Genesis 37:28-30
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. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights a crucial, often overlooked detail: the brothers were willing to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders, but it was Midianite merchants who actually pulled him from the pit and carried out the sale. This subtle shift suggests a complex network of traders, possibly even involving people of related descent, involved in the transaction, underscoring how widely Joseph’s plight spread.
After his brothers threw him into a dry pit, a caravan of Midianite traders happened to pass by. Judah suggested selling Joseph to these traders rather than letting him die in the pit, a plan the other brothers agreed to. The traders then bought Joseph and took him down to Egypt.
The text mentions Midianites, then Ishmaelites. Who exactly bought Joseph, and why the different names?
It seems confusing, but ancient texts often used different names for similar groups, or a caravan might include people from various related tribes.
Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver. What does this price signify in the context of his brothers' actions?
The price of twenty shekels of silver is a stark reminder of the brothers' betrayal and their view of Joseph.
Understand the original words
bor · Hebrew Noun
A hole or deep excavation in the ground. Symbolically, it often represents a place of danger, death, exile, or the state of Sheol (the grave) from which one needs deliverance.
sheqel · Hebrew Noun
A specific weight of silver used as a standard for commercial exchange and value in the ancient Near East; it was the standard price for the purchase of slaves in various periods.
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Noun
A powerful, ancient nation often serving as a place of refuge, but frequently portrayed as a place of temptation, oppression, or bondage for the people of God.
qara' simlah · Hebrew Verb Phrase
A formal act of public mourning, distress, or repentance. Tearing clothes indicates an overwhelming sense of grief, shock, or realization of a tragic event.
c. 1890 BC
Jacob's Family Settles in Canaan
Jacob and his large family, including his favored son Joseph, settle in Canaan, where they are primarily nomadic shepherds.
c. 1878 BC
Joseph's Dreams and Brothers' Envy
Joseph, at 17, recounts dreams foretelling his dominance over his brothers and father, intensifying their hatred and envy towards him.
c. 1878 BC
Brothers Plot Against Joseph
While Joseph searches for his brothers near Dothan, they conspire to kill him, ultimately deciding to sell him into slavery.
c. 1878 BC— this verse
Midianite and Ishmaelite Traders Pass By
A caravan of traders, identified as Midianites and Ishmaelites, travels from Gilead to Egypt, providing the opportunity for Joseph's sale.
c. 1878 BC
Joseph Sold into Slavery
Joseph is pulled from the pit and sold for twenty shekels of silver to Ishmaelite traders, who then take him to Egypt.
This passage addresses restitution for theft, including the price a thief might pay for a stolen animal, which provides a parallel to the concept of a 'price' for a person, as Joseph was sold for a specific sum.
Leviticus 27:5This chapter discusses the valuation of persons dedicated to the Lord, giving specific monetary amounts for males and females, which sheds light on the value placed on human life and the concept of selling individuals, as seen with Joseph.
Amos 8:6This verse directly references the selling of 'the needy for a pair of sandals,' linking the idea of selling people for a trivial amount to the price Joseph was sold for, highlighting the injustice and greed involved.
Matthew 26:15This New Testament passage records Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus for 'thirty pieces of silver,' creating a powerful parallel to Joseph's sale for silver, underscoring the theme of betrayal for money and the deep spiritual significance of such transactions.
Zechariah 11:12-13This prophetic passage mirrors the price of betrayal with 'thirty pieces of silver,' further reinforcing the theme of selling a valuable person for a set monetary amount, a concept directly echoed in Joseph's story and later in Jesus' betrayal.
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…
pooleGenesis 37:28: "Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt."
This story seems a little involved, and the persons to whom he was sold doubtful. Here seem to be two, if not three, sorts of merchants mentioned, Ishmeelites and Midianites here, and Medanites, as it is in the Hebrew, Genesis 37:36 , which were a distinct people from the Midianites, a…
The verse highlights a crucial, often overlooked detail: the brothers were willing to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders, but it was Midianite merchants who actually pulled him from the pit and carried out the sale. This subtle shift suggests a complex network of traders, possibly even involving people of related descent, involved in the transaction, underscoring how widely Joseph’s plight spread.
After his brothers threw him into a dry pit, a caravan of Midianite traders happened to pass by. Judah suggested selling Joseph to these traders rather than letting him die in the pit, a plan the other brothers agreed to. The traders then bought Joseph and took him down to Egypt.
After his brothers threw him into a dry pit, a caravan of Midianite traders happened to pass by. Judah suggested selling Joseph to these traders rather than letting him die in the pit, a plan the other brothers agreed to. The traders then bought Joseph and took him down to Egypt.
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c. 1878 BC
Joseph Arrives in Egypt
Joseph is sold in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, marking the beginning of his Egyptian servitude.
"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. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not i…" — The verse highlights a crucial, often overlooked detail: the brothers were willing to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders, but it was Midianite merchants who actually pulled him from the pit and ca…
