Bereshis 37:22

22 And Reuven said unto them, Do no shefach dahm (shedding of blood), but throw him into this bor that is in the midbar, and lay no yad upon him; that he might rescue him out of their yadayim, to take him back to Aviv.

Bereshis 37:22 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:22

And Reuben said unto them, shed no blood
Innocent blood, as the Targum of Jonathan; the blood of a man, a brother's blood, one that had not done anything wherefore it should be shed, and which would involve in guilt, and bring vengeance on them: he seems to put them in mind of the original law in ( Genesis 9:6 ) ;

[but] cast him into this pit that [is] in the wilderness, and lay no
hand upon him:
which might seem to answer the same purpose, namely, by depriving him of his life in another way, by starving him; but this was not Reuben's intention, as appears by the next clause, and by his going to the pit afterwards, as it should seem, with a view to take him out of it privately; this advice he gave,

that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father
again;
safe and sound, in order, as it is thought by many interpreters, to reconcile his father to him, whose bed he had abused.

Bereshis 37:22 In-Context

20 Come now therefore, and let us kill him, and throw him into one of the borot (pits), and we will say, Some chayyah ra’ah (evil wild beast) hath devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his chalomot.

21 And Reuven heard it, and he saved him out of their yadayim; and said, Let us not take his nefesh.

22 And Reuven said unto them, Do no shefach dahm (shedding of blood), but throw him into this bor that is in the midbar, and lay no yad upon him; that he might rescue him out of their yadayim, to take him back to Aviv.

23 And it came to pass, when Yosef was come unto his achim, that they stripped Yosef of his kesones [see Yn 19:23 OJBC], his kesones hapassim that was on him;

24 And they took him, and threw him into the borah (pit); and the bor was empty, there was no mayim in it.