18 They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
19 They said one to another, "Behold, this dreamer comes.
20 Come now therefore, and let's kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams."
21 Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, "Let's not take his life."
22 Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him"-- that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
23 It happened, when Joseph came to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;
24 and they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.
25 They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
27 Come, and let's sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh." His brothers listened to him.
28 Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn't in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
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