Verse

Genesis 37:8

ESV His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
NIV His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
NASB Then his brothers said to him, 'Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?' So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
CSB "Are you really going to reign over us?" his brothers asked him. "Are you really going to rule us?" So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.
NLT His brothers responded, 'So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?' And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.
KJV And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
NKJV And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

What does Genesis 37:8 mean?

Already hated by his ten older half-brothers (Genesis 37:4–5), Joseph has just related a wild dream he had. While farming, his brothers' bundles of wheat bowed down to his bundle in a field, as subjects would bow down to a ruler. The brothers react with pointed questions about what Joseph thinks his dream means. Of course, the symbolism of this dream is clear. Does he believe he will reign and rule over them? Their hatred, already seething, rises another notch because of his dreams and what he says about them.

This reaction might have been because the brothers are already afraid of what the dream suggested. The richly ornamented tunic given to Joseph by their father (Genesis 37:3) might have implied he was inclined to favor Joseph with a greater portion of the inheritance. This, despite Joseph being the youngest son other than his baby brother Benjamin (Genesis 35:16–18). From their perspective, Joseph is practically bragging that his dream was predicting he would become head of their clan.

While this is not exactly how the prophecy will be fulfilled, there will come a time when Joseph's brothers will all bow before him in submission (Genesis 42:6).
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