Genesis 37:19-20
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Their taunt, "Behold, this dreamer cometh," reveals their deep-seated contempt, not just for Joseph’s visions, but for him as a person. They mock him as a "master of dreams," implying he conjures them, and they believe that by eliminating him, they can stop his dreams from ever coming true.
They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joseph’s brothers, filled with hatred and jealousy over their father’s favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, plot to kill him. They see him approaching from a distance and mockingly refer to him as a "dreamer," intending to eliminate him and prove his dreams false. This verse captures their immediate, spiteful reaction to his arrival, setting the stage for their cruel act.
When Joseph's brothers see him approaching, their immediate reaction isn't concern, but mockery. The way they speak reveals their deep-seated bitterness.
The phrase "this dreamer" isn't just a neutral description; it's dripping with sarcasm and contempt. The original Hebrew, 'master of dreams,' implies they saw him as someone who either fabricated his dreams or was obsessed with them. This wasn't just sibling rivalry; it was a deep animosity fueled by jealousy.
To Joseph's brothers, his dreams were laughable. But in the ancient world, dreams could be profound messages from God. What did they miss?
While Joseph's brothers dismissed his dreams as mere fantasies or boastful fabrications, the biblical narrative presents dreams as a significant way God communicated His will and purposes.
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Understand the original words
ba'al chalomot · Hebrew Noun phrase
A person who receives divine communications via visions or prophetic revelations during sleep. In a biblical context, it often refers to one who claims special insight or destiny, sometimes inciting envy or skepticism in others.
bowr · Hebrew Noun
A hollow place or underground cistern used for storing water or, metaphorically, a grave or place of imprisonment. It signifies danger, abandonment, and hopelessness in biblical narratives.
chayyah ra'ah · Hebrew Noun phrase
Wild or savage beasts that roam outside of human civilization. They are often used symbolically to represent chaotic, destructive forces or judgment from God.
chalowm · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the divine messages or visions given by God to reveal His will or future purposes. They are often symbolic and require interpretation by those gifted by the Holy Spirit.
The brothers' scornful nickname for Joseph, 'this dreamer,' reveals their contempt for his visions and their desire to crush any possibility of them coming true through his death. Their malice stems directly from their jealousy over Jacob's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams.
c. 1745 BC
Jacob and his family live in Canaan
Jacob and his large family, including his favorite son Joseph, settle in the land of Canaan. Jacob's favoritism towards Joseph, shown through a special robe, breeds deep resentment among his other sons.
c. 1730 BC
Joseph's first dream and growing hatred
Joseph, at seventeen, shares a dream where his brothers' sheaves bow to his sheaf. This fuels their hatred, as they perceive it as a prophecy of him ruling over them.
c. 1730 BC
Joseph's second dream and father's rebuke
Joseph shares another dream, this time with the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing to him. While Jacob rebukes him, he also ponders the meaning, while the brothers' hatred intensifies.
c. 1730 BC— this verse
Brothers plot against Joseph
While Joseph is sent to check on his brothers and their flock near Shechem, they see him approaching and plot to kill him, derisively calling him 'this dreamer.'
c. 1730 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Reuben intervenes to save Joseph from death, suggesting he be thrown into a pit instead. Later, Judah convinces the brothers to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders for twenty pieces of silver, and he is taken to Egypt.
c. 1730 BC
Jacob mourns Joseph
The brothers deceive their father, presenting Joseph's bloodied coat as proof that he was killed by a wild animal. Jacob is overcome with grief and mourns Joseph for many years.
This passage directly precedes Genesis 37:19 and details Joseph's first dream, which ignited his brothers' hatred and envy, setting the stage for their scornful reaction.
Matthew 2:13-15Like Joseph, Jesus' early life was marked by divine dreams that protected him from murderous plots, showing a pattern of God using dreams to safeguard His chosen ones from those who would seek their downfall.
Acts 16:9-10The Apostle Paul experienced a 'vision of a man of Macedonia' in a dream, highlighting how God continues to use dreams and visions to guide His servants and direct their mission, much like Joseph's dreams pointed to a future purpose.
1 Samuel 28:6When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him 'by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets,' underscoring that in times of rebellion, God's communication through dreams could cease, implying that Joseph's dreams were indeed from God and not to be dismissed.
Proverbs 1:11-14This passage describes wicked men plotting to shed blood and lie in wait for the innocent, mirroring the dangerous intent and conspiracy of Joseph's brothers who scorned him and sought his destruction.
gillGenesis 37:19: "And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh."
And they said one to another,.... According to the Targum of Jonathan, Simeon and Levi said what follows: nor is it unlikely, since they were hot, passionate, cruel, and bloody minded men, as appears by the affair of Shechem; and perhaps this may be the reason why Joseph afterwards, when governor of Egypt, took Simeon and bound him, Genesis 42:24 ; which was but a just retaliation for his advice to cast him into a pit w…
clarkeGenesis 37:19: "And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh."
Behold, this dreamer cometh - בעל החלמות baal hachalomoth, this master of dreams, this master dreamer. A form of speech which conveys great contempt.
Their taunt, "Behold, this dreamer cometh," reveals their deep-seated contempt, not just for Joseph’s visions, but for him as a person. They mock him as a "master of dreams," implying he conjures them, and they believe that by eliminating him, they can stop his dreams from ever coming true.
Joseph’s brothers, filled with hatred and jealousy over their father’s favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, plot to kill him. They see him approaching from a distance and mockingly refer to him as a "dreamer," intending to eliminate him and prove his dreams false. This verse captures their immediate, spiteful reaction to his arrival, setting the stage for their cruel act.
Joseph’s brothers, filled with hatred and jealousy over their father’s favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, plot to kill him. They see him approaching from a distance and mockingly refer to him as a "dreamer," intending to eliminate him and prove his dreams false. This verse captures their immediate, spiteful reaction to his arrival, setting the stage for their cruel act.
"They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”" — Their taunt, "Behold, this dreamer cometh," reveals their deep-seated contempt, not just for Joseph’s visions, but for him as a person. They mock him as a "master of dreams," implying he conjures the…
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Last reviewed October 2026
