Genesis 37:28

Genesis 37:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
• New International Version (NIV)So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

Context of Genesis 37:28

26Judah 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. Then 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. 29Now Reuben [unaware of what had happened] returned to the pit, and [to his great alarm found that] Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his clothes [in deep sorrow]. 30He rejoined his brothers and said, “The boy is not there; as for me, where shall I go [to hide from my father]?”

Genesis 37:28 word by word

וַיַּֽעַבְרוּ֩ אֲנָשִׁ֨ים מִדְיָנִ֜ים סֹֽחֲרִ֗ים וַֽיִּמְשְׁכוּ֙ וַיַּֽעֲל֤וּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִן־הַבּ֔וֹר וַיִּמְכְּר֧וּ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֛ף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים כָּ֑סֶף וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then there passedעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• by Midianitesמִדְיָנִיmidyânîy · MidianiteH4084
• merchantmenסָחַרsâchar · to tradeH5503
• merchantmenאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• and they drewמָשַׁךְmâshak · to drawH4900
• and lifted upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
• Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• out of the pitבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
• and soldמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
• to the Ishmeelitesיִשְׁמְעֵאלִיyishmâ‛ê'lîy · IshmaeliteH3459
• for twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• and they broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• into Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714

Cross-references for Genesis 37:28

• Genesis 37:25Then 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.
• Genesis 25:2She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
• Exodus 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water [from the well where Moses was resting] and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
• Numbers 25:15The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father’s household in Midian.
• Numbers 31:2“Take vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people [in death].”
• Judges 6:1Then the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years.
• Psalms 83:9Deal with them as [You did] with Midian, As with Sisera and Jabin at the brook of Kishon,
• Isaiah 60:6A multitude of camels [from the eastern trading tribes] will cover you [Jerusalem], The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba [who once came to trade] will come Bringing gold and frankincense And proclaiming the praises of the Lord.
• Genesis 45:4And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they approached him. And he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
• Psalms 105:17He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
• Zechariah 11:12I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, do not.” So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my wages.
• Matthew 26:15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Jesus over to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver.
• Matthew 27:9Then the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet were fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel;
• Acts 7:9“The [ten elder] patriarchs, overwhelmed with jealousy, sold [their younger brother] Joseph into [slavery in] Egypt; but God was with him,

Commentaries on Genesis 37:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28For twenty pieces of silver - In the Anglo-Saxon it is thirty pence. This, I think, is the first instance on record of selling a man for a slave; but the practice certainly did not commence now, it had doubtless been in use long before. Instead of pieces, which our translators supply, the Persian has miskal, which was probably intended to signify a shekel; and if shekels be intended, taking them at three shillings each, Joseph was sold for about three…Read the comment
• 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. 28The Ishmaelites are called Midianite traders (that is, traders from Midian). Ishmaelites were descendants of Abraham through Hagar (16:5). Midianites were descendants of Abraham through Keturah (25:1–2). The term Ishmaelite may have been used more generally for desert tribes (nomadic groups who move from place to place). The Midianites may also have been traveling with a separate group of Ishmaelite traders (37:27). Kidnapping (taking a person by force)…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 37:28

• Commerce
• Ishmaelites
• Jealousy
• Joseph
• Merchant
• Midianites
• Money
• Reuben
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Coat
• Conceal
• Deceitfully
• Devour
• Doubt
• Evil
• Flesh
• Ishmael

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