Genesis 37:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him.

NIV: Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.

NASB: Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.' And his brothers listened to him.

CSB: Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh," and his brothers agreed.

NLT: Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother — our own flesh and blood!' And his brothers agreed.

KJV: Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

NKJV: Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened.

Joseph's brothers had planned to kill him. The oldest, Reuben, argued against it, urging them to throw him alive into a nearby pit. The intent for most of the brothers seems to have been leaving Joseph to die in the wilderness without killing him themselves. Reuben, however planned to come back and free him (Genesis 37:12–24).

Now, however, Judah comes up with another idea: Sell Joseph as a slave to the traders passing on their way to Egypt (Genesis 37:25–26). He argues this has as double benefit. First, they would gain a profit on the sale of their hated younger brother (Genesis 37:3–4). Also, they would avoid the bloodguilt of killing their own family member either directly or indirectly.

It's unlikely Judah means to spare Joseph out of any sense of guilt. He is not avoiding murder for any sense of morality—this is simply the option providing less risk and more benefit. His brothers agree to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites. A notable exception is Reuben, who is apparently not present for this exchange. Even if he is, he will not be able to rescue Joseph in time (Genesis 37:29).

Genesis 37:12–36 describes how Joseph's wildly resentful brothers finally get rid of him. They hate Joseph for being Jacob's favorite (Genesis 37:3) and for his grandiose dreams (Genesis 37:5, 9). When Joseph arrives alone at the camp of his brothers, very far from home, they have an opportunity. Only Reuben's intervention keeps them from killing Joseph outright. Instead, while Reuben is absent, the brothers sell Joseph to passing slave traders and later convince their father he has been killed by a wild animal. Joseph becomes a slave in an Egyptian home. Genesis 39 will return to Joseph's story.

Joseph, 17, is deeply loved by his father Jacob and deeply resented by his ten older brothers thanks to Jacob's favoritism. Jacob gives Joseph a princely robe, and Joseph reports dreams that predict his family will one day bow before him. When alone with Joseph in the wilderness, the brothers decide to kill him. Reuben stops them, suggesting they throw him alive into a pit, instead. While Reuben is gone, however, the brothers sell Joseph to slave-traders, later convincing their father Joseph has been killed by a wild animal. Joseph is placed in the home of an Egyptian nobleman.

Following the death of Isaac and the story of Esau's people, Genesis begins a section called the "generations of Jacob." The story will focus primarily on Jacob's son Joseph. Joseph is deeply hated by his brothers. While alone with him in the wilderness, they sell him to slave-traders, who take Joseph to Egypt. Chapter 38 details some of the scandals which happened while Joseph was gone. Genesis 39 will resume a focus on Joseph's experiences.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.