Simon and Gad set about slaying Joseph, and he fell upon
his face, and entreated them: "Have mercy with me, my
brethren, have pity on the heart of my father Jacob. Lay
not your hands upon me, to spill innocent blood, for I have
done no evil unto you. But if I have done evil unto you,
then chastise me with a chastisement, but your hands lay
not upon me, for the sake of our father Jacob." These
words touched Zebulon, and he began to lament and weep,
and the wailing of Joseph rose up together with his brother's,
and when Simon and Gad raised their hands against
him to execute their evil design, Joseph took refuge behind
Zebulon, and supplicated his other brethren to have mercy
upon him. Then Reuben arose, and he said, "Brethren, let
us not slay him, but let us cast him into one of the dry pits,
which our fathers dug without finding water." That was
due to the providence of God; He had hindered the water
from rising in them in order that Joseph's rescue might be
accomplished, and the pits remained dry until Joseph was
safe in the hands of the Ishmaelites.[34]

Reuben had several reasons for interceding in behalf of
Joseph. He knew that he as the oldest of the brethren would
be held responsible by their father, if any evil befell him.
Besides, Reuben was grateful to Joseph for having reckoned
him among the eleven sons of Jacob in narrating his
dream of the sun, moon, and stars. Since his disrespectful
bearing toward Jacob, he had not thought himself worthy
of being considered one of his sons.[35] First Reuben tried
to restrain his brethren from their purpose, and he addressed
them in words full of love and compassion. But when he