Genesis 37:22

22 And Reuben said unto them, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him" -- that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again.

Genesis 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.

Genesis 37:22 In-Context

20 Come now therefore and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, `Some evil beast hath devoured him'; and we shall see what will become of his dreams."

21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands and said, "Let us not kill him."

22 And Reuben said unto them, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him" -- that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again.

23 And it came to pass, when Joseph had come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him;

24 and they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.