Genesis 37:21-30

21But 1Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands 2by saying, “Let’s not 3take 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. 23So it came about, when Joseph 4reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the 5multicolored tunic that was on him; 24and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

25Then they sat down to eat 6a meal. But as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of 7Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying 8labdanum resin, 9balsam, and 10myrrh, 11on their way to bring them down to Egypt. 26And Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and 12cover up his blood? 2713Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28Then some 14Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him out and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and 15sold 16him to the Ishmaelites for 17twenty shekels of silver. So 18they brought Joseph into Egypt.

29Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he 19tore his garments. 30He returned to his brothers and said, “20The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?”