Genesis 37:2

Genesis 37:2 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)This is the account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.

Context of Genesis 37:2

1So Jacob (Israel) lived in the land where his father [Isaac] had been a stranger (sojourner, resident alien), in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when he was seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers [Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher]; the boy was with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s [secondary] wives; and Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. 3Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a [distinctive] multicolored tunic. 4His brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than all of his brothers; so they hated him and could not [find it within themselves to] speak to him on friendly terms.

Genesis 37:2 word by word

אֵ֣לֶּה׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֗ב יוֹסֵ֞ף בֶּן־שְׁבַֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֨ה רֹעֶ֤ה אֶת־אֶחָיו֙ בַּצֹּ֔אן וְה֣וּא נַ֗עַר אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָ֛ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י זִלְפָּ֖ה נְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־דִּבָּתָ֥ם רָעָ֖ה אֶל־אֲבִיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• the generationsתּוֹלֵדוֹתtôledâh tôledâh · generationH8435
• of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• seventeenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• seventeenעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
• was feedingרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• the flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• with his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• and the ladנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• of Bilhahבִּלְהָהbilhâh · BilhahH1090
• and with the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Zilpahזִלְפָּהzilpâh · ZilpahH2153
• his father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• their evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• reportדִּבָּהdibbâh · slanderH1681

Cross-references for Genesis 37:2

• Genesis 2:4This is the history of [the origin of] the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day [that is, days of creation] that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens—
• Genesis 5:1This is the book (the written record, the history) of the generations of [the descendants of] Adam. When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness].
• Genesis 6:9These are the records of the generations (family history) of Noah. Noah was a righteous man [one who was just and had right standing with God], blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked (lived) [in habitual fellowship] with God.
• Genesis 10:1These are the records of the generations (descendants) of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and the sons born to them after the flood:
• Genesis 30:4So she gave him Bilhah her maid as a [secondary] wife, and Jacob went in to her.
• Genesis 35:22While Israel was living in that land, Reuben [his eldest son] went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it. Now Jacob had twelve sons—
• 1 Samuel 2:22Now Eli was very old; and he heard about everything that his sons were doing to all [the people of] Israel, and how they were lying with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle).
• John 7:7The world cannot hate you [since you are part of it], but it does hate Me because I denounce it and testify that its deeds are evil.
• 1 Corinthians 1:11For I have been informed about you, my brothers and sisters, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are quarrels and factions among you.
• 1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported [everywhere] that there is sexual immorality among you, a kind of immorality that is condemned even among the [unbelieving] Gentiles: that someone has [an intimate relationship with] his father’s wife.
• 1 Corinthians 11:18For, in the first place, when you meet together in church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and in part I believe it,

Commentaries on Genesis 37:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2These are the generations - תלדות toledoth, the history of the lives and actions of Jacob and his sons; for in this general sense the original must be taken, as in the whole of the ensuing history there is no particular account of any genealogical succession. Yet the words may be understood as referring to the tables or genealogical lists in the preceding chapter; and if so, the original must be understood in its common acceptation. The lad was with the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-36Verses 1-36 - Joseph Was Sold into Egypt 17. דתין dotayı̂n Dothain, “two wells?” (Gesenius) 25. נכאת neko't “tragacanth” or goat‘s-thorn gum, yielded by the “astragalus gummifer”, a native of Mount Lebanon. צרי tsērı̂y “opobalsamum,” the resin of the balsam tree, growing in Gilead, and having healing qualities. לט loṭ ͂ lēdon “ledum, ladanum,” in the Septuagint ́ staktē The former is a gum produced from the cistus rose. The latter is a gum resembling…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The story of Joseph and his brothers is a distinct section in Genesis. It has a different tone and focus from the earlier parts. The story follows one connected series of events, with Joseph at the center. Repeated themes structure the entire story of Joseph. These themes are similar to those in wisdom books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Daniel. Similar events that happen more than once shape the whole story. Its themes are like those in wisdom books…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. generations--leading occurrences, in the domestic history of Jacob, as shown in the narrative about to be commenced. Joseph ... was feeding the flock--literally, "Joseph being seventeen years old was a shepherd over the flock"--he a lad, with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. Oversight or superintendence is evidently implied. This post of chief shepherd in the party might be assigned him either from his being the son of a principal wife or from his own…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 37:2

• Bilhah
• Concubinage
• Talebearer
• Zilpah

In the dictionaries

• Bilhah
• Jacob
• Zilpah
• Jacob, Israel
• Coat
• Conceal
• Deceitfully
• Devour
• Doubt
• Evil

Commentaries on Genesis 37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings