Genesis 37:31

31 So ¹they took Joseph's tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood;

Genesis 37:31 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:31

And they took Joseph's coat
After they had told Reuben what they had done with him, who being willing to make the best of things as it was, joined with them in the following scheme: by this it appears, that when they took Joseph out of the pit they did not put his coat on him, but sold him naked, or almost so, to the merchants: and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
that being, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi observe, most like to human blood.

Genesis 37:31 In-Context

29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments.

30 He returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?"

31 So they 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. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!"

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 37:3, 23