Genesis 37:26

26 Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and 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 took him, and threw him into the cistern, an empty cistern with no water in it.

25 When they sat down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with camels carrying sweet resin, medicinal resin, and fragrant resin on their way down to Egypt.

26 Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and hide his blood?

27 Come on, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites. Let's not harm him because he's our brother; he's family." His brothers agreed.

28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph up out of the cistern. They sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver, and they brought Joseph to Egypt.