Showing that quarreling and envy can bring unhappiness into a home, and oftentimes a tragedy.
Joseph’s brothers were feeding the sheep at Dothan. They had not seen their father nor Benjamin nor Joseph for a long time. The brothers saw Joseph coming across the field. They saw the colors in his beautiful coat. They remembered how their father loved Joseph best, and still remembered Joseph’s dreams. Their hearts were full of hatred towards their young brother. They said to each other:
“Here comes the dreamer, let us kill him.”
There was a deep hole or pit in the field. It had been a well, but there was no water in it now. When the brothers said: “Let us kill Joseph,” Reuben, the oldest brother said: “No, let us put him in this pit,” for Reuben wanted to save Joseph’s life and take him back to his father.
When Joseph came near, his brothers spoke roughly to him. They pulled off his beautiful coat, and threw him into the pit. Joseph cried out to them but they would not answer. They sat down to eat and left Joseph alone.
By and by the brothers saw a long line of camels coming along the road near them. There were men with the camels, and each animal was loaded with spices and perfumes. The men were going to sell these things down in Egypt. Judah, one of the brothers, said:
“Let us sell Joseph to these men, that will be much better than to kill him.” Reuben was not there, and the others agreed to do as Judah said. They drew Joseph up out of the pit and called to the men: “Here is a boy we will sell you.”
The merchants halted and looked at Joseph. Then they said, “We will give you twenty pieces of silver for him.” The brothers took the money and gave Joseph to the men. When Reuben came back and looked into the pit, he cried:
“The boy is not there! What shall I do?”