15. a man found him wandering in the field. He asked Joseph, “What are you looking for?”
16. Joseph answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are herding the sheep?”
17. The man said, “They have already gone. I heard them say they were going to Dothan.” So Joseph went to look for his brothers and found them in Dothan.
18. Joseph’s brothers saw him coming from far away. Before he reached them, they made a plan to kill him.
19. They said to each other, “Here comes that dreamer.
20. Let’s kill him and throw his body into one of the wells. We can tell our father that a wild animal killed him. Then we will see what will become of his dreams.”
21. But Reuben heard their plan and saved Joseph. He said, “Let’s not kill him.
22. Don’t spill any blood. Throw him into this well here in the desert. But don’t hurt him!” Reuben planned to save Joseph later and send him back to his father.
23. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they pulled off his robe with long sleeves.
24. Then they threw him into the well. It was empty. There was no water in it.
25. While Joseph was in the well, the brothers sat down to eat. When they looked up, they saw a group of Ishmaelites. They were traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Their camels were carrying spices, balm and myrrh.
26. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and hide his death?
27. Let’s sell him to these Ishmaelites. Then we will not be guilty of killing our own brother. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” And the other brothers agreed.
28. So when the Midianite traders came by, the brothers took Joseph out of the well. They sold him to the Ishmaelites for eight ounces of silver. And the Ishmaelites took him to Egypt.
29. Reuben was not with his brothers when they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites. When Reuben came back to the well, Joseph was not there. Reuben tore his clothes to show he was sad.
30. Then he went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! What will I do?”
31. The brothers killed a goat and dipped Joseph’s long-sleeved robe in its blood.
32. Then they brought the robe to their father. They said, “We found this robe. Look it over carefully. See if it is your son’s robe.”