John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Genesis 36:1
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 36
This chapter gives us a genealogical account of Esau's family, of his wives and sons, with whom he removed from Seir, Ge 36:1; of his sons' sons, or grandsons, who were dukes in the land of Edom,
Ge 36:11; after which is inserted a genealogy of Seir the Horite, into whose family Esau married, and of his children, and the dukes among them, Ge 36:20; then follows a list of the kings of Edom, before there were any in Israel, Ge 36:31; and the chapter is closed with a brief narration of the dukes of Esau, according to their families, Ge 36:40.
Ver. 1. Now these [are] the generations of Esau, who [is] Edom. Who was surnamed Edom, from the red pottage he sold his birthright for to his brother Jacob, Ge 25:30; an account is given of him, and his posterity, not only because he was a son of Isaac, lately made mention of as concerned in his burial; but because his posterity would be often taken notice of in the sacred Scriptures, and so their genealogy would serve to illustrate such passages; and Maimonides {m} thinks the principal reason is, that whereas Amalek, a branch of Esau's family, were to be destroyed by an express command of God, it was necessary that all the rest should be particularly described, lest they should all perish together; but other ends are answered hereby, as partly to show the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham, concerning the multiplication of his seed, and the accomplishment of the oracle to Rebekah, signifying that two nations were in her womb, one of which were those Edomites; as also to observe how the blessing of Isaac his father came upon him with effect, Ge 22:17.
{m} Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 50. p. 510.
Genesis 36:2
Ver. 2. And Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan,.... Of the Canaanites, the posterity of cursed Canaan, most of them were of them, though not all, the two following were, and so those, if different from them in Ge 26:34, one of his wives was of the family of Ishmael, as after related:
Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; according to Jarchi and Aben Ezra, this is the same with Bashemath, Ge 26:34; and that she had two names:
and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; the daughter of the one, and the granddaughter of the other, it being usual in Scripture to call grandchildren children, for Zibeon and Anah were father and son, Ge 36:24; and the Samaritan, Septuagint, and Syriac versions read here, "the daughter of Anah the son of Zibeon": there are an Anah and a Zibeon who were brethren, Ge 36:20; wherefore Aben Ezra supposes that these two brothers, or the father and son, lay with the same woman, and it could not be known whose child it was that was born of her, and therefore this was called the daughter of them both. Jarchi supposes this wife of Esau to be the same with Judith, Ge 26:34; but not only the names differ, but also the names of their fathers, and of the tribe or nation they were of.
Genesis 36:3
Ver. 3. And Bashemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebaioth,.... The eldest son of Ishmael, see Ge 28:9; called there Mahalath.
Genesis 36:4
Ver. 4. And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz,.... This son of Esau, according to Jerom {n}, is the same with him mentioned in the book of Job, as one of his friends that came to visit him, Job 2:11; and so says the Targum of Jonathan on Ge 36:10; but he rather was the grandson of this man, since he is called the Temanite:
and Bashemath bare Reuel; the name is the same with Reuel or Raguel, the name of Jethro; but cannot be the same person as is said by some, for he was a Midianite and not an Edomite, Ex 2:18.
{n} Trad. Heb. in Gen. fol. 71. L. tom. 3.
Genesis 36:5
Ver. 5. And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah,.... In this genealogy mention is made of another Korah among the sons of Eliphaz,
Ge 36:16; which Jarchi thinks is the same with this, and takes him to be a bastard, and begotten in incest by Eliphaz, on his father's wife Aholibamah; but Aben Ezra observes, that some are of opinion that there were two Korahs, one the son of Aholibamah, and the other the son of Adah; but he thinks there were but one, which was the son of Aholibamah, and is reckoned among the sons of Eliphaz, because he dwelt among them; or perhaps his mother died when he was little, and Adah brought him up with her sons, and so was reckoned her son; such were the children of Michal, Saul's daughter:
these [are] the sons of Esau, which were born to him in the land of Canaan; and we do not read of any born to him elsewhere; so that of all his wives, which some think were four, others five, he had but five sons; what daughters he had is not related, though from Ge 36:6, it appears he had some.
Genesis 36:6
Ver. 6. And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters,.... The names of his wives and sons are before given; but what were the names of his daughters, or their number, is not said:
and all the persons of his house: his menservants and maidservants that were born in his house, or bought with his money; the word for "persons" signifies "souls" {o}, and is sometimes used for slaves that are bought and sold, see Eze 27:13:
and his cattle, and all his beasts; his sheep and oxen, camels and asses:
and all his substance which he had got in the land of Canaan: before he went to Seir the first time, part of which he might leave behind in Canaan, with servants to improve it; and also that part of his father's personal estate which fell to him at his death, as well as what he might further acquire after his death, during his stay in Canaan:
and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob; not into another part of the same country; but into another country, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan supply it, and so the Arabic version, even unto Seir, as appears by what follows; and whither he had been before, and had obtained large possessions, and now having got all he could at his father's death, and collecting together all his other substance, thought fit to retire from thence to Seir, which he liked better, and for a reason afterwards given; God thus disposing his mind, and making the circumstances of things necessary, that he should remove in order to make way for Jacob, and his posterity, to dwell in a land which was designed for them: and so the Samaritan and Septuagint versions read it, "and he went out of the land of Canaan": and the Syriac version is, "and he went to the land of Seir". Some render the words to this sense, that he went thither "before the coming of Jacob" {p}; and it is true that he did go thither before his brother came again into Canaan; but of this the text speaks not, for what follows will not agree with it; others better, "because of Jacob" {q}; not for fear of him, as the Targum of Jonathan, which paraphrases the words,
"for the terror of his brother Jacob was cast upon him;''
but because he knew, by the blessing of his father, and the oracle of God, and his concurring providence in all things, that the land of Canaan belonged to him, and also for a reason that follows.
{o} twvpn "animus", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. {p} bqey ynpm "ante adventum", Jahakobi, Junius & Tremellius. {q} "Propter Jacobum", Piscarat.
Genesis 36:7
Ver. 7. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together,.... And therefore it was proper to part, as Abraham and Lot had done before, Ge 13:6;
and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them, because of their cattle; their cattle were so numerous that they could not get pasturage for them, there not being enough left them by the inhabitants of it for them to occupy; nor could they hire land of them sufficient for them both; they being not possessors but sojourners in it, and therefore could have no more of it than the inhabitants thought fit to let unto them.
Genesis 36:8
Ver. 8. Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir,.... Before he is said to be in the land of Seir, Ge 32:3; now to dwell in a mount of that name; from which driving the Horites, he seized upon and dwelt in it; it had not its name from his own rough, shaggy hair, as Josephus says {r}, much less from the satyrs, and hairy demons that frequented it, as R. Abraham Seba {s}, but rather from Seir the Horite who inhabited the land, Ge 36:20; unless he had his name from the mountain which might be so called, from its being rough and rugged like shaggy hair, and being covered with bushes and brambles which carried such a resemblance; and so it stands opposed to Mount Halak near it,
Jos 11:17, which signifies the bald or smooth mountain, being destitute of shrubs, &c. The Targum of Jonathan calls this mountain Mount Gabla, and one part of the land of Edom, or Idumea, was called Gobolites, as Josephus {t} relates, perhaps the same with Gebal,
Ps 83:7; hither Esau went and took up his residence, after things were amicably adjusted between him and his brother Jacob; the Jews say {u}, that Isaac left, all he had to his two sons, and that after they had buried him, Esau said to Jacob, let us divide what our father has left us into two parts, and I will choose because I am the firstborn; so Jacob divided it into two parts; all that his father had left he made one part, and the land of Israel the other part, and Esau took what his father left, see Ge 36:6; and the land of Israel and the cave of Machpelah he delivered to Jacob, and they drew up everlasting writings between them. Now this or something like it being the case, and those the circumstances of fixings, thus, and by that means, so it came to pass, that Esau dwelt in Seir; and Jacob remained secure and quiet in the land of Canaan;
Esau [is] Edom, so called from the red pottage he had of Jacob, which is repeated to fix the odium of that transaction upon him, as well as for the sake of what follows, showing the reason why his posterity were called Edomites.
{r} Antiqu. l. 1. c. 20. sect. 3. {s} Tzeror Hammor, fol. 47. 1. {t} Antiqu. l. 2. c. 1. sect. 2. {u} Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. fol. 43. 1.
Genesis 36:9
Ver. 9. And these are the generations of Esau,.... Or the posterity of Esau, his children and grandchildren, as before and hereafter related:
the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir; from whom they of that mountain and in the adjacent country had the name of Edomites or Idumeans.
Genesis 36:10
Ver. 10. These are the names of Esau's sons,.... In this and some following verses, an account is given of the sons of Esau, which agrees with what is before observed, and of his sons' sons:
Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau: who seems to be his first wife, and this his first son:
Reuel the son of Bashemath and wife of Esau; his second son by another wife, a daughter of Ishmael, Ge 36:3.
Genesis 36:11
Ver. 11. And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman,.... This was his firstborn, and from him the city of Teman in Edom or Idumea had its name, see Jer 49:7; and Eliphaz is called the Temanite from hence, Job 2:11; four more sons are mentioned,
Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz; but I do not find that any towns or cities, or any part of the land of Edom, were denominated from any of them; only it may be observed that Zepho is called Zephi in 1Ch 1:36; the account seems fabulous and not to be depended on, which Josephus Ben Gorion {w} gives of him, of opposing the burial of Jacob, being taken by Joseph and carried into Egypt, and at his death fleeing to Carthage, and from thence to the Romans, and was king of them {x}.
{w} Hist. Heb. l. 1. c. 2. vid. Chizzuk Emunab, par. l. c. 6. p. 66. & Nachman apud Buxtorf. Lex. Talmud. col. 31, 32. {x} Vid. Huls. Theolog. Jud. par. 1. p. 132, &c.
Genesis 36:12
Ver. 12. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son,.... She is said to be the sister of Lotan, the eldest son of Seir the Horite,
Ge 36:22; in 1Ch 1:36 mention is made of Timna among the sons of Eliphaz, and of Duke Timnah here, Ge 36:40; and Gerundinsis {y} is of opinion, that Timnah the concubine of Eliphaz, after she had bore Amalek, conceived and bore another son, and she dying in childbirth, he called it by her name to perpetuate her memory: but Jarchi says, that Eliphaz lay with Lotan's mother, the wife of Seir the Horite, of whom was born Timna, and when she grew up she became his concubine, and so was both his daughter and his concubine:
and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek; from whence the Amalekites sprung, often mentioned in Scripture, whom the Israelites were commanded utterly to destroy, 1Sa 15:18:
these [were] the sons of Adah, Esau's wife; that is, her grandsons.
{y} Apud Menasseh ben Israel, conciliator in Gen. Quaest. 57. p. 81.
Genesis 36:13
Ver. 13. And these [are] the sons of Reuel,.... Another son of Esau's; this man had four sons, as follow,
Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah: of whom we know no more than their names, unless Maps or Massa, which Ptolemy {z} places in Idumea, should have its name from Mizzah:
these were the sons of Bashemath, Esau's wife; her grandsons, as before.
{z} Geograph. l. 5. c. 16.
Genesis 36:14
Ver. 14. And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah,
the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife,.... See Gill on "Ge 36:2"; here also the Samaritan and Septuagint versions read, "the daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon":
and she bare to Esau, Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah; this is repeated from Ge 36:5; no mention is made of her grandchildren, as of his other wives.
Genesis 36:15
Ver. 15. These were dukes of the sons of Esau,.... Ben Melech says, the difference between a duke and a king was, that a king is crowned and a duke is not crowned; but Jarchi interprets the word of heads of families, which seems probable; so that as Esau's sons and grandsons are before related, here it is suggested that they had large and numerous families, of which they were the heads and governors; and in this and the following verses, Ge 36:16; the sons and grandsons of Esau by his several wives are rehearsed as in the preceding verses, with the title of "duke" given to each of them.
Genesis 36:16
Ver. 16. Duke Korah,.... Only among the sons of Eliphaz is reckoned Duke Korah, not before mentioned among his sons, and is left out in the Samaritan version; See Gill on "Ge 36:7"; to which it may be added, that according to Gerundinsis {a}, this is the same with Timna, related among the sons of Eliphaz, 1Ch 1:36; who was called by his father Korah: or this might be a grandson of Eliphaz.
{a} Apud Menaasseh ut supra. (conciliator in Gen. Quaest. 57. p. 81.)
Genesis 36:17
Ver. 17. And these [are] the sons of Reuel....
See Gill on "Ge 36:15".
Genesis 36:18
Ver. 18. And these [are] the sons of Aholibamah Esua's wife;....
See Gill on "Ge 36:15".
Genesis 36:19
Ver. 19. These [are] the sons of Esua,....
See Gill on "Ge 36:15".
Genesis 36:20
Ver. 20. These [are] the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land,.... "Before", as the Targum of Jonathan adds, that is, before it was inhabited by Esau and his posterity, and called Edom, and had from him the name of Seir; but the Horites dwelt here before him, even in Abraham's time, Ge 14:6; and who were so called from their dwelling under ground in holes and caves, with which the further part of the land of Edom abounded, and are the same the Greeks call Trogloditae: Jarchi says, from their Rabbins, these were very expert in the nature of the land, and knew what was fit for olives and what for vines. Now the genealogy of this man is here given, partly to show who were the ancient inhabitants of this land before they were drove out, and succeeded by Esau and his sons, De 1:12; and partly because of the intermarriages of Esau and his posterity with them, whereby they more easily came into the possession of the country; for Esau married the daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon, a son of Seir, Ge 36:11; and Eliphaz took Timna, a sister of Lotan the son of Seir, to be his concubine, Ge 36:12; the names of the sons of Seir follow,
Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah: the first of these is said {b} to be the same with Latinus, a king that reigned in Italy, which seems to be taken from the fancied resemblance of names. Zibeon and Anah are here spoken of as brethren, the sons of Seir; whereas in Ge 36:24; they are made mention of as father and son, See Gill on "Ge 36:2"; Zibeon, according to the Jewish writers {c}, committed incest with his mother, whence came Anah, and is called his brother, because of the same mother, and his son, as being begotten by him. They seem to seek for such kind of copulations to reproach the Edomites.
{b} Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 79. 1. {c} T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 54. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 115. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 82. fol. 72. 1.
Genesis 36:21
Ver. 21. And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan,.... These were three others of the sons of Seir, which with the other four before mentioned made seven:
these [are] the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom; these were in the land of Edom before it was so called and possessed by the Edomites, and whose posterity afterwards became tributary to them.
Genesis 36:22
Ver. 22. And the children of Lotan were Hori and Heman,.... The first of these seems to have his name from the general name of the tribe or nation, and the other is called Homam, 1Ch 1:39;
and Lotan's sister [was] Timna: whom Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau took for his concubine, Ge 36:12; for the sake of which her relation to Lotan is here mentioned; and she is said to be the sister of this man particularly, though there were seven brethren of them, because she might be his sister both by father and mother's side, when she was not of the other only by the father's side.
Genesis 36:23
Ver. 23. And the children of Shobal [were] these,.... Who was the second son of Seir, and whose sons were the five following:
Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam; in 1Ch 1:40 Alvan is called Alian, and Shepho is Shephi.
Genesis 36:24
Ver. 24. And these are the children of Zibeon,.... The third son of Self, and who had two sons;
both Ajah and Anah; of the latter it is observed:
this [was that] Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father; who observed, while he was feeding his father's asses in the wilderness, that the he asses coupled with mares, or horses with the she asses, and produced another sort of creatures called mules; and by this means found out the way how such creatures might be produced, and practised it: so Aelianus says {d}, that mules are not the produce of nature, but you may call it an adulterous invention of human contrivance and boldness, and a theft: this is the common interpretation, and to which our version leads: but against it it may be observed, that the word for "mules" is different from this here used, nor is this word ever used of mules, nor does it appear that there were any creatures of this sort before the days of David; nor is the word translated "found" ever used of that which before was not in being, but of what already existed; nor is there any mention of horses or mares in this account also; had it referred to a mixture of these creatures with asses, it would not have been omitted. Some think therefore the words are to be rendered, "he found waters in the wilderness"; sources and collections of waters which were not usual in a wilderness, and of great worth and use in desert lands, as Edom was, and in those hot countries, and the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "hot waters"; but then to the fixing of either of these versions, the word must be altered either in its points or letters, for which there is no authority. The Targum of Onkelos renders it mighty ones or giants, and may signify the "Emim", the "aleph" being changed for "yod", as Aben Ezra observes; and then the sense is, that these gigantic people, who were so called from the terror they taught upon their neighbours, and, who dwelt near the Horim in Seir, De 2:10, as they used to steal from their flocks, Anah lighted on them in the wilderness, and fell upon them, and took them; and with this agrees the Samaritan version, "he found giants, in the wilderness"; and so Abendana interprets the words: Aben Ezra observes that many interpret the word of plants or herbs; and a very learned {e} man is of opinion that the word used is the name of an useful herb or plant, first discovered by Anah. This Anah, though a keeper of his father's asses, is afterwards called Duke Anah; it being the custom of the sons of great personages to be the keepers of flocks and herds;
See Gill on "Ge 29:9".
{d} De Animal. l. 12. c. 16. {e} Wagenseil, in Sota, p. 217, 218.
Genesis 36:25
Ver. 25. And the children of Anah [were] these,....
Dishon, the name of one of his uncles. Ge 36:21;
and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah; Aben Ezra thinks this is not the same Anah that was mentioned in the beginning of this verse; since, if he was the same, there was no need to mention him again, but that he is the same that is mentioned in Ge 36:2; but if he is not the same that is spoken of in this verse and Ge 36:24, it is difficult to account for the mention of him at all in this place: that he is the same as in
Ge 36:2 seems to be right, though it is attended with this difficulty, that the Anah and Aholibamah there are represented as of the Hivites, whereas here they are reckoned among the Horites; but it may be, as Ainsworth observes on Ge 36:20, that the Horites were of the race of the Hivites originally; and indeed this Aholibamah being the wife of Esau seems to be the reason of this particular notice taken of her here. She is omitted in 1Ch 1:41.
Genesis 36:26
Ver. 26. And these [are] the sons of Dishon,.... Not of Dishon the son of Anah, but of Dishon the son of Seir, Ge 36:21; and they are the four following:
Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran; the first of these is called Amram, or rather Chamram, 1Ch 1:41.
Genesis 36:27
Ver. 27. The children of Ezer are these,.... Another son of Seir, who had the following sons:
Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Achan; the two last are called Zavan and Jakan, in 1Ch 1:42.
Genesis 36:28
Ver. 28. The children of Dishon are these,.... The last of the seven sons of Seir, and who had two sons,
Uz and Aran; from the former of these the land of Uz, inhabited by the Edomites, had its name, La 4:21; some have taken this to be the country of Job, Job 1:1.
Genesis 36:29
Ver. 29. These [are] the dukes [that came] of the Horites,.... Not that succeeded one after another, as the kings next mentioned did, but were together, at the same time, heads of respective families, and governors of them; and then the seven sons of Seir are rehearsed in this verse and Ge 36:30 in their order, with the title of "duke" annexed to each of them, "Duke Lotan", &c.
Genesis 36:30
Ver. 30. These [are] the dukes [that came] of Hori,.... The ancestor of Seir, whence he is called the Horite, unless the singular is put for the plural, used in Ge 36:29:
among their dukes in the land of Seir; not that there were other dukes besides them in the land of Seir until Esau got among them, but these were they whose habitations were before in the land of Gabla (or Seir); as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; or "in", or "according to their dukedoms", as the Septuagint version; in their respective families where they had the government, and which became very numerous.
Genesis 36:31
Ver. 31. And these [are] the kings that reigned in the land of Edom,.... In the land that was afterwards called the land of Edom; for this laud was not so called when these kings began to reign: for, according to Bishop Cumberland {f}, and those that follow him {g}, these were Horite kings, who, after their defeat by Chedorlaomer, Ge 14:5; in order to secure themselves the better from such a calamity for the future, set up a kingdom, and which appears, by the following account, to be elective; and so Maimonides {h} observes, that not one of these kings were of Edom: and these were,
before there reigned any king over the children of Israel; and there being no kings over Israel until many years after the times of Moses, hence some have thought these words are inserted by some other writer after him; but there is no need to suppose that; for Moses knew, from foregoing prophecies and promises, that kings would arise out of them and reign over them, Ge 17:6; and this he was so certain of, that he himself, by divine direction, gave laws and rules to the children of Israel respecting their future kings, De 17:14; besides Moses himself was king in Jeshurun or Israel, De 33:5, so that it is the same as if he had said, these are the kings that reigned in Edom, before this time.
{f} Orig. Gent. Antiq. p. 1-24. {g} Bedford in his Scripture Chronology, and the Authors of the Universal History. {h} Morch Nevochim, par. 3. c. 50. p. 510.
Genesis 36:32
Ver. 32. And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom,.... His name was not Balac, as the Septuagint version, which may lead to think of Balak king of Moab; nor is this the same with Balaam, the son of Beor, who lived ages after, as some in Aben Ezra: who he was we know no more of than what is here said; he was the first Horite king, and is placed by Mr. Bedford {i} in A. M. 2002:
and the name of his city [was] Dinhabah, the place either where he was born, or where he had been governor before, but of it we read nowhere else.
{i} Scripture Chronology, p. 316.
Genesis 36:33
Ver. 33. And Bela died,.... How long he reigned is not known with any certainty, nor whether he left any sons behind him; if he did, they did not succeed him in the throne; for
Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead: this king some have thought to be the same with Job, and from whom one of the books of Scripture has its name; but neither their names, nor age, nor country agree: who this Jobab and his father Zerah were cannot be said: they seem to be of the same country in which Jobab reigned, since he is said to be of Bozrah, a famous city of Idumea, after spoken of in the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah and others, Isa 34:6; Jarchi takes it to be a city of Moab, and indeed it is sometimes placed in Moab, and sometimes in Edom, it being on the borders of both, and sometimes belonged to the one and sometimes to the other. According to Mr. Bedford {k}, this king began his reign, A. M. 2135, so that the former king must have reigned about forty two years; which is a space of time he allows to each successor, taking them one with another, the particular and exact time of each reign he not being able to fix.
{k} Scripture Chronology, p. 327.
Genesis 36:34
Ver. 34. And Jobab died,.... According to Mr. Bedford, A. M. 2177:
and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead; or of the land of the south, as the Targum of Jonathan, of the southern part of the land of Idumea, as it was afterwards called; the metropolis of which was the city of Teman, after spoken of in Scripture, which had its name from Teman the son of Eliphaz; See Gill on "Ge 36:11".
Genesis 36:35
Ver. 35. And Husham died,.... As is thought, about A. M. 2219, above forty years after the death of Abraham, as computed by the above writer:
and Hadad the son of Bedad (who smote Midian in the field of Moab) reigned in his stead: who he or his father were we have no other account, nor of this warlike action of his; probably the Midianites came out to invade him, hearing of which, he went out against them, and met with him in the fields of Moab, which were near to Midian, and fought them and conquered them: Jarchi says, the Midianites came out to make war against the Moabites, and the king of Edom went out to help the Moabites, and hence, he says, we learn, that Midian and Moab were near each other; and in the days of Balaam they made peace, that they might combine against Israel: this battle is supposed to be fought in the twelfth year of his reign; and it is thought to be in his reign that Esau came with his family and dwelt in Seir {l}; though some place it later, either in the following reign, or in that of his successors {m}:
and the name of his city [was] Avith: where it was is not certain.
{l} Bedford's Scripture Chronology, p. 343, 349. {m} Universal History, vol. 2. p. 170.
Genesis 36:36
Ver. 36. And Hadad died,.... As is supposed, about A. M. 2241.
and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead; but who he was, or the place he was of, cannot be said.
Genesis 36:37
Ver. 37. And Samlah died,.... As is supposed, about A. M. 2283.
and Saul of Rehoboth [by] the river reigned in his stead; Rehoboth was one of the cities built by Ashur, Ge 10:11; and was situated near the river Euphrates; and so the Targum of Jonathan calls it Rehoboth which is by Euphrates; but Jerom {n}, from Eusebius, takes it to be another city by a river in Edom, and says, that there was in his days a garrison in the country of Gabalena (a part of Idumea), a large village called by that name.
{n} De loc. Heb. fol. 93. M. & 94. A.
Genesis 36:38
Ver. 38. And Saul died,.... About A. M. 2325;
and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead: whose name, inverted, is observed by Grotius to be the same with Hannibal; it signifies a gracious lord or king.
Genesis 36:39
Ver. 39. And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died,.... About A. M. 2367.
and Hadar reigned in his stead; the last of the Horite kings, when an end was put to this monarchy by the united families of Seir and Esau, and changed into dukedoms; of which there were seven of the race of Seir, and fourteen of the race of Esau, of whom an account is given in the preceding part of this chapter: as for this last king it is further said of him:
and the name of his city [was] Pau; but where it was cannot be said:
and his wife's name [was] Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab; this woman seems to be a person of note, by the particular mention made of her; but whether the names of her ancestors are the names of men or women it is not certain: some take Matred to be the name of her father, and Mezahab the name of her grandfather; but according to Aben Ezra, Marred was the name of her mother, who was the daughter of Mezahab her grandfather; whom the Targum of Jonathan interprets melter of gold, as does Saadiah Gaon.
Genesis 36:40
Ver. 40. And these [are] the names of the dukes [that came] of Esau,.... After the regal monarchy ceased, the government in Edom was by dukes, and of these there were two sons, one of which an account has been given of already, who were partly of the race of Seir, and partly of the race of Esau; and who were dukes not by succession, but together, in and over their respective families: and it may be observed, that neither Esau, nor his sons by his two first wives, Eliphaz and Reuel, are called dukes, only his three sons by his last wife; all the rest are his grandsons and sons of the two former, which seems to give some light as to the time when those dukedoms took place; and very probably it was by the joint influence of Seir and Esau, whose families had intermarried, that an end was put to the regal power, and who, for a course of years, governed in the above manner: and they of Esau's race in those times are said to be "dukes in the land of Edom", as a learned man {o} has observed; whereas those that follow, which are a second race of them, are called "dukes of Edom", Ge 36:43; who took possession of the country and ruled in it, driving out the Horites and succeeding in their stead: these are described
according to their families; they were the heads of:
after their places, by their names; the places where they lived, which were called after their names, and are as follow:
Duke Timnah, Duke Alvah, Duke Jetheth; these were both the names of the dukes, and of the places where they governed, called after their names; so Timnah or Themna, as Jerom calls it, is by him said to be a city of the princes of Edom, the same he says of Jetheth {p}, so the like may be concluded of Alvah.
{o} Shuckford's Connection, p. 192. {p} De loc. Heb. fol. 92. F. 95. C.
Genesis 36:41
Ver. 41. Duke Aholibamah, Duke Elah, Duke Pinon. The former is the name of a woman, Ge 36:2; here the name of a man, and also of the place of which he was duke; for Jerom observes {q}, that Oolibama is a city of the princes of Edom, and who also makes mention of Elath, a country of the princes of Edom, and a city of Esau, ten miles from Petra to the east {r}, and the seat of Duke Pinon was very probably Phinon, which lay between Petra and Zoar {s}.
{q} De Loc. Heb. fol. 93. K. {r} Ib. fol. 91. E. {s} Eusebius apud Reland. Palestin. illustrat. p. 71.
Genesis 36:42
Ver. 42. Duke Kenaz, Duke Teman, Duke Mibzar. There was a Kenaz the son of Eliphaz, and so a Teman a son of his, who were both dukes; but these seem to be different from them, though the latter might be duke of the place called Teman from him: which, in Jerom's time {t}, was a village five miles distant from Petra, and where was a Roman garrison, and so Mabsar in his times {u}, was a large village in the country of Gabalena (a part of Idumea), and called Mabsara, and belonged to the city Petra.
{t} De loc. Heb. 3. fol. 95. B. {u} Ib.
Genesis 36:43
Ver. 43. Duke Magdiel, Duke Iram,.... Magdiel also, Jerom {w} says, was in the country of Gabalena, formerly possessed by the dukes of Edom; and the Targum of Jonathan says, this duke was called Magdiel from the name of his city, which was a strong "migdal" or tower: and Jarchi's note upon this word is, this is Rome; so the Jewish writers elsewhere say {x}, that Esau had an hundred provinces from Seir to Magdiel; as it is said, "Duke Magdiel, Duke Iram", this is Rome:
these [be] the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations, in the land of their possession; the former race of dukes, as has been observed, were dukes in the land of Edom, were sojourners in the land, at least had not sovereign dominion, or were not the only dukes in it; there were dukes of the race of Seir at the same time; but now these having driven out the Horites, were sole possessors and sovereign lords; and thus while Israel and his posterity were sojourners in a strange land, Esau and his family were possessors and lords of a country they could call their own:
he [is] Esau the father of the Edomites; that is, Edom, the dukes of whose race are before reckoned up; the same is Esau, who had the name of Edom from selling his birthright for a mess of red pottage: and this is the man from whom the Edomites or Idumeans sprung, often hereafter spoken of in the Scripture, though no more in this history. He is said {y} to be killed by the tribes of Israel, at the funeral of Jacob, he coming forth with a great army to hinder his interment in the cave of Machpelah: it is a tradition of the Jews {z}, he was slain by Judah.
{w} De loc. Heb. 3. fol. 93. B. {x} Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. {y} Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 1. {z} T. Hieros. Gittin, fol. 47. 2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Genesis 37:1
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 37
In this chapter begins the history of Joseph, with whom the remaining part of this book is chiefly concerned; and here are related the hatred of his brethren to him, because he brought an ill report of them to his father, and because his father loved him, and which was increased by the dream he dreamed, and told them of, Ge 37:1; a visit of his to his brethren in the fields, whom he found after a long search of them,
Ge 37:12; their conspiracy on sight of him to slay him, but by the advice of Reuben it was agreed to cast him into a pit, which they did,
Ge 37:18; and after that, at the motion of Judah, sold him to the Ishmaelites, who were going to Egypt, Ge 37:25; this being done, Reuben being absent, and not finding Joseph in the pit, was in great distress, Ge 37:29; their contrivance to deceive their father, and make him believe that Joseph was destroyed by a wild beast, which on the sight of the coat he credited, and became inconsolable,
Ge 37:31; and the chapter concludes with the sale of Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, Ge 37:36.
Ver. 1. And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger,.... And this stands opposed unto, and is distinguished from the case and circumstances of Esau and his posterity, expressed in the preceding chapter, who dwelt in the land of their possession, not as strangers and sojourners, as Jacob and his seed, but as lords and proprietors; and so these words may be introduced and read in connection with the former history; "but Jacob dwelt", &c. {a}; and this verse would better conclude the preceding chapter than begin a new one. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases the words, "and Jacob dwelt quietly"; or peaceably, in tranquillity and safety; his brother Esau being gone from him into another country, he remained where his father lived and died, and in the country that by his blessing belonged to him:
in the land of Canaan, and particularly in Hebron, where Isaac and Abraham before him had dwelt.
{a} bvyw "at habitavit", Schmidt.
Genesis 37:2
Ver. 2. These [are] the generations of Jacob,.... But no genealogy following, some interpret this of events or of things which befell Jacob, and his family, particularly with respect to his son Joseph, as Aben Ezra and Ben Melech take the sense of the word to be from
Pr 27:1; but the words may refer to what goes before in the latter end of chapter 35, where an account is given of Jacob's sons, with regard to which it is here said, "these are the generations of Jacob"; the whole of chapter 36, which contains the genealogy of Esau, being a parenthesis, or at least an interruption of the above account, the history of Jacob and his posterity is here reassumed and carried on:
Joseph [being] seventeen years old, was feeding his flock with his brethren; or "in the flock" {b}; he was with them in the pastures, where the flocks were fed, not so much to assist them in it, as to be taught by them how to feed, they being older than he:
and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: his secondary wives or concubines, called his wives, because their children shared in the inheritance. These sons of theirs were Dan and Naphtali, the sons of Bilhah; and Gad and Asher, the sons of Zilpah; with these Jacob rather chose Joseph should be, than with the sons of Leah; and especially that he should be with the sons of Bilhah, who was the handmaid of Rachel, Joseph's mother, and she being dead, it might be thought that Bilhah and her sons would have the most respect for Joseph:
and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report; for not being able to bear with their evil deeds, and yet not having authority enough, being a junior, to reprove, correct, and check them, he reported them to his father: what the things were reported is not said, perhaps their quarrels among themselves, their contempt of Joseph, their neglect of their flocks, &c. Some of the Jewish writers make them to be abominable acts of uncleanness {d}, others eating of the member of a creature alive, particularly the flesh of the tails of lambs while living {e}.
{b} Naub "in pecudibus", Montanus; "in grege", Vatablus. {d} Bereshit Rabba, sect. 84. fol. 73. 1. Jarchi in loc. {e} Targum Jon. in loc. Pirke Eliezer, c. 38.
Genesis 37:3
Ver. 3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children,.... He being the firstborn of his beloved Rachel, and a lovely youth, of a beautiful aspect, very promising, prudent and pious: the reason given in the text follows,
because he [was] the son of his old age; being ninety one years of age when he was born; and the youngest children are generally most beloved, and especially such as are born to their parents when in years. Benjamin indeed was younger than Joseph, and is described in like manner, Ge 44:20; and for this reason one would think had the greatest claim to his father's affections; wherefore some give a different sense of this phrase, and render it, the "son" or disciple of "elders", "senators", i.e. a wise and prudent man: and indeed, if being the son of his old age was the reason of his affection, Benjamin had the best claim to it, being the youngest, and born to him when he was still older; and this sense is countenanced by Onkelos, who renders it,
"because he was a wise son to him:''
and so the reason why he loved him more than the rest was, because of his senile wisdom; though a child in years, he was old in wisdom and knowledge. Abendana observes, that it was a custom with old men to take one of their little children to be with them continually, and attend upon them, and minister to them, and lean upon their arm; and such an one was called the son of their old age, because he ministered to them in their old age:
and he made him a coat of [many] colours; that is, had one made for him, which was interwoven with threads of divers colours, or painted, or embroidered with divers figures, or made with different pieces of various colours: according to Jerom {f}, it was a garment which reached down to the ankles, and was distinguished with great variety by the hands of the artificer, or which had long sleeves reaching to the hands; and so the Jewish writers {g} say it was called "passim", because it reached to the palms of the hands: this might be an emblem of the various virtues which early appeared in him; or rather of the several graces of the Spirit of God implanted in him, and of the raiment of needlework, the righteousness of Christ, with which he was clothed, Ps 45:14; and of the various providences which Jacob, under a spirit of prophecy, foresaw he would be attended with.
{f} Trad. Heb. in Gen. fol. 72. A. {g} Bereshit Rabba, ut supra. (sect. 84. fol 73.1.)
Genesis 37:4
Ver. 4. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren,.... Which they perceived by various things in his behaviour to him, by his words, his looks, his gestures, and particularly by the coat he had made him, which distinguished him from the rest:
they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him; they not only inwardly hated him, but they could not conceal their hatred, but betrayed it by their speech unto him; they could not speak to him on any occasion, but in a cross, surly, ill natured manner; they could not salute him, or give him the common salutation, Peace be to thee, as Aben Ezra suggests.
Genesis 37:5
Ver. 5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told [it] his brethren,.... As a dream, in the simplicity of his heart; not understanding it, or imagining there was any meaning in it; he told it not with any design to affront them, but as an amusement, and for their diversion, there being something in it odd and ridiculous, as he himself might think:
and they hated him yet the more; not only because he had carried an ill report of them to his father, and because he loved him more than they, but still more because of this dream; the meaning of which they at once understood, though he did not, which yet they supposed he did, and that he told them it in a boasting manner, and to irritate them.
Genesis 37:6
Ver. 6. And he said unto them, hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed. Hear now, so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, immediately, directly, lest he should forget it, having perhaps dreamt it the night before; though our version expresses more modesty and submission. The dream follows:
Genesis 37:7
Ver. 7. For, behold, we [were] binding sheaves in the field,.... So it was represented in his mind in a dream, as if it was harvest time, and he and his brethren were at work together in the field binding up sheaves of corn that were reaped, in order to be carried home:
and, lo, my sheaf arose, and stood upright; it seemed to him, that after he had bound and laid it on the ground, that it rose up of itself, and stood erect:
and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf; the sheaves which his brethren bound up, they also stood upright, and all around his sheaf, and bowed unto it; so it appeared to him in his dream. This was a fit emblem of their coming to him into Egypt for corn, and bowing to him, when their sheaves were empty, and his was full. In an ancient book of the Jews {h} Joseph's sheaf is interpreted of the Messiah, whom they call the son of Ephraim. Joseph no doubt was a type of the true Messiah, and in this of his exaltation and glory, and of that honour given him by all his saints who come to him, and receive from him all the supplies of grace.
{h} Raya Mehimna in Zohar in Gen. fol. 87. 2.
Genesis 37:8
Ver. 8. And his brethren said unto him,.... After he had told his dream, being highly offended with him, understanding the dream, and the meaning of it, better than he did:
shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shall thou indeed have dominion over us? denying that he ever should, and reproving him for his vanity, in concluding from hence that he would have the dominion over them. So the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, dost thou think, suppose, or imagine that thou shall rule over us? it looks as if by telling us this dream that such a whim and fancy has got into thine head:
and they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words; for it seems by this that he had dreamt, and told them more dreams besides this, and they hated him both for them, and for his telling them to them; though Jarchi thinks the phrase, "for his words", refers to the ill report he gave of them to his father, Ge 37:2.
Genesis 37:9
Ver. 9. And he dreamed yet another dream,.... Relating to the name subject as the former, and, for the confirmation of it, only the emblems are different, and more comprehensive:
and told it his brethren, and said, behold, I have dreamed a dream more; another dream, and which he told, either as not knowing fully the resentment of his brethren at his former dream, or in order to clear himself from any charge of feigning the dream, or having any ill intention in telling it; seeing he had another to the same purpose, and therefore thought fit to acquaint them with it, that they might more seriously consider of it, whether there was not something divine in it, which he himself began to think there was:
and, behold, the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars, made their obeisance to me: in his dream it seemed to him, either that he was taken up into the starry heaven, and these luminaries bowed unto him, or else that they descended to him on earth, and paid their respects unto him.
Genesis 37:10
Ver. 10. And he told [it] to his father, and to his brethren,.... After he had told it to his brethren, he told it to his father a second time in their hearing, that he might pass his judgment on it, and give his sense of it before them:
and his father rebuked him; not as being ignorant of the meaning of the dream, for by what follows he had a clear understanding of it, or as if he thought it was an idle dream, and would never have any accomplishment: but he thought fit, in his great wisdom and prudence, to put on such an air, partly to check young Joseph, lest he should grow proud, and haughty, and insolent upon it, and behave in a disagreeable manner to himself and to his brethren; and partly to conciliate the minds of his brethren to him, which he perceived were exasperated by his dreams:
and said unto him, what [is] this dream that thou hast dreamed? what dost thou take to be the meaning of it? canst thou imagine that it is of God? is it not a mere whim and imagination of thine own wandering brain in thy sleep? why dost thou tell such an idle dream as this, as if there were something divine in it, when it appears the most absurd and irrational?
shall I, thy mother, and thy brethren, indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? whereby it plainly shows he understood the meaning of the dream, though he would not seem to countenance it. By the "sun" he understood himself, the principal and head of the family, the active instrument of the generation of it, the light, life, and support of it; and by the "moon" his wife, the passive instrument of generation, who had the lesser share of rule in the family, yet contributed much to its good and welfare; by whom is meant not Rachel, the real mother of Joseph, who was dead, unless this is observed to show the seeming absurdity of it, from whence the whole might appear ridiculous; but rather Leah, who was now Jacob's only true wife, and the stepmother of Joseph; or else Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, who since her death was a mother to Joseph; and by the eleven "stars" he understood the eleven brethren of Joseph, who were as stars that receive their light from the sun; and in allusion to the twelve constellations in the Zodiac, to which Joseph and his eleven brethren answered. This had its fulfilment, in some measure, when Jacob sent presents to Joseph when governor of Egypt, though unknown to him, and when he and his family went thither, when, no doubt, Jacob showed a civil respect according to his dignity, and in regard to the office he bore: and so his wife, if he then had any, that went with him, and if not personally, yet in her posterity paid a deference to him, as it is certain all his brethren did. Grotius observes from the Oneirocritics or interpreters of dreams, particularly Achmes, that according to the doctrine of the Persians and Egyptians, that if anyone should dream that he rules over the stars, he shall rule over all people.
Genesis 37:11
Ver. 11. And his brethren envied him,.... Notwithstanding all the precaution Jacob took to prevent it; they suspecting and fearing that these dreams portended the pre-eminence of Joseph over them, or however served to fill his mind with the hopes and expectation of it:
but his father observed the saying; what Joseph had said in relating his dream; he laid it up in his mind and kept it there, often thought of it, and waited to see its accomplishment.
Genesis 37:12
Ver. 12. And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. Very probably some considerable time after the telling of the above dreams; it was usual to remove flocks from place to place for the sake of pasturage; and sometimes at a great distance, as Shechem was from Hebron, where Jacob now dwelt, said {i} to be about sixty miles; but this is not so much to be marvelled at as the place itself, whither they went, for though Jacob had bought a parcel of a field in this place, Ge 33:19; which might be a reason for their going thither to feed their father's flocks in his own field; yet it was the place where they had committed a most outrageous action in destroying all, the males there, and therefore might fear the inhabitants of the neighbouring cities would rise upon them and cut them off.
{i} Bunting's Travels, p. 79. Ainsworth in loc.
Genesis 37:13
Ver. 13. And Israel said unto Joseph,.... After his brethren had been gone some time to Shechem:
do not thy brethren feed [the flock] in Shechem? this question is put, not as ignorant of it, or doubting about it, but to put Joseph in mind of it, and in order to what follows:
come, and I will send thee unto them; which is pretty much he should, considering the length of the way, sixty miles, the dangerous place in which they were feeding their flocks, and especially seeing his brethren envied and hated him; but Jacob might think that by this time things had wore off of their minds; and it is certain he had no suspicion of their hatred rising so high as to attempt his life; and it is plain he had none concerning them, when his coat was brought to him, but believed it was wild beasts that had devoured him:
and he said unto him, here [am I]; showing his readiness to obey his father, and go on this errand, though it was a long journey, and he to go it alone, and his brethren also bore no good will to him.
Genesis 37:14
Ver. 14. And he said to him, go, I pray thee,.... Or "now" {k}, directly, immediately, which is more agreeable to the authority of a father:
see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; it having been many days, and perhaps months, since he had heard anything of them; and the rather Jacob might be under a concern for them, because of the danger they were exposed to from the neighbouring tribes and nations of the Canaanites, on account of their having some time ago destroyed the Shechemites; so the Targum of Jonathan, paraphrasing on the preceding part, makes Jacob to say,
"I am afraid, lest the Horites should come and smite them, because of their smiting Hamor and Shechem, and the inhabitants of that city; come, and I will send thee, &c.''
and bring me word again; of their welfare, and of the state of their flocks:
so he sent him out of the vale of Hebron: the same with the plains of Mamre near the city of Hebron, which was built on a hill:
and he came to Shechem: after he had travelled sixty miles.
{k} an "nunc", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.
Genesis 37:15
Ver. 15. And a certain man found him,.... Many of the Jewish writers {l} say, this was an angel, the angel Gabriel, in the likeness of a man; but according to Aben Ezra, it was a traveller he met on the road; but it is more probable, as Schimidt observes, that it was some man at work in the field that came upon him and took notice of him:
and, behold, [he was] wandering in the field; in some field near Shechem, perhaps the same his father Jacob had purchased, and where he expected to have found his brethren, and was looking out for them, going to and fro in search of them; which the labouring man in the field observed:
and the man asked him, saying, what seekest thou? seeing him walking about, and first looking one way, and then another, concluded he was in search of something, either of some man or of some creature, a sheep or an ox that was lost; and therefore put this question to him, with a view to give him what direction and assistance he could.
{l} Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. Targum Jon. & Jarchi in loc.
Genesis 37:16
Ver. 16. And he said, I seek my brethren,.... Whom, no doubt, he described to the man, and told him who they were, and to whom they belonged; or otherwise the man would have been at a loss to know who he meant, and what further to say to him, and without which Joseph would never have made the following request to him:
tell me, I pray thee, where they feed [their flocks]; in what part of the country they are, what field they are in, how far to it, and which the way.
Genesis 37:17
Ver. 17. And the man said, they are departed hence,.... They had been there, in the field where he and Joseph were, and which was probably the field before mentioned; but for good reasons, perhaps for want of pasture, or in order to find better feeding for their cattle, they were gone from thence, from the fields about Shechem:
for I heard them say, let us go to Dothan; this was, as some say, four miles from Shechem, others eight {m}; according to Brochardus {n}, it was a plain country between fruitful hills, contiguous to fountains, was pasture ground, and very fit for feeding cattle; and its very name, as Hillerus {o} notes, signifies grassy, or a place of tender grass: here, afterwards, was a city built, not far from Samaria, 2Ki 6:13; about twelve miles to the north of it, as says Jerom {p}; it was in the tribe of Manasseh, about forty four miles from Jerusalem to the north, and six miles from Tiberias to the west {q}:
and Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan; which shows that he had a real desire to see them, and know their state and condition, that he might report it to his father; since he might have returned on not finding them at Shechem, that being the place he was sent to, and would have been sufficient to have shown obedience to his father's commands, though perhaps it might not have come up to his full sense and meaning.
{m} Bunting's Travels, p. 79. Ainsworth in loc. {n} Apud Drusium in loc. {o} Onomastic. Sacra, p. 526. {p} Loc. Heb. fol. 90. H. {q} Bunting, ut supra, ({m}) p. 80.
Genesis 37:18
Ver. 18. And when they saw him afar off,.... They knew him as soon as they saw him, by his stature, his gesture or manner of walking, and especially by his coat of various colours he now had on, Ge 37:23;
even before he came near unto them; the distance he was from them when they first spied him is particularly remarked and repeated, not to show the quickness of their sight, but for the sake of what follows; to observe how soon their passions were raised, how intense and prepense their malice, and which put them upon devising ways and means to destroy him, for it follows:
they conspired against him, to slay him; they entered into a consultation, and devised the most crafty methods they could think of to take away his life, and yet conceal the murder.
Genesis 37:19
Ver. 19. And they said one to another,.... According to the Targum of Jonathan, Simeon and Levi said what follows: nor is it unlikely, since they were hot, passionate, cruel, and bloody minded men, as appears by the affair of Shechem; and perhaps this may be the reason why Joseph afterwards, when governor of Egypt, took Simeon and bound him,
Ge 42:24; which was but a just retaliation for his advice to cast him into a pit when slain:
behold, this dreamer cometh; or "master of dreams" {r}; not of the interpretation of them, but of dreaming them; that had them at his command when he pleased, as they jeeringly flouted him; as if he was a framer and contriver of them, and only pretended to them when he had none, or else that he was frequently dreaming and telling his dreams; this they said in a sarcastic way, and, perhaps, as pleased, and rejoicing that such an opportunity offered to take their revenge on him: this shows that it was on the account of his dreams chiefly that they bore such a grudge against him, that this was uppermost on their minds, and was revived at first sight of him, and from whence their malice sprung.
{r} twmlxh leb "magister somniorum", Tigurine version, Montanus; "dominus somniorum", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius
Genesis 37:20
Ver. 20. Come now therefore, and let us slay him,.... Agree to do it, and actually do it:
and cast him into some pit; or, "one of the pits" {s}, which were near, and were dug for the collection of rainwater, as was usual in those countries where water was scarce:
and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him; which would seem plausible, since wild beasts were frequent in those parts, as lions and bears, see 1Ki 13:24;
and we shall see what will become of his dreams; who will be the lord then, and reign, and have the dominion, he or we.
{s} twrbh dxab "in unam cisternarum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "in unam ex cisternis istis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in unam fovearum", Schmidt.
Genesis 37:21
Ver. 21. And Reuben heard [it],.... Overheard what they said, not being in the consultation; perhaps knowing his temper and disposition to be more mild and gentle, and being the elder brother, might fear he would overrule matters against them, and therefore Simeon and Levi did not choose to have him in the debate; or he might be at some distance and entirely absent when the consultation was held, and their intention was reported to him by some of them:
and he delivered him out of their hands; from slaying him; that is, he endeavoured to do it by proposing another scheme:
and said, let us not kill him; or let us not smite the soul {t}; the dear soul, or take away life.
{t} vpn wnkn al "ne percutiamus vel occidamus animam", Sam. Ar. Syr.
Genesis 37:22
Ver. 22. And Reuben said unto them, shed no blood,.... Innocent blood, as the Targum of Jonathan; the blood of a man, a brother's blood, one that had not done anything wherefore it should be shed, and which would involve in guilt, and bring vengeance on them: he seems to put them in mind of the original law in Ge 9:6;
[but] cast him into this pit that [is] in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him: which might seem to answer the same purpose, namely, by depriving him of his life in another way, by starving him; but this was not Reuben's intention, as appears by the next clause, and by his going to the pit afterwards, as it should seem, with a view to take him out of it privately; this advice he gave,
that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again; safe and sound, in order, as it is thought by many interpreters, to reconcile his father to him, whose bed he had abused.
Genesis 37:23
Ver. 23. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren,.... To the very place where they were, and had, in a kind and obliging manner, asked of their welfare, and related their father's concern for them, who had sent him on this errand:
that they stripped, Joseph out of [his] coat; his coat of [many] colours, that [was] on him; according to Jarchi and Aben Ezra, this was not one and the same coat, but divers, and that the sense is, that with his coat of many colours, and besides that, they stripped him of his lower garment, which was next to his skin, his shirt; so that he was quite naked when they cast him into the pit, and this they did as soon as he came up to them, so cruel and hardhearted were they.
Genesis 37:24
Ver. 24. And they took him, and cast him into a pit,.... Into the same that Reuben pointed to them, whose counsel they gladly took and readily executed, supposing he meant the same thing they did, starving him to death:
and the pit [was] empty, [there was] no water in it; only serpents and scorpions, as the Targum of Jonathan; and Jarchi adds, this remark, that there was no water in it, seems to be made either to furnish out a reason why Reuben directed to it, that he might be the more easily got out of it, and not be in danger of losing his life at once, or of being drowned in it; or else to show the uncomfortable situation he was in, having not so much as a drop of water to refresh him; see Zec 9:11. Dothan is said to remain to this day, and the inhabitants of it show the ancient ditch into which Joseph was cast {u}.
{u} Bunting's Travels, p. 80.
Genesis 37:25
Ver. 25. And they sat down to eat bread,.... Not at all concerned at what they had done, nor in the least grieved for the affliction of Joseph, and without any pity and compassion for him in his distress, but joyful and glad they had got him into their hands, and like to get rid of him for ever:
and they lifted up their eyes, and looked, after they had eaten their food, or while they were eating it:
and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead; a place of merchandise for spices and balm, and such like things after mentioned. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call them Arabians; and the Targum of Jerusalem, Saracens; these were the posterity of Ishmael, who came out of Arabia to Gilead, where they took up their merchandise, at least part of it, and were travelling to Egypt with it, and their way thither lay by Dothan; these travelled in companies, now called "caravans", partly on the account of robbers, and partly by reason of wild beasts, with both which they were sometimes beset in the deserts through which they travelled:
with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh; the first word is general according to our version, and others, and signifies various spices, a collection of them; and so Jarchi takes it; but Aquila translates it "storax"; and Bochart {w}, by various arguments, seems to have proved, that this is particularly intended; though the Targum of Jonathan renders it "wax" {x}; and so other versions: and "balm" is by some taken to be "rosin", since there was no balm or balsam in Gilead, on the other side Jordan, nor indeed any in Judea, until it was brought thither from Arabia Felix, in the times of Solomon; and what we render "myrrh", is in the Hebrew called "lot", and is by some thought to be the same with "laudanum": this their merchandise was carried on camels, very fit for their purpose every way, as they were strong creatures made to carry burdens, and could travel many days without water, which they were sometimes obliged to do in the deserts:
going to carry [it] down to Egypt; where these things grew not, and were much in use, at least some of them, both in medicines, and in embalming dead bodies, much practised in Egypt; an Arabic writer {y} makes this merchandise to consist of, nuts, turpentine, and oil.
{w} Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 4. c. 12. col. 532. {x} So in Bereshit Rabba & Targum Jerusalem in R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 20. 2. {y} Patricides, p. 21. apud Hottinger. Smegma Orient. p. 367, 368.
Genesis 37:26
Ver. 26. And Judah said unto his brethren,.... In sight of the Ishmaelites, a thought came into his mind to get Joseph sold to them;
what profit [is it] if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? it could be no advantage to them even if they could have concealed his blood from men; and if it was discovered, as it would, in all likelihood, by come means or another, then they must be answerable for it; and if not, God would take vengeance on them, from whom they could never conceal it; and therefore it would be most profitable and advantageous to them to sell him, and not destroy him, or take away his life; and to suffer him to lie in the pit and die was the same thing.
Genesis 37:27
Ver. 27. Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites,.... For a slave, and that will defeat his dream; and as these were going down to Egypt, where they would sell him, he would be far enough from them, and there would be no probability of his ever being lord over them:
and let not our hand be upon him; to take away his life, either by stabbing or starving him:
for he [is] our brother, [and] our flesh; they had all one father, though different mothers, and therefore, as the relation was so near, some sympathy and compassion should be shown; some degree of tenderness at least, and not savageness and cruelty:
and his brethren were content; they agreed to the motion, inasmuch as they supposed it would answer their end as well, which was to prevent his dominion over them.
Genesis 37:28
Ver. 28. Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen,.... The same with the Ishmaelites before mentioned, as appears from the latter part of this verse; for as these were near neighbours, so they might join together in merchandise, and travel in company for greater safety, and are sometimes called the one, and sometimes the other, as well as they might mix together in their habitations and marriages; and are hence called Arabians by the Targums, as before observed, and so by Josephus, which signifies a mixed people:
and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit: not the Midianites, but his brethren:
and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty [pieces] of silver; for twenty shekels, which amounted to twenty five shillings of our money. The Jews {z} say, they each took two shekels apiece, and bought with them a pair of shoes, according to Am 8:6; but there were but nine of them, Reuben was absent:
and they brought Joseph into Egypt; some think these Midianites were different from the Ishmaelites, and that Joseph was sold many times, first to the Midianites, and then by them to the Ishmaelites, and by the latter to Potiphar. Justin {a}, an Heathen writer, gives an account of this affair in some agreement with this history;
"Joseph (he says) was the youngest of his brethren, whose excellent genius they feared, and took him secretly, and sold him to "foreign merchants", by whom he was carried into Egypt.''
{z} Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. {a} E. Trogo, l. 36. c. 2.
Genesis 37:29
Ver. 29. And Reuben returned unto the pit,.... It is very probable he had pretended to go somewhere on business, with an intention to take a circuit, and come to the pit and deliver his brother, and go home with him to his father. The Jews say {b} he departed from his brethren, and sat down on a certain mountain, that he might descend in the night and take Joseph out of the pit, and accordingly he came down in the night, and found him not. So Josephus {c} says, it was in the night when Reuben came to the pit, who calling to Joseph, and he not answering, suspected he was killed:
and, behold, Joseph [was] not in the pit; for neither by looking down into it could he see him, nor by calling be answered by him, which made it a clear case to him he was not there:
and he rent his clothes; as a token of distress and anguish of mind, of sorrow and mourning, as was usual in such cases; Jacob afterwards did the same, Ge 37:34.
{b} Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 38.) {c} Antiqu. l. 2. c. 3. sect. 3.
Genesis 37:30
Ver. 30. And he returned unto his brethren,.... From the pit, and whom he suspected had took him and killed him, as was their first design, not being with them when they proposed to sell him, and did:
and said, the child [is] not; not in the pit, nor in the land of the living, but is dead, which is sometimes the meaning of the phrase,
Jer 31:15; he calls him a child, though seventeen years of age, because the youngest brother but one, and he himself was the eldest, and also because of his tender concern for him:
and I, whither shall I go? to find the child or flee from his father's face, which he could not think of seeing any more; whom he had highly offended already in the case of Bilhah, and now he would be yet more incensed against him for his neglect of Joseph, who, he might have expected, would have taken particular care of him, being the eldest son: he speaks like one in the utmost perplexity, not knowing what to do, what course to steer, being almost distracted and at his wits' end.
Genesis 37:31
Ver. 31. And they took Joseph's coat,.... After they had told Reuben what they had done with him, who being willing to make the best of things as it was, joined with them in the following scheme: by this it appears, that when they took Joseph out of the pit they did not put his coat on him, but sold him naked, or almost so, to the merchants:
and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; that being, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi observe, most like to human blood.
Genesis 37:32
Ver. 32. And they sent the coat of [many] colours,.... Which was what they dipped in the blood of the kid; this they sent to Jacob in such a condition, by the hand of some messenger; the Targum of Jonathan says, the sons of Zilpah and Bilhah; but more probably some of their servants, whom they instructed what to say to their father when they presented it to him; not caring to appear in person at first, lest they be thrown into such commotion and confusion at their father's distress, as might tend to lead on to a discovery of the whole affair:
and they brought [it] to their father, and said, this we have found; that is, the messengers carried to the father of Joseph's brethren, who were sent with it, and taught to say, that they found it in some field in this condition, but found no man near it, only that by itself, and suspected it might be the coat of his son Joseph, if he had sent him out in it:
know now whether it [be] thy son's coat or no; look upon it, see if any marks can be observed in it, by which it may with any certainty be known whether it his or not.
Genesis 37:33
Ver. 33. And he knew [it], and said, [it is] my son's coat,.... He took it, and examined it, and was soon convinced, and well assured it was his son's coat; read the words without the supplement "it is", and the pathos will appear the more, "my son's coat!" and think with what a beating heart, with what trembling limbs, with what wringing of hands, with what flowing eyes, and faultering speech, he spoke these words, and what follow:
an evil beast hath devoured him; this was natural to conclude from the condition the coat was in, and from the country he was sent into, which abounded with wild beasts, and was the very thing Joseph's brethren contrived to say themselves; and in this view they wished and hoped the affair would be considered, and so their wickedness concealed:
Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces; or "in rending is rent" {d}; he is most certainly rent in pieces, there is no question to be made of it; it is plain, and it must be the case.
{d} Prj Prj "discerpendo discerptus est"; Drusius, Schmidt.
Genesis 37:34
Ver. 34. And Jacob rent his clothes,.... As expressive of his grief and mourning for the death of his son, as he supposed:
and put sackcloth upon his loins; put off his usual apparel, and put on a coarse garment on his loins next to his flesh, as another token of his great trouble and affliction for the loss of his son; which though afterwards was frequently done in times of public or private mourning, yet this is the first time we read of it; whether Jacob was the first that used it, whom his posterity and others imitated, is not certain; however it appears that this usage, as well as that of rending clothes on sorrowful occasions, were very ancient:
and mourned for his son many days: or years, as days sometimes signify; twenty two years, according to Jarchi, even until the time he went down to Egypt and saw him alive.
Genesis 37:35
Ver. 35. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him,.... His sons must act a most hypocritical part in this affair; and as for his daughters, it is not easy to say who they were, since he had but one daughter that we read of, whose name was Dinah: the Targum of Jonathan calls them his sons wives; but it is a question whether any of his sons were as yet married, since the eldest of them was not more than twenty four years of age; and much less can their daughters be supposed to be meant, as they are by some. It is the opinion of the Jews, that Jacob had a twin daughter born to him with each of his sons; these his sons and daughters came together, or singly, to condole his loss, to sympathize with him, and speak a word of comfort to him, and entreat him not to give way to excessive grief and sorrow:
but he refused to be comforted; to attend to anything that might serve to alleviate his mind, and to abstain from outward mourning, and the tokens of it; he chose not to be interrupted in it:
and he said, for I will go down into the grave unto my son, mourning; the meaning is, not that he would by any means hasten his own death, or go down to his son in the grave, strictly and literally taken; since, according to his apprehension of his son's death he could have no grave, being torn to pieces by a wild beast; but either that he should go into the state of the dead, where his son was, mourning all along till he carne thither; or rather that he would go mourning all his days "for [his] son" {e}, as some render it, till he came to the grave; nor would he, nor should he receive any comfort more in this world:
thus his father wept for him; in this manner, with such circumstances as before related, and he only; for as for his brethren they hated him, and were glad they had got rid of him; or, "and his father", &c. {f}; his father Isaac, as the Targum of Jonathan, he wept for his son Jacob on account of his trouble and distress; as well as for his grandson Joseph; and so many Jewish writers {g} interpret it; and indeed Isaac was alive at this time, and lived twelve years after; but the former sense seems best.
{e} ynb la "propter filium suum", Grotius, Quistorpius; so Jarchi and Abendana. {f} Kbyw "et flevit", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. {g} Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Abendana, in loc.
Genesis 37:36
Ver. 36. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt,.... Or Medanites, who sprung from Medan, a brother of Midian, and son of Keturah, Ge 24:2; and were distinct from the Midianites, though they dwelt near them, and were now in company with them, and with the Ishmaelites, and were all concerned in the buying and selling of Joseph, and therefore this is sometimes ascribed to the one, and sometimes to the other:
unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh; the word is sometimes used for an eunuch, but cannot design one here, since Potiphar had a wife, and some say a child; but he either was a chamberlain, or however some officer at court, besides what follows:
[and] captain of the guard; of Pharoah's guard, his bodyguard; some render it, "of the slaughterers" {h}; meaning either cooks or butchers, of whom he was the chief; or rather executioners, he having the charge of prisoners, and the care of executing them, like our sheriffs. Joseph was a most eminent type of Christ, and there are so many things in this chapter which show an agreement between them that cannot be passed over. Joseph was the son of his father's old age, Christ the son of the Ancient of days; Joseph was in a peculiar manner beloved by his father, Christ is the dear son of his Father's love; Jacob made for Joseph a coat of many colours, God prepared a body in human nature for Christ, filled and adorned with the various gifts and graces of the Spirit without measure. Joseph was hated by his brethren, and they could not endure to think he should have the dominion over them. The Jews, of whom Christ was according to the flesh, hated him, and would not have him to reign over them; Joseph was sent by his father a long journey to visit his brethren, and know the welfare of them and their flocks, Christ was sent from heaven to earth to seek and save the lost sheep of the house of Israel; Joseph's brethren, when they saw him come to them, conspired to take away his life, the Jews, who were Christ's own, when he came to them, received him not, but said, this is the heir, let us kill him, and they consulted to take away his life; Joseph was stripped of his clothes, and sold for twenty pieces of silver at the motion of Judah, and Christ, by one of the same name, was sold for thirty pieces of silver, and was stripped of his clothes by the Roman soldiers; Joseph was delivered into the hands of foreigners, and Christ into the hands of the Gentiles; Joseph being reckoned as dead by his father, and yet alive, may be herein an emblem of Christ's death, and his resurrection from the dead.
{h} Myxbjx rv arcimageirw Sept. "principi coquorum", Cartwright; so Josephus, "principi lanionum", Pagninus, Montanus, "capitalium rerum praefecto", Tigurine version.