New Living Translation
Genesis 37:28
28So 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.
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 will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. 27Instead 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. 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. 29Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. 30Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, “The boy is gone! What will I do now?”
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 37:25Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead 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 who came as usual to draw water and fill the water troughs for their father’s flocks.
- Numbers 25:15The woman’s name was Cozbi; she was the daughter of Zur, the leader of a Midianite clan.
- Numbers 31:2“On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.”
- Judges 6:1The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.
- Psalms 83:9Do to them as you did to the Midianites and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
- Isaiah 60:6Vast caravans of camels will converge on you, the camels of Midian and Ephah. The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense and will come worshiping the Lord.
- Genesis 45:4“Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt.
- Psalms 105:17Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
- Zechariah 11:12And I said to them, “If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.” So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
- Matthew 26:15and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.
- Matthew 27:9This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says, “They took the thirty pieces of silver— the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
- Acts 7:9“These patriarchs were jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave 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
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
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