In verse 7 Joseph tells his brothers about his dream.

Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field: behold (Hebrew hinneh) calls for the attention of the brothers and indicates that what Joseph is about to tell may be unexpected or surprising. We refers to Joseph and his brothers; that is, it is the inclusive first person pronoun. Binding sheaves refers to cutting the stalks of ripe grain and then tying them into bundles with the heads of grain at one end. In areas where grain harvests are unknown, it may be possible to say, for example, “we were tying the plants into bundles.” In rice-growing cultures the appropriate terms for tying rice bundles should be used. The picture given here is of tied bundles of grain stalks lying in the harvested field.

Lo, my sheaf: lo also translates the Hebrew hinneh, which is often repeated in this way in dream reports. See also 41.2-3; Judges 7.13. My sheaf means the sheaf Joseph had cut and tied into a bundle.

Arose and stood upright: in the dream the sheaves of grain act as if they were living creatures: “The bundle I had cut and tied got up and stood upright.” In some languages it may be necessary to say, for example, “got on its feet as a person stands up.”

And behold: behold (hinneh) is again repeated to maintain the emphasis on surprising events.

Your sheaves: that is, the bundles you (plural) had cut and tied.

Gathered round it: the sheaves of the brothers must also stand, as they will bow down. Accordingly it may be necessary to say “your sheaves got up and formed a ring around my sheaf” or “your sheaves walked around my sheaf.”

Bowed down to my sheaf: for bowed down see 23.7. The picture is of the standing bundles bending forward until their heads of grain are touching the ground. If the symbolic meaning of the bowing sheaves is not clear, it may be necessary to say, for example, “Your [plural] sheaves stood around mine and bowed down to honor mine.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .