The Meaning of Genesis 37:2 Explained

Genesis 37:2

KJV: These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

YLT: These are births of Jacob: Joseph, a son of seventeen years, hath been enjoying himself with his brethren among the flock, (and he is a youth,) with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and Joseph bringeth in an account of their evil unto their father.

Darby: These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, fed the flock with his brethren; and he was doing service with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought to his father an evil report of them.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

These [are] the generations  of Jacob.  Joseph,  [being] seventeen  years  old,  was feeding  the flock  with his brethren;  and the lad  [was] with the sons  of Bilhah,  and with the sons  of Zilpah,  his father's  wives:  and Joseph  brought  unto his father  their evil  report. 

What does Genesis 37:2 Mean?

Study Notes

Joseph
While it is nowhere asserted that Joseph was a type of Christ, the analogies are too numerous to be accidental. They are:
(1) both were especial objects of a father's love Genesis 37:3 ; Matthew 3:17 ; John 3:35 ; John 5:20 .
(2) both were hated by their brethren Genesis 37:4 ; John 15:25 .
(3) the superior claims of both were rejected by their brethren Genesis 37:8 ; Matthew 21:37-39 ; John 15:24 ; John 15:25 .
(4) the brethren of both conspired against them to slay them Genesis 37:18 ; Matthew 26:3 ; Matthew 26:4 .
(5) Joseph was, in intent and figure, slain by his brethren, as was Christ Genesis 37:24 ; Matthew 27:35-37 .
(6) each became a blessing among the Gentiles, and gained a Gentile bride Genesis 41:1-45 ; Acts 15:14 ; Ephesians 5:25-32 .
(7) as Joseph reconciled his brethren to himself, and afterward exalted them, so will it be with Christ and His Jewish brethren Genesis 45:1-15 ; Deuteronomy 30:1-10 ; Hosea 2:14-18 ; Romans 11:1 ; Romans 11:15 ; Romans 11:25 ; Romans 11:26 .

Context Summary

Genesis 37:1-11 - Joseph Loved And Hated His Dreams
It is a mistake for parents to show favoritism; but we can hardly wonder at Jacob's partiality for the lad, who reminded him so vividly of the beloved Rachel. Besides, there were a purity and an elevation of spirit in Joseph that stood out in welcome contrast to the coarse brutality and impurity of the others. He was separate from his brethren, Genesis 49:26. The coat of many colors was, as r.v. margin indicates, a long garment of delicate texture, with sleeves, that was the dress of the young princes or nobles, who were not called to the menial toil of the field or household. The dreams of youth are proverbial and prophetic. In this case it would have been wiser for the lad to have kept his secrets locked in his own heart, though it was a tribute to his simplicity and ingenuousness that he must needs disclose them. The suggestion of coming greatness aroused his brothers' sharpest envy, but the hands of the Mighty One upheld the lad, Genesis 49:23. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 37

1  Joseph is loved by Jacob, but hated by his brothers
5  His dreams and the interpretation
12  Jacob sends him to his brothers, who counsel to slay him
21  At Reuben's desire they cast him into a pit;
25  and afterwards sell him to the Ishmaelites;
29  while Ruben grieves at not finding him
31  His coat, covered with blood, is sent to Jacob, who mourns him inordinately
36  Joseph is brought to Egypt and sold to Potiphar

What do the individual words in Genesis 37:2 mean?

These [are] the generations of Jacob Joseph [being] old seven [and] ten years was feeding with his brothers the flock and was the boy the sons of Bilhah and of Zilpah wives of his father And brought Joseph - a report of them bad to his father
אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת : יַעֲקֹ֗ב יוֹסֵ֞ף בֶּן־ שְׁבַֽע־ עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֨ה רֹעֶ֤ה אֶת־ אֶחָיו֙ בַּצֹּ֔אן וְה֣וּא נַ֗עַר בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָ֛ה וְאֶת־ זִלְפָּ֖ה נְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־ דִּבָּתָ֥ם רָעָ֖ה אֶל־ אֲבִיהֶֽם

אֵ֣לֶּה ׀  These  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
תֹּלְד֣וֹת  the  generations 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: תֹּולֵדֹות  
Sense: descendants, results, proceedings, generations, genealogies.
: יַעֲקֹ֗ב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
יוֹסֵ֞ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
בֶּן־  [being]  old 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שְׁבַֽע־  seven 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
שָׁנָה֙  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
רֹעֶ֤ה  feeding 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
אֶחָיו֙  his  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
בַּצֹּ֔אן  the  flock 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וְה֣וּא  and  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
נַ֗עַר  the  boy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בִלְהָ֛ה  of  Bilhah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בִּלְהָה 
Sense: Rachel’s handmaid whom she gave to Jacob as a concubine, mother to two of Jacob’s children, Dan and Naphtali.
זִלְפָּ֖ה  of  Zilpah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: זִלְפָּה  
Sense: the Syrian given by Laban to Leah as a handmaid, a concubine of Jacob, mother of Asher and Gad.
נְשֵׁ֣י  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
אָבִ֑יו  of  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וַיָּבֵ֥א  And  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
יוֹסֵ֛ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דִּבָּתָ֥ם  a  report  of  them 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דִּבָּה  
Sense: whispering, defamation, evil report.
רָעָ֖ה  bad 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
אֲבִיהֶֽם  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.