4
His brothersאֶחָיוsawוַיִּרְאוּthatכִּיtheir fatherאֲבִיהֶםlovedאָהַבhimאֹתוֹmore than allמִכָּלhis brothers,אֶחָיוand they hatedוַיִּשְׂנְאוּhimאֹתוֹand could notוְלֹא יָכְלוּspeak to himדַּבְּרוֹin peace.לְשָׁלֹם
Genesis 37:4
Study it in the app“His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him and could not speak to him in peace.”
Jacob's favoritism toward Joseph stirs his brothers' hatredParents and Children
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 37:4, word by word
- His brothersאֶחָיechay
brother
A son of the same father or the same mother.
Where else “echay” appears- sawיִּרְאוּyiru
realize
To realize: "he saw that it was good".
Where else “yiru” appears- their fatherאֲבִיavi
father
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appears- lovedאָהַבahav
love
To care for someone from the heart and seek their good.
Where else “ahav” appears- and they hatedיִּשְׂנְאוּyisnu
hate
To feel rejection and hostility toward someone, to the point of wishing him harm.
Where else “yisnu” appears- and could notיָכְלוּyachlu
be able
To have the strength, the permission or the opportunity to do something.
Where else “yachlu” appears- speak to himדַּבְּרdabr
speak
To speak, say something; above all God to his people.
Where else “dabr” appears- in peaceשָׁלֹםshalom
peace
Living without war or quarrels, in harmony.
Where else “shalom” appears
The context
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe.
4 · This verse (above)
5Joseph dreamed a dream and told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more.
To study Genesis 37 in a group
1. What it says
What did the brothers do to Joseph, and what did they tell Jacob (vv. 23-33)?
2. What it means
What reasons did the brothers have for hating Joseph (vv. 3-4, 8)?
3. How I live it
How do you handle envy when someone receives more attention than you?