Genesis 37:11

And his brethren envied him,.... Notwithstanding all the precaution Jacob took to prevent it; they suspecting and fearing that these dreams portended the pre-eminence of Joseph over them, or however

And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: No JFB commentary on these verses.

The words of Joseph; or the thing, the dream which he told; well knowing that God did frequently at that time signify his mind by dreams, and perceiving something singular and extraordinary in this dream, and especially in the doubling of it.

Genesis 37:11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.Ver. 11. And his brethren envied him.] Envy is a filthy fruit of the flesh and the devil; who is called, the envious man; and such wisdom is said to be "devilish." The Pharisees, envying our Saviour, did the devil’ s work. So did Cain, the devil’ s patriarch, when he laid his cruel club on the innocent head of his brother Abel. And Saul, when, seized upon by the evil spirit more than a melancholy humour, he envied David, and sought his death. For, this vice, as it makes the heart to boil with hellish venom, so it blisters out at the tongue, as here; "They could not speak peaceably to Joseph," but scoff, and consult his ruin. It sits, also, looking out at the windows of the eyes; and, as a basilisk, blasteth the object. Hence, invidere; to see with an evil eye, and naughty mind: and our English saith, to overlook a thing; that is, to bewitch it. This very looking upon other precellencies, whereby we are over shined, so as to lust to have that light put out, that our candle might shine above it - this is every man’ s sin - though it act nothing, yet it is abominable. As, on the other side, to rejoice in the good parts of others, though it eclipseth our light, and this from the heart; this is indeed more than to excel others in any excellency, if this be wanting. For this, it is good to get the heart fraught with mercy, meekness of wisdom, fear of God, - whose providence cuts us out our various conditions and proportions, - zeal for his glory, as Moses; humility, charity ("Love envieth not," 1 Corinthians 13:4); and to take heed of strife. "Envy and strife" go coupled; they are brought in there by the brace, as it were twisted together. Likewise, of pride and vain-glory; covetousness; contention about words; self-love, ignorance, &c.; all which make the soul sick of the fret, and to pierce itself through with many sorrows. For, this sin killeth the silly one, if it kill no other. Envy and murder go coupled. A hectic it is to itself, however; the same that rust is to iron, blasting to corn, or a moth to the cloth it breeds in. It drinketh the most part of its own venom, gnaws on its own heart, is consumed in its own fire, as Nadab and Abihu were; and, like the snake in the fable, licks off its own tongue, as envying teeth to the file in the forge. Socrates called it, the saw of the soul. David compares it to fire in billets of juniper, which burns vehemently, and continues, they say, more years than one. Simul peccat et plectitur: expedita iustitia, saith Petrarch. Other sins have some pleasure; this hath none, but torment. It is a very hell above ground, and paves a way to the unpardonable sin, as in Saul, and the Pharisees.

11. envied] This is the envy of malice rather than of jealousy: it denotes resentment against Joseph for being favoured, and a desire to see him deprived of his privileges. kept the saying in mind] Lit. “kept the word.” LXX διετήρησεν. Lat. rem tacitus considerabat. This phrase is the origin of the words in Luke 2:51, “kept all these sayings in her heart.” Jacob rebuked Joseph, but evidently was so deeply impressed with the remarkable and seemingly improbable character of the twice repeated dream, that he secretly cherished a presentiment of its fulfilment (Genesis 42:6).

11. But his father observed the saying — “So strange and mysterious. So Mary ‘pondered’ and ‘kept in her heart’ the strange sayings of Jesus, which others understood not. Luke 2:50-51.” — Newhall.