God’s Word Translation
Genesis 37:23
23So when Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his special robe with long sleeves.
Genesis 37:23 in other versions
- King James Version (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;
- New International Version (NIV)So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing—
- English Standard Version (ESV)So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him.
Context of Genesis 37:23
21When Reuben heard this, he tried to save Joseph from their plot. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. 22“Let’s not have any bloodshed. Put him into that cistern that’s out in the desert, but don’t hurt him.” Reuben wanted to rescue Joseph from them and bring him back to his father. So when Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his special robe with long sleeves. 24Then they took him and put him into an empty cistern. It had no water in it. 25As they sat down to eat, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying the materials for cosmetics, medicine, and embalming. They were on their way to take them to Egypt.
Read all of Genesis 37Genesis 37:23 word by word
וַֽיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו וַיַּפְשִׁ֤יטוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתּ֔וֹ אֶת־כְּתֹ֥נֶת הַפַּסִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, when Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- was comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- that they striptאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- that they striptפָּשַׁטpâshaţ · to stripH6584
- out ofאֵת'êth · withH854
- his coatכֻּתֹּ֫נֶתkethôneth kûttôneth · tunicH3801
- coloursפַּסpas · long-sleevedH6446
Cross-references for Genesis 37:23
- Genesis 37:3Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because Joseph had been born in Israel’s old age. So he made Joseph a special robe with long sleeves.
- Genesis 42:21They said to each other, “We’re surely being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he pleaded with us for mercy, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in trouble now.”
- Psalms 22:18They divide my clothes among themselves. They throw dice for my clothing.
- Matthew 27:28They took off his clothes and put a bright red cape on him.
Commentaries on Genesis 37:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23They stripped Joseph out of his coat - This probably was done that, if ever found, he might not be discerned to be a person of distinction, and consequently, no inquiry made concerning him.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. 23-30Verses 23-30 They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, see Am 6:6; for when he was pining in the pit, they sat down to eat bread. They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin. But the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain, Psa 76:10. Joseph's brethren were…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23The repeated theme of changed clothes points to changes in status, position, and authority (see 37:3, 23; 38:14, 19; 39:15–18; 41:14, 42).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. they stripped Joseph out of his coat ... of many colors--Imagine him advancing in all the unsuspecting openness of brotherly affection. How astonished and terrified must he have been at the cold reception, the ferocious aspect, the rough usage of his unnatural assailants! A vivid picture of his state of agony and despair was afterwards drawn by themselves (compare Ge 42:21).Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 37:23
In the dictionaries
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
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