Genesis 37 · Verse 18

Genesis 37:18

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
Genesis 37:18, King James Version

Genesis 37:18 in other translations

BSBNow Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
WEBThey saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
ASVAnd they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
YLTAnd they see him from afar, even before he draweth near unto them, and they conspire against him to put him to death.
DARBYAnd when they saw him from afar, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to put him to death.
BBEBut they saw him when he was a long way off, and before he came near them they made a secret design against him to put him to death;
WebsterAnd when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him.

What does Genesis 37:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. when they saw him afar off--on the level grass field, where they were watching their cattle. They could perceive him approaching in the distance from the side of Shechem, or rather, Samaria.

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

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 37:12-22

How readily does Joseph wait his father's orders! Those children who are best beloved by their parents, should be the most ready to obey them. See how deliberate Joseph's brethren were against him. They thought to slay him from malice aforethought, and in cold blood. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, 1Jo 3:15. The sons of Jacob hated their brother because their father loved him. New occasions, as his…

Read the full comment on Genesis 37:12-22 →

Genesis 37:18 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.

וַיִּרְא֥וּvai.yir.'Uand they sawH7200
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To<obj.> himH853
מֵרָחֹ֑קme.ra.Chokfrom a distanceH7350
וּבְטֶ֙רֶם֙u.ve.Te.remand just beforeH2962
יִקְרַ֣בyik.Ravhe drew nearH7126
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם'a.lei.Hemto themH413
וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּvai.yit.na.ke.Luand they dealt deceptively withH5230
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To<obj.> himH853
לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ\׃la.ha.mi.Toto kill himH4191

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

Cross references for Genesis 37:18

  • Acts 23:12

    And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

  • Psalms 37:32

    The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

  • 1 Samuel 19:1

    And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

  • Psalms 37:12

    The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

  • Mark 14:1

    After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

  • Psalms 31:13

    For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

  • John 11:53

    Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

  • Luke 20:14-15

    But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

  • Mark 12:7

    But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

  • Matthew 21:38

    But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

  • Matthew 27:1

    When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

  • Psalms 109:4

    For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
conspired.
1Sa 19:1; Ps 31:13; 37:12,32; 94:21; 105:25; 109:4; Mt 21:38; 27:1
Mr 12:7; 14:1; Lu 20:14,15; Joh 11:53; Ac 23:12

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

Context

  • Genesis 37:17

    And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

  • Genesis 37:18

    And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

  • Genesis 37:19

    And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

Read all of Genesis 37

Genesis 37:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y como ellos lo vieron de lejos, antes que cerca de ellos llegara, proyectaron contra él para matarle.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils le virent de loin; et avant qu’il soit proche d’eux, ils complotèrent contre lui pour le faire mourir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie sahen ihn von ferne; und ehe er ihnen nahte, da ersannen sie gegen ihn den Anschlag, ihn zu töten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui cum vidissent eum procul, antequam accederet ad eos, cogitaverunt illum occidere: