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Genesis 37:17-22
New English Translation
Genesis 37:17-22
New English Translation
17 The man said, “They left this area,[a] for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
18 Now Joseph’s brothers[b] saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams![c] 20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild[d] animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!”[e]
21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph[f] from their hands,[g] saying,[h] “Let’s not take his life!”[i] 22 Reuben continued,[j] “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.”[k] (Reuben said this[l] so he could rescue Joseph[m] from them[n] and take him back to his father.)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 37:17 tn Heb “they traveled from this place.”
- Genesis 37:18 tn Heb “and they”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 37:19 tn Heb “Look, this master of dreams is coming.” The brothers’ words have a sarcastic note and indicate that they resent his dreams.
- Genesis 37:20 tn The Hebrew word can sometimes carry the nuance “evil,” but when used of an animal it refers to a dangerous wild animal.
- Genesis 37:20 tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”
- Genesis 37:21 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 37:21 sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).
- Genesis 37:21 tn Heb “and he said.”
- Genesis 37:21 tn Heb “we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.”
- Genesis 37:22 tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”
- Genesis 37:22 sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reuben’s words.
- Genesis 37:22 tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 37:22 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 37:22 tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.
Genesis 37:17-22
New International Version
Genesis 37:17-22
New International Version
17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.(A)’”
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.(B)
19 “Here comes that dreamer!(C)” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns(D) and say that a ferocious animal(E) devoured him.(F) Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”(G)
21 When Reuben(H) heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.(I) 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern(J) here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.(K)
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