Genesis 37:2

This is the story about what happened to Jacob’s family. Jacob’s son Joseph was 17 years old. And Joseph and his brothers looked after the sheep that belonged to their father Jacob. Joseph used to help 4 of his brothers to look after those sheep. 2 of those brothers were Bilhah’s sons, and the other 2 were Zilpah’s sons. Bilhah and Zilpah were Jacob’s wives. And Joseph told his father that those 4 brothers were doing bad things.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

In Context

1Jacob lived in Canaan country. That’s the country where his father Isaac used to have his camp.

3Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph was born when Jacob was an old man. So Jacob gave Joseph a special coat.

Read all of Genesis 37

Cross References

Genesis 2:4This story is about the time when God made the earth and the sky.

Genesis 6:9This is the story about Noah and his family. Noah was a good man. He didn’t do anything wrong. He was God’s friend, and he spent a lot of time with God.

Genesis 30:4Then Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob, and Bilhah became Jacob’s wife. And Jacob slept with Bilhah, like a man sleeps with his wife.

Genesis 35:22While they were living there, Jacob’s son Reuben went to the woman called Bilhah. Bilhah worked for Jacob’s family, and she was like another wife for Jacob. And Reuben slept with Bilhah, like a man sleeps with his wife. Then somebody told Jacob that Reuben did that bad thing. These are the names of Jacob’s 12 sons.

John 7:7The people of this world don’t hate you. But they hate me. I keep on telling them that the things they do are really bad. That is the reason why they hate me.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 37:2-5

The History of Joseph. ( b. c. 1729.) 1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. 4… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 37:2