Joseph's Dreams
2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob.Joseph, when (B)seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with (C)the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a (D)bad report about them to their father.
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
2 These are the family records of Jacob.At 17 years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives,(B) and he brought a bad report about them to their father.(C)
2 This is a record of Jacob's descendants.
2 These are the generations of Jacob.Joseph, when he was seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers [Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher]; the boy was with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s [(b)secondary] wives; and Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was (E)the son of his old age; and he made him a (b)(F)varicolored tunic.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age,(D) and he made a robe of many colors(a) for him.
3 When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was helping his brothers tend their flocks. He was a young man at that time, as were the children of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. But Joseph would come back and tell his father that his brothers were doing bad things. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his brothers, since he was born to him in his old age, so he had made a richly-embroidered tunic for him.
4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they (G)hated him and could not speak to him (c)on friendly terms.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.
4 When Joseph's brothers realized that their father loved him more than all of his brothers, they hated him so much that they were unable to speak politely to him.
4 His brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than all of his brothers; so they hated him and could not [find it within themselves to] speak to him on friendly terms.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
5 Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
5 Right about this time, Joseph had a dream and then told it to his brothers. As a result, his brothers hated him all the more!
7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and (I)bowed down to my sheaf.”
7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”(E)
7 "We were tying sheaves together out in the middle of the fields, when all of a sudden, my sheaf stood up erect! And then your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf!"
7 we [brothers] were binding sheaves [of grain stalks] in the field, and lo, my sheaf [suddenly] got up and stood upright and remained standing; and behold, your sheaves stood all around my sheaf and bowed down [in respect].”
8 Then his brothers said to him, “(J)Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
8 “Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.
8 At this, his brothers replied, "Do you really think you're going to rule us or lord it over us?" So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his interpretations of them.
8 His brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Are you really going to rule and govern us as your subjects?” So they hated him even more for [telling them about] his dreams and for his [arrogant] words.
9 Now he (f)had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have (g)had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and 11 stars were bowing down to me.”
9 But then he had another dream, and he proceeded to tell his brothers about that one, too. "I had another dream," he said. "The sun, moon, and eleven of the stars were bowing down before me!"
9 But Joseph dreamed still another dream, and told it to his brothers [as well]. He said, “See here, I have again dreamed a dream, and lo, [this time I saw] eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowed down [in respect] to me!”
10 He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have (h)had? Shall I and your mother and (K)your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?”
10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
10 He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Are your mother and brothers and I going to come and bow down to the ground before you?”
10 When Joseph told his father about this, his father rebuked him and asked him, "What kind of dream is that? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come to you and bow down to the ground in front of you?"
10 He told it to his father as well as to his brothers; but his father rebuked him and said to him [in disbelief], “What is [the meaning of] this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow down to the ground [in respect] before you?”
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
11 As a result, his brothers became more envious of him. But his father kept thinking about all of this.
11 Joseph’s brothers were envious and jealous of him, but his father kept the words [of Joseph] in mind [wondering about their meaning].
Joseph Sold Into Slavery By His Brothers
12 Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem.
12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem.
12 Some time later, his brothers left to tend their father's flock in Shechem.
12 Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem.
13 Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in (N)Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “(i)I will go.”
13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I’m sending you to them.”“I’m ready,” Joseph replied.
13 And Israel instructed Joseph, "Your brothers are tending the flock in Shechem. Come here, because I'm going to send you to them." "Here I am!" he responded.
13 Israel (Jacob) said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing [the flock] at Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said, “Here I am [ready to obey you].”
14 Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of (O)Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
14 Then Israel said to him, “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron,(H) and he went to Shechem.
14 "Go and see how things are with your brothers," Israel ordered him. "And see how things are with the flock. Bring back a report for me." Then he sent Joseph from the valley of Hebron.
14 Then Jacob said to him, “Please go and see whether everything is all right with your brothers and all right with the flock; then bring word [back] to me.” So he sent him from the Hebron Valley, and he went to Shechem.
15 A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, “(j)What are you looking for?”
15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
15 A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
15 When Joseph reached Shechem, a man found him wandering around in a field. So the man asked him, "What are you looking for?"
15 Now a certain man found Joseph, and saw that he was wandering around and had lost his way in the field; so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16 He said, “I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.”
16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph said. “Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”
16 "I'm searching for my brothers," he responded. "Tell me, where are they tending the flock?"
16 He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Please tell me where they are pasturing our flocks.”
17 Then the man said, “They have moved from here; for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to (P)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
17 “They’ve moved on from here,” the man said. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”(I) So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
17 "They've already left," the man answered. "I heard them saying that they were headed to Dothan." So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there.
Joseph Sold Into Slavery
18 (k)When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they (Q)plotted against him to put him to death.
18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
18 Now as soon as they saw him approaching from a distance, before he arrived they plotted together to kill him.
18 And when they saw him from a distance, even before he came close to them, they plotted to kill him.
20 Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and (R)we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!”
20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
20 Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
20 Come on! Let's kill him and toss him into one of the cisterns. Then we'll report that some wild animal devoured him and wait to see what becomes of his dreams!"
21 But (S)Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not (m)take his life.”
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them.(c) He said, “Let’s not take his life.”(K)
21 When Reuben heard about it, he tried to save Joseph from their plot. "Let's not do any killing,"
21 Now Reuben [the eldest] heard this and rescued him from their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.”
22 Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
22 Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him”—intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father.
22 Reuben told them. "And no blood shedding, either. Instead, let's toss him into this cistern that's way out here in the wilderness. But don't lay a hand on him." (Reuben intended to free Joseph and return him to his father.)
22 Reuben said to them, “Do not shed his blood, but [instead] throw him [alive] into the pit that is here in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him [to kill him]”—[he said this so] that he could rescue him from them and return him [safely] to his father.
23 So it came about, when Joseph (n)reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his (o)tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him;
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on.
23 As it was, when Joseph arrived where his brothers were, they stripped off the tunic that Jacob had given him that is, the richly-embroidered tunic that he was wearing.
24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
24 They grabbed him and tossed him into the cistern, but the cistern was empty. (There was no water in it.)
24 then they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty; there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat (p)a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of (T)Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing (q)(U)aromatic gum and (r)(V)balm and (s)myrrh, (t)on their way to bring them down to Egypt.
25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
25 Then they sat down to eat a meal.(L) They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead.(M) Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.(N)
25 After this, while they were seated, eating their food, they looked around and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with camels carrying spices, balm, and myrrh for sale down in Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and (W)cover up his blood?
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
26 Then Judah suggested to his brothers, "Where's the profit in just killing our brother and shedding his blood?
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood (murder)?
27 (X)Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and they agreed.
27 Come on! Let's sell him to the Ishmaelites! That way, we won't have laid our hands on him. After all, he's our brother, our own flesh."
28 Then some (Y)Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and (Z)sold (u)him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus (AA)they brought Joseph into Egypt.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
28 When Midianite(O) traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.(P)
28 So Judah's brothers listened to him. As the Midianite merchants were passing through, they extracted Joseph from the cistern and sold Joseph for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who then took Joseph down to Egypt.
29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he (AB)tore his garments.
29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
29 Later, when Reuben returned to the cistern, Joseph wasn't there! In mounting panic, he tore his clothes,
29 Now Reuben [unaware of what had happened] returned to the pit, and [to his great alarm found that] Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his clothes [in deep sorrow].
31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
31 So they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood.
31 So they took Joseph's coat, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.
31 Then they took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood;
32 and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please (v)examine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”
32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.
32 They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it. Is it your son’s robe or not?”
32 Then they stretched out the richly-embroidered tunic to dry, and brought it to their father. "We've found this," they reported. "Look at it and see if this is or isn't your son's tunic."
32 and they brought the multicolored tunic to their father, saying, “We have found this; please examine it and decide whether or not it is your son’s tunic.”
33 Then he (w)examined it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. (AE)A wild beast has devoured him; (AF)Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”
33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
33 His father recognized it. “It is my son’s robe,” he said. “A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces!”(R)
33 Examining it, he cried out, "It's my son's tunic! A wild animal has no doubt torn Joseph to pieces."
33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild animal has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces!”
35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will (AH)go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
35 All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” And his father wept for him.
35 All his sons and daughters showed up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He kept saying, "Leave me alone! I'll go down to the next world, still mourning for my son." So Joseph's father wept for him.
35 Then all his sons and daughters attempted to console him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “I will go down to Sheol (the place of the dead) in mourning for my son.” And his father wept for him.
36 Meanwhile, the (x)Midianites (AI)sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.
36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.
36 Meanwhile, down in Egypt, the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's court officials, who was also Commander-in-Chief of the imperial guards.
36 Meanwhile, in Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph [as a slave] to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the [royal] guard.