Mock Trial of Joseph's Brothers

[Blue Bird]

That's where the mystery remains!

Here are the verses -

26 - And Judah said to his brothers, "What is the gain if we slay our brother and cover up his blood?

27 - Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but our hand shall not be upon him, for he is our brother, our flesh." And his brothers hearkened. 

So yes, Judah made another suggestion, changing again what to do with Joseph and the brothers listened (as you mentioned). They now were contemplating selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites.

Then, all of a sudden out of nowhere, some Midianites popped up and someone took Joseph out of the pit and sold him.

28 - Then Midianite men, merchants, passed by, and they pulled and lifted Joseph from the pit, and they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver [pieces], and they brought Joseph to Egypt.

This seems to be a surprise to Reuben as verse 29 states -

29 - And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he rent his garments.
 
30 - And he returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone! And I where will I go?"

So why would the brothers "return" to the pit if they were the ones who pulled Joseph from it and sold him? Why would they be surprised he wasn't there?

This story seems pretty complicated with many possible scripts for a documentary film.

The story in my imagination could go like this:


Reuben did not go with his brothers when they were carrying Joseph away to throw him into the pit because he did not agree with their plans. He couldn't see what they were doing because there was a hill between them (no proof of this, but how could it be otherwise that they could see Joseph coming from afar (v. 18) and later Reuben did not notice what was happening at the pit?).

The rest of the brothers took Joseph. He was already 17 years old and I'm sure, he resisted with all his strengh. That fight made the brothers hungry. They left Josef in the hole because they thought he couldn't escape there.

But, really, I can't believe that the caravan stole Joseph from the pit. Think of all the noise the animals, the traders, and the protesting Joseph would have made. And if you see a single boy from a distance, you can see a large caravan from afar, especially when approaching the pit their little brother was in.

I think the Midianites and the Ishmaelites were basically the same people and as honest traders they didn’t steal Joseph, they bought him. Reuben really couln't see or hear what was going on because he was behind that mountain.

Thank you for posting this video and your thoughts, it tells an old story in a refreshing and challenging way.

I found this - it opens up even more options!

https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/q...midianites