Genesis 37 · Verse 1

Genesis 37:1

And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 37:1, King James Version

Genesis 37:1 in other translations

BSBNow Jacob lived in the land where his father had resided, the land of Canaan.
WEBJacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan.
ASVAnd Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
YLTAnd Jacob dwelleth in the land of his father's sojournings--in the land of Canaan.
DARBYAnd Jacob dwelt in the land where his father sojourned — in the land of Canaan.
BBENow Jacob was living in the land where his father had made a place for himself, in the land of Canaan.
WebsterAnd Jacob dwelt in the land in which his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

What does Genesis 37:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ge 37:1-4. Parental Partiality.

1. Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger--that is, "a sojourner"; "father" used collectively. The patriarch was at this time at Mamre, in the valley of Hebron (compare Ge 35:27); and his dwelling there was continued in the same manner and prompted by the same motives as that of Abraham and Isaac (He 11:13).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Jacob continues to sojourn in Canaan, Gen 37:1. Joseph, being seventeen years of age, is employed in feeding the flocks of his father, Gen 37:2. Is loved by his father more than the rest of his brethren, Gen 37:3. His brethren envy him, Gen 37:4. His dream of the sheaves, Gen 37:5-7. His brethren interpret it, and hate him on the account, Gen 37:8. His dream of the sun, moon, and eleven stars, Gen 37:9-12. Jacob sends him to visit his brethren, who were with the flock in Shechem, Gen 37:13, Gen 37:14. He wanders in the field, and is directed to go to Dothan, whither his brethren had removed the flocks, Gen 37:15-17. Seeing him coming they conspire to destroy him, Gen 37:18-20. Reuben, secretly intending to deliver him, counsels his brethren not to kill, but to put him into a pit, Gen 37:21, Gen 37:22. They strip Joseph of his coat of many colors, and put him into a pit, Gen 37:23, Gen 37:24. They afterwards draw him out, and sell him to a company of Ishmaelite merchants for twenty pieces of silver, who carry him into Egypt, Gen 37:25-28. Reuben returns to the pit, and not finding Joseph, is greatly affected, Gen 37:29, Gen 37:30. Joseph's brethren dip his coat in goat's blood to persuade his father that he had been devoured by a wild beast, Gen 37:31-33. Jacob is greatly distressed, Gen 37:34, Gen 37:35. Joseph is sold in Egypt to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard, Gen 37:36. Verse 1 Wherein his father was a stranger - מגורי אביו megurey abiv, Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, as the margin very properly reads it. The place was probably the vale of Hebron, see Gen 37:14.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 37:1-4
In Joseph's history we see something of Christ, who was first humbled and then exalted. It also shows the lot of Christians, who must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom. It is a history that has none like it, for displaying the various workings of the human mind, both good and bad, and the singular providence of God in making use of them for fulfilling his purposes. Though Joseph was his father's darling, yet he was not bred up in idleness. Those do not truly love their children, who do not use them to business, and labour, and hardships. The fondling of children is with good reason called the spoiling of them. Those who are trained up to do nothing, are likely to be good for nothing. But Jacob made known his love, by dressing Joseph finer than the rest of his children. It is wrong for parents to make a difference between one child and another, unless there is great cause for it, by the children's dutifulness, or undutifulness. When parents make a difference, children soon notice it, and it leads to quarrels in families. Jacob's sons did that, when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have done at home with him; but Joseph gave his father an account of their ill conduct, that he might restrain them. Not as a tale-bearer, to sow discord, but as a faithful brother.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Genesis 37:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּ֣שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevand he dweltH3427
יַעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoJacobH3290
בְּאֶ֖רֶץbe.'E.retzin [the] land ofH776
מְגוּרֵ֣יme.gu.Rei[the] sojournings ofH4033
אָבִ֑יו'a.Vivfather hisH1
בְּאֶ֖רֶץbe.'E.retzin [the] land ofH776
כְּנָֽעַן\׃ke.Na.'anCanaanH3667

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 37:1

  • Genesis 17:8

    And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

  • Genesis 23:4

    I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

  • Hebrews 11:9-16

    By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. …

  • Genesis 36:7

    For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle.

  • Genesis 28:4

    And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Joseph is loved by Jacob, but hated by his brethren.
5 His dreams and the interpretation.
12 Jacob sends him to his brethren, who counsel to slay him.
21 At Reuben's desire they cast him into a pit;
25 and afterwards sell him to the Ishmaelites; while Ruben grieves at not finding him.
31 His coat, covered with blood, is sent to Jacob, who mourns him inordinately.
36 Joseph is brought to Egypt and sold to Potiphar.

A.M. 2276. B.C. 1728.
wherein his father was a stranger. Heb. of his father'ssojournings.
17:8; 23:4; 28:4; *marg:
36:7; Heb 11:9-16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 37:1

    And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

  • Genesis 37:2

    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.

Read all of Genesis 37

Genesis 37:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y HABITÓ Jacob en la tierra donde peregrinó su padre, en la tierra de Canaán.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et Jacob habita dans le pays où son père avait séjourné, dans le pays de Canaan.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jakob wohnte in dem Lande, in welchem sein Vater als Fremdling geweilt hatte, im Lande Kanaan.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Habitavit autem Jacob in terra Chanaan, in qua pater suus peregrinatus est.