Genesis 37

1Iaakob nowe dwelt in the lande, wherein his father was a stranger, in the lande of Canaan.

2These are the generations of Iaakob, when Ioseph was seuenteene yeere olde: he kept sheepe with his brethren, and the childe was with the sonnes of Bilhah, and with the sonnes of Zilpah, his fathers wiues. And Ioseph brought vnto their father their euill saying.

3Nowe Israel loued Ioseph more then all his sonnes, because he begate him in his old age, and he made him a coat of many colours.

4So when his brethren sawe that their father loued him more then all his brethren, then they hated him, and could not speake peaceably vnto him.

5And Ioseph dreamed a dreame, and told his brethren, who hated him so much the more.

6For he saide vnto them, Heare, I pray you, this dreame which I haue dreamed.

7Beholde nowe, wee were binding sheues in the middes of the field: and loe, my shefe arose and also stoode vpright, and behold, your sheues compassed rounde about, and did reuerence to my shefe.

8Then his brethren saide to him, What, shalt thou reigne ouer vs, and rule vs? or shalt thou haue altogether dominion ouer vs? And they hated him so much the more, for his dreames, and for his wordes.

9Againe hee dreamed an other dreame, and tolde it his brethren, and saide, Behold, I haue had one dreame more, and beholde, the Sunne and the Moone and eleuen starres did reuerence to me.

10Then he tolde it vnto his father and to his brethren, and his father rebuked him, and saide vnto him, What is this dreame, which thou hast dreamed? shall I, and thy mother, and thy brethren come in deede and fall on the ground before thee?

11And his brethren enuied him, but his father noted the saying.

12Then his brethren went to keepe their fathers sheepe in Shechem.

13And Israel said vnto Ioseph, Doe not thy brethren keepe in Shechem? come and I will send thee to them.

14And he answered him, I am here. Then he saide vnto him, Goe now, see whether it bee well with thy brethren, and how the flocks prosper, and bring me word againe. so hee sent him from the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15Then a man found him: for lo, hee was wandring in the fielde, and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

16And he answered, I seeke my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they keepe sheepe.

17And the man said, they are departed hece: for I heard them say, Let vs goe vnto Dothan. Then went Ioseph after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18And when they sawe him a farre off, euen before he came at them, they conspired against him for to slay him.

19For they sayd one to another, Behold, this dreamer commeth.

20Come now therefore, and let vs slay him, and cast him into some pitte, and wee will say, A wicked beast hath deuoured him: then wee shall see, what will come of his dreames.

21But when Reuben heard that, he deliuered him out of their handes, and saide, Let vs not kill him.

22Also Reuben saide vnto them, Shed not blood, but cast him into this pitte that is in the wildernesse, and lay no hande vpon him. Thus he said, that he might deliuer him out of their hand, and restore him to his father againe.

23Now when Ioseph was come vnto his brethren, they stript Ioseph out of his coate, his particoloured coate that was vpon him.

24And they tooke him, and cast him into a pit, and the pit was emptie, without water in it.

25Then they sate them downe to eate bread: and they lift vp their eyes and looked, and behold, there came a companie of Ishmeelites from Gilead, and their camels laden with spicerie, and balme, and myrrhe, and were going to cary it downe into Egypt.

26Then Iudah said vnto his brethren, What auaileth it, if we slay our brother, though wee keepe his blood secret?

27Come and let vs sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our handes be vpon him: for he is our brother and our flesh: and his brethren obeyed.

28Then the Midianites marchant men passed by, and they drewe foorth, and lift Ioseph out of the pit, and solde Ioseph vnto the Ishmeelites for twentie pieces of siluer: who brought Ioseph into Egypt.

29Afterwarde Reuben returned to the pit, and beholde, Ioseph was not in the pit: then he rent his clothes,

30And returned to his brethren, and said, The childe is not yonder, and I, whither shall I goe?

31And they tooke Iosephs coate, and killed a kidde of the goates, and dipped the coate in the blood.

32So they sent that particoloured coat, and they brought it vnto their father, and saide, This haue we founde: see nowe, whether it be thy sonnes coate, or no.

33Then he knewe it and said, It is my sonnes coate: a wicked beast hath deuoured him: Ioseph is surely torne in pieces.

34And Iaakob rent his clothes, and put sackecloth about his loynes, and sorowed for his sonne a long season.

35Then all his sonnes and all his daughters rose vp to comfort him, but he woulde not be comforted, but said, Surely I will go downe into the graue vnto my sonne mourning: so his father wept for him.

36And the Midianites solde him into Egypt vnto Potiphar an Eunuche of Pharaohs, and his chiefe stewarde.