Genesis 37:20

Genesis 37:20 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)“Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!”

Context of Genesis 37:20

18And when they saw him from a distance, even before he came close to them, they plotted to kill him. 19They said to one another, “Look, here comes this dreamer. Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits (cisterns, underground water storage); then we will say [to our father], ‘A wild animal killed and devoured him’; and we shall see what will become of his dreams!” 21Now Reuben [the eldest] heard this and rescued him from their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.” 22Reuben said to them, “Do not shed his blood, but [instead] throw him [alive] into the pit that is here in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him [to kill him]”—[he said this so] that he could rescue him from them and return him [safely] to his father.

Genesis 37:20 word by word

וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ לְכ֣וּ וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַבֹּר֔וֹת וְאָמַ֕רְנוּ חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ וְנִרְאֶ֕ה מַה־יִּהְי֖וּ חֲלֹמֹתָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Comeיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• now therefore, and let us slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• him, and castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
• him into someאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• pitבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
• and we will sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Some evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
• hath devouredאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• him: and we shall seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• what will become of his dreamsחֲלוֹםchălôm chălôm · dreamH2472

Cross-references for Genesis 37:20

• Psalms 64:5They encourage themselves in [their pursuit of] an evil agenda; They talk of laying snares secretly; They say, “Who will discover us?”
• Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us; Let us lie in wait to shed blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
• Proverbs 6:17A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
• Proverbs 27:4Wrath is cruel and anger is an overwhelming flood, But who is able to endure and stand before [the sin of] jealousy?
• John 3:12If I told you earthly things [that is, things that happen right here on earth] and you do not believe, how will you believe and trust Me if I tell you heavenly things?
• 1 Kings 13:24Now when he had gone, a lion met him by the road and killed him, and his body was thrown in the road, with the donkey standing beside it; the lion was also standing beside the body.
• 2 Kings 2:24When he turned around and looked at them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore to pieces forty-two of the boys.
• Proverbs 10:18He who hides hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool.
• Proverbs 28:13He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy.
• 1 Samuel 24:20Now, behold, I know that you will certainly be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
• 1 Samuel 26:2So Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, taking with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David [there] in the wilderness of Ziph.
• Matthew 2:2“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
• Matthew 27:40and they said [tauntingly], “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself [from death]! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
• Mark 15:29Those who were passing by were insulting Him with abusive and insolent language, wagging their heads [as a sign of contempt], and saying, “Ha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in [only] three days,
• John 12:10So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also,
• Acts 4:16saying, “What are we to do with these men? For the fact that an extraordinary miracle has taken place through them is public knowledge and clearly evident to all the residents of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

Commentaries on Genesis 37:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Come now and let us slay him - What unprincipled savages these must have been to talk thus coolly about imbruing their hands in an innocent brother's blood! How necessary is a Divine revelation, to show man what God hates and what he loves! Ferocious cruelty is the principal characteristic of the nations and tribes who receive not the law at his mouth.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
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-22Verses 12-22 How readily does Joseph wait his father's orders! Those children who are best beloved by their parents, should be the most ready to obey them. See how deliberate Joseph's brethren were against him. They thought to slay him from malice aforethought, and in cold blood. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, 1Jo 3:15. The sons of Jacob hated their brother because their father loved him. New occasions, as his dreams and the like, drew them…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20When Joseph's brothers saw him coming, they plotted to kill … that dreamer and stop his dreams. Earlier, they had unjustly killed the men of Shechem to avenge their sister (chapter 34). Now, in the region of Shechem, they plotted to unjustly kill their own brother out of jealousy.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-365. Joseph dreamed a dream--Dreams in ancient times were much attended to, and hence the dream of Joseph, though but a mere boy, engaged the serious consideration of his family. But this dream was evidently symbolical. The meaning was easily discerned, and, from its being repeated under different emblems, the fulfilment was considered certain (compare Ge 41:32), whence it was that "his brethren envied him, but his father observed the saying" [Ge 37:11].Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 37:20

• Conspiracy
• Envy
• Jealousy
• Joseph
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Coat
• Conceal
• Deceitfully
• Devour
• Doubt
• Evil
• Flesh
• Obeisance
• Rid
• Seek

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