Genesis 37:3

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, etc.] He being the firstborn of his beloved Rachel, and a lovely youth, of a beautiful aspect, very promising, prudent and pious: the reason given in the text follows, because he [was] the son of his old age; being ninety one years of age when he was born; and the youngest children are generally most beloved, and especially such as are born to their parents when in years. Benjamin indeed was younger than Joseph, and is described in like manner, (<014420>Genesis 44:20); and for this reason one would think had the greatest claim to his father’s affections; wherefore some give a different sense of this phrase, and render it, the “son” or…”

“son of his old age--Benjamin being younger, was more the son of his old age and consequently on that ground might have been expected to be the favorite. Literally rendered, it is "son of old age to him"--Hebrew phrase, for "a wise son"--one who possessed observation and wisdom above his years--an old head on young shoulders. made him a coat of many colors--formed in those early days by sewing together patches of colored cloth, and considered a dress of distinction (Jdg 5:30; Sa2 13:18). The passion for various colors still reigns among the Arabs and other people of the East, who are fond of dressing their children in this gaudy attire. But since the art of interweaving various patterns was…”

“- Joseph Was Sold into Egypt 17. דתין dotayı̂n Dothain, “two wells?” (Gesenius) 25. נכאת neko't “tragacanth” or goat’s-thorn gum, yielded by the “astragalus gummifer”, a native of Mount Lebanon. צרי tsērı̂y “opobalsamum,” the resin of the balsam tree, growing in Gilead, and having healing qualities. לט loṭ, λῆδον lēdon, “ledum, ladanum,” in the Septuagint στακτή staktē. The former is a gum produced from the cistus rose. The latter is a gum resembling liquid myrrh. 36. פוטיפר pôṭı̂yphar Potiphar, “belonging to the sun.” The sketch of the race of Edom, given in the preceding piece, we have seen, reaches down to the time of Moses. Accordingly, the history of Jacob’s seed, which is…”

“37:3 Jacob: Hebrew Israel; also in 37:13. • Jacob loved Joseph more because Joseph had been born to him in his old age and because he was the first son of his favorite wife, Rachel. • Jacob gave Joseph a beautiful robe to demonstrate that he intended to grant him the largest portion of the inheritance.”