Genesis

Genesis 37:21–22

²¹When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said. ²²“Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father.

Read all of Genesis 37

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 37:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Reuben	רְאוּבֵ֔ן	rə·’ū·ḇên	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7205 Reuben
heard	וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע	way·yiš·ma‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
he tried to rescue	וַיַּצִּלֵ֖הוּ	way·yaṣ·ṣi·lê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H5337 strip, plunder
from their hands	מִיָּדָ֑ם	mî·yā·ḏām	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3027 hand
Let us not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
take	נַכֶּ֖נּוּ	nak·ken·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural; third person masculine singular	H5221 smite
his life	נָֽפֶשׁ׃	nā·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
he said	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say

Genesis 37:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not shed	תִּשְׁפְּכוּ־	tiš·pə·ḵū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H8210 pour out, pour
blood	דָם֒	ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H1818 blood
Throw	הַשְׁלִ֣יכוּ	haš·lî·ḵū	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H7993 throw, fling, cast
him	אֹת֗וֹ	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
into	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
this	הַזֶּה֙	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
pit	הַבּ֤וֹר	hab·bō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
in the wilderness	בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר	bam·miḏ·bār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth
but do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
lay	תִּשְׁלְחוּ־	tiš·lə·ḥū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H7971 send
a hand	וְיָ֖ד	wə·yāḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H3027 hand
on him	ב֑וֹ	ḇōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
Reuben	רְאוּבֵן֮	rə·’ū·ḇên	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7205 Reuben
said this	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
so that	לְמַ֗עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Conjunction	H4616 purpose, intent
he could rescue	הַצִּ֤יל	haṣ·ṣîl	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5337 strip, plunder
from their hands	מִיָּדָ֔ם	mî·yā·ḏām	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3027 hand
and return him	לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ	la·hă·šî·ḇōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
his father	אָבִֽיו׃	’ā·ḇîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1 father

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 37:21 Genesis 42:22

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.