And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
Then they sat down to eat their meal. When they looked up, they saw a group of Ishmaelite traders coming from Gilead with their camels loaded with spices, healing balm, and myrrh, traveling down to Egypt to sell their goods.
This verse shows Joseph's brothers callously eating while he's trapped in a pit, just as merchant traders happen to pass by - setting up what will become Joseph's journey to Egypt.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Joseph's brothers threw him into a pit, planning to kill him out of jealousy over their father's favoritism. The Ishmaelites were descendants of Abraham's son Ishmael and were common traders along the route between Mesopotamia and Egypt. Spices, balm, and myrrh were valuable trade goods, with balm from Gilead being particularly prized for medicinal purposes.
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