371 Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned , in the land of Canaan . 2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob . Joseph , when seventeen e years of age , was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth , along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah , his father's wives . And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father . 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons , because he was the son of his old age ; and he made him a varicolored tunic . 4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers ; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms .
5 Then Joseph had a dream , and when he told it to his brothers , they hated him even more e . 6 He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had ; 7 for behold , we were binding sheaves in the field , and lo , my sheaf rose up and also stood erect ; and behold , your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf ." 8 Then his brothers said to him, " Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more e for his dreams and for his words . 9 Now he had still another dream , and related it to his brothers , and said , "Lo , I have had still another dream ; and behold , the sun and the moon and eleven e stars were bowing down to me." 10 He related it to his father and to his brothers ; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have had ? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground ?" 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 37:1-11
Commentary on Genesis 37:1-4
(Read Genesis 37:1-4)
In Joseph's history we see something of Christ, who was first humbled and then exalted. It also shows the lot of Christians, who must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom. It is a history that has none like it, for displaying the various workings of the human mind, both good and bad, and the singular providence of God in making use of them for fulfilling his purposes. Though Joseph was his father's darling, yet he was not bred up in idleness. Those do not truly love their children, who do not use them to business, and labour, and hardships. The fondling of children is with good reason called the spoiling of them. Those who are trained up to do nothing, are likely to be good for nothing. But Jacob made known his love, by dressing Joseph finer than the rest of his children. It is wrong for parents to make a difference between one child and another, unless there is great cause for it, by the children's dutifulness, or undutifulness. When parents make a difference, children soon notice it, and it leads to quarrels in families. Jacob's sons did that, when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have done at home with him; but Joseph gave his father an account of their ill conduct, that he might restrain them. Not as a tale-bearer, to sow discord, but as a faithful brother.
Commentary on Genesis 37:5-11
(Read Genesis 37:5-11)
God gave Joseph betimes the prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him under his long and grievous troubles. Observe, Joseph dreamed of his preferment, but he did not dream of his imprisonment. Thus many young people, when setting out in the world, think of nothing but prosperity and pleasure, and never dream of trouble. His brethren rightly interpreted the dream, though they abhorred the interpretation of it. While they committed crimes in order to defeat it, they were themselves the instruments of accomplishing it. Thus the Jews understood what Christ said of his kingdom. Determined that he should not reign over them, they consulted to put him to death; and by his crucifixion, made way for the exaltation they designed to prevent.