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 genealogies of Jacob. When Joseph was 17 years old (he was a youth), he was shepherding the flocks with his brothers—with the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. 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. So he had made him a long-sleeved tunic. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak to him in shalom. 5Then Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers—and they hated him even more. 6He said to them, “Please listen to this dream I dreamed.

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 37:5Then Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers—and they hated him even more.
• Genesis 4:5but upon Cain and his offering He did not look favorably. Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
• Genesis 27:41So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “Let the time for mourning my father draw near, so that I can kill my brother Jacob!”
• Genesis 49:23The archers were bitter and shot arrows and were hostile towards him.
• 1 Samuel 16:12So he sent word and had him come. Now he was ruddy-cheeked, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. Then Adonai said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is the one.”
• 1 Samuel 17:28Now when Eliab his oldest brother heard him speaking to the men, Eliab’s anger was kindled against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “So with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart! For you’ve come down here to watch the battle.”
• Psalms 38:19So I confess my guilt. I am troubled because of my sin.
• Psalms 69:4I am worn out by my crying, my throat is parched, my eyes fail, waiting for my God.
• John 7:3Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so Your disciples also may see the works You are doing.
• John 15:18“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before you.
• 1 John 2:11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has made his eyes blind.
• 1 John 3:10It is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil by this—anyone who does not act righteously or love his brother is not of God.
• 1 John 4:20If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother, 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