Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 37:24 – Bible Commentary

And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit empty, no water in it.

24. the pit was empty ]Cf. the incident in the life of Jeremiah (Jer 38:6). Presumably this was the reason why Reuben proposes to “cast him into this pit” ( Genesis 37:22).

Source: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And they took him, and cast him into a pit,…. Into the same that Reuben pointed to them, whose counsel they gladly took and readily executed, supposing he meant the same thing they did, starving him to death:

and the pit empty, no water in it; only serpents and scorpions, as the Targum of Jonathan; and Jarchi adds, this remark, that there was no water in it, seems to be made either to furnish out a reason why Reuben directed to it, that he might be the more easily got out of it, and not be in danger of losing his life at once, or of being drowned in it; or else to show the uncomfortable situation he was in, having not so much as a drop of water to refresh him; see Zech 9:11. Dothan is said to remain to this day, and the inhabitants of it show the ancient ditch into which Joseph was cast u.

u Bunting’s Travels, p. 80.

Source: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Zech 9:11

Did not David ask a similar question, as typical of JESUS? Psalm 30:9 .

Source: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Gen 37:24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit empty, no water in it.

See 24. They cast him into a pit. ]Where they meant he should pine and perish with hunger, which is a more cruel death than to die by the sword. Lam 4:9 Thus died Drusus by the command of Tiberius; food being denied him, he had eaten the stuffings of his bed from him. a I have heard of a certain bishop, saith Melancthon, who, having cast ten men into a dungeon for their religion’s sake, kept them there so long without all manner of food, that they devoured one another. b

a Druso adeo nourishes subduct, ut tomentum a culcitra tentaverit mandere. Tacit.

b Joh. Manlii, loc. com., 124.

Source: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

and cast: Psa 35:7, Lam 4:20

the pit: Psa 40:2, Psa 88:6, Psa 88:8, Psa 130:1, Psa 130:2, Jer 38:6, Lam 3:52-55, Zech 9:11

Reciprocal: Gen 49:23 – General

Source: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis 37:24-25. They cast him into a pit To perish there with hunger and cold; so cruel were their tender mercies. They sat down to eat bread They felt no remorse of conscience, which, if they had, would have spoiled their stomachs to their meat. A great force put upon conscience commonly stupifies it, and for the time deprives it both of sense and speech. A company of Ishmaelites In Gen 37:28; Gen 37:36, they are termed also Midianites, or, as it is in the Hebrew of Gen 37:36, Medanites. It seems these different tribes, which were descended from the sons of Abraham, Medan, and Midian, by Keturah, and of Ishmael, by Hagar, were joined in one caravan, or company of merchants, bringing spicery, balm, and myrrh upon their camels from Gilead, a place noted for these articles, and carrying them into Egypt.

Source: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

37:24 And they took him, and cast {h} him into a pit: and the pit empty, no water in it.

(h) Their hypocrisy appears in this that they feared man more than God: and thought it was not murder, if they did not shed his blood or had excuses to cover their fault.

Source: Geneva Bible Notes

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