| 1 And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, 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 he was a
lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives:
and Joseph brought the evil report of them unto 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 colors. 4 And his brethren saw that
their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and
could not speak peaceably unto him.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they
hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this
dream which I have dreamed: 7 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 made obeisance to my sheaf. 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. 9 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 made obeisance 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?
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Are not thy brethren feeding the flock in
Shechem? Come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
14 And he said to him, Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren,
and well with the flock; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the
vale of Hebron, and he came 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? 16 And he said, I am seeking my brethren: tell me, I
pray thee, where they are feeding 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.
18 And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they
conspired against him to slay him. 19 And they said one to another,
Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him,
and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, And evil beast hath
devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. 21 And
Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, Let us not
take his life. 22 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 And it
came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped
Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him; 24 and they
took him, and cast him into the pit: and the pit was empty, there was no
water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and
looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with
their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to
Egypt. 26 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 let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our
flesh. And his brethren hearkened unto him. 28 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 pieces of silver. And they
brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the
pit; and he rent his clothes. 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and
said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? 31 And they took
Joseph's coat, and killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood;
32 and they sent the coat of many colors, 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 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 And Jacob
rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and 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 to Sheol
to my son mourning. And his father wept for him. 36 And the Midianites
sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of
the guard.
Genesis - Public
Domain
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