Charles Ellicott Commentary


Charles Ellicott Commentary
"And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?" — Genesis 37:10 (ASV)
His father rebuked him. — Because in his dream, the sun and moon bowed down before him. Joseph’s dream seemed to violate the respect due to parents. Since Jacob likely regarded his son’s dreams as the result of his allowing his imagination to dwell on ideas of self-exaltation, he rightly rebuked him, while nevertheless “observing his saying” .
Your mother. — Rachel was certainly dead, as Joseph had eleven brothers at this time. Nor did Leah ever bow down before him, for she died at Hebron (Genesis 49:31). The enumeration of sun, moon, and stars means Jacob, his wives, and his children, that is, the whole family, elders and juniors, were to make obeisance to Joseph. It is a general phrase, similar to the one in Genesis 35:26, and should not be interpreted too literally. But since the handmaids were both younger than either Rachel or Leah, they may have gone down with Jacob into Egypt, and Bilhah had probably played a mother’s role for Joseph after Rachel’s death.