Chapter 37

And Jacob dwelt⁴ in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen ⁷⁶⁵¹ years old, was feeding⁶ 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 brought⁵⁵ unto his father their evil report.

Now Israel loved¹ Joseph more than all his children, because he [was] the son of his old age: and he made¹ him a coat of [many] colours.

And when his brethren saw⁴ that their father loved¹ him more than all his brethren, they hated⁴ him, and could¹ not speak¹⁵ peaceably unto him.

And Joseph dreamed⁴ a dream, and he told⁵⁵ [it] his brethren: and they hated² him yet the more.⁵⁵

And he said⁴ unto them, Hear,³ I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:¹

For, behold, we [were] binding¹⁸ sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose,¹ and also stood upright;⁸ and, behold, your sheaves stood round about,⁴ and made obeisance¹⁰¹ to my sheaf.

And his brethren said⁴ to him, Shalt thou indeed² reign⁴ over us? or shalt thou indeed² have dominion⁴ over us? And they hated² him yet the more⁵⁵ for his dreams, and for his words.

And he dreamed⁴ yet another dream, and told¹⁷ it his brethren, and said,⁴ Behold, I have dreamed¹ a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven ²⁵⁹ stars made obeisance¹⁰² to me.

And he told¹⁷ [it] to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked⁴ him, and said⁴ unto him, What [is] this dream that thou hast dreamed?¹ Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed² come⁴ to bow down⁹⁹ ourselves to thee to the earth?

And his brethren envied¹⁷ him; but his father observed¹ the saying.

And his brethren went⁴ to feed² their father's flock in Shechem.

And Israel said⁴ unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed⁶ [the flock] in Shechem? come,³ and I will send⁴ thee unto them. And he said⁴ to him, Here [am I].

And he said⁴ to him, Go,³ I pray thee, see³ whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again.⁵⁴ So he sent⁴ him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came⁴ to Shechem.

And a certain man found⁴ him, and, behold, [he was] wandering⁶ in the field: and the man asked⁴ him, saying,² What seekest¹⁷ thou?

And he said,⁴ I seek¹⁸ my brethren: tell⁵⁴ me, I pray thee, where they feed⁶ [their flocks].

And the man said,⁴ They are departed¹ hence; for I heard¹ them say,⁶ Let us go⁴ to Dothan. And Joseph went⁴ after his brethren, and found⁴ them in Dothan.

And when they saw⁴ him afar off, even before he came near⁴ unto them, they conspired¹⁰¹ against him to slay⁵³ him.

And they said⁴ one to another, Behold, this dreamer ²⁴⁷² cometh.⁶

Come³ now therefore, and let us slay⁴ him, and cast⁵⁵ him into some pit, and we will say,¹ Some evil beast hath devoured¹ him: and we shall see⁴ what will become of his dreams.

And Reuben heard⁴ [it], and he delivered⁵⁵ him out of their hands; and said,⁴ Let us not kill⁵⁵ him.

And Reuben said⁴ unto them, Shed⁴ no blood, [but] cast⁵⁴ him into this pit that [is] in the wilderness, and lay⁴ no hand upon him; that he might rid⁵³ him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.⁵³

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come¹ unto his brethren, that they stript^{55 853} Joseph out of his coat, [his] coat of [many] colours that [was] on him;

And they took⁴ him, and cast⁵⁵ him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty, [there was] no water in it.

And they sat down⁴ to eat² bread: and they lifted up⁴ their eyes and looked,⁴ and, behold, a company⁶ of Ishmeelites came⁶ from Gilead with their camels bearing⁶ spicery and balm and myrrh, going⁶ to carry [it] down⁵³ to Egypt.

And Judah said⁴ unto his brethren, What profit [is it] if we slay⁴ our brother, and conceal¹⁴ his blood?

Come,³ and let us sell⁴ 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.⁴

Then there passed by⁴ Midianites ⁴⁰⁸⁴ merchantmen;⁶ and they drew⁴ and lifted up⁵⁵ Joseph out of the pit, and sold⁴ Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty [pieces] of silver: and they brought⁵⁵ Joseph into Egypt.

And Reuben returned⁴ unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph [was] not in the pit; and he rent⁴ his clothes.

And he returned⁴ unto his brethren, and said,⁴ The child [is] not; and I, whither shall I go?⁶

And they took⁴ Joseph's coat, and killed⁴ a kid of the goats, and dipped⁴ the coat in the blood;

And they sent¹⁷ the coat of [many] colours, and they brought⁵⁵ [it] to their father; and said,⁴ This have we found:¹ know⁵⁴ now whether it [be] thy son's coat or no.

And he knew⁵⁵ it, and said,⁴ [It is] my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured¹ him; Joseph is without doubt² rent in pieces.¹⁹

And Jacob rent⁴ his clothes, and put⁴ sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned¹⁰¹ for his son many days.

And all his sons and all his daughters rose up⁴ to comfort¹⁵ him; but he refused¹⁷ to be comforted;⁹⁹ and he said,⁴ For I will go down⁴ into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept⁴ for him.

And the Midianites sold¹ him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, [and] captain of the guard.