Genesis Chapter 37

Genesis Chapter 37
1 Jacob now dwelt in the land, wherein
his father was a stranger, in the land of
Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob,
when Joseph was seventeen year old: he
kept sheep with his brethren, and the
child was with the sons of Bilhah, and
with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s
wives. And Joseph brought unto their
father their evil saying.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all
his sons, because he begat him in his old
age, and he made him a coat of many
colors.
4 So when his brethren saw that their
father loved him more than all his
brethren, then they hated him, and could
not speak peaceably unto him. 5 And
Joseph dreamed a dream, and told his
brethren, who hated him so much the
more.
6 For he said unto them, Hear, I pray
you, this dream which I have dreamed. 7
Behold now, we were binding sheaves
in the midst of the field: and lo, my sheaf
arose and also stood upright, and
behold, your sheaves compassed round
about, and did reverence to my sheaf.
8 Then his brethren said to him, What,
shalt thou reign over us, and rule us?
Or shalt thou have altogether dominion
over us? And they hated him so much the
more, for his dreams, and for his words.
9 Again he dreamed another dream, and
told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I
have had one dream more, and behold,
the sun and the moon and eleven stars
did reverence to me.
10 Then he told it unto his father and to
his brethren, and his father rebuked him,
and said unto him, What is this dream,
which thou hast dreamed? Shall I, and
thy mother, and thy brethren come indeed
and fall on the ground before thee?
11 And his brethren envied him, but his
father noted the saying. 12 Then his
brethren went to keep their father’s
sheep in Shechem. 13 And Israel said
unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren keep in
Shechem? Come and I will send thee to
them.
14 And he answered him, I am here.
Then he said unto him, Go now, see
whether it be well with thy brethren, and
how the flocks prosper, and bring me
word again. So he sent him from the vale
of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 Then a man found him: for lo, he was
wandering in the field, and the man
asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
16 And he answered, I seek my brethren:
tell me, I pray thee, where they keep
sheep.
17 And the man said, They are departed
hence: for I heard them say, Let us go
unto Dothan. Then went Joseph after his
brethren, and found them in Dothan.
18 And when they saw him afar off, even
before he came at them, they conspired
against him for to slay him.
19 For they said one to another, Behold,
this dreamer cometh.
20 Come now therefore, and let us slay
him, and cast him into some pit, and we
will say, A wicked beast hath devoured
him: then we shall see, what will come
of his dreams.
21 But when Reuben heard that, he
delivered him out of their hands, and
said, Let us not kill him.
22 Also Reuben said unto them, Shed not
blood , but cast him into this pit that is in
the wilderness, and lay no hand upon
him. Thus he said, that he might deliver
him out of their hand, and restore him to
his father again. 23 Now when Joseph
was come unto his brethren, they
stripped Joseph out of his coat, his parti
colored coat that was upon him.
24 And they took him, and cast him into
a pit, and the pit was empty, without
water in it.
25 Then they sat them down to eat bread:
and they lift up their eyes and looked,
and behold, there came a company of
Ishmeelites from Gilead, and their
camels laden with spicery, and balm,
and myrrh, and were going to carry it
down into Egypt.
26 Then Judah said unto his brethren,
What availeth it, if we slay our brother,
though we keep his blood secret?
27 Come and let us sell him to the
Ishmeelites, and let not our hands be
upon him: for he is our brother and our
flesh: and his brethren obeyed. 28 Then
the Midianites merchantmen passed by,
and they drew forth, and lift Joseph out
of the pit, and sold Joseph unto the
Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver:
who brought Joseph into Egypt. 29
Afterward Reuben returned to the pit,
and behold, Joseph was not in the pit:
then he rent his clothes,
30 And returned to his brethren, and
said, The child is not yonder, and I,
whither shall I go?
31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and
killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the
coat in the blood.
32 So they sent that parti colored coat,
and they brought it unto their father, and
said, This have we found: see now,
whether it be thy son’s coat, or no. 33
Then he knew it and said, It is my son’s
coat: a wicked beast hath devoured him:
Joseph is surely torn in pieces.
34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put
sackcloth about his loins, and sorrowed
for his son a long season.
35 Then all his sons and all his
daughters rose up to comfort him, but he
would not be comforted, but said, Surely
I will go down into the grave unto my
son mourning: so his father wept for him.
36 And the Midianites sold him into
Egypt unto Potiphar an Eunuch of
Pharaoh’s, and his chief steward.