Genesis

Genesis 37:23–28

²³So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe — the robe of many colors he was wearing — ²⁴and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.

²⁵And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.

²⁶Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? ²⁷Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed. ²⁸So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver^b to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Footnotes

b 37:28 20 shekels is approximately 8 ounces or 228 grams of silver.

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 37:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	וַֽיְהִ֕י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
when	כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־	ka·’ă·šer-	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Joseph	יוֹסֵ֖ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
came	בָּ֥א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
his brothers	אֶחָ֑יו	’e·ḥāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
they stripped	וַיַּפְשִׁ֤יטוּ	way·yap̄·šî·ṭū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6584 strip off, make a dash, raid
of his robe	כֻּתָּנְתּ֔וֹ	kut·tā·nə·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3801 tunic
the robe	כְּתֹ֥נֶת	kə·ṯō·neṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3801 tunic
of many colors	הַפַּסִּ֖ים	hap·pas·sîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6446 flat
he was wearing	עָלָֽיו׃	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height

Genesis 37:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and they took him	וַיִּ֨קָּחֻ֔הוּ	way·yiq·qā·ḥu·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H3947 take
and threw	וַיַּשְׁלִ֥כוּ	way·yaš·li·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7993 throw, fling, cast
him	אֹת֖וֹ	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
into the pit	הַבֹּ֑רָה	hab·bō·rāh	Article; Noun - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
Now the pit	וְהַבּ֣וֹר	wə·hab·bō·wr	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
was empty	רֵ֔ק	rêq	Adjective - masculine singular	H7386 empty, vain
with no	אֵ֥ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
water	מָֽיִם׃	mā·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
in it	בּ֖וֹ	bōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular

Genesis 37:25

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And as they sat down	וַיֵּשְׁבוּ֮	way·yê·šə·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
to eat	לֶֽאֱכָל־	le·’ĕ·ḵāl-	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H398 eat
a meal	לֶחֶם֒	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular	H3899 bread, food
they looked up	וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ	way·yiś·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry
and saw	וְהִנֵּה֙	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
a caravan	אֹרְחַ֣ת	’ō·rə·ḥaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H736 travelling company, caravan
of Ishmaelites	יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים	yiš·mə·‘ê·lîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H3459 Jishmaelite
coming	בָּאָ֖ה	bā·’āh	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
from Gilead	מִגִּלְעָ֑ד	mig·gil·‘āḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad
Their camels	וּגְמַלֵּיהֶ֣ם	ū·ḡə·mal·lê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1581 camel
were carrying	נֹֽשְׂאִ֗ים	nō·śə·’îm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry
spices	נְכֹאת֙	nə·ḵōṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5219 smiting, gum
balm	וּצְרִ֣י	ū·ṣə·rî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6875 balsam
and myrrh	וָלֹ֔ט	wā·lōṭ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3910 myrrh
on their way	הוֹלְכִ֖ים	hō·wl·ḵîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
down	לְהוֹרִ֥יד	lə·hō·w·rîḏ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H3381 come or go down, descend
to Egypt	מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃	miṣ·rā·yə·māh	Noun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians

Genesis 37:26

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Judah	יְהוּדָ֖ה	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
said	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
his brothers	אֶחָ֑יו	’e·ḥāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
What	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
profit will we gain	בֶּ֗צַע	be·ṣa‘	Noun - masculine singular	H1215 gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit
if	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
we kill	נַהֲרֹג֙	na·hă·rōḡ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H2026 kill, slay
our brother	אָחִ֔ינוּ	’ā·ḥî·nū	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H251 brother
and cover up	וְכִסִּ֖ינוּ	wə·ḵis·sî·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural	H3680 cover
his blood	דָּמֽוֹ׃	dā·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1818 blood

Genesis 37:27

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Come	לְכ֞וּ	lə·ḵū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
let us sell him	וְנִמְכְּרֶ֣נּוּ	wə·nim·kə·ren·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural; third person masculine singular	H4376 sell
to the Ishmaelites	לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֗ים	lay·yiš·mə·‘ê·lîm	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - proper - masculine plural	H3459 Jishmaelite
and not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
lay	תְּהִי־	tə·hî-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a hand	וְיָדֵ֙נוּ֙	wə·yā·ḏê·nū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common plural	H3027 hand
on him	ב֔וֹ	ḇōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
he	ה֑וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
is our brother	אָחִ֥ינוּ	’ā·ḥî·nū	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H251 brother
our own flesh	בְשָׂרֵ֖נוּ	ḇə·śā·rê·nū	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H1320 flesh
And they	אֶחָֽיו׃	’e·ḥāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
agreed	וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ	way·yiš·mə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H8085 hear

Genesis 37:28

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So when the Midianite	מִדְיָנִ֜ים	miḏ·yā·nîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H4084 Midianite
traders	סֹֽחֲרִ֗ים	sō·ḥă·rîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H5503 travel round, palpitate
passed by	וַיַּֽעַבְרוּ֩	way·ya·‘aḇ·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
his brothers pulled	וַֽיִּמְשְׁכוּ֙	way·yim·šə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4900 draw, drag
Joseph	יוֹסֵף֙	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
out of	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the pit	הַבּ֔וֹר	hab·bō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
and sold	וַיִּמְכְּר֧וּ	way·yim·kə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4376 sell
him	יוֹסֵ֛ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
for twenty	בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים	bə·‘eś·rîm	Preposition-b; Number - common plural	H6242 (a) twenty
of silver	כָּ֑סֶף	kā·sep̄	Noun - masculine singular	H3701 silver, money
to the Ishmaelites	לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים	lay·yiš·mə·‘ê·lîm	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - proper - masculine plural	H3459 Jishmaelite
who took	וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ	way·yā·ḇî·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to Egypt	מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃	miṣ·rā·yə·māh	Noun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians