Genesis 37:28 kjv

Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Genesis 37:28 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.

Genesis 37:28 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.

Genesis 37:28 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.

Genesis 37:28 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.

Genesis 37 verses

Genesis 37 28 Meaning

Genesis 37:28 describes the pivotal moment when Joseph's brothers finalize their treacherous plan by selling him into slavery. After debating his fate, the opportune arrival of Midianite traders leads to Joseph being pulled from the pit where he was left and then sold for twenty shekels of silver. This transaction directly results in Joseph being taken to Egypt, initiating a new and arduous chapter in his life, yet one ultimately purposed by divine providence for the preservation of his family and many others.

Genesis 37 28 Context

Genesis chapter 37 details the intensifying conflict between Joseph and his elder brothers. Joseph's favor with their father, Jacob, symbolized by a richly ornamented tunic, coupled with his prophetic dreams foretelling his brothers bowing before him, incited deep-seated hatred and envy. The brothers initially plot to kill him, but Reuben intervenes, suggesting they throw him into a dry pit, secretly intending to rescue him later. However, while Reuben is absent, Judah proposes selling Joseph instead of directly shedding his blood. This verse, Gen 37:28, records the fulfillment of Judah's proposition, a pragmatic yet profoundly cruel act that leads Joseph away from the family and into a foreign land. Historically, this scene occurs within the common trade routes of the Ancient Near East, where slave trade was prevalent, explaining the ready availability of merchants to facilitate such a transaction. The Ishmaelites and Midianites were nomadic trading tribes who traversed routes connecting Canaan with Egypt.

Genesis 37 28 Word analysis

• Then Midianite traders (וַיַּעַבְרוּ מְדָנִים סֹחֲרִים – Vaya'avru Medanim Sokharim):
  • Midianite (מְדָנִים – Medanim): Descendants of Midian, son of Abraham and Keturah (Gen 25:2). These were nomadic desert tribes, known for trade. The use of "Medanim" here, contrasted with "Ishmaelites" later and elsewhere (Gen 37:25, Gen 39:1), points to either a flexible designation for mercantile confederacies, an intermingling of groups, or specific roles. The Septuagint and some early versions use "Ishmaelites" consistently.
  • traders (סֹחֲרִים – Sokharim): Merchants, traveling businessmen. Their arrival at this precise moment is significant, allowing the brothers to carry out their evil intention and for God's divine plan to progress.
• passed by (וַיַּעַבְרוּ – vaya'avru): Indicates their regular movement along established trade routes. Their opportune timing underscores divine providence despite human sin.
• And they drew Joseph up (וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת-יוֹסֵף – vaya'alu et-Yosef):
  • drew...up (וַיַּעֲלוּ – vaya'alu): A specific verb meaning "to bring up" or "cause to ascend." It describes the physical act of rescuing him from the pit, ironically into further suffering.
• and lifted him out (וַיִּשְׁאוּהוּ – vayissu'uhu):
  • lifted...out (וַיִּשְׁאוּהוּ – vayissu'uhu): Another verb for "to lift," "to carry." The dual verbs emphasize the completed act of his removal from the pit.
• of the pit (מִן-הַבּוֹר – min habbor):
  • the pit (הַבּוֹר – habbor): A cistern, often a dry well. Symbolically, the pit represents a place of death, despair, and grave-like confinement (e.g., Psa 40:2). Joseph's journey through the pit signifies a form of "death" from which he would be "resurrected" into new life and purpose.
• and sold him (וַיִּמְכְּרוּ אֶת-יוֹסֵף – vayyimkeru et-Yosef):
  • sold him (וַיִּמְכְּרוּ – vayyimkeru): From the verb makar (מָכַר), "to sell." This action transforms Joseph from a beloved son into mere property, an act of ultimate betrayal by his own brothers.
• to the Ishmaelites (אֶל-יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים – el Yishma'elîm):
  • Ishmaelites (יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים – Yishma'elîm): Descendants of Ishmael, son of Abraham and Hagar (Gen 16). They were also nomadic traders. The interchanging terms "Midianites" and "Ishmaelites" may suggest a broader tribal or trading confederacy where their identities sometimes overlapped.
• for twenty shekels of silver (בְּעֶשְׂרִים כֶּסֶף – bĕ'esrim késef):
  • twenty (עֶשְׂרִים – esrim): A specific numerical value.
  • shekels of silver (כֶּסֶף – kesef): The currency. Twenty shekels was a common, but not high, price for a slave (Exo 21:32 suggests 30 shekels for an adult male). This relatively low price might indicate Joseph's youth at the time, or underscore the brothers' callous disregard for his worth. It sets a tragic precedent for betrayal for silver, later echoed in Judas's betrayal of Christ.
• And they took Joseph to Egypt (וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת-יוֹסֵף מִצְרָיְמָה – vayyavî'u et-Yosef Mitsraymah):
  • took Joseph to Egypt: This specifies Joseph's destination and establishes the crucial setting for the next phase of God's redemptive plan, linking him to the very land where the patriarchs had often found refuge and where Abrahamic descendants would later become enslaved.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Midianite traders passed by": This phrase emphasizes the serendipitous (from a human perspective) timing of their appearance, setting the stage for the brothers to act on their sinister suggestion to sell Joseph, inadvertently facilitating God's overarching purpose.
• "drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit": These actions describe Joseph's literal physical extraction from immediate peril. Yet, this "rescue" immediately plunges him into another form of bondage, illustrating that human salvation is often achieved through unexpected and painful detours.
• "sold him... for twenty shekels of silver": This directly contrasts Joseph's inherent value as God's chosen instrument with the perceived, depreciated value his brothers placed upon him, mirroring how sin devalues the precious. This numerical sum also provides a specific monetary value to their betrayal, setting a precedent for similar acts later in biblical narrative.
• "to the Ishmaelites... took Joseph to Egypt": The dual mention of trading groups, combined with the clear destination, signifies Joseph's complete removal from his familial land and his transition into a new world. Egypt becomes the divinely ordained crucible for his character development and preparation for leadership, ultimately fulfilling his dreams and God's plan.

Genesis 37 28 Bonus section

The seemingly interchangeable mention of "Midianites" and "Ishmaelites" by the narrator points to a fluidity in ancient tribal and mercantile identities. These groups, both descendants of Abraham, symbolize the unexpected avenues through which divine purposes unfold, even via the hands of distant relatives. The dry pit, though saving Joseph from immediate death by drowning, was nonetheless a symbolic grave. His rescue from it, only to be sold, emphasizes the "descent" before the "ascent" to glory. This motif of initial suffering and betrayal followed by ultimate exaltation and salvation makes Joseph a powerful type, or prefigurement, of Christ. Like Joseph, Christ was rejected by His own, sold for silver (albeit thirty pieces), cast into a symbolic pit (death), and raised to a position of ultimate authority to provide salvation and sustenance for many, including those who betrayed Him. This verse sets the stage for God's wisdom in allowing profound evil to produce profound good, establishing a foundational truth throughout Scripture.

Genesis 37 28 Commentary

Genesis 37:28 serves as a theological turning point, embodying the intricate interplay of human sin and divine sovereignty. The brothers' envy culminates in an act of calculated treachery: selling their own flesh and blood for profit. This action demonstrates profound moral failure and a hardened heart. However, God, in His infinite wisdom, permits this evil for a greater redemptive purpose. Joseph's descent into slavery in Egypt is not a mere misfortune but a divinely orchestrated pathway to preserving Jacob's family from famine and, through them, the lineage of the promised Messiah. The selling for twenty shekels, a common price for a slave, tragically underscores the brothers' low valuation of Joseph, yet paradoxically places him on a journey that would reveal his immeasurable worth in God's plan. This narrative beautifully foreshadows the pattern of God using human sin and suffering to bring about ultimate good and salvation, prominently exemplified in the betrayal and sacrifice of Christ.