God Blesses and Renames Jacob

35 God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to (A)Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you (B)when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his (C)household and to all who were with him, “Put away (D)the foreign gods that are among you and (E)purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God (F)who answers me in the day of my distress and (G)has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under (H)the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.

And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to (I)Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel,[a] because (J)there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. And (K)Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.[b]

God appeared[c] to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; (L)no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but (M)Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, (N)“I am God Almighty:[d] be (O)fruitful and multiply. (P)A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.[e] 12 (Q)The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God (R)went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob (S)set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him (T)Bethel.

The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac

16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance[f] from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. 17 And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for (U)you have another son.” 18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni;[g] (V)but his father called him Benjamin.[h] 19 So (W)Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to (X)Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), 20 and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is (Y)the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day. 21 Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and (Z)lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: (AA)Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah's servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac at (AB)Mamre, or (AC)Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28 Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. 29 And Isaac breathed his last, and he died (AD)and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And (AE)his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Esau's Descendants

36 These are the generations of Esau (that is, (AF)Edom). Esau (AG)took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, (AH)Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter[i] of Zibeon the Hivite, and (AI)Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. And Adah bore to Esau, (AJ)Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. (AK)For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. (AL)The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau settled in (AM)the hill country of Seir. ((AN)Esau is Edom.)

These are the generations of Esau the father of (AO)the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau's sons: (AP)Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 (Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau's son; she bore (AQ)Amalek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of Adah, Esau's wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 14 These are the sons of (AR)Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

15 These are (AS)the chiefs of the sons of Esau. (AT)The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: the chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek; these are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. 17 These are the sons of (AU)Reuel, Esau's son: the chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah; these are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 18 These are the sons of (AV)Oholibamah, Esau's wife: the chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah; these are the chiefs born of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau ((AW)that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.

20 (AX)These are the sons of (AY)Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25 These are the children of Anah: Dishon and (AZ)Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs of the Horites: the (BA)chiefs Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, chief by chief in the land of Seir.

31 (BB)These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites. 32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 33 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 36 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 Samlah died, and Shaul of (BC)Rehoboth on the Euphrates[j] reigned in his place. 38 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39 Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pau; his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

40 These are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their clans and their dwelling places, by their names: the chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, (BD)Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of (BE)Edom), according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession.

Joseph's Dreams

37 Jacob lived in (BF)the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought (BG)a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was (BH)the son of his old age. And he made him (BI)a robe of many colors.[k] But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, (BJ)my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and (BK)bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when 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? Shall I and (BL)your mother and your brothers indeed come (BM)to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And (BN)his brothers were jealous of him, (BO)but his father kept the saying in mind.

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near (BP)Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of (BQ)Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to (BR)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at (BS)Dothan.

18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them (BT)they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, (BU)let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.[l] Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when (BV)Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—(BW)that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, (BX)the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and (BY)threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a (BZ)caravan of (CA)Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing (CB)gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it (CC)if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and (CD)let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then (CE)Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and (CF)sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels[m] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he (CG)tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy (CH)is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took (CI)Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son's robe. (CJ)A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters (CK)rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, (CL)I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile (CM)the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, (CN)the captain of the guard.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 35:7 El-bethel means God of Bethel
  2. Genesis 35:8 Allon-bacuth means oak of weeping
  3. Genesis 35:9 Or had appeared
  4. Genesis 35:11 Hebrew El Shaddai
  5. Genesis 35:11 Hebrew from your loins
  6. Genesis 35:16 Or about two hours' distance
  7. Genesis 35:18 Ben-oni could mean son of my sorrow, or son of my strength
  8. Genesis 35:18 Benjamin means son of the right hand
  9. Genesis 36:2 Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac son; also verse 14
  10. Genesis 36:37 Hebrew the River
  11. Genesis 37:3 See Septuagint, Vulgate; or (with Syriac) a robe with long sleeves. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain; also verses 23, 32
  12. Genesis 37:20 Or cisterns; also verses 22, 24
  13. Genesis 37:28 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

Jacob Returns to Bethel

35 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel(A) and settle there, and build an altar(B) there to God,(C) who appeared to you(D) when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”(E)

So Jacob said to his household(F) and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods(G) you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.(H) Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God,(I) who answered me in the day of my distress(J) and who has been with me wherever I have gone.(K) So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears,(L) and Jacob buried them under the oak(M) at Shechem.(N) Then they set out, and the terror of God(O) fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.(P)

Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz(Q) (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.(R) There he built an altar,(S) and he called the place El Bethel,[a](T) because it was there that God revealed himself to him(U) when he was fleeing from his brother.(V)

Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,(W) died and was buried under the oak(X) outside Bethel.(Y) So it was named Allon Bakuth.[b]

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram,[c](Z) God appeared to him again and blessed him.(AA) 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob,[d] but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.[e](AB) So he named him Israel.

11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty[f];(AC) be fruitful and increase in number.(AD) A nation(AE) and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.(AF) 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.(AG)(AH) 13 Then God went up from him(AI) at the place where he had talked with him.

14 Jacob set up a stone pillar(AJ) at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering(AK) on it; he also poured oil on it.(AL) 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.[g](AM)

The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac(AN)

16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath,(AO) Rachel(AP) began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife(AQ) said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.”(AR) 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.[h](AS) But his father named him Benjamin.[i](AT)

19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath(AU) (that is, Bethlehem(AV)). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day(AW) that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.(AX)

21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.(AY) 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine(AZ) Bilhah,(BA) and Israel heard of it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

23 The sons of Leah:(BB)

Reuben the firstborn(BC) of Jacob,

Simeon, Levi, Judah,(BD) Issachar and Zebulun.(BE)

24 The sons of Rachel:

Joseph(BF) and Benjamin.(BG)

25 The sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah:(BH)

Dan and Naphtali.(BI)

26 The sons of Leah’s servant Zilpah:(BJ)

Gad(BK) and Asher.(BL)

These were the sons of Jacob,(BM) who were born to him in Paddan Aram.(BN)

27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac(BO) in Mamre,(BP) near Kiriath Arba(BQ) (that is, Hebron),(BR) where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.(BS) 28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years.(BT) 29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people,(BU) old and full of years.(BV) And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.(BW)

Esau’s Descendants(BX)(BY)

36 This is the account(BZ) of the family line of Esau (that is, Edom).(CA)

Esau took his wives from the women of Canaan:(CB) Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite,(CC) and Oholibamah(CD) daughter of Anah(CE) and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite(CF) also Basemath(CG) daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.(CH)

Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel,(CI) and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam and Korah.(CJ) These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in Canaan.

Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan,(CK) and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob.(CL) Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock.(CM) So Esau(CN) (that is, Edom)(CO) settled in the hill country of Seir.(CP)

This is the account(CQ) of the family line of Esau the father of the Edomites(CR) in the hill country of Seir.

10 These are the names of Esau’s sons:

Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.(CS)

11 The sons of Eliphaz:(CT)

Teman,(CU) Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz.(CV)

12 Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine(CW) named Timna, who bore him Amalek.(CX) These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.(CY)

13 The sons of Reuel:

Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.(CZ)

14 The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah(DA) daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon, whom she bore to Esau:

Jeush, Jalam and Korah.(DB)

15 These were the chiefs(DC) among Esau’s descendants:

The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau:

Chiefs Teman,(DD) Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,(DE) 16 Korah,[j] Gatam and Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz(DF) in Edom;(DG) they were grandsons of Adah.(DH)

17 The sons of Esau’s son Reuel:(DI)

Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in Edom; they were grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.(DJ)

18 The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah:(DK)

Chiefs Jeush, Jalam and Korah.(DL) These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah.

19 These were the sons of Esau(DM) (that is, Edom),(DN) and these were their chiefs.(DO)

20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite,(DP) who were living in the region:

Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,(DQ) 21 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These sons of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs.(DR)

22 The sons of Lotan:

Hori and Homam.[k] Timna was Lotan’s sister.

23 The sons of Shobal:

Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam.

24 The sons of Zibeon:(DS)

Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs[l](DT) in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys(DU) of his father Zibeon.

25 The children of Anah:(DV)

Dishon and Oholibamah(DW) daughter of Anah.

26 The sons of Dishon[m]:

Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.

27 The sons of Ezer:

Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan.

28 The sons of Dishan:

Uz and Aran.

29 These were the Horite chiefs:

Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,(DX) 30 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These were the Horite chiefs,(DY) according to their divisions, in the land of Seir.

The Rulers of Edom(DZ)

31 These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king(EA) reigned:

32 Bela son of Beor became king of Edom. His city was named Dinhabah.

33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah(EB) succeeded him as king.

34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites(EC) succeeded him as king.

35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian(ED) in the country of Moab,(EE) succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith.

36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king.

37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth(EF) on the river succeeded him as king.

38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Akbor succeeded him as king.

39 When Baal-Hanan son of Akbor died, Hadad[n] succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.

40 These were the chiefs(EG) descended from Esau, by name, according to their clans and regions:

Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they occupied.

This is the family line of Esau, the father of the Edomites.(EH)

Joseph’s Dreams

37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed,(EI) the land of Canaan.(EJ)

This is the account(EK) of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph,(EL) a young man of seventeen,(EM) was tending the flocks(EN) with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah(EO) and the sons of Zilpah,(EP) his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report(EQ) about them.

Now Israel(ER) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,(ES) because he had been born to him in his old age;(ET) and he made an ornate[o] robe(EU) for him.(EV) When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him(EW) and could not speak a kind word to him.

Joseph had a dream,(EX) and when he told it to his brothers,(EY) they hated him all the more.(EZ) He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves(FA) of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”(FB)

His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?”(FC) And they hated him all the more(FD) because of his dream and what he had said.

Then he had another dream,(FE) and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars(FF) were bowing down to me.”(FG)

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers,(FH) his father rebuked(FI) him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”(FJ) 11 His brothers were jealous of him,(FK) but his father kept the matter in mind.(FL)

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem,(FM) 13 and Israel(FN) said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem.(FO) Come, I am going to send you to them.”

“Very well,” he replied.

14 So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers(FP) and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.(FQ)

When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”

17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.(FR)’”

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.(FS)

19 “Here comes that dreamer!(FT)” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns(FU) and say that a ferocious animal(FV) devoured him.(FW) Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”(FX)

21 When Reuben(FY) heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.(FZ) 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern(GA) here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.(GB)

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe(GC) he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern.(GD) The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites(GE) coming from Gilead.(GF) Their camels were loaded with spices, balm(GG) and myrrh,(GH) and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.(GI)

26 Judah(GJ) said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?(GK) 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother,(GL) our own flesh and blood.(GM)” His brothers agreed.

28 So when the Midianite(GN) merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern(GO) and sold(GP) him for twenty shekels[p] of silver(GQ) to the Ishmaelites,(GR) who took him to Egypt.(GS)

29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.(GT) 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”(GU)

31 Then they got Joseph’s robe,(GV) slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.(GW) 32 They took the ornate robe(GX) back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”

33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal(GY) has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”(GZ)

34 Then Jacob tore his clothes,(HA) put on sackcloth(HB) and mourned for his son many days.(HC) 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him,(HD) but he refused to be comforted.(HE) “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son(HF) in the grave.(HG)” So his father wept for him.

36 Meanwhile, the Midianites[q](HH) sold Joseph(HI) in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.(HJ)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 35:7 El Bethel means God of Bethel.
  2. Genesis 35:8 Allon Bakuth means oak of weeping.
  3. Genesis 35:9 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verse 26
  4. Genesis 35:10 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.
  5. Genesis 35:10 Israel probably means he struggles with God.
  6. Genesis 35:11 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  7. Genesis 35:15 Bethel means house of God.
  8. Genesis 35:18 Ben-Oni means son of my trouble.
  9. Genesis 35:18 Benjamin means son of my right hand.
  10. Genesis 36:16 Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch (also verse 11 and 1 Chron. 1:36) does not have Korah.
  11. Genesis 36:22 Hebrew Hemam, a variant of Homam (see 1 Chron. 1:39)
  12. Genesis 36:24 Vulgate; Syriac discovered water; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  13. Genesis 36:26 Hebrew Dishan, a variant of Dishon
  14. Genesis 36:39 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 1:50); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Hadar
  15. Genesis 37:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verses 23 and 32.
  16. Genesis 37:28 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams
  17. Genesis 37:36 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also verse 28); Masoretic Text Medanites