Genesis 37

Joseph’s Dreams

1So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner.

2This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.

3Jacob#37:3a Hebrew Israel; also in 37:13. See note on 35:21. loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.#37:3b Traditionally rendered a coat of many colors. The exact meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 4But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.

5One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. 6“Listen to this dream,” he said. 7“We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”

8His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.

9Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”

10This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” 11But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.

12Soon after this, Joseph’s brothers went to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them.”

“I’m ready to go,” Joseph replied.

14“Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along,” Jacob said. “Then come back and bring me a report.” So Jacob sent him on his way, and Joseph traveled to Shechem from their home in the valley of Hebron.

15When he arrived there, a man from the area noticed him wandering around the countryside. “What are you looking for?” he asked.

16“I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?”

17“Yes,” the man told him. “They have moved on from here, but I heard them say, ‘Let’s go on to Dothan.’” So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there.

Joseph Sold into Slavery

18When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19“Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20“Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”

21But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. 22“Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.

23So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.

26Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime.#37:26 Hebrew cover his blood. 27Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. 28So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces#37:28 Hebrew 20 [shekels], about 8 ounces or 228 grams in weight. of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.

29Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. 30Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, “The boy is gone! What will I do now?”

31Then the brothers killed a young goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in its blood. 32They sent the beautiful robe to their father with this message: “Look at what we found. Doesn’t this robe belong to your son?”

33Their father recognized it immediately. “Yes,” he said, “it is my son’s robe. A wild animal must have eaten him. Joseph has clearly been torn to pieces!” 34Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time. 35His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave#37:35 Hebrew go down to Sheol. mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep.

36Meanwhile, the Midianite traders#37:36 Hebrew the Medanites. The relationship between the Midianites and Medanites is unclear; compare 37:28. See also 25:2. arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard.

Genesis 37

1And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues).

2These [are] the generations of Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of). Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]), [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the boy [was] with the sons of Bilhah (troubled; timid), and with the sons of Zilpah (a tickling; a sprinkle), his father’s wives: and Yosef brought unto his father their evil report.

3Now Isra’el loved Yosef more than all his children, because he [was] the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of [many] colors.

4And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

5And Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) dreamed a dream, and he told [it] his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

6And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7For, behold, we [were] binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, youri sheaves stood round about, and made obesiance (bowing or kneeling in respect) to my sheaf.

8And his brethren said to him, Shalt youi indeed reign over us? or shall youi indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

9And 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 obesiance (bowing or kneeling in respect) [a bow, curtsy, or other similar gesture] to me.

10And he told [it] to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What [is] this dream that youi have dreamed? Shall I and youri mother and youri brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to youi to the earth?

11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

12And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Sh’khem [back or shoulder, portion].

13And Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator) said unto Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]), Do not youri brethren feed [the flock] in Sh’khem [back or shoulder, portion]? come, and I will send youi unto them. And he said to him, Here [am I].

14And he said to him, Go, I pray youi, see whether it be well with youri brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the valley of Hevron, and he came to Sh’khem [back or shoulder, portion].

15And a certain man found him, and, behold, [he was] wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What [do] youi seek?

16And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray youi, where they feed [their flocks].

17And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dotan (two wells, double feast). And Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) went after his brethren, and found them in Dotan (two wells, double feast).

18And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

19And they said one to another, ‘Behold, this dreamer comes!’

20Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

21And Re’uven (behold a son) heard [it], and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.

22And Re’uven 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.

23And it came to pass, when Yosef was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Yosef out of his coat, [his] coat of [many] colors that [was] on him;

24And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty, [there was] no water in it.

25And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Yishma’elim [Yishma’elim (Ishmaelites) [God will Hear]] (They Will Hear God [EL]) came from Gil’ad (hill of testimony or mound of witness) with their camels bearing spices and balm (a medicine; rosin from a bush) and myrrh, going to carry [it] down to Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land). Egypt.

26And Y’hudah (Let the Powerful One be Praised [Yah]) said unto his brethren, What profit [is it] if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

27Come, and let us sell him to the Yishma’elim (They Will Hear God [EL]), and let not our hand be upon him; for he [is] our brother [and] our flesh. And his brethren were content.

28Then there passed by Midyanim [Strife] (People of Strife; Place Of Judgment) merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) out of the pit, and sold Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) to the Yishma’elim (They Will Hear God [EL]) for twenty [pieces] of silver: and they brought Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) into Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land).

29And Re’uven (behold a son) returned unto the pit; and, behold, Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) [was] not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

30And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child [is] not; and I, to where shall I go?

31And they took Yosef’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

32And they sent the coat of [many] colors, and they brought [it] to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it [be] youri son’s coat or no.

33And he knew it, and said, [It is] my son’s coat; an evil beast has devoured him; Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) is without doubt rent in pieces.

34And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

35And 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. In the following manner his father wept for him.

36And the Midyanim [Strife] (People of Strife; Place Of Judgment) sold him into Mitzrayim unto Potifar (He Whom The Ra Gave, Priest of the Bull), an officer of Pharaoh’s, [and] captain of the guard.

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Genesis 37

Genesis 37