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约瑟和他的兄弟

37 雅各住在他父亲寄居的地方,就是迦南地。 雅各的历史记在下面:约瑟十七岁的时候,与他的哥哥们一同牧羊。他是个孩童,与他父亲的妾,辟拉和悉帕的众子,常在一起。约瑟把他们的恶行报告给父亲。 以色列爱约瑟过于爱其他的儿子,因为约瑟是他年老时生的。他给约瑟做了一件彩色长衣。 约瑟的哥哥们见父亲爱约瑟过于爱他们,就恨约瑟,不能与他和和气气地说话。

约瑟的梦

约瑟作了一个梦,把梦告诉哥哥们,他们就越发恨他。 约瑟对他们说:“请听我所作的这个梦: 我们正在田间捆麦子,我的麦捆忽然站立起来,你们的麦捆都来围着我的下拜。” 他的哥哥们对他说:“你真的要作我们的王吗?真的要管辖我们吗?”他们就为了约瑟的梦和他的话,越发恨他。 后来约瑟又作了一个梦,也把梦向哥哥们述说了。他说:“我又作了一个梦,我梦见太阳、月亮和十一颗星向我下拜。” 10 约瑟把梦向他父亲和哥哥们述说了,他父亲就斥责他,说:“你所作的这梦是甚么梦呢?我和你母亲,以及你的兄弟,真的要来俯伏在地向你下拜吗?” 11 他哥哥们都嫉妒他,他父亲却把这事记在心里。

约瑟被卖到埃及

12 约瑟的哥哥们去了示剑,牧放他们父亲的羊群。 13 以色列对约瑟说:“你的哥哥们不是在示剑牧放羊群吗?来吧,我要派你到他们那里去。”约瑟回答他:“我在这里。” 14 以色列对他说:“你去看看你的哥哥们是不是平安,羊群是不是平安,就回来告诉我。”于是打发他离开希伯仑谷,他就到示剑去了。 15 有人遇见约瑟在田间迷了路,就问他说:“你找甚么?” 16 他回答:“我正在找我的哥哥们,请你告诉我他们在哪里牧放羊群。” 17 那人说:“他们已经离开了这里;我听见他们说:‘我们要到多坍去。’”于是约瑟去追寻哥哥们,结果在多坍找到了他们。

18 他们远远就看见了他;趁他还没有走近,大家就谋害他,要把他杀死。 19 他们彼此说:“看哪,那作梦的人来了。 20 来吧,我们把他杀了,丢在一个枯井里,就说有猛兽把他吃了。我们要看看他的梦将来要怎么样。” 21 流本听见了,要救约瑟脱离他们的手。他说:“我们不可取他的性命。” 22 流本又对他们说:“不可流他的血,可以把他丢在这旷野的枯井里,不可下手害他。”流本的意思是要救他脱离他们的手,把他带回去给他的父亲。 23 约瑟到了哥哥们那里,他们就脱去他的外衣,就是他穿在身上的那件彩衣。 24 他们拿住约瑟,把他丢在枯井里。那井是空的,里面没有水。

25 他们坐下吃饭,举目观看,见有一群以实玛利人从基列来。他们的骆驼载着香料、乳香和没药,要带下埃及去。 26 犹大对他的众兄弟说:“我们杀了我们的兄弟,把他的血隐藏起来,究竟有甚么益处呢? 27 我们不如把他卖给以实玛利人,不要下手害他,因为他是我们的兄弟,我们的骨肉。”众兄弟就听从了他。 28 有些米甸的商人经过那里,约瑟的哥哥们就把约瑟从枯井里拉上来,以二十块银子把他卖给以实玛利人。以实玛利人就把约瑟带到埃及去了。

29 流本回到枯井那里,见约瑟不在井里,就撕裂自己的衣服。 30 他回到兄弟们那里去,说:“孩子不见了,我可到哪里去呢?” 31 于是,他们宰了一只公山羊,把约瑟的长衣蘸在血里; 32 然后打发人把彩衣送到他们父亲那里,说:“这是我们找到的。请你认一认,是你儿子的长衣不是?” 33 他认出这件长衣,就说:“是我儿子的长衣,有猛兽把他吃了。约瑟真的被撕碎了。” 34 雅各就撕裂自己的衣服,腰束麻布,为他儿子哀悼了很多日子。 35 他所有的儿女都起来安慰他,他却不肯接受他们的安慰,说:“我要悲悲哀哀地下到阴间,到我的儿子那里去。”约瑟的父亲就为他哀哭。 36 米甸人后来把约瑟卖到埃及去,卖给法老的一个臣宰,军长波提乏。

37 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

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

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.

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.

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

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

For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

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.

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

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 ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

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

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.

14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

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

16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

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.

18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

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

20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.

22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

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

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

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

27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

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

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

30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

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 be thy son's coat or no.

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

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

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

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

Joseph Dreams of Greatness

37 Now Jacob dwelt in the land (A)where his father was a [a]stranger, in the land of Canaan. This is the history of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought (B)a bad report of them to his father.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was (C)the son of his old age. Also he (D)made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they (E)hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: (F)There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, (G)the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and (H)your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And (I)his brothers envied him, but his father (J)kept the matter in mind.

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in (K)Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.”

So he said to him, “Here I am.”

14 Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of (L)Hebron, and he went to Shechem.

15 Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”

16 So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. (M)Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.

17 And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in (N)Dothan.

18 Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, (O)they conspired against him to kill him. 19 Then they said to one another, “Look, this [b]dreamer is coming! 20 (P)Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!”

21 But (Q)Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.

23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they (R)stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25 (S)And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of (T)Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, (U)balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. 26 So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and (V)conceal his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and (W)let not our hand be upon him, for he is (X)our brother and (Y)our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28 Then (Z)Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, (AA)and sold him to the Ishmaelites for (AB)twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

29 Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he (AC)tore his clothes. 30 And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad (AD)is no more; and I, where shall I go?”

31 So they took (AE)Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 32 Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?”

33 And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A (AF)wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob (AG)tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and (AH)mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters (AI)arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For (AJ)I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

36 Now (AK)the [c]Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:1 sojourner, temporary resident
  2. Genesis 37:19 Lit. master of dreams
  3. Genesis 37:36 MT Medanites