Genesis 37:21

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

Genesis 37:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:21

And Reuben heard [it]
Overheard what they said, not being in the consultation; perhaps knowing his temper and disposition to be more mild and gentle, and being the elder brother, might fear he would overrule matters against them, and therefore Simeon and Levi did not choose to have him in the debate; or he might be at some distance and entirely absent when the consultation was held, and their intention was reported to him by some of them:

and he delivered him out of their hands;
from slaying him; that is, he endeavoured to do it by proposing another scheme:

and said, let us not kill him;
or let us not smite the soul ^F20; the dear soul, or take away life.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (vpn wnkn al) "ne percutiamus vel occidamus animam", Sam. Ar. Syr.

Genesis 37:21 In-Context

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