Genesis 37:18-20

Amplified Bible

The Plot against Joseph

¹⁸And when they saw him from a distance, even before he came close to them, they plotted to kill him. ¹⁹They said to one another, “Look, here comes this ^[a]dreamer. ²⁰Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the ^[b]pits (cisterns, underground water storage); then we will say [to our father], ‘A wild animal killed and devoured him’; and we shall see what will become of his dreams!”

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Footnotes

Genesis 37:19 Lit master of dreams.
Genesis 37:20 These were earthen tanks that were dug or carved into rocky ground (perhaps limestone), designed to collect rainwater in the desert during winters. Some were cavernous, with a staircase carved into one of the walls for access to the bottom. The cistern selected by Joseph’s brothers must have been deep enough to make escape very difficult for someone of his size, but constructed without a staircase or other means of access (other than a rope).