1  And Jacob dwelt in the land where his father sojourned—in the land of Canaan. 2  These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, fed the flock with his brethren; and he was doing service with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought to his father an evil report of them. 3  And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was son of his old age; and he made him a vest of many colours. 4  And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, and they hated him, and could not greet him with friendliness.

5  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brethren, and they hated him yet the more. 6  And he said to them, Hear, I pray you, this dream, which I have dreamt: 7  Behold, we were binding sheaves in the fields, and lo, my sheaf rose up, and remained standing; and behold, your sheaves came round about and bowed down to my sheaf. 8  And his brethren said to him, Wilt thou indeed be a king over us? wilt thou indeed rule over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words.