New King James Version
Genesis 37:28
28Then 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.
Context of Genesis 37:28
26So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27Come 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. 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. 29Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?”
Read all of Genesis 37Genesis 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 37:25And 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.
- Genesis 25:2And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
- Exodus 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- Numbers 25:15And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a father’s house in Midian.
- Numbers 31:2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
- Judges 6:1Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
- Psalms 83:9Deal with them as with Midian, As with Sisera, As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
- Isaiah 60:6The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
- Genesis 45:4And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then 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 11:12Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
- Matthew 26:15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
- Matthew 27:9Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,
- Acts 7:9“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries