Genesis 37 · Verse 3

Genesis 37:3

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.
Genesis 37:3, King James Version

Genesis 37:3 in other translations

BSBNow Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.
WEBNow Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a tunic of many colors.
ASVNow 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 colors.
YLTAnd Israel hath loved Joseph more than any of his sons, for he is a son of his old age, and hath made for him a long coat;
DARBYAnd Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was son of his old age; and he made him a vest of many colours.
BBENow the love which Israel had for Joseph was greater than his love for all his other children, because he got him when he was an old man: and he had a long coat made for him.
WebsterNow 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 colors.

What does Genesis 37:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. son of his old age--Benjamin being younger, was more the son of his old age and consequently on that ground might have been expected to be the favorite. Literally rendered, it is "son of old age to him"--Hebrew phrase, for "a wise son"--one who possessed observation and wisdom above his years--an old head on young shoulders. made him a coat of many colors--formed in those early days by sewing together patches of colored cloth, and considered a dress of distinction (Jud 5:30; 2Sa 13:18). The passion for various colors still reigns among the Arabs and other people of the East, who are fond of dressing their children in this gaudy attire. But since the art of interweaving various patterns was introduced, "the coats of colors" are different now from what they seem to have been in patriarchal times, and bear a close resemblance to the varieties of tartan.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 A coat of many colors - כתנת פסים kethoneth passim, a coat made up of stripes of differently colored cloth. Similar to this was the toga praetexta of the Roman youth, which was white, striped or fringed with purple; this they wore till they were seventeen years of age, when they changed it for the toga virilis, or toga pura, which was all white. Such vestures as clothing of distinction are worn all over Persia, India, and China to the present day. It is no wonder that his brethren should envy him, when his father had thus made him such a distinguished object of his partial love. We have already seen some of the evils produced by this unwarrantable conduct of parents in preferring one child to all the rest. The old fable of the ape and her favorite cub, which she hugged to death through kindness, was directed against such foolish parental fondnesses as these.

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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 37:1-4 →

Genesis 37:3 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.

וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לve.Yis.ra.'Eland IsraelH3478
אָהַ֤ב'a.Havhe lovedH157
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יוֹסֵף֙yo.SefJosephH3130
מִכָּל\־mi.kolmore than allH3605
בָּנָ֔יוba.Navsons hisH1121
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
בֶן\־ven-[was] a son ofH1121
זְקֻנִ֥יםze.ku.Nimold age<s>H2208
ה֖וּאhu'heH1931
ל֑וֹlofor <the> him
וְעָ֥שָׂהve.'A.sahand he madeH6213
ל֖וֹlofor <the> him
כְּתֹ֥נֶתke.To.neta long garment ofH3801
פַּסִּֽים\׃pa.Simpalms and solesH6446

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

Cross references for Genesis 37:3

  • John 3:35

    The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

  • Genesis 37:32

    And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.

  • 2 Samuel 13:18

    And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

  • John 13:22-23

    Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

  • Genesis 37:23

    And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

  • Ezekiel 16:16

    And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

  • Genesis 44:20-30

    And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. …

  • Psalms 45:13-14

    The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
loved.
Joh 3:35; 13:22,23
son.
44:20-30
a coat.
23,32; Jud 5:30; 2Sa 13:18; Ps 45:13,14; Eze 16:16
colours.{Kethoneth passim}, a coat made of stripes of different coloured cloth.

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Genesis 37:3

    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.

  • Genesis 37:4

    And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

Read all of Genesis 37

Genesis 37:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y amaba Israel á José más que á todos sus hijos, porque le había tenido en su vejez: y le hizo una ropa de diversos colores.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Israël aimait Joseph plus que tous ses fils, parce qu’il était pour lui le fils de sa vieillesse, et il lui fit une tunique bigarrée.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Israel hatte Joseph lieber als alle seine Söhne, weil er der Sohn seines Alters war; und er machte ihm einen langen Leibrock.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Israël autem diligebat Joseph super omnes filios suos, eo quod in senectute genuisset eum: fecitque ei tunicam polymitam.