Genesis 37:18-36

The Plot against Joseph

18 When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they 1plotted against him to put him to death.
19 They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer *!
20 "Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and 2we will say, 'A wild beast devoured him.' Then let us see what will become of his dreams!"
21 But 3Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, "Let us not take his life."
22 Reuben further said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him"-that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.
23 So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him;
24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of 4Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing 5aromatic gum and 6balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it for us to kill our brother and 7cover up his blood?
27 "8Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him.
28 Then some 9Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and 10sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus 11they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he 12tore his garments.
30 He returned to his brothers and said, "13The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?"
31 So 14they took Joseph's tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood;
32 and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, "We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son's tunic or not."
33 Then he examined it and said, "It is my son's tunic. 15A wild beast has devoured him; 16Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!"
34 So Jacob 17tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will 18go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his father wept for him.
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites 19sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer, the captain of the bodyguard.

Genesis 37:18-36 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 37

In this chapter begins the history of Joseph, with whom the remaining part of this book is chiefly concerned; and here are related the hatred of his brethren to him, because he brought an ill report of them to his father, and because his father loved him, and which was increased by the dream he dreamed, and told them of, Ge 37:1-11; a visit of his to his brethren in the fields, whom he found after a long search of them, Ge 37:12-17; their conspiracy on sight of him to slay him, but by the advice of Reuben it was agreed to cast him into a pit, which they did, Ge 37:18-24; and after that, at the motion of Judah, sold him to the Ishmaelites, who were going to Egypt, Ge 37:25-28; this being done, Reuben being absent, and not finding Joseph in the pit, was in great distress, Ge 37:29,30; their contrivance to deceive their father, and make him believe that Joseph was destroyed by a wild beast, which on the sight of the coat he credited, and became inconsolable, Ge 37:31-35; and the chapter concludes with the sale of Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, Ge 37:36.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Psalms 31:13; Psalms 37:12, 32; Mark 14:1; John 11:53; Acts 23:12
  • 2. Genesis 37:32, 33
  • 3. Genesis 42:22
  • 4. Genesis 16:11, 12; Genesis 37:28; Genesis 39:1
  • 5. Genesis 43:11
  • 6. Jeremiah 8:22; Jeremiah 46:11
  • 7. Genesis 37:20
  • 8. Genesis 42:21
  • 9. Genesis 37:25; Judges 6:1-3; Judges 8:22, 24
  • 10. Genesis 45:4, 5; Psalms 105:17; Acts 7:9
  • 11. Genesis 39:1
  • 12. Genesis 37:34; Genesis 44:13
  • 13. Genesis 42:13, 36
  • 14. Genesis 37:3, 23
  • 15. Genesis 37:20
  • 16. Genesis 44:28
  • 17. Genesis 37:29
  • 18. Genesis 25:8; Genesis 35:29; Genesis 42:38; Genesis 44:29, 31
  • 19. Genesis 39:1

Footnotes 14

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