This is the account(A) of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph,(B) a young man of seventeen,(C) was tending the flocks(D) with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah(E) and the sons of Zilpah,(F) his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report(G) about them.

Now Israel(H) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,(I) because he had been born to him in his old age;(J) and he made an ornate[a] robe(K) for him.(L) When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him(M) and could not speak a kind word to him.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verses 23 and 32.

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

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17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.(A)’”

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.(B)

19 “Here comes that dreamer!(C)” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns(D) and say that a ferocious animal(E) devoured him.(F) Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”(G)

21 When Reuben(H) heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.(I) 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern(J) here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.(K)

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe(L) he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern.(M) The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

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17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.

22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

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