Midianites 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. They brought Joseph into Egypt.
Parallel translations
- KJV 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.
- BSB So 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.
- NKJV Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
- NASB Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him out and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. So they brought Joseph into Egypt.
- NLT So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Midianite/Ishmaelite traders draw Joseph from the pit, and he is sold for twenty pieces of silver and taken to Egypt. Joseph's betrayal is complete as he is carried into slavery.
Overview
Joseph is lifted from the pit and sold for twenty pieces of silver to the passing merchants, who bring him to Egypt. The terms Midianites and Ishmaelites are used together, likely referring to overlapping desert traders, a point on which faithful interpreters have offered various harmonizations. Sold by his brothers for silver, Joseph descends into Egypt, where God will providentially raise him up to save many lives.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Acts 7:9“The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him,
- Ps 105:17He sent a man before them. Joseph was sold for a slave.
- Gen 45:4–5Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” They came near. “He said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
- Gen 25:2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
- Matt 26:15and said, “What are you willing to give me, that I should deliver him to you?” They weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.
- Judg 6:1–3The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
- Gen 37:36The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.
- Gen 37:25They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
- Judg 8:24Gideon said to them, “I do have a request, that you would each give me the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
- Judg 8:22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, and your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.”
- Zech 11:12–13I said to them, “If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them.” So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
- Exod 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- Num 31:2–3“Avenge the children of Israel for the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
- Num 25:15The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur. He was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian.
- Matt 27:9Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced,
- Ps 83:9Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;
- Isa 60:6A multitude of camels will cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah. All from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Yahweh.
- Num 25:17“Harass the Midianites, and strike them,
- Num 31:8–9They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.
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Original language
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