What did the brothers intend to do with Joseph?

• A. Exile him
• B. Sell him into slavery
• C. Kill him
• D. Kidnap him for ransom

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is recognizing the motive driving a person’s actions in a story. The brothers’ motive toward Joseph was to get rid of him by killing him. They talked about killing him and planned to harm him, driven by jealousy over Joseph’s favored status and the dreams he shared about his family. Reuben’s suggestion to spare his life and cast him into a pit was an attempt to avoid sheding blood, but it didn’t change the underlying intention—they still wanted him dead. In the end, they sold him to travelers, which is what happened, but the intention they initially expressed was to kill him. So the best answer reflects their original plan, not the later outcome driven by circumstances. The other options don’t fit because exile, kidnapping for ransom, or merely selling into slavery weren’t their original stated aim.