Genesis 37:7

Translation
King James Version
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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KJV (with Strong's)
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.
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Complete Jewish Bible
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."
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Berean Standard Bible
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.”
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American Standard Version
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.
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World English Bible Messianic
for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Beholde nowe, wee were binding sheues in the middes of the field: and loe, my shefe arose and also stoode vpright, and behold, your sheues compassed rounde about, and did reuerence to my shefe.
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Young's Literal Translation
that, lo, we are binding bundles in the midst of the field, and lo, my bundle hath arisen, and hath also stood up, and lo, your bundles are round about, and bow themselves to my bundle.'
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See also
Genesis 42:6Genesis 44:14Genesis 43:26Genesis 42:9Colossians 1:18Genesis 44:19Philippians 2:10
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Joseph Sold Into Egypt
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In the KJVVerse 1,091 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Genesis 37:7 records Joseph's inaugural prophetic dream, vividly depicting his sheaf of grain rising and standing upright while his brothers' sheaves encircled and bowed down to it. This potent agricultural imagery, immediately comprehensible within their agrarian society, served as a divine revelation foreshadowing Joseph's future preeminence and his family's eventual submission to his authority, thereby igniting profound sibling envy and setting in motion the intricate divine plan for his life and the preservation of the nascent nation of Israel.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is pivotal, introducing the first of two prophetic dreams that define Joseph's early life and set the stage for the dramatic narrative that follows in Genesis 37. Immediately preceding this dream, the narrative establishes Jacob's overt favoritism towards Joseph, gifting him a distinctive "coat of many colours" (Genesis 37:3), and Joseph's tendency to bring negative reports of his brothers' conduct to their father (Genesis 37:2). These elements had already fostered deep resentment among his brothers. Joseph's recounting of this dream, followed by a similar one involving celestial bodies (Genesis 37:9), directly escalates this animosity, leading to their plot against him (Genesis 37:18-28). The dream's fulfillment, decades later, forms the climax of the Joseph narrative in Genesis 42, Genesis 43, Genesis 44, Genesis 45, where his brothers indeed bow before him.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Dreams were widely regarded in the ancient Near East as significant channels of divine communication, often conveying messages about the future or divine will. For a nomadic, pastoral, and increasingly agrarian society like Jacob's family, the imagery of "sheaves" and "binding in the field" would have been instantly recognizable and deeply meaningful. Agriculture was the bedrock of their economy and sustenance. The act of "making obeisance" (prostration or bowing low) was a common gesture of profound respect, submission, or worship, particularly towards a superior, a ruler, or a deity. In the patriarchal family structure, the younger son exercising authority over his elder brothers was a radical reversal of the customary order of primogeniture, making the dream's implications particularly offensive and threatening to Joseph's brothers.
  • Key Themes: Genesis 37:7 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. It highlights Divine Revelation, demonstrating God's sovereign communication of His plans through dreams, a recurring motif in the Joseph narrative and beyond. The dream underscores God's Sovereignty, revealing His predetermined purpose for Joseph's life, which would unfold despite immense human opposition and suffering, ultimately serving to preserve the covenant family of Israel (Genesis 50:20). It sets the stage for the theme of Sibling Rivalry and Conflict, a pervasive issue throughout Genesis, from Cain and Abel to Jacob and Esau, here exacerbated by favoritism and prophetic claims. Finally, it introduces the theme of Exaltation through Humiliation, foreshadowing how Joseph's initial suffering and imprisonment would paradoxically lead to his ultimate position of authority and the fulfillment of this very dream.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Sheaves (Hebrew, ʼălummâh', H485): Passive participle of a root meaning "to tie fast." It refers to something bound, specifically a bundle of cut grain stalks. In this dream, "sheaves" are not merely agricultural produce but symbolic representations of individuals or family units, specifically Joseph and his brothers. The imagery grounds the supernatural revelation in the tangible, everyday reality of their lives, making the symbolic action all the more striking and immediately interpretable by the family.
  • Arose (Hebrew, qûwm', H6965): A primitive root meaning "to rise" in various applications—literal, figurative, intensive, and causative. It can imply getting up, standing up, establishing, confirming, or even enduring. Here, applied to Joseph's sheaf, it denotes an impossible, supernatural act of self-elevation and establishment, signifying Joseph's future prominence, stability, and divinely ordained authority.
  • Made obeisance (Hebrew, shâchâh', H7812): A primitive root meaning "to depress," specifically to prostrate oneself, often reflexively, in homage to royalty or God. It signifies bowing down, crouching, falling flat, humbly beseeching, or doing reverence. In this context, it unequivocally communicates an act of profound submission and homage, indicating the brothers' future subservience to Joseph.

Verse Breakdown

  • "For, behold, we [were] binding sheaves in the field": This opening clause establishes the common, shared context of the dream: the brothers, including Joseph, engaged in the familiar agricultural labor of harvesting grain. "Binding sheaves" refers to gathering cut stalks into bundles, a communal activity that underscores their familial connection and shared livelihood. The setting, "in the field," emphasizes the mundane, everyday environment in which this extraordinary vision unfolds, making the subsequent supernatural events all the more jarring and significant.
  • "and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright": This is the miraculous and pivotal moment of the dream. Joseph's sheaf, representing himself, performs an impossible feat for an inanimate object: it "arose" (came into being, stood up) and "stood upright" (maintained an erect, stable posture). This action symbolizes Joseph's future elevation to a position of prominence, authority, and unwavering stability. It suggests a divinely ordained rise above his peers, an inherent dignity and power that sets him apart.
  • "and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf": This final clause depicts the reaction of the other sheaves, representing Joseph's brothers. They "stood round about," implying a surrounding, perhaps even encircling, posture that highlights their collective presence around Joseph's solitary, upright sheaf. The crucial action is "made obeisance," which signifies a deep, formal act of bowing down or prostration. This clearly and undeniably prophesies the future submission and homage that Joseph's brothers, and by extension his entire family, would render to him, acknowledging his superior position and authority.

Literary Devices

The dream in Genesis 37:7 is rich in Symbolism, where the ordinary elements of agrarian life—sheaves of grain—are imbued with profound meaning, representing individuals and their future relationships. The upright sheaf symbolizes Joseph's authority and prominence, while the bowing sheaves represent his brothers' submission. This serves as a clear instance of Foreshadowing, predicting future events in Joseph's life and the destiny of his family. As a Prophetic Dream, it functions as a divine revelation, communicating God's sovereign plan for Joseph and the lineage of Israel. There is also a subtle Irony at play: the very dream that provokes his brothers' jealousy and leads to Joseph's suffering ultimately sets in motion the events that bring about the dream's fulfillment, demonstrating God's ability to use human malice for His divine purposes.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Genesis 37:7 serves as a foundational text for understanding God's sovereign hand in human history and individual lives. It reveals that God communicates His purposes and orchestrates events, often through unexpected means like dreams, to fulfill His ultimate plan. Despite the immediate human reactions of envy and hostility, the dream underscores God's unwavering commitment to His covenant promises, demonstrating that He can use the most challenging circumstances—even betrayal and imprisonment—to prepare and position His chosen instruments for their intended roles. Joseph's journey, initiated by this prophetic vision, illustrates that divine favor and future leadership often come with a costly process of refinement and suffering, ultimately leading to the preservation and flourishing of God's people.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Joseph's dream in Genesis 37:7 offers profound insights into the nature of divine calling and the often-unforeseen path to its fulfillment. It reminds us that God has a sovereign plan for each of our lives, sometimes revealed in ways that defy immediate logic or provoke resistance from others. The initial revelation of a grand future can be met with misunderstanding, envy, or even hostility, as it was for Joseph. Yet, his story teaches us to trust in God's timing and His unwavering faithfulness, even when the journey involves profound suffering, betrayal, and long periods of waiting. We are called to recognize that God uses challenging circumstances, not to thwart His purposes, but to refine our character, deepen our faith, and prepare us for the very roles He has ordained. Ultimately, Joseph's experience encourages us to embrace God's sovereignty, understanding that He can orchestrate all things, even human evil, for the ultimate good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Questions for Reflection

  • How do you respond when God reveals a potential calling or future path that seems improbable or is met with resistance from others?
  • What "sheaves" or areas of your life might God be calling to a position of "standing upright" for His purposes, and what might that require of you?
  • In what ways might God be using difficult or challenging circumstances in your life to prepare you for a future role or calling?
  • How can Joseph's experience of waiting and suffering encourage you to trust God's timing and sovereignty in your own life?

FAQ

What is the significance of "sheaves" in this dream?

Answer: In an agrarian society like ancient Israel, sheaves (bundles of grain stalks) were fundamental symbols of harvest, sustenance, and the fruit of labor. In Joseph's dream, they transcend their literal meaning to become powerful symbols of individuals or family units. Joseph's single sheaf standing upright while the others bow down clearly depicts a future scenario where he would hold a position of authority and his family would be dependent on him and submit to his leadership. This agricultural imagery made the dream's message immediately comprehensible and impactful to his family.

Did Joseph fully understand the dream's implications when he recounted it?

Answer: While Joseph likely grasped the dream's basic message of his future exaltation and his family's submission, it is improbable that he fully comprehended the complex and arduous path to its fulfillment. His youthful recounting of the dream, seemingly without sensitivity to his brothers' deep-seated resentment, suggests a lack of understanding regarding the immediate negative consequences and the long, painful journey of suffering, imprisonment, and separation that lay ahead before the dream would ultimately come to pass in Egypt.

Why did this dream provoke such a strong reaction from his brothers?

Answer: The dream confirmed and intensified the existing resentment his brothers harbored towards Joseph. This animosity was already fueled by Jacob's blatant favoritism, exemplified by the distinctive "coat of many colours" (Genesis 37:3). The idea of bowing down to their younger brother, who was already perceived as arrogant and a tattletale (Genesis 37:2), was an unbearable affront to their pride, their sense of seniority, and the established patriarchal order within the family. It directly challenged their aspirations for prominence and their rightful place in the family hierarchy.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Joseph, in this dream and its subsequent fulfillment, serves as a profound type of Christ, foreshadowing the trajectory of the Messiah. Just as Joseph was rejected by his own brothers (Genesis 37:18-20), sold for a price (Genesis 37:28), and suffered unjustly in a foreign land (Genesis 39:20), so too was Christ rejected by His own people (John 1:11), betrayed for a price (Matthew 26:15), and suffered unjustly, ultimately unto death (1 Peter 2:21-23). Yet, through Joseph's suffering and his subsequent exaltation to a position of supreme authority in Egypt (Genesis 41:40-44), he became the means of salvation and sustenance for his family, who eventually bowed before him in humble submission and dependence (Genesis 42:6). Similarly, Christ, through His suffering, death, and resurrection, was highly exalted to the right hand of God (Philippians 2:9-11), becoming the ultimate source of salvation and life for all who come to Him (Acts 4:12). His authority, like Joseph's, is exercised not for personal gain, but for the preservation, reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), and eternal blessing of His people, bringing them into a relationship of humble dependence and worship before the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 5:12-14).

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Commentary on Genesis 37 verses 5–11

Here, I. Joseph relates the prophetical dreams he had, Gen 37:6, Gen 37:7, Gen 37:9, Gen 37:10. Though he was now very young (about seventeen years old), yet he was pious and devout, and well-inclined, and this fitted him for God's gracious discoveries of himself to him. 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. Note, God has ways of preparing his people beforehand for the trials which they cannot foresee, but which he has an eye to in the comforts with which he furnishes them. His dreams were, 1. That his brethren's sheaves all bowed to his, intimating upon what occasion they should be brought to do homage to him, namely, in seeking to him for corn; their empty sheaves should bow to his full one. 2. That the sun, and moon, and eleven stars, did obeisance to him, Gen 37:9. Joseph was more of a prophet than a politician, else he would have kept this to himself, when he could not but know that his brethren did already hate him and that this would but the more exasperate them. But, if he told it in his simplicity, yet God directed it for the mortification of his brethren. Observe, Joseph dreamed of his preferment, but he did not dream of his imprisonment. Thus many young people, when they are setting out in the world, think of nothing but prosperity and pleasure, and never dream of trouble.

II. His brethren take it very ill, and are more and more enraged against him (Gen 37:8): Shalt thou indeed reign over us? See here, 1. How truly they interpreted his dream, that he should reign over them. Those become the expositors of his dream who were enemies to the accomplishment of it, as in Gideon's story (Jdg 7:13, Jdg 7:14); they perceived that he spoke of them, Mat 21:45. The event exactly answered to this interpretation, Gen 42:6, etc. 2. How scornfully they resented it: "Shalt thou, who are but one, reign over us, who are many? Thou, who are the youngest, over us who are older?" Note, The reign and dominion of Jesus Christ, our Joseph, have been, and are, despised and striven against by a carnal and unbelieving world, who cannot endure to think that this man should reign over them. The dominion also of the upright, in the morning of the resurrection, is thought of with the utmost disdain.

III. His father gives him a gentle rebuke for it, yet observes the saying, Gen 37:10, Gen 37:11. Probably he checked him for it, to lessen the offence which his brethren would be apt to take at it; yet he took notice of it more than he seemed to do: he insinuated that it was but an idle dream, because his mother was brought in, who had been dead some time since; whereas the sun, moon, and eleven stars, signify no more than the whole family that should have a dependence upon him, and be glad to be beholden to him. Note, The faith of God's people in God's promises is often sorely shaken by their misunderstanding the promises and then suggesting the improbabilities that attend the performance; but God is doing his own work, and will do it, whether we understand him aright or no. Jacob, like Mary (Luk 2:51), kept these things in his heart, and no doubt remembered them long afterwards, when the event answered to the prediction.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 5–11. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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