Genesis 37

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Genesis 37

1-2And these are the generations of Jacob. And Joseph was seventeen years old, feeding the sheep of his father with his brethren, being young; with the sons of Balla, and with the sons of Zelpha, the wives of his father; * and Joseph brought to Israel their father their evil reproach.Κατῴκει δὲ Ἰακὼβ ἐν τῇ γῇ, οὗ παρῴκησεν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐν γῇ Χαναάν· αὗται δὲ αἱ γενέσεις Ἰακώβ. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ δέκα καὶ ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν ἦν, ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ, ὢν νέος, μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν Βαλλᾶς, καὶ μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ζελφᾶς, τῶν γυναικῶν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ· κατήνεγκαν δὲ Ἰωσὴφ ψόγον πονηρὸν πρὸς Ἰσραὴλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν.

3And Jacob loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was to him the son of old age; and he made for him a coat of many colors.Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἠγάπα τὸν Ἰωσὴφ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι υἱὸς γήρως ἦν αὐτῷ· ἐποίησε δὲ αὐτῷ χιτῶνα ποικίλον.

4And his brethren having seen that his father loved him more than all his sons, hated him, and could not speak anything peaceful to him.Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ φιλεῖ ἐκ πάντων τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, ἐμίσησαν αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο λαλεῖν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν εἰρηνικόν.

5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and reported it to his brethren.Ἐνυπνιασθεὶς δὲ Ἰωσὴφ ἐνύπνιον, ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτὸ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ.

6And he said to them, Hear this dream which I have dreamed.Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ἀκούσατε τοῦ ἐνυπνίου τούτου, οὗ ἐνυπνιάσθην.

7I thought you were binding sheaves in the middle of the field, and my sheaf stood up and was erected, and your sheaves turned round, and did obeisance to my sheaf.Ὤμην ὑμᾶς δεσμεύειν δράγματα ἐν μέσῳ τῷ πεδίῳ· καὶ ἀνέστη τὸ ἐμὸν δράγμα, καὶ ὠρθώθη· περιστραφέντα δὲ τὰ δράγματα ὑμῶν, προσεκύνησαν τὸ ἐμὸν δράγμα.

8And his brethren said to him, Shall you indeed reign over us, or shall you indeed be lord over us? And they hated him still more for his dreams and for his words.Εἶπαν δὲ αὐτῷ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, μὴ βασιλεύων βασιλεύσεις ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, ἢ κυριεύων κυριεύσεις ἡμῶν, καὶ προσέθεντο ἔτι μισεῖν αὐτὸν ἕνεκεν τῶν ἐνυπνίων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἕνεκεν τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ.

9And he † dreamed another dream, and related it to his father, and to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream: as it were the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars did me reverence.Εἶδε δὲ ἐνύπνιον ἕτερον, καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτὸ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ ἐνυπνιασάμην ἐνύπνιον ἕτερον· ὥσπερ ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη, καὶ ἕνδεκα ἀστέρες προσεκύνουν με.

10And his father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream which you have dreamed? shall indeed both I and your mother and your brethren come and bow before you to the earth?Καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, τί τὸ ἐνύπνιον τοῦτο, ὃ ἐνυπνιάσθης; ἆρά γε ἐλθόντες ἐλευσόμεθα ἐγώ τε καὶ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου προσκυνῆσαί σοι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν;

11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.Ἐζήλωσαν δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ διετήρησε τὸ ῥῆμα.

12And his brethren went to feed the sheep of their father to Sychem.Ἐπορεύθησαν δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ βόσκειν τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν εἰς Συχέμ.

13And Israel said to Joseph, Do not your brethren feed their flock in Sychem? Come, I will send you to them; and he said to him, Behold, I am here.Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰσραὴλ πρὸς Ἰωσὴφ, οὐχὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ποιμαίνουσιν εἰς Συχέμ; δεῦρο ἀποστείλω σε πρὸς αὐτούς· εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ, ἰδοὺ ἐγώ.

14And Israel said to him, Go and see if your brethren and the sheep are well, and bring me word; and he sent him out of the valley of Chebron, and he came to Sychem.Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ Ἰσραὴλ, πορευθεὶς ἴδε, εἰ ὑγιαίνουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου, καὶ τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ἀνάγγειλόν μοι· καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς κοιλάδος τῆς Χεβρών· καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Συχέμ.

15And a man found him wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seek you?Καὶ εὗρεν αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπος πλανώμενον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ· ἠρώτησε δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, λέγων, τί ζητεῖς;

16And he said, I am seeking my brethren; tell me where they feed their flocks.Ὁ δὲ εἶπε, τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου ζητῶ· ἀπάγγειλόν μοι ποῦ βόσκουσιν.

17And the man said to him, They have departed hence, for I heard them saying, Let us go to Dothaim; and Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothaim.Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀπῄρκασιν ἐντεῦθεν· ἤκουσα γὰρ αὐτῶν λεγόντων, πορευθῶμεν εἰς Δωθαείμ· καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ἰωσὴφ κατόπισθε τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὗρεν αὐτοὺς ἐν Δωθαείμ.

18And they spied him from a distance before he drew near to them, and they wickedly took counsel to kill him.Προεῖδον δὲ αὐτὸν μακρόθεν πρὸ τοῦ ἐγγίσαι αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτούς· καὶ ἐπονηρεύοντο τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι αὐτόν.

19And each said to his brother, Behold, that dreamer comes.Εἶπε δὲ ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἰδοὺ ὁ ἐνυπνιαστὴς ἐκεῖνος ἔρχεται.

20Now then come, let us kill him, and cast him into one of the pits; and we will say, An evil wild beast has devoured him; and we shall see what his dreams will be.Νῦν οὖν δεῦτε ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ῥίψωμεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν λάκκων· καὶ ἐροῦμεν, θηρίον πονηρὸν κατέφαγεν αὐτόν· καὶ ὀψόμεθα, τί ἔσται τὰ ἐνύπνια αὐτοῦ.

21And Ruben having heard it, rescued him out of their hands, and said, Let us not ‡ kill him.Ἀκούσας δὲ Ῥουβὴν, ἐξείλετο αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν· καὶ εἶπεν, οὐ πατάξωμεν αὐτὸν εἰς ψυχήν.

22And Ruben said to them, Shed not blood; cast him into one of these pits in the wilderness, but do not lay your hands upon him; that he might rescue him out of their hands, and restore him to his father.Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς Ῥουβὴν, μὴ ἐκχέητε αἷμα· ἐμβάλλετε αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν λάκκων τούτων τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, χεῖρα δὲ μὴ ἐπενέγκητε αὐτῷ· ὅπως ἐξέληται αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀποδῷ αὐτὸν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ.

23And it came to pass, when Joseph came to his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his many-coloured coat that was upon him.Ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἦλθεν Ἰωσὴφ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, ἐξέδυσαν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν χιτῶνα τὸν ποικίλον τὸν περὶ αὐτόν.

24And they took him and cast him into the pit; and the pit was empty, it had not water.Καὶ λαβόντες αὐτὸν, ἔῤῥιψαν εἰς τὸν λάκκον· ὁ δὲ λάκκος κενὸς, ὕδωρ οὐκ εἶχε.

25And they sat down to eat bread; and having lifted up their eyes they saw, and behold, Ismaelitish travellers came from Galaad, and their camels were heavily loaded with spices, and resin, and § myrrh; and they went to bring them to Egypt.Ἐκάθισαν δὲ φαγεῖν ἄρτον· καὶ ἀναβλέψαντες τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁδοιπόροι Ἰσμαηλῖται ἤρχοντο ἐκ Γαλαάδ· καὶ αἱ κάμηλοι αὐτῶν ἔγεμον θυμιαμάτων καὶ ῥητίνης καὶ στακτῆς. ἐπορεύοντο δὲ καταγαγεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον.

26And Judas said to his brethren, What profit is it if we kill our brother, and conceal his blood?Εἶπε δὲ Ἰούδας πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, τί χρήσιμον, ἐὰν ἀποκτείνωμεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν, καὶ κρύψωμεν τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ;

27Come, let us sell him to these Ismaelites, but let not our hands be upon him, because he is our brother and our flesh; and his brethren listened.Δεῦτε ἀποδώμεθα αὐτὸν τοῖς Ἰσμαηλίταις τούτοις· αἱ δὲ χεῖρες ἡμῶν μὴ ἔστωσαν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν, ὅτι ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν καὶ σὰρξ ἡμῶν ἐστίν. Ἤκουσαν δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ.

28And the men, the merchants of Madian, went by, and they drew and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ismaelites for twenty pieces of gold; and they brought Joseph down into Egypt.Καὶ παρεπορεύοντο οἱ ἄνθρωποι οἱ Μαδιηναῖοι ἔμποροι, καὶ ἐξείλκυσαν καὶ ἀνεβίβασαν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου· καὶ ἀπέδοντο τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τοῖς Ἰσμαηλίταις εἴκοσι χρυσῶν. Καὶ κατήγαγον τὸν Ἰωσὴφ εἰς Αἴγυπτον.

29And Ruben returned to the pit, and sees not Joseph in the pit; and he tore his garments.Ἀνέστρεψε δὲ Ῥουβὴν ἐπὶ τὸν λάκκον, καὶ οὐχ ὁρᾷ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ· καὶ διέῤῥηξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ.

30And he returned to his brethren and said, The boy is not; and I, whither am I yet to go?Καὶ ἐπέστρεψε πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπε, τὸ παιδάριον οὐκ ἔστιν· ἐγὼ δὲ ποῦ πορεύομαι ἔτι;

31And having taken the coat of Joseph, they killed a kid of the goats, and stained the coat with the blood.Λαβόντες δὲ τὸν χιτῶνα τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, ἔσφαξαν ἔριφον αἰγῶν, καὶ ἐμόλυναν τὸν χιτῶνα τῷ αἵματι.

32And they sent the coat of many colors; and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found; know if it be your son's coat or no. And he recognized it, and said, It is my son's coat, an evil wild beast has devoured him; a wild beast has carried off Joseph.Καὶ ἀπέστειλαν τὸν χιτῶνα τὸν ποικίλον, καὶ εἰσήνεγκαν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῶν· καὶ εἶπαν, τοῦτον εὕρομεν, ἐπίγνωθι εἰ χιτὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ σου ἐστὶν, ἢ οὔ.

33And Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days.Καὶ ἐπέγνω αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπε, χιτὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ μου ἐστί· θηρίον πονηρὸν κατέφαγεν αὐτόν· θηρίον ἥρπασε τὸν Ἰωσήφ.

34And all his sons and his daughters gathered themselves together, and came to comfort him; but he would not be comforted, saying, I will go down to my son mourning to Hades; and his father wept for him.Διέῤῥηξε δὲ Ἰακὼβ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπέθετο σάκκον ἐπὶ τὴν ὀσφῦν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπένθει τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἡμέρας πολλάς.

35And the Madianites sold Joseph into Egypt; to Petephres, the eunuch of Pharao, captain of the guard.Συνήχθησαν δὲ πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες, καὶ ἦλθον παρακαλέσαι αὐτόν· καὶ οὐκ ἤθελε παρακαλεῖσθαι, λέγων, ὅτι καταβήσομαι πρὸς τὸν υἱόν μου πενθῶν εἰς ᾅδου· καὶ ἔκλαυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

36Οἱ δὲ Μαδιηναῖοι ἀπέδοντο τὸν Ἰωσὴφ εἰς Αἴγυπτον τῷ Πετεφρῇ τῷ σπάδοντι Φαραὼ ἀρχιμαγείρῳ.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 1-2*Or, according to some copies, they brought an evil report of Joseph, etc.
• v. 9†Gr. saw.
• v. 21‡Gr. strike him to the life.
• v. 25§Gr. stacte.