1 Now Jacoblived in 1the landwhere his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan.
2
These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when 2seventeen*years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with 3the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father'swives. And Josephbrought back a 4badreport about them to their father.
3
Now IsraellovedJosephmorethanall his sons, because he was 5the son of his oldage; and he made him a 6varicoloredtunic.
4
His brotherssaw that their fatherloved him morethanall his brothers; and so they 7hated him and could not speak to him on friendlyterms.
5
Then Joseph8had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him evenmore*.
6
He said to them, "Pleaselisten to thisdreamwhich I have had;
7
for behold, we were bindingsheaves in the field, and lo, my sheafrose up and alsostooderect; and behold, your sheavesgatheredaround and 9boweddown to my sheaf."
8
Then his brotherssaid to him, "10Are you actually going to reignover us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him evenmore* for his dreams and for his words.
9
Now he hadstillanotherdream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have hadstill another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven*stars were bowingdown to me."
10
He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his fatherrebuked him and said to him, "What is thisdream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and 11your brothersactuallycome to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?"
11
12His brothers were jealous of him, but his father13kept the saying in mind.
12
Then his brotherswent to pasture their father'sflock in Shechem.
13
Israelsaid to Joseph, "Are not your brotherspasturing the flock in 14Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them." And he said to him, "I will go."
14
Then he said to him, "Gonow and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bringwordback to me." So he sent him from the valley of 15Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15
A manfound him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the manasked him, "What are you looking for?"
16
He said, "I am looking for my brothers; pleasetell me where they are pasturing the flock."
17
Then the mansaid, "They have moved from here; for I heard them say, 'Let us go to 16Dothan.' " So Josephwent after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
The Plot against Joseph
18 When they saw him from a distance and before he cameclose to them, they 17plottedagainst him to put him to death.
19
They said to oneanother, "Herecomesthisdreamer*!
20
"Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and 18we will say, 'A wildbeastdevoured him.' Then let us seewhat will become of his dreams!"
21
But 19Reubenheard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, "Let us not take his life."
22
Reuben further said to them, "Shednoblood. Throw him into thispit that is in the wilderness, but do not layhands on him"-that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.
23
So it came about, whenJosephreached his brothers, that they strippedJoseph of his tunic, the varicoloredtunic that was on him;
24
and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.
25
Then they satdown to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of 20Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camelsbearing21aromaticgum and 22balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt.
26
Judahsaid to his brothers, "Whatprofit is it for us to kill our brother and 23cover up his blood?
27
"24Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brotherslistened to him.
28
Then some25Midianitetraderspassed by, so they pulled him up and liftedJoseph out of the pit, and 26sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus 27they broughtJoseph into Egypt.
29
Now Reubenreturned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he 28tore his garments.
30
He returned to his brothers and said, "29The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?"
31
So 30they tookJoseph'stunic, and slaughtered a malegoat and dipped the tunic in the blood;
32
and they sent the varicoloredtunic and brought it to their father and said, "We foundthis; pleaseexamine it to see whether it is your son'stunicor not."
33
Then he examined it and said, "It is my son'stunic. 31A wildbeast has devoured him; 32Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!"
34
So Jacob33tore his clothes, and putsackcloth on his loins and mourned for his sonmanydays.
35
Then all his sons and all his daughtersarose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will 34godown to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his fatherwept for him.
36
Meanwhile, the Midianites35sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh'sofficer, the captain of the bodyguard.