Genesis 37 25

Genesis 37:25 kjv

And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

Genesis 37:25 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.

Genesis 37:25 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.

Genesis 37:25 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.

Genesis 37:25 nlt

Then, 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 37 verses

Genesis 37 25 meaning

Genesis 37:25 describes a pivotal moment where Joseph’s brothers, having cast him into a pit, casually sit down to eat, indicating their cold indifference to his suffering. While they are eating, they see a caravan of Ishmaelite merchants approaching from Gilead, laden with valuable spices, balm, and myrrh, on their journey to Egypt. This encounter providentially sets in motion Joseph's sale into slavery and his subsequent journey to Egypt, which is instrumental in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan for His people. The verse highlights both human depravity and divine sovereignty, showing God's ability to orchestrate good from wicked intentions.

Genesis 37 25 Context

Genesis chapter 37 details the intensifying animosity between Joseph and his brothers. Joseph's privileged status as Jacob's favorite, symbolized by a special tunic, and his prophetic dreams foretelling his ascendancy over his family, fueled their hatred. The chapter culminates when his brothers, seizing an opportunity when Joseph seeks them out in the fields, conspire to kill him. Reuben intervenes to save him from death, suggesting instead that he be thrown into an empty pit, with the intention of later rescuing him. Verse 25 immediately follows Joseph's being cast into this pit, capturing the brothers’ shocking callousness as they move from their cruel act to a meal, illustrating their detachment from their brother's plight. This verse then introduces the Ishmaelite caravan, providentially offering a means to remove Joseph without shedding his blood directly, thereby steering the narrative towards God's greater plan.

Genesis 37 25 Word analysis

• Then they sat down to eat a meal: (Wayyēšvū leʼĕḵol lehem) - "Then" signals the sequence after Joseph is in the pit. "Sat down" (Hebrew: wayyēšvū) depicts a relaxed posture, indicating casual indifference and a lack of remorse from the brothers regarding their cruel act. "To eat a meal" (leʼĕḵol lehem - literally "to eat bread") emphasizes their basic, normal activity, juxtaposed starkly against their brother's desperate situation, highlighting the severity of their hardened hearts.
• And they lifted their eyes and looked: (wayyiśśeʼû ʿênêhem wayyirʼû) - This phrase is a common Hebrew idiom meaning to notice or observe something significant. It indicates a sudden, new awareness, drawing attention to what is about to appear.
• and behold: (wǝhinnēh) - The Hebrew particle hinnēh is an interjection used to draw attention to a sudden, striking, or important observation. It often signals divine intervention or a significant turn in the narrative, subtly emphasizing the providential timing of the caravan's appearance.
• a caravan: (ʼorḥāh) - Refers to a company or group of travelers, typically merchants, engaged in long-distance trade. It conveys a sense of purpose and organization in their journey.
• of Ishmaelites: (yishmaʿʼēlîm) - Descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son through Hagar (Gen 16, 25:12-16). They were semi-nomadic traders. Their presence highlights the intermingling of Abraham's descendants and the complex web of relationships in the ancient Near East. Their ethnicity is significant as they are kin, though distant, to Joseph, showing how God works through unexpected agents. In other instances (e.g., Gen 37:28), Midianites are mentioned interchangeably, suggesting common desert trade groups.
• was coming from Gilead: (bāʼîm mimgilʿāḏ) - Gilead was a region east of the Jordan River, renowned for its rich pastures and aromatic resources. This specifies the origin of the merchants, linking their trade goods to the region.
• with their camels: (ūgmallîm) - Camels were crucial beasts of burden for long-distance desert trade, enabling the transport of goods across vast, arid territories to major markets like Egypt. They signify the professional nature of the traders.
• bearing spices, balm, and myrrh: (nōśʼîm někōʼôṯ ūṣərî wālōṭ) - These were highly valuable commodities from the Middle East.
  • spices (někōʼôṯ): Often identified as gum tragacanth or similar aromatic resins used for perfumes, incense, or medicinal purposes.
  • balm (ṣōrî): Also known as balsam, famously associated with Gilead (Jer 8:22; 46:11). It was a prized medicinal and aromatic resin.
  • myrrh (lōṭ): A fragrant, resinous gum derived from certain trees, used for perfumes, anointing oils, and embalming (cf. Jn 19:39). The inclusion of these items indicates a long-distance, high-value trade route.
• on their way to carry them down to Egypt: (hôradat miṣrayim) - "Down to Egypt" indicates the geographic descent into the Nile valley and also culturally refers to Egypt as a primary trade destination, known for its demand for luxury goods. This detail directly sets the stage for Joseph's eventual journey and the divine purpose behind his forced displacement, as Egypt was a place God prepared for the preservation of His people.

Genesis 37 25 Bonus section

The seemingly interchangeable use of "Ishmaelites" and "Midianites" in Genesis 37:25 and 37:28 (and 37:36 for Midianites selling him) reflects the broader and more fluid tribal affiliations in the ancient Near East, where related nomadic groups engaged in similar trade practices and often overlapped in territory and identity. It highlights that the specific identity of the traders matters less than their function as the providential vehicle for Joseph's journey to Egypt, a journey that God would transform from slavery to a position of power and ultimate preservation of His covenant people. This underscores the theological principle that God's grand design is not dependent on the purity or intentionality of human agents, but works through all circumstances.

Genesis 37 25 Commentary

Genesis 37:25 is a striking tableau of human wickedness and divine providence. The image of the brothers callously eating while their sibling languishes in a pit vividly portrays their depraved hearts, emphasizing their utter lack of empathy after their cruel act. Their shared meal ironically symbolizes the dissolution of their family bond. Yet, it is at this precise moment that God's plan subtly unfolds. The appearance of the Ishmaelite caravan, specifically tailored to travel to Egypt with goods desirable in that land, is no mere coincidence but a divine orchestration. God, in His sovereign wisdom, uses the very instruments of the brothers’ evil – their desire to be rid of Joseph – to set him on the path He had already ordained. This pivotal event demonstrates that even human malice cannot thwart God's ultimate purpose, but rather can be redirected by Him to achieve His redemptive ends. This moment serves as a prophetic glimpse of Joseph's ultimate trajectory and the salvation he would bring to his family, and ultimately, to God's chosen nation.