22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern(A) 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.(B)

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe(C) he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern.(D) 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(E) coming from Gilead.(F) Their camels were loaded with spices, balm(G) and myrrh,(H) and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.(I)

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

28 So when the Midianite(N) merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern(O) and sold(P) him for twenty shekels[a] of silver(Q) to the Ishmaelites,(R) who took him to Egypt.(S)

29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.(T)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:28 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,(A) and I will bring him back.”(B)

38 But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead(C) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him(D) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(E) in sorrow.(F)

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