²⁰ Now then, come, let us kill him and throw him in one of the pits. Then we will say a wild animal devoured him. Then we will see what his dreams become.” ²¹ And Reuben heard it and delivered him from their hand and said, “We must not take his life.” ²² And Reuben said to them, “You must not shed blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the desert, but do not lay a hand on him”—so that he might rescue him from their hand to return him to his father. ²³ And it happened that as Joseph came to his brothers they stripped Joseph of his robe, the robe with long sleeves,^[a] that was upon him. ²⁴ And they took him and threw him into the pit (the pit was empty; there was no water in it). ²⁵ Then they sat down to eat some food. And they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead. And their camels were carrying aromatic gum and balm and spices on the way^[b] to Egypt. ²⁶ Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷ Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but our hand shall not be against him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. ²⁸ Then Midianite traders passed by. And they^[c] drew Joseph up and brought him up from the pit, and they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph to Egypt. ²⁹ Then Reuben returned to the pit and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit. And he tore his clothes.