1tn Heb the land of the sojournings of his father.
2sn The next section begins with the heading This is the account of Jacob in Gen 37:2, so this verse actually forms part of the preceding section as a concluding contrast with Esau and his people. In contrast to all the settled and expanded population of Esau, Jacob was still moving about in the land without a permanent residence and without kings. Even if the Edomite king list was added later (as the reference to kings in Israel suggests), its placement here in contrast to Jacob and his descendants is important. Certainly the text deals with Esau before dealing with Jacobthat is the pattern. But the detail is so great in chap. 36 that the contrast cannot be missed.
3tn Heb a son of seventeen years. The word son is in apposition to the name Joseph.
4tn Or tending; Heb shepherding or feeding.
5tn Or perhaps a helper. The significance of this statement is unclear. It may mean now the lad was with, or it may suggest Joseph was like a servant to them.
6tn Heb and he [was] a young man with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father.
7tn Heb their bad report. The pronoun is an objective genitive, specifying that the bad or damaging report was about the brothers.
sn Some interpreters portray Joseph as a tattletale for bringing back a bad report about them [i.e., his brothers], but the entire Joseph story has some of the characteristics of wisdom literature. Joseph is presented in a good lightnot because he was perfect, but because the narrative is showing how wisdom rules. In light of that, this section portrays Joseph as faithful to his father in little things, even though unpopularand so he will eventually be given authority over greater things.
8tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information vital to the story. It explains in part the brothers animosity toward Joseph.
sn The statement Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons brings forward a motif that played an important role in the family of Isaacparental favoritism. Jacob surely knew what that had done to him and his brother Esau, and to his own family. But now he showers affection on Rachels son Joseph.
9tn Heb a son of old age was he to him. This expression means a son born to him when he [i.e., Jacob] was old.
10tn It is not clear what this tunic was like, because the meaning of the Hebrew word that describes it is uncertain. The idea that it was a coat of many colors comes from the Greek translation of the OT. An examination of cognate terms in Semitic suggests it was either a coat or tunic with long sleeves (cf. NEB, NRSV), or a tunic that was richly embroidered (cf. NIV). It set Joseph apart as the favored one.
11tn Heb his; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12tn Heb of his brothers. This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun them.
13tn Heb speak to him for peace.
14tn Heb and he; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15tn Heb dreamed a dream.
16sn Some interpreters see Joseph as gloating over his brothers, but the text simply says he told his brothers about it (i.e., the dream). The text gives no warrant for interpreting his manner as arrogant or condescending. It seems normal that he would share a dream with the family.
17tn The construction uses a hendiadys, they added to hate, meaning they hated him even more.
18tn Heb hear this dream which I dreamed.
19tn All three clauses in this dream report begin with hN}h!w+ (w+h!N}h, and look), which lends vividness to the report. This is represented in the translation by the expression there we were.
20tn The verb means to bow down to the ground. It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.
21tn Heb Ruling, will you rule over us, or reigning, will you reign over us? The statement has a poetic style, with the two questions being in synonymous parallelism. Both verbs in this statement are preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Josephs brothers said, You dont really think you will rule over us, do you? You dont really think you will have dominion over us, do you?
22tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.
23sn The response of Josephs brothers is understandable, given what has already been going on in the family. But here there is a hint of uneasinessthey hated him because of his dream and because of his words. The dream bothered them, as well as his telling them. And their words in the rhetorical question are ironic, for this is exactly what would happen. The dream was Gods way of revealing it.
24tn Heb And he dreamed yet another dream.
25tn Heb and he said, Look. The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. Both clauses of the dream report begin with hN}h! (h!N}h, look), which lends vividness to the report.
26sn The question What is this dream that you had? expresses Jacobs dismay at what he perceives to be Josephs audacity.
27tn Heb Coming, will we come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down to you to the ground? The verb come is preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Jacob said, You dont really think we will come
to bow down
do you?
28sn Josephs brothers were already jealous of him, but this made it even worse. Such jealousy easily leads to action, as the next episode in the story shows. Yet dreams were considered a form of revelation, and their jealousy was not only of the favoritism of their father, but of the dreams. This is why Jacob kept the matter in mind.
29tn Heb kept the word. The referent of the Hebrew term word has been specified as what Joseph said in the translation for clarity, and the words in mind have been supplied for stylistic reasons.
30tn The text uses an interrogative clause: Are not your brothers, which means your brothers are.
31sn With these words Joseph is depicted here as an obedient son who is ready to do what his father commands.
32tn Heb and he said, Here I am. The referent of the pronoun he (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
33tn Heb he; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
34tn Heb see.
35tn Heb peace.
36tn Heb he; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
37tn Heb and he [i.e., Joseph] went to Shechem. The referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
38tn Heb and a man found him and look, he was wandering in the field. By the use of hN}h!w+ (w+h!N}h, and look), the narrator invites the reader to see the action through this unnamed mans eyes.
39tn The imperative in this sentence has more of the nuance of a request than a command.
40tn Heb they traveled from this place.
41tn Heb and they; the referent (Josephs brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
42tn Heb Look, this master of dreams is coming. The brothers words have a sarcastic note and indicate that they resent his dreams.
43tn The Hebrew word can sometimes carry the nuance evil, but when used of an animal it refers to a dangerous wild animal.
44tn Heb what his dreams will be.
45tn Heb him; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
46sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).
47tn Heb and he said.
48tn Heb we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.
49tn Heb and Reuben said to them.
50sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reubens words.
51tn The words Reuben said this are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
52tn Heb him; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
53tn Heb from their hands (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as them here for stylistic reasons.
54tn Heb Joseph; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (him) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
55tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that helps the reader or hearer to picture what happened.
56tn Heb lifted up their eyes.
57tn Heb and they saw and look. By the use of hN}h!w+ (w+h!N}h, and look), the narrator invites the reader to see the event through the eyes of the brothers.
58tn Heb and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh, going to go down to Egypt.
59tn Heb let not our hand be upon him.
60tn Heb listened.
61sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.
62tn Heb they drew and they lifted up. The referent (Josephs brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity; otherwise the reader might assume the Midianites had pulled Joseph from the cistern (but cf. NAB).
63tn Heb Joseph (both here and in the following clause); the proper name has been replaced both times by the pronoun him in the translation for stylistic reasons.
64tn Heb they; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
65tn Heb and look, Joseph was not in the cistern. By the use of hN}h!w+ (w+h!N}h, and look), the narrator invites the reader to see the situation through Reubens eyes.
66sn It was with two young goats that Jacob deceived his father (Gen 27:9); now with a young goat his sons continue the deception that dominates this family.
67tn Heb and they sent the special tunic and they brought [it] to their father. The text as it stands is problematic. It sounds as if they sent the tunic on ahead and then came and brought it to their father. Some emend the second verb to a Qal form and read and they came. In this case, they sent the tunic on ahead.
68sn A wild animal has eaten him. Jacob draws this conclusion on his own without his sons actually having to lie with their words (see v. 20). Dipping the tunic in the goats blood was the only deception needed.
69tn Heb and put sackcloth on his loins.
70tn Heb arose, stood; which here suggests that they stood by him in his time of grief.
71tn Heb and he said, Indeed I will go down to my son mourning to Sheol. Sheol was viewed as the place where departed spirits went after death.
72tn Heb his; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
73tn The disjunctive clause formally signals closure for this episode of Josephs story, which will be resumed in Gen 39.
74tc The MT spells the name of the merchants as <yn]d`m= (m=d*n]<, Medanites) rather than <yn]y`d+m! (m!dy`n]<, Midianites) as in v. 28. It is likely that the MT is corrupt at this point, with the letter yod being accidentally omitted. The LXX, Vg, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac read Midianites here. Some prefer to read Medanites both here and in v. 28, but Judg 8:24, which identifies the Midianites and Ishmaelites, favors the reading Midianites.
75tn Heb him; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
76sn The expression captain of the guard might indicate that Potiphar was the chief executioner.