בראשית, פרק ל״ז, פסוק כ׳

The brothers' decision to seal Joseph's fate is not born of mere spite, but from a profound conviction that he poses a critical threat to the family's future. Viewing him as a usurper intent on dominating them, seizing the birthright, and uprooting them from God's inheritance, they condemn him to death as a dangerous pursuer of the collective [ברכת אשר]. Yet, the fact that they only plot against him at this moment reveals a degree of restraint when compared to figures like Esau, who premeditated his brother's murder long in advance [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].

An immediate sense of urgency drives their plot. They rally one another to act swiftly, preparing to strike before Joseph can reach them or consolidate his power over them [רשב״ם, רד״ק, ספורנו, אור החיים, מלבי״ם]. Some suggest this urgent call is actually an attempt to distance the rest of the brothers from the scene so they will not have to witness the execution [פרדס יוסף], while others see it as a subtle opening for repentance [אור החיים]. By conspiring to commit the act together, they aim to evade human justice, knowing that collective guilt makes it difficult to punish a single individual. In terms of heavenly justice, they feel entirely justified, having formally judged Joseph as a conspiring witness for his slanderous reports [אור החיים] or as a false prophet [צפנת פענח].

Rather than striking him down directly, another perspective suggests the brothers plan to cause his death indirectly. By casting him into a hazardous environment, they intend to test whether his visions are true prophecies that God will validate through a miraculous rescue, or merely false illusions [הכתב והקבלה]. The decision to throw him into a pit serves a dual purpose. Practically, it conceals the body and deflects suspicion, which is crucial given their well-known animosity toward him [בכור שור]. Symbolically, it reverses the imagery of his dreams: instead of standing tall and receiving their submission, he is cast down in humiliation [שפתי כהן].

To ensure their alibi holds, they carefully coordinate their story beforehand, deciding to claim that a wild beast devoured him. This specific excuse prevents contradictory testimonies [בכור שור, ביאור יש״ר] and contains a grain of truth, as predators naturally frequent such desolate pits [אור החיים, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Presenting a definitive, albeit fabricated, tragedy is strategic; it prevents their father from launching a futile search, allows him to eventually mourn and find comfort [קונטרס חיבה יתירה], and spares them from his immediate wrath and curses [ספורנו].

The final question of what will ultimately become of Joseph's dreams sparks a profound debate over the identity of the speaker. One approach maintains that the brothers themselves speak these words in mockery, cynically wondering how they could possibly bow to a dead man [רמב״ן, ספורנו, ביאור יש״ר], or simply asserting that his death will prove the dreams were empty falsehoods [מלבי״ם, אור החיים, פני דוד, חומת אנך]. However, a central stream of thought argues that the brothers would never make such a statement, as killing him would obviously render the dreams void. Instead, this declaration is the voice of the Divine Spirit echoing through the narrative. While the brothers plot his demise, God counters them, declaring a divine test to see whose will shall prevail: their murderous scheme or His prophetic visions [רש״י, רמב״ן, נתינה לגר, צאינה וראינה, דברי דוד]. Bridging these views, some commentators suggest that the brothers do utter these words, but the Divine Spirit guides their tongues. They speak without grasping the profound prophetic irony of their own statement, ultimately demonstrating that God's will always triumphs [העמק דבר, חומת אנך].