Study Desk

^(F1)When they saw him from a distance, and before he came closer to them, they ^(C1)plotted against him to put him to death.

They said to one another, "^(F1)Here comes this dreamer!

"Now then, come and let's kill him, and throw him into one of the pits; and ^(C1)we will say, 'A vicious animal devoured him.' Then we will see what will become of his dreams!"

But ^(C1)Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands ^(F1)by saying, "Let's not ^(F2)take his life."

Then Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him"—so that later he might rescue him out of their hands, to return him to his father.

So it came about, when Joseph ^(F1)reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the ^(F2)multicolored tunic that was on him;

and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

Then they sat down to eat ^(F1)a meal. But as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of ^(C1)Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying ^(C2)labdanum resin, ^(C3)balsam, and ^(F2)myrrh, ^(F3)on their way to bring them down to Egypt.

And Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it for us to kill our brother and ^(C1)cover up his blood?

"^(C1)Come, and let's 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.

Then some ^(C1)Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him out and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and ^(C2)sold ^(F1)him to the Ishmaelites for ^(F2)twenty shekels of silver. So ^(C3)they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he ^(C1)tore his garments.

He returned to his brothers and said, "^(C1)The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?"