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

28 So when the Midianite(E) merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern(F) and sold(G) him for twenty shekels[a] of silver(H) to the Ishmaelites,(I) who took him to Egypt.(J)

29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.(K) 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”(L)

31 Then they got Joseph’s robe,(M) slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.(N) 32 They took the ornate robe(O) back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”

33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal(P) has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”(Q)

34 Then Jacob tore his clothes,(R) put on sackcloth(S) and mourned for his son many days.(T) 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him,(U) but he refused to be comforted.(V) “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son(W) in the grave.(X)” So his father wept for him.

36 Meanwhile, the Midianites[b](Y) sold Joseph(Z) in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:28 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams
  2. Genesis 37:36 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also verse 28); Masoretic Text Medanites

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