Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:9
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
9. another dream ] The repetition (cf. Gen 41:5-32) seems to indicate stronger certainty and greater importance. The first dream had its symbolism on earth, the second in the heavens. The first included the brethren only. The second included the father and the mother in the same act of obeisance with the brethren. Israel, in its widest sense, as a father’s house, is to recognize the predominance of Joseph.
eleven stars ] Supposed by some scholars to refer to the signs of the Zodiac (cf. 2Ki 23:5 marg.), the twelfth being either Joseph or obscured by Joseph. But the theory is improbable: it is not “ the eleven stars.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. He dreamed yet another dream] This is as clear as the preceding. But how could Jacob say, Shall I and thy mother, c., when Rachel his mother was dead some time before this? Perhaps Jacob might hint, by this explanation, the impossibility of such a dream being fulfilled, because one of the persons who should be a chief actor in it was already dead. But any one wife or concubine of Jacob was quite sufficient to fulfil this part of the dream. It is possible, some think, that Joseph may have had these dreams before his mother Rachel died but were even this the case, she certainly did not live to fulfil the part which appears to refer to herself.
The sun and the moon and the eleven stars] Why eleven stars? Was it merely to signify that his brothers might be represented by stars? Or does he not rather there allude to the Zodiac, his eleven brethren answering to eleven of the celestial signs, and himself to the twelfth? This is certainly not an unnatural thought, as it is very likely that the heavens were thus measured in the days of Joseph; for the zodiacal constellations have been distinguished among the eastern nations from time immemorial. See Clarke on Ge 49:33.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He dreamed another dream, that the repetition of the same thing in another shape might teach them that the thing was both certain and very observable.
The sun and the moon were not mentioned in the first dream, because in the event his brethren only went at first to Egypt and there worshipped him, as afterwards his father went with them.
Object. His father did not worship him in Egypt.
Answ. 1. He did worship him mediately by his sons, who in their fathers name and stead bowed before him, and by the presents which he sent as testimonies of that respect which he owed to him.
2. It is probable that Jacob did, before the Egyptians, pay that reverence to his son which all the rest did, and which was due to the dignity of his place. As the Roman consul was commended by his father for requiring him to alight from his horse, as the rest did, when he met him upon the way.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 9-11:
Joseph’s second dream was even more startling than the first. In it he saw the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing to him in obeisance. This time he told the dream to his father, as well as to his brothers. Jacob rebuked Joseph for this dream, likely in irritation for thinking that such an unlikely event as his dream suggested could ever occur.
Joseph did not attempt to interpret this dream. Jacob saw its obvious meaning and was unable to visualize such a thing as ever happening. His reference to Joseph’s mother implies this. Rachel was already dead at this time, and it would be a manifest impossibility for her to return to bow down and worship her son. But the fulfillment of this could be that Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, stood in the stead of Rachel.
This second dream of Joseph intensified the jealousy and hatred of his brothers, with the likely exception of Benjamin who at this time was still very young. Although Jacob was irritated at Joseph, he realized that God had a special role for him to fulfill and he “observed” or kept in his mind the word or dream.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
9. And he dreamed yet another dream. The scope of this dream is the same. The only difference is, that God, to inspire greater confidence in the oracle, presents him with a figure from heaven. The brethren of Joseph had despised what was said concerning the sheaves; the Lord now calls upon them to look towards heaven, where his august Majesty shines forth. It may, however, be asked, how it can be reconciled with fact, that his mother, who was now dead, could come and bow down to him. The interpretation of certain Hebrews, who refer it to Bilhah, is frigid, and the sense appears plain without such subterfuges: for the sun and moon designate the head of the family on each side: thus, in this figure, Joseph sees himself reverenced by the whole house of his father.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) He dreamed yet another dream.In Josephs history the dreams are always double, though in the case of those of the chief butler and baker, the interpretation was diverse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold I have dreamed yet a dream, and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.”
Again he dreams and again he cannot keep it to himself. The meaning of the dream is made clear in the next verse.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
Ver. 9. Behold, the sun, and the moon. ] The father of the family should be as the sun, full of heavenly light, and illightening all about him: The mother, as the moon, shining out in her husband’s absence, and veiling to him, when he is in place. The children, as stars of light, or rather, as a heaven full of stars, as one saith well of Joseph: Fuit Iosephi vita coelum quoddam lucidissimis virtutum stellis exornatum. The people of God are called, “the host of heaven,” Dan 8:10 and are bid to shine as lamps, or rather, [ ,] as those great lights of heaven. Php 2:15
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 37:9-11
9Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?” 11His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Gen 37:9 This dream is symbolic of Joseph’s coming leadership as YHWH’s provider and savior of his family. The fact that his mother (i.e., the moon) is already dead does not affect the literary thrust of the dream.
1. a prophetic foreshadowing to show God is in control of history
2. an aspect of Joseph’s naivete
3. a way of setting the brothers against him and implementing God’s plan of Egyptian asylum/slavery/exodus
The context could support any one of these interpretations. Joseph is not the key feature in this account. The key figure is YHWH and His eternal, redemptive plan to use Joseph for His purposes. Joseph is a moral person, but somewhat naive. Israel is saved by YHWH’s actions, not Joseph’s strengths.
Gen 37:10 “and his father rebuked him” This is a very strong Hebrew term (BDB 172, KB 199, Qal IMPERFECT) which originally meant “to cry out” (cf. Jer 29:27). It is often used of God rebuking the nations (i.e., Isa 17:13). It is even the term used for YHWH rebuking Satan in Zec 3:2.
“Shall I and your mother” We need to remember that Rachel is dead by this time (cf. Gen 35:19). Some assume that he still thought of her or that this refers to Leah, Rachel’s older sister, or to Bilhah who raised him.
Gen 37:11 “His brothers were jealous of him” The VERB (BDB 888, KB 1109, Piel IMPERFECT) is parallel to “hated” (cf. Gen 37:4-5; Gen 37:8).
This fragment of Gen 37:11 is combined with Gen 37:28; Gen 39:21; Gen 45:4 in a combination quote in Stephen’s sermon in Act 7:9.
“but his father kept the saying in mind” This reminds of us of how Mary kept the sayings concerning Jesus in her heart (cf. Luk 2:19; Luk 2:51). Jacob realized that God had revealed Himself many times in dreams to confirm the one who was to receive the patriarchal blessing. Not only did Jacob want to believe this, but so far, the historical events seem to infer that Joseph was to be the promised head of the covenant family. However, we learn from later chapters that God never appeared directly to Joseph as He did to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that Judah will be the line of the Messiah, not Joseph.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
eleven stars = the eleven signs of the Zodiac, Joseph being the twelfth. See note on Num 2:2.
made obeisance. Compare Gen 42:6; Gen 43:26; Gen 44:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
another dream: Gen 37:7, Gen 41:25, Gen 41:32
the sun: Gen 37:10, Gen 43:28, Gen 44:14, Gen 44:19, Gen 45:9, Gen 46:29, Gen 47:12, Gen 50:15-21, Act 7:9-14
stars: Dan 8:10, Phi 2:15
Reciprocal: Gen 20:3 – a dream Gen 37:5 – dreamed Gen 42:6 – bowed Gen 44:16 – behold Jer 23:25 – dreamed Rom 3:7 – if the truth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 37:9. Yet another dream The repetition of the same thing in another shape, might have taught them that it was both certain and very observable. Behold the sun and the moon His father and mother, here signified by the sun and moon, were not represented in the first dream, because, in the event, his brethren only went at first to Egypt, and there did him obeisance, and it was not till afterward that his father went with them.