Let’s dive into a fascinating little story from Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg, a monumental work compiling centuries of Jewish folklore and tradition. We’re talking about Joseph, of coat-of-many-colors fame, and the Ishmaelites who were, shall we say, having a very bad day.

So, picture this: Joseph has been thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers, and these Ishmaelites come along. They pull him out, planning to take him to Egypt. But then, BAM! A terrible storm hits. A real death plague, as the text puts it. Animals are collapsing, chaos reigns. And the Ishmaelites? They are not happy campers.

"We have sinned against God and against thee!" they cry out to Joseph. Talk about a quick turnaround! They beg him to pray to his God, to plead for them to be spared. "Entreat Him to take this death plague from us, for we acknowledge that we have sinned against Him." Can you hear the desperation in their voices?

And Joseph, being the compassionate soul we know him to be (even before his rise to power in Egypt), does exactly that. He prays. And guess what? God listens! The storm calms, the animals get back on their feet, and the caravan can finally move on.

But here's where things get really interesting. The Ishmaelites, witnessing this miraculous turn of events, realize something: all this trouble, all this chaos, happened because of Joseph! And they start talking amongst themselves.

"We know now that all this evil hath happened to us on account of this poor fellow," they say. The text almost drips with irony, doesn't it? Now, they've got a problem. What do they do with Joseph?

One of them suggests taking him back to his father, Jacob. That way, they'd be sure to get their money back. A sensible solution, right? But… pride gets in the way. They've already come so far! They don't want to backtrack.

So, they hatch a new plan. A plan that benefits them, of course. They decide to take Joseph to Egypt anyway, but this time to sell him. That way, they get rid of the "problem" (Joseph), and they make a profit! “They would rid themselves of him in this way, and also receive a great price for him.”

Talk about a pragmatic, if somewhat heartless, solution. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the mindset of these traders – a blend of fear, opportunism, and a complete lack of empathy.

This little snippet from Joseph's story raises so many questions, doesn’t it? How often do we blame others for our troubles? How often do we try to find the easiest, most self-serving solution, even if it means disregarding the well-being of others? And what does it say about Joseph, that he intercedes for those who are actively plotting against him?

It’s a reminder that even in the midst of ancient legends, we can find reflections of our own human struggles and choices. And maybe, just maybe, a little bit of wisdom, too.