18 But they saw him when he was a long way off, and before he came near them they made a secret design against him to put him to death;
19 Saying to one another, See, here comes this dreamer.
20 Let us now put him to death and put his body into one of these holes, and we will say, An evil beast has put him to death: then we will see what becomes of his dreams.
21 But Reuben, hearing these words, got him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life.
22 Do not put him to a violent death, but let him be placed in one of the holes; this he said to keep him safe from their hands, with the purpose of taking him back to his father again.
23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they took off his long coat which he had on;
24 And they took him and put him in the hole: now the hole had no water in it.
25 Then seating themselves, they took their meal: and looking up, they saw a travelling band of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead on their way to Egypt, with spices and perfumes on their camels.
26 And Judah said to his brothers, What profit is there in putting our brother to death and covering up his blood?
27 Let us give him to these Ishmaelites for a price, and let us not put violent hands on him, for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brothers gave ear to him.
28 And some traders from Midian went by; so pulling Joseph up out of the hole, they gave him to the Ishmaelites for twenty bits of silver, and they took him to Egypt.
29 Now when Reuben came back to the hole, Joseph was not there; and giving signs of grief,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 37
Commentary on Genesis 37 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 37
At this chapter begins the story of Joseph, who, in every subsequent chapter but one to the end of this book, makes the greatest figure. He was Jacob's eldest son by his beloved wife Rachel, born, as many eminent men were, of a mother that had been long barren. His story is so remarkably divided between his humiliation and his exaltation that we cannot avoid seeing something of Christ in it, who was first humbled and then exalted, and, in many instances, so as to answer the type of Joseph. It also shows the lot of Christians, who must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom. In this chapter we have,
Gen 37:1-4
Moses has no more to say of the Edomites, unless as they happen to fall in Israel's way; but now applies himself closely to the story of Jacob's family: These are the generations of Jacob. His is not a bare barren genealogy as that of Esau (ch. 36:1), but a memorable useful history. Here is,
Gen 37:5-11
Here,
Gen 37:12-22
Here is,
Gen 37:23-30
We have here the execution of their plot against Joseph.
Gen 37:31-36