37:1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, ¹  in the land of Canaan. ² 

37:2 This is the account of Jacob.

Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, ³  was taking care of ⁴  the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster ⁵  working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. ⁶  Joseph brought back a bad report about them ⁷  to their father.

37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons ⁸  because he was a son born to him late in life, ⁹  and he made a special ¹⁰  tunic for him. 37:4 When Joseph’s ¹¹  brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, ¹²  they hated Joseph ¹³  and were not able to speak to him kindly. ¹⁴ 

37:5 Joseph ¹⁵  had a dream, ¹⁶  and when he told his brothers about it, ¹⁷  they hated him even more. ¹⁸  37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ¹⁹  37:7 There we were, ²⁰  binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down ²¹  to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” ²²  They hated him even more ²³  because of his dream and because of what he said. ²⁴ 

37:9 Then he had another dream, ²⁵  and told it to his brothers. “Look,” ²⁶  he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? ²⁷  Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” ²⁸  37:11 His brothers were jealous ²⁹  of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. ³⁰ 

37:12 When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers ³¹  are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” ³²  Joseph replied. ³³  37:14 So Jacob ³⁴  said to him, “Go now and check on ³⁵  the welfare ³⁶  of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob ³⁷  sent him from the valley of Hebron.

37:15 When Joseph reached Shechem, ³⁸  a man found him wandering ³⁹  in the field, so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell ⁴⁰  me where they are grazing their flocks.” 37:17 The man said, “They left this area, ⁴¹  for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

37:18 Now Joseph’s brothers ⁴²  saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 37:19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams! ⁴³  37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild ⁴⁴  animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” ⁴⁵ 

37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph ⁴⁶  from their hands, ⁴⁷  saying, ⁴⁸  “Let’s not take his life!” ⁴⁹  37:22 Reuben continued, ⁵⁰  “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” ⁵¹  (Reuben said this ⁵²  so he could rescue Joseph ⁵³  from them ⁵⁴  and take him back to his father.)

37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him ⁵⁵  of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore. 37:24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; ⁵⁶  there was no water in it.)

37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up ⁵⁷  and saw ⁵⁸  a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. ⁵⁹  37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, ⁶⁰  for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. ⁶¹  37:28 So when the Midianite ⁶²  merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled ⁶³  him ⁶⁴  out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites ⁶⁵  then took Joseph to Egypt.

37:29 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! ⁶⁶  He tore his clothes, 37:30 returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?” 37:31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a young goat, ⁶⁷  and dipped the tunic in the blood. 37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father ⁶⁸  and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”

37:33 He recognized it and exclaimed, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! ⁶⁹  Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, ⁷⁰  and mourned for his son many days. 37:35 All his sons and daughters stood by ⁷¹  him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” ⁷²  So Joseph’s ⁷³  father wept for him.

37:36 Now ⁷⁴  in Egypt the Midianites ⁷⁵  sold Joseph ⁷⁶  to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. ⁷⁷ 

38:1 At that time Judah left ⁷⁸  his brothers and stayed ⁷⁹  with an Adullamite man ⁸⁰  named Hirah.

38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man ⁸¹  named Shua. ⁸²  Judah acquired her as a wife ⁸³  and had marital relations with her. ⁸⁴  38:3 She became pregnant ⁸⁵  and had a son. Judah named ⁸⁶  him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had ⁸⁷  yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. ⁸⁸ 

38:6 Judah acquired ⁸⁹  a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.

38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with ⁹⁰  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ⁹¹  up a descendant for your brother.” ⁹²  38:9 But Onan knew that the child ⁹³  would not be considered his. ⁹⁴  So whenever ⁹⁵  he had sexual relations with ⁹⁶  his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely ⁹⁷  so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord ⁹⁸  killed him too.

38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, ⁹⁹  “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” ¹⁰⁰  So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

38:12 After some time ¹⁰¹  Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with ¹⁰²  his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, ¹⁰³  “Look, your father-in-law is going up ¹⁰⁴  to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because ¹⁰⁵  she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) ¹⁰⁶ 

38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute ¹⁰⁷  because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” ¹⁰⁸  (He did not realize ¹⁰⁹  it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” ¹¹⁰  38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” ¹¹¹  38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. ¹¹²  She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, ¹¹³  removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.

38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah ¹¹⁴  the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, ¹¹⁵  but Hirah ¹¹⁶  could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, ¹¹⁷  “Where is the cult prostitute ¹¹⁸  who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things ¹¹⁹  for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. ¹²⁰  I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

38:24 After three months Judah was told, ¹²¹  “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, ¹²²  and as a result she has become pregnant.” ¹²³  Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word ¹²⁴  to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” ¹²⁵  Then she said, “Identify ¹²⁶  the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright ¹²⁷  than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her ¹²⁸  again.

38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child ¹²⁹  put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. ¹³⁰  She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” ¹³¹  So he was named Perez. ¹³²  38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. ¹³³ 

39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. ¹³⁴  An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, ¹³⁵  purchased him from ¹³⁶  the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful ¹³⁷  and lived ¹³⁸  in the household of his Egyptian master. 39:3 His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful. ¹³⁹  39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. ¹⁴⁰  Potiphar appointed Joseph ¹⁴¹  overseer of his household and put him in charge ¹⁴²  of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time ¹⁴³  Potiphar ¹⁴⁴  appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed ¹⁴⁵  the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both ¹⁴⁶  in his house and in his fields. ¹⁴⁷  39:6 So Potiphar ¹⁴⁸  left ¹⁴⁹  everything he had in Joseph’s care; ¹⁵⁰  he gave no thought ¹⁵¹  to anything except the food he ate. ¹⁵² 

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. ¹⁵³  39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of ¹⁵⁴  Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.” ¹⁵⁵  39:8 But he refused, saying ¹⁵⁶  to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought ¹⁵⁷  to his household with me here, ¹⁵⁸  and everything that he owns he has put into my care. ¹⁵⁹  39:9 There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do ¹⁶⁰  such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak ¹⁶¹  to Joseph day after day, he did not respond ¹⁶²  to her invitation to have sex with her. ¹⁶³ 

39:11 One day ¹⁶⁴  he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants ¹⁶⁵  were there in the house. 39:12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran ¹⁶⁶  outside. ¹⁶⁷  39:13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, 39:14 she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought ¹⁶⁸  in a Hebrew man ¹⁶⁹  to us to humiliate us. ¹⁷⁰  He tried to have sex with me, ¹⁷¹  but I screamed loudly. ¹⁷²  39:15 When he heard me raise ¹⁷³  my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”

39:16 So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. 39:17 This is what she said to him: ¹⁷⁴  “That Hebrew slave ¹⁷⁵  you brought to us tried to humiliate me, ¹⁷⁶  39:18 but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”

39:19 When his master heard his wife say, ¹⁷⁷  “This is the way ¹⁷⁸  your slave treated me,” ¹⁷⁹  he became furious. ¹⁸⁰  39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, ¹⁸¹  the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. ¹⁸² 

39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. ¹⁸³  He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. ¹⁸⁴  39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. ¹⁸⁵  39:23 The warden did not concern himself ¹⁸⁶  with anything that was in Joseph’s ¹⁸⁷  care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.

40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer ¹⁸⁸  to the king of Egypt and the royal baker ¹⁸⁹  offended ¹⁹⁰  their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, ¹⁹¹  the cupbearer and the baker, 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. ¹⁹² 

They spent some time in custody. ¹⁹³  40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream ¹⁹⁴  the same night. ¹⁹⁵  Each man’s dream had its own meaning. ¹⁹⁶  40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. ¹⁹⁷  40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” ¹⁹⁸  40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, ¹⁹⁹  but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them ²⁰⁰  to me.”

40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: ²⁰¹  “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his ²⁰²  cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” ²⁰³ 

40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent ²⁰⁴  three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ²⁰⁵  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ²⁰⁶  when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me ²⁰⁷  when it goes well for you, and show ²⁰⁸  me kindness. ²⁰⁹  Make mention ²¹⁰  of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, ²¹¹  40:15 for I really was kidnapped ²¹²  from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”

40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, ²¹³  he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread ²¹⁴  on my head. 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”

40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent ²¹⁵  three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you ²¹⁶  and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” ²¹⁷  the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position ²¹⁸  so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. ²¹⁹  40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. ²²⁰ 

41:1 At the end of two full years ²²¹  Pharaoh had a dream. ²²²  As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, ²²³  and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, ²²⁴  and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. ²²⁵  41:4 The bad-looking, thin cows ate the seven fine-looking, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

41:5 Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing ²²⁶  on one stalk, healthy ²²⁷  and good. 41:6 Then ²²⁸  seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream. ²²⁹ 

41:8 In the morning he ²³⁰  was troubled, so he called for ²³¹  all the diviner-priests ²³²  of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, ²³³  but no one could interpret ²³⁴  them for him. ²³⁵  41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. ²³⁶  41:10 Pharaoh was enraged with his servants, and he put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guards – me and the chief baker. 41:11 We each had a dream one night; each of us had a dream with its own meaning. ²³⁷  41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant ²³⁸  of the captain of the guards, ²³⁹  was with us there. We told him our dreams, ²⁴⁰  and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. ²⁴¹  41:13 It happened just as he had said ²⁴²  to us – Pharaoh ²⁴³  restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” ²⁴⁴ 

41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned ²⁴⁵  Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, ²⁴⁶  and there is no one who can interpret ²⁴⁷  it. But I have heard about you, that ²⁴⁸  you can interpret dreams.” ²⁴⁹  41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, ²⁵⁰  but God will speak concerning ²⁵¹  the welfare of Pharaoh.” ²⁵² 

41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing ²⁵³  by the edge of the Nile. 41:18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. ²⁵⁴  41:19 Then ²⁵⁵  seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows ²⁵⁶  as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven ²⁵⁷  fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, ²⁵⁸  no one would have known ²⁵⁹  that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 41:22 I also saw in my dream ²⁶⁰  seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then ²⁶¹  seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this ²⁶²  to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” ²⁶³ 

41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. ²⁶⁴  God has revealed ²⁶⁵  to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁶⁶  41:26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. ²⁶⁷  41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent ²⁶⁸  seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told ²⁶⁹  Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 41:30 But seven years of famine will occur ²⁷⁰  after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate ²⁷¹  the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered ²⁷²  because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. ²⁷³  41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh ²⁷⁴  because the matter has been decreed ²⁷⁵  by God, and God will make it happen soon. ²⁷⁶ 

41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look ²⁷⁷  for a wise and discerning man ²⁷⁸  and give him authority ²⁷⁹  over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do ²⁸⁰  this – he should appoint ²⁸¹  officials ²⁸²  throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt ²⁸³  during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food ²⁸⁴  during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority ²⁸⁵  they should store up grain so the cities will have food, ²⁸⁶  and they should preserve it. ²⁸⁷  41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.” ²⁸⁸ 

41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. ²⁸⁹  41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, ²⁹⁰  one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” ²⁹¹  41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning ²⁹²  as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. ²⁹³  Only I, the king, will be greater than you. ²⁹⁴ 

41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place ²⁹⁵  you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” ²⁹⁶  41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen ²⁹⁷  clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh ²⁹⁸  had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, ²⁹⁹  and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” ³⁰⁰  So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission ³⁰¹  no one ³⁰²  will move his hand or his foot ³⁰³  in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. ³⁰⁴  He also gave him Asenath ³⁰⁵  daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ³⁰⁶  to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of ³⁰⁷  all the land of Egypt.

41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old ³⁰⁸  when he began serving ³⁰⁹  Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by ³¹⁰  Pharaoh and was in charge of ³¹¹  all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. ³¹²  41:48 Joseph ³¹³  collected all the excess food ³¹⁴  in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. ³¹⁵  In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it. 41:49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, ³¹⁶  until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. ³¹⁷  Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. ³¹⁸  41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, ³¹⁹  saying, ³²⁰  “Certainly ³²¹  God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, ³²²  saying, ³²³  “Certainly ³²⁴  God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

41:53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 41:54 Then the seven years of famine began, ³²⁵  just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 41:55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, ³²⁶  “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, ³²⁷  Joseph opened the storehouses ³²⁸  and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country ³²⁹  came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.

42:1 When Jacob heard ³³⁰  there was grain in Egypt, he ³³¹  said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” ³³²  42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us ³³³  so that we may live ³³⁴  and not die.” ³³⁵ 

42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 42:4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, ³³⁶  for he said, ³³⁷  “What if some accident ³³⁸  happens ³³⁹  to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, ³⁴⁰  for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.

42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. ³⁴¹  Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down ³⁴²  before him with ³⁴³  their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger ³⁴⁴  to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, ³⁴⁵  “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” ³⁴⁶ 

42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered ³⁴⁷  the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!” ³⁴⁸ 

42:10 But they exclaimed, ³⁴⁹  “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! 42:11 We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”

42:12 “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” ³⁵⁰  42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. ³⁵¹  We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, ³⁵²  and one is no longer alive.” ³⁵³ 

42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: ³⁵⁴  You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, ³⁵⁵  you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get ³⁵⁶  your brother, while ³⁵⁷  the rest of you remain in prison. ³⁵⁸  In this way your words may be tested to see if ³⁵⁹  you are telling the truth. ³⁶⁰  If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned ³⁶¹  them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say ³⁶²  and you will live, ³⁶³  for I fear God. ³⁶⁴  42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison ³⁶⁵  while the rest of you go ³⁶⁶  and take grain back for your hungry families. ³⁶⁷  42:20 But you must bring ³⁶⁸  your youngest brother to me. Then ³⁶⁹  your words will be verified ³⁷⁰  and you will not die.” They did as he said. ³⁷¹ 

42:21 They said to one other, ³⁷²  “Surely we’re being punished ³⁷³  because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was ³⁷⁴  when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress ³⁷⁵  has come on us!” 42:22 Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!” ³⁷⁶  42:23 (Now ³⁷⁷  they did not know that Joseph could understand them, ³⁷⁸  for he was speaking through an interpreter.) ³⁷⁹  42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, ³⁸⁰  he had Simeon taken ³⁸¹  from them and tied up ³⁸²  before their eyes.

42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill ³⁸³  their bags with grain, to return each man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out. ³⁸⁴  42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. ³⁸⁵ 

42:27 When one of them ³⁸⁶  opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, ³⁸⁷  he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. ³⁸⁸  42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; ³⁸⁹  they turned trembling one to another ³⁹⁰  and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” ³⁹¹ 

42:29 They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying, 42:30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us ³⁹²  as if we were ³⁹³  spying on the land. 42:31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies! 42:32 We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father. ³⁹⁴  One is no longer alive, ³⁹⁵  and the youngest is with our father at this time ³⁹⁶  in the land of Canaan.’

42:33 “Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain ³⁹⁷  for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know ³⁹⁸  that you are honest men and not spies. ³⁹⁹  Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” ⁴⁰⁰ 

42:35 When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. ⁴⁰¹  Simeon is gone. ⁴⁰²  And now you want to take ⁴⁰³  Benjamin! Everything is against me.”

42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may ⁴⁰⁴  put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care ⁴⁰⁵  and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob ⁴⁰⁶  replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. ⁴⁰⁷  If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair ⁴⁰⁸  in sorrow to the grave.” ⁴⁰⁹ 

43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. ⁴¹⁰  43:2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”

43:3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned ⁴¹¹  us, ‘You will not see my face ⁴¹²  unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send ⁴¹³  our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. 43:5 But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

43:6 Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble ⁴¹⁴  on me by telling ⁴¹⁵  the man you had one more brother?”

43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us ⁴¹⁶  thoroughly ⁴¹⁷  about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ ⁴¹⁸  So we answered him in this way. ⁴¹⁹  How could we possibly know ⁴²⁰  that he would say, ⁴²¹  ‘Bring your brother down’?”

43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. ⁴²²  Then we will live ⁴²³  and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security ⁴²⁴  for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. ⁴²⁵  43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back ⁴²⁶  twice by now!”

43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man – a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 43:12 Take double the money with you; ⁴²⁷  you must take back ⁴²⁸  the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks – perhaps it was an oversight. 43:13 Take your brother too, and go right away ⁴²⁹  to the man. ⁴³⁰  43:14 May the sovereign God ⁴³¹  grant you mercy before the man so that he may release ⁴³²  your other brother ⁴³³  and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” ⁴³⁴ 

43:15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt ⁴³⁵  and stood before Joseph. 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, “Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.” 43:17 The man did just as Joseph said; he ⁴³⁶  brought the men into Joseph’s house. ⁴³⁷ 

43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of ⁴³⁸  the money that was returned in our sacks last time. ⁴³⁹  He wants to capture us, ⁴⁴⁰  make us slaves, and take ⁴⁴¹  our donkeys!” 43:19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 43:20 They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down ⁴⁴²  the first time ⁴⁴³  to buy food. 43:21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money – the full amount ⁴⁴⁴  – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. ⁴⁴⁵  43:22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!”

43:23 “Everything is fine,” ⁴⁴⁶  the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. ⁴⁴⁷  I had your money.” ⁴⁴⁸  Then he brought Simeon out to them.

43:24 The servant in charge ⁴⁴⁹  brought the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 43:25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival ⁴⁵⁰  at noon, for they had heard ⁴⁵¹  that they were to have a meal ⁴⁵²  there.

43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, ⁴⁵³  and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. ⁴⁵⁴  Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 43:28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility. ⁴⁵⁵ 

43:29 When Joseph looked up ⁴⁵⁶  and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ⁴⁵⁷  43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother ⁴⁵⁸  and was at the point of tears. ⁴⁵⁹  So he went to his room and wept there.

43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, ⁴⁶⁰  “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, ⁴⁶¹  and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting ⁴⁶²  to do so.) ⁴⁶³  43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. ⁴⁶⁴  The men looked at each other in astonishment. ⁴⁶⁵  43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, ⁴⁶⁶  but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk. ⁴⁶⁷ 

44:1 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 44:2 Then put ⁴⁶⁸  my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed. ⁴⁶⁹ 

44:3 When morning came, ⁴⁷⁰  the men and their donkeys were sent off. ⁴⁷¹  44:4 They had not gone very far from the city ⁴⁷²  when Joseph said ⁴⁷³  to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! ⁴⁷⁴  When you overtake ⁴⁷⁵  them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 44:5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup ⁴⁷⁶  and use it for divination? ⁴⁷⁷  You have done wrong!’” ⁴⁷⁸ 

44:6 When the man ⁴⁷⁹  overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? ⁴⁸⁰  Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! ⁴⁸¹  44:8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 44:9 If one of us has it, ⁴⁸²  he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”

44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! ⁴⁸³  The one who has it will become my slave, ⁴⁸⁴  but the rest of ⁴⁸⁵  you will go free.” ⁴⁸⁶  44:11 So each man quickly lowered ⁴⁸⁷  his sack to the ground and opened it. 44:12 Then the man ⁴⁸⁸  searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 44:13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

44:14 So Judah and his brothers ⁴⁸⁹  came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there, ⁴⁹⁰  and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? ⁴⁹¹  Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?” ⁴⁹² 

44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say ⁴⁹³  to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? ⁴⁹⁴  God has exposed the sin of your servants! ⁴⁹⁵  We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

44:17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of ⁴⁹⁶  you may go back ⁴⁹⁷  to your father in peace.”

44:18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. ⁴⁹⁸  Please do not get angry with your servant, ⁴⁹⁹  for you are just like Pharaoh. ⁵⁰⁰  44:19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 44:20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. ⁵⁰¹  The boy’s ⁵⁰²  brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, ⁵⁰³  and his father loves him.’

44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see ⁵⁰⁴  him.’ ⁵⁰⁵  44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father ⁵⁰⁶  will die.’ ⁵⁰⁷  44:23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 44:24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

44:25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 44:26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there. ⁵⁰⁸  If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, ⁵⁰⁹  for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’

44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons. ⁵¹⁰  44:28 The first disappeared ⁵¹¹  and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take ⁵¹²  this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair ⁵¹³  in tragedy ⁵¹⁴  to the grave.’ ⁵¹⁵ 

44:30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us – his very life is bound up in his son’s life. ⁵¹⁶  44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, ⁵¹⁷  he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 44:32 Indeed, ⁵¹⁸  your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’

44:33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 44:34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see ⁵¹⁹  my father’s pain.” ⁵²⁰ 

45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, ⁵²¹  so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained ⁵²²  with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 45:2 He wept loudly; ⁵²³  the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. ⁵²⁴ 

45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 45:4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 45:5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, ⁵²⁵  for God sent me ⁵²⁶  ahead of you to preserve life! 45:6 For these past two years there has been famine in ⁵²⁷  the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 45:7 God sent me ⁵²⁸  ahead of you to preserve you ⁵²⁹  on the earth and to save your lives ⁵³⁰  by a great deliverance. 45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser ⁵³¹  to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly ⁵³²  and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 45:10 You will live ⁵³³  in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 45:11 I will provide you with food ⁵³⁴  there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 45:12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you. ⁵³⁵  45:13 So tell ⁵³⁶  my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!” ⁵³⁷ 

45:14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 45:15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.

45:16 Now it was reported ⁵³⁸  in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased ⁵³⁹  Pharaoh and his servants. 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go ⁵⁴⁰  to the land of Canaan! 45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you ⁵⁴¹  the best land in Egypt and you will eat ⁵⁴²  the best ⁵⁴³  of the land.’ 45:19 You are also commanded to say, ⁵⁴⁴  ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 45:20 Don’t worry ⁵⁴⁵  about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”

45:21 So the sons of Israel did as he said. ⁵⁴⁶  Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, ⁵⁴⁷  and he gave them provisions for the journey. 45:22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, ⁵⁴⁸  but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. ⁵⁴⁹  45:23 To his father he sent the following: ⁵⁵⁰  ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 45:24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.” ⁵⁵¹ 

45:25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ⁵⁵²  45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, ⁵⁵³  for he did not believe them. 45:27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, ⁵⁵⁴  and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 45:28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”

46:1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. ⁵⁵⁵  When he came to Beer Sheba ⁵⁵⁶  he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night ⁵⁵⁷  and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 46:3 He said, “I am God, ⁵⁵⁸  the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. ⁵⁵⁹  Joseph will close your eyes.” ⁵⁶⁰ 

46:5 Then Jacob started out ⁵⁶¹  from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 46:6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt. ⁵⁶²  46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, ⁵⁶³  his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants.

46:8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons:

Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.

46:9 The sons of Reuben:

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

46:10 The sons of Simeon:

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar,

and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).

46:11 The sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

46:12 The sons of Judah:

Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah

(but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).

The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

46:13 The sons of Issachar:

Tola, Puah, ⁵⁶⁴  Jashub, ⁵⁶⁵  and Shimron.

46:14 The sons of Zebulun:

Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

46:15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all. ⁵⁶⁶ 

46:16 The sons of Gad:

Zephon, ⁵⁶⁷  Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

46:17 The sons of Asher:

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.

The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.

46:18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.

46:19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob:

Joseph and Benjamin.

46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ⁵⁶⁸  bore them to him.

46:21 The sons of Benjamin: ⁵⁶⁹ 

Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

46:22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.

46:23 The son of Dan: Hushim. ⁵⁷⁰ 

46:24 The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

46:25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.

46:26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.) ⁵⁷¹  46:27 Counting the two sons ⁵⁷²  of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy. ⁵⁷³ 

46:28 Jacob ⁵⁷⁴  sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen. ⁵⁷⁵  So they came to the land of Goshen. 46:29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, ⁵⁷⁶  he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.

46:30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” ⁵⁷⁷  46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, ⁵⁷⁸  ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 46:32 The men are shepherds; ⁵⁷⁹  they take care of livestock. ⁵⁸⁰  They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 46:33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle ⁵⁸¹  from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, ⁵⁸²  for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting ⁵⁸³  to the Egyptians.”

47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of

Canaan. They are now ⁵⁸⁴  in the land of Goshen.” 47:2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh. ⁵⁸⁵ 

47:3 Pharaoh said to Joseph’s ⁵⁸⁶  brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.” ⁵⁸⁷  47:4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents ⁵⁸⁸  in the land. There ⁵⁸⁹  is no pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”

47:5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 47:6 The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best region of the land. They may live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any highly capable men ⁵⁹⁰  among them, put them in charge ⁵⁹¹  of my livestock.”

47:7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him ⁵⁹²  before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed ⁵⁹³  Pharaoh. 47:8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?” ⁵⁹⁴  47:9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All ⁵⁹⁵  the years of my travels ⁵⁹⁶  are 130. All ⁵⁹⁷  the years of my life have been few and painful; ⁵⁹⁸  the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.” ⁵⁹⁹  47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence. ⁶⁰⁰ 

47:11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them territory ⁶⁰¹  in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the land, the land of Rameses, ⁶⁰²  just as Pharaoh had commanded. 47:12 Joseph also provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household, according to the number of their little children.

47:13 But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away ⁶⁰³  because of the famine. 47:14 Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment ⁶⁰⁴  for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace. ⁶⁰⁵  47:15 When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians ⁶⁰⁶  came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die ⁶⁰⁷  before your very eyes because our money has run out?”

47:16 Then Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food ⁶⁰⁸  in exchange for ⁶⁰⁹  your livestock.” 47:17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their horses, the livestock of their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. ⁶¹⁰  He got them through that year by giving them food in exchange for livestock.

47:18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our ⁶¹¹  lord that the money is used up and the livestock and the animals belong to our lord. Nothing remains before our lord except our bodies and our land. 47:19 Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become ⁶¹²  Pharaoh’s slaves. ⁶¹³  Give us seed that we may live ⁶¹⁴  and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.” ⁶¹⁵ 

47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each ⁶¹⁶  of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe. ⁶¹⁷  So the land became Pharaoh’s. 47:21 Joseph ⁶¹⁸  made all the people slaves ⁶¹⁹  from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it. 47:22 But he did not purchase the land of the priests because the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh and they ate from their allotment that Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

47:23 Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Cultivate ⁶²⁰  the land. 47:24 When you gather in the crop, ⁶²¹  give ⁶²²  one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and the rest ⁶²³  will be yours for seed for the fields and for you to eat, including those in your households and your little children.” 47:25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor, ⁶²⁴  and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” ⁶²⁵ 

47:26 So Joseph made it a statute, ⁶²⁶  which is in effect ⁶²⁷  to this day throughout the land of Egypt: One-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.

47:27 Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they owned land there. They were fruitful and increased rapidly in number.

47:28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; the years ⁶²⁸  of Jacob’s life were 147 in all. 47:29 The time ⁶²⁹  for Israel to die approached, so he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh ⁶³⁰  and show me kindness and faithfulness. ⁶³¹  Do not bury me in Egypt, 47:30 but when I rest ⁶³²  with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph ⁶³³  said, “I will do as you say.”

47:31 Jacob ⁶³⁴  said, “Swear to me that you will do so.” ⁶³⁵  So Joseph ⁶³⁶  gave him his word. ⁶³⁷  Then Israel bowed down ⁶³⁸  at the head of his bed. ⁶³⁹ 

48:1 After these things Joseph was told, ⁶⁴⁰  “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 48:2 When Jacob was told, ⁶⁴¹  “Your son Joseph has just ⁶⁴²  come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The sovereign God ⁶⁴³  appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 48:4 He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful ⁶⁴⁴  and will multiply you. ⁶⁴⁵  I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants ⁶⁴⁶  as an everlasting possession.’ ⁶⁴⁷ 

48:5 “Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine. ⁶⁴⁸  Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 48:6 Any children that you father ⁶⁴⁹  after them will be yours; they will be listed ⁶⁵⁰  under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. ⁶⁵¹  48:7 But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died – to my sorrow ⁶⁵²  – in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem). ⁶⁵³ 

48:8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the ⁶⁵⁴  sons God has given me in this place.” His father ⁶⁵⁵  said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” ⁶⁵⁶  48:10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing ⁶⁵⁷  because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph ⁶⁵⁸  brought his sons ⁶⁵⁹  near to him, and his father ⁶⁶⁰  kissed them and embraced them. 48:11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected ⁶⁶¹  to see you ⁶⁶²  again, but now God has allowed me to see your children ⁶⁶³  too.”

48:12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees ⁶⁶⁴  and bowed down with his face to the ground. 48:13 Joseph positioned them; ⁶⁶⁵  he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. ⁶⁶⁶  48:14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger. ⁶⁶⁷  Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

48:15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers

Abraham and Isaac walked –

the God who has been my shepherd ⁶⁶⁸ 

all my life long to this day,

48:16 the Angel ⁶⁶⁹  who has protected me ⁶⁷⁰ 

from all harm –

bless these boys.

May my name be named in them, ⁶⁷¹ 

and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.

May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”

48:17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him. ⁶⁷²  So he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 48:18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

48:19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude ⁶⁷³  of nations.” 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you ⁶⁷⁴  will Israel bless, ⁶⁷⁵  saying,

‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ⁶⁷⁶ 

48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you ⁶⁷⁷  and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 48:22 As one who is above your ⁶⁷⁸  brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, ⁶⁷⁹  which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

49:1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you ⁶⁸⁰  what will happen to you in the future. ⁶⁸¹ 

49:2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob;

listen to Israel, your father.

49:3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might and the beginning of my strength,

outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.

49:4 You are destructive ⁶⁸²  like water and will not excel, ⁶⁸³ 

for you got on your father’s bed, ⁶⁸⁴ 

then you defiled it – he got on my couch! ⁶⁸⁵ 

49:5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,

weapons of violence are their knives! ⁶⁸⁶ 

49:6 O my soul, do not come into their council,

do not be united to their assembly, my heart, ⁶⁸⁷ 

for in their anger they have killed men,

and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen.

49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce,

and their fury, for it was cruel.

I will divide them in Jacob,

and scatter them in Israel! ⁶⁸⁸ 

49:8 Judah, ⁶⁸⁹  your brothers will praise you.

Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies,

your father’s sons will bow down before you.

49:9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He crouches and lies down like a lion;

like a lioness – who will rouse him?

49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, ⁶⁹⁰ 

until he comes to whom it belongs; ⁶⁹¹ 

the nations will obey him. ⁶⁹² 

49:11 Binding his foal to the vine,

and his colt to the choicest vine,

he will wash ⁶⁹³  his garments in wine,

his robes in the blood of grapes.

49:12 His eyes will be dark from wine,

and his teeth white from milk. ⁶⁹⁴ 

49:13 Zebulun will live ⁶⁹⁵  by the haven of the sea

and become a haven for ships;

his border will extend to Sidon. ⁶⁹⁶ 

49:14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey

lying down between two saddlebags.

49:15 When he sees ⁶⁹⁷  a good resting place,

and the pleasant land,

he will bend his shoulder to the burden

and become a slave laborer. ⁶⁹⁸ 

49:16 Dan ⁶⁹⁹  will judge ⁷⁰⁰  his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

49:17 May Dan be a snake beside the road,

a viper by the path,

that bites the heels of the horse

so that its rider falls backward. ⁷⁰¹ 

49:18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. ⁷⁰² 

49:19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands,

but he will attack them at their heels. ⁷⁰³ 

49:20 Asher’s ⁷⁰⁴  food will be rich, ⁷⁰⁵ 

and he will provide delicacies ⁷⁰⁶  to royalty.

49:21 Naphtali is a free running doe, ⁷⁰⁷ 

he speaks delightful words. ⁷⁰⁸ 

49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, ⁷⁰⁹ 

a fruitful bough near a spring

whose branches ⁷¹⁰  climb over the wall.

49:23 The archers will attack him, ⁷¹¹ 

they will shoot at him and oppose him.

49:24 But his bow will remain steady,

and his hands ⁷¹²  will be skillful;

because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of ⁷¹³  the Shepherd, the Rock ⁷¹⁴  of Israel,

49:25 because of the God of your father,

who will help you, ⁷¹⁵ 

because of the sovereign God, ⁷¹⁶ 

who will bless you ⁷¹⁷ 

with blessings from the sky above,

blessings from the deep that lies below,

and blessings of the breasts and womb. ⁷¹⁸ 

49:26 The blessings of your father are greater

than ⁷¹⁹  the blessings of the eternal mountains ⁷²⁰ 

or the desirable things of the age-old hills.

They will be on the head of Joseph

and on the brow of the prince of his brothers. ⁷²¹ 

49:27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;

in the morning devouring the prey,

and in the evening dividing the plunder.”

49:28 These ⁷²²  are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing. ⁷²³ 

49:29 Then he instructed them, ⁷²⁴  “I am about to go ⁷²⁵  to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 49:30 It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 49:31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah. 49:32 The field and the cave in it were acquired from the sons of Heth.” ⁷²⁶ 

49:33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went ⁷²⁷  to his people.

50:1 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face. ⁷²⁸  He wept over him and kissed him. 50:2 Joseph instructed the physicians in his service ⁷²⁹  to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 50:3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming. ⁷³⁰  The Egyptians mourned ⁷³¹  for him seventy days. ⁷³² 

50:4 When the days of mourning ⁷³³  had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s royal court, ⁷³⁴  “If I have found favor in your sight, please say to Pharaoh, ⁷³⁵  50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, ⁷³⁶  “I am about to die. Bury me ⁷³⁷  in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’” 50:6 So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father, just as he made you swear to do.” ⁷³⁸ 

50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; all Pharaoh’s officials went with him – the senior courtiers ⁷³⁹  of his household, all the senior officials of the land of Egypt, 50:8 all Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. But they left their little children and their flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. 50:9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him, so it was a very large entourage. ⁷⁴⁰ 

50:10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad ⁷⁴¹  on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there with very great and bitter sorrow. ⁷⁴²  There Joseph observed a seven day period of mourning for his father. 50:11 When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very sad occasion ⁷⁴³  for the Egyptians.” That is why its name was called ⁷⁴⁴  Abel Mizraim, ⁷⁴⁵  which is beyond the Jordan.

50:12 So the sons of Jacob did for him just as he had instructed them. 50:13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the field Abraham purchased as a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 50:14 After he buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, along with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to bury his father.

50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay ⁷⁴⁶  us in full ⁷⁴⁷  for all the harm ⁷⁴⁸  we did to him?” 50:16 So they sent word ⁷⁴⁹  to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave these instructions before he died: 50:17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept. ⁷⁵⁰  50:18 Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.” 50:19 But Joseph answered them, “Don’t be afraid. Am ⁷⁵¹  I in the place of God? 50:20 As for you, you meant to harm me, ⁷⁵²  but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. ⁷⁵³  50:21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly ⁷⁵⁴  to them.

50:22 Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s family. ⁷⁵⁵  Joseph lived 110 years. 50:23 Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. ⁷⁵⁶  He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph. ⁷⁵⁷ 

50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you ⁷⁵⁸  and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give ⁷⁵⁹  to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 50:25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.” 50:26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. ⁷⁶⁰  After they embalmed him, his body ⁷⁶¹  was placed in a coffin in Egypt.