Genesis 37

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:14

And he said to him, go, I pray thee ,.... Or "now" F11 נא "nunc", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius. , directly, immediately, which is more agreeable to the authority of a father: see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks ; it having been many days, and perhaps months, since he had heard anything of them; and the rather Jacob might be under a concern for them, because of the danger they were exposed to from the neighbouring... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:15

And a certain man found him ,.... Many of the Jewish writers F12 Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. Targum Jon. & Jarchi in loc. say, this was an angel, the angel Gabriel, in the likeness of a man; but according to Aben Ezra, it was a traveller he met on the road; but it is more probable, as Schimidt observes, that it was some man at work in the field that came upon him and took notice of him: and, behold, he was wandering in the field ; in some field near Shechem, perhaps the same his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:16

And he said, I seek my brethren ,.... Whom, no doubt, he described to the man, and told him who they were, and to whom they belonged; or otherwise the man would have been at a loss to know who he meant, and what further to say to him, and without which Joseph would never have made the following request to him: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks ; in what part of the country they are, what field they are in, how far to it, and which the way. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:17

And the man said, they are departed hence ,.... They had been there, in the field where he and Joseph were, and which was probably the field before mentioned; but for good reasons, perhaps for want of pasture, or in order to find better feeding for their cattle, they were gone from thence, from the fields about Shechem: for I heard them say, let us go to Dothan ; this was, as some say, four miles from Shechem, others eight F13 Bunting's Travels, p. 79. Ainsworth in loc. ; according... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:18

And when they saw him afar off ,.... They knew him as soon as they saw him, by his stature, his gesture or manner of walking, and especially by his coat of various colours he now had on, Genesis 37:23 , even before he came near unto them ; the distance he was from them when they first spied him is particularly remarked and repeated, not to show the quickness of their sight, but for the sake of what follows; to observe how soon their passions were raised, how intense and prepense their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:19

And they said one to another ,.... According to the Targum of Jonathan, Simeon and Levi said what follows: nor is it unlikely, since they were hot, passionate, cruel, and bloody minded men, as appears by the affair of Shechem; and perhaps this may be the reason why Joseph afterwards, when governor of Egypt, took Simeon and bound him, Genesis 42:24 ; which was but a just retaliation for his advice to cast him into a pit when slain: behold, this dreamer cometh ; or "master of dreams" ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:20

Come now therefore, and let us slay him ,.... Agree to do it, and actually do it: and cast him into some pit ; or, "one of the pits" F19 באחד הברות "in unam cisternarum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "in unam ex cisternis istis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in unam fovearum", Schmidt. , which were near, and were dug for the collection of rainwater, as was usual in those countries where water was scarce: and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him ; which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:21

And Reuben heard it ,.... Overheard what they said, not being in the consultation; perhaps knowing his temper and disposition to be more mild and gentle, and being the elder brother, might fear he would overrule matters against them, and therefore Simeon and Levi did not choose to have him in the debate; or he might be at some distance and entirely absent when the consultation was held, and their intention was reported to him by some of them: and he delivered him out of their hands ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:22

And Reuben said unto them, shed no blood ,.... Innocent blood, as the Targum of Jonathan; the blood of a man, a brother's blood, one that had not done anything wherefore it should be shed, and which would involve in guilt, and bring vengeance on them: he seems to put them in mind of the original law in Genesis 9:6 , but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him : which might seem to answer the same purpose, namely, by depriving him of his life in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:23

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren ,.... To the very place where they were, and had, in a kind and obliging manner, asked of their welfare, and related their father's concern for them, who had sent him on this errand: that they stripped, Joseph out of his coat; his coat of many colours, that was on him ; according to Jarchi and Aben Ezra, this was not one and the same coat, but divers, and that the sense is, that with his coat of many colours, and besides... read more

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