And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
When they saw him coming from far away, even before he got close to them, they plotted together to kill him.
The writer is describing how Joseph's brothers planned to murder him when they spotted him approaching from a distance.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes the moment when Joseph's ten older brothers saw him coming to check on them while they were tending flocks in Dothan. Joseph was wearing the special colorful coat his father Jacob had given him, and his brothers' jealousy and hatred had been building because Joseph was clearly their father's favorite and had shared dreams suggesting he would rule over them. The brothers had been away from home for some time grazing their flocks, and Jacob had sent seventeen-year-old Joseph to see how they were doing.
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