Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan.1 messageThis 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.1 messageNow 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 colors.2 messagesHis brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.2 messagesJoseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.6 messagesHe said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:6 messagesfor 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.”6 messagesHis brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words.6 messagesHe 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.”11 messagesHe 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 you to the earth?”11 messagesHis brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.7 messagesHis brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.2 messagesIsrael 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.”2 messagesHe 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.2 messagesA certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”2 messagesHe said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”2 messagesThe man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.2 messagesThey saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.2 messagesThey said one to another, “Behold, this dreamer comes.2 messagesCome 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.”2 messagesReuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.”2 messagesReuben 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.2 messagesWhen Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;6 messagesand they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.6 messagesThey 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.6 messagesJudah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?6 messagesCome, 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.6 messagesMidianites 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. They brought Joseph into Egypt.6 messagesReuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes.1 messageHe returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?”1 messageThey took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.1 messageThey took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son’s coat or not.”1 messageHe recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.”1 messageJacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.1 messageAll 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 to my son mourning.” His father wept for him.1 messageThe Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.1 message