²⁰ “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns^(A) and say that a ferocious animal^(B) devoured him.^(C) Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”^(D)

²¹ When Reuben^(E) heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.^{(F) 22} “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern^(G) 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.^(H)

²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe^(I) he was wearing— ²⁴ and they took him and threw him into the cistern.^(J) 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^(K) coming from Gilead.^(L) Their camels were loaded with spices, balm^(M) and myrrh,^(N) and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.^(O)

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

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

²¹ They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.^(A) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress^(B) has come on us.”

²² Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?^(C) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting^(D) for his blood.”^(E)