Joseph's Dreams

1And Jacob dwelt in the land where his father sojourned, in the land of Chanaan. 2And these are the generations of Jacob. And Joseph was seventeen years old, feeding the sheep of his father with his brethren, being young; with the sons of Balla, and with the sons of Zelpha, the wives of his father; and Joseph brought to Israel their father their evil reproach. 3And Jacob loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was to him the son of old age; and he made for him a coat of many colours. 4And his brethren having seen that his father loved him more than all his sons, hated him, and could not speak anything peaceable to him.

5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and reported it to his brethren. 6And he said to them, Hear this dream which I have dreamed. 7I thought ye were binding sheaves in the middle of the field, and my sheaf stood up and was erected, and your sheaves turned round, and did obeisance to my sheaf. 8And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us, or shalt thou indeed be lord over us? And they hated him still more for his dreams and for his words.

9And he dreamed another dream, and related it to his father, and to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream: as it were the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars did me reverence. 10And his father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream which thou hast dreamed? shall indeed both I and thy mother and thy brethren come and bow before thee to the earth? 11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Joseph Sold by his Brothers

12And his brethren went to feed the sheep of their father to Sychem. 13And Israel said to Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed their flock in Sychem? Come, I will send thee to them; and he said to him, Behold, I am here. 14And Israel said to him, Go and see if thy brethren and the sheep are well, and bring me word; and he sent him out of the valley of Chebron, and he came to Sychem.

15And a man found him wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 16And he said, I am seeking my brethren; tell me where they feed their flocks. 17And the man said to him, They have departed hence, for I heard them saying, Let us go to Dothaim; and Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothaim.

18And they spied him from a distance before he drew nigh to them, and they wickedly took counsel to slay him. 19And each said to his brother, Behold, that dreamer comes. 20Now then come, let us kill him, and cast him into one of the pits; and we will say, An evil wild beast has devoured him; and we shall see what his dreams will be. 21And Ruben having heard it, rescued him out of their hands, and said, Let us not kill him. 22And Ruben said to them, Shed not blood; cast him into one of these pits in the wilderness, but do not lay your hands upon him; that he might rescue him out of their hands, and restore him to his father. 23And it came to pass, when Joseph came to his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his many-coloured coat that was upon him. 24And they took him and cast him into the pit; and the pit was empty, it had not water.

25And they sat down to eat bread; and having lifted up their eyes they beheld, and lo, Ismaelitish travellers came from Galaad, and their camels were heavily loaded with spices, and resin, and myrrh; and they went to bring them to Egypt. 26And Judas said to his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27Come, let us sell him to these Ismaelites, but let not our hands be upon him, because he is our brother and our flesh; and his brethren hearkened. 28And the men, the merchants of Madian, went by, and they drew and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ismaelites for twenty pieces of gold; and they brought Joseph down into Egypt.

29And Ruben returned to the pit, and sees not Joseph in the pit; and he rent his garments. 30And he returned to his brethren and said, The boy is not; and I, whither am I yet to go?

Jacob Mourns Joseph

31And having taken the coat of Joseph, they slew a kid of the goats, and stained the coat with the blood. 32And they sent the coat of many colours; and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found; know if it be thy son's coat or no. 33And he recognised it, and said, It is my son's coat, an evil wild beast has devoured him; a wild beast has carried off Joseph. 34And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 35And all his sons and his daughters gathered themselves together, and came to comfort him; but he would not be comforted, saying, I will go down to my son mourning to Hades; and his father wept for him. 36And the Madianites sold Joseph into Egypt; to Petephres, the eunuch of Pharao, captain of the guard.