Genesis 37:23

23 Therefore anon as Joseph came to his brethren, they despoiled him of his coat, (that went) down to the heel, and (was) of many colours, (And so when Joseph came to his brothers, at once they tore off the coat, that went down to his heels, and had many colours,)

Genesis 37:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:23

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren,
&c.] To the very place where they were, and had, in a kind and obliging manner, asked of their welfare, and related their father's concern for them, who had sent him on this errand:

that they stripped, Joseph out of [his] coat; his coat of [many]
colours, that [was] on him;
according to Jarchi and Aben Ezra, this was not one and the same coat, but divers, and that the sense is, that with his coat of many colours, and besides that, they stripped him of his lower garment, which was next to his skin, his shirt; so that he was quite naked when they cast him into the pit, and this they did as soon as he came up to them, so cruel and hardhearted were they.

Genesis 37:23 In-Context

21 Soothly Reuben heard this, and endeavoured to deliver him from their hands, and said, Slay we not the life of him (and he said, Nay, we should not kill him),

22 neither shed we out his blood, but cast ye him into an eld cistern, which is in the wilderness, and (so) keep ye your hands guiltless. Forsooth he said this, desiring to deliver him from their hands, and to yield him (again) to his father.

23 Therefore anon as Joseph came to his brethren, they despoiled him of his coat, (that went) down to the heel, and (was) of many colours, (And so when Joseph came to his brothers, at once they tore off the coat, that went down to his heels, and had many colours,)

24 and they put him in[to] an eld cistern, that had no water.

25 And (then) they sat (down) to eat bread; and (soon) they saw that (some) Ishmaelite waygoers came from Gilead, and that their camels bare sweet smelling spiceries, and resin, and stacte, into Egypt (to take to Egypt).