreamer, dream-possessor, dream-lord
Literally 'the owner/master of the dreams, this one.' The title drips with sarcasm, yet it is ironically accurate: Joseph does master dreams, both his own and others' (chs. 40-41), and this mastery will elevate him to a position where the brothers' very lives depend on him.
Translator Notes
'That master of dreams' (ba'al hachalomot hallazeh) — literally 'the owner/master of the dreams, this one.' Ba'al means 'lord, master, owner, possessor.' The title drips with sarcasm: they mock Joseph as the 'dream-lord,' the one who presumes sovereignty through his visions. The demonstrative hallazeh ('this one, that one') adds contempt — they will not even use his name. Yet ironically, ba'al hachalomot is an accurate title: Joseph does master dreams, both his own and others' (chs. 40-41), and this mastery will elevate him to a position where their very lives depend on him.
Now then, come, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'A fierce animal devoured him.' Then we will see what becomes of his dreams!"
KJV 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.
The planned cover story that ironically describes the brothers themselves. The phrase becomes Jacob's conclusion in v. 33, and the true 'evil beasts' are the brothers who devoured Joseph's freedom and his father's joy.
Translator Notes
'Let us kill him' (nahargehu) — the first-person plural cohortative reveals a collective decision. Murder is proposed as a group action — shared guilt distributes responsibility and makes it easier for each individual to participate.
'A fierce animal devoured him' (chayyah ra'ah akhalathu) — the planned lie becomes Jacob's conclusion in v. 33. The brothers prepare their father's deception in advance. The phrase chayyah ra'ah ('an evil/fierce beast') will echo with bitter irony: the true 'evil beasts' are the brothers themselves.
'We will see what becomes of his dreams' (venir'eh mah-yihyu chalomotav) — the brothers believe they can defeat divine revelation by eliminating the dreamer. This is the fundamental error: the dream is from God, and killing Joseph cannot annul God's purposes. Their very attempt to prevent the dreams' fulfillment sets in motion the chain of events that will fulfill them.
Reuben heard this and rescued him from their hands, saying, "Let us not strike his life."
KJV And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
Notes & Key Terms
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נָפֶשׁnefesh
"life"—life, soul, being, person, living creature
Reuben's appeal to nefesh humanizes Joseph against the brothers' dehumanizing plot. By calling Joseph a nefesh — a soul, a living being — Reuben personalizes the proposed victim and invokes the fundamental sacredness of human life.
Translator Notes
'Reuben heard and rescued him' (vayyishma Reuven vayyatsilehu miyyadam) — Reuben, the firstborn who lost his birthright through the Bilhah incident (35:22), here acts to protect Joseph. His intervention may stem from firstborn responsibility, genuine compassion, or a desire to restore himself in his father's eyes. The verb hitsil ('to rescue, deliver') is strong — Reuben's action is decisive, not merely passive objection.
'Let us not strike his life' (lo nakkenu nafesh) — literally 'let us not strike him — a soul/life.' The word nefesh ('soul, life, being') personalizes Joseph: he is not merely a target but a living being. Reuben's language appeals to the brothers' recognition of Joseph's humanity.
Reuben said to them, "Do not shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him" — so that he might rescue him from their hands and restore him to his father.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Do not shed blood' (al-tishpekhu-dam) — Reuben frames his proposal in terms of blood prohibition. Bloodshed (shephikhut damim) carries the weight of the Noahic covenant: 'Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed' (9:6). By appealing to this fundamental prohibition, Reuben gives the brothers a way to act against Joseph without crossing the ultimate boundary.
'That he might rescue him... and restore him to his father' — the narrator reveals Reuben's private intention. His plan is to return later and pull Joseph from the pit. The strategy fails because Reuben is absent when the Midianite/Ishmaelite caravan arrives (v. 29). Good intentions without timely action prove insufficient.
When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his robe — the ornamented robe that was on him —
KJV 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;
Notes & Key Terms
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וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּvayyaphshitu
"stripped"—stripped, removed clothing from, disrobed, divested, laid bare
The violent removal of Joseph's identity-marking garment. Stripping the ketonet passim is an act of humiliation and de-identification — they remove his status before removing his freedom. Clothing in Genesis regularly marks identity, status, and deception (ch. 27, ch. 38).
Translator Notes
'They stripped Joseph of his robe' (vayyaphshitu et-Yosef et-kuttonto) — the first act of violence is to remove the symbol of his father's favor. Stripping the ketonet passim is an act of humiliation and de-identification: they remove his status before removing his freedom. The detailed repetition — 'his robe, the ornamented robe that was on him' — emphasizes the garment's significance. Clothing in Genesis regularly marks identity, status, and deception (Esau's garments in ch. 27, Tamar's veil in ch. 38).
The stripping of the robe anticipates the blood-dipped garment sent to Jacob (v. 31-32). The robe that signified love becomes the instrument of deception.
A rock-cut water storage facility, here empty and used as a makeshift prison. The bor becomes a liminal space — between life and death, freedom and slavery, the promised land and Egypt. Joseph's descent into the pit is the first of several descents (to Egypt, to prison) before his ultimate ascent.
Translator Notes
'The pit was empty — there was no water in it' (vehabor req ein bo mayim) — the narrator's parenthetical detail creates a vivid image of desolation. A dry cistern in the wilderness is a place of death — without water, survival is measured in days. The rabbis noted that the specification 'no water' implies something else may have been in it (snakes, scorpions — Rashi). Whether or not one follows that reading, the emptiness of the pit mirrors the emptiness of the brothers' cruelty.
'Pit' (bor) — a cistern hewn in rock for water storage. When empty, these cisterns served as makeshift prisons (Jer 38:6). The bor becomes a liminal space — between life and death, between freedom and slavery, between the promised land and Egypt. Joseph's descent into the pit is the first of several descents (to Egypt, to prison) before his ultimate ascent.
They sat down to eat a meal. They lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, going down to carry these to Egypt.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
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Key Terms
אֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִיםorchat Yishme'elim
"caravan of Ishmaelites"—caravan of Ishmaelites, traveling company, merchant train, trading party
Abraham's descendants through Hagar (ch. 16; 25:12-18), making them Joseph's distant kinsmen. The irony deepens: Abraham's rejected son's descendants become the vehicle for transporting Jacob's rejected son to Egypt, providentially positioned on the trade route.
נְכֹאת וּצְרִי וָלֹטnekho't utsri valot
"gum, balm, and myrrh"—gum and balm and myrrh, spices, aromatic resins, fragrant trade goods, medicinal substances
Luxury trade goods highly valued in Egypt for embalming and medicine. Nekho't is likely tragacanth gum, tsri is balm (the 'balm of Gilead,' Jer 8:22), and lot is probably labdanum or myrrh. The goods' destination — Egypt — is precisely where Joseph's destiny lies.
Translator Notes
'They sat down to eat a meal' (vayyeshvu le'ekhol-lechem) — the shocking detail: while Joseph languishes in the pit, his brothers eat. Their callousness is expressed not through cruelty but through normalcy. They have cast their brother into a death-pit and now sit for a casual meal. Amos 6:6 echoes this moral indifference: those 'who are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.'
'A caravan of Ishmaelites' (orchat Yishme'elim) — orchah means a traveling company, a caravan. The Ishmaelites are descendants of Abraham through Hagar (ch. 16, 25:12-18), making them Joseph's distant kinsmen. The irony deepens: Abraham's rejected son's descendants become the means of transporting Jacob's rejected son to Egypt.
'Gum, balm, and myrrh' (nekho't utsri valot) — luxury trade goods. Nekho't is likely tragacanth gum; tsri is balm (the famous 'balm of Gilead,' Jer 8:22); lot is probably labdanum or myrrh. These aromatic goods were highly valued in Egypt for embalming and medicine. The caravan is heading to Egypt — precisely where Joseph's destiny lies.
Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
KJV And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
בֶּצַעbetsa
"profit"—profit, gain, advantage, unjust gain, plunder
Judah's appeal is pragmatic rather than moral — he does not invoke conscience or kinship duty but self-interest. His morally ambiguous intervention prevents fratricide but replaces it with the commodification of his brother, beginning a character arc that culminates in his self-sacrificial speech (44:18-34).
Translator Notes
'What profit' (mah-betsa) — Judah's intervention is pragmatic rather than moral. The word betsa means 'gain, profit, unjust gain.' He does not appeal to conscience or kinship duty but to self-interest: there is nothing to gain from murder. This is morally ambiguous — Judah prevents fratricide but replaces it with the commodification of his brother. His character arc from this compromised beginning to his self-sacrificial speech in 44:18-34 is one of the great transformations in Scripture.
'Cover up his blood' (vekhissinu et-damo) — an allusion to the belief that blood cries out from the ground (4:10, Abel's blood). Covering blood is an attempt to silence the witness of murder. Judah acknowledges that killing Joseph would require concealment — a tacit admission that the act would be unjust.
Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let our hand not be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers agreed.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'He is our brother, our own flesh' (ki-achinu vesarenu hu) — Judah invokes kinship: 'brother' (ach) and 'flesh' (basar). The argument is that fraternal bonds preclude murder — but apparently not enslavement. The brothers' moral calculus is deeply compromised: they will not kill their brother, but they will sell him into lifelong bondage.
'His brothers agreed' (vayyishme'u echav) — literally 'his brothers listened/heard.' The verb shama' can mean both 'to hear' and 'to obey.' Judah's voice carries authority among the brothers, foreshadowing his eventual leadership role in the family and the tribe that will bear his name.
Midianite traders passed by, and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver, and they brought Joseph to Egypt.
KJV 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.
Nomadic traders here seemingly used interchangeably with Ishmaelites. The relationship between the two designations is debated: the terms may have overlapped for nomadic trading peoples, or different narrative traditions may have preserved different names for the same group.
עֶשְׂרִים כָּסֶףesrim kasef
"twenty pieces of silver"—twenty silver pieces, twenty shekels of silver, twenty coins
The market price of a young male slave in the early second millennium BCE, consistent with ancient Near Eastern slave prices documented at Mari. The later standard price of thirty pieces (Exod 21:32; Matt 26:15) anchors this transaction in economic reality while resonating with subsequent biblical echoes.
Translator Notes
'Midianite traders' (anashim Midyanim socharim) — the relationship between Ishmaelites and Midianites in this chapter is a longstanding interpretive question. In v. 25, the caravan is Ishmaelite; here, Midianite traders appear. In 39:1, Potiphar buys Joseph from the Ishmaelites; in Judges 8:24, Ishmaelites and Midianites are explicitly connected. Possible explanations: (1) the terms were used interchangeably for nomadic traders; (2) the Midianites pulled Joseph from the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites; (3) different narrative strands preserve different traditions. The rendering follows the text as given without harmonizing.
'Twenty pieces of silver' (esrim kasef) — the price of a young male slave in the early second millennium BCE, consistent with ancient Near Eastern slave prices documented in texts from Mari and other sites. Later, the price rose to thirty pieces of silver (Exod 21:32, the price of a slave gored by an ox; Matt 26:15, the price of Judas's betrayal of Jesus). The specific amount anchors the narrative in economic reality while resonating with later biblical echoes.
'They brought Joseph to Egypt' (vayyavi'u et-Yosef Mitsraymah) — the pivotal moment of the entire patriarchal narrative. Joseph's descent to Egypt sets in motion the events that will lead to Israel's sojourn, slavery, and eventual exodus. What the brothers intend as permanent disposal becomes God's means of preservation (50:20).
Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit! He tore his garments.
KJV And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Reuben returned to the pit' — Reuben's absence during the sale is unexplained. He apparently left the group, intending to return later and rescue Joseph (v. 22). His plan depended on timing, and the timing failed. The narrative creates pathos: the one brother who sought to save Joseph arrives too late.
'He tore his garments' (vayyiqra et-begadav) — the tearing of garments (qeri'ah) is the quintessential expression of grief and horror in the Hebrew Bible. Reuben's grief is genuine — his rescue plan has collapsed. The irony of garments pervades this chapter: Joseph's robe is stripped (v. 23), Reuben tears his own clothes in grief (v. 29), Jacob will tear his garments in mourning (v. 34).
He returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone! And I — where shall I go?"
KJV And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'The boy is gone!' (hayyeled einennu) — literally 'the boy — he is not.' The stark declaration of absence uses the participle einennu ('he is not'), which can also imply death (as in 42:13, 'one is no more'). Reuben does not know what happened — he assumes the worst.
'And I — where shall I go?' (va'ani anah ani-va) — Reuben's anguished question reveals his personal crisis. As firstborn, he bears responsibility. How will he face his father? The repeated pronoun 'I' (ani... ani) intensifies his distress — the focus turns inward to his own predicament. His concern, though sympathetic, centers on himself rather than on Joseph's fate.
They took Joseph's robe, slaughtered a male goat, and dipped the robe in the blood.
KJV And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
שְׂעִיר עִזִּיםse'ir izzim
"male goat"—male goat, he-goat, buck, kid of the goats
The same type of animal Jacob used to deceive his father Isaac with goat skins (27:16). Now Jacob's own sons use goat blood to deceive their father, bringing the deception by goat full circle in a poetic reversal of the patriarchal narrative.
Translator Notes
'Slaughtered a male goat' (vayyishchatu se'ir izzim) — the goat becomes the instrument of deception. The choice of a goat is richly ironic: Jacob himself used goat skins to deceive his father Isaac (27:16). Now Jacob's sons use goat blood to deceive their father. The deception by goat comes full circle. The same type of animal connects the two great deceptions of the patriarchal narrative.
'Dipped the robe in the blood' (vayyitbelu et-hakkuttonet baddam) — the ornamented robe that symbolized Jacob's love is transformed into false evidence of death. The blood-soaked garment is a fabricated crime scene. The brothers corrupt the symbol of favoritism into the instrument of grief.
They sent the ornamented robe and brought it to their father and said, "We found this. Please examine it — is it your son's robe or not?"
KJV 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.
The verb nakhar ('to recognize, identify') with the particle na ('please'). This exact phrase will echo in Genesis 38:25-26, where Tamar sends Judah's pledged items with the same words — creating a deliberate literary link between two scenes of deception returned upon the deceiver.
Translator Notes
'Please examine' (hakker-na) — the verb nakhar (hiphil: 'to recognize, examine, identify') with the particle na ('please') is devastatingly calculated. The brothers force Jacob to identify the blood-soaked robe himself, making him the agent of his own torment. This exact phrase — hakker-na — echoes the deception of Genesis 38:25-26, where Tamar sends Judah's pledged items with the same words: 'Please examine — whose are these?' The verbal echo links the two chapters: the deceiver is deceived, and the one who orchestrated the deception of his father will himself be confronted by the same words.
'Your son's robe' (ketonet binkha) — they say 'your son,' not 'our brother' or 'Joseph.' The distancing language reveals their rejection: Joseph belongs to Jacob, not to them. They disclaim fraternal relationship even in the act of presenting false evidence.
He recognized it and said, "My son's robe! A fierce animal has devoured him! Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!"
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
טָרֹף טֹרַףtarof toraf
"torn to pieces"—torn to pieces, mauled, ripped apart, ravaged, torn by a beast
An infinitive absolute construction expressing Jacob's absolute, agonized certainty. The verb taraf ('to tear, rend as a beast of prey') paints a vivid image of violent death. Jacob's grief is founded on a lie, but the grief itself is utterly real and devastating.
Translator Notes
'He recognized it' (vayyakkireha) — the verb nakhar again. Jacob recognizes the robe just as the brothers intended. The man who deceived his own father through touch and clothing (ch. 27) is now deceived through sight and clothing. The poetic justice is precise: Jacob used goat skins and Esau's garments to steal a blessing; his sons use goat blood and Joseph's garment to steal his joy.
'Joseph has surely been torn to pieces' (tarof toraf Yosef) — the infinitive absolute construction (tarof toraf) expresses absolute certainty. Jacob is utterly convinced. The verb taraf ('to tear, rend as a beast of prey') paints a vivid image of violent death. Jacob's grief is founded on a lie, but the grief itself is real and devastating.
Jacob tore his garments, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
KJV And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Tore his garments' (vayyiqra... simlotav) — the qeri'ah ritual of grief. Jacob joins Reuben (v. 29) in tearing clothes, but whereas Reuben's grief was brief, Jacob's mourning will extend 'many days' — indeed, over twenty years, until the revelation that Joseph lives (45:26-28).
'Put sackcloth on his waist' (vayyasem saq bemotnav) — sackcloth (saq), a coarse fabric of goat or camel hair, was the garment of mourning, penitence, and grief throughout the ancient Near East. Worn against the skin at the waist, it was physically uncomfortable — an external manifestation of internal anguish.
All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, "Indeed, I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son." And his father wept for him.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
שְׁאוֹלShe'ol
"Sheol"—Sheol, the grave, the underworld, the pit, the realm of the dead
The underworld in Hebrew cosmology — not equivalent to hell but the shadowy realm where all the departed dwell. Jacob vows to carry his grief into death itself; the verb 'go down' (ered) creates a geographical parallel with Joseph's descent to Egypt.
Translator Notes
'All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him' — the bitter irony: the very sons who caused Jacob's grief now attempt to comfort him. Their consolation is built on their own lie. The mention of 'daughters' (benot) is notable — Dinah is the only daughter previously named, but the plural may include daughters-in-law or other daughters not previously mentioned.
'He refused to be comforted' (vayema'en lehitnachem) — Jacob's refusal is not mere stubbornness but the expression of a grief that cannot be resolved. Comfort is possible when loss can be accepted; Jacob cannot accept Joseph's death because the mourning is built on falsehood. Paradoxically, his refusal to be comforted is the appropriate response to a death that has not occurred.
'I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son' (ki-ered el-beni avel She'olah) — Sheol is the underworld, the realm of the dead in Hebrew cosmology. It is not hell but the shadowy abode where all the dead dwell (see also 42:38; 44:29, 31). Jacob expects to carry his grief into death itself. The verb 'go down' (ered) creates a geographical parallel: Joseph goes down to Egypt; Jacob vows to go down to Sheol. Descent characterizes the entire family's trajectory in this chapter.
Meanwhile, the Medanites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
KJV And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
Notes & Key Terms
2 terms
Key Terms
סְרִיס פַּרְעֹהseris Par'oh
"officer of Pharaoh"—officer, courtier, eunuch, court official, royal attendant
The word seris can mean 'eunuch' or 'court official'; here it likely denotes high governmental rank rather than physical condition. The title places Joseph's new master within the Egyptian royal administration, connecting Joseph to the center of Pharaoh's power.
שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִיםsar hattabbachim
"captain of the guard"—captain of the guard, chief executioner, head of the bodyguard, chief of the slaughterers
Literally 'chief of the slaughterers/executioners,' a title for the head of the royal bodyguard. The dual titles (seris and sar hattabbachim) establish Potiphar's high rank, placing Joseph at the intersection of Egyptian royal power and military authority.
Translator Notes
'The Medanites' (haMedanim) — yet another variant: here the text reads Medanim, not Midyanim (Midianites) as in v. 28. Medan and Midian were both sons of Abraham by Keturah (25:2), so the names may refer to closely related or overlapping groups. The text preserves a multiplicity of designations for the trading peoples who facilitated Joseph's journey to Egypt.
'Potiphar' (Potifar) — an Egyptian name, likely from the Egyptian Pa-di-Pa-Ra, meaning 'he whom Ra has given.' The name connects Joseph's new master to Egyptian religion. Potiphar is identified with two titles: seris Par'oh ('officer/courtier of Pharaoh') and sar hattabbachim ('captain of the guard,' literally 'chief of the slaughterers/executioners'). The word seris can also mean 'eunuch,' though here it likely means 'court official.' Potiphar's position places Joseph at the intersection of Egyptian royal power.
The chapter ends with a split screen: Jacob mourns in Canaan; Joseph enters Egyptian servitude. The covenant family is fractured, and the resolution will take decades. Yet the narrator's matter-of-fact tone ('the Medanites sold him') hints that a larger purpose is at work beneath the surface of human cruelty.