Bible Commentary

And he knew it, and said, [It is] my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. 33. an evil beast ] Jacob interprets the message, as they had intended. They never asserted his death, but asked him to draw the inference. The clause is repeated from Gen … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:33”

And they sent the coat of [many] colors, and they brought [it] to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it [be] thy son’s coat or no. Verse 32. Sent the coat of many colours – to their father] What deliberate cruelty to torture the feelings of their aged father, and … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:32”

And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 31 35. The continuation of the J clause in Gen 37:28. Having sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, the brothers have to plan how to explain his disappearance to Jacob. According to J, they sent the coat … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:31”

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child [is] not; and I, whither shall I go? 30. The child is not ] Cf. Gen 42:13; Gen 42:32; Gen 42:36, Gen 44:31; Jer 31:15; Lam 5:7. The word “child,” yeled, is appropriate for a small boy: see Gen 21:8; Gen 21:14. Fuente: The Cambridge … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:30”

And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph [was] not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 29. And Reuben ] Reuben returning to “the pit” finds it empty. The Midianites had carried off the lad. Reuben’s distress reveals his purpose to his brethren. Clearly this is a different picture from that of … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:29”

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. 28. Midianites ] The first part of this verse resumes E’s narrative from Gen 37:25. According to E, “Midianites,” merchantmen, pass … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:28”

Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he [is] our brother [and] our flesh. And his brethren were content. 27. let us sell him ] Judah proposes to sell Joseph, in order to save his life. Judah takes the lead in J’s version, as … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:27”

And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit [is it] if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 26. conceal his blood ] Referring to the superstition that blood, which was not covered, would cry for vengeance: see note on Gen 4:10. Cf. Job 16:18; Isa 26:21; Eze 24:7. Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:26”

And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry [it] down to Egypt. 25. to eat bread ] i.e. to take their meal; cf. Gen 31:54, Gen 43:25. … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:25”

And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty, [there was] no water in it. 24. the pit was empty ] Cf. the incident in the life of Jeremiah (Jer 38:6). Presumably this was the reason why Reuben proposes to “cast him into this pit” ( Gen 37:22). Fuente: … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:24”