irous to deliver him out of their hands and to
restore him to his father.

37:23. And as soon as he came to his brethren, they forthwith stript him
of his outside coat, that was of divers colours:

37:24. And cast him into an old pit where there was not water.

37:25. And sitting down to eat bread, they saw some Ismaelites on their
way coming from Galaad, with their camels, carrying spices, and balm,
and myrrh to Egypt.

37:26. And Juda said to his brethren: What will it profit us to kill our
brother, and conceal his blood?

37:27. It is better that he be sold to the Ismaelites, and that our
hands be not defiled: for he is our brother and our flesh. His brethren
agreed to his words.

37:28. And when the Madianite merchants passed by, they drew him out of
the pit, and sold him to the Ismaelites, for twenty pieces of silver:
and they led him into Egypt.

37:29. And Ruben returning to the pit, found not the boy:

37:30. And rending his garments he went to his brethren, and said: The
boy doth not appear, and whither shall I go?

37:31. And they took his coat, and dipped it in the blood of a kid,
which they had killed:

37:32. Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This we
have found: see whether it be thy son's coat, or not.

37:33. And the father acknowledging it, said: It is my son's coat, an
evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph.

37:34. And tearing his garments, he put on sackcloth, mourning for his
son a long time.

37:35. And all his children being gathered together to comfort their
father in his sorrow, he would not receive comfort, but said: I will go
down to my son into hell, mourning. And whilst he continued weeping,

Into hell... That is, into limbo, the place where the souls of the just
were received before the death of our Redeemer. For allowing that the
word hell sometimes is taken for the grave, it cannot be so taken in
this place; since Jacob did not believe his son to be in the grave,
(whom he supposed to be devoured by a wild beast,) and therefore could
not mean to go down to him thither: but certainly meant the place of
rest where he believed his soul to be.

37:36. The Madianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Putiphar, an eunuch of
Pharao, captain of the soldiers.

An eunuch... This word sometimes signifies a chamberlain, courtier, or
officer of the king: and so it is taken in this place.

Genesis Chapter 38

The sons of Juda: the death of Her and On