Genesis 37:12-22

12When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem,

13Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” Joseph replied.

14So Jacob said to him, “Go now and check on the welfare of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob sent him from the valley of Hebron.

15When Joseph reached Shechem, a man found him wandering in the field, so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell me where they are grazing their flocks.”

17The man said, “They left this area, for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18Now Joseph’s brothers saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

19They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams!

20Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!”

21When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph from their hands, saying, “Let’s not take his life!”

22Reuben continued, “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” (Reuben said this so he could rescue Joseph from them and take him back to his father.)