The Meaning of Genesis 37:25 Explained

Genesis 37:25

KJV: And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

YLT: And they sit down to eat bread, and they lift up their eyes, and look, and lo, a company of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, and their camels bearing spices, and balm, and myrrh, going to take them down to Egypt.

Darby: And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead; and their camels bore tragacanth, and balsam, and ladanum going to carry it down to Egypt.

ASV: And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they sat down  to eat  bread:  and they lifted up  their eyes  and looked,  and, behold, a company  of Ishmeelites  came  from Gilead  with their camels  bearing  spicery  and balm  and myrrh,  going  to carry [it] down  to Egypt. 

What does Genesis 37:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 37:25-36 - Joseph Sold Into Egypt
It was not chance, but providence, that brought these Midianites to the pit at that hour. They had, of course, fixed their time of departure from their native land, the speed at which their camels were to travel, and the amount of time which they would spend at the fairs and markets en route, quite irrespectively of all other considerations but their own profit and convenience; yet quite unconsciously they were moving according to a divine timetable. Everything in life is directed, superintended and controlled by a divine forethought. Let us live in constant recognition of this! You may be in a pit of dark misery, but God knows that you are there, and times the moments. Only continue to trust and do not be afraid! Blessed are they that believe, to them there shall be a performance. Months ago a caravan started, which will arrive at the precise hour when intervention will best serve you. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 37

1  Joseph is loved by Jacob, but hated by his brothers
5  His dreams and the interpretation
12  Jacob sends him to his brothers, who counsel to slay him
21  At Reuben's desire they cast him into a pit;
25  and afterwards sell him to the Ishmaelites;
29  while Ruben grieves at not finding him
31  His coat, covered with blood, is sent to Jacob, who mourns him inordinately
36  Joseph is brought to Egypt and sold to Potiphar

What do the individual words in Genesis 37:25 mean?

And they sat down to eat a meal and they lifted their eyes and looked and there was a company of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead and with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh on their way to carry [them] down to Egypt
וַיֵּשְׁבוּ֮ לֶֽאֱכָל־ לֶחֶם֒ וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ וַיִּרְא֔וּ וְהִנֵּה֙ אֹרְחַ֣ת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים בָּאָ֖ה מִגִּלְעָ֑ד וּגְמַלֵּיהֶ֣ם נֹֽשְׂאִ֗ים נְכֹאת֙ וּצְרִ֣י וָלֹ֔ט הוֹלְכִ֖ים לְהוֹרִ֥יד מִצְרָֽיְמָה

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ֮  And  they  sat  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
לֶֽאֱכָל־  to  eat 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
לֶחֶם֒  a  meal 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ  and  they  lifted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙  their  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וַיִּרְא֔וּ  and  looked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְהִנֵּה֙  and  there  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אֹרְחַ֣ת  a  company 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֹרְחָה  
Sense: caravan, travelling company.
יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים  of  Ishmaelites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יִשְׁמְעֵאלִי  
Sense: a descendant of Ishmael.
בָּאָ֖ה  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מִגִּלְעָ֑ד  from  Gilead 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְעָד  
Sense: a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called ‘Mount Gilead’ or the ‘land of Gilead’ or just ‘Gilead’.
וּגְמַלֵּיהֶ֣ם  and  with  their  camels 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּמָל  
Sense: camel.
נֹֽשְׂאִ֗ים  bearing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
נְכֹאת֙  spices 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְכֹאת  
Sense: a spice.
וּצְרִ֣י  and  balm 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֳרִי  
Sense: a kind of balsam, balm, salve.
וָלֹ֔ט  and  myrrh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֹט  
Sense: myrrh.
הוֹלְכִ֖ים  on  their  way 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְהוֹרִ֥יד  to  carry  [them]  down 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
מִצְרָֽיְמָה  to  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.