Genesis 37:27

27 Come. Let's sell him to these traders. Let's not harm him ourselves. After all, he's our brother. He's our own flesh and blood." Judah's brothers agreed with him.

Genesis 37:27 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:27

Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites
For a slave, and that will defeat his dream; and as these were going down to Egypt, where they would sell him, he would be far enough from them, and there would be no probability of his ever being lord over them:

and let not our hand be upon him;
to take away his life, either by stabbing or starving him:

for he [is] our brother, [and] our flesh;
they had all one father, though different mothers, and therefore, as the relation was so near, some sympathy and compassion should be shown; some degree of tenderness at least, and not savageness and cruelty:

and his brethren were content;
they agreed to the motion, inasmuch as they supposed it would answer their end as well, which was to prevent his dominion over them.

Genesis 37:27 In-Context

25 Then they sat down to eat their meal. As they did, they saw some Ishmaelite traders coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, lotion and myrrh. They were on their way to take them down to Egypt.

26 Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and try to cover up what we've done?

27 Come. Let's sell him to these traders. Let's not harm him ourselves. After all, he's our brother. He's our own flesh and blood." Judah's brothers agreed with him.

28 The traders from Midian came by. Joseph's brothers pulled him up out of the well. They sold him to the Ishmaelite traders for eight ounces of silver. Then the traders took him to Egypt.

29 Later, Reuben came back to the empty well. He saw that Joseph wasn't there. He was so upset that he tore his clothes.