Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
Come on, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites instead of killing him ourselves. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood. And his brothers agreed to this plan.
The writer is showing how Joseph's brothers chose to sell him into slavery rather than kill him, convincing themselves this was somehow better because he was family.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors, when his jealous brothers initially planned to kill him after throwing him into a pit. The Ishmaelites were traveling merchants who traded along caravan routes between Egypt and other regions. Judah, one of Joseph's brothers, suggested this 'compromise' as they saw the merchant caravan approaching.
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