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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The brothers' hatred toward Joseph isn't just about jealousy over their father's favor; it’s intensified because Joseph was reporting their "evil deeds." This reveals a deeper layer: their anger stems not only from favoritism but also from their exposure and the potential consequences of their actions being revealed to Jacob.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is the beginning of the Joseph narrative. Jacob shows favoritism to his son Joseph, gifting him a special coat and evidently favoring him above his other sons. This favoritism immediately breeds intense hatred and envy in Joseph's brothers, setting the stage for the dramatic events that will unfold.
Jacob's love for Joseph wasn't just a personal preference; it was a deliberate choice that had ripple effects. What makes favoritism so destructive, especially in a family?
Jacob's decision to show such overt favoritism towards Joseph, particularly by giving him a 'coat of many colors,' was a significant misstep. This wasn't just about a special gift; it was a public declaration of preference that immediately set Joseph apart from his brothers.
The Unraveling of Family Bonds
The verse states, 'they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.' This wasn't just a fleeting dislike; it was a profound, active hatred. What does this transition from seeing favoritism to actively hating someone look like?
The brothers' reaction to Jacob's favoritism wasn't passive envy; it escalated into active hatred. This hatred manifested in a specific, observable way: they 'could not speak peacefully' to Joseph.
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The Language of Hostility
Understand the original words
sane' · Hebrew Verb
An intense emotional and volitional attitude of hostility, resentment, and aversion toward another. In the biblical narrative, it often leads to conflict and division.
The deep-seated resentment among Joseph's brothers, fueled by Jacob's obvious favoritism and Joseph's own perceived arrogance, sets in motion a chain of events that tragically fractures the family but ultimately leads to its preservation in Egypt.
c. 1800 BC— this verse
Jacob's Family Settles in Canaan
Jacob and his large family, including his twelve sons, settle in the land of Canaan, where they live as semi-nomadic shepherds. This period is marked by internal family dynamics and their status as foreigners in the land.
c. 1800 BC
Jacob Favors Joseph
Jacob shows a clear favoritism towards his son Joseph, giving him a special coat and sharing his dreams with him. This favoritism becomes a source of deep resentment among Joseph's older brothers.
c. 1788 BC
Brothers Sell Joseph into Slavery
Driven by hatred and envy, Joseph's brothers conspire against him, ultimately selling him to Ishmaelite traders. They deceive their father into believing Joseph was killed by a wild animal.
c. 1788 BC
Joseph Arrives in Egypt
The Ishmaelites bring Joseph to Egypt and sell him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. Joseph begins his life as a slave in a foreign land.
This passage describes a similar irrational hatred and accusation from enemies, mirroring the unfounded animosity the brothers felt towards Joseph simply because of their father's favoritism.
Matthew 27:18This verse highlights how envy and malice, driven by the leaders' hatred of Jesus' righteousness, led them to deliver Him to death, paralleling the brothers' envy and hatred leading to Joseph's betrayal.
John 15:18-19Jesus directly addresses the idea that if the world hates you, it's because it hated Him first, which is a good lens through which to understand the brothers' hatred of Joseph stemming from their father's love for him, making him an 'outsider' to their own group.
Proverbs 14:30This proverb states that 'a tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy is rot to the bones,' which directly speaks to the destructive nature of the brothers' envy and hatred towards Joseph.
calvinGenesis 37:1-36: "And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan."
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.
Istae sunt generationes Iahacob. Joseph filius septendecim annorum pascebat cum fratribus suis pecudes, et erat puer cum filiis Bil…
pooleGenesis 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."
Their hatred was so deep and keen, that they could not smother it, as for their own interest they should have done, but discovered it by their churlish words and carriages to him.
The brothers' hatred toward Joseph isn't just about jealousy over their father's favor; it’s intensified because Joseph was reporting their "evil deeds." This reveals a deeper layer: their anger stems not only from favoritism but also from their exposure and the potential consequences of their actions being revealed to Jacob.
This passage is the beginning of the Joseph narrative. Jacob shows favoritism to his son Joseph, gifting him a special coat and evidently favoring him above his other sons. This favoritism immediately breeds intense hatred and envy in Joseph's brothers, setting the stage for the dramatic events that will unfold.
This passage is the beginning of the Joseph narrative. Jacob shows favoritism to his son Joseph, gifting him a special coat and evidently favoring him above his other sons. This favoritism immediately breeds intense hatred and envy in Joseph's brothers, setting the stage for the dramatic events that will unfold.
"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." — The brothers' hatred toward Joseph isn't just about jealousy over their father's favor; it’s intensified because Joseph was reporting their "evil deeds." This reveals a deeper layer: their anger stem…
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Last reviewed October 2026