21. But Reuben heard and rescued him out of their hands, saying, “We must not beat him to death.”
22. In order to rescue him from their hand and to return him to his father, Reuben said to them, “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him!”
23. So as soon as Joseph came up to his brothers they stripped Joseph of his tunic (the long sleeved tunic that he had on).
24. Then they took him and threw him into the pit. (Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.)
25. Then they sat down to eat bread. When they looked up, behold, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balsam, and myrrh—going to bring them down to Egypt.
26. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come on!
27. Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites. Let’s not lay our hand on him—since he’s our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers listened to him.
28. When some men, Midianite merchants, passed by, they dragged Joseph up and out of the pit and they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver, and they brought Joseph to Egypt.
29. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes.
30. Then he returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! And I—where should I go?”
31. So they took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a billy goat, and they dipped the tunic into the blood.
32. Then they sent the long-sleeved tunic, and it was brought to their father, and they said, “We found this. Do you recognize whether or not it is your son’s tunic?”
33. He did recognize it and said, “My son’s tunic! An evil animal has devoured him! Joseph must be torn to pieces!”
34. Jacob tore his clothing and put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days.
35. All his sons got up along with all his daughters to console him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” So his father kept weeping for him.
36. Meanwhile the Midianites sold him into Egypt, to Potiphar an official of Pharaoh, the commander of the bodyguards.