The biblical narrative in Genesis 37 is very ambiguous. The skilled reader will find numerous accounts within these few thirty-six verses that illustrate this claim. The chapter depicts the Joseph story, more specifically the story of how Joseph was sold into Egypt. Jacob’s sons are envious of their brother Joseph; their father makes no secret of the fact that Joseph is his favorite son. Their hatred for Joseph is only amplified after he reveals his condescending dreams to them. In response, the brothers plot to kill Joseph. Genesis 37:18-36 chronicle the plot to kill Joseph, followed by the subsequent decision to sell him to foreign merchants, and his descent into Egypt.
In 37:18-20, the brothers plot to kill Joseph and throw his body into a pit. In 21-22, Reuben “saved him [, Joseph,] from their hands.” He implores the other brothers not to kill Joseph, but to instead throw him into an empty pit, alive. In verse 23, Joseph finds the brothers. They strip him of his tunic and throw him into the pit. It appears that they have listened to Reuben. Then things get hazy: In verse 25, the brothers see a group Ishmaelite traders on their way to Egypt. Judah advises not to kill Joseph, but to instead sell him to the Ishmaelites. This seems to contradict the previous statement by Reuben – the text appears as if Reuben never opened his mouth; didn’t the brothers just agree not to kill Joseph? Furthermore, in verse 27 “the brothers agree” with Judah’s suggestion. Does this imply that they then proceeded to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites? If it indeed does, then verse 28 does not make sense: at first glance, verse 28 seems to say that Midianite traders sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites. But if it does not, then verse 28 could read that Midianites passed by, just as the brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites. The grammar of verse 28 is completely ambiguous in context; the reader does not know if the “they” in question refers to the Midianites or the brothers. All the reader...