Genesis 37

NEW JERUSALEM	STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH
1 But Jacob settled in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.	1 וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן
2 This is the story of Joseph. Joseph was seventeen years old. As he was young, he was shepherdingthe flock with his brothers, with the sons of his father's wives, Bilhah and Zilpah; and Joseph brought his fatherbad reports about them.	2 אֵלֶּה ׀ תֹּלְדֹות יַעֲקֹב יֹוסֵף בֶּן־שְׁבַע־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה רֹעֶה אֶת־אֶחָיו בַּצֹּאן וְהוּא נַעַר אֶת־בְּנֵי בִלְהָה וְאֶת־בְּנֵי זִלְפָּה נְשֵׁי אָבִיו וַיָּבֵא יֹוסֵף אֶת־דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל־אֲבִיהֶם
3 Jacob loved Joseph more than al his other sons, for he was the son of his old age, and he had adecorated tunic made for him.	3 וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָהַב אֶת־יֹוסֵף מִכָּל־בָּנָיו כִּי־בֶן־זְקֻנִים הוּא לֹו וְעָשָׂה לֹו כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים
4 But his brothers, seeing how much more his father loved him than all his other sons, came to hate himso much that they could not say a civil word to him.	4 וַיִּרְאוּ אֶחָיו כִּי־אֹתֹו אָהַב אֲבִיהֶם מִכָּל־אֶחָיו וַיִּשְׂנְאוּ אֹתֹו וְלֹא יָכְלוּ דַּבְּרֹו לְשָׁלֹם
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he repeated it to his brothers, who then hated him more than ever.	5 וַיַּחֲלֹם יֹוסֵף חֲלֹום וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו וַיֹּוסִפוּ עֹוד שְׂנֹא אֹתֹו
6 'Listen', he said, 'to the dream I had.	6 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא הַחֲלֹום הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתִּי
7 We were binding sheaves in the field, when my sheaf suddenly rose and stood upright, and then yoursheaves gathered round and bowed to my sheaf.'	7 וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַלְּמִים אֲלֻמִּים בְּתֹוךְ הַשָּׂדֶה וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם־נִצָּבָה וְהִנֵּה תְסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמֹּתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִי
8 'So you want to be king over us,' his brothers retorted, 'you want to lord it over us?' And they hatedhim even more, on account of his dreams and of what he said.	8 וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹו אֶחָיו הֲמָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ אִם־מָשֹׁול תִּמְשֹׁל בָּנוּ וַיֹּוסִפוּ עֹוד שְׂנֹא אֹתֹו עַל־חֲלֹמֹתָיו וְעַל־דְּבָרָיו
9 He had another dream which he recounted to his brothers. 'Look, I have had another dream,' he said.'There were the sun, the moon and eleven stars, bowing down to me.'	9 וַיַּחֲלֹם עֹוד חֲלֹום אַחֵר וַיְסַפֵּר אֹתֹו לְאֶחָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה חָלַמְתִּי חֲלֹום עֹוד וְהִנֵּה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְאַחַד עָשָׂר כֹּוכָבִים מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לִי
10 He told his father and brothers, and his father scolded him. 'A fine dream to have!' he said to him.'Are all of us then, myself, your mother and your brothers, to come and bow to the ground before you?'	10 וַיְסַפֵּר אֶל־אָבִיו וְאֶל־אֶחָיו וַיִּגְעַר־בֹּו אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו מָה הַחֲלֹום הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתָּ הֲבֹוא נָבֹוא אֲנִי וְאִמְּךָ וְאַחֶיךָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְךָ אָרְצָה
11 His brothers held it against him, but his father pondered the matter.	11 וַיְקַנְאוּ־בֹו אֶחָיו וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת־הַדָּבָר
12 His brothers went to pasture their father's flock at Shechem.	12 וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶחָיו לִרְעֹות אֶת־צֹאן אֲבִיהֶם בִּשְׁכֶם
13 Then Israel said to Joseph, 'Your brothers are with the flock at Shechem, aren't they? Come, I amgoing to send you to them.' 'I am ready,' he replied.	13 וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יֹוסֵף הֲלֹוא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֲלֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו הִנֵּנִי
14 He said to him, 'Go and see how your brothers and the flock are doing, and bring me word.' He senthim from the val ey of Hebron, and Joseph arrived at Shechem.	14 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו לֶךְ־נָא רְאֵה אֶת־שְׁלֹום אַחֶיךָ וְאֶת־שְׁלֹום הַצֹּאן וַהֲשִׁבֵנִי דָּבָר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵהוּ מֵעֵמֶק חֶבְרֹון וַיָּבֹא שְׁכֶמָה
15 A man found him wandering in the countryside and asked him, 'What are you looking for ? '	15 וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ וְהִנֵּה תֹעֶה בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיִּשְׁאָלֵהוּ הָאִישׁ לֵאמֹר מַה־תְּבַקֵּשׁ
16 'I am looking for my brothers,' he replied. 'Please tel me where they are pasturing their flock.'	16 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת־אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ הַגִּידָה־נָּא לִי אֵיפֹה הֵם רֹעִים
17 The man answered, 'They have moved on from here; indeed I heard them say, "Let us go toDothan." ' So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.	17 וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ נָסְעוּ מִזֶּה כִּי שָׁמַעְתִּי אֹמְרִים נֵלְכָה דֹּתָיְנָה וַיֵּלֶךְ יֹוסֵף אַחַר אֶחָיו וַיִּמְצָאֵם בְּדֹתָן
18 They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them they made a plot to kil him.	18 וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתֹו מֵרָחֹק וּבְטֶרֶם יִקְרַב אֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ אֹתֹו לַהֲמִיתֹו
19 'Here comes that dreamer,' they said to one another.	19 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו הִנֵּה בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמֹות הַלָּזֶה בָּא
20 'Come on, let us kil him now and throw him down one of the storage-wells; we can say that somewild animal has devoured him. Then we shal see what becomes of his dreams.'	20 וְעַתָּה ׀ לְכוּ וְנַהַרְגֵהוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בְּאַחַד הַבֹּרֹות וְאָמַרְנוּ חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ וְנִרְאֶה מַה־יִּהְיוּ חֲלֹמֹתָיו
21 But Reuben heard, and he saved him from their clutches. 'We must not take his life,' he said.	21 וַיִּשְׁמַע רְאוּבֵן וַיַּצִּלֵהוּ מִיָּדָם וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא נַכֶּנּוּ נָפֶשׁ
22 'Shed no blood,' said Reuben to them, 'throw him down that wel out in the desert, but do not kil himyourselves' -- intending to save him from them and to restore him to his father.	22 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם ׀ רְאוּבֵן אַל־תִּשְׁפְּכוּ־דָם הַשְׁלִיכוּ אֹתֹו אֶל־הַבֹּור הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בַּמִּדְבָּר וְיָד אַל־תִּשְׁלְחוּ־בֹו לְמַעַן הַצִּיל אֹתֹו מִיָּדָם לַהֲשִׁיבֹו אֶל־אָבִיו
23 So, when Joseph reached his brothers, they pul ed off his tunic, the decorated tunic which he waswearing,	23 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּא יֹוסֵף אֶל־אֶחָיו וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּ אֶת־יֹוסֵף אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתֹּו אֶת־כְּתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו
24 and catching hold of him, threw him into the wel . The wel was empty, with no water in it.	24 וַיִּקָּחֻהוּ וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֹתֹו הַבֹּרָה וְהַבֹּור רֵק אֵין בֹּו מָיִם
25 They then sat down to eat. Looking up, they saw a group of Ishmaelites who were coming fromGilead, their camels laden with gum tragacanth, balsam and resin, which they were taking to Egypt.	25 וַיֵּשְׁבוּ לֶאֱכָל־לֶחֶם וַיִּשְׂאוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה אֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים בָּאָה מִגִּלְעָד וּגְמַלֵּיהֶם נֹשְׂאִים נְכֹאת וּצְרִי וָלֹט הֹולְכִים לְהֹורִיד מִצְרָיְמָה
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, 'What do we gain by killing our brother and covering up his blood?	26 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה אֶל־אֶחָיו מַה־בֶּצַע כִּי נַהֲרֹג אֶת־אָחִינוּ וְכִסִּינוּ אֶת־דָּמֹו
27 Come, let us sel him to the Ishmaelites, then we shal not have laid hands on him ourselves. Afteral , he is our brother, and our own flesh.' His brothers agreed.	27 לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים וְיָדֵנוּ אַל־תְּהִי־בֹו כִּי־אָחִינוּ בְשָׂרֵנוּ הוּא וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶחָיו
28 Now some Midianite merchants were passing, and they pul ed Joseph out of the wel . They soldJoseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver, and these men took Joseph to Egypt.	28 וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִדְיָנִים סֹחֲרִים וַיִּמְשְׁכוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת־יֹוסֵף מִן־הַבֹּור וַיִּמְכְּרוּ אֶת־יֹוסֵף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים בְּעֶשְׂרִים כָּסֶף וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־יֹוסֵף מִצְרָיְמָה
29 When Reuben went back to the wel , there was no sign of Joseph. Tearing his clothes,	29 וַיָּשָׁב רְאוּבֵן אֶל־הַבֹּור וְהִנֵּה אֵין־יֹוסֵף בַּבֹּור וַיִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדָיו
30 he went back to his brothers. 'The boy has gone,' he said. 'What am I going to do?'	30 וַיָּשָׁב אֶל־אֶחָיו וַיֹּאמַר הַיֶּלֶד אֵינֶנּוּ וַאֲנִי אָנָה אֲנִי־בָא
31 They took Joseph's tunic and, slaughtering a goat, dipped the tunic in the blood.	31 וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־כְּתֹנֶת יֹוסֵף וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שְׂעִיר עִזִּים וַיִּטְבְּלוּ אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּנֶת בַּדָּם
32 Then they sent off the decorated tunic and had it taken to their father, with the message, 'This iswhat we have found. Do you recognise it as your son's tunic or not?'	32 וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ אֶת־כְּתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶל־אֲבִיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ זֹאת מָצָאנוּ הַכֶּר־נָא הַכְּתֹנֶת בִּנְךָ הִוא אִם־לֹא
33 He recognised it and cried, 'My son's tunic! A wild animal has devoured him! Joseph has been torn topieces!'	33 וַיַּכִּירָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר כְּתֹנֶת בְּנִי חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ טָרֹף טֹרַף יֹוסֵף
34 Tearing his clothes and putting sackcloth round his waist, Jacob mourned his son for many days.	34 וַיִּקְרַע יַעֲקֹב שִׂמְלֹתָיו וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק בְּמָתְנָיו וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל־בְּנֹו יָמִים רַבִּים
35 Al his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. 'No,' he said, 'I wilgo down to Sheol in mourning and join my son.' Thus his father wept for him.	35 וַיָּקֻמוּ כָל־בָּנָיו וְכָל־בְּנֹתָיו לְנַחֲמֹו וַיְמָאֵן לְהִתְנַחֵם וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי־אֵרֵד אֶל־בְּנִי אָבֵל שְׁאֹלָה וַיֵּבְךְּ אֹתֹו אָבִיו
36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials andcommander of the guard.	36 וְהַמְּדָנִים מָכְרוּ אֹתֹו אֶל־מִצְרָיִם לְפֹוטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים׃ פ