Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had resided, the land of Canaan.

1Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

2This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.

3Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.

3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

4When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

4But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

5Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.

5Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

6He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:

6He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed:

7We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”

7Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8“Do you intend to reign over us?” his brothers asked. “Will you actually rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and his statements.

8His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9Then Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

9Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that you have had? Will your mother and brothers and I actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”

10But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”

11And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.

11And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

12Some time later, Joseph’s brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks near Shechem.

12Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem.

13Israel said to him, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flocks at Shechem? Get ready; I am sending you to them.” “I am ready,” Joseph replied.

13And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.”

14Then Israel told him, “Go now and see how your brothers and the flocks are faring, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. And when Joseph arrived in Shechem,

14So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15a man found him wandering in the field and asked, “What are you looking for?”

15And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?”

16“I am looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Can you please tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”

16“I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.”

17“They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

17And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.

18They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

19“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.

19They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.

20“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”

20Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”

21When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.

21But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”

22“Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father.

22And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.

23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing—

23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.

24and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.

24And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.

25Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

26Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?

26Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed.

27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.

28So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

28Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,

29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes

30returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”

30and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?”

31Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood.

31Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

32They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

32And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

33His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”

33And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.”

34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

34Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

35All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

35All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

36Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

36Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

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ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.