Genesis 37:7 - Exposition

For (literally, and ) , behold, we were binding sheaves —literally, binding things bound, i.e. sheaves, alumim, from alam , to bind; the order of the words and the participial form of the verb indicating that the speaker describes the vision as it appeared to his mind— in the field ,—literally, in the middle of the field ; from which it would appear that Jacob was not a mere nomad, but carried on agricultural operations like his father Isaac ( Genesis 26:12 )— and, lo ,—"the הֵנּה , as repeated in his narration, shows that he had a presentiment of something great" (Lange)— my sheaf arose, and also stood upright (literally, stood, i.e. placed itself upright, and remained so); and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance — i.e. bowed themselves down (cf. Genesis 23:7 , Abraham bowing to the Hethites)— to my sheaf . The fulfillment of this dream occurred in Egypt ( vide Genesis 42:6 ; Genesis 43:26 ; Genesis 44:14 ).