Genesis 37 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Joseph's Dream

Gen 37:1Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

Gen 37:2This is the history of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought an ill report of them to their father.

Gen 37:3

Gen 37:3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.

Gen 37:4

Gen 37:4But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

Gen 37:5

Gen 37:5Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more.

Gen 37:6

Gen 37:6He said to them, "Hear this dream which I have dreamed:

Gen 37:7

Gen 37:7behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose and stood upright; and behold, your sheaves gathered round it, and bowed down to my sheaf."

Gen 37:8

Gen 37:8His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to have dominion over us?" So they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words.

Gen 37:9

Gen 37:9Then he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

Gen 37:10

Gen 37:10But 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?"

Gen 37:11

Gen 37:11And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

Gen 37:12

Gen 37:12Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.

Gen 37:13

Gen 37:13And 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."

Gen 37:14

Gen 37:14So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers, and with the flock; and bring me word again." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

Gen 37:15

Gen 37:15And a man found him wandering in the fields; and the man asked him, "What are you seeking?"

Gen 37:16

Gen 37:16"I am seeking my brothers," he said, "tell me, I pray you, where they are pasturing the flock."

Gen 37:17

Gen 37:17And 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.

The Plot against Joseph

Gen 37:18

Gen 37:18They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

Gen 37:19

Gen 37:19They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer.

Gen 37:20

Gen 37:20Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams."

Gen 37:21

Gen 37:21But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."

Gen 37:22

Gen 37:22And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him"--that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

Gen 37:23

Gen 37:23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore;

Gen 37:24

Gen 37:24and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it.

Gen 37:25

Gen 37:25Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ish'maelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

Gen 37:26

Gen 37:26Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?

Gen 37:27

Gen 37:27Come, let us sell him to the Ish'maelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers heeded him.

Gen 37:28

Gen 37:28Then Mid'ianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ish'maelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt.

Gen 37:29

Gen 37:29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes

Gen 37:30

Gen 37:30and returned to his brothers, and said, "The lad is gone; and I, where shall I go?"

Gen 37:31

Gen 37:31Then they took Joseph's robe, and killed a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood;

Gen 37:32

Gen 37:32and they sent the long robe with sleeves and brought it to their father, and said, "This we have found; see now whether it is your son's robe or not."

Gen 37:33

Gen 37:33And he recognized it, and said, "It is my son's robe; a wild beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces."

Gen 37:34

Gen 37:34Then Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

Gen 37:35

Gen 37:35All 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.

Gen 37:36

Gen 37:36Meanwhile the Mid'ianites had sold him in Egypt to Pot'i-phar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

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Source: Transcribed from: The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version containing the Old and New Testaments, translated from the original tongues: being the version set forth A.D. 1611, revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901: compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946-52. — 2nd ed. of New Testament A.D. 1971. There should be enough in the rest of the description to identify the text.

Language: English

Availability: Freely available for non-commercial use provided that this header is included in its entirety with any copy distributed.

Genesis 37 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Joseph's Dream

The Plot against Joseph

Pericope