^37:3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons⁸ because he was a son born to him late in life,⁹ and he made a special¹⁰ tunic for him. ^37:4When Joseph’s¹¹ brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them,¹² they hated Joseph¹³ and were not able to speak to him kindly.¹⁴

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Footnotes

8 The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information vital to the story. It explains in part the brothers’ animosity toward Joseph. The statement Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons brings forward a motif that played an important role in the family of Isaac—parental favoritism. Jacob surely knew what that had done to him and his brother Esau, and to his own family. But now he showers affection on Rachel’s son Joseph.
9 Heb “a son of old age was he to him.” This expression means “a son born to him when he [i.e., Jacob] was old.”
10 It is not clear what this tunic was like, because the meaning of the Hebrew word that describes it is uncertain. The idea that it was a coat of many colors comes from the Greek translation of the OT. An examination of cognate terms in Semitic suggests it was either a coat or tunic with long sleeves (cf. , ), or a tunic that was richly embroidered (cf. ). It set Joseph apart as the favored one.
11 Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 Heb “of his brothers.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “them.”
13 Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 Heb “speak to him for peace.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a long-sleeved robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.

NLTNew Living Translation

Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, for he was a son of his old age. And he made a robe with long sleeves for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and were not able to speak peaceably to him.

KJV 1900King James Version

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. 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.

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