Genesis 37:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

NIV: Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.

NASB: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a multicolored tunic.

CSB: Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a long-sleeved robe for him.

NLT: Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph — a beautiful robe.

KJV: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

NKJV: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.

Hard feelings between 17-year-old Joseph and his ten older stepbrothers have probably been building for a while. The previous verse reports he brought some drastic, scandalously bad report about his brothers to their father, Jacob (Genesis 37:2). The favoritism implied in other parts of this passage is stated explicitly here. Jacob (Genesis 35:10) saw Joseph as his favorite son. This is probably because Joseph was the first born to Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel (Genesis 30:22–24).

Jacob's own parents displayed blatant favoritism (Genesis 25:27–28). Clearly not learning from that example, Jacob gives Joseph an extravagant gift. The Hebrew term describing this is usually translated as a "multicolored robe" or a "coat of many colors." The original language seems to be a figure of speech: the garment was probably long-sleeved and finely woven with gold or other colors. Normal tunics of that era would have been plain and sleeveless. Joseph's may also have had ornate trim or other designs. In that context, such an item was not something worn for manual labor. It may suggest Jacob thought of Joseph as his primary heir.

The brothers' response to this outrageous partiality is not surprising. They hate Joseph so much they can't even speak to him in civil terms (Genesis 37:4). Whether Jacob notices this, or cares, is never explained. When Jacob's naivety leads him to describe dreams that further elevate him (Genesis 37:5, 9), bitterness will become bloodthirst (Genesis 37:18, 28).

Genesis 37:1–11 describes Jacob's love and favor for one of his sons, Joseph. The most obvious sign of this extreme partiality is an extravagant robe given to Joseph by his father. Jacob seems to have forgotten the damage done by his parents' own favoritism (Genesis 25:27–28). He ignores or fails to recognize the jealous hatred brewing among his other sons. The situation festers until the brothers can't say a kind word to Joseph. After Joseph reports two prophetic dreams which suggest he will one day rule over them all, they become even more jealous and enraged.

Joseph, 17, is deeply loved by his father Jacob and deeply resented by his ten older brothers thanks to Jacob's favoritism. Jacob gives Joseph a princely robe, and Joseph reports dreams that predict his family will one day bow before him. When alone with Joseph in the wilderness, the brothers decide to kill him. Reuben stops them, suggesting they throw him alive into a pit, instead. While Reuben is gone, however, the brothers sell Joseph to slave-traders, later convincing their father Joseph has been killed by a wild animal. Joseph is placed in the home of an Egyptian nobleman.

Following the death of Isaac and the story of Esau's people, Genesis begins a section called the "generations of Jacob." The story will focus primarily on Jacob's son Joseph. Joseph is deeply hated by his brothers. While alone with him in the wilderness, they sell him to slave-traders, who take Joseph to Egypt. Chapter 38 details some of the scandals which happened while Joseph was gone. Genesis 39 will resume a focus on Joseph's experiences.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.