Genesis 37:28
“Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.”
What does Genesis 37:28 mean?
Joseph's own brothers threw him into a pit out of jealousy, but the passage shows how quickly circumstances shifted. Merchant traders passing through happened upon the pit—in the biblical narrative, these seemingly chance encounters often carry deeper meaning. Rather than let Joseph die, his brothers sold him for a small sum of silver, which felt like profit to them but set in motion the larger story of Joseph's life. This moment is heartbreaking: a young boy separated from his father and homeland, sold into slavery. Yet the passage doesn't linger on despair. By mentioning Joseph being brought to Egypt, it suggests that even in betrayal and loss, something is unfolding. For anyone who has experienced being treated unjustly or finding themselves in an unexpected, painful place, this verse holds a quiet truth: what feels like the end of your story may actually be a difficult middle chapter.