< Genesis 37 >

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
Jacob lived in the land where his father was staying, in the land of Canaan.
2 These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
These were the events concerning Jacob. Joseph, who was a young man seventeen years old, was guarding the flock with his brothers. He was with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. Joseph brought an unfavorable report about them to their father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he [was] the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of [many] colours.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was the son of his old age. He made him a beautiful garment.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers. They hated him and would not speak kindly to him.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told [it] his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told his brothers about it. They hated him even more.
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I dreamed.
7 For, behold, we [were] binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
Behold, we were tying bundles of grain in the field and behold, my bundle rose and stood upright, and behold, your bundles came around and bowed down to my bundle.”
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
His brothers said to him, “Will you really reign over us? Will you actually rule over us?” They hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
He dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers. He said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream: The sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.”
10 And he told [it] to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What [is] this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
He told it to his father just as to his brothers, and his father rebuked him. He said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come to bow down to the ground to you?”
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
12 And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
His brothers went to tend their father's flock in Shechem.
13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed [the flock] in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here [am I].
Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers tending the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” Joseph said to him, “I am ready.”
14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers and well with the flock, and bring me word.” So Jacob sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and Joseph went to Shechem.
15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, [he was] wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
A certain man found Joseph. Behold, Joseph was wandering in a field. The man asked him, “What do you seek?”
16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed [their flocks].
Joseph said, “I am seeking my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are tending the flock.”
17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
The man said, “They left this place, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'” Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they plotted against him to kill him.
19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
His brothers said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is approaching.
20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
Come now, therefore, let us kill him and cast him into one of the pits. We will say, 'A wild animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams.”
21 And Reuben heard [it], and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
Reuben heard it and rescued him from their hand. He said, “Let us not take his life.”
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, [but] cast him into this pit that [is] in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to bring him back to his father.
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, [his] coat of [many] colours that [was] on him;
It came about that when Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his beautiful garment.
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty, [there was] no water in it.
They took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty with no water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry [it] down to Egypt.
They sat down to eat bread. They lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh. They were traveling to carry them down to Egypt.
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit [is it] if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he [is] our brother [and] our flesh. And his brethren were content.
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands upon him. For he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty [pieces] of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
The Midianite merchants passed by. His brothers drew Joseph up and lifted him up out of the pit. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites carried Joseph into Egypt.
29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph [was] not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
Reuben returned to the pit, and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit. He tore his clothes.
30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child [is] not; and I, whither shall I go?
He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! And I, where can I go?”
31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
They slaughtered a goat and then took Joseph's garment and dipped it into the blood.
32 And they sent the coat of [many] colours, and they brought [it] to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it [be] thy son’s coat or no.
Then they brought it to their father and said, “We found this. Please see whether it is your son's clothing or not.”
33 And he knew it, and said, [It is] my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
Jacob recognized it and said, “It is my son's clothing. A wild animal has devoured him. Joseph has certainly been torn to pieces.”
34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth upon his loins. He mourned for his son many days.
35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. (Sheol h7585)
All his sons and daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “Indeed I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” His father wept for him. (Sheol h7585)
36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, [and] captain of the guard.
The Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard.

< Genesis 37 >