Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites: Come may be rendered as in verse 20. In some languages it may be necessary to express the idea of selling Joseph as an alternative to killing him; for example, “Instead of killing him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders.”

Let not our hand be upon him: a similar idiom was used in verse 21, where it meant to rescue or save Joseph. Here the sense is “Let us not harm [injure or kill] him.”

For he is our brother, our own flesh: these statements affirm that Joseph is related to them as a close kinsman. For a similar expression see 29.14. In some languages it may be necessary to state the reason before the consequence; for example, “He is our brother, our close kin; so let’s not kill him. Instead let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders.”

His brothers heeded him: him refers to Judah, and it may be better to say “Judah’s brothers agreed to do what he said.” In some languages this is more natural in direct speech: “All his brothers said, ‘All right, we will do what you say.’ ”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .