Genesis 37:26

Genesis 37:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
• New International Version (NIV)Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

Context of Genesis 37:26

24then they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25Then they sat down to eat their meal. When they looked up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead [east of the Jordan], with their camels bearing ladanum resin [for perfume] and balm and myrrh, going on their way to carry the cargo down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood (murder)? 27Come, let us [instead] sell him to these Ishmaelites [and Midianites] and not lay our hands on him, because he is our brother and our flesh.” So his brothers listened to him and agreed. 28Then as the Midianite [and Ishmaelite] traders were passing by, the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And so they took Joseph [as a captive] into Egypt.

Genesis 37:26 word by word

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוּדָ֖ה אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו מַה־בֶּ֗צַע כִּ֤י נַהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־אָחִ֔ינוּ וְכִסִּ֖ינוּ אֶת־דָּמֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• What profitבֶּ֫צַעbetsa‛ · unjust-gainH1215
• if we slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• and concealכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• his bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818

Cross-references for Genesis 37:26

• Genesis 25:32Esau said, “Look, I am about to die [if I do not eat soon]; so of what use is this birthright to me?”
• Psalms 30:9“What profit is there in my blood (death), if I go down to the pit (grave)? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness [to man]?
• Jeremiah 41:8But ten men who were among them said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us! We have stores of wheat and barley and oil and honey hidden in the field.” So he stopped and did not kill them along with their companions.
• Matthew 16:26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
• Romans 6:21So what benefit did you get at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? [None!] For the outcome of those things is death!
• Genesis 37:20Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits (cisterns, underground water storage); then we will say [to our father], ‘A wild animal killed and devoured him’; and we shall see what will become of his dreams!”
• Genesis 4:10The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s [innocent] blood is crying out to Me from the ground [for justice].
• Deuteronomy 17:8“If any case is too difficult for you to judge—between one kind of homicide and another, between one kind of lawsuit and another, between one kind of assault and another, being controversial issues in your courts—then you shall arise and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses.
• 2 Samuel 1:16David said to the [fallen] man, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
• Job 16:18“O earth, do not cover my blood, And let there be no [resting] place for my cry [where it will cease being heard].
• Ezekiel 24:7For her blood [that she has shed] remains in her midst; She put it on the bare rock; She did not pour it on the ground To cover it with dust.

Commentaries on Genesis 37:26

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-36Verses 1-36 - Joseph Was Sold into Egypt 17. דתין dotayı̂n Dothain, “two wells?” (Gesenius) 25. נכאת neko't “tragacanth” or goat‘s-thorn gum, yielded by the “astragalus gummifer”, a native of Mount Lebanon. צרי tsērı̂y “opobalsamum,” the resin of the balsam tree, growing in Gilead, and having healing qualities. לט loṭ ͂ lēdon “ledum, ladanum,” in the Septuagint ́ staktē The former is a gum produced from the cistus rose. The latter is a gum resembling…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-30Verses 23-30 They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, see Am 6:6; for when he was pining in the pit, they sat down to eat bread. They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin. But the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain, Psa 76:10. Joseph's brethren were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26Judah began to take a leadership role, which he continued to develop as the story goes on (see 43:8–10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-2826-28. Judah said, ... What profit is it if we slay our brother?--The sight of these travelling merchants gave a sudden turn to the views of the conspirators; for having no wish to commit a greater degree of crime than was necessary for the accomplishment of their end, they readily approved of Judah's suggestion to dispose of their obnoxious brother as a slave. The proposal, of course, was founded on their knowledge that the Arabian merchants trafficked…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 37:26

• Intercession
• Ishmaelites
• Jealousy
• Joseph
• Judah
• Reuben
• Servant
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Coat
• Conceal
• Deceitfully
• Devour
• Doubt
• Evil
• Flesh

Commentaries on Genesis 37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings