Genesis 37:16-36

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:33

And he knew it , and said, it is my son's coat ,.... He took it, and examined it, and was soon convinced, and well assured it was his son's coat; read the words without the supplement "it is", and the pathos will appear the more, "my son's coat!" and think with what a beating heart, with what trembling limbs, with what wringing of hands, with what flowing eyes, and faultering speech, he spoke these words, and what follow: an evil beast hath devoured him ; this was natural to conclude... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:34

And Jacob rent his clothes ,.... As expressive of his grief and mourning for the death of his son, as he supposed: and put sackcloth upon his loins ; put off his usual apparel, and put on a coarse garment on his loins next to his flesh, as another token of his great trouble and affliction for the loss of his son; which though afterwards was frequently done in times of public or private mourning, yet this is the first time we read of it; whether Jacob was the first that used it, whom his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:35

And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him ,.... His sons must act a most hypocritical part in this affair; and as for his daughters, it is not easy to say who they were, since he had but one daughter that we read of, whose name was Dinah: the Targum of Jonathan calls them his sons wives; but it is a question whether any of his sons were as yet married, since the eldest of them was not more than twenty four years of age; and much less can their daughters be supposed to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 37:36

And the Midianites sold him into Egypt ,.... Or Medanites, who sprung from Medan, a brother of Midian, and son of Keturah, Genesis 24:2 ; and were distinct from the Midianites, though they dwelt near them, and were now in company with them, and with the Ishmaelites, and were all concerned in the buying and selling of Joseph, and therefore this is sometimes ascribed to the one, and sometimes to the other: unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh ; the word is sometimes used for an eunuch,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 37:19

Behold, this dreamer cometh - החלמות בעל baal hachalomoth , this master of dreams, this master dreamer. A form of speech which conveys great contempt. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 37:20

Come now and let us slay him - What unprincipled savages these must have been to talk thus coolly about imbruing their hands in an innocent brother's blood! How necessary is a Divine revelation, to show man what God hates and what he loves! Ferocious cruelty is the principal characteristic of the nations and tribes who receive not the law at his mouth. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 37:21

Reuben heard it - Though Reuben appears to have been a transgressor of no ordinary magnitude, if we take Genesis 35:22 ; according to the letter, yet his bosom was not the habitation of cruelly. He determined, if possible, to save his brother from death, and deliver him safely to his father, with whose fondness for him he was sufficiently acquainted. Josephus, in his usual way, puts a long flourishing speech in the mouth of Reuben on the occasion, spoken in order to dissuade his brethren... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 37:23

They stripped Joseph out of his coat - This probably was done that, if ever found, he might not be discerned to be a person of distinction, and consequently, no inquiry made concerning him. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 37:25

They sat down to eat bread - Every act is perfectly in character, and describes forcibly the brutish and diabolic nature of their ruthless souls. A company of Ishmaelites - We may naturally suppose that this was a caravan, composed of different tribes that, for their greater safety, were traveling together, and of which Ishmaelites and Midianites made the chief. In the Chaldee they are called Arabians, which, from ערב arab , to mingle, was in all probability used by the Targumist as... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 37:28

For twenty pieces of silver - In the Anglo-Saxon it is thirty pence. This, I think, is the first instance on record of selling a man for a slave; but the practice certainly did not commence now, it had doubtless been in use long before. Instead of pieces, which our translators supply, the Persian has miskal , which was probably intended to signify a shekel; and if shekels be intended, taking them at three shillings each, Joseph was sold for about three pounds sterling. I have known a whole... read more

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