Genesis 37:3

Genesis 37:3 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.

Context of Genesis 37:3

1Jacob lived in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2These 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. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. 5Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

Genesis 37:3 word by word

וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכָּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• lovedאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• more than all his childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of his old ageזְקֻנִיםzâqûn · extreme ageH2208
• and he madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• him a coatכֻּתֹּ֫נֶתkethôneth kûttôneth · tunicH3801
• coloursפַּסpas · long-sleevedH6446

Cross-references for Genesis 37:3

• John 3:35The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
• John 13:22The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.
• Genesis 44:20And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.'
• Genesis 37:23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.
• Judges 5:30'Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?'
• 2 Samuel 13:18Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.
• Psalms 45:13All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
• Ezekiel 16:16You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be.

Commentaries on Genesis 37:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3A coat of many colors - פסים כתנת kethoneth passim, a coat made up of stripes of differently colored cloth. Similar to this was the toga praetexta of the Roman youth, which was white, striped or fringed with purple; this they wore till they were seventeen years of age, when they changed it for the toga virilis, or toga pura, which was all white. Such vestures as clothing of distinction are worn all over Persia, India, and China to the present day. It is…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. 3Israel (or Jacob): See also 37:13. Israel loved Joseph more than his other children. Joseph was born when Israel was old. He was the first son of Israel's favorite wife, Rachel. Israel gave Joseph a beautiful robe to show he planned to give him the largest share of the inheritance.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. son of his old age--Benjamin being younger, was more the son of his old age and consequently on that ground might have been expected to be the favorite. Literally rendered, it is "son of old age to him"--Hebrew phrase, for "a wise son"--one who possessed observation and wisdom above his years--an old head on young shoulders. made him a coat of many colors--formed in those early days by sewing together patches of colored cloth, and considered a dress of…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 37:3

• Children
• Favoritism
• Jacob
• Joseph
• Parents

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Child
• Coat
• Conceal
• Deceitfully
• Devour
• Doubt
• Dress

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