His brothers saw him approaching; but no thought of the long journey he had made to meet them, of his weariness and hunger, of his claims upon their hospitality and brotherly love, 211 softened the bitterness of their hatred. The sight of the coat, the token of their father's love, filled them with frenzy. "Behold, this dreamer cometh," they cried in mockery. Envy and revenge, long secretly cherished, now controlled them. "Let us slay him," they said, "and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams."

Hans brødre så ham komme, men deres bitre had mildnedes ikke ved tanken om den lange rejse, han havde foretaget for at besøge dem, hans træthed eller sult eller hans krav på deres gæstfrihed og broderkærlighed. Synet af kjortelen, symbolet på faderens kærlighed, fyldte dem med raseri. "Se, der kommer den drømmemester!" råbte de spottende. Den misundelse og hævnfølelse, som de så længe hemmeligt havde næret, beherskede dem nu helt. "Lad os slå ham ihjel," sagde de, "og kaste ham i en cisterne og sige, at et vildt dyr har ædt ham; så skal vi se, hvad der kommer ud af hans drømme!"