Genesis 37:20 · Bible study
Genesis 37:20 Commentary: Study: Sin vs. God's Sovereign Dreams
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the brothers' murderous plot against Joseph, their mockery of his dreams, and the tension between human sin and God's sovereign promises.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The brothers plot murder and mock Joseph's prophetic dreams, aiming to stop God's plan through human violence.
- Key words: pits (rainwater cisterns, often dry), evil beast (a plausible lie), see what becomes of his dreams (defiance of divine revelation).
- Main debate: The degree to which the narrative combines different source traditions (J/E accounts differ on which brother intervenes and which traders sell Joseph).
- Theological theme: Human sin cannot derail God's sovereign promises; even the worst evil is woven into His redemptive plan.
- Best use: Preaching on God's sovereignty, the seriousness of sin, and the hope that every evil is subject to God's final purpose.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, An evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and now, come, and we slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and have said, An evil beast hath devoured him; and we see what his dreams are.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And now come and let us kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, An evil beast has devoured him; and we will see what becomes of his dreams.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Come, let us kill him, and cast him into some old pit: and we will say: Some evil beast hath devoured him: and then it shall appear what his dreams avail him:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Ahora pues, venid, y matémoslo y echémosle en una cisterna, y diremos: Alguna mala bestia le devoró: y veremos qué serán sus sueños.
Agora, pois, vinde, e o matemos e o lancemos em uma cisterna, e diremos: Alguma fera selvagem o devorou: e veremos que serão seus sonhos.
Venez maintenant, tuons-le, et jetons-le dans une des citernes; nous dirons qu’ une bête féroce l’ a dévoré, et nous verrons ce que deviendront ses songes.
So kommt nun und laßt uns ihn erwürgen und in eine Grube werfen und sagen, ein böses Tier habe ihn gefressen, so wird man sehen, was seine Träume sind.
Nu komt dan, en laat ons hem doodslaan, en hem in een dezer kuilen werpen; en wij zullen zeggen: een boos dier heeft hem opgegeten; zo zullen wij zien, wat van zijn dromen worden zal.
Ora dunque venite, uccidiamolo, e gettiamolo in una di queste cisterne; diremo poi che una mala bestia l’ha divorato, e vedremo che ne sarà de’ suoi sogni”.
Teraz tedy pójdźcie, a zabijmy go, i wrzućmy go w jaką studnią, a rzeczemy: Zły go zwierz pożarł; a tak obaczymy, na co mu wynijdą sny jego.
пойдем теперь, и убьем его, и бросим его в какой—нибудь ров, и скажем, что хищный зверь съел его; и увидим, что будет из его снов.
來吧！我們將他殺了，丟 在一個 坑裡，就說 有惡 獸 把他吃了。我們且看 他的夢 將來 怎麼樣。」
Let us now put him to death and put his body into one of these holes, and we will say, An evil beast has put him to death: then we will see what becomes of his dreams.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 37:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that this verse captures the brothers' cold-blooded conspiracy to murder Joseph and cover it up with a plausible lie. Adam Clarke calls them 'unprincipled savages' whose talk of killing a brother reveals the cruelty of a conscience unguided by revelation. John Calvin presses deeper: they seek to escape human shame but never consider that God sees their plot. The hypocrisy runs deep, they care about the judgment of the world but not the judgment of heaven. John Gill notes that the 'pits' were rainwater cisterns common in the region, making the location natural for disposing a body, and that the lie about an 'evil beast' was plausible because wild animals frequented the area (citing 1 Kings 13:24). The brothers' mockery, 'We shall see what will become of his dreams', is, in Calvin's words, a headlong fight against God, a boast that murder can nullify divine revelation. Yet the irony runs even deeper: as they conspire, God is already orchestrating the fulfillment of those very dreams through their sin. Keil and Delitzsch describe their 'malicious resolution' to kill the dreamer, while Matthew Henry sees in the whole episode a demonstration that God's plans cannot be thwarted by human hatred.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The brothers' plan to kill Joseph and cover it with a lie is an expression of human sin intended to thwart God's revealed will, yet the broader narrative shows God's purpose advancing through their very actions.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Composite source traditions (J/E) | Two strands underlie the account, both preserving a core plot: the brothers' murderous intent, the pit, and the lie about a wild animal. | Scholars differ on which brother intervened to save Joseph (Reuben in E, Judah in J) and whether the traders were Ishmaelites or Midianites. The Cambridge Bible notes these details are woven together from separate traditions. |
| Human responsibility vs divine sovereignty | All traditions affirm that God's purposes ultimately prevail over human sin. | Some interpreters emphasize God's active direction of events (Calvin: 'God will always find a way to accomplish what he has decreed'), while others highlight human free will and moral responsibility, seeing God's action as permissive rather than directive. The verse does not resolve this tension; it holds both truths together. |
| Nature of the brothers' sin | Their plan was deliberate murder, cover-up, and mockery of divine revelation. | The motivation is variously stressed: Clarke focuses on 'ferocious cruelty' as the root; Henry and others point to envy and wounded pride over the dreams. Both views correctly note that sin comes in layers, rage, fear, contempt for God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse sits within a family story already simmering with jealousy. Jacob's favoritism toward Joseph, symbolized by the richly ornamented tunic, had stoked his brothers' hatred. Joseph's dreams of sheaves bowing and stars paying homage pushed that hatred to the point of rage (Genesis 37:5-11).
Now the brothers are far from home, pasturing flocks near Dothan, a town about twelve Roman miles north of Samaria (Ellicott). Gill and others identify the 'pits' as excavated cisterns, often dry, used to collect rainwater in a region where water was scarce. These pits served as makeshift wells or storage chambers, but a dry one could become a death trap, empty and deep. The plan to say 'an evil beast has devoured him' drew on a real danger: bears and lions roamed these hills (Gill cites 1 Kings 13:24). It was a story Jacob would believe.
Scholars note that the narrative may weave together two source traditions (Cambridge Bible). One strand features Reuben as the rescuer who hopes to restore Joseph to his father; another presents Judah as the brother who suggests selling Joseph to passing traders. In either case, the brothers' core intent in verse 20 is clear: to kill the dreamer and make it look like an accident. The phrase 'we shall see what will become of his dreams' echoes the human impulse to silence God's promises by eliminating those who carry them. The cross-reference in Proverbs 1:11-12 warns that such 'lying in wait for blood' is the path of fools who do not know they walk into their own ruin.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants in Genesis 37:20. The verse is consistent across the major manuscripts and versions consulted (Hebrew Masoretic, Septuagint, Syriac, Latin). The Hebrew text is stable, with no manuscript disagreement affecting the meaning.
Reception History
From the early church onward, Genesis 37:20 has been read typologically. Joseph thrown into the pit was seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's descent into the tomb after being rejected by His own people, the 'brothers' of the Jewish leadership. The verse has been used in Lenten preaching to illustrate the depth of human sin and the mystery of God's redemptive plan. During the Reformation, Calvin drew on this verse to teach that opposition to God's decree is both real and futile: the brothers boast, but God laughs. In modern evangelical and Pentecostal contexts, the verse is often cited in sermons on trusting God when family and friends oppose you. It also appears in hymn lyrics that speak of God working 'through the pits' of life, though no specific hymn titles are universally attached.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The cold calculation of sin. The brothers do not act in a rage; they conspire. They plan murder, choose a location, craft a cover story, and add mockery. Sin is rarely impulsive, it often begins as a calm, deliberate decision to silence what we hate.
- The blindness of the sinner. They think about how to hide from their father, but never consider that God sees (Calvin). The cross-reference in Psalm 64:5 describes those who 'encourage themselves in evil plans' and say, 'Who will see them?' Human eyes can be fooled; divine eyes cannot.
- The sovereignty of God over evil. The brothers' goal is to nullify Joseph's dreams. But their plot becomes the very means by which God sends Joseph to Egypt, placing him exactly where the dreams will be fulfilled. What they intend for harm, God intends for good (Gen 50:20). Trust that no human scheme can derail God's promises.
Five-point outline
- Hatred seeks to destroy the innocent, Joseph's only crime was being loved and bearing prophetic dreams.
- Lies cover deeper guilt, the 'evil beast' story is a facade for fratricide. Mockery of revelation reveals unbelief, they sneer at what they cannot accept.
- Human plans are limited, they control only the present, not the future.
- God's purpose prevails through human evil, the very scheme that sinks Joseph into a pit lifts him to a palace.
Illustration hooks
- Workplace envy: A skilled coworker receives a promotion others wanted. Instead of celebrating, they begin to spread rumors hoping to get them fired. The plan feels logical in the moment, but God works through the entire situation to elevate that person even more.
- Sibling rivalry in everyday life: A parent's mild favoritism triggers a years-long cold war between adult siblings. One sibling manipulates the family narrative to exclude the other. The verse mirrors how jealousy can plot against a brother or sister while masking itself as 'concern.'
- A promise that looks impossible: A business owner believes God called them to start a venture, but competitors and market shifts appear to destroy it. The brothers' mockery, 'we shall see what will become of his dreams', is the very voice that says God's promise cannot survive this setback.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow such intense hatred within a single family, especially one He chose to bless?
- Does God cause evil to happen, or does He only use it after people choose it?
- How can I hold on to a promise from God when the people closest to me are actively working against it?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows sin at its most calculated: brothers plotting murder, crafting a cover story, and sneering at God's revealed purpose. Yet this is not a story of despair, it is a story of hope, because God's plan runs deeper than any human conspiracy. As you discuss this passage, pay attention to the tension between what the brothers do and what God is doing.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What details in verse 20 reveal the brothers' heart condition? Notice the verbs, 'kill,' 'cast,' 'say,' 'see.' What do they reveal about the brothers' intentions and attitudes toward Joseph's dreams?
- Observation: Read Proverbs 1:11-16 aloud. How does this passage echo the brothers' speech and actions? What does this tell us about the pattern of sin that tempts every human heart?
- Interpretation: The brothers say, 'We shall see what will become of his dreams.' What does this mockery reveal about their view of God? How does their confidence contrast with what you know of the rest of the story?
- Interpretation: Calvin comments that the brothers 'never consider that what is hidden from men cannot escape the eyes of God.' Where do you see this blindness in your own life or in the world around you?
- Application: When has someone tried to stand in the way of something you believed God had promised you? How did you respond, with doubt, anger, or trust?
- Application: This passage forces us to see that God's purposes can advance even through people who oppose Him. Does this truth comfort you or disturb you? Explain.
- Application: If you are in a season where someone else's plans seem to be silencing God's promises in your life, what one step could you take this week to remind yourself that God sees and God still reigns? Share with the group if you feel safe.
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 24:20 | Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. |
| I Samuel 26:2 | Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. |
| I Kings 13:24 | When he had gone, a lion met him by the way and killed him. His body was thrown on the path, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the body. |
| II Kings 2:24 | He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in Yahweh’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of those youths. |
| Psalms 64:5 | They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, “Who will see them?” |
| Proverbs 1:11 | If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause. |
| Proverbs 1:12 | Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. |
| Proverbs 1:16 | for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke is struck by how calmly Joseph's brothers discuss murdering their own innocent kin. This casual cruelty, he argues, proves why divine revelation is essential: without it, people cannot know what God truly loves or hates.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights the brothers' hypocrisy: they carefully hide their crime from other people yet never consider that God sees everything. Their obsession with saving face before the world blinds them to God's judgment. In trying to kill Joseph they imagine they can overturn God's plans, but God will always find a way to fulfill what he has decreed.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible observes that this verse is part of a narrative woven from two distinct traditions. In one strand Judah intervenes to sell Joseph to Ishmaelites; in the other Reuben saves Joseph by casting him into a pit, where Midianites find and sell him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the brothers' cold calculation: they plot murder and cover it with a lie, all while mocking Joseph's dreams. Their taunt "then we shall see what will come of his dreams" reveals the envy and unbelief driving them, as they try to nullify God's revealed purpose.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the pits in this region were rainwater cisterns, a common feature where water was scarce. The brothers' plan to claim a wild beast killed Joseph seemed plausible because lions and bears roamed nearby. Their sneer "we shall see what will become of his dreams" shows they intended to test who would truly rule.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasize how quickly the brothers’ resentment hardened into murderous intent. At Dothan they resolved to kill “this dreamer” and throw him into a pit, planning to tell Jacob a wild beast had slain him. Their real aim was to make his dreams come to nothing.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats this episode as part of a broader narrative arc showing how God guides His chosen people from suffering to joy. He sees Joseph’s betrayal not merely as family drama but as divine providence preparing Egypt for Israel’s eventual arrival and survival. The story illustrates a pattern where human evil is turned into salvation, pointing toward the redemptive work of Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that Joseph and Jacob possessed far more dove-like innocence than serpent-like wisdom, which is why Joseph walked straight into danger. He also suggests the brothers may have chosen Shechem deliberately, expecting Joseph to be sent. Yet Henry sees God's hand throughout, designing all of it for good.