Genesis 37 · Verse 28

Genesis 37:28

Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Genesis 37:28, King James Version

Genesis 37:28 in other translations

BSBSo when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
WEBMidianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The merchants brought Joseph into Egypt.
ASVAnd there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt.
YLTAnd Midianite merchantmen pass by and they draw out and bring up Joseph out of the pit, and sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silverlings, and they bring Joseph into Egypt.
DARBYAnd Midianitish men, merchants, passed by; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver-pieces; and they brought Joseph to Egypt.
BBEAnd some traders from Midian went by; so pulling Joseph up out of the hole, they gave him to the Ishmaelites for twenty bits of silver, and they took him to Egypt.
WebsterThen there passed by Midianites, merchants; and they drew and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

What does Genesis 37:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 37:26-28

26-28. Judah said, ... What profit is it if we slay our brother?--The sight of these travelling merchants gave a sudden turn to the views of the conspirators; for having no wish to commit a greater degree of crime than was necessary for the accomplishment of their end, they readily approved of Judah's suggestion to dispose of their obnoxious brother as a slave. The proposal, of course, was founded on their knowledge…

Read the full comment on Genesis 37:26-28 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 For twenty pieces of silver - In the Anglo-Saxon it is thirty pence. This, I think, is the first instance on record of selling a man for a slave; but the practice certainly did not commence now, it had doubtless been in use long before. Instead of pieces, which our translators supply, the Persian has miskal, which was probably intended to signify a shekel; and if shekels be intended, taking them at three shillings each, Joseph was sold for about three pounds sterling. I have known a whole cargo of slaves, amounting to eight hundred and thirteen, bought by a slave captain in Bonny river, in Africa, on an average, for six pounds each; and this payment was made in guns, gunpowder, and trinkets! As there were only nine of the brethren present, and they sold Joseph for twenty shekels, each had more than two shekels as his share in this most infamous transaction.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 37:23-30

They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, see Am 6:6; for when he was pining in the pit, they sat down to eat bread. They felt no remorse of conscience for the sin. But the wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain, Psa 76:10…

Read the full comment on Genesis 37:23-30 →

Genesis 37:28 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּֽעַבְרוּ֩vai.ya.'av.Ruand they passed byH5674
אֲנָשִׁ֨ים'a.na.ShimmenH582
מִדְיָנִ֜יםmid.ya.NimMidianite[s]H4084
סֹֽחֲרִ֗יםso.cha.RimtradersH5503
וַֽיִּמְשְׁכוּ֙vai.yim.she.Khuand they drewH4900
וַיַּֽעֲל֤וּvai.ya.'a.Luand they brought upH5927
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יוֹסֵף֙yo.SefJosephH3130
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הַבּ֔וֹרha.Borthe pitH953
וַיִּמְכְּר֧וּvai.yim.ke.Ruand they soldH4376
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יוֹסֵ֛ףyo.SefJosephH3130
לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖יםlai.yish.me.'e.Limto the IshmaelitesH3459
בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣יםbe.'es.Rimfor twentyH6242
כָּ֑סֶףKa.sefsilverH3701
וַיָּבִ֥יאוּvai.ya.Vi.'uand they broughtH935
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יוֹסֵ֖ףyo.SefJosephH3130
מִצְרָֽיְמָה\׃mitz.Ra.ye.mahEgypt towardsH4714

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 37:28

  • Acts 7:9

    And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

  • Psalms 105:17

    He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

  • Genesis 25:2

    And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

  • Genesis 45:4-5

    And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

  • Genesis 37:25

    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.

  • Judges 6:1-3

    And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

  • Matthew 26:15

    And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

  • Genesis 37:36

    And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

  • Exodus 2:16

    Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

  • Matthew 27:9

    Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

  • Zechariah 11:12-13

    And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.

  • Judges 8:24

    And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Midianites.
25; 25:2; Ex 2:16; Nu 25:15,17; 31:2,3,8,9; Jud 6:1-3; Ps 83:9
Isa 60:6
sold.
45:4,5; Ps 105:17; Zec 11:12,13; Mt 26:15; 27:9; Ac 7:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 37:27

    Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

  • Genesis 37:28

    Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

  • Genesis 37:29

    And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

Read all of Genesis 37

Genesis 37:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y como pasaban los Midianitas mercaderes, sacaron ellos á José de la cisterna, y trajéronle arriba, y le vendieron á los Ismaelitas por veinte piezas de plata. Y llevaron á José á Egipto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et les hommes madianites, des marchands, passèrent. Et ils tirèrent Joseph de la citerne et le firent remonter; et ils vendirent Joseph pour 20 pièces d’argent aux Ismaélites; et ceux-ci emmenèrent Joseph en Égypte.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Als nun die midianitischen Männer, die Kaufleute, vorüberkamen, da zogen und holten sie Joseph aus der Grube herauf und verkauften Joseph an die Ismaeliter um zwanzig Silbersekel; und sie brachten Joseph nach Ägypten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et prætereuntibus Madianitis negotiatoribus, extrahentes eum de cisterna, vendiderunt eum Ismaëlitis, viginti argenteis: qui duxerunt eum in Ægyptum.