Genesis 37

1 Jacob continued to live in the land they were occupying, where his father had journeyed in the territory of Canaan.ISV — Genesis 37:1

2 This is a record of Jacob’s descendants. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was helping his brothers tend their flocks. He was a young man at that time, as were the children of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. But Joseph would come back and tell his father that his brothers were doing bad things.ISV — Genesis 37:2

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his brothers, since he was born to him in his old age, so he had made a richly-embroidered ^{a37:3 Or long-sleeved; LXX reads multi-colored} tunic for him.ISV — Genesis 37:3

4 When Joseph’s ^{b37:4 Lit. his} brothers realized that their father loved him more than all of his brothers, they hated him so much that they were unable to speak politely to him.ISV — Genesis 37:4

5 Right about this time, Joseph had a dream and then told it to his brothers. As a result, his brothers hated him all the more!ISV — Genesis 37:5

6 “Let me tell you about this dream that I had!” he said.ISV — Genesis 37:6

7 “We were tying sheaves together out in the middle of the fields, when all of a sudden, my sheaf stood up erect! And then your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf!”ISV — Genesis 37:7

8 At this, his brothers replied, “Do you really think you’re going to rule us or lord it over us?” So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his interpretations of them.ISV — Genesis 37:8

9 But then he had another dream, and he proceeded to tell his brothers about that one, too. “I had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven of the stars were bowing down before me!”ISV — Genesis 37:9

10 When Joseph told his father about this, his father rebuked him and asked him, “What kind of dream is that? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come to you and bow down to the ground in front of you?”ISV — Genesis 37:10

11 As a result, his brothers became more envious of him. But his father kept thinking about all of this.ISV — Genesis 37:11

12 Some time later, his brothers left to tend their father’s flock in Shechem.ISV — Genesis 37:12

13 And Israel instructed Joseph, “Your brothers are tending the flock in Shechem. Come here, because I’m going to send you to them.” “Here I am!” he responded.ISV — Genesis 37:13

14 “Go and see how things are with your brothers,” Israel ^{c37:14 Lit. he} ordered him. “And see how things are with the flock. Bring back a report for me.” Then he sent Joseph ^{d37:14 Lit. him} from the valley of Hebron. When Joseph reached Shechem,ISV — Genesis 37:14

15 a man found him wandering around in a field. So the man asked him, “What are you looking for?”ISV — Genesis 37:15

16 “I’m searching for my brothers,” he responded. “Tell me, where are they tending the flock?” ^{e37:16 The Heb. lacks the flock}ISV — Genesis 37:16

17 “They’ve already left,” the man answered. “I heard them saying that they were headed to Dothan.” So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there.ISV — Genesis 37:17

18 Now as soon as they saw him approaching from a distance, before he arrived they plotted together to kill him.ISV — Genesis 37:18

19 “Look!” they said. “Here comes the Dream Master!ISV — Genesis 37:19

20 Come on! Let’s kill him and toss him into one of the cisterns. Then we’ll report that some wild animal devoured him and wait to see what becomes of his dreams!”ISV — Genesis 37:20

21 When Reuben heard about it, he tried to save Joseph ^{f37:21 Lit. him} from their plot. “Let’s not do any killing,” ^{g37:21 Lit. Let’s not kill a soul}ISV — Genesis 37:21

22 Reuben told them. “And no blood shedding, either. Instead, let’s toss him into this cistern that’s way out here in the wilderness. But don’t lay a hand on him.” (Reuben ^{h37:22 Lit. He} intended to free Joseph ^{i37:22 Lit. him from their control} and return him to his father.)ISV — Genesis 37:22

23 As it was, when Joseph arrived where his brothers were, they stripped off the tunic that Jacob had given him—that is, the richly-embroidered ^{j37:23 Or long-sleeved; LXX reads multi-colored} tunic that he was wearing.ISV — Genesis 37:23

24 They grabbed him and tossed him into the cistern, but the cistern was empty. (There was no water in it.)ISV — Genesis 37:24

25 After this, while they were seated, eating their food, they looked around and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with camels carrying spices, balm, and myrrh for sale down in Egypt.ISV — Genesis 37:25

26 Then Judah suggested to his brothers, “Where’s the profit in just killing our brother and shedding his blood?ISV — Genesis 37:26

27 Come on! Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites! That way, we won’t have laid our hands on him. After all, he’s our brother, our own flesh.” So Judah’s ^{k37:27 Lit. his} brothers listened to him.ISV — Genesis 37:27

28 As the Midianite merchants were passing through, they extracted Joseph from the cistern and sold Joseph for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who then took Joseph down to Egypt.ISV — Genesis 37:28

29 Later, when Reuben returned to the cistern, Joseph wasn’t there! In mounting panic, he tore his clothes,ISV — Genesis 37:29

30 returned to his brothers, and shouted, “He’s ^{l37:30 Lit. The young man is} not there! Now what? Where am I to go?”ISV — Genesis 37:30

31 So they took Joseph’s coat, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.ISV — Genesis 37:31

32 Then they stretched out the richly-embroidered ^{m37:32 Or long-sleeved; LXX reads multi-colored} tunic to dry, ^{n37:32 The Heb. lacks to dry} and brought it to their father. “We’ve found this,” they reported. “Look at it and see if this is or isn’t your son’s tunic.”ISV — Genesis 37:32

33 Examining it, he cried out, “It’s my son’s tunic! A wild animal has no doubt torn Joseph to pieces.”ISV — Genesis 37:33

34 So Jacob tore his clothes, dressed himself in sackcloth, and then mourned many days for his son.ISV — Genesis 37:34

35 All his sons and daughters showed ^{o37:35 Lit. rose} up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He kept saying, “Leave me alone! I’ll go down to the next world, ^{p37:35 Lit. to Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead} still mourning for my son.” So Joseph’s father wept for him.ISV — Genesis 37:35

36 Meanwhile, down in Egypt, the Midianites sold Joseph ^{q37:36 Lit. him} to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s court officials, who was also Commander-in-Chief of the imperial guards.ISV — Genesis 37:36