Genesis 37 26

Genesis 37:26 kjv

And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

Genesis 37:26 nkjv

So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

Genesis 37:26 niv

Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?

Genesis 37:26 esv

Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

Genesis 37:26 nlt

Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain by killing our brother? We'd have to cover up the crime.

Genesis 37 verses

Genesis 37 26 meaning

Genesis 37:26 captures a pivotal moment in the narrative of Joseph, as Judah intervenes with a pragmatic proposition to his brothers regarding their intent to murder Joseph. He questions the immediate advantage or gain of fratricide and its cover-up, appealing to their self-interest and desire to avoid the explicit sin of shedding familial blood while still eliminating their hated brother. It highlights a calculated shift from direct murder to a seemingly less culpable form of betrayal.

Genesis 37 26 Context

Genesis 37:26 is set against a backdrop of intense familial dysfunction. Joseph, Jacob's favored son, has infuriated his older brothers with his visionary dreams of their subservience and Jacob’s open favoritism, marked by a coat of many colors. The brothers' hatred boils over when Joseph seeks them out in the field. They conspire to kill him, seizing his coat and throwing him into a dry pit. Reuben, the eldest, attempts a quiet rescue, planning to return for Joseph later. Judah's proposition emerges at a point where the brothers have chosen to ignore Joseph's suffering in the pit, demonstrating their callousness while they sit down to eat. His question introduces a pragmatic solution to dispose of Joseph while ostensibly avoiding the immediate, defiling act of fratricide.

Genesis 37 26 Word analysis

• And Judah: Yehudah (יְהוּדָה). One of Jacob's sons, the fourth son born to Leah. While Reuben previously suggested a way to save Joseph without direct bloodshed, Judah’s intervention here redirects the group towards selling Joseph, an act that becomes definitive. This moment initiates a complex character development for Judah, ultimately leading to his significant role in Israel's history and as the ancestral line of the Messiah.
• said: Denotes an act of initiating communication, particularly a strategic proposal that influences the collective decision of his brothers. It indicates a pivotal moment in the plotting.
• unto his brethren: Addressing his immediate kin, those deeply involved in the plot against Joseph. It highlights the disturbing reality of the violation of family bonds through their hatred and conspiracy.
• What profit is it: Mah betza’ (מַה־בֶּ֗צַע). Literally, "What gain?" The Hebrew word betza' often refers to illicit or dishonest gain throughout Scripture (e.g., Jer 6:13, Ezek 22:27). Judah's concern is pragmatic: what material or practical advantage would they achieve from directly killing Joseph, especially compared to the alternative of selling him? This question exposes the mercenary mindset and a lack of moral objection, foregrounding self-interest over moral principle.
• if we slay: Ki nahargenu (כִּי־נַהֲרֹג אֶת־אָחִינוּ). "That we kill him." The verb harag (הָרַג) precisely means to slay or murder. This stark terminology highlights the depth of the brothers' animosity and the gravity of the sin they were contemplating—the outright murder of their own flesh and blood.
• our brother: A crucial relational identifier that amplifies the wickedness of their intent. Targeting a brother for death defies the natural order and divine design for familial unity, recalling the sin of Cain against Abel.
• and conceal: V'khisinu (וְכִסִּ֥ינוּ). From the root kasah (כָּסָה), meaning "to cover," "to hide," or "to conceal." This demonstrates their concern for avoiding accountability and the visible consequences of murder. They aimed to escape detection by both humans and, presumably, by God, reflecting a desire to mitigate culpability and consequences. This is futile from a divine perspective, as God sees all things (Prov 15:3).
• his blood: Dam-o (דָּמ֣וֹ). Refers to Joseph’s life itself. Shed blood carries immense weight in the ancient Near East and especially in biblical theology, signifying the defilement of the land and demanding justice or retribution (Gen 4:10, Num 35:33). Judah’s concern about "his blood" likely stems from a primal understanding of the consequences of fratricide and the potential for retribution, making a direct murder less "profitable" or manageable than selling him into slavery.

• "What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?" This collective phrase reveals a calculation of expediency and consequence, not morality. The brothers' priority is the effective removal of Joseph without incurring visible guilt or immediate retribution for fratricide, seeking to replace a bloody crime with a transaction yielding tangible profit. This question encapsulates their initial motivation: avoiding both legal human consequences and potentially divine judgment, yet their ultimate deception (using Joseph's coat with animal blood) ensures that even this "cleaner" act would lead to enduring guilt and future reckoning for the entire family.

Genesis 37 26 Bonus section

• The value of Joseph’s sale for twenty shekels (Gen 37:28) corresponds to the legal value of a slave between the ages of 5 and 20 years (Lev 27:5). This underscores the commercial motivation implicit in Judah's question of "profit."
• While Reuben initiated the idea of saving Joseph (Gen 37:21-22), it is Judah's persuasive argument based on pragmatic gain that ultimately alters the brothers' immediate action, signifying his emerging influence and leadership within the family, setting the stage for his later prominence.
• The idea of "concealing his blood" highlights the brothers’ initial desire for a "clean" way to dispose of Joseph, but paradoxically, they still resort to covering up their deed by dipping Joseph's tunic in animal blood to deceive their father. This further illustrates humanity's attempt to hide sin, which ultimately remains exposed before God.
• This incident underscores a central biblical truth: human evil intentions are ultimately subservient to God's sovereign plan. The brothers' sin, driven by jealousy and hatred for perceived "profit," became an instrument for God's redemptive purpose, saving His covenant people from famine and demonstrating His faithful oversight.

Genesis 37 26 Commentary

Genesis 37:26 captures a crucial pivot in the brothers’ malicious plot against Joseph. Judah's question isn't born of sudden moral clarity, but of pragmatic self-interest. He appeals to their collective desire to avoid the clear culpability and potential consequences—divine or earthly—of shedding a brother’s blood directly, for which there seemed to be no immediate "profit" or advantage. The term "profit" (betza’) here is key; it often connotes ill-gotten gain and reveals a cold, calculating materialism influencing their decision. While they abhorred Joseph, the direct act of murder seemed unprofitable or too risky. This verse marks the shift from passive abandonment or active murder to the "lesser" sin of selling their brother, driven by a desire for tangible gain and the false assurance of concealment. This moment foreshadows Joseph’s enslavement and, through divine providence, his eventual rise to power that saves the family. It also begins Judah’s complex journey of transformation, evolving from a pragmatic, self-interested conspirator to a figure of remarkable self-sacrifice and a leader in Jacob's family, eventually leading to the messianic lineage.