Genesis 37:30

Then he went back to his brothers, and he said to them, “Our young brother isn’t in that hole any more. I’m his oldest brother, but now there is nothing I can do to help him.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

In Context

29Joseph’s brother Reuben was somewhere else, so he didn’t see his brothers sell Joseph to that Midian mob. He thought that Joseph was still in that hole in the ground. And Reuben wanted to save Joseph, so he went to that hole to get him out. But he saw that Joseph wasn’t in that hole any more, and he got really upset. He was so upset that he tore his clothes.

31Joseph’s brothers wanted their father to think that an animal killed Joseph. So they killed a goat, and they got some of that goat’s blood, and they put the blood on that special coat that belonged to Joseph.

Read all of Genesis 37

Cross References

Genesis 37:20Let’s kill him, and let’s throw his body into one of those big holes in the ground. Then we will tell our father, ‘A wild animal ate Joseph.’” Then they said, “If we kill Joseph, that will show that his dreams are rubbish, and that he will never be boss over us.”

Genesis 42:32We are from a family of 12 brothers, and we all have the same father. One brother isn’t with us any more, and our youngest brother is with our father in Canaan country.’

Genesis 42:36Jacob’s sons wanted to take their brother Benjamin back to Egypt country, just like Joseph told them to. That made Jacob sad. So Jacob said to his sons, “I don’t want to lose any more of my kids. My son Joseph isn’t here any more, and my son Simeon isn’t here any more. And now you want to take my son Benjamin away from me too. All those things are really sad for me.”

Matthew Henry on Genesis 37:24-31

23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 37:30