Genesis 37:19 kjv

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

Genesis 37:19 nkjv

Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming!

Genesis 37:19 niv

"Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other.

Genesis 37:19 esv

They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer.

Genesis 37:19 nlt

"Here comes the dreamer!" they said.

Genesis 37 verses

Genesis 37 19 Meaning

Genesis 37:19 describes the immediate, malevolent reaction of Joseph's brothers upon seeing him approach from a distance. The verse states that before Joseph even drew near, his brothers united in a wicked plan to kill him. While the precise words "Behold, this dreamer comes!" are found in Genesis 37:20, this statement reveals their derisive attitude and is the direct motivation for their conspiracy in Genesis 37:19. Their hatred, fueled by jealousy over Jacob's favoritism, Joseph's dreams, and his perceived self-importance, culminated in this deliberate and extreme plot.

Genesis 37 19 Context

Genesis 37 begins by introducing Joseph, favored by his father Jacob, given a coat of many colors (often translated "ornamental tunic"). This favoritism, coupled with Joseph's reports of his brothers' misdeeds and, critically, his prophetic dreams where his family bowed down to him, fueled deep hatred and jealousy among his brothers. They resented his favored status and despised the implication of his dreams. Chapter 37 recounts Jacob sending Joseph to check on his brothers in Dothan. Upon seeing him approach in the distance (v.18), the brothers immediately recognize him. It is at this point that the conspiracy unfolds in verse 19, driven by their accumulated malice and the vivid memory of his prophetic dreams, which they explicitly acknowledge with the scornful exclamation "Behold, this dreamer comes!" in verse 20. The cultural context emphasizes sibling rivalry, patriarchal authority, and the significance of dreams as potential divine revelation, all contributing to the intense drama and the brothers' desire to prevent Joseph's ascendancy.

Genesis 37 19 Word analysis

• And when they saw him afar off: (וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹוק – vayyir'u oto merachōq)
  • וַיִּרְאוּ (vayyir'u): "And they saw." This Hebrew consecutive imperfect highlights immediate action following observation. Their sight ignited their long-standing malice.
  • אֹתוֹ (oto): "Him." Direct object, emphasizing Joseph as the specific target of their collective animosity.
  • מֵרָחֹוק (merachōq): "From afar/from a distance." This spatial separation suggests time for thought and deliberation, even if only brief. It shows a pre-meditated response, not a spontaneous outburst upon close proximity. It signifies their hatred was not hidden but revealed even before close interaction.
• even before he came near unto them: (וּבְטֶרֶם יִקְרַב אֲלֵיהֶם – uvterem yiqrav aleihem)
  • וּבְטֶרֶם (uvterem): "And before." This conjunction underscores the immediacy of their decision and the lack of opportunity for Joseph to engage or for them to have a change of heart through personal interaction. It highlights the depth of their pre-existing hatred.
  • יִקְרַב (yiqrav): "He came near." Implying an absence of physical contact, signifying their plot was conceived entirely on sight, before any direct conversation or Joseph's physical presence. No dialogue, only decision.
• they conspired against him: (וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ אֹתוֹ – vayyitnakkelu oto)
  • וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ (vayyitnakkelu): "And they conspired/schemed/plotted." Derived from the root נָכַל (nakal), which implies cunning, treachery, and deceitful plotting. This verb denotes a malicious and premeditated act of strategizing harm against another, forming a specific, evil design. It is not mere anger but active intent to do evil.
  • אֹתוֹ (oto): "Against him" or "concerning him." This specifies the target of their plot – Joseph.
• to slay him: (לַהֲמִיתוֹ – lahamiṯō)
  • לַהֲמִיתוֹ (lahamiṯō): "To kill him" or "to put him to death." This Hebrew infinitive construction expresses the definite purpose and ultimate extreme of their conspiracy. The most drastic act, signifying absolute hatred and the desire to remove him entirely from existence and from challenging their position or future.

Words-group analysis:

• "Behold, this dreamer comes!" (הִנֵּה בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמוֹת הַלָּזֶה בָּא – hinnēh ba'al haḥalōmōt hallāzeh bā'): Though in Gen 37:20, this phrase encapsulates the driving motivation for the conspiracy in Gen 37:19.
  • הִנֵּה (hinnēh): "Behold/Look!" An interjection drawing immediate attention, conveying surprise, scorn, and urgent warning among the brothers.
  • בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמוֹת (ba'al haḥalōmōt): "Master/lord of dreams." This is a derisive title, implying Joseph is overly confident or arrogant about his dreams, or perhaps it highlights their perception of him as a manipulator or a boastful teller of tales. It signifies their dismissiveness and contempt for his divinely-given insights. The word ba'al here is possessive ("possessor of"), indicating how thoroughly defined he was to them by his dreams.
  • הַלָּזֶה (hallāzeh): "This one." A demonstrative pronoun, emphasizing him contemptuously, adding a dismissive and scornful tone.
  • בָּא (bā'): "Comes." The immediate present tense, highlighting the impending arrival that triggers their urgent murderous plot. This simple verb sparks extreme reaction.

The structure of the verse depicts a logical progression: Observation from distance (v.18/19), recognition and immediate pre-meditated evil decision (v.19), and then verbalization of their hatred and plan based on his "dreamer" status (v.20). Their intense hatred leads them not merely to avoid or confront him, but to resolve to commit murder.

Genesis 37 19 Bonus section

The story of Joseph in Genesis 37 is often understood as a prefigurement or type of Christ. Just as Joseph was deeply loved by his father but hated by his brothers without cause (John 15:25), so was Jesus rejected by His own people (John 1:11). The conspiracy "to slay him" against Joseph mirrors the ultimate conspiracy of the religious authorities to kill Jesus (Matt 27:1; John 11:53). The very reason for their hatred—Joseph's prophetic dreams pointing to his future exaltation and authority—parallels the reasons for rejecting Jesus—His claims to kingship and divinity. In both cases, human evil was incapable of derailing God's overarching redemptive plan; instead, it became an instrument in fulfilling it. This underscores the theological concept of paradoxical sovereignty, where God uses human wickedness to accomplish His righteous will (Psa 76:10, Gen 50:20).

Genesis 37 19 Commentary

Genesis 37:19 is a chilling depiction of the depth of human sin: envy escalating to murder. Joseph's brothers, far from greeting him as kin, saw his very approach as an affront to their existence, perceiving him through the lens of jealousy and resentment. The mention of "seeing him afar off" highlights a deliberate, pre-meditated decision, not an impulsive act. They had ample time for their simmering animosity to crystallize into a concrete, wicked plot. The motive, though explicitly stated in the subsequent verse as "this dreamer comes," underscores their disdain for Joseph's divinely-given favor and future role. Their conspiracy was an attempt to thwart God's perceived plan and eliminate a rival, a testament to the corrosive power of envy that seeks to destroy the object of its bitter desire. Yet, even in this dark act, God's sovereign hand was at work, subtly weaving their evil intentions into His greater purpose for Joseph and the nation of Israel. It sets the stage for a dramatic narrative of suffering, testing, and ultimate redemption, foreshadowing even greater betrayals and the triumph of divine will over human malice.