Genesis 37 - Lexham English Bible (LEB)

The Dreams of Joseph

37 And Jacob settled in the land of the sojourning of his father, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations[a] of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers. Now he was a helper with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, for he was a son of his old age. And he made a robe with long sleeves[b] for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and were not able to speak peaceably to him.

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers. And they hated him even more.[c] 6 And he said to them, “Listen now to this dream that I dreamed. 7 Now behold, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field and, behold, my sheaf stood up and it remained standing. Then behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 Then his brothers said to him, “Will you really rule over us?” And they hated him even more[d] on account of his dream and because of his words. 9 Then he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brothers. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream again, and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 And he told it to his father and to his brothers. And 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 down to the ground to you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Joseph Sold Into Slavery by his Brothers

12 Now his brothers went to pasture the flock of their father in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing in Shechem? Come, let me send you to them.” And he said, “Here I am.” 14 Then he said to him, “Go now, see if it goes well for your brothers and for the flock,[e] then return word to me.” And he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he arrived at Shechem. 15 And a man found him, and behold, he[f] was wandering about in a field. And the man asked him, “What do you seek?” 16 And he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are pasturing.” 17 And the man said, “They have moved on from here, for I heard them saying, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” Then Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan. 18 And they saw him from a distance. And before he drew near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 And each said to his brothers, “Look, this master of dreams is coming. 20 Now then, come, let us kill him and throw him in one of the pits. Then we will say a wild animal devoured him. Then we will see what his dreams become.” 21 And Reuben heard it and delivered him from their hand and said, “We must not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “You must not shed blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the desert, but do not lay a hand on him”—so that he might rescue him from their hand to return him to his father. 23 And it happened that as Joseph came to his brothers they stripped Joseph of his robe, the robe with long sleeves,[g] that was upon him. 24 And they took him and threw him into the pit (the pit was empty; there was no water in it). 25 Then they sat down to eat some food. And they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead. And their camels were carrying aromatic gum and balm and spices on the way[h] to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but our hand shall not be against him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they[i] drew Joseph up and brought him up from the pit, and they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph to Egypt. 29 Then Reuben returned to the pit and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit. And he tore his clothes. 30 And he returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone![j] Now I, what can I do?”[k] 31 Then they took the robe of Joseph and slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 Then they sent the robe with long sleeves[l] and they brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please examine it. Is it the robe of your son or not?” 33 And he recognized it and said, “The robe of my son! A wild animal has devoured him! Joseph is surely torn to pieces!” 34 And Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and daughters tried to console him, but he refused to be consoled. And he said, “No, I shall go down to my son, to Sheol, mourning.” And his father wept for him. 36 And the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, a court official of Pharaoh, a commander of the imperial guard.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:2 Or “family records”
  2. Genesis 37:3 Or “of many colors”
  3. Genesis 37:5 Literally “they added still to hate him”
  4. Genesis 37:8 Literally “they added still to hate him”
  5. Genesis 37:14 Literally “see the peace of your brothers and the peace of the flock”
  6. Genesis 37:15 That is, Joseph
  7. Genesis 37:23 Or “of many colors”
  8. Genesis 37:25 Literally “going to bring down”
  9. Genesis 37:28 That is, the brothers
  10. Genesis 37:30 Literally “is not”
  11. Genesis 37:30 Literally “where am I going?”
  12. Genesis 37:32 Or “of many colors”

You Might Also Like:

Genesis 37 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

37 And Jacob dwelleth in the land of his father's sojournings -- in the land of Canaan. 2 These [are] births of Jacob: Joseph, a son of seventeen years, hath been enjoying himself with his brethren among the flock, (and he [is] a youth,) with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his fath...
Read More

Genesis 37 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

37 Forsooth Jacob dwelled in the land of Canaan, in which his father was a pilgrim; (And Jacob lived in the land of Canaan, where his father was a foreigner;) 2 and these were the generations of him. Joseph when he was of sixteen years, yet a child, kept a flock with his brethren, and he was with th...
Read More

Genesis 37 - World English Bible (WEB)

37 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan. 2 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 repor...
Read More

Genesis 37 - The Voice (VOICE)

God’s promises are not exclusive. As Isaac’s son, Esau becomes great in the land of Seir, a land to the south and east of the Dead Sea. He has sons and daughters, many of whom go on to become tribal chiefs and influential leaders among the people known as the Edomites. But the story now returns to J...
Read More

Genesis 37 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Parashat VayeshevJoseph, Favored Son37 Now Jacob dwelled in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the genealogies of Jacob.When Joseph was 17 years old (he was a youth), he was shepherding the flocks with his brothers—with the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah ...
Read More

Genesis 37 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Joseph Dreams of Greatness37 Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of the family of Jacob.[a]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 wive...
Read More

Genesis 37 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Joseph Dreams of Greatness37 Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 This 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; ...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Joseph Dreams of Greatness37 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the story of the family of Jacob.Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Joseph Dreams of Greatness37 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan.(A)2 These are the descendants of Jacob.Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wiv...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Joseph’s Dreams37 So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner. 2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah a...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New Life Version (NLV)

Joseph’s Dream37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had lived as a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the story of the children of Jacob and of their children.When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was caring for the flock with his brothers. The boy was with the sons of Bilhah and Zi...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Joseph Dreams of Greatness37 Now Jacob dwelt in the land (A)where his father was a [a]stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob.Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his fathe...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Joseph’s dreams37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their fath...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New International Version (NIV)

Joseph’s Dreams37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed,(A) the land of Canaan.(B) 2 This is the account(C) of Jacob’s family line.Joseph,(D) a young man of seventeen,(E) was tending the flocks(F) with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah(G) and the sons of Zilpah,(H) his father’s wives, a...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Joseph Has Two Dreams37 Jacob lived in the land of Canaan. It’s the land where his father had stayed. 2 Here is the story of the family line of Jacob.Joseph was a young man. He was 17 years old. He was taking care of the flocks with some of his brothers. They were the sons of Bilhah and the sons of ...
Read More

Genesis 37 - New English Translation (NET)

Joseph’s Dreams37 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed,[a] in the land of Canaan.[b] 2 This is the account of Jacob.Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son,[c] was taking care of[d] the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster[e] working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his ...
Read More