jan 1, 1750 BC - Joseph Sold into Slavery in Egypt

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His half brothers now went to feed the flock of their father in the vicinity of Shechem while Jacob was dwelling at Hebron. Jacob became concerned for their welfare, perhaps having in mind the animosity that had been stirred up against him and his sons in this vicinity on their way out of Syria. Though it must have been an unpleasant assignment for him in view of his half brothers’ animosity, Joseph did not hesitate to go for Jacob to see if they were safe and sound and whether the flock was safe and sound. He finally located them near Dothan, but, before he could get close by them, they caught sight of him from a distance and began scheming to put him to death.​—Gen. 37:12-20.

Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, tried to deliver him out of their hands, “in order to return him to his father,” out of concern for his own liability as the firstborn for Joseph. (Gen. 37:22-30) Apparently Reuben was not present when a caravan of Ishmaelites passed by on its way to Egypt coming from Gilead. Judah proposed that Joseph be sold to them instead of their killing him and covering over his blood. The brothers agreed and, though Joseph pleaded for mercy, they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces. Then they took Joseph’s long garment, which they had taken from him, slaughtered a male goat and dipped the long garment in the blood. When it was later shown to Jacob, he was convinced that a vicious wild beast had devoured his son, and so great was his grief that he refused to be comforted. Eventually the merchants brought Joseph into Egypt and he was sold as a slave to Potiphar, the chief of Pharaoh’s bodyguard.​—Gen. 37:21-36.

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