Genesis 37:25

Genesis 37:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
• New International Version (NIV)As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt.

Context of Genesis 37:25

23So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it. Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt. 26Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27Come and let us 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.

Genesis 37:25 word by word

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ֮ לֶֽאֱכָל־לֶחֶם֒ וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ וַיִּרְא֔וּ וְהִנֵּה֙ אֹרְחַ֣ת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים בָּאָ֖ה מִגִּלְעָ֑ד וּגְמַלֵּיהֶ֣ם נֹֽשְׂאִ֗ים נְכֹאת֙ וּצְרִ֣י וָלֹ֔ט הוֹלְכִ֖ים לְהוֹרִ֥יד מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃Read the interlinear

• Then they satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• a mealלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899
• And as they raisedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
• their eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• and lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• a caravanאֹרְחָה'ôrchâh · caravanH736
• Ishmaelitesיִשְׁמְעֵאלִיyishmâ‛ê'lîy · IshmaeliteH3459
• was comingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• from Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · GileadH1568
• with their camelsגָּמָלgâmâl · camelH1581
• bearingנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• aromaticנְכֹאתnek'ôth · tragacanth gumH5219
• balmצֳרִיtserîy tsŏrîy · balsamH6875
• myrrhלֹטlôţ · myrrhH3910
• on their wayהָלַךְhâlak · to go: journeyH1980
• to bringיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• to Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714

Cross-references for Genesis 37:25

• Esther 3:15The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.
• Psalms 14:4Do all the workers of wickedness not know, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the Lord?
• Proverbs 30:20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wrong.”
• Amos 6:6Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.
• Genesis 37:28Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.
• Genesis 16:11The angel of the Lord said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.
• Genesis 25:1Now Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
• Genesis 31:23then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
• Psalms 83:6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites;
• Genesis 31:21So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
• Genesis 43:11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
• Jeremiah 8:22Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored?

Commentaries on Genesis 37:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25They sat down to eat bread - Every act is perfectly in character, and describes forcibly the brutish and diabolic nature of their ruthless souls. A company of Ishmaelites - We may naturally suppose that this was a caravan, composed of different tribes that, for their greater safety, were traveling together, and of which Ishmaelites and Midianites made the chief. In the Chaldee they are called Arabians, which, from ערב arab, to mingle, was in all…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. 25-28The Ishmaelite traders were descendants of the slave child who was cast out for mocking Isaac. Now they would enslave Joseph. When he was sold for 20 pieces of silver and carried to Egypt, he was at least preserved alive.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. they sat down to eat bread--What a view does this exhibit of those hardened profligates! Their common share in this conspiracy is not the only dismal feature in the story. The rapidity, the almost instantaneous manner in which the proposal was followed by their joint resolution, and the cool indifference, or rather the fiendish satisfaction, with which they sat down to regale themselves, is astonishing. It is impossible that mere envy at his dreams…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 37:25

• Balm
• Camel
• Commerce
• Egypt
• Exports
• Gilead
• Imports
• Ishmaelites
• Jealousy
• Joseph
• Midianites
• Myrrh
• Reuben
• Spices

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Gilead
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Gilead, Gileadite
• Balm
• Camel
• Coat
• Conceal
• Deceitfully
• Devour

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