Genesis 37:21

21 But when Re'uven heard this, he saved him from being destroyed by them. He said, "We shouldn't take his life.

Genesis 37:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:21

And Reuben heard [it]
Overheard what they said, not being in the consultation; perhaps knowing his temper and disposition to be more mild and gentle, and being the elder brother, might fear he would overrule matters against them, and therefore Simeon and Levi did not choose to have him in the debate; or he might be at some distance and entirely absent when the consultation was held, and their intention was reported to him by some of them:

and he delivered him out of their hands;
from slaying him; that is, he endeavoured to do it by proposing another scheme:

and said, let us not kill him;
or let us not smite the soul ^F20; the dear soul, or take away life.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (vpn wnkn al) "ne percutiamus vel occidamus animam", Sam. Ar. Syr.

Genesis 37:21 In-Context

19 They said to each other, "Look, this dreamer is coming!

20 So come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these water cisterns here. Then we'll say some wild animal devoured him. We'll see then what becomes of his dreams!"

21 But when Re'uven heard this, he saved him from being destroyed by them. He said, "We shouldn't take his life.

22 Don't shed blood," Re'uven added. "Throw him into this cistern here in the wilds, but don't lay hands on him yourselves." He intended to rescue him from them later and restore him to his father.

23 So it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long-sleeved robe he was wearing,