And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
Reuben said to them, 'Don't kill him! Just throw him into this empty well here in the wilderness, but don't hurt him.' Reuben was planning to rescue Joseph from them later and bring him back safely to their father.
Reuben is secretly trying to save his younger brother Joseph's life by convincing his other brothers to throw Joseph in a pit instead of killing him, hoping to rescue him later.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the dramatic story of Joseph and his brothers, when Joseph's jealous brothers were plotting to kill him because of their father's favoritism and Joseph's dreams. Reuben, as the oldest brother, felt responsible for Joseph's safety and was trying to prevent bloodshed while buying time to save him.
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