Genesis 37:24-34

24 And they took him and ¹threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a ²caravan of ³Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing ⁴gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it ⁵if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and ⁶let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh. ” And his brothers listened to him.

28 Then ⁷Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and ⁸sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels^[a] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he ⁹tore his clothes

30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy ¹⁰is gone, and I, where shall I go? ”

31 Then they took ¹¹Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not. ”

33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. ¹²A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces. ”

34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

Genesis 37:24-34 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

• 1. 37:24 [Jer. 38:6; Lam. 3:53]
• 2. 37:25 Job 6:19; Isa. 21:13
• 3. 37:25 [ver. 28, 36; ch. 39:1]
• 4. 37:25 ch. 43:11; Jer. 8:22; 46:11
• 5. 37:26 ver. 20
• 6. 37:27 [1 Sam. 18:17]
• 7. 37:28 ver. 36; Judg. 8:22, 24
• 8. 37:28 ch. 45:4; Ps. 105:17; Acts 7:9
• 9. 37:29 ch. 44:13; Num. 14:6; 2 Sam. 1:11; 3:31; Job 1:20
• 10. 37:30 ch. 42:13, 32, 36; 44:31; Jer. 31:15; Lam. 5:7
• 11. 37:31 ver. 23
• 12. 37:33 ver. 20; ch. 44:28

Footnotes

• [a] 37:28 A 'shekel' was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams