Genesis 37:1
וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּאֶ֖רֶץ מְגוּרֵ֣י אָבִ֑יו
Now Jacob dwelt in the land
of the sojournings of his father,
בְּאֶ֖רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃
In the land of Cana’an;
Genesis 37:2
אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֗ב
These are the histories of Jacob.
יוֹסֵ֞ף בֶּן־שְׁבַֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙
Joseph was a son of seventeen years,
הָיָ֨ה רֹעֶ֤ה אֶת־אֶחָיו֙ בַּצֹּ֔אן
He used to shepherd the flock, along with his brothers,
וְה֣וּא נַ֗עַר
while he was a youth,—
אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָ֛ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י זִלְפָּ֖ה נְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֑יו
with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah,
the wives of his father;
וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־דִּבָּתָ֥ם רָעָ֖ה אֶל־אֲבִיהֶֽם׃
Then he brought an evil report of them to their father.
Genesis 37:3
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכָּל־בָּנָ֔יו
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons,
כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ
for he was a son-of-old-age to him;
וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃
And he made him a fine multicoloured tunic.
Genesis 37:4
וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ
And his brothers took note that their father
אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכָּל־אֶחָ֔יו
had loved him more than all his brothers,
וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ
And they hated him;
וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃
And they were unable to speak to him with friendliness;
Genesis 37:5
וַיַּחֲלֹ֤ם יוֹסֵף֙ חֲל֔וֹם
And Joseph dreamt a dream,
וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאֶחָ֑יו
and he told his brothers;
וַיּוֹסִ֥פוּ ע֖וֹד שְׂנֹ֥א אֹתֽוֹ׃
Then they began all the more to hate him:
Genesis 37:6
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם
And he said to them:
שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֕א הַחֲל֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלָֽמְתִּי׃
“Please hear this dream that I have dreamt: —”
Genesis 37:7
וְ֠הִנֵּה אֲנַ֜חְנוּ מְאַלְּמִ֤ים אֲלֻמִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה
“Now behold!
We were binding sheaves in the midst of the field;
וְהִנֵּ֛ה קָ֥מָה אֲלֻמָּתִ֖י
And lo! My sheaf arose,
וְגַם־נִצָּ֑בָה
then moreover took its position;
וְהִנֵּ֤ה תְסֻבֶּ֙ינָה֙ אֲלֻמֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם
And behold! Your sheaves, they were surrounding,
וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִֽי׃
And they bowed themselves down to my sheaf.”
Genesis 37:8
וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ אֶחָ֔יו הֲמָלֹ֤ךְ תִּמְלֹךְ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ
Then his brothers said to him:
“Really! Will you be reigning over us!?
אִם־מָשׁ֥וֹל תִּמְשֹׁ֖ל בָּ֑נוּ
If indeed you shall rule over us!?”
וַיּוֹסִ֤פוּ עוֹד֙ שְׂנֹ֣א אֹת֔וֹ
So they became even more hateful of him,
עַל־חֲלֹמֹתָ֖יו וְעַל־דְּבָרָֽיו׃
On account of his dreams, and because of his reports;
Genesis 37:9
וַיַּחֲלֹ֥ם עוֹד֙ חֲל֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר
And he dreamt yet another dream,
וַיְסַפֵּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ לְאֶחָ֑יו
Then he related it to his brothers;
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֨ה חָלַ֤מְתִּֽי חֲלוֹם֙ ע֔וֹד
And he said,
“Behold! I dreamt yet a dream,
וְהִנֵּ֧ה הַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵ֗חַ וְאַחַ֤ד עָשָׂר֙ כּֽוֹכָבִ֔ים
And behold! The sun and the moon,
and eleven stars,
מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֖ים לִֽי׃
They were prostrating themselves to me!”
Genesis 37:10
וַיְסַפֵּ֣ר אֶל־אָבִיו֮ וְאֶל־אֶחָיו֒
And so he recounted it to his father
and to his brothers.
וַיִּגְעַר־בּ֣וֹ אָבִ֔יו
But his father rebuked him,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָ֛ה הַחֲל֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָלָ֑מְתָּ
and he said to him,
“What is this dream, that you have dreamt!?
הֲב֣וֹא נָב֗וֹא אֲנִי֙ וְאִמְּךָ֣ וְאַחֶ֔יךָ
Shall we indeed come, myself,
together with you mother (Bilhah) and your brothers,
לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת לְךָ֖ אָֽרְצָה׃
to bow ourselves down to you, towards the earth!?”
Genesis 37:11
וַיְקַנְאוּ־ב֖וֹ אֶחָ֑יו
And his brothers were green with envy of him;
וְאָבִ֖יו שָׁמַ֥ר אֶת־הַדָּבָֽר׃ס
But his father had retained that word.
Genesis 37:12
וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶחָ֑יו
And his brothers went away, —
לִרְע֛וֹת אֶׄתׄ־צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶ֖ם בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃
In order to pasture their father’s flock (amongst other things!) at Shechem;
Genesis 37:13
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֗ף
And Israel said to Joseph:
הֲל֤וֹא אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹעִ֣ים בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם
“Are not your brothers shepherding at Shechem?
לְכָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם
Go there, since I want to send you to them;”
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ הִנֵּֽנִי׃
So he said to him, “Here I am!”
Genesis 37:14
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ
And he said to him,
לֶךְ־נָ֨א רְאֵ֜ה אֶת־שְׁל֤וֹם אַחֶ֙יךָ֙
“Please go check the welfare of your brothers
וְאֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הַצֹּ֔אן
And the condition of the flock,
וַהֲשִׁבֵ֖נִי דָּבָ֑ר
Then bring me back word”;
וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֙הוּ֙ מֵעֵ֣מֶק חֶבְר֔וֹן וַיָּבֹ֖א שְׁכֶֽמָה׃
And so he sent him out from the vale of Hebron,
And he came to Shechem.
Genesis 37:15
וַיִּמְצָאֵ֣הוּ אִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תֹעֶ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה
And a certain man found him,
and there he was wandering in the field;
וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֧הוּ הָאִ֛ישׁ לֵאמֹ֖ר מַה־תְּבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
And the man asked him saying:
“What are you looking for?”
Genesis 37:16
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־אַחַ֖י אָנֹכִ֣י מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ
And he said,
“I am seeking my brothers:
הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵיפֹ֖ה הֵ֥ם רֹעִֽים׃
Please tell me, where they are shepherding;”
Genesis 37:17
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ נָסְע֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה
And the man said,
“They have departed from here,
כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה דֹּתָ֑יְנָה
For I heard them saying,
‘Let us go to Dothan’ ”;
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ יוֹסֵף֙ אַחַ֣ר אֶחָ֔יו וַיִּמְצָאֵ֖ם בְּדֹתָֽן׃
So Joseph went after his brothers,
and he found them at Dothan;
Genesis 37:18
וַיִּרְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק
And they saw him afar off;
וּבְטֶ֙רֶם֙ יִקְרַ֣ב אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם
And before he could draw near to them,
וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃
They colluded against him then,
to put him to death;
Genesis 37:19
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו
And they said one to another:
הִנֵּ֗ה בַּ֛עַל הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַלָּזֶ֖ה בָּֽא׃
“Behold, that lord of the dreams is about to make an entrance;”
Genesis 37:20
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ לְכ֣וּ וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ
“And now — go and let us kill him,
וְנַשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַבֹּר֔וֹת
And let us dispose of him in one of the pits,
וְאָמַ֕רְנוּ חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ
and we shall say,
‘A ravenous beast has devoured him’;
וְנִרְאֶ֕ה מַה־יִּהְי֖וּ חֲלֹמֹתָֽיו׃
“Then we shall see what shall become of his dreams!!”
Genesis 37:21
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע רְאוּבֵ֔ן
But Reuben heard,
וַיַּצִּלֵ֖הוּ מִיָּדָ֑ם
And he delivered him from their hand;
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א נַכֶּ֖נּוּ נָֽפֶשׁ׃
Since he said,
“Let us not strike a person dead!”
Genesis 37:22
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֣ם ׀ רְאוּבֵן֮
Furthermore Reuben said to them,
אַל־תִּשְׁפְּכוּ־דָם֒
“You must not shed blood!
הַשְׁלִ֣יכוּ אֹת֗וֹ אֶל־הַבּ֤וֹר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר
Cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness,
וְיָ֖ד אַל־תִּשְׁלְחוּ־ב֑וֹ
But you must not put forth a hand on him”:
לְמַ֗עַן הַצִּ֤יל אֹתוֹ֙ מִיָּדָ֔ם
( In order to remove him from their power,
לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ אֶל־אָבִֽיו׃
To bring him back to his father).
Genesis 37:23
וֽ͏ַיְהִ֕י כּֽ͏ַאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו
Now it happened,
when Joseph came to his brothers,
וַיַּפְשִׁ֤יטוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתּ֔וֹ
Then they made Joseph strip off his tunic,
אֶת־כְּתֹ֥נֶת הַפַּסִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃
The fine multicoloured tunic that was on him;
Genesis 37:24
וַיִּ֨קָּחֻ֔הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֥כוּ אֹת֖וֹ הַבֹּ֑רָה
And they seized him,
and threw him into the pit;
וְהַבּ֣וֹר רֵ֔ק אֵ֥ין בּ֖וֹ מָֽיִם׃
And the pit was empty,
there was no water in it;
Genesis 37:25
וַיֵּשְׁבוּ֮ לֶֽאֱכָל־לֶחֶם֒
Then they sat down to consume food;
וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ וַיִּרְא֔וּ
And they lifted up their eyes and they looked,
וְהִנֵּה֙ אֹרְחַ֣ת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים בָּאָ֖ה מִגִּלְעָ֑ד
And behold! A travelling company of Ishmaelites,
coming from Gilead,
וּגְמַלֵּיהֶ֣ם נֹֽשְׂאִ֗ים
And their camels were carrying
נְכֹאת֙ וּצְרִ֣י וָלֹ֔ט
Spice and balm and fragrant resin,—
הוֹלְכִ֖ים לְהוֹרִ֥יד מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
They were proceeding to go down to Egypt;
Genesis 37:26
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוּדָ֖ה אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו
Then Judah said to his brothers:
מַה־בֶּ֗צַע
“What’s the gain! —
כִּ֤י נַהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־אָחִ֔ינוּ וְכִסִּ֖ינוּ אֶת־דָּמֽוֹ׃
If we should kill our brother,
and conceal his blood!?”
Genesis 37:27
לְכ֞וּ וְנִמְכְּרֶ֣נּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֗ים
“Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites,
וְיָדֵ֙נוּ֙ אַל־תְּהִי־ב֔וֹ
So that our hand shall not be on him,
כִּֽי־אָחִ֥ינוּ בְשָׂרֵ֖נוּ ה֑וּא
For he is our brother and our flesh.”;
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶחָֽיו׃
And they listened to him.
Geneisis 37:28
ויַּֽעַבְרוּ֩ אֲנָשִׁ֨ים מִדְיָנִ֜ים סֹֽחֲרִ֗ים
And Midianite men passed by,
who were traders,
וַֽיִּמְשְׁכוּ֙ וַיַּֽעֲל֤וּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִן־הַבּ֔וֹר
And they pulled and lifted Joseph up out of the pit,
וַיִּמְכְּר֧וּ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֛ף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים
And they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites,
בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים כָּ֑סֶף
at twenty shekels of silver;
וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
Then they brought Joseph to Egypt.
Genesis 37:29
וַיָּ֤שָׁב רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־הַבּ֔וֹר
And Reuben returned to the pit,
וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵין־יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבּ֑וֹר
And behold Joseph was not in the pit;
וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃
So he tore his clothes;
Genesis 37:30
וַיָּ֥שָׁב אֶל־אֶחָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר
And he went back to his brothers, and said:
הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ
” The boy is not,
וַאֲנִ֖י אָ֥נָה אֲנִי־בָֽא׃
And I, whither should I be heading!?”…
Genesis 37:31
וַיִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־כְּתֹ֣נֶת יוֹסֵ֑ף
And they took Joseph’s tunic,
וַֽיִּשְׁחֲטוּ֙ שְׂעִ֣יר עִזִּ֔ים
And they slaughtered a goat buck,
וַיִּטְבְּל֥וּ אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּ֖נֶת בַּדָּֽם׃
Then dipped the tunic in the blood;
Genesis 37:32
וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֞וּ אֶת־כְּתֹ֣נֶת הַפַּסִּ֗ים
And they sent the varicoloured tunic,
וַיָּבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶל־אֲבִיהֶ֔ם
And brought it to their father,
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ זֹ֣את מָצָ֑אנוּ
And they said: “We found this:
הַכֶּר־נָ֗א הַכְּתֹ֧נֶת בִּנְךָ֛ הִ֖וא אִם־לֹֽא׃
Please check whether this is the tunic of your son, or not? ”;
Genesis 37:33
וַיַּכִּירָ֤הּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כְּתֹ֣נֶת בְּנִ֔י
And he recognized it and said,
“The tunic of my son! —
חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ
A ravenous beast has devoured him! —
טָרֹ֥ף טֹרַ֖ף יוֹסֵֽף׃
Joseph has for sure been torn to pieces!!”
Genesis 37:34
וַיִּקְרַ֤ע יַעֲקֹב֙ שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו
Then Jacob tore his outer clothing,
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם שַׂ֖ק בְּמָתְנָ֑יו
And he put sackcloth on his waist;
וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֥ל עַל־בְּנ֖וֹ יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃
And he was in mourning over his son for many days.
Genesis 37:35
וַיָּקֻמוּ֩ כָל־בָּנָ֨יו וְכָל־בְּנֹתָ֜יו לְנַחֲמ֗וֹ
And all his sons arose together with all his daughters,
to comfort him,
וַיְמָאֵן֙ לְהִתְנַחֵ֔ם
But he refused to be consoled,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר
And he said,
כִּֽי־אֵרֵ֧ד אֶל־בְּנִ֛י אָבֵ֖ל שְׁאֹ֑לָה
“Verily I will go down to my son, mourning, to Sheol (Hades)!”;
וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ אֹת֖וֹ אָבִֽיו׃
And his father bewailed him.
Genesis 37:36
וְהַ֨מְּדָנִ֔ים מָכְר֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־מִצְרָ֑יִם
Now the Midianites,
they had sold him into Egypt, ……
לְפֽוֹטִיפַר֙ סְרִ֣יס פַּרְעֹ֔ה שַׂ֖ר הַטַּבָּחִֽים׃ פ
To Potiphar, a eunuch-high official of Pharaoh,
the team-leader of the butcher-cooks.
Website translation into English by E.G. Van Gent
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.4 from tanach.us
Dramatized Modern Hebrew Audio Version, Genesis 37
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