(Genesis 37:18–33) Before Joseph even came near, his brothers had already reached a conclusion. While he was still far away, they saw him and plotted to kill him. “Look, here comes the dreamer.” Joseph had not spoken a word yet. There was no chance to explain, no time to defend himself. His existence was no longer that of a brother, but a symbol to be mocked, a problem to be removed. The plan became more concrete. Kill him, throw him into a pit, and say that a wild animal devoured him. Then they said, “Let us see what will become of his dreams.” Reuben intervened. He suggested that they should not kill him, and for a moment, Joseph was taken out of his brothers’ hands. Yet Reuben did not carry the responsibility to the end. He drew a line at shedding blood, but he still agreed to throw Joseph into a pit in the wilderness. Joseph was stripped of his robe and thrown into the pit without a word. The pit had no water— it was empty, dry, and silent. Above the pit, the brothers sat down to e...