Genesis 37:23-36

English Standard Version

²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, ^(A)the robe of many colors that he wore. ²⁴ And they took him and ^(B)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 ^(C)caravan of ^(D)Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing ^(E)gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶ Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it ^(F)if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷ Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and ^(G)let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. ²⁸ Then ^(H)Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and ^(I)sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels^[a] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

²⁹ When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he ^(J)tore his clothes ³⁰ and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy ^(K)is gone, and I, where shall I go?” ³¹ Then they took ^(L)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. ^(M)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 ^(N)rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, ^(O)I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. ³⁶ Meanwhile ^(P)the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, ^(Q)the captain of the guard.