Genesis 37:7

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.

For, behold, we were binding {H481}{H8432} sheaves {H485} in the field {H7704}, and, lo, my sheaf {H485} arose {H6965}, and also stood upright {H5324}; and, behold, your sheaves {H485} stood round about {H5437}, and made obeisance {H7812} to my sheaf {H485}.

We were tying up bundles of wheat in the field when suddenly my bundle got up by itself and stood upright; then your bundles came, gathered around mine and prostrated themselves before it."

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.”

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.

Commentary

Context of Genesis 37:7

This verse presents the first of two significant dreams Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, recounts to his family. Living in a pastoral society where agriculture was central, the imagery of binding sheaves would have been immediately understood. Joseph's family, consisting of his father, eleven brothers, and potentially their wives, was a large and complex household. This dream, along with a subsequent one, served as a divine revelation foreshadowing Joseph's future role and authority within the family. His brothers’ immediate and intense jealousy (Genesis 37:8) highlights the existing tensions due to Jacob's favoritism (Genesis 37:3).

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Revelation and Prophecy: God often communicates His plans and future events through dreams, as seen with Joseph. This dream was not merely a product of Joseph's imagination but a prophetic vision of his eventual rise to prominence.
  • Future Leadership and Authority: The imagery of Joseph's sheaf standing upright while his brothers' sheaves bowed down clearly symbolizes a future position of authority and their submission to him. This foreshadows his later role as a powerful ruler.
  • Sibling Envy and Conflict: The dream immediately ignited the deep-seated envy and resentment of Joseph's brothers, setting the stage for the dramatic events that would follow, including their plot against him.
  • God's Sovereignty: Despite the human machinations and suffering Joseph endured, this dream ultimately points to God's sovereign hand guiding events to fulfill His predetermined purpose for Joseph and the family of Israel.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses the term "made obeisance," which is a strong and formal way to describe an act of profound respect, reverence, or submission, often involving bowing or prostrating oneself. In this agricultural context, the sheaves bending to Joseph's sheaf powerfully conveys the idea of humble submission to a superior. The "sheaf" itself, a bundle of grain stalks, represents individuals or groups, emphasizing the personal nature of the future submission.

Related Scriptures

This dream is directly followed by a second, similar dream involving the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing to Joseph (Genesis 37:9), further solidifying the prophetic message. The ultimate fulfillment of this dream occurred many years later when Joseph became the powerful vizier of Egypt (Genesis 41:40) and his brothers were forced to come to him for food during a severe famine. On multiple occasions, they indeed bowed down before him, unknowingly fulfilling the very dream that had once enraged them (Genesis 42:6, 43:26, 50:18).

Practical Application

Genesis 37:7 reminds us that God often has a plan for our lives, sometimes revealed in unexpected ways, even if the path to its fulfillment is long and arduous. It teaches patience in waiting for God's timing and trusting His sovereignty, even when faced with adversity, envy, or misunderstanding from others. The story of Joseph demonstrates that divine purposes will ultimately prevail, despite human opposition or personal suffering, and that God can use challenging circumstances to prepare us for His intended role.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Genesis 42:6 (6 votes)

    And Joseph [was] the governor over the land, [and] he [it was] that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him [with] their faces to the earth.

  • Genesis 44:14 (6 votes)

    And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

  • Genesis 43:26 (5 votes)

    ¶ And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which [was] in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

  • Genesis 42:9 (5 votes)

    And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye [are] spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

  • Colossians 1:18 (2 votes)

    And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.

  • Genesis 44:19 (2 votes)

    My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

  • Philippians 2:10 (2 votes)

    That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;