Genesis 37:28

Genesis 37:28, in plain English

When the Midianite traders pass, the brothers pull Joseph out of the pit and sell him for twenty pieces of silver—a pittance, really. He's on his way to Egypt as a slave.

Why it's here

Twenty shekels was the price of a slave, but it also echoes back to prices in ancient Near Eastern law. The brothers are treating their own flesh like merchandise. What's remarkable is the shift from 'Ishmaelites' in verse 25 to 'Midianites' here—these terms were sometimes used interchangeably for desert traders, but the variation keeps you aware that multiple groups operated these routes.

Who's speaking

The narrator describes the transaction.

Where it sits in the story

Joseph's slavery appears to be the worst thing that could happen to him, but it's actually the path to his greatest purpose. He's heading toward the position where he'll preserve Egypt and eventually his own family. God wastes nothing, not even betrayal.

The scholarly reading

When Midianite traders pass by (note the slight variation from the Ishmaelites mentioned earlier), the brothers pull Joseph from the pit and sell him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who transport him to Egypt.

Language and setting

Scholars have long noted the apparent inconsistency—the text mentions both 'Midianites' and 'Ishmaelites' in close proximity. Commentators from Ibn Ezra onward have debated whether these are synonymous terms, separate groups, or evidence of textual layers. The Septuagint largely harmonizes to 'Midianites' throughout. The price of twenty shekels is notably modest—Exodus 21:32 specifies thirty shekels as compensation for an accidental slave death, suggesting Joseph's value is set deliberately low, emphasizing his degradation. The brothers' action represents the final severance: Joseph moves from pit to caravan, from family to slavery, from known to unknown.

Voice

The narrator describing the brothers' action and Joseph's sale.

Significance

Joseph's sale into Egypt is the pivotal event enabling the entire subsequent narrative—his enslavement, his rise in Potiphar's household, his imprisonment, his interpretation of dreams, and ultimately his elevation to power that allows him to save Egypt and his family during famine.

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 to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,

30returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”

Read all of Genesis 37 — A father's favorite son, a coat of many colors, and brothers consumed by jealousy. What they meant for evil, God will use for something unimaginable.