And
Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, 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 fathers wives: and Joseph brought unto his father
their evil report.
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.
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.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it
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 stood 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 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.
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
observed the saying.
12 And his brethren went to feed their fathers
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.
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.
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 seek my brethren: tell me, I pray
thee, where they feed their flocks.
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 when they saw him afar off, even 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 some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured
him: and we shall 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.
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.
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;
24 And they took him, and cast him into a 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 company of Ishmeelites came 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 Ishmeelites,
and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and
our flesh. And his brethren were content.
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.
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 Josephs coat, and killed a kid
of the goats, and dipped the coat in 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 sons coat or no.
33 And he knew it, and said, It is my sons
coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in
pieces.
34 And Jacob rent his clothes, 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 into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto
Potiphar, an officer of Pharaohs, and captain of the guard.