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
In the biblical narrative of Genesis, Joseph was the favored son of Jacob, which fueled jealousy and resentment among his older brothers. They initially plotted to kill him after he shared dreams that suggested he would rule over them, but Judah suggested selling him to passing Ishmaelite traders as a compromise to avoid direct bloodshed while still getting rid of him. This event marks the beginning of Joseph's descent into slavery in Egypt, setting the stage for God's larger plan to preserve his family during a coming famine.
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