Lesson 80 Joseph is sold into slavery By Midianites. Gen. 37:25- 36

The plan is Hatched to Sell their Brother 37:25- 28

English Standard Version (Chapter 37)

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

I believe a key to understanding the depths of separation between brothers is seen in the phrase, ““What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? “ They were willing to kill him at one point, but not too badly. Please, no bloodshed. Judah, a brother of Reuben, a son of Leah, steps into the picture and uses these words to stop the madness of killing Joseph. Leah’s kids seem to have a kinship that the others do not.

While eating, they see a caravan of merchants with the materials to make perfume: gum, balm, and myrrh. Gum is the sweet spice stacte. It is:

One of the components of the perfume which was offered on the golden altar of the Tabernacle. The Hebrew word is from a root meaning “to distil,” and it has been by some interpreted as distilled myrrh. Others regard it as the gum of the storax tree, or rather shrub.

Balm is an ointment applied for medicinal purposes or it also provides a pleasant aroma. Such as when you are sitting in a closed room and you can detect that someone is wearing Bengay or Icy Hot. There is an old Testament verse that refers specifically to it in Jeremiah 8:22

Jeremiah 8:22 (KJV 1900)

Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Myrrh is a perfume made from aromatic resin. It also was used in the temple and in the anointing of the body of Jesus after the crucifixion. It is a major player in the Bible.

Don’t kill Joseph, Let’s Sell HIM!

If we can catch the caravan of Ishmaelites, perhaps they will buy him? The brothers are hatching a Plan and they are thinking, “this way we won’t be held responsible.” After all he is our brother, let’s see what we can get for the spoiled brat. But while they are kibitzing about what to do with him, The Midianites, sneak in and take Joseph out of the pit and they sell him first. Technically, Joseph’s brothers did not sell him into slavery, the Midianites did. This was a hostile country with the buying and selling of human beings. The sad part is that there is no remorse. The hatred is deep. Josephs cries for help were not able to move them from their plans. They did not sell him but they are responsible because they put him in this position.

If we read in Chapter 42, the brothers later reveal that they have lingering guilt over the whole matter and equate their troubles in Egypt with the selling of Joseph. vs.21

English Standard Version (Chapter 42)

Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.

It is interesting to note that the Midianites carried out their selling of Joseph without the brothers having a clue it occured. It was not a very near pit. They were probably having a bite to eat sop as not to hear his cried for help. While in this situation he is sold for 20 pieces of silver. The Journey to Egypt has begun, without the help of Reuben and the other brothers.

Reuben Finds an Empty Pit. 37:29- 36

English Standard Version (Chapter 37)

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?”

31 Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

This is definitely before the days of DNA testing and blood analysis because animals blood was substituted for man. Striking concept. Sound familiar? Reuben gets the shock of his life when he returns to the pit and Joseph is nowhere to be found. Reuben returns to his brothers camp and asks what should we do? In Verse 31 we see a plan is hatched to dip the coat of many colors into goats blood and brought the coat home to Dad.

They make a very dark commentary on their souls as they ask their dad, “is this your sons robe or not?” They did not even mention his name. They said he is your son. Yes, it is the same robe so Joseph must be dead. A fierce animal has devoured him and torn to pieces. The Jacob went into full tilt mourning. Sack cloth on the loins, check. Mourn for many days, check. Refuse to be comforted, check. Claim bad doctrine (go down to my grave mourning), check. Weep for Joseph, check.

Meanwhile, while all of this is going on, Joseph is sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah, the captain of the guard. The Ishmaelites are descendants of Abraham, the first son of Hagar the handmaid. He was later rejected by Abraham and his name lives on as an instrument of the slave trade.

The story of Joseph and his brothers being reunited, eventually and the beauty of that moment becomes one of the most tender portions of Genesis. But that is in direct contrast to the ugly hate that existed in the relationship of these men. They were more than willing to be rid of their brother, but not ready to deal with the consequences of murder, human trafficking, lies, and unnecessary family drama. Are brothers willing to pay the price of a brother put to anguish by their dastardly deeds? They thought they were but in reality, they were not. Now their dad wishes he were dead too. It is all because of the walls of separation built up between brothers. These things should not be so.