²⁸The traders from Midian came by. Joseph’s brothers pulled him up out of the well. They sold him to the Ishmaelite traders for eight ounces of silver. Then the traders took him to Egypt.

²⁹Later, Reuben came back to the empty well. He saw that Joseph wasn’t there. He was so upset that he tore his clothes. ³⁰He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Now what should I do?”

³¹Then they got Joseph’s beautiful robe. They killed a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. ³²They took it back to their father. They said, “We found this. Take a look at it. See if it’s your son’s robe.”

³³Jacob recognized it. He said, “It’s my son’s robe! A wild animal has eaten him up. Joseph must have been torn to pieces.”

³⁴Jacob tore his clothes. He put on black clothes. Then he sobbed over his son for many days.

³⁵All of Jacob’s other sons and daughters came to comfort him. But they weren’t able to. He said, “I’ll be full of sorrow when I go down into the grave to be with my son.” So Joseph’s father sobbed over him.

³⁶But the traders from Midian sold Joseph to Potiphar in Egypt. Potiphar was one of Pharaoh’s officials. He was the captain of the palace guard.

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