Discovery BoxGenesis 37:22 
Context37:22 Reuben continued, 1 “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” 2 (Reuben said this 3 so he could rescue Joseph 4 from them 5 and take him back to his father.)
Genesis 37:26-28
Context37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, 6 for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. 7 37:28 So when the Midianite 8 merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled 9 him 10 out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites 11 then took Joseph to Egypt.
1 tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”
2 sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reuben’s words.
3 tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
4 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.
6 tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”
7 tn Heb “listened.”
8 sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.
9 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).
10 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.
11 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
