“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors” (Genesis 37:3)
There was something special about this garment. However, exactly what is unclear. (1) Translations- Several translations go with the idea of many colors or variegated colors (e.g. LXX, KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV, ESV). They do this based on the Septuagint (LXX). Some versions go with the idea of a long robe with sleeves (e.g. RSV). Some simply refer to it as a beautiful robe (e.g. NLT). (2) Hebrew- The Hebrews word (kethoneth) translated “tunic” refers to a garment (cf. Genesis 3:21; Exodus 28:4). The Hebrew word passim has been defined to mean “flat of hand or foot (palm or sole) … tunic reaching to palms and soles” (Brown – Driver – Briggs – Gesenius; Also, Strong’s). The Hebrew appears only in two texts (Genesis 37:3, 23, 32 and 2 Samuel 13:18-19 – where it refers to garments worn by David’s daughters). (3) Greek- The Greek found in the LXX literally reads “a garment of various” (cf., Thayer). But what does this mean – various parts? or pieces of fabric? or colors? It is not clear. (4) Picture- The Truth for Today Commentary contains this note, “The Beni Hasan tomb painting (from the nineteenth century B.C.) pictures a company of semitic people on their way to Egypt; and they were dressed in long colorful garments; however, the garments of both the men and women were sleeveless. The exception to this attire was the male slaves, whose upper torsos were completely bare. Of course, these could have been summer garments…” (William W. Grasham, Genesis Vol. 2, p. 344, General Editor Eddie Cloer). (5) What is clear- It is clear that this was a special garment. Perhaps it was a long-sleeved garment not designed for manual labor.
There are a couple of things that I want us to learn from this. The first is easy to see. Parental favoritism can cause many problems in the home. (a) Isaac’s favoring Esau and Rebekah’s favoring Jacob lead to Esau wanting to kill Jacob and Jacob leaving the family for twenty years (Genesis 27:41-45 cf., 31:38-42). (b) Jacob’s favoring Joseph led to the brother’s selling Joseph into slavery and the family being split up for twenty-two years (Genesis 37:2 cf., 41:46; 41:47, 53-54 cf., 45:6-11).
The second is not as obvious. Character is more important than clothes. Joseph wore many different types of clothes in life. (a) He wore the “coat of many colors” (Genesis 37:3). (b) He was stripped of this (Genesis 37:23). (c) He was a slave in Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39). He no doubt would have dressed the part. (d) He was a prisoner (Genesis 39:20-ff). He no doubt would have dressed the part. (e) He was cleaned up and reclothed to appear before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:14). (f) He was given Pharaoh’s signet ring, clothed in garments of fine linen, a gold chain was put around his neck, and he rode in a chariot (Genesis 41:42-42). Circumstances can change in life. However, Joseph feared God as a slave (Genesis 39:8-10), as a prisoner (Genesis 40:8; 41:16), and when he was in power (Genesis 50:9-21; 50:24). Let us fear Good regardless of our circumstances in life.
Bonus point, Love can make rags feel like a “coat of many colors.” Dolly Pardon expressed this in a song Consider the lyrics of the Song: “Coat of Many Colors.”
“My coat of many colors that momma made for me; Made only from rags by worn so proudly \ Although we had no money, I was rich as I could be In my coat of many colors momma made for me.”
Love and integrity matter.
About Bryan Hodge
I am a minister and missionary to numerous countries around the world.
A Coat of Many Colors
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors” (Genesis 37:3)
There was something special about this garment. However, exactly what is unclear. (1) Translations- Several translations go with the idea of many colors or variegated colors (e.g. LXX, KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV, ESV). They do this based on the Septuagint (LXX). Some versions go with the idea of a long robe with sleeves (e.g. RSV). Some simply refer to it as a beautiful robe (e.g. NLT). (2) Hebrew- The Hebrews word (kethoneth) translated “tunic” refers to a garment (cf. Genesis 3:21; Exodus 28:4). The Hebrew word passim has been defined to mean “flat of hand or foot (palm or sole) … tunic reaching to palms and soles” (Brown – Driver – Briggs – Gesenius; Also, Strong’s). The Hebrew appears only in two texts (Genesis 37:3, 23, 32 and 2 Samuel 13:18-19 – where it refers to garments worn by David’s daughters). (3) Greek- The Greek found in the LXX literally reads “a garment of various” (cf., Thayer). But what does this mean – various parts? or pieces of fabric? or colors? It is not clear. (4) Picture- The Truth for Today Commentary contains this note, “The Beni Hasan tomb painting (from the nineteenth century B.C.) pictures a company of semitic people on their way to Egypt; and they were dressed in long colorful garments; however, the garments of both the men and women were sleeveless. The exception to this attire was the male slaves, whose upper torsos were completely bare. Of course, these could have been summer garments…” (William W. Grasham, Genesis Vol. 2, p. 344, General Editor Eddie Cloer). (5) What is clear- It is clear that this was a special garment. Perhaps it was a long-sleeved garment not designed for manual labor.
There are a couple of things that I want us to learn from this. The first is easy to see. Parental favoritism can cause many problems in the home. (a) Isaac’s favoring Esau and Rebekah’s favoring Jacob lead to Esau wanting to kill Jacob and Jacob leaving the family for twenty years (Genesis 27:41-45 cf., 31:38-42). (b) Jacob’s favoring Joseph led to the brother’s selling Joseph into slavery and the family being split up for twenty-two years (Genesis 37:2 cf., 41:46; 41:47, 53-54 cf., 45:6-11).
The second is not as obvious. Character is more important than clothes. Joseph wore many different types of clothes in life. (a) He wore the “coat of many colors” (Genesis 37:3). (b) He was stripped of this (Genesis 37:23). (c) He was a slave in Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39). He no doubt would have dressed the part. (d) He was a prisoner (Genesis 39:20-ff). He no doubt would have dressed the part. (e) He was cleaned up and reclothed to appear before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:14). (f) He was given Pharaoh’s signet ring, clothed in garments of fine linen, a gold chain was put around his neck, and he rode in a chariot (Genesis 41:42-42). Circumstances can change in life. However, Joseph feared God as a slave (Genesis 39:8-10), as a prisoner (Genesis 40:8; 41:16), and when he was in power (Genesis 50:9-21; 50:24). Let us fear Good regardless of our circumstances in life.
Bonus point, Love can make rags feel like a “coat of many colors.” Dolly Pardon expressed this in a song Consider the lyrics of the Song: “Coat of Many Colors.”
“My coat of many colors that momma made for me; Made only from rags by worn so proudly \ Although we had no money, I was rich as I could be In my coat of many colors momma made for me.”
Love and integrity matter.
Share this:
Related
About Bryan Hodge
I am a minister and missionary to numerous countries around the world.