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Genesis 37
International Children’s Bible

Joseph the Dreamer

37 Jacob lived in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived. 2 This is the family history of Jacob.

Joseph was a young man, 17 years old. He and his brothers cared for the flocks. His brothers were the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph gave his father bad reports about his brothers. 3 Joseph was born when his father Israel, also called Jacob, was old. So Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons. He made Joseph a special robe with long sleeves. 4 Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than he loved them. So they hated their brother and could not speak to him politely.

5 One time Joseph had a dream. When he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. 6 Joseph said, “Listen to the dream I had. 7 We were in the field tying bundles of wheat together. My bundle stood up, and your bundles of wheat gathered around mine. Your bundles bowed down to mine.”

8 His brothers said, “Do you really think you will be king over us? Do you truly think you will rule over us?” His brothers hated him even more now. They hated him because of his dreams and what he had said.

9 Then Joseph had another dream. He told his brothers about it also. He said, “Listen, I had another dream. I saw the sun, moon and 11 stars bowing down to me.”

10 Joseph also told his father about this dream. But his father scolded him, saying, “What kind of dream is this? Do you really believe that your mother, your brothers and I will bow down to you?” 11 Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him. But his father thought about what all these things could mean.

12 One day Joseph’s brothers went to Shechem to herd their father’s sheep. 13 Jacob said to Joseph, “Go to Shechem. Your brothers are there herding the sheep.”

Joseph answered, “I will go.”

14 His father said, “Go and see if your brothers and the sheep are all right. Then come back and tell me.” So Joseph’s father sent him from the Valley of Hebron.

When Joseph came to Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering in the field. He asked Joseph, “What are you looking for?”

16 Joseph answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are herding the sheep?”

17 The man said, “They have already gone. I heard them say they were going to Dothan.” So Joseph went to look for his brothers and found them in Dothan.

Joseph Sold into Slavery

18 Joseph’s brothers saw him coming from far away. Before he reached them, they made a plan to kill him. 19 They said to each other, “Here comes that dreamer. 20 Let’s kill him and throw his body into one of the wells. We can tell our father that a wild animal killed him. Then we will see what will become of his dreams.”

21 But Reuben heard their plan and saved Joseph. He said, “Let’s not kill him. 22 Don’t spill any blood. Throw him into this well here in the desert. But don’t hurt him!” Reuben planned to save Joseph later and send him back to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they pulled off his robe with long sleeves. 24 Then they threw him into the well. It was empty. There was no water in it.

25 While Joseph was in the well, the brothers sat down to eat. When they looked up, they saw a group of Ishmaelites. They were traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Their camels were carrying spices, balm and myrrh.

26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and hide his death? 27 Let’s sell him to these Ishmaelites. Then we will not be guilty of killing our own brother. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” And the other brothers agreed. 28 So when the Midianite traders came by, the brothers took Joseph out of the well. They sold him to the Ishmaelites for eight ounces of silver. And the Ishmaelites took him to Egypt.

29 Reuben was not with his brothers when they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites. When Reuben came back to the well, Joseph was not there. Reuben tore his clothes to show he was sad. 30 Then he went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! What will I do?” 31 The brothers killed a goat and dipped Joseph’s long-sleeved robe in its blood. 32 Then they brought the robe to their father. They said, “We found this robe. Look it over carefully. See if it is your son’s robe.”

33 Jacob looked it over and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some savage animal has eaten him. My son Joseph has been torn to pieces!” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes and put on rough cloth to show that he was sad. He continued to be sad about his son for a long time. 35 All of Jacob’s sons and daughters tried to comfort him. But he could not be comforted. Jacob said, “I will be sad about my son until the day I die.” So Jacob cried for his son Joseph.

36 Meanwhile the Midianites who had bought Joseph had taken him to Egypt. There they sold him to Potiphar. Potiphar was an officer to the king of Egypt and captain of the palace guard.

Listen to Genesis 37
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Genesis 37
New American Standard Bible 1995

Joseph’s Dream

37 Now Jacob lived in (A)the land [a]where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, when (B)seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with (C)the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a (D)bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was (E)the son of his old age; and he made him a [b](F)varicolored tunic. 4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they (G)hated him and could not speak to him [c]on friendly terms.

5 Then Joseph [d](H)had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have [e]had; 7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and (I)bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 Then his brothers said to him, “(J)Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Now he [f]had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have [g]had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have [h]had? Shall I and your mother and (K)your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?” 11 (L)His brothers were jealous of him, but his father (M)kept the saying in mind.

12 Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in (N)Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “[i]I will go.” 14 Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of (O)Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15 A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, “[j]What are you looking for?” 16 He said, “I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 Then the man said, “They have moved from here; for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to (P)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

The Plot against Joseph

18 [k]When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they (Q)plotted against him to put him to death. 19 They said to one another, “[l]Here comes this dreamer! 20 Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and (R)we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” 21 But (S)Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not [m]take his life.” 22 Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father. 23 So it came about, when Joseph [n]reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his [o]tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat [p]a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of (T)Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing [q](U)aromatic gum and [r](V)balm and [s]myrrh, [t]on their way to bring them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and (W)cover up his blood? 27 (X)Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then some (Y)Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and (Z)sold [u]him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus (AA)they brought Joseph into Egypt.

29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he (AB)tore his garments. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “(AC)The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?” 31 So (AD)they took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood; 32 and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please [v]examine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not.” 33 Then he [w]examined it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. (AE)A wild beast has devoured him; (AF)Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 34 So Jacob (AG)tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will (AH)go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile, the [x]Midianites (AI)sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:1 Lit of his father’s sojournings
  2. Genesis 37:3 Or full-length robe
  3. Genesis 37:4 Lit in peace
  4. Genesis 37:5 Lit dreamed
  5. Genesis 37:6 Lit dreamed
  6. Genesis 37:9 Lit dreamed
  7. Genesis 37:9 Lit dreamed
  8. Genesis 37:10 Lit dreamed
  9. Genesis 37:13 Lit Behold me
  10. Genesis 37:15 Lit saying, “What...?”
  11. Genesis 37:18 Or And
  12. Genesis 37:19 Lit Behold, this master of dreams comes
  13. Genesis 37:21 Lit smite his soul
  14. Genesis 37:23 Lit came to
  15. Genesis 37:23 Or full-length robe
  16. Genesis 37:25 Lit bread
  17. Genesis 37:25 Or ladanum spice
  18. Genesis 37:25 Or mastic
  19. Genesis 37:25 Or resinous bark
  20. Genesis 37:25 Lit going
  21. Genesis 37:28 Lit Joseph
  22. Genesis 37:32 Or recognize
  23. Genesis 37:33 Or recognized
  24. Genesis 37:36 Lit Medanites
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Genesis 36
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