22. Then Reuben said, “Do not shed blood! Throw him into this cistern in the wilderness; but do not lay a hand on him.” His purpose was to save him from their hands and restore him to his father.
23. So when Joseph came up to his brothers, they stripped him of his tunic, the long ornamented tunic he had on;
24. then they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
25. Then they sat down to eat. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, their camels laden with gum, balm, and resin to be taken down to Egypt.
26. Judah said to his brothers: “What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood?
27. Come, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites, instead of doing away with him ourselves. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed.
28. Midianite traders passed by, and they pulled Joseph up out of the cistern. They sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
29. When Reuben went back to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not in it, he tore his garments,
30. and returning to his brothers, he exclaimed: “The boy is gone! And I—where can I turn?”
31. They took Joseph’s tunic, and after slaughtering a goat, dipped the tunic in its blood.
32. Then they sent someone to bring the long ornamented tunic to their father, with the message: “We found this. See whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”
33. He recognized it and exclaimed: “My son’s tunic! A wild beast has devoured him! Joseph has been torn to pieces!”
34. Then Jacob tore his garments, put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned his son many days.
35. Though his sons and daughters tried to console him, he refused all consolation, saying, “No, I will go down mourning to my son in Sheol.” Thus did his father weep for him.
36. The Midianites, meanwhile, sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and his chief steward.