¹⁸ But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.^(A)

¹⁹ “Here comes that dreamer!^(B)” they said to each other. ²⁰ “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns^(C) and say that a ferocious animal^(D) devoured him.^(E) Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”^(F)

²¹ When Reuben^(G) heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.^{(H) 22} “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern^(I) here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.^(J)

²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe^(K) he was wearing— ²⁴ and they took him and threw him into the cistern.^(L) The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites^(M) coming from Gilead.^(N) Their camels were loaded with spices, balm^(O) and myrrh,^(P) and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.^(Q)

²⁶ Judah^(R) said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?^{(S) 27} Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother,^(T) our own flesh and blood.^(U)” His brothers agreed.

²⁸ So when the Midianite^(V) merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern^(W) and sold^(X) him for twenty shekels^[a] of silver^(Y) to the Ishmaelites,^(Z) who took him to Egypt.^(AA)

²⁹ When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.^{(AB) 30} He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”^(AC)

³¹ Then they got Joseph’s robe,^(AD) slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.^{(AE) 32} They took the ornate robe^(AF) back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”

³³ He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal^(AG) has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”^(AH)

³⁴ Then Jacob tore his clothes,^(AI) put on sackcloth^(AJ) and mourned for his son many days.^{(AK) 35} All his sons and daughters came to comfort him,^(AL) but he refused to be comforted.^(AM) “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son^(AN) in the grave.^(AO)” So his father wept for him.

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge^(A) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”^{(B) 16} So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions^(C) before he died: ¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins^(D) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’^(E) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.^(F)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.^(G)

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.^(H) “We are your slaves,”^(I) they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^{(J) 20} You intended to harm me,^(K) but God intended^(L) it for good^(M) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^{(N) 21} So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(O)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(P) to them.