Genesis 37:3

Jacob loved Joseph more than he loved any of his other children, because Joseph had been born when Jacob was an old man. Jacob made for Joseph a long pretty robe that had long sleeves.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

2◄This is/I will now tell you► what happened to Jacob’s family. When his son Joseph was 17 years old, he was taking care of the flocks of sheep and goats with some of his older brothers. They were sons of his father’s ◄concubines/female slaves that he had taken to be his secondary wives►. Joseph sometimes told his father about bad things that his brothers were doing.

4When Joseph’s older brothers realized that their father loved him more than he loved any of them, they hated him. They never spoke kindly to him.

Read all of Genesis 37

Cross References

Genesis 37:23So when Joseph arrived where his older brothers were, they seized him and ripped off his pretty robe with long sleeves.

Genesis 44:20We answered, ‘Our father is alive, but he is an old man. He has a young son who was born after our father became an old man. That son had an older brother, who is now dead. So the youngest son is the only one of his mother’s sons who is still alive, and his father loves him very much.’

2 Samuel 13:18So the servant put her outside and locked the door. Tamar was wearing a long robe with long sleeves, which was the clothing that was usually worn by the unmarried daughters of the king at that time.

Ezekiel 16:16It was as though you took some of your clothes to make beautifully decorated shrines, and that is where you had sex with those men. Those things should certainly never occur!

John 13:22We looked at each other. We had no way to know whom he was talking about.

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 37:3