The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 37 -

Iaakob nowe dwelt in the lande, wherein his father was a stranger, in the lande of Canaan.

These are the generations of Iaakob, when Ioseph was seuenteene yeere olde: he kept sheepe with his brethren, and the childe was with the sonnes of Bilhah, and with the sonnes of Zilpah, his fathers wiues. And Ioseph brought vnto their father their euill saying.

Nowe Israel loued Ioseph more then all his sonnes, because he begate him in his old age, and he made him a coat of many colours.

So when his brethren sawe that their father loued him more then all his brethren, then they hated him, and could not speake peaceably vnto him.

And Ioseph dreamed a dreame, and told his brethren, who hated him so much the more.

For he saide vnto them, Heare, I pray you, this dreame which I haue dreamed.

Beholde nowe, wee were binding sheues in the middes of the field: and loe, my shefe arose and also stoode vpright, and behold, your sheues compassed rounde about, and did reuerence to my shefe.

Then his brethren saide to him, What, shalt thou reigne ouer vs, and rule vs? or shalt thou haue altogether dominion ouer vs? And they hated him so much the more, for his dreames, and for his wordes.

Againe hee dreamed an other dreame, and tolde it his brethren, and saide, Behold, I haue had one dreame more, and beholde, the Sunne and the Moone and eleuen starres did reuerence to me.

Then he tolde it vnto his father and to his brethren, and his father rebuked him, and saide vnto him, What is this dreame, which thou hast dreamed? shall I, and thy mother, and thy brethren come in deede and fall on the ground before thee?

And his brethren enuied him, but his father noted the saying.

Joseph Sold into Egypt

(Acts 7:9–14)

Then his brethren went to keepe their fathers sheepe in Shechem.

And Israel said vnto Ioseph, Doe not thy brethren keepe in Shechem? come and I will send thee to them.

And he answered him, I am here. Then he saide vnto him, Goe now, see whether it bee well with thy brethren, and how the flocks prosper, and bring me word againe. so hee sent him from the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

Then a man found him: for lo, hee was wandring in the fielde, and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

And he answered, I seeke my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they keepe sheepe.

And the man said, they are departed hece: for I heard them say, Let vs goe vnto Dothan. Then went Ioseph after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

And when they sawe him a farre off, euen before he came at them, they conspired against him for to slay him.

For they sayd one to another, Behold, this dreamer commeth.

Come now therefore, and let vs slay him, and cast him into some pitte, and wee will say, A wicked beast hath deuoured him: then wee shall see, what will come of his dreames.

But when Reuben heard that, he deliuered him out of their handes, and saide, Let vs not kill him.

Also Reuben saide vnto them, Shed not blood, but cast him into this pitte that is in the wildernesse, and lay no hande vpon him. Thus he said, that he might deliuer him out of their hand, and restore him to his father againe.

Now when Ioseph was come vnto his brethren, they stript Ioseph out of his coate, his particoloured coate that was vpon him.

And they tooke him, and cast him into a pit, and the pit was emptie, without water in it.

Then they sate them downe to eate bread: and they lift vp their eyes and looked, and behold, there came a companie of Ishmeelites from Gilead, and their camels laden with spicerie, and balme, and myrrhe, and were going to cary it downe into Egypt.

Then Iudah said vnto his brethren, What auaileth it, if we slay our brother, though wee keepe his blood secret?

Come and let vs sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our handes be vpon him: for he is our brother and our flesh: and his brethren obeyed.

Then the Midianites marchant men passed by, and they drewe foorth, and lift Ioseph out of the pit, and solde Ioseph vnto the Ishmeelites for twentie pieces of siluer: who brought Ioseph into Egypt.

Afterwarde Reuben returned to the pit, and beholde, Ioseph was not in the pit: then he rent his clothes,

And returned to his brethren, and said, The childe is not yonder, and I, whither shall I goe?

Jacob Mourns Joseph

And they tooke Iosephs coate, and killed a kidde of the goates, and dipped the coate in the blood.

So they sent that particoloured coat, and they brought it vnto their father, and saide, This haue we founde: see nowe, whether it be thy sonnes coate, or no.

Then he knewe it and said, It is my sonnes coate: a wicked beast hath deuoured him: Ioseph is surely torne in pieces.

And Iaakob rent his clothes, and put sackecloth about his loynes, and sorowed for his sonne a long season.

Then all his sonnes and all his daughters rose vp to comfort him, but he woulde not be comforted, but said, Surely I will go downe into the graue vnto my sonne mourning: so his father wept for him.

And the Midianites solde him into Egypt vnto Potiphar an Eunuche of Pharaohs, and his chiefe stewarde.

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

This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father.

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

His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.

Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.

He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:

for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”

His brothers asked him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words.

He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.”

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? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to the earth before you?”

His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.

Joseph Sold into Egypt

(Acts 7:9–14)

His brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.

Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” He said to him, “Here I am.”

He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”

He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”

The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.

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

They said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer comes.

Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”

Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.”

Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him;

and they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.

They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

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

Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him.

Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The merchants brought Joseph into Egypt.

Reuben returned to the pit, and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes.

He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?”

Jacob Mourns Joseph

They took Joseph’s tunic, and killed a male goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood.

They took the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, and see if it is your son’s tunic or not.”

He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s tunic. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.”

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

All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol

(a)

to my son, mourning.” His father wept for him.

The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.

Footnotes

(a)37:35 Sheol is the place of the dead.