Genesis 37:21

21 And Reuben heareth, and delivereth him out of their hand, and saith, `Let us not smite the life;'

Genesis 37:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:21

And Reuben heard [it]
Overheard what they said, not being in the consultation; perhaps knowing his temper and disposition to be more mild and gentle, and being the elder brother, might fear he would overrule matters against them, and therefore Simeon and Levi did not choose to have him in the debate; or he might be at some distance and entirely absent when the consultation was held, and their intention was reported to him by some of them:

and he delivered him out of their hands;
from slaying him; that is, he endeavoured to do it by proposing another scheme:

and said, let us not kill him;
or let us not smite the soul ^F20; the dear soul, or take away life.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (vpn wnkn al) "ne percutiamus vel occidamus animam", Sam. Ar. Syr.

Genesis 37:21 In-Context

19 And they say one unto another, `Lo, this man of the dreams cometh;

20 and now, come, and we slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and have said, An evil beast hath devoured him; and we see what his dreams are.'

21 And Reuben heareth, and delivereth him out of their hand, and saith, `Let us not smite the life;'

22 and Reuben saith unto them, `Shed no blood; cast him into this pit which [is] in the wilderness, and put not forth a hand upon him,' -- in order to deliver him out of their hand, to bring him back unto his father.

23 And it cometh to pass, when Joseph hath come unto his brethren, that they strip Joseph of his coat, the long coat which [is] upon him,