Genesis 37:18-28

Holman Christian Standard Bible

¹⁸ They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him.^{(A) 19} They said to one another, “Here comes that dreamer!^{[a] 20} Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”

²¹ When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them.^[b] He said, “Let’s not take his life.”^{(B) 22} Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him”—intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father.

²³ When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. ²⁴ Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ Then they sat down to eat a meal.^(C) They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead.^(D) Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.^(E)

²⁶ Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? ²⁷ Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and they agreed. ²⁸ When Midianite^(F) traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.^(G)