King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Reuben heard [it], and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
Complete Jewish Bible:
But when Re'uven heard this, he saved him from being destroyed by them. He said, "We shouldn't take his life.
Berean Standard Bible:
When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.
American Standard Version:
And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, Let us not take his life.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Reuben{H7205} heard{H8085} it, and he delivered{H5337} him out of their hands{H3027}; and said{H559}, Let us not kill{H5221}{H5315} him.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 42:22
- And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
Matthew 10:28
- And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Genesis 9:5
- And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
Joshua 10:28
- ¶ And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that [were] therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.
Genesis 35:22
- And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard [it]. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
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Commentary for Genesis 37:21
Genesis 37:21 is a part of the narrative concerning Joseph, the favored son of Jacob (also known as Israel), and his eleven brothers. The historical context of this verse is set within the patriarchal period of the Israelite people, where family dynamics and rivalries play a significant role in the unfolding story of God's chosen people.
In this particular verse, Reuben, the eldest brother, intervenes in a critical moment to save Joseph from being killed by his other brothers. The brothers, out of jealousy due to Joseph's favored status with their father and his prophetic dreams suggesting their subservience to him, had plotted to kill him. Reuben, however, persuades them to instead throw Joseph into a pit, intending to come back and rescue him later. This act of Reuben's, while not entirely free from self-interest, reflects the complex family relationships and the struggle with moral choices that are recurrent themes throughout the book of Genesis.
The verse highlights the themes of sibling rivalry, jealousy, and the tension between doing what is right and succumbing to one's darker impulses. It also sets the stage for the broader narrative of Joseph's journey from the pit to slavery in Egypt, and eventually to a position of power, which is a story of divine providence, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Reuben's intervention, though ultimately failing to immediately save Joseph from his fate, is a pivotal moment that leads to the fulfillment of Joseph's dreams and the preservation of the Israelite line. This event is foundational in the history of the Israelites, as it initiates the family's migration to Egypt, which sets the scene for the subsequent events of the Exodus.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7205
There are 68 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רְאוּבֵן
Transliteration: Rᵉʼûwbên
Pronunciation: reh-oo-bane'
Description: from the imperative of רָאָה and בֵּן; see ye a son; Reuben, a son of Jacob; Reuben. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H5337
There are 194 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָצַל
Transliteration: nâtsal
Pronunciation: naw-tsal'
Description: a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense; [idiom] at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, [idiom] without fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save, spoil, strip, [idiom] surely, take (out). - Strong's Number: H3027
There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָד
Transliteration: yâd
Pronunciation: yawd
Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H5221
There are 460 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָכָה
Transliteration: nâkâh
Pronunciation: naw-kaw'
Description: a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively); beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound. - Strong's Number: H5315
There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
Transliteration: nephesh
Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.