Genesis 37:21-24 ▼

21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph from their hands, saying, |Let's not take his life!|

22 Reuben continued, |Don't shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don't lay a hand on him.| (Reuben said this so he could rescue Joseph from them and take him back to his father.)

23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore.

24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.)