New King James Version

English Standard Version

1Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

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

2This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.

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 all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic 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.

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

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

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

6So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:

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

7There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

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.”

8And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

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 he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed 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.”

10So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth 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 envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

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

12Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.

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

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

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 he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to 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.

15Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”

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

16So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.”

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

17And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in 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 when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.

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

19Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming!

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

20Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become 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.”

21But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.”

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

22And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back 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 it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him.

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

24Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was 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 they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them 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.

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

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

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

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.

28Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph 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.

29Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.

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

30And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?”

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

31So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood.

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

32Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic 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.”

33And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is 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 on 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.

35And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus 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.

36Now the Midianites had sold him 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.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.