Genesis 37:2

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 37:2

Genesis 37:2. These are the generations of Jacob The events or occurrences which happened to Jacob in his family and issue; as the word is used, chap. Genesis 6:9, and Numbers 3:1. The genealogy of Esau, which was brought in by way of parenthesis, being finished, Moses returns to the family of Jacob, and proceeds in his narration of their concerns. And it is not a barren genealogy like that of Esau, but a memorable, useful history. Joseph brought to his father their evil report Jacob’s... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:1-36

37:1-50:26 FAMILY GROWTH AND THE MOVE TO EGYPTJoseph taken to Egypt (37:1-36)God had told Abraham that his descendants would become slaves in a foreign land, and would remain there till Canaan was ready for judgment. Then they would destroy the Canaanites and possess their land (see 15:13-16). The long story of Joseph shows how God was directing events according to his preannounced purposes.Being the father’s favourite, Joseph was not popular with his ten older brothers. He was even less... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 37:2

"These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren. And he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought the evil report of them unto their father.""These are the generations of Jacob ..." The word here is the great divisional marker in Genesis, [~toledowth], invariably denoting what follows, not that which precedes. This tenth and final division of Genesis "covers the period of... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 37:2

Genesis 37:2. These are the generations of Jacob— i.e.. These are the things which befel Jacob, the transactions of him and his family. As nothing is here said of genealogy, or beget-ting children, it is plain that the original word here, as in some other passages of Scripture, should be rendered the history. Two reasons are generally assigned, why Moses is more full in relating the adventures of Joseph, than of any other of Jacob's children. The one, because his life is a bright example of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 37:2

2. generations—leading occurrences, in the domestic history of Jacob, as shown in the narrative about to be commenced. Joseph . . . was feeding the flock—literally, "Joseph being seventeen years old was a shepherd over the flock"—he a lad, with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. Oversight or superintendence is evidently implied. This post of chief shepherd in the party might be assigned him either from his being the son of a principal wife or from his own superior qualities of character; and if... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 37:2-4

Joseph was tending his father’s flock with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. This description prefigures Joseph’s later shepherding role in relation to his brothers, after they became dependent on him. David also tended sheep in preparation for his role as a leader of people.Joseph’s "bad report" implies that the brothers were participating in serious wicked behavior. This is not hard to believe in view of their former treatment of the Shechemites and their later treatment of Joseph... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 37:2-11

1. God’s choice of Joseph 37:2-11Joseph faithfully served his father even bringing back a bad report of his brothers’ behavior to him for which Jacob expressed his love by giving Joseph preferential treatment. However his brothers envied and hated him. God confirmed His choice of Joseph as leader, an event that perplexed Jacob and infuriated Joseph’s brothers. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 37:2-26

E. What Became of Jacob 37:2-50:26Here begins the tenth and last toledot in Genesis. Jacob remains a major character throughout Genesis. Moses recorded his death in chapter 49. Nevertheless Joseph replaces him as the focus of the writer’s attention at this point. [Note: For some enriching insights into the similarities between the stories of Jacob and Joseph, see Peter Miscall, "The Jacob and Joseph Stories As Analogies," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 6 (February 1978):28-40.]... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 37:1-36

Joseph is Hated by his Brethren and Sold into EgyptWith the exception of a few passages chiefly in Genesis 46, 49, the rest of the book of Genesis is taken from the Primitive source.The chief event with which the rest of Genesis is concerned, namely, the migration of Israel to Egypt, displays the working out of God’s purposes declared in Genesis 15. In Egypt the chosen race grew in peace from a tribe to a nation, instead of having to encounter the hostility of the Canaanites as their numbers... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 37:2

THE TÔLDÔTH JACOB. JOSEPH IS SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN INTO EGYPT.(2) The generations of Jacob.—This Tôldôth, according to the undeviating rule, is the history of Jacob’s descendants, and specially of Joseph. So the Tôldôth of the heaven and earth (Genesis 2:4) gives the history of the creation and fall of man. So the Tôldôth Adam was the history of the flood; and, not to multiply instances, that of Terah was the history of Abraham. (See Note on Genesis 28:10.) This Tôldôth, therefore, extends to... read more

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