Genesis 37 · a question people ask
Who sold Joseph: his brothers, the Midianites or the Ishmaelites?
Judah proposes selling him "to the Ishmaelites" (37:27). Then "Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver" (37:28). Later "the Midianites sold him into Egypt" (37:36), and Joseph tells his brothers, "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt" (45:4). Protestants read 37:28 in two main ways.
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
Two names for the same traders
Those who hold this view read Midianites and Ishmaelites as names for the same caravan, and the brothers as the ones who drew Joseph up and sold him, as Joseph says, "whom you sold" (45:4; also Acts 7:9). They point to Judges, where the Midianites Gideon defeated are also called Ishmaelites: "For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites" (Judges 8:22-26).
Genesis 45:4 · Acts 7:9 · Judges 8:22-26
Midianites drew him out
Those who hold this view read 37:28 in order: the Midianite merchants drew Joseph out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites, perhaps before the brothers acted, which could explain why Reuben found the pit empty (37:29-30). On this reading, Joseph's "whom you sold" (45:4) still holds the brothers responsible, since they threw him in and planned to sell him (37:24-27).
Genesis 37:24-30 · Genesis 45:4
The verses
“Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him. Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The merchants brought Joseph into Egypt.”
“The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.”
“Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” They came near. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.”