Jacob sends Joseph to his brothers. They see him coming: "Here comes this dreamer. Let us kill him... and we will see what becomes of his dreams." Reuben intervenes—throw him in a pit instead. Plans to rescue him later. They strip his coat, throw him in an empty cistern. They sit down to eat while Joseph begs. Judah proposes selling him instead of killing him. Twenty pieces of silver to Ishmaelite traders. Reuben returns, finds the pit empty. They dip the coat in goat's blood and show it to Jacob. The deceiver deceived—by goat's blood, just as he once used goatskins. Joseph is sold to Potiphar in Egypt. The pit is not the end. The dreams don't die. Descent often precedes resurrection.

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