Genesis 37:4

Genesis 37:4 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Context of Genesis 37:4

2These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when he was seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers, while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a multicolored tunic. And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. 5Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had;

Genesis 37:4 word by word

וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכָּל־אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃Read the interlinear

• And his brothersאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that their fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• lovedאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• him moreמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
• him and couldיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• not speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• on friendlyשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965

Cross-references for Genesis 37:4

• Genesis 37:5Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
• Genesis 4:5but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his face was gloomy.
• Genesis 27:41So Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
• Genesis 49:23The archers provoked him, And shot at him and were hostile toward him;
• 1 Samuel 16:12So he sent word and brought him in. Now he was reddish, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.”
• 1 Samuel 17:28Now Eliab his oldest brother heard him when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why is it that you have come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I myself know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.”
• Psalms 38:19But my enemies are vigorous and strong, And those who wrongfully hate me are many.
• Psalms 69:4Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, those who oppose me with lies; What I did not steal, I then have to restore.
• John 7:3So His brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.
• John 15:18“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
• 1 John 2:11But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
• 1 John 3:10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.
• 1 John 4:20If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

Commentaries on Genesis 37:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And could not speak peaceably unto him - Does not this imply, in our use of the term, that they were continually quarrelling with him? but this is no meaning of the original: לשלם דברו יכלו ולא velo yachelu dabbero leshalom, they could not speak peace to him, i. e., they would not accost him in a friendly manner. They would not even wish him well. The eastern method of salutation is, Peace be to thee! לך שלום shalom lecha, among the Hebrews, and salam…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. 4Jacob’s favoritism (treating one child better than the others) toward Joseph made his other sons hate him even more. In the same way, Isaac’s and Rebekah’s favoritism had divided their family. Now Jacob’s favoritism would lead to separation between him and his son Joseph.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. could not speak peaceably unto him--did not say "peace be to thee" [Ge 43:23, &c.], the usual expression of good wishes among friends and acquaintances. It is deemed a sacred duty to give all this form of salutation; and the withholding of it is an unmistakable sign of dislike or secret hostility. The habitual refusal of Joseph's brethren, therefore, to meet him with "the salaam," showed how ill-disposed they were towards him. It is very natural in…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 37:4

• Children
• Envy
• Favoritism
• Jacob
• Jealousy
• Joseph
• Parents
• Partiality
• Sin

In the dictionaries

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

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