And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
Reuben replied to them, saying, 'Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen to me! Now we're being held accountable for what happened to him.'
Reuben is reminding his brothers that he warned them not to hurt Joseph, and now they're facing consequences for not listening to his advice.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers due to their jealousy over his favored status with their father. Reuben, the eldest brother, had previously urged the others not to harm Joseph, suggesting they throw him into a pit instead of killing him, though his plan to rescue Joseph later failed. Now, during a famine, the brothers travel to Egypt and are confronted with their past actions, as Reuben reminds them of their guilt in this verse.
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