Genesis 37:22

22 And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him" --that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

Genesis 37:22 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:22

And Reuben said unto them, shed no blood
Innocent blood, as the Targum of Jonathan; the blood of a man, a brother's blood, one that had not done anything wherefore it should be shed, and which would involve in guilt, and bring vengeance on them: he seems to put them in mind of the original law in ( Genesis 9:6 ) ;

[but] cast him into this pit that [is] in the wilderness, and lay no
hand upon him:
which might seem to answer the same purpose, namely, by depriving him of his life in another way, by starving him; but this was not Reuben's intention, as appears by the next clause, and by his going to the pit afterwards, as it should seem, with a view to take him out of it privately; this advice he gave,

that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father
again;
safe and sound, in order, as it is thought by many interpreters, to reconcile his father to him, whose bed he had abused.

Genesis 37:22 In-Context

20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams."

21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."

22 And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him" --that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore;

24 and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it.