Early Traditions on the Kidnapping and Sale of Joseph: Part I
Draws on Pseudepigraphic sources to argue that Dan and Gad, sons of the handmaids, were the primary instigators behind the sale of Joseph and the pact of silence that followed, and re-examines Reuben's inconsistent behavior after discovering the empty pit, suggesting the Torah's account is compressed and that Reuben was pressured into a face-saving cover-up engineered by his brothers.
Cohen turns to early Pseudepigraphic sources to argue that Dan and Gad, sons of the handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah, were the true instigators behind Joseph’s sale and the brothers’ subsequent pact of silence — a tradition he connects to subtle hints in Jacob’s deathbed blessing. He also re-examines Reuben’s puzzling behavior after finding the pit empty, arguing the biblical account is compressed and that Reuben was pressured by his brothers into a face-saving cover-up rather than genuinely believing Joseph had been killed.
Jeffrey M. Cohen is rabbi emeritus of the Stanmore Synagogue in London. He is the author of 20 books on liturgy, the festivals, and biblical themes, most recently Torah for Teens. He has lectured at Jews' College, London, and the University of Glasgow.
Cite this article
Jeffrey M. Cohen. "Early Traditions on the Kidnapping and Sale of Joseph: Part I." Jewish Bible Quarterly 38, no. 2 (April – June 2010): 106–114.
Jeffrey M. Cohen. "Early Traditions on the Kidnapping and Sale of Joseph: Part I." Jewish Bible Quarterly, vol. 38, no. 2, 2010, pp. 106–114.