25. While Joseph was in the well, the brothers sat down to eat. They looked up and saw a group of traders traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Their camels were carrying many different spices and riches.
26. So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we get if we kill our brother and hide his death?
27. We will profit more if we sell him to these traders. Then we will not be guilty of killing our own brother.” The other brothers agreed.
28. When the Midianite traders came by, the brothers took Joseph out of the well and sold him to the traders for 20 pieces of silver. The traders took him to Egypt.
29. Reuben had been gone, but when he came back to the well, he saw that Joseph was not there. He tore his clothes to show that he was upset.
30. Reuben went to the brothers and said, “The boy is not in the well! What will I do?”
31. The brothers killed a goat and put the goat’s blood on Joseph’s beautiful coat.
32. Then the brothers showed the coat to their father. And the brothers said, “We found this coat. Is this Joseph’s coat?”
33. His father saw the coat and knew that it was Joseph’s. He said, “Yes, that is his! Maybe some wild animal has killed him. My son Joseph has been eaten by a wild animal!”