21. But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, "Let us not take his life."
22. Reuben further said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him"-that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.
23. So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him;
24. and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.