1 N ow Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan.

Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan.

2 T hese are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.

This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father.

3 N ow Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.

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 H is brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.

5 T hen Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.

Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.

6 H e said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had;

He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:

7 f or behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8 T hen his brothers said to him, “ Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

His brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words.

9 N ow he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.”

10 H e related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?”

He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?”

11 H is brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.

12 T hen his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem.

His brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.

13 I srael said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “ I will go.”

Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” He said to him, “Here I am.”

14 T hen he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15 A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, “ What are you looking for?”

A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 H e said, “I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.”

He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”

17 T hen the man said, “They have moved from here; for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. The Plot against Joseph

The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.

18 W hen they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.

They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.

19 T hey said to one another, “ Here comes this dreamer!

They said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer comes.

20 N ow then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!”

Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”

21 B ut Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.”

Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.”

22 R euben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.

Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

23 S o it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him;

When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;

24 a nd they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

and they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.

25 T hen they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt.

They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

26 J udah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood?

Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27 C ome and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.

Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him.

28 T hen some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.

29 N ow Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments.

Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes.

30 H e returned to his brothers and said, “ The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?”

He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?”

31 S o they took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood;

They took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.

32 a nd they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”

They took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son’s coat or not.”

33 T hen he examined it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”

He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.”

34 S o Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

35 T hen all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning.” His father wept for him.

36 M eanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.

The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.