Reuben: Nay, thou dost not mean to slay him!
Several: Nay! Nay!
Judah: We must surely slay him. We must rid ourselves of this dreamer. Think how he said he should reign over us! Let us be rid of him!
Simeon: Yes, thou art right—we must slay him.
Several: Yea, yea, slay him! Destroy him! He shall dream no more such dreams!
Simeon: Behold, this dreamer cometh near! Come, now, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, "Some evil beast hath devoured him," and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
Reuben: Let us not kill him. Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him.
[Reuben goes away.]
[Joseph runs up. Gad lays one hand roughly on his shoulder.]