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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.

Context of Genesis 37:4

2This is the account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. 3Now 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. 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. 5Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the 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 it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.
• Genesis 4:5but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
• Genesis 27:41Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
• Genesis 49:23With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.
• 1 Samuel 16:12So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
• 1 Samuel 17:28When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
• Psalms 38:19Many have become my enemies without cause; those who hate me without reason are numerous.
• Psalms 69:4Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.
• John 7:3Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do.
• John 15:18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
• 1 John 2:11But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.
• 1 John 3:10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
• 1 John 4:20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have 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