Genesis 37:20–28

²⁰And now come and let us kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, An evil beast has devoured him; and we will see what becomes of his dreams. ²¹And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, Let us not take his life. ²²And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood: cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness; but lay no hand upon him—in order that he might deliver him out of their hand, to bring him to his father again.

²³And it came to pass when Joseph came to his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his vest, the vest of many colours, which he had on; ²⁴and they took him and cast him into the pit; now the pit was empty—there was no water in it. ²⁵And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead; and their camels bore tragacanth, and balsam, and ladanum—going to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶And Judah said to his brethren, What profit is it that we kill our brother and secrete his blood? ²⁷Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites; but let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brethren hearkened to him. ²⁸And Midianitish men, merchants, passed by; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver-pieces; and they brought Joseph to Egypt.