Genesis 37:1-22 ▼

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land of Chanaan wherein his father sojourned.

2 And these are his generations: Joseph, when he was sixteen years old, was feeding the dock with his brethren, being but a boy: and he was with the sons of and of Zelpha his father's wives : and he accused his brethren to his father of a most wicked crime.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, because he had him in his old age: and he made him a coat of divers colours.

4 And his brethren seeing that he was loved by his father, more than all his sons, hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

5 Now it fell out also that he told his brethren a dream, that he had dreamed: which occasioned them to hate him the more.

6 And he said to them: Hear my dream which I dreamed.

7 I thought we were binding sheaves in the field: and my sheaf arose as it were, end stood, and your sheaves standing about, bowed down before my sheaf.

8 His brethren answered : Shalt thou be our king? or shall we be subject to thy dominion? Therefore this matter of his dreams and words ministered nourishment to their envy and hatred.

9 He dreamed also another dream, which he told his brethren, saying: I saw in a dream, as it were the sun, and the moon, and eleven stars worshipping me.

10 And when he had told this to his father and brethren, his father rebuked him, and said: What meaneth this dream that thou hast dreamed? shall I and thy mother, and thy brethren worship thee upon the earth?

11 His brethren therefore envied him: but his father considered the thing with himself.

12 And when his brethren abode in Sichem feeding their father's docks,

13 Israel said to him : Thy brethren feed the sheep in Sichem: come, I will send thee to them. And when he answered:

14 I am ready: he said to him: Go, and see if all things be well with thy brethren, and the cattle: and bring me word again what is doing. So being sent from the vale of Hebron, he came to Sichem:

15 And a man found him there wandering in the field, and asked what he sought.

16 But he answered: I seek my brethren; tell me where they feed the docks.

17 And the man said to him: They are departed from this place: for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothain. And Joseph went forward after his brethren, and found them in Dothain.

18 And when they saw him afar off, be- fore he came nigh them, they thought to kill him.

19 And said one to another: Behold the dreamer cometh.

20 Come, let us kill him, and cast him into some old pit : and we will say : Some evil beast hath devoured him: and then it shall appear what his dreams avail him :

21 And Ruben hearing this, endeavoured to deliver him out of their hands, end said:

22 Do not take away his life, nor shed his blood: but cast him into this pit, that is in the wilderness, and keep your hands harmless: now he said this, being desirous to deliver him out of their hands and to restore him to his father.