Joseph’s Dreams
1Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.
2This is the account of Jacob’s family line.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate37:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verses 23 and 32. robe for him. 4When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
8His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
9Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
Joseph Sold by His Brothers
12Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 13and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”
“Very well,” he replied.
14So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”
17“They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’ ”
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
19“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20“Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
21When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22“Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
25As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
26Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
28So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels37:28 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
29When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”
31Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”
33He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”
34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.” So his father wept for him.
36Meanwhile, the Midianites37:36 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also verse 28); Masoretic Text Medanites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
Àlá Josẹfu
1Jakọbu sì gbé ilẹ̀ Kenaani ní ibi ti baba rẹ̀ ti gbé.
2Èyí ni àwọn ìtàn Jakọbu.
Nígbà tí Josẹfu di ọmọ ọdún mẹ́tà-dínlógún (17), ó ń ṣọ́ agbo ẹran pẹ̀lú àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀, àwọn ọmọ Biliha àti Silipa aya baba rẹ̀ Josẹfu sì ń ròyìn àwọn aburú tí wọ́n ń ṣe fún baba wọn.
3Israẹli sì fẹ́ràn Josẹfu ju gbogbo àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ tókù lọ, nítorí ní ọjọ́ ogbó rẹ̀ ni ó bí i. O sì dá aṣọ aláràbarà tí ó kún fún onírúurú ọnà lára fún un. 4Nígbà tí àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ rí i pé baba àwọn fẹ́ràn rẹ̀ ju gbogbo wọn lọ, wọ́n kórìíra rẹ̀, wọ́n sì ń fi ẹ̀tanú bá a gbé, kò sì sí àlàáfíà láàrín wọn.
5Josẹfu lá àlá kan, nígbà tí ó sì sọ fún àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀, wọ́n túbọ̀ kórìíra rẹ̀ sí i. 6O wí fún wọn pé, “Ẹ fetí sí àlá tí mo lá: 7Sá à wò ó, àwa ń yí ìtí ọkà nínú oko, ó sì ṣe ìtí ọkà tèmi sì dìde dúró ṣánṣán, àwọn ìtí ọkà tiyín sì dúró yí ìtí tèmi ká, wọ́n sì ń foríbalẹ̀ fún un.”
8Àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ wí fún un pé, “Ìwọ ń gbèrò àti jẹ ọba lé wa lórí bí? Tàbí ìwọ ó ṣe olórí wa nítòótọ́?” Wọn sì túbọ̀ kórìíra rẹ̀ sí i, nítorí àlá rẹ̀ àti nítorí ohun tí ó wí.
9O sì tún lá àlá mìíràn, ó sì tún sọ ọ́ fún àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀. Ó wí pé, ẹ tẹ́tí sí mi, “Mo tún lá àlá mìíràn, wò ó, oòrùn, òṣùpá àti ìràwọ̀ mọ́kànlá ń foríbalẹ̀ fún mi.”
10Nígbà tí ó sọ fún baba rẹ̀ àti àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ pẹ̀lú, baba rẹ̀ bá a wí pé, “irú àlá wo ni ìwọ lá yìí? Ṣé ìyá rẹ, pẹ̀lú èmi àti àwọn ẹ̀gbọ́n rẹ yóò wá foríbalẹ̀ níwájú rẹ ni?” 1137.11,28: Ap 7.9.Àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ sì ń ṣe ìlara rẹ̀ ṣùgbọ́n baba rẹ̀ pa ọ̀rọ̀ náà mọ́ lọ́kàn rẹ̀.
Àwọn arákùnrin Josẹfu tà á
12Àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ sì da ẹran baba wọn lọ sí Ṣekemu. 13Israẹli sì wí fún Josẹfu pé, “Ṣé o mọ̀ pé, àwọn arákùnrin rẹ ń da ẹran ní Ṣekemu, wá, jẹ́ kí n rán ọ sí wọn.”
Josẹfu sì dáhùn pé, “Èmi nìyí.”
14O sì wí fún un pé, “Lọ wò bí àwọn arákùnrin rẹ àti àwọn agbo ẹran bá wà ní àlàáfíà, kí o sì wá jíṣẹ́ fún mi.” Ó sì rán Josẹfu lọ láti Àfonífojì Hebroni.
Nígbà tí Josẹfu dé Ṣekemu, 15Ọkùnrin kan sì rí i tí ó ń rìn kiri inú pápá, ó sì bi í pé, “Kín ni ò ń wá?”
16Ó sì dáhùn pé, “Àwọn arákùnrin mi ni mò ń wá, ǹjẹ́ o mọ ibi tí wọ́n wà pẹ̀lú agbo ẹran?”
17Ọkùnrin náà dáhùn pé, “Wọ́n ti kúrò ní ìhín, mo gbọ́ tí wọ́n ń wí pé, ‘Ẹ jẹ́ kí a lọ sí Dotani.’ ”
Josẹfu sì wá àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ lọ, ó sì rí wọn ní tòsí Dotani. 18Ṣùgbọ́n bí wọ́n sì ti rí i tí ń bọ̀ lókèèrè, kí ó sì tó dé ọ̀dọ̀ wọn, wọn gbìmọ̀ pọ̀ láti pa á.
19“Alálàá ni ń bọ̀ yìí,” ni wọ́n ń wí fún ara wọn. 20“Ẹ wá, ẹ jẹ́ kí a pa á. Kí a sì ju òkú rẹ̀ sínú kòtò, a ó sì wí pé, ẹranko búburú ni ó pa á, kí a máa wo ọ̀nà tí àlá rẹ̀ yóò gbà ṣẹ.”
21Nígbà tí Reubeni gbọ́ èyí, ó gbìyànjú láti gbà á sílẹ̀ ní ọwọ́ wọn, ó sì wí pé, “Ẹ má ṣe jẹ́ kí a gba ẹ̀mí rẹ̀, 22Ẹ má ṣe jẹ́ kí a ta ẹ̀jẹ̀ sílẹ̀, ẹ má ṣe fọwọ́ kàn án, ẹ kúkú jù ú sínú kòtò láààyè nínú aginjù níbí.” Reubeni sọ èyí, kí ó ba à le gbà á kúrò lọ́wọ́ wọn, kí ó sì dá a padà lọ fún baba rẹ̀.
23Nítorí náà, nígbà tí Josẹfu dé ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀, wọ́n bọ́ ẹ̀wù rẹ̀—Ẹ̀wù ọlọ́nà, aláràbarà tí ó wọ̀— 24wọ́n mú un, wọ́n sì jù ú sínú kòtò. Kòtò náà sì ṣófo, kò sí omi nínú rẹ̀.
25Bí wọ́n sì ti jókòó láti jẹun, wọ́n gbójú sókè, wọ́n sì rí àwọn oníṣòwò ará Iṣmaeli tí wọ́n ń wọ́ bọ̀ láti Gileadi. Ìbákasẹ wọn sì ru tùràrí, ìkunra àti òjìá, wọ́n ń lọ sí Ejibiti.
26Juda wí fún àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ pé, “Èrè kí ni ó jẹ́ bí a bá pa arákùnrin wa tí a bo ẹ̀jẹ̀ rẹ̀ mọ́lẹ̀ ti ọkàn wa sì ń dá wa lẹ́bi? 27Ẹ wá, ẹ jẹ́ kí á tà á fún àwọn ará Iṣmaeli, kí àwa má sì pa á, ṣè bí àbúrò wa ni, ẹran-ara wa àti ẹ̀jẹ̀ wa ní i ṣe.” Àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀ sì fi ara mọ́ ohun tí ó sọ.
2837.28: Ap 7.9.Nítorí náà, nígbà tí àwọn oníṣòwò ara Midiani ń kọjá, àwọn arákùnrin Josẹfu fà á jáde láti inú kòtò, wọ́n sì tà á fún àwọn ará Iṣmaeli ní ogún owó wúrà, wọ́n sì mú Josẹfu lọ sí ilẹ̀ Ejibiti.
29Nígbà tí Reubeni padà dé ibi kòtò tí ó sì ri pé Josẹfu kò sí níbẹ̀ mọ́, ó fa aṣọ rẹ̀ ya pẹ̀lú ìbànújẹ́. 30Ó padà lọ sí ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀, ó sì wí pé, “Ọmọdékùnrin náà kò sí níbẹ̀ mọ́! Níbo ni ẹ fẹ́ kí n wọ̀ báyìí?”
31Nígbà náà ni wọ́n mú aṣọ Josẹfu, wọ́n pa ewúrẹ́ kan, wọ́n sì tẹ aṣọ náà bọ inú ẹ̀jẹ̀ ewúrẹ́ náà. 32Wọ́n sì mú aṣọ ọlọ́nà aláràbarà náà padà sí ọ̀dọ̀ baba wọn, wọ́n sì wí pé, “A rí èyí he nínú oko, yẹ̀ ẹ́ wò, kí o sì mọ̀ bóyá ti ọmọ rẹ ni.”
33Ó sì dá a mọ̀, ó wí pé, “Háà! Aṣọ ọmọ mi ni, ẹranko búburú ti pa á jẹ, láìṣe àní àní, ó ti fa Josẹfu ya pẹ́rẹpẹ̀rẹ.”
34Nígbà náà ni Jakọbu fa aṣọ rẹ̀ ya, ó sì wọ aṣọ ọ̀fọ̀, ó sì ṣọ̀fọ̀ ọmọ rẹ̀ fún ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ọjọ́ 35Gbogbo àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ lọ́kùnrin, lóbìnrin wá láti tù ú nínú, ṣùgbọ́n kò gbà. Ó wí pé, “Rárá, nínú ọ̀fọ̀ yìí ni èmi yóò lọ sí isà òkú lọ́dọ̀ ọmọ mi.” Baba Josẹfu sì sọkún fún un.
36Ní gbogbo àkókò wọ̀nyí, àwọn ará Midiani ta Josẹfu ní Ejibiti fún Potiferi, ọ̀kan nínú àwọn ìjòyè Farao, tí í ṣe olórí ẹ̀ṣọ́.
