Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:10
And he told [it] to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What [is] this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
10. thy mother ] Implying that Rachel was still alive. Her death was recorded in Gen 35:19 (J). Presumably this version (E) assumed that her death occurred later.
The sun represented his father, and the moon his mother; each of his brethren is represented by a star. There is nothing in this scene which really favours astronomical or astral theories of interpretation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
His father rebuked him; not through anger at Joseph, or contempt of his dream, for it follows, he observed it; but partly lest Joseph should be puffed up upon the account of his dreams, and principally to allay the envy and hatred of his brethren.
Thy mother: either,
1. Rachel, who was now dead, and therefore must rise again and worship thee; whence he may seem to infer the idleness of the dream, because the fulfilling it was impossible. Or rather,
2. Leah, his stepmother, one that filled his mothers place, being now Jacobs only wife, and the mother of the family.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10. And his father rebuked him. If Jacob suspected that the dream originated in vain ambition, he rightly rebuked his son; but if he knew that God was the author of the dream, he ought not to have expostulated with him. But that he did know it, may be hence inferred, because he is afterwards said seriously to have considered it. For Moses, making a distinction between him and his sons, says that they breathed nothing but the virus of envy; while he revolved in his own mind what this might mean; which could not have happened, unless he had been affected with reverence. But seeing that a certain religious impression on the subject rested on his mind, how was it that he rebuked his son? This truly was not giving honor to God and to his word. For it ought to have occurred to the mind of Jacob that, although Joseph was under his authority, he yet sustained a prophetic character. It is probable, when he saw his sons so malevolent, that he wished to meet the danger by feigning what he did not feel: for he was not offended at the dream, but he was unwilling to exasperate the minds of those who, on account of their pride, would not bear to be in subjection. Therefore I do not doubt that he feignedly reproved his son, from a desire to appease contention. Nevertheless, this method of pretending to be adverse to the truth, when we are endeavoring to appease the anger of those who rage against it, is by no means approved by God. He ought rather ingenuously to have exhorted his sons not to “kick against the pricks.” Or at least he should have used this moderate address, “If this is a common dream, let it be treated with ridicule rather than with anger; but if it has proceeded from God, it is wicked to speak against it.” It is even possible that the unsuitableness of the dream had struck the mind of the old man. For we know how difficult it is entirely to throw off all sense of superiority. Certainly, though Jacob declines slightly from the right course, yet his piety appears to be of no common order; because his reverence for the oracle so easily prevailed over every other feeling. But the most wicked obstinacy betrays itself in his sons, seeing they break out into greater enmity. For though they despise the dream, yet they are not made angry about nothing. Gladly would they have had their brother as a laughing-stock; but a certain secret sense of the Deity constrains them, so that, with or against their will, they are compelled to feel that there is something authentic in the dream. Meanwhile, a blind ferocity impels them to an unintentional resistance against God. Therefore, that we may be held in obedience to God, let us learn to bring down our high spirits; because the beginning of docility is for men to submit to be brought into order. This obstinacy in the sons of Jacob was most censurable, because they not only rejected the oracle of God through their hatred of subjection, but were hostile to his messenger and herald. How much less excusable, then, will be our hardness, if we do not meekly submit our necks to the yoke of God; since the doctrine of humility, which subdues and even mortifies us, is not only more clearly revealed, but also confirmed by the precious blood of Christ? If, however, we see many refractory persons at this day, who refuse to embrace the gospel, and who perversely rise up against it, let us not be disturbed as by some new thing, seeing that the whole human race is infected with the disease of pride; for by the gospel all the glory of the flesh is reduced to nothing; rather let us know that all remain obstinate, except those who are rendered meek by the subduing influence of the Spirit.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) His father rebuked him.In making the sun and moon bow down before him. Josephs dream seemed to violate the respect due to parents. As Jacob probably regarded his sons dreams as the result of his letting his fancy dwell upon ideas of self-exaltation, he rightly rebuked him; while, nevertheless, observing his saying. (Comp. Luk. 2:51.)
Thy mother.Rachel was certainly dead, as Joseph had at this time eleven brethren. Nor did Leah ever bow down before him; for she died at Hebron (Gen. 49:31). The enumeration of sun, moon, and stars, means Jacob, his wives, and his children, that is, the whole family, elders and juniors, were to make obeisance to Joseph. It is a general phrase, like that in Gen. 35:26, and is not to be too literally interpreted. But as the handmaids were both of them younger than either Rachel or Leah, they may have gone down with Jacob into Egypt; and probably Bilhah had done a mothers part by Joseph after Rachels death.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he told it to his father and to his brothers, and his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that you have dreamed. Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?” ’
This time he not only told it to his brothers with whom he worked but also to his father and his other brothers. Possibly he was even troubled by the dreams. But his father too took it amiss. How dare he suggest that they would all bow down to him?
“And your mother.” This does not mean that his natural mother was necessarily alive. In days when women regularly died in childbirth some other of the family would adopt a child and become its mother. Probably Leah was in mind here.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 37:10. He told it to his father, &c. The old man, it is evident, was struck with the dream, and doubted not of its bearing an important meaning; he observed the saying; but fearing, perhaps, lest the young man might be too much elevated by the idea of superiority over his brethren, and thus incur their higher resentment, he thought fit to rebuke him, and to insinuate an impossibility in the completion, as the mother was dead, whom the moon was understood to signify; shall I and thy mother, &c. But the dream received a sufficient accomplishment in the submission of all the family to Joseph: and literally the other wives of Jacob, Bilhah especially, might be called his mother. St. Chrysostom, in his homily on the place, agrees with what has been advanced: Jacob, says he, might think it convenient to give this calm check to a spirit so elated as this young man’s must have been by those great and certain expectations which God was pleased in so extraordinary a manner to set before him. The foreknowledge of all that glory and greatness which was one day to be his portion, might have put him on a wrong bias of behaviour, might have tempted him to antedate his superiority, and fail, or waver, more or less, in his duty to his elder brethren, if not to his father himself: and this seems to be the meaning of Jacob’s mentioning his mother, who was dead, and did not well comport with his dream: but, at the same time, that in prudence he was willing to prevent any vain aspiring conceits or tumours in his son, in faith he was persuaded that the fact would prove such as it was foretold.
REFLECTIONS.Joseph begins to enjoy Divine communications.
1. We have two prophetical dreams, signifying that advancement for which God designed him. His brethren and his father must become his supplicants. These dreams he in simplicity relates, little suspecting the consequence. Note; Many young people, setting out in life, dream of nothing but prosperity, and overlook the trouble they should expect to encounter in the way to it.
2. His brethren are highly exasperated, and give his dreams an interpretation which was true in its issue, when at the same time they both despised and feared him in their hearts. Note; They who now despise the government of Jesus, must one day bow to it either as obedient servants, or as condemned criminals.
3. His father is not pleased. Possibly he might blame himself for having put high thoughts in the young man’s head. Note; It is right for those parents, who are most fond, never to spare the needful rebuke, especially when their partiality may have given occasion to pride. But he observes the saying, being no stranger to the Divine notices frequently conveyed in visions of the night.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 37:10 And he told [it] to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What [is] this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
Ver. 10. And his father rebuked him. ] Either as not yet understanding the mystery, or dissembling it. It is wisdom, at some time, and in some place, to pretend a dislike of another man’s fact (so far as we may with truth), for the preventing of envy. This, some think, was Jacob’s drift here. And therefore he draws an argument, ab impossibili et absurdo; Shall thy dead mother rise and reverence thee? A likely matter: and yet, as light as Jacob made of it, to unload Joseph of the envy, he laid it to heart. Gen 37:11
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Shall I: Gen 27:29, Isa 60:14, Phi 2:10, Phi 2:11
Reciprocal: Gen 37:9 – the sun Gen 43:28 – bowed Dan 7:28 – but Mar 15:18 – Hail
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 37:10. He told it to his father The dream was so strongly impressed upon his mind, and that, no doubt, by the Spirit of God, that he could not rest till he had acquainted his father with it. His father rebuked him Not through anger or contempt of his dream, for it follows, he observed it; but partly lest Joseph should be elated with the idea of superiority over his brethren, and give place to pride on account of his dreams, and principally to allay the envy and hatred of his brethren. In his thus rebuking him, although in regard to Joseph without cause, Jacob is an example worthy of the imitation of all parents, who, when they observe any appearance of arrogance, self-exaltation, or aspiring after high things in any of their children, ought always to check it, as being a sinful disposition, and often productive of very evil consequences. Shall I and thy mother Leah, his step-mother, one that filled his mothers place, and was now Jacobs only wife, and the mother of the family. Or he means, Shall thy mother Rachel rise from the dead to come and join with me in worshipping thee? In which sense of the words he seems to infer the idleness of the dream, the fulfilling of it being impossible.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
37:10 And he told [it] to his father, and to his brethren: and his father {e} rebuked him, and said unto him, What [is] this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
(e) Not despising the vision, but seeking to appease his brethren.