Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.”
Comment: It was a rough area where this all happened but there was a major trade route nearby. Presumably on a business matter Reuben went off somewhere. Not disturbed by their treachery and cruelty the others sat down to eat. Seeing a passing camel train they decided that it was much better to sell young Joseph to the passing business people – they’d get rid of him and make a profit! The nine other sons, without Reuben, Joseph and the infant Benjamin took the coat of many colours dipped in goat blood and spun their lies to Jacob, carefully hiding the truth.
Prayer: Please turn their evil plans to good results, O Sovereign God.
As I read it! 