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.
What does Genesis 37:28 mean?
They threw Joseph into a pit, to perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Genesis 37:27-28 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Genesis 37:28
Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen,....
Key words
- passed
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Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen,.
- Midianites
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Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen,.
- merchantmen
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Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen,.
Context in Genesis 37
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Genesis 37 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as the family line through Isaac and Jacob. Genesis opens the whole Bible with creation, fall, flood, Babel, and the long patriarchal story that carries the reader from Eden to Egypt. Read this chapter with the wider themes of creation, fall, and covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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Glossary
- Egypt Place
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The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture. Modern identification: Ain Shams.