But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Reuben's intervention isn't just a suggestion to spare Joseph's life; it's a strategic pivot, proposing to cast him into a pit instead of killing him. This highlights Reuben's quick thinking and desire to salvage the situation, not just by saving Joseph, but by returning him to their father, revealing a deeper motivation than mere mercy.
But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joseph's brothers, consumed by envy over their father's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, have captured him and are plotting to kill him. As they discuss their wicked plan, Reuben, the eldest brother, overhears them. He intervenes, not to save Joseph entirely, but to prevent his immediate murder by proposing they throw him into a nearby pit instead.
Amidst the brutal plotting of his brothers, one voice speaks up, not with violence, but with a plea for life. Who was Reuben, and why did he intervene?
The brothers had reached a chilling consensus: they would kill Joseph and concoct a story about a wild animal. The air was thick with hatred, fueled by jealousy over Jacob's favoritism and Joseph's dreams.
Yet, when Reuben heard their deadly plan, he didn't join the frenzy. The text says, "he delivered him out of their hands." This wasn't a grand, heroic rescue, but a crucial intervention that stopped the immediate shedding of blood. He pleaded, "Let us not kill him." This simple refusal to participate in murder marks Reuben as distinct from the others in this moment.
Commentaries suggest Reuben, as the firstborn, might have felt a sense of responsibility, or perhaps he saw an opportunity to redeem himself after a past grievous sin (Genesis 35:22). Regardless of his full motivation, his words and actions created a crucial pause, altering the course of the horrific event.
Reuben’s plea for life was heard, but did it lead to true safety? Explore the tragic compromise that followed.
Reuben's plea, 'Let us not kill him,' was partially successful. His brothers agreed not to shed blood directly. However, this wasn't a victory for compassion, but a shift to a more devious plan.
Reuben himself proposed a compromise: 'Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness.' His intention, as stated, was 'to deliver him to his father again.' This reveals a desire to save Joseph's life, even if not his freedom.
Tragically, this compromise allowed the brothers' underlying malice to continue. They stripped Joseph of his special coat – a symbol of his father's favor – and cast him into an empty pit. This act, while stopping short of immediate murder, set in motion a chain of events that led to Joseph's enslavement and years of suffering. It demonstrates how a step away from outright sin can still lead to devastating outcomes when not fully rooted in justice and mercy.
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This verse captures a pivotal moment where familial hatred is momentarily checked by a flicker of conscience and a desire to mitigate a terrible crime. Reuben's intervention, though not saving Joseph from harm, demonstrates the complex interplay of sin and mercy within the family, ultimately setting the stage for God's redemptive plan.
c. 1800 BC
Jacob's Family Settles in Canaan
Jacob and his large family live as semi-nomadic shepherds in Canaan, a land promised to Abraham and his descendants but not yet fully possessed.
c. 1755 BC
Jacob Favors Joseph
Jacob shows strong favoritism to his son Joseph, giving him a special coat and allowing him to share his dreams, which sparks intense jealousy and hatred among his brothers.
c. 1755 BC
Brothers Plot Against Joseph
The brothers, seeing Joseph from afar while tending flocks, conspire to kill him and hide his body, planning to claim a wild animal devoured him.
c. 1755 BC— this verse
Reuben Intervenes
Reuben, the eldest brother, overhears the plot and intervenes, persuading his brothers not to shed blood but to cast Joseph into a nearby pit.
c. 1755 BC
Joseph Sold to Ishmaelites
While Joseph is in the pit, a caravan of Ishmaelites passes by, and Judah persuades the brothers to sell Joseph to them instead of leaving him to die.
c. 1755 BC
Joseph Brought to Egypt
The Ishmaelites take Joseph down to Egypt, where he is eventually sold into slavery to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh.
c. 1755 BC
Jacob Mourns for Joseph
The brothers present Joseph's torn, blood-stained coat to Jacob, who is convinced Joseph has been killed by a wild beast and mourns him deeply.
This passage shows a similar dynamic of intense sibling rivalry, where Jonathan's deep love for David causes his brothers (and father) to envy David, mirroring the hatred Joseph's brothers felt due to Jacob's favor.
Psalm 105:17-18This psalm directly references Joseph's story, highlighting how God was with him in his suffering, even when his brothers betrayed him and he was sold into slavery, demonstrating a divine purpose behind the hardship.
Proverbs 18:19This proverb speaks to the difficulty of reconciliation after a deep rift, relevant to Reuben's attempt to mediate and save Joseph from his brothers' intense hatred, which is described as a 'strong city gate'.
Matthew 27:3-5This passage parallels the story of Judas, one of Jesus' own followers, who betrayed him and then was overcome by guilt, showing a contrast to Reuben's saving action and highlighting the destructive nature of betrayal.
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 suggestion to spare Joseph's life; it's a strategic pivot, proposing to cast him into a pit instead of killing him. This highlights Reuben's quick thinking and desire to salvage the situation, not just by saving Joseph, but by returning him to their father, revealing a deeper motivation than mere mercy.
Joseph's brothers, consumed by envy over their father's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, have captured him and are plotting to kill him. As they discuss their wicked plan, Reuben, the eldest brother, overhears them. He intervenes, not to save Joseph entirely, but to prevent his immediate murder by proposing they throw him into a nearby pit instead.
Joseph's brothers, consumed by envy over their father's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, have captured him and are plotting to kill him. As they discuss their wicked plan, Reuben, the eldest brother, overhears them. He intervenes, not to save Joseph entirely, but to prevent his immediate murder by proposing they throw him into a nearby pit instead.
"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 suggestion to spare Joseph's life; it's a strategic pivot, proposing to cast him into a pit instead of killing him. This highlights Reuben's quick thinking and de…
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Last reviewed October 2026