Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 37:2

"These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father`s wives: and Joseph brought the evil report of them unto their father." — Genesis 37:2 (ASV)

THE TÔLDÔTH JACOB. JOSEPH IS SOLD BY HIS BROTHERS INTO EGYPT.

The generations of Jacob. — This Tôldôth, according to the consistent rule, is the history of Jacob’s descendants, and especially of Joseph. In the same way, the Tôldôth of the heaven and earth (Genesis 2:4) gives the history of the creation and fall of man. Similarly, the Tôldôth Adam was the history of the flood; and, not to multiply examples, that of Terah was the history of Abraham (see Note on Genesis 28:10). This Tôldôth, therefore, extends to the end of Genesis. It is the history of the removal, through Joseph’s instrumentality, of the family of Jacob from Canaan into Egypt, as a step preparatory to its growth into a nation.

Joseph being seventeen years old. — He was born about seven years before Jacob left Haran. Since the journey home probably occupied two full years, he would have lived in Isaac’s neighborhood for seven or eight years. Isaac’s life, as we have seen, was prolonged for about twelve years after Joseph's sale by his brothers.

And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah. — Hebrew: And he was lad with the sons of Bilhah, etc. The probable meaning of this is that, as the youngest son, it was his duty to serve his brothers, just as David had to look after the sheep while his brothers went to the festival, and he was also sent to the camp to attend to them (1 Samuel 16:11; 1 Samuel 17:17–18).

The sons of Jacob were dispersed in detachments over the large territory occupied by Jacob’s cattle. After his mother’s death, when he was about nine years old, Joseph was probably brought up in the tent of Bilhah, his mother’s handmaid. Therefore, he would naturally accompany her sons, who were also joined by the sons of the other handmaid. They do not seem to have taken any special part in Joseph’s sale.

Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. — Hebrew: Joseph brought an evil report of them unto their father.