Genesis 37:18
New International Version
But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

New Living Translation
When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him.

English Standard Version
They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

Berean Standard Bible
Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.

King James Bible
And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

New King James Version
Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.

New American Standard Bible
When they saw him from a distance, and before he came closer to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.

NASB 1995
When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.

NASB 1977
When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they saw him from a distance, and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.

Amplified Bible
And when they saw him from a distance, even before he came close to them, they plotted to kill him.

Christian Standard Bible
They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him.

American Standard Version
And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

Contemporary English Version
But before he got there, they saw him coming and made plans to kill him.

English Revised Version
And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They saw him from a distance. Before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

Good News Translation
They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted against him and decided to kill him.

International Standard Version
Now as soon as they saw him approaching from a distance, before he arrived they plotted together to kill him.

Majority Standard Bible
Now Joseph?s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.

NET Bible
Now Joseph's brothers saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

New Heart English Bible
Now they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them they plotted against him to kill him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him.

World English Bible
They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they see him from afar, even before he draws near to them, and they conspire against him to put him to death.

Young's Literal Translation
And they see him from afar, even before he draweth near unto them, and they conspire against him to put him to death.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will see him from far off and before he will draw near to them, and they will act deceitfully with him, to kill him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they saw him afar off, be- fore he came nigh them, they thought to kill him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And, when they had seen him from afar, before he approached them, they decided to kill him.

New American Bible
They saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

New Revised Standard Version
They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they saw him from afar, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they saw him from a distance, and before he came to them, they were scheming against him to kill him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they spied him from a distance before he drew nigh to them, and they wickedly took counsel to slay him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph Sold by His Brothers
17“They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him. 19“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.…

Cross References
Matthew 27:1
When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.

John 11:53
So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.

Acts 7:9
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

Matthew 21:38
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’

Mark 14:1
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.

John 7:1
After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him.

Acts 23:12-15
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. / More than forty of them were involved in this plot. / They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ...

Matthew 26:3-4
At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, / and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.

John 5:18
Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Luke 20:14
But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

Jeremiah 11:19
For I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter; I did not know that they had plotted against me: “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.”

Psalm 37:12
The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them,

1 Samuel 19:1
Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,

1 Samuel 23:19-20
Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? / Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”


Treasury of Scripture

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him.

conspired.

1 Samuel 19:1
And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

Psalm 31:13
For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

Psalm 37:12,32
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth…

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Genesis 37
1. Joseph is loved by Jacob, but hated by his brothers.
5. His dreams and the interpretation.
12. Jacob sends him to his brothers, who counsel to slay him.
21. At Reuben's desire they cast him into a pit;
25. and afterwards sell him to the Ishmaelites;
29. while Ruben grieves at not finding him.
31. His coat, covered with blood, is sent to Jacob, who mourns him inordinately.
36. Joseph is brought to Egypt and sold to Potiphar.














Now Joseph’s brothers
The phrase "Joseph’s brothers" refers to the sons of Jacob, also known as Israel. These brothers are the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Hebrew word for "brothers" is "אַחִים" (achim), which can denote not only biological siblings but also close kinship or fellowship. In this context, it highlights the familial bond that is tragically marred by jealousy and hatred. The brothers' actions are a stark reminder of the destructive power of envy and the breakdown of family relationships, which is a recurring theme in the Bible.

saw him in the distance
The act of seeing "in the distance" suggests a physical and metaphorical separation between Joseph and his brothers. The Hebrew verb "רָאָה" (ra'ah) means to see, perceive, or understand. This moment of seeing Joseph from afar is laden with anticipation and foreboding. It underscores the brothers' awareness of Joseph's favored status and their growing resentment. The distance also symbolizes the emotional and spiritual chasm that has developed between them, setting the stage for the unfolding drama.

and before he arrived
The phrase "before he arrived" indicates a premeditated action. The brothers' decision to act before Joseph reaches them shows their intent to intercept and harm him. This preemptive plotting reveals the depth of their animosity and the urgency with which they wish to rid themselves of Joseph. It is a moment of decision that reflects the human tendency to act on impulse and emotion rather than reason and righteousness.

they plotted to kill him
The word "plotted" comes from the Hebrew "נָכַל" (nakhal), which means to conspire or deceive. This plotting is not just a spontaneous thought but a deliberate and calculated plan. The brothers' conspiracy to "kill him" is a grave sin, highlighting the severity of their jealousy and hatred. This act of plotting murder is a direct violation of God's commandments and serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of allowing sin to fester in one's heart. It also foreshadows the redemptive arc of Joseph's story, where God uses even the evil intentions of men to fulfill His divine purposes.

Verse 18. - And when (literally, and) they saw him afar off, even (or, and) before he came near unto them, they (literally, and they) conspired against him (or, dealt with him fraudulently) to slay him

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now [Joseph’s brothers] saw
וַיִּרְא֥וּ (way·yir·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

him
אֹת֖וֹ (’ō·ṯōw)
Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

in the distance,
מֵרָחֹ֑ק (mê·rā·ḥōq)
Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7350: Remote, of place, time, precious

and before
וּבְטֶ֙רֶם֙ (ū·ḇə·ṭe·rem)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 2962: Non-occurrence, not yet, before

he arrived,
יִקְרַ֣ב (yiq·raḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

they plotted
וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ (way·yiṯ·nak·kə·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5230: To be crafty, deceitful or knavish

to kill him.
לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃ (la·hă·mî·ṯōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill


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OT Law: Genesis 37:18 They saw him afar off and before (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 37:17
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