Study it in the app“Then Midianite men, traders, passed by; and they drew and lifted Joseph out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver; and they brought Joseph to Egypt.”
Joseph is thrown into a cistern by his own brothers and soldLoneliness
ThenוַMidianiteמִדְיָנִיםmen,אֲנָשִׁיםtraders,סֹחֲרִיםpassed by;יַּעַבְרוּand they drewוַיִּמְשְׁכוּand liftedוַיַּעֲלוּJosephאֶת יוֹסֵףout ofמִןthe cisternהַבּוֹרand soldוַיִּמְכְּרוּJosephאֶת יוֹסֵףto the Ishmaelitesלַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִיםfor twentyבְּעֶשְׂרִיםpieces of silver;כָּסֶףand they broughtוַיָּבִיאוּJosephאֶת יוֹסֵףto Egypt.מִצְרָיְמָה
Midianite
Midianite: a descendant of Midian, son of Abraham and Keturah.
Where else “midyanim” appearsman
An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.
Where else “anashim” appearstrade
To travel about selling; the seller.
Where else “socharim” appearspass
To get over a river, or go through a land.
Where else “yaavru” appearsdraw
To pull something, drag it out.
Where else “yimshchu” appearsbring up
To make someone go up: "I led you up from Egypt".
Where else “yaalu” appearsJoseph
Joseph, a name borne by several Israelites, above all the son of Jacob and Rachel, sold into Egypt, who became ruler there and saved his family; his sons Ephraim and Manasseh became tribes. The name means "may he add".
Where else “yosef” appearscistern
A hole dug to hold water.
Where else “bor” appearssell
To give something or someone to another in exchange for payment.
Where else “yimkru” appearsIshmaelite
Ishmaelite: a descendant of Ishmael, son of Abraham and Hagar.
Where else “yishmelim” appearstwenty
Twenty; also "twentieth".
Where else “esrim” appearsmoney
What is paid and received in exchange, weighed out in silver.
Where else “kasef” appearsbring
To bring something or someone.
Where else “yaviu” appearsEgypt, Mizraim
See it on the mapWhere else “mitsrayma” appearsThe narrative calls the merchants “Ishmaelites” and “Midianites” (and “Medanites” in 37:36). The two names are used for the same people also in Judges 8:22-24.
Egypt
Today: Egypt (Nile Valley)
A country in northeast Africa along the Nile River, southwest of Israel.
Joseph was sold into it, and his family went down to live there (Gen 37:28; 46:6). God brought Israel out of it with a mighty hand (Exod 12:41). The child Jesus fled there with his parents (Matt 2:14).
27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be on him, for he is our brother, our flesh.” And his brothers listened.
28 · This verse (above)
29Reuben returned to the cistern, and look, Joseph was not in the cistern; and he tore his clothes.
1. What it says
What did the brothers do to Joseph, and what did they tell Jacob (vv. 23-33)?
2. What it means
What reasons did the brothers have for hating Joseph (vv. 3-4, 8)?
3. How I live it
How do you handle envy when someone receives more attention than you?
