21 When Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands and said, Let us not kill him.
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood but cast him into this cistern that is in the wilderness and lay no hand upon him that he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again.
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
24 and they took him and cast him into the cistern; and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing aromas and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Then Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.