Genesis 37:18-28

18 And whe they sawe him a farr of before he came at them they toke councell agaynst him for to sley him

19 and sayde one to another Beholde this dreamer cometh

20 come now and let us sley him and cast him in to some pytt and let vs saye that sonne wiked beast hath deuoured him and let us see what his dreames wyll come to.

21 When Ruben herde that he wet aboute to ryd him out of their handes and sayde let vs not kyll him.

22 And Ruben sayde moreouer vnto them shed not his bloude but cast him in to this pytt that is in the wildernes and laye no handes vpon him: for he wolde haue rydd him out of their handes and delyuered him to his father agayne.

23 And as soone as Ioseph was come vnto his brethren they strypte him out of his gay coote that was vpon him

24 and they toke him and cast him in to a pytt: But the pytt was emptie and had no water therein.

25 And they satt them doune to eate brede. And as they lyft vp their eyes and loked aboute there came a companye of Ismaelites from Gilead and their camels lade with spicery baulme and myrre and were goynge doune in to Egipte.

26 Than sayde Iuda to his brethre what avayleth it that we sley oure brother and kepe his bloude secrett?

27 come on let vs sell him to the Ismaelites and let not oure handes be defyled vpon him: for he is oure brother and oure flesh. And his brethren were content.

28 Than as the Madianites marchaunt men passed by they drewe Ioseph out of the pytt and sold him vnto the Ismaelites for .xx. peces of syluer.And they brought him into Egipte.

Genesis 37:18-28 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.