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Hebrew Study Bible

1But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, in the land of Canaan.

1וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּאֶ֖רֶץ מְגוּרֵ֣י אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֖רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃

2This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.

2אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֗ב יוֹסֵ֞ף בֶּן־ שְׁבַֽע־ עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֨ה רֹעֶ֤ה אֶת־ אֶחָיו֙ בַּצֹּ֔אן וְה֣וּא נַ֗עַר אֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָ֛ה וְאֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י זִלְפָּ֖ה נְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־ דִּבָּתָ֥ם רָעָ֖ה אֶל־ אֲבִיהֶֽם׃

3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him.

3וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־ יוֹסֵף֙ מִכָּל־ בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־ בֶן־ זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃

4When Joseph's brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly.

4וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־ אֹת֞וֹ אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכָּל־ אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃

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

5וַיַּחֲלֹ֤ם יוֹסֵף֙ חֲל֔וֹם וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאֶחָ֑יו וַיּוֹסִ֥פוּ ע֖וֹד שְׂנֹ֥א אֹתֽוֹ׃

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

6וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם שִׁמְעוּ־ נָ֕א הַחֲל֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלָֽמְתִּי׃

7There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!"

7וְ֠הִנֵּה אֲנַ֜חְנוּ מְאַלְּמִ֤ים אֲלֻמִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה קָ֥מָה אֲלֻמָּתִ֖י וְגַם־ נִצָּ֑בָה וְהִנֵּ֤ה תְסֻבֶּ֙ינָה֙ אֲלֻמֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִֽי׃

8Then his brothers asked him, "Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?" They hated him even more because of his dream and because of what he said.

8וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ אֶחָ֔יו הֲמָלֹ֤ךְ תִּמְלֹךְ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אִם־ מָשׁ֥וֹל תִּמְשֹׁ֖ל בָּ֑נוּ וַיּוֹסִ֤פוּ עוֹד֙ שְׂנֹ֣א אֹת֔וֹ עַל־ חֲלֹמֹתָ֖יו וְעַל־ דְּבָרָֽיו׃

9Then he had another dream, and told it to his brothers. "Look," he said. "I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

9וַיַּחֲלֹ֥ם עוֹד֙ חֲל֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וַיְסַפֵּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ לְאֶחָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֨ה חָלַ֤מְתִּֽי חֲלוֹם֙ ע֔וֹד וְהִנֵּ֧ה הַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵ֗חַ וְאַחַ֤ד עָשָׂר֙ כּֽוֹכָבִ֔ים מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֖ים לִֽי׃

10When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, "What is this dream that you had? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?"

10וַיְסַפֵּ֣ר אֶל־ אָבִיו֮ וְאֶל־ אֶחָיו֒ וַיִּגְעַר־ בּ֣וֹ אָבִ֔יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָ֛ה הַחֲל֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָלָ֑מְתָּ הֲב֣וֹא נָב֗וֹא אֲנִי֙ וְאִמְּךָ֣ וְאַחֶ֔יךָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת לְךָ֖ אָֽרְצָה׃

11His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said.

11וַיְקַנְאוּ־ ב֖וֹ אֶחָ֑יו וְאָבִ֖יו שָׁמַ֥ר אֶת־ הַדָּבָֽר׃

12When his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem,

12וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶחָ֑יו לִרְע֛וֹת אֶׄתׄ־ צֹ֥אן‪‬ אֲבִיהֶ֖ם בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃

13Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them." "I'm ready," Joseph replied.

13וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־ יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹעִ֣ים בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם לְכָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ הִנֵּֽנִי׃

14So Jacob said to him, "Go now and check on the welfare of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word." So Jacob sent him from the valley of Hebron.

14וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ לֶךְ־ נָ֨א רְאֵ֜ה אֶת־ שְׁל֤וֹם אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־ שְׁל֣וֹם הַצֹּ֔אן וַהֲשִׁבֵ֖נִי דָּבָ֑ר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֙הוּ֙ מֵעֵ֣מֶק חֶבְר֔וֹן וַיָּבֹ֖א שְׁכֶֽמָה׃

15When Joseph reached Shechem, a man found him wandering in the field, so the man asked him, "What are you looking for?"

15וַיִּמְצָאֵ֣הוּ אִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תֹעֶ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֧הוּ הָאִ֛ישׁ לֵאמֹ֖ר מַה־ תְּבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

16He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Please tell me where they are grazing their flocks."

16וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־ אַחַ֖י אָנֹכִ֣י מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ הַגִּֽידָה־ נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵיפֹ֖ה הֵ֥ם רֹעִֽים׃

17The man said, "They left this area, for I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

17וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ נָסְע֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה דֹּתָ֑יְנָה וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ יוֹסֵף֙ אַחַ֣ר אֶחָ֔יו וַיִּמְצָאֵ֖ם בְּדֹתָֽן׃

18Now Joseph's brothers saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

18וַיִּרְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק וּבְטֶ֙רֶם֙ יִקְרַ֣ב אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃

19They said to one another, "Here comes this master of dreams!

19וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־ אָחִ֑יו הִנֵּ֗ה בַּ֛עַל הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַלָּזֶ֖ה בָּֽא׃

20Come now, let's kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild animal ate him. Then we'll see how his dreams turn out!"

20וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ לְכ֣וּ וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַבֹּר֔וֹת וְאָמַ֕רְנוּ חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ וְנִרְאֶ֕ה מַה־ יִּהְי֖וּ חֲלֹמֹתָֽיו׃

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

21וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיַּצִּלֵ֖הוּ מִיָּדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א נַכֶּ֖נּוּ נָֽפֶשׁ׃

22Reuben 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.)

22וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֣ם ׀ רְאוּבֵן֮ אַל־ תִּשְׁפְּכוּ־ דָם֒ הַשְׁלִ֣יכוּ אֹת֗וֹ אֶל־ הַבּ֤וֹר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְיָ֖ד אַל־ תִּשְׁלְחוּ־ ב֑וֹ לְמַ֗עַן הַצִּ֤יל אֹתוֹ֙ מִיָּדָ֔ם לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ אֶל־ אָבִֽיו׃

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

23וַֽיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־ אֶחָ֑יו וַיַּפְשִׁ֤יטוּ אֶת־ יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־ כֻּתָּנְתּ֔וֹ אֶת־ כְּתֹ֥נֶת הַפַּסִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃

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

24וַיִּ֨קָּחֻ֔הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֥כוּ אֹת֖וֹ הַבֹּ֑רָה וְהַבּ֣וֹר רֵ֔ק אֵ֥ין בּ֖וֹ מָֽיִם׃

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

25וַיֵּשְׁבוּ֮ לֶֽאֱכָל־ לֶחֶם֒ וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ וַיִּרְא֔וּ וְהִנֵּה֙ אֹרְחַ֣ת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים בָּאָ֖ה מִגִּלְעָ֑ד וּגְמַלֵּיהֶ֣ם נֹֽשְׂאִ֗ים נְכֹאת֙ וּצְרִ֣י וָלֹ֔ט הוֹלְכִ֖ים לְהוֹרִ֥יד מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃

26Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?

26וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוּדָ֖ה אֶל־ אֶחָ֑יו מַה־ בֶּ֗צַע כִּ֤י נַהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־ אָחִ֔ינוּ וְכִסִּ֖ינוּ אֶת־ דָּמֽוֹ׃

27Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let's not lay a hand on him, for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh." His brothers agreed.

27לְכ֞וּ וְנִמְכְּרֶ֣נּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֗ים וְיָדֵ֙נוּ֙ אַל־ תְּהִי־ ב֔וֹ כִּֽי־ אָחִ֥ינוּ בְשָׂרֵ֖נוּ ה֑וּא וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶחָֽיו׃

28So when the Midianite merchants passed by, Joseph's brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites then took Joseph to Egypt.

28וַיַּֽעַבְרוּ֩ אֲנָשִׁ֨ים מִדְיָנִ֜ים סֹֽחֲרִ֗ים וַֽיִּמְשְׁכוּ֙ וַיַּֽעֲל֤וּ אֶת־ יוֹסֵף֙ מִן־ הַבּ֔וֹר וַיִּמְכְּר֧וּ אֶת־ יוֹסֵ֛ף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים כָּ֑סֶף וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֶת־ יוֹסֵ֖ף מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃

29Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! He tore his clothes,

29וַיָּ֤שָׁב רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־ הַבּ֔וֹר וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵין־ יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבּ֑וֹר וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־ בְּגָדָֽיו׃

30returned to his brothers, and said, "The boy isn't there! And I, where can I go?"

30וַיָּ֥שָׁב אֶל־ אֶחָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וַאֲנִ֖י אָ֥נָה אֲנִי־ בָֽא׃

31So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a young goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood.

31וַיִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־ כְּתֹ֣נֶת יוֹסֵ֑ף וַֽיִּשְׁחֲטוּ֙ שְׂעִ֣יר עִזִּ֔ים וַיִּטְבְּל֥וּ אֶת־ הַכֻּתֹּ֖נֶת בַּדָּֽם׃

32Then they brought the special tunic to their father and said, "We found this. Determine now whether it is your son's tunic or not."

32וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֞וּ אֶת־ כְּתֹ֣נֶת הַפַּסִּ֗ים וַיָּבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶל־ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ זֹ֣את מָצָ֑אנוּ הַכֶּר־ נָ֗א הַכְּתֹ֧נֶת בִּנְךָ֛ הִ֖וא אִם־ לֹֽא׃

33He recognized it and exclaimed, "It is my son's tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!"

33וַיַּכִּירָ֤הּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כְּתֹ֣נֶת בְּנִ֔י חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ טָרֹ֥ף טֹרַ֖ף יוֹסֵֽף׃

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

34וַיִּקְרַ֤ע יַעֲקֹב֙ שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם שַׂ֖ק בְּמָתְנָ֑יו וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֥ל עַל־ בְּנ֖וֹ יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃

35All his sons and daughters stood by him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. "No," he said, "I will go to the grave mourning my son." So Joseph's father wept for him.

35וַיָּקֻמוּ֩ כָל־ בָּנָ֨יו וְכָל־ בְּנֹתָ֜יו לְנַחֲמ֗וֹ וַיְמָאֵן֙ לְהִתְנַחֵ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כִּֽי־ אֵרֵ֧ד אֶל־ בְּנִ֛י אָבֵ֖ל שְׁאֹ֑לָה וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ אֹת֖וֹ אָבִֽיו׃

36Now in Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard.

36וְהַ֨מְּדָנִ֔ים מָכְר֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְפֽוֹטִיפַר֙ סְרִ֣יס פַּרְעֹ֔ה שַׂ֖ר הַטַּבָּחִֽים׃ פ

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