Genesis 37:26

26 Therefore Judah said to his brethren, What shall it profit to us, if we shall slay our brother, and shall hide his blood? (And so Judah said to his brothers, What shall it profit us, if we kill our brother, and then hide his blood?)

Genesis 37:26 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:26

And Judah said unto his brethren
In sight of the Ishmaelites, a thought came into his mind to get Joseph sold to them;

what profit [is it] if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
it could be no advantage to them even if they could have concealed his blood from men; and if it was discovered, as it would, in all likelihood, by come means or another, then they must be answerable for it; and if not, God would take vengeance on them, from whom they could never conceal it; and therefore it would be most profitable and advantageous to them to sell him, and not destroy him, or take away his life; and to suffer him to lie in the pit and die was the same thing.

Genesis 37:26 In-Context

24 and they put him in[to] an eld cistern, that had no water.

25 And (then) they sat (down) to eat bread; and (soon) they saw that (some) Ishmaelite waygoers came from Gilead, and that their camels bare sweet smelling spiceries, and resin, and stacte, into Egypt (to take to Egypt).

26 Therefore Judah said to his brethren, What shall it profit to us, if we shall slay our brother, and shall hide his blood? (And so Judah said to his brothers, What shall it profit us, if we kill our brother, and then hide his blood?)

27 It is better that he be sold to (the) Ishmaelites, and our hands be not defouled, for he is our brother and our flesh. His brethren assented to these words;

28 and (so) when [the] merchants of Midian passed thereforth, they drew Joseph out of the cistern, and sold him to (the) Ishmaelites, for twenty pieces of silver; which led him into Egypt (and they took him down to Egypt).