Génesis 37
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
José y sus hermanos
37 Jacob habitó en la tierra donde había peregrinado su padre[a], en la tierra de Canaán(A). 2 Esta es la historia de las generaciones de Jacob:
Cuando José tenía diecisiete años(B), apacentaba el rebaño con sus hermanos. El joven estaba con los hijos de Bilha y con los hijos de Zilpa(C), mujeres de su padre. Y José trajo a su padre malos informes sobre ellos(D). 3 Israel amaba a José más que a todos sus hijos, porque era para él el hijo de su vejez(E); y le hizo una túnica de muchos colores[b](F). 4 Y sus hermanos vieron que su padre amaba más a José que a todos ellos; por eso lo odiaban y no podían hablarle amistosamente[c](G).
Sueños de José
5 José tuvo[d] un sueño(H) y cuando se lo contó a sus hermanos, ellos lo odiaron aún más. 6 Y él les dijo: «Les ruego que escuchen este sueño que he tenido[e]. 7 Estábamos atando gavillas en medio del campo, y sucedió que mi gavilla se levantó y se puso derecha, y entonces las gavillas de ustedes se ponían alrededor y se inclinaban hacia mi gavilla(I)».
8 Y sus hermanos le dijeron: «¿Acaso reinarás sobre nosotros? ¿O acaso te enseñorearás sobre nosotros(J)?». Y lo odiaron aún más por causa de sus sueños y de sus palabras.
9 José tuvo[f] también otro sueño, y se lo contó a sus hermanos, diciendo[g]: «He tenido[h] otro sueño; y el sol, la luna y once estrellas se inclinaban ante mí». 10 Cuando se lo contó a su padre y a sus hermanos, su padre lo reprendió, y le dijo: «¿Qué es este sueño que has tenido[i]? ¿Acaso yo, tu madre y tus hermanos vendremos a inclinarnos hasta el suelo ante ti(K)?».
11 Sus hermanos le tenían envidia(L), pero su padre reflexionaba sobre[j] lo que se había dicho(M).
José va en busca de sus hermanos
12 Después sus hermanos fueron a apacentar el rebaño de su padre en Siquem. 13 Israel dijo a José: «¿No están tus hermanos apacentando el rebaño en Siquem(N)? Ven, y te voy a enviar a ellos». «Iré[k]», le dijo José.
14 Entonces Israel le dijo: «Ve ahora y mira cómo están tus hermanos y cómo está el rebaño, y tráeme noticias de ellos». Lo envió, pues, desde el valle de Hebrón(O), y José fue a Siquem. 15 Estando él dando vueltas por el campo, un hombre lo encontró, y el hombre le preguntó: «¿Qué buscas?». 16 «Busco a mis hermanos», respondió José; «le ruego que me informe dónde están apacentando el rebaño». 17 «Se han ido de aquí», le contestó el hombre, «pues yo les oí decir: “Vamos a Dotán(P)”». Entonces José fue tras sus hermanos y los encontró en Dotán.
Complot de los hermanos de José
18 Cuando ellos lo vieron de lejos, y antes que se les acercara, tramaron contra él para matarlo(Q). 19 Y se dijeron unos a otros: «Aquí viene el soñador[l]. 20 Ahora pues, vengan, matémoslo y arrojémoslo a uno de los pozos; y diremos: “Una fiera lo devoró(R)”. Entonces veremos en qué quedan sus sueños».
21 Pero Rubén oyó esto y lo libró de sus manos, y dijo: «No le quitemos la vida[m](S)». 22 Rubén les dijo además: «No derramen sangre. Échenlo en este pozo del[n] desierto, pero no le pongan la mano encima». Esto dijo para poder librarlo de las manos de ellos y devolverlo a su padre.
23 Y cuando José llegó a sus hermanos, lo despojaron de su túnica[o], la túnica de muchos colores que llevaba puesta. 24 Lo tomaron y lo echaron en el pozo. El pozo estaba vacío, no había agua en él.
José vendido como esclavo
25 Entonces se sentaron a comer[p], y cuando levantaron los ojos, vieron una caravana de ismaelitas(T) que venía de Galaad con sus camellos cargados de resina aromática(U), bálsamo(V) y mirra, e iban bajando hacia Egipto. 26 Y Judá dijo a sus hermanos: «¿Qué ganaremos con matar a nuestro hermano y ocultar su sangre(W)? 27 Vengan, vendámoslo a los ismaelitas y no pongamos las[q] manos sobre él(X), pues es nuestro hermano, carne nuestra». Y sus hermanos le hicieron caso[r].
28 Pasaron entonces los mercaderes madianitas(Y), y ellos sacaron a José, subiéndolo del pozo, y vendieron a José a los ismaelitas por veinte monedas de plata(Z). Y estos se llevaron a José a Egipto(AA).
Jacob llora a José
29 Cuando Rubén volvió al pozo, José ya no estaba en el pozo. Entonces rasgó sus vestidos(AB); 30 y volvió a sus hermanos y les dijo: «El muchacho no está allí(AC); y yo, ¿adónde iré[s]?».
31 Así que tomaron la túnica de José(AD), mataron un macho cabrío, y empaparon la túnica en la sangre. 32 Entonces enviaron la túnica de muchos colores y la llevaron a su padre, y dijeron: «Encontramos esto. Te rogamos que lo examines[t] para ver si es la túnica de tu hijo o no». 33 Él la examinó[u], y dijo: «Es la túnica de mi hijo. Una fiera lo ha devorado(AE). Sin duda José ha sido despedazado(AF)». 34 Jacob rasgó sus vestidos(AG), puso cilicio sobre sus lomos y estuvo de duelo por su hijo muchos días.
35 Todos sus hijos y todas sus hijas vinieron[v] para consolarlo, pero él rehusó ser consolado, y dijo: «Ciertamente enlutado bajaré al Seol[w] por causa de mi hijo(AH)». Y su padre lloró por él. 36 Mientras tanto, los madianitas[x] lo vendieron en Egipto a Potifar(AI), oficial de Faraón, capitán de la guardia.
Footnotes
- 37:1 Lit. de las peregrinaciones de su padre.
- 37:3 O túnica larga.
- 37:4 Lit. en paz.
- 37:5 Lit. soñó.
- 37:6 Lit. soñado.
- 37:9 Lit. Soñó.
- 37:9 Lit. y dijo.
- 37:9 Lit. soñado.
- 37:10 Lit. soñado.
- 37:11 Lit. guardaba.
- 37:13 Lit. Heme aquí.
- 37:19 Lit. Vean, este experto en sueños viene.
- 37:21 Lit. No hiramos su alma.
- 37:22 Lit. que está en el.
- 37:23 O túnica larga.
- 37:25 Lit. a comer pan.
- 37:27 Lit. y no sean nuestras.
- 37:27 Lit. escucharon.
- 37:30 Lit. iré yo.
- 37:32 O reconozcas.
- 37:33 Lit. reconoció.
- 37:35 Lit. se levantaron.
- 37:35 I.e. región de los muertos.
- 37:36 Lit. Medanitas.
Genesis 37
English Standard Version
Joseph's Dreams
37 Jacob lived in (A)the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought (B)a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was (C)the son of his old age. And he made him (D)a robe of many colors.[a] 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, (E)my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and (F)bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and (G)your mother and your brothers indeed come (H)to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And (I)his brothers were jealous of him, (J)but his father kept the saying in mind.
Joseph Sold by His Brothers
12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near (K)Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of (L)Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to (M)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at (N)Dothan.
18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them (O)they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, (P)let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.[b] Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when (Q)Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—(R)that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, (S)the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and (T)threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a (U)caravan of (V)Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing (W)gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it (X)if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and (Y)let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then (Z)Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and (AA)sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels[c] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he (AB)tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy (AC)is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took (AD)Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son's robe. (AE)A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters (AF)rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, (AG)I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile (AH)the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, (AI)the captain of the guard.
Footnotes
- Genesis 37:3 See Septuagint, Vulgate; or (with Syriac) a robe with long sleeves. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain; also verses 23, 32
- Genesis 37:20 Or cisterns; also verses 22, 24
- Genesis 37:28 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
Genesis 37
New King James Version
Joseph Dreams of Greatness
37 Now Jacob dwelt in the land (A)where his father was a [a]stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 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.
3 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. 4 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.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 (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.”
8 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.
9 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
- Genesis 37:1 sojourner, temporary resident
- Genesis 37:19 Lit. master of dreams
- Genesis 37:36 MT Medanites
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
