Genesis 37:7
in Genesis 37We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
KJV
For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
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This verse in Genesis 37
Commentary
7 notes on this verseIndeed, God's grace shone on Joseph even in his boyhood. For he had a dream that when he was binding sheaves with his brothers—so it appeared to him in the vision—this sheaf rose up and stood straight, while the sheaves of his brothers turned and bowed down to his sheaf. Now in this the resurrection of the Lord Jesus that was to come was revealed.
This site's exposition
Joseph had a dream
on Genesis 37:5-8
Joseph had a dream of sheaves of grain in a field, and his brothers needed no interpreter for it. Their answer came back as two questions, whether he meant to reign over them. Joseph is the eleventh son, and the sheaves that bow are the sheaves of ten older brothers.
This site's exposition
We were binding sheaves of grain in the field
A family of shepherds dreams of a grain harvest, and grain is how the dream comes true. The brothers go down to Egypt to buy grain and bow before Joseph with their faces to the ground at Genesis 42:6. He holds the grain they need.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field,....
Joseph had a great deal of trouble before him, and therefore God gave him betimes this prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him under the long and grievous troubles with which he was to be exercised. Thus Christ had a joy set before him, and so have Christians.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
We were binding sheaves in the field - Though in these early times we read little of tillage, yet it is evident from this circumstance that it was practiced by Jacob and his sons.
Modern Voices1 voice
Numbers in dreams generally represent the identical number in waking life. However, the number will probably be linked to something that needs to be interpreted symbolically. For example, when Joseph dreamed of eleven stars, the eleven was literal but the stars were symbolic and actually represented his brothers.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠הִנֵּה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אֲנַ֜חְנוּ | ʾanachnu | we | H587 → | 120 times |
| מְאַלְּמִ֤ים | mealemim | [were] binding | H481 → | |
| אֲלֻמִּים֙ | ʾalumim | sheaves | H485 → | 5 times |
| בְּת֣וֹךְ | betokh | in [the] middle of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה | hasadeh | the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֛ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| קָ֥מָה | kamah | it arose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| אֲלֻמָּתִ֖י | ʾalumati | sheaf my | H485 → | 5 times |
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| נִצָּ֑בָה | nitzavah | it stood upright | H5324 → | 75 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֤ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| תְסֻבֶּ֙ינָה֙ | tesubeinah | they gathered round | H5437 → | 161 times |
| אֲלֻמֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם | ʾalumoteikhem | sheaves your | H485 → | 5 times |
| וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָ | vatishtachaveina | and they bowed down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| לַאֲלֻמָּתִֽי׃ | laalumati | to sheaf my | H485 → | 5 times |
וְ֠הִנֵּהand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
אֲנַ֜חְנוּwe
ʾanachnuH587 →120 times
מְאַלְּמִ֤ים[were] binding
mealemimH481 →
אֲלֻמִּים֙sheaves
ʾalumimH485 →5 times
בְּת֣וֹךְin [the] middle of
betokhH8432 →418 times
הַשָּׂדֶ֔הthe field
hasadehH7704 →334 times
וְהִנֵּ֛הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
קָ֥מָהit arose
kamahH6965 →628 times
אֲלֻמָּתִ֖יsheaf my
ʾalumatiH485 →5 times
וְגַם־and also
vegam-H1571 →769 times
נִצָּ֑בָהit stood upright
nitzavahH5324 →75 times
וְהִנֵּ֤הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
תְסֻבֶּ֙ינָה֙they gathered round
tesubeinahH5437 →161 times
אֲלֻמֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔םsheaves your
ʾalumoteikhemH485 →5 times
וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָand they bowed down
vatishtachaveinaH7812 →172 times
לַאֲלֻמָּתִֽי׃to sheaf my
laalumatiH485 →5 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 43:26When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:10–11
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 42:6
Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the…
- Genesis 27:29
May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you…
- Genesis 37:19–20
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.
- Psalms 72:9
May the nomads bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust.
- Philippians 2:10–11
Through
Genesis 42:6Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the…
it leads to
- Genesis 37:7–10
We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 19:1
Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown,
- Genesis 37:7–10
Through
Genesis 44:19My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
it leads to
- Genesis 43:7
They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that…
- Genesis 43:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
On this chapter
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament; Mark Virkler, Understanding Your Prophetic Dreams! (Elijah List article) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.