How Did Reuben Try to Save Joseph?
Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob, played a significant but often overlooked role in the dramatic events that surrounded Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers. While jealousy and anger drove most of the brothers to plot Joseph’s harm, Reuben stood out as a voice of restraint. His actions reveal a mixture of responsibility, guilt, and genuine concern for his younger brother.
1. Background: Rising Tension Among the Brothers
Joseph’s favored status in the family bred deep resentment among his older brothers. His coat of many colors and his prophetic dreams, which seemed to place him above them, intensified their anger. When Joseph came alone to find his brothers near Dothan, they saw the opportunity to get rid of him.
While most of the brothers were ready to kill Joseph, Reuben responded differently.
2. Reuben Intervenes to Stop the Brothers’ Violent Plan
When the brothers first plotted to kill Joseph, Reuben stepped forward with an alternative.
According to Genesis 37:21, Reuben “heard it and tried to rescue him from their hands.”
What Reuben Said
Reuben urged his brothers:
“Let us not take his life.”
“Shed no blood.” (Genesis 37:22)
He persuaded them not to kill Joseph outright but instead to throw him alive into a nearby dry pit.
3. Reuben’s Secret Plan to Rescue Joseph Later
Reuben was not trying to join the brothers’ conspiracy—he was trying to overturn it without triggering their hostility.
His hidden intention
Scripture reveals his true motive:
“Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.” (Genesis 37:22)
Reuben’s plan involved three steps:
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Prevent the brothers from killing Joseph.
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Place Joseph somewhere safe from immediate harm—the empty cistern.
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Return secretly later, pull Joseph out, and bring him home to Jacob.
As the eldest son, Reuben felt a sense of responsibility before his father. He may also have been struggling with guilt over past failures (Genesis 35:22), making him especially eager to do what was right this time.
4. Joseph Is Thrown Into the Pit
Because of Reuben’s intervention, Joseph’s life was spared at this stage. The brothers agreed to strip Joseph of his coat and throw him into the dry well. Reuben then temporarily left the scene—perhaps to find a moment when he could safely return to rescue Joseph without interference.
His absence, however, became costly.
5. Reuben’s Shock: Joseph Is Gone
While Reuben was away, the other brothers saw a caravan of Ishmaelite traders and sold Joseph as a slave for twenty pieces of silver. When Reuben came back to the pit and discovered Joseph missing, his reaction was full of despair.
He tore his clothes and cried:
“The boy is gone! And I—where shall I go?” (Genesis 37:30)
This emotional outcry shows the depth of his distress. Reuben realized that his plan to save Joseph had failed—and he feared his father’s grief and disappointment.
6. Reuben’s Attempt Shows His Different Heart
Reuben’s actions in Genesis 37 set him apart from his brothers:
✓ He valued life over revenge.
He opposed the violent impulse to kill Joseph.
✓ He tried to take responsibility as the eldest.
His leadership was moral rather than cruel.
✓ He acted with compassion.
His intention was to return Joseph safely to Jacob.
✓ He silently resisted wrongdoing.
Rather than confront his brothers directly and risk escalation, he used wisdom to delay their plans.
Though his plan ultimately failed, Reuben’s efforts reveal a conscience and a desire to do what was right.
Conclusion
Reuben tried to save Joseph by:
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Opposing the plot to kill him
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Persuading the brothers to throw Joseph into a pit instead
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Planning to return later and rescue Joseph secretly
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Showing deep grief when he discovered Joseph had been sold
While he could not prevent Joseph’s sale into slavery, Reuben’s actions demonstrate that even in the midst of jealousy and betrayal, there was still a voice of compassion among Jacob’s sons.
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