The Coat of Many Colors

Genesis 37:3-4
"3 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. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him."

Why on earth were Joseph's brothers so bent outta shape over Joseph's coat? I mean, IT'S ONLY A COAT, right? Well.....no:  Not exactly.  Jacob didn't give Joseph just ANY coat; he gave him a KETTONETH. (Ke-tō-nét)

"What's a KETTONETH?" you ask.  It is a long-sleeved garment made out of VERY "fine linen."

In the Hebrew Bible, the varicolored coat -[םיִּסַּפ תֶנֹתְּכ] "kethoneth passim," is the name for the garment that Joseph owned.  The Hebrew phrase "kethoneth passim" is translated here as "coat of many colors," but some have suggested that the phrase may merely mean a "coat with long sleeves" or a "long coat with stripes."  In any event, it 

The Septuagint translation (Old Testament Greek translation) of the passage uses the word "ποικίλος-poikilos," which indicates "many colored."  The Jewish Publication Society of America Version also employs the phrase "coat of many colors". On the other hand, the Revised Standard Version translates kethoneth passim as "a long robe with sleeves."  The New International Version notes the translation difficulties in a footnote, and translates it as "a richly ornamented robe".

So what's?  Why the big deal?  Ever see pictures of people in Bible times?  Most of them wore coarse, sleeveless garments because: #1: it's a hot climate and, #2: THEY WERE WORKING!!

A garment like this coat was unbelievably expensive.  Only nobility and the very wealthy wore clothing like this with long sleeves. IT MEANT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK.

Jacob was basically saying that Joseph, UNLIKE THE REST OF HIS BROTHERS, was never going to have to lift a finger for anything for the rest of his life!  Now that's a bit of a different matter.

The first mention of this word used is in Genesis 3:1. God made "kethoneth" of skins for Adam and Eve. He was showing them that He wanted them to rest in His provision.  But unlike any of the pictures envisioned by artists of Adam and Eve with skimpy clothing made of animal skins, these actually covered them from neck to feet.  They were long-sleeved.

God obviously had to kill animals, probably a male ram, then fashion clothing from their hides.  That's right folks, God offered the first ever blood sacrifice.  As you know, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.  Adam and Eve were covered by the blood sacrifice of the lamb. Remember, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. 

In fact, He offered both the very first one to make a blood covering for our first parents and the very last one:  His Beloved Son, Jesus!  He was the sacrifice to end ALL sacrifices.

It was Jesus' "kethoneth" for which the soldiers cast lots at the foot of the cross.  His was made of he finest white linen, a "seamless" garment; seamless like His character.  Nothing coarse or uneven about Him.  It was so expensive that it beyond price, in fact!  

So not like us who have His righteous "sewn" into us.  It was a garment fit for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords that He is;  the altogether lovely One!

White typifies purity and righteousness in the Bible.  It is this same white garment with which the saints in Revelation are clothed.  We wear His garment of righteousness and purity.  Because it is a "KETTONETH," it signifies that WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK FOR OUR SALVATION:  IT IS FINISHED!

So you see, it was much more than "just" a COAT OF MANY COLORS.