Genesis 37:1-22 ▼

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

2 These 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; Ioseph brought vnto their father their euill saying.

3 Nowe 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.

4 So 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.

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

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

7 Beholde 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.

8 Then 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.

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

10 Then 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? Shal I, and thy mother, & thy brethren come in deede & fall on the ground before thee?

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

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

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

14 And 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.

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

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

17 And 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.

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

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

20 Come 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.

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

22 Also 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.