Genesis 37:21
But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Reuben's intervention isn't just a simple plea for mercy; it's a strategic redirection. He doesn't just say "don't kill him," but proposes an alternative – casting Joseph into a pit – with the clear purpose of bringing him back to Jacob, revealing a deeper plan to save his brother and potentially himself. This highlights that even within a moment of intense sibling conflict, divine providence is at work, using Reuben's actions to set Joseph on a path he couldn't have imagined.
Joseph's brothers, consumed by jealousy over their father's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, plot to kill him. Reuben, the eldest, intervenes, saving Joseph from immediate death by persuading his brothers to cast him into an empty cistern instead. Reuben's intention is to secretly return Joseph to their father, but he is absent when his brothers later sell Joseph to passing Ishmaelite traders.
In the midst of his brothers' rage, a voice of reason emerges. Who is this Reuben, and what does his intervention reveal about him?
As the firstborn son, Reuben carried a certain responsibility within the family. Even though he had previously stumbled greatly (as hinted by scholarly context regarding Genesis 35:22), his heart wasn't entirely hardened. When faced with the brutal plot to kill Joseph, Reuben's conscience stirred. He actively intervened, not by passive agreement, but by physically rescuing Joseph and proposing an alternative. This shows that even those who have fallen can possess a moral compass and act with compassion, seeking to protect the innocent when others are driven by hatred.
Reuben stopped the bloodshed, but his plan still involved severe harm to Joseph. What does this compromise reveal about the gravity of sin and the nature of human 'solutions'?
While Reuben's intervention saved Joseph's life, his proposal to cast him into a pit was far from innocent. It was a compromise born out of a fierce, potentially murderous environment. This highlights how sin often leads to a series of worsening actions, and even 'better' options can still be deeply flawed. Reuben's plan was a desperate attempt to navigate the intense hatred of his brothers while preventing immediate death. It demonstrates that even when we step back from the worst evil, our 'solutions' can still be steeped in the consequences of sin and fall short of true justice or mercy.
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Joseph's life was almost extinguished by his own family. Yet, his story unfolds with divine direction. How does this passage reveal God's sovereign hand?
The narrative of Joseph is a powerful testament to God's providence. Despite the deep hatred, envy, and murderous intent of his brothers, and even Reuben's compromising 'solution,' God was actively working. The scholarly context points out that this entire ordeal, even the selling into slavery, was part of a divine plan to preserve Joseph and later his family. It reminds us that human sin and cruelty, while devastating, do not ultimately thwart God's purposes. He can use even the worst human actions, and the flawed attempts to mitigate them, to bring about His redemptive goals.
Reuben's intervention, while saving Joseph from immediate death, ultimately set in motion the events that led to his enslavement and eventual rise in Egypt, fulfilling his dreams through a path of hardship and divine providence.
c. 17 years old
Joseph's Dreams and Brothers' Envy
Joseph, Jacob's favorite son, has dreams that indicate his future authority over his brothers. This fuels their hatred and envy, leading them to conspire against him.
c. 17 years old
Brothers Plot to Kill Joseph
While tending flocks, Joseph's brothers see him approaching and plot to kill him, intending to deceive their father by claiming a wild animal devoured him.
c. 17 years old— this verse
Reuben Intervenes
Reuben, the eldest brother, hears the plot and intervenes, persuading his brothers not to kill Joseph directly, proposing to cast him into a pit instead.
c. 17 years old
Joseph Sold to Ishmaelites
While Joseph is in the pit, Judah suggests selling him to passing Ishmaelite traders, which the brothers agree to, thus sparing his life from immediate death but leading to his enslavement.
c. 17 years old
Joseph Brought to Egypt
The Ishmaelites take Joseph to Egypt and sell him into slavery, beginning his journey that will eventually lead to his rise to power.
c. 17 years old
Deception of Jacob
Joseph's brothers present his torn, blood-stained coat to Jacob, leading him to believe that Joseph was killed by a wild animal and plunging him into deep mourning.
This proverb highlights that outward appearances can be deceiving, mirroring how Reuben's brothers acted with malice while Reuben was trying to save Joseph. It speaks to the hidden struggles and motivations within a family, even when they present a united front.
Romans 12:15This verse encourages rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. Reuben's immediate empathy and desire to save Joseph contrasts sharply with his brothers' callousness, showing a deep, albeit perhaps situational, compassion.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10This passage states that 'two are better than one' because they can help each other up. Reuben's intervention, though not fully successful, prevented a worse outcome, illustrating the power of one person standing against a prevailing, harmful current.
1 Samuel 18:7This verse describes how Saul and David were celebrated, leading to Saul's jealousy. Like Joseph, David's popularity fueled envy, showing a recurring theme in Scripture where favor can incite hatred.
Matthew 5:22Jesus warns against anger that could lead to judgment, stating that calling someone a 'fool' is worthy of danger. This relates to the intense, destructive anger of Joseph's brothers, who were intent on murder, contrasting with the more measured (though still compromised) response of Reuben.
clarkeGenesis 37:21: "And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him."
Reuben heard it - Though Reuben appears to have been a transgressor of no ordinary magnitude, if we take Genesis 35:22 according to the letter, yet his bosom was not the habitation of cruelly. He determined, if possible, to save his brother from death, and deliver him safely to his father, with whose fondness for him he was sufficiently acquainted. Josephus, in his usual way, puts a lon…
calvinGenesis 37:1-36: "And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan."
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
Istae sunt generationes Iahacob. Joseph filius septendecim annorum pascebat cum fratribus suis pecudes, et erat puer cum filiis Bil…
Reuben's intervention isn't just a simple plea for mercy; it's a strategic redirection. He doesn't just say "don't kill him," but proposes an alternative – casting Joseph into a pit – with the clear purpose of bringing him back to Jacob, revealing a deeper plan to save his brother and potentially himself. This highlights that even within a moment of intense sibling conflict, divine providence is at work, using Reuben's actions to set Joseph on a path he couldn't have imagined.
Joseph's brothers, consumed by jealousy over their father's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, plot to kill him. Reuben, the eldest, intervenes, saving Joseph from immediate death by persuading his brothers to cast him into an empty cistern instead. Reuben's intention is to secretly return Joseph to their father, but he is absent when his brothers later sell Joseph to passing Ishmaelite traders.
Joseph's brothers, consumed by jealousy over their father's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, plot to kill him. Reuben, the eldest, intervenes, saving Joseph from immediate death by persuading his brothers to cast him into an empty cistern instead. Reuben's intention is to secretly return Joseph to their father, but he is absent when his brothers later sell Joseph to passing Ishmaelite traders.
"But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”" — Reuben's intervention isn't just a simple plea for mercy; it's a strategic redirection. He doesn't just say "don't kill him," but proposes an alternative – casting Joseph into a pit – with the clear…
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