Genesis 37:20-22

20Now then, come and let’s kill him, and throw him into one of the pits; and 1we will say, ‘A vicious animal devoured him.’ Then we will see what will become of his dreams!”

21But 2Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands 3by saying, “Let’s not 4take his life.”

22Then Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”--so that later he might rescue him out of their hands, to return him to his father.