Genesis 37:9

“He dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream: look, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down before me.””
Genesis 37:9 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

He dreamedוַיַּחֲלֹםyetעוֹדanotherאַחֵרdreamחֲלוֹםand toldוַיְסַפֵּרitאֹתוֹto his brothers,לְאֶחָיוand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Look,הִנֵּהI have dreamedחָלַמְתִּיanotherעוֹדdream:חֲלוֹםlook,וְהִנֵּהthe sun,הַשֶּׁמֶשׁthe moon,וְהַיָּרֵחַand elevenוְאַחַד עָשָׂרstarsכּוֹכָבִיםwere bowing downמִשְׁתַּחֲוִיםbefore me.”לִי

Allusion · Revelation 12:1

Go to Revelation 12:1

Both texts join the sun, the moon, and the stars: eleven in Joseph’s dream; twelve in the woman’s crown.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

שֶּׁמֶשׁshemeshH8121ἥλιονhēlionG2246“sun”
יָּרֵחַyareajH3394σελήνηselēnēG4582“moon”
כּוֹכָבִיםkojavimH3556ἀστέρωνasterōnG792“star”

Genesis 37:9, word by word

He dreamedיַּחֲלֹםyachalom

dream

To see images and scenes while asleep.

Where else “yachalom” appears

anotherאַחֵרacher

other

Other, another; next.

Where else “acher” appears

dreamחֲלוֹםchalom

dream

Dream: what one sees while asleep. In the Bible, God sometimes speaks through dreams.

Where else “chalom” appears

and toldיְסַפֵּרyesaper

recount

To relate, declare: the heavens proclaim the glory of El.

Where else “yesaper” appears

to his brothersאֶחָיechay

brother

A son of the same father or the same mother.

Where else “echay” appears

and saidיֹּאמֶרyomer

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomer” appears

the sunשֶּׁמֶשׁshemesh

sun

The star that gives light and heat by day and marks the day and the year; "under the sun" means in this world.

Where else “shemesh” appears

the moonיָּרֵחַyareach

moon

Moon.

Where else “yareach” appears

and elevenאַחַדachad

one

The number one; just one and no more.

Where else “achad” appears

and elevenעָשָׂרasar

-teen (ten)

Ten, in the numbers from 11 to 19 (like the "-teen" in "thirteen"); also "-teenth".

Where else “asar” appears

starsכּוֹכָבִיםkochavim

star

Star.

Where else “kochavim” appears

were bowing downמִשְׁתַּחֲוִיםmishtachavim

bow down

To bow to the ground before someone in respect.

Where else “mishtachavim” appears

The context

8His brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed rule over us?” So they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of his words.

9 · This verse (above)

10He told it to his father and to his brothers, and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall we indeed come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down before you to the ground?”

Read all of Genesis 37

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?

How to use it