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Commentary on Genesis 37 verses 23–30
We have here the execution of their plot against Joseph. 1. They stripped him, each striving to seize the envied coat of many colours, Gen 37:23. Thus, in imagination, they degraded him from the birthright, of which perhaps this was the badge, grieving him, affronting their father, and making themselves sport, while they insulted over him. "Now, Joseph, where is the fine coat?" Thus our Lord Jesus was stripped of his seamless coat, and thus his suffering saints have first been industriously divested of their privileges and honours, and then made the off-scouring of all things. 2. They went about to starve him, throwing him into a dry pit, to perish there with hunger and cold, so cruel were their tender mercies, Gen 37:24. Note, Where envy reigns pity is banished, and humanity itself is forgotten, Pro 27:4. So full of deadly poison is malice that the more barbarous any thing is the more grateful it is. Now Joseph begged for his life, in the anguish of his soul (Gen 42:21), entreated, by all imaginable endearments, that they would be content with his coat and spare his life. He pleads innocence, relation, affection, submission; he weeps and makes supplication, but all in vain. Reuben alone relents and intercedes for him, Gen 42:22. But he cannot prevail to save Joseph from the horrible pit, in which they resolve he shall die by degrees, and be buried alive. Is this he to whom his brethren must do homage? Note, God's providences often seem to contradict his purposes, even then they are serving them, and working at a distance towards the accomplishment of them. 3. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph; for when he was pining away in the pit, bemoaning his own misery, and with a languishing cry calling to them for pity, they sat down to eat bread, Gen 37:25. (1.) They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin; if they had, it would have spoiled their appetite for their meat, and the relish of it. Note, A great force put upon conscience commonly stupefies it, and for the time deprives it both of sense and speech. Daring sinners are secure ones. But the consciences of Joseph's brethren, though asleep now, were roused long afterwards, Gen 42:21. (2.) They were now pleased to think how they were freed from the fear of their brother's dominion over them, and that, on the contrary, they had turned the wheel upon him. They made merry over him, as the persecutors over the two witnesses that had tormented them, Rev 11:10. Note, Those that oppose God's counsels may possibly prevail so far as to think they have gained their point, and yet be deceived. 4. They sold him. A caravan of merchants very opportunely passed by (Providence so ordering it), and Judah made the motion that they should sell Joseph to them, to be carried far enough off into Egypt, where, in all probability, he would be lost, and never heard of more. (1.) Judah proposed it in compassion to Joseph (Gen 37:26): "What profit is it if we slay our brother? it will be less guilt, and more gain, to sell him." Note, When we are tempted to sin, we should consider the unprofitableness of it. It is what there is nothing to be got by. (2.) They acquiesced in it, because they thought that if he were sold for a slave he would never be a lord, if sold into Egypt he would never be their lord; yet all this was working towards it. Note, The wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain, Psa 76:10. Joseph's brethren were wonderfully restrained from murdering him, and their selling him was as wonderfully turned to God's praise. As Joseph was sold by the contrivance of Judah for twenty pieces of silver, so was our Lord Jesus for thirty, and by one of the same name too, Judas. Reuben (it seems) had gone away from his brethren, when they sold Joseph, intending to come round some other way to the pit, and to help Joseph out of it, and return him safely to his father. This was a kind project, but, if it had taken effect, what had become of God's purpose concerning his preferment in Egypt? Note, There are many devices in man's heart, many devices of the enemies of God's people to destroy them and of their friends to help them, which perhaps are both disappointed, as these were; but the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Reuben thought himself undone, because the child was sold: I, whither shall I go? Gen 37:30. He being the eldest, his father would expect from him an accounts of Joseph; but, as it proved, they would all have been undone if he had not been sold.
Every kind of honour and happiness was bestowed upon you, and then was fulfilled that which is written, "My beloved ate and drank, and was enlarged and became fat, and kicked." [Deuteronomy 32:15] Hence flowed emulation and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and disorder, war and captivity. So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years. For this reason righteousness and peace are now far departed from you, inasmuch as every one abandons the fear of God, and has become blind in His faith, neither walks in the ordinances of His appointment, nor acts a part becoming a Christian, but walks after his own wicked lusts, resuming the practice of an unrighteous and ungodly envy, by which death itself entered into the world. [Wisdom 2:24]
For thus it is written: "And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God; and Abel also brought of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat thereof. And God had respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain and his sacrifices He did not regard. And Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance fell. And God said to Cain, Why are you grieved, and why is your countenance fallen? If you offer rightly, but do not divide rightly, have you not sinned? Be at peace: your offering returns to yourself, and you shall again possess it. And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field. And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." [Genesis 4:3-8] You see, brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother. Through envy, also, our father Jacob fled from the face of Esau his brother [Genesis 27:41-45]. Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto death, and to come into bondage. [Genesis 37:18-28] Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he heard these words from his fellow-countryman, "Who made you a judge or a ruler over us? Will you kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" [Exodus 2:14] On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their abode without the camp. [Numbers 12:14-15] Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, through the sedition which they excited against God's servant Moses. [Numbers 16:33] Through envy, David not only underwent the hatred of foreigners, but was also persecuted by Saul king of Israel. [1 Samuel 21:10-15]
Let us observe a great mystery: for Joseph twenty pieces of gold were given, for the Lord thirty pieces of silver. The servant was sold at a higher price than the Master. To be sure people are wrong in fixing the price of the Lord, because the One who is sold is beyond human evaluation. Let us consider this mystery with more attention. For the Lord the Jews offered thirty pieces of silver; for Joseph the Ishmaelites offered twenty pieces of gold. The Ishmaelites bought the servant at a higher price than that paid by the Jews for the Master. The first worshiped in Joseph the image of Christ; the latter only had contempt for the reality itself that was in Christ. Therefore the Jews offered a lower price for Christ, because they estimated the passion of the Lord to be cheap. But how is it possible to estimate the passion of the Lord to be cheap, when it is the price for the redemption of the entire world? Listen to the apostle, who demonstrates that to us by saying, “You were bought at a high price.” And listen to the apostle Peter, who says in a similar manner, “You were ransomed from your futile ways not with perishable things like silver and gold but with the precious blood of the immaculate Son of God.” If we were bought back from death with gold or silver, our ransom would have been cheap, because humanity is more precious than gold and silver; but in truth we are ransomed at an invaluable price, because the one who ransomed us through his passion is invaluable.
What an unlawful contract! What baleful profit! What illicit sale! The one who caused the same birth pangs as yourselves, the one so dear to your father, the one who came to see you, who never did you the slightest wrong, you endeavored to sell—and sell to savage people traveling down to Egypt.What unlawful frenzy! What dreadful malice! I mean, even if you did this out of fear of the dreams, convinced that they would certainly come to pass in every detail, why did you attempt the impossible and give evidence by what you did of your hostility toward God, who had foretold this to Joseph? If, on the contrary, you give no credence to the dreams but consider them nonsense, why did you do what brought you everlasting defilement and caused your father irreparable grief? But what excess of passion—or rather, of a bloodthirsty intention! You see, when someone is obsessed with some improper exploit and becomes intoxicated with improper designs, he does not keep before him the unsleeping eye; he has no respect even for nature or anything else that could bring him to compassion. That was the situation with these men too. They were not concerned that he was their brother, that he was only a youth, that he was so dear to their father, that he had no experience of life in foreign parts or living in exile and yet was on the point of departing for such a land and living among savages. Instead, they abandoned every sane consideration and had one thing on their minds, allowing their envy to have (as they thought) an immediate effect.
(Verse 28) And the Ishmaelites sold Joseph for twenty silver coins. In Hebrew, silver coins are used instead of gold coins. For the Lord should not be sold for a lesser metal than Joseph.
Upon seeing Joseph, his brothers discussed his death; just as when the Jews saw the true Joseph, Christ the Lord, they all resolved with one plan to crucify him. His brothers robbed Joseph of his outside coat that was of divers colors; the Jews stripped Christ of his bodily tunic at his death on the cross. When Joseph was deprived of his tunic he was thrown into a cistern, that is, into a pit; after Christ was despoiled of human flesh, he descended into hell. Afterward Joseph is lifted up out of the cistern and is sold to the Ishmaelites, that is, to the Gentiles; when Christ returns from hell, he is bought by all nations at the price of faith. Upon the advice of Judah, Joseph is sold for thirty pieces of silver; Christ is sold for the same amount upon the counsel of Judas Iscariot. Now in different translations Joseph is not written as sold at the same price, for some say it was twenty pieces of silver and others thirty. This spiritually signifies that Christ was not to be believed and loved equally by all people. In fact, even in the church some love him more, others less, for Christ means more to the soul that loves him with greater charity. Joseph went down to Egypt; Christ went into the world. Joseph saves Egypt from want of grain; Christ frees the world from a famine of the Word of God.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 37:28 marks a pivotal and tragic turning point in the life of Joseph, detailing the moment his jealous brothers sold him to a passing caravan of Midianite merchantmen for twenty pieces of silver, who then transported him to Egypt. This act of profound familial betrayal, driven by envy and malice, initiated Joseph's journey from a favored son to a slave, yet it providentially served as a crucial step in God's overarching plan to preserve the nascent nation of Israel and fulfill His covenant promises.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Irony is prominent, as the brothers' attempt to thwart Joseph's dreams of preeminence by selling him into slavery paradoxically becomes the very means by which those dreams begin to be fulfilled. The phrase "drew and lifted up" uses active verbs to emphasize the brothers' direct agency and responsibility in Joseph's removal from the pit, contrasting with Reuben's initial passive suggestion of merely leaving him there. The specific mention of "twenty pieces of silver" serves as a powerful symbol of betrayal and the commodification of human life, a motif that resonates throughout biblical narratives. The shift from "Midianites" to "Ishmeelites" within the same verse, while historically explainable as interchangeable terms for desert traders, also functions as a synecdoche or metonymy, where one group's name stands for the broader confederation of merchants, emphasizing the general identity of the buyers rather than rigid tribal distinctions.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 37:28 is a profound theological statement on God's sovereign hand working through human sin. It reveals that while human beings are fully responsible for their evil actions—the brothers' betrayal was undeniably wicked—God is able to weave even these acts into His larger tapestry of redemption. This does not mean God causes evil, but that His wisdom and power are so immense that He can redeem and redirect the consequences of sin for His ultimate good purposes, demonstrating His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises despite human depravity.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of Joseph's sale in Genesis 37:28 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It serves as a stark reminder that life's most painful experiences, particularly those involving betrayal and injustice from those closest to us, are not outside the scope of God's redemptive plan. We are called to recognize that even in moments of profound suffering and apparent defeat, God is actively at work, orchestrating circumstances for a greater, often unseen, purpose. This verse encourages us to cultivate a deep trust in divine providence, understanding that while human evil is real and destructive, it cannot ultimately thwart God's sovereign will. It also challenges us to consider our own responses to envy and favoritism, recognizing their potential for devastating consequences, and to embrace the transformative power of forgiveness, just as Joseph later forgave his brothers, reflecting God's own character.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why are both "Midianites" and "Ishmeelites" mentioned in the same verse?
Answer: The mention of both "Midianites merchantmen" and "Ishmeelites" in Genesis 37:28 reflects the fluidity and interconnectedness of ancient Near Eastern trade groups. Both groups were descendants of Abraham through different mothers (Midian through Keturah, Ishmael through Hagar) and were known for their nomadic trading activities. It is likely that the terms were used somewhat interchangeably to refer to a general confederation of desert traders, or that the caravan comprised members from both groups, operating together. The primary point is that Joseph was sold to a non-Israelite trading party who would take him far away.
What is the significance of Joseph being sold for "twenty pieces of silver"?
Answer: The "twenty pieces of silver" was a common and recognized price for a male slave in the ancient Near East, particularly for a young man between the ages of five and twenty (Leviticus 27:5). This specific sum underscores the brothers' callous disregard for Joseph's life and dignity, reducing him to mere chattel. The detail also serves as a poignant foreshadowing of the ultimate betrayal of Jesus Christ, who was sold for thirty pieces of silver, a slightly higher but still demeaning price for a slave (Matthew 26:15).
How can God's plan involve such an evil act as selling a brother into slavery?
Answer: This verse powerfully illustrates the biblical concept of divine sovereignty and redemptive providence. While the brothers' act was undeniably evil, driven by malice and envy, God did not cause their sin but was able to providentially use their wicked intentions to accomplish His righteous purposes. Joseph himself later articulates this profound truth in Genesis 50:20, stating, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." This demonstrates God's ability to work through human brokenness and sin, turning what was intended for harm into a means of salvation and blessing, without condoning the sin itself.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The betrayal and sale of Joseph in Genesis 37:28 serve as a profound and multifaceted type of Christ, illuminating key aspects of His redemptive work. Like Joseph, Jesus was the beloved Son, uniquely favored by His Father (Matthew 3:17). Both were unjustly betrayed by their own people: Joseph by his brothers, and Jesus by one of His disciples, Judas, for a price of silver (thirty pieces, a slightly higher slave price, as noted in Matthew 26:15 and foreshadowed in Zechariah 11:12-13). Joseph was sold into a form of servitude and taken to a foreign land (Egypt), while Jesus, though innocent, was "sold" into the hands of sinful men and delivered over to death, entering the "foreign land" of the grave (Acts 2:23-24). Yet, through their profound suffering and humiliation, both were ultimately exalted to positions of immense power and authority—Joseph as the ruler of Egypt, saving his family from physical famine, and Jesus as Lord and Savior, saving all humanity from spiritual death and sin (Philippians 2:8-11). Joseph's later act of radical forgiveness towards his brothers (Genesis 50:19-21) powerfully prefigures Christ's ultimate act of reconciliation and forgiveness for those who, in their ignorance or malice, betrayed and crucified Him, demonstrating God's transformative grace.