Gênesis 37

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
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Há uma aparente contradição: os vendedores são chamados de midianitas (v.28) e ismaelitas (v.25,27). Estudiosos sugerem que ambos os termos poderiam se referir a grupos nômades interrelacionados. O preço de 20 moedas de prata corresponde ao valor de escravos no 2º milênio AEC, conforme tabelas de Nuzi (Mesopotâmia).