Genesis 37:22

Then Reuben said to his brothers, “Don’t murder Joseph. Just chuck him into one of those big holes in the ground, here in the desert. Don’t hurt him yourselves, just leave him there to die.” You see, Reuben wanted to save Joseph from his brothers. He thought, “Later on, I will pull Joseph out of that hole, and I will take him home to our father.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

In Context

21But Joseph’s oldest brother Reuben, he heard his brothers say those things, and he wanted to save Joseph. So Reuben said, “No. We can’t kill him.”

23Then Joseph got to his brothers. He was wearing that special coat that his father gave him. So Joseph’s brothers pulled that special coat off him.

Read all of Genesis 37

Cross References

Genesis 42:22Then Joseph’s oldest brother Reuben, he said to the others, “You know, I told you mob not to hurt Joseph, but you didn’t listen to me. And look, now God is doing payback to us.”

Acts 12:1In Jerusalem, at that time, the big boss was called Herod. He told his soldiers to grab some of the Christians.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 37:13-23

12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. 14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 37:22