Genesis 37
1 Jacob lived in the land where his father was staying, in the land of Canaan.
And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 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.
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being still a lad even with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil report of them unto their father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was the son of his old age. He made him a beautiful garment.
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.
4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers. They hated him and would not speak kindly to him.
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.
5 Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told his brothers about it. They hated him even more.
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more.
6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I dreamed.
And he said unto them: 'Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7 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.”
for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came round about, and bowed down to my sheaf.'
8 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.
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.
9 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.”
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said: 'Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.'
10 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?”
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 to thee to the earth?'
11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
12 His brothers went to tend their father's flock in Shechem.
And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
13 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.”
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.'
14 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.
And he said to him: 'Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren, and well with the flock; and bring me back word.' So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 A certain man found Joseph. Behold, Joseph was wandering in a field. The man asked him, “What do you seek?”
And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying: 'What seekest thou?'
16 Joseph said, “I am seeking my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are tending the flock.”
And he said: 'I seek my brethren. Tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding the flock.'
17 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.
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.
18 They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they plotted against him to kill him.
And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
19 His brothers said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is approaching.
And they said one to another: 'Behold, this dreamer cometh.
20 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.”
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say: An evil beast hath devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams.'
21 Reuben heard it and rescued him from their hand. He said, “Let us not take his life.”
And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand; and said: 'Let us not take his life.'
22 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.
And Reuben said unto them: 'Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him' — that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
23 It came about that when Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his beautiful garment.
And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colours that was on him;
24 They took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty with no water in it.
and they took him, and cast him into the pit — and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 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.
And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and ladanum, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
And Judah said unto his brethren: 'What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
27 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.
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh.' And his brethren hearkened unto him.
28 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.
And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 Reuben returned to the pit, and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit. He tore his clothes.
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! And I, where can I go?”
And he returned unto his brethren, and said: 'The child is not; and as for me, whither shall I go?'
31 They slaughtered a goat and then took Joseph's garment and dipped it into the blood.
And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood;
32 Then they brought it to their father and said, “We found this. Please see whether it is your son's clothing or not.”
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 is thy son's coat or not.'
33 Jacob recognized it and said, “It is my son's clothing. A wild animal has devoured him. Joseph has certainly been torn to pieces.”
And he knew it, and said: 'It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.'
34 Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth upon his loins. He mourned for his son many days.
And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
35 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)
And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said: 'Nay, but I will go down to the grave to my son mourning.' And his father wept for him. (Sheol h7585)
36 The Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard.
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard.
