Gen 37:28 | NET2full | STEP | So when the Midianite merchants passed by , Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver . The Ishmaelites then took Joseph to Egypt .

‏ Genesis 37:28

28 So when the Midianite ^{▼▼sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.} merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled ^{▼▼tn Heb “they drew and they lifted up.” The referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity; otherwise the reader might assume the Midianites had pulled Joseph from the cistern (but cf. NAB).} him ^{▼▼tn Heb “Joseph” (both here and in the following clause); the proper name has been replaced both times by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.} out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites ^{▼▼tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} then took Joseph to Egypt.