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

2This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly. 5Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. 6He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:

Genesis 37:4 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that their fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• lovedאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• they hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
• him, and couldיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• not speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• peaceablyשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965

Cross-references for Genesis 37:4

• Genesis 37:5Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more.
• Genesis 4:5but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.
• Genesis 27:41So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. Esau said privately, “The time of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill my brother Jacob!”
• Genesis 49:23The archers will attack him, they will shoot at him and oppose him.
• 1 Samuel 16:12So Jesse had him brought in. Now he was ruddy, with attractive eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him. This is the one!”
• 1 Samuel 17:28When David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch the battle!”
• Psalms 38:19But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; those who hate me without cause outnumber me.
• Psalms 69:4Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head. Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me. They make me repay what I did not steal!
• John 7:3So Jesus’ brothers advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing.
• John 15:18“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first.
• 1 John 2:11But the one who hates his fellow Christian is in the darkness, 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 revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness – the one who does not love his fellow Christian – is not of God.
• 1 John 4:20If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian 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