Genesis 37
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Summary
Jacob gives his youngest son Joseph a coat of many colors. When the elder sons of Jacob see Joseph's coat, they hate him. Joseph has two dreams, indicating that would rule over his brothers, which fosters further resentment. Joseph's brothers hate him more because of this. They conspire against him and desire to slay him. They ultimately decide to sell Joseph into Egypt. They take his coat of many colors and sprinkle it with goat's blood, and bring it back to Jacob, who mourns greatly for Joseph, who he believes to be dead.
Commentary
Bible Central Commentary
These free resources were developed for use in the free ScripturePlus app. Many of the contributors are professors of religion and ancient scripture at Brigham Young University.
Neal Rappleye, “Genesis 37,” in Genesis, Old Testament Minute Commentary Series, ed. Taylor Halverson (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2021).
Avram Shannon, “Camels,” in Old Testament Cultural Insights, ed. Taylor Halverson (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2022).
Historical Commentaries
Many of the commentaries below are in the public domain and were authored over 100 years ago. In many cases, they do not reflect the findings of modern scholarship, but they may be helpful for understanding the history of biblical scholarship.
Videos
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Historical Settings
Time
*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.
See Biblical Chronology- 1898 BC*
Further Reading
Book of Mormon Central, “Why Was It Significant that Nephi Was Made ‘a Ruler and a Teacher’ Over His Brethren? (1 Nephi 2:22),” KnoWhy 462 (August 28, 2018).
Book of Mormon Central, “How Was Nephi Similar to Joseph of Egypt? (1 Nephi 18:18),” KnoWhy 416 (March 15, 2018).
RoseAnn Benson, “The Title of Liberty and Ancient Prophecy,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 23 (2017): 299–307.
Matthew L. Bowen, “’We Are a Remnant of the Seed of Joseph’: Moroni’s Interpretive Use of Joseph’s Coat and the Martial nēs-Imagery of Isaiah 11:11–12,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 41 (2020): 169–192.
Matthew L. Bowen, “’Their Anger Did Increase Against Me’: Nephi’s Autobiographical Permutation of a Biblical Wordplay on the Name Joseph,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 23 (2017): 115–136.
Matthew L. Bowen, “‘And The Meek Also Shall Increase’: The Verb yāsap in Isaiah 29 and Nephi’s Prophetic Allusions to the Name Joseph in 2 Nephi 25–30.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 30 (2018): 5–42.
Matthew L. Bowen and Loren Blake Spendlove. “‘Thou Art the Fruit of My Loins’: The Interrelated Symbolism and Meanings of the Names Joseph and Ephraim in Ancient Scripture,” in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 28 (2018): 273–298.
James R. Clark, “Joseph of Egypt: Writings of Joseph,” in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4 vols., ed. Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: MacMillan Publishing, 1992), 2:761–762.
Ryan C. Jenkins, “Quiet Slumber: Revelation through Dreams,” Religious Educator 12, no. 1 (2011): 73–89.
Liesel C. McBride, “Joseph of Egypt: Seed of Joseph,” in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4 vols., ed. Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: MacMillan Publishing, 1992), 2:762.
Joseph Fielding McConkie, “Joseph of Egypt: Joseph, Son of Jacob,” in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4 vols., ed. Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: MacMillan Publishing, 1992), 2:760–761.
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