Genesis 37
1NOW Jacob dwelt in the land where his father had sojourned in the land of Chanaan;
2and this is the history of Jacob’s posterity. When Joseph was seventeen years of age and feeding his father’s sheep with his brothers, as he was young, namely with the sons of Balla and the sons of Zelpha his father’s wives, they carried an ill report against Israel their father.
3Now Jacob loved Joseph above all his children because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a robe of different colours.
4So when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his sons, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
5Besides Joseph having dreamed a dream told it to his brothers
6and said to them, Hear this dream which I have dreamed.
7I thought we were binding sheaves in the middle of a field; and my sheaf arose and stood upright, and your sheaves being ranged around made obeisance to my sheaf.
8Upon which his brothers said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us or have dominion over us? So they hated him still more for his dreams and for his words.
9And he had another dream and told this to his father and his brothers and said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream, as if the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10Upon which his father rebuked him saying, What is this dream which thou hast dreamed? What! Shall I and thy mother and thy brothers come and bow down to thee on the ground?
11So his brothers envied him; but his father pondered the matter.
12After this his brothers having gone to Sychem to feed their father’s flocks,
13Israel said to Joseph, Are not thy brothers tending the flocks at Sychem? Come, let me send thee to them. And he said, I am ready.
14Whereupon Israel said to him, Go and see if thy brothers and the flocks be well and bring me word. So he despatched him from the valley of Chebron and he went to Sychem: and a man found him wandering in the plain.
15And the man asked him saying, What art thou seeking?
16To which he replied, I am seeking my brothers, tell me where they are feeding.
17And the man said to him, They have removed from this place; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothaim. So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothaim.
18Now when they saw him at a great distance before he came near them, they wickedly thought of killing him
19and said one to another, Behold the dreamer is coming.
20Now therefore come let us kill him and throw him into one of these pits, and we will say a savage beast hath devoured him. And let us see what will become of his dreams.
21But when Reuben heard he rescued him out of their hands and said, Let us not touch his life.
22Reuben indeed said to them, Shed not blood. Throw him into one of these pits in the wilderness, but lay not a hand on him, in order that he might rescue him out of their hands and deliver him to his father.
23So when Joseph came to his brothers they stripped him of the variegated robe which he had on
24and took him and threw him into the pit. But the pit was empty. It had no water.
25Then they sat down to eat bread. And raising their eyes they looked; and lo! Ismaelite travellers were coming out of Galaad and their camels were loaded with spiceries, with balm and stacte, which they were carrying to Egypt.
26Thereupon Juda said to his brothers, What advantage will it be though we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
27Come let us sell him to these Ismaelites and let not our hands be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. So his brothers hearkened to him.
28And when the Madienite merchants came, they drew him up. They lifted Joseph up out of the pit and sold him to the Ismaelites for twenty pieces of gold; and they carried Joseph down to Egypt.
29Now when Reuben came back to the pit and did not see Joseph in it, he rent his clothes
30and returned to his brothers and said, The boy is gone. And as for me where now am I to go?
31Then they took Joseph’s coat, and having killed a kid of the goats
32they besmeared the coat with the blood and sent away the variegated robe and had it carried to his father and said, This we found. Examine whether it be thy son’s robe or not.
33And he knew it and said, It is my son’s robe. An evil beast hath devoured him. A wild beast hath torn Joseph.
34Then Jacob rent his clothes and put on sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
35And all his sons and daughters assembled and came to comfort him, but he would not be comforted saying, I will go to my son mourning, to the mansion of the dead. Thus his father mourned for him.
36But the Madienites sold Joseph in Egypt to Petephres the chamberlain of Pharao, the captain of the guards.