Genesis 37:12-22

12His brothers had gone to take care of their father’s flocks at Shechem.

13Israel then said to Joseph, “Your brothers are taking care of the flocks at Shechem. I’m going to send you to them.” Joseph responded, “I’ll go.”

14So Israel said, “See how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring some news back to me.” Then he sent Joseph away from the Hebron Valley. When Joseph came to Shechem,

15a man found him wandering around in the open country. “What are you looking for?” the man asked.

16Joseph replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell me where they’re taking care of their flocks.”

17The man said, “They moved on from here. I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18They saw him from a distance. Before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

19They said to each other, “Look, here comes that master dreamer!

20Let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and say that a wild animal has eaten him. Then we’ll see what happens to his dreams.”

21When Reuben heard this, he tried to save Joseph from their plot. “Let’s not kill him,” he said.

22“Let’s not have any bloodshed. Put him into that cistern that’s out in the desert, but don’t hurt him.” Reuben wanted to rescue Joseph from them and bring him back to his father.