Genesis chapter .xxxvij.
¶ And Iacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, that is to say in the land of Canaan.
And these are the generations of Iacob: when Ioseph was seventeen years old, he kept sheep with his brethren, and the lad was with the sons of Bilha and of Zilpha his father's wives. And he brought unto their father an evil saying that was of them.
And Israel loved Ioseph more than all his children, because he begat him in his old age, and he made him a coat of many colours.
When his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak one kind word unto him.
¶ Moreover Ioseph dreamed a dream and told it his brethren: wherefore they hated him yet the more.
And he said unto them hear I pray yow this dream which I have dreamed:
Behold we were making sheaves in the field: and lo, my sheaf arose and stood upright, and yours stood round about and made obeisance to my sheaf.
Then said his brethren unto him: what, shalt thou be our king or shalt thou reign over us? And they hated him yet the more, because of his dream and of his words.
And he dreamed yet another dream and told it his brethren saying: behold, I have had one dream more: me thought the sonne and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.
And when he had told it unto his father and his brethren, his father rebuked him and said unto him: what meaneth this dream which thou hast dreamed: shall I and thy mother and thy brethren come and fall on the ground before thee?
And his brethren hated him, but his father noted the saying.
¶ His brethren went to keep their father's sheep in Sichem,
and Israel said unto Ioseph: do not thy brethren keep in Sichem? come that I may send thee to them. And he answered here am I.
And he said unto him: go and see whether it be well with thy brethren and the sheep, and bring me word again: And sent him out of the vale of Hebron, for to go to Sichem.
And a certain man found him wandering out of his way in the field, and asked him what he sought.
And he answered: I seek my brethren, tell me I pray thee where they keep sheep.
And the man said, they are departed hence, for I heard them say, let us go unto Dothan. Thus went Ioseph after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
And when they saw him afar off before he came at them, they took counsel against him, for to slay him,
and said one to another: Behold this dreamer cometh,
come now and let us slay him and cast him into some pit, and let us say that sonne wicked beast hath devoured him, and let us see what his dreams will come to.
When Ruben heard that, he went about to rid him out of their hands and said, let us not kill him.
And Ruben said moreover unto them, shed not his blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hands upon him: for he would have rid him out of their hands and delivered him to his father again.
¶ And as soon as Ioseph was come unto his brethren, they stripped him out, of his gay coat that was upon him,
and they took him and cast him into a pit. But the pit was empty and had no water therein.
And they sat them down to eat bread. And as they lift up their eyes and looked about, there came a company of Ismaelites from Gilead, and their camels laden with spicery, balm, and myrrh, and were going down into Egypt.
Then said Iuda to his brethren, what availeth it that we slay our brother, and keep his blood secret?
come on, let us sell him to the Ismaelites, and let not our hands be defiled upon him: for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
Then as the Madianites merchant men passed by, they drew Ioseph out of the pit and sold him unto the Ismaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought him into Egypt.
And when Ruben came again unto the pit and found not Ioseph there, he rent his clothes
and went again unto his brethren saying: the lad is not yonder, and whither shall I go?
¶ And they took Ioseph's coat and killed a goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.
And they sent that gay coat and caused it to be brought unto their father and said: This have we found: see, whether it be thy son's coat or no.
And he knew it saying: it is my son's coat: a wicked beast hath devoured him, and Ioseph is rent in pieces.
And Iacob rent his clothes, and put sack cloth about his loins, and sorrowed for his son a long season.
Then came all his sons and all his daughters to comfort him. And he would not be comforted, but said: I will go down into the grave unto my son, mourning. And thus his father wept for him.
And the Madianites sold him in Egypt unto Putiphar a lord of Pharao's: and his chief marshal.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.