JPS - Genesis - 37

37:1  And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

37:2  These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being still a lad even with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil report of them unto their father.

37:3  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.

37:4  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.

37:5  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more.

37:6  And he said unto them: 'Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

37:7  for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came round about, and bowed down to my sheaf.'

37:8  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.

37:9  And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said: 'Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.'

37:10  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 to thee to the earth?'

37:11  And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.

37:12  And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

37:13  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.'

37:14  And he said to him: 'Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren, and well with the flock; and bring me back word.' So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

37:15  And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying: 'What seekest thou?'

37:16  And he said: 'I seek my brethren. Tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding the flock.'

37:17  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.

37:18  And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

37:19  And they said one to another: 'Behold, this dreamer cometh.

37:20  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say: An evil beast hath devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams.'

37:21  And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand; and said: 'Let us not take his life.'

37:22  And Reuben said unto them: 'Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him' --that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

37:23  And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colours that was on him;

37:24  and they took him, and cast him into the pit--and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

37:25  And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and ladanum, going to carry it down to Egypt.

37:26  And Judah said unto his brethren: 'What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?

37:27  Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh.' And his brethren hearkened unto him.

37:28  And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt.

37:29  And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

37:30  And he returned unto his brethren, and said: 'The child is not; and as for me, whither shall I go?'

37:31  And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood;

37:32  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 is thy son's coat or not.'

37:33  And he knew it, and said: 'It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.'

37:34  And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

37:35  And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said: 'Nay, but I will go down to the grave to my son mourning.' And his father wept for him.

37:36  And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard.