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

Genesis 37:28

28 So when the Midianite ^{▼▼ On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.} merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled ^{▼▼ 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 ^{▼▼ 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 twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites ^{▼▼ Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} then took Joseph to Egypt.