37:18 Now Joseph’s brothers 1 saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 37:19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams! 2 37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild 3 animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” 4
37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph 5 from their hands, 6 saying, 7 “Let’s not take his life!” 8 37:22 Reuben continued, 9 “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” 10 (Reuben said this 11 so he could rescue Joseph 12 from them 13 and take him back to his father.)
37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him 14 of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore. 37:24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; 15 there was no water in it.)
37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up 16 and saw 17 a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. 18 37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, 19 for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. 20