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 generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3Now 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. 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. 5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

Genesis 37:4 word by word

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

• 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 37:5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
• Genesis 4:5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
• Genesis 27:41And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
• Genesis 49:23The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
• 1 Samuel 16:12And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And Yhwh said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
• 1 Samuel 17:28And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
• Psalms 38:19But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
• Psalms 69:4They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
• John 7:3His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
• John 15:18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
• 1 John 2:11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
• 1 John 3:10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
• 1 John 4:20If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath 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