Joseph's Brothers Return to Egypt

43 Now the famine was (A)severe in the land. And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your (B)brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’” Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may (C)live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. (D)If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little (E)balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money (F)that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.

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The Second Journey to Egypt

43 Now the famine was still severe in the land.(A) So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt,(B) their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”(C)

But Judah(D) said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’(E) If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.(F) But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.(G)’”

Israel(H) asked, “Why did you bring this trouble(I) on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’(J) he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’(K) We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”(L)

Then Judah(M) said to Israel(N) his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.(O) I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him.(P) If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame(Q) before you all my life.(R) 10 As it is, if we had not delayed,(S) we could have gone and returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel(T) said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products(U) of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift(V)—a little balm(W) and a little honey, some spices(X) and myrrh,(Y) some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount(Z) of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks.(AA) Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.(AB)

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27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”

Saul Anointed King

10 (A)Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head (B)and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince[a] over (C)his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince[b] over his heritage. When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by (D)Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, (E)‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now (F)your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the (G)oak of Tabor. Three men (H)going up (I)to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand. After that you shall come to (J)Gibeath-elohim,[c] (K)where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down (L)from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. (M)Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, (N)and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Now when (O)these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, (P)for God is with you. Then go down before me (Q)to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and (R)to sacrifice peace offerings. (S)Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 10:1 Or leader
  2. 1 Samuel 10:1 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks over his people Israel? And you shall…. to be prince
  3. 1 Samuel 10:5 Gibeath-elohim means the hill of God

27 As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

10 Then Samuel took a flask(A) of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed(B) you ruler over his inheritance?[a](C) When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb,(D) at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys(E) you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried(F) about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”’

“Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel(G) will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread,(H) which you will accept from them.

“After that you will go to Gibeah(I) of God, where there is a Philistine outpost.(J) As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets(K) coming down from the high place(L) with lyres, timbrels,(M) pipes(N) and harps(O) being played before them, and they will be prophesying.(P) The Spirit(Q) of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed(R) into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever(S) your hand(T) finds to do, for God is with(U) you.

“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal.(V) I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven(W) days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 10:1 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate over his people Israel? You will reign over the Lord’s people and save them from the power of their enemies round about. And this will be a sign to you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his inheritance:

Prayer for Mercy

15 (A)Look down from heaven and see,
    (B)from your holy and beautiful[a] habitation.
Where are (C)your zeal and your might?
    The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
    are held back from me.
16 For (D)you are our Father,
    though Abraham does not know us,
    and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
    (E)our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways
    and (F)harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
(G)Return for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes of your heritage.
18 (H)Your holy people held possession for a little while;[b]
    (I)our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 (J)We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
    like those who are not called by your name.

64 (K)Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
    (L)that the mountains might quake at your presence—
[c] as when fire kindles brushwood
    and the fire causes water to boil—
(M)to make your name known to your adversaries,
    and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
(N)When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
    you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
(O)From of old no one has heard
    or perceived by the ear,
(P)no eye has seen a God besides you,
    who acts for those who wait for him.
You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
    those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
    in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?[d]
(Q)We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
(R)We all fade like a leaf,
    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
(S)There is no one who calls upon your name,
    who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
    and have made us melt in[e] the hand of our iniquities.

(T)But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
    (U)we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    (V)we are all the work of your hand.
(W)Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
    (X)and remember not iniquity forever.
    Behold, please look, we are all your people.
10 (Y)Your holy cities have become a wilderness;
    Zion has become a wilderness,
    Jerusalem a desolation.
11 (Z)Our holy and beautiful[f] house,
    where our fathers praised you,
has been burned by fire,
    and all our pleasant places have become ruins.
12 (AA)Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord?
    Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:15 Or holy and glorious
  2. Isaiah 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while
  3. Isaiah 64:2 Ch 64:1 in Hebrew
  4. Isaiah 64:5 Or in your ways is continuance, that we might be saved
  5. Isaiah 64:7 Masoretic Text; Septuagint, Syriac, Targum have delivered us into
  6. Isaiah 64:11 Or holy and glorious

15 Look down from heaven(A) and see,
    from your lofty throne,(B) holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal(C) and your might?
    Your tenderness and compassion(D) are withheld(E) from us.
16 But you are our Father,(F)
    though Abraham does not know us
    or Israel acknowledge(G) us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
    our Redeemer(H) from of old is your name.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander(I) from your ways
    and harden our hearts(J) so we do not revere(K) you?
Return(L) for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes that are your inheritance.(M)
18 For a little while(N) your people possessed your holy place,
    but now our enemies have trampled(O) down your sanctuary.(P)
19 We are yours from of old;
    but you have not ruled over them,
    they have not been called[a] by your name.(Q)

64 [b]Oh, that you would rend the heavens(R) and come down,(S)
    that the mountains(T) would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name(U) known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake(V) before you!
For when you did awesome(W) things that we did not expect,
    you came down, and the mountains trembled(X) before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,(Y)
    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.(Z)
You come to the help of those who gladly do right,(AA)
    who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
    you were angry.(AB)
    How then can we be saved?
All of us have become like one who is unclean,(AC)
    and all our righteous(AD) acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,(AE)
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.(AF)
No one(AG) calls on your name(AH)
    or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden(AI) your face from us
    and have given us over(AJ) to[c] our sins.

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.(AK)
    We are the clay, you are the potter;(AL)
    we are all the work of your hand.(AM)
Do not be angry(AN) beyond measure, Lord;
    do not remember our sins(AO) forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
    for we are all your people.(AP)
10 Your sacred cities(AQ) have become a wasteland;
    even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation.(AR)
11 Our holy and glorious temple,(AS) where our ancestors praised you,
    has been burned with fire,
    and all that we treasured(AT) lies in ruins.
12 After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back?(AU)
    Will you keep silent(AV) and punish us beyond measure?

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:19 Or We are like those you have never ruled, / like those never called
  2. Isaiah 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1 is numbered 63:19b, and 64:2-12 is numbered 64:1-11.
  3. Isaiah 64:7 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew have made us melt because of

Save Me, O My God

A Psalm of David, (A)when he fled from Absalom his son.

O Lord, (B)how many are my foes!
    Many are (C)rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
    (D)“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah[a]

But you, O Lord, are (E)a shield (F)about me,
    my glory, and (G)the lifter of my head.
I (H)cried aloud to the Lord,
    and he (I)answered me from his (J)holy hill. Selah

I (K)lay down and slept;
    I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
I (L)will not be afraid of many thousands of people
    who have (M)set themselves against me all around.

(N)Arise, O Lord!
    Save me, O my God!
For you (O)strike all my enemies on the cheek;
    you (P)break the teeth of the wicked.

(Q)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
    your blessing be on your people! Selah

Answer Me When I Call

To the (R)choirmaster: with (S)stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Answer me when I call, O God of my (T)righteousness!
    You have (U)given me relief when I was in distress.
    Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

O men,[b] how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
    How long will you love vain words and seek after (V)lies? Selah
But know that the Lord has (W)set apart (X)the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.

(Y)Be angry,[c] and do not sin;
    (Z)ponder in your own hearts (AA)on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Offer (AB)right sacrifices,
    and put your (AC)trust in the Lord.

There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
    (AD)Lift up (AE)the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
You have put (AF)more joy in my heart
    than they have when their grain and wine abound.

In peace I will both (AG)lie down and sleep;
    for you alone, O Lord, make me (AH)dwell in safety.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 3:2 The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical direction
  2. Psalm 4:2 Or O men of rank
  3. Psalm 4:4 Or Be agitated

Psalm 3[a]

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.(A)

Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.(B)[b]

But you, Lord, are a shield(C) around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.(D)
I call out to the Lord,(E)
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.(F)

I lie down and sleep;(G)
    I wake again,(H) because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear(I) though tens of thousands
    assail me on every side.(J)

Arise,(K) Lord!
    Deliver me,(L) my God!
Strike(M) all my enemies on the jaw;
    break the teeth(N) of the wicked.

From the Lord comes deliverance.(O)
    May your blessing(P) be on your people.

Psalm 4[c]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

Answer me(Q) when I call to you,
    my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;(R)
    have mercy(S) on me and hear my prayer.(T)

How long will you people turn my glory(U) into shame?(V)
    How long will you love delusions and seek false gods[d]?[e](W)
Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant(X) for himself;
    the Lord hears(Y) when I call to him.

Tremble and[f] do not sin;(Z)
    when you are on your beds,(AA)
    search your hearts and be silent.
Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
    and trust in the Lord.(AB)

Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us.(AC)
Fill my heart(AD) with joy(AE)
    when their grain and new wine(AF) abound.

In peace(AG) I will lie down and sleep,(AH)
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.(AI)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
  2. Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.
  3. Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
  4. Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
  5. Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
  6. Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)

The Abomination of Desolation

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation (A)spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in (B)the holy place ((C)let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 (D)Let the one who is on (E)the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And (F)alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be (G)great tribulation, (H)such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for (I)the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 (J)Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For (K)false christs and (L)false prophets will arise and (M)perform great signs and wonders, (N)so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, (O)I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, (P)he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 (Q)For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be (R)the coming of the Son of Man. 28 (S)Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Coming of the Son of Man

29 “Immediately after (T)the tribulation of those days (U)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and (V)the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then (W)will appear in heaven (X)the sign of the Son of Man, and then (Y)all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and (Z)they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (AA)with power and great glory. 31 And (AB)he will send out his angels with a loud (AC)trumpet call, and they will (AD)gather (AE)his elect from (AF)the four winds, (AG)from one end of heaven to the other.

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15 “So when you see standing in the holy place(A) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’[a](B) spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop(C) go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!(D) 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.(E)

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect(F) those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.(G) 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders(H) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning(I) that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming(J) of the Son of Man.(K) 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.(L)

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[b](M)

30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[c] will mourn(N) when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,(O) with power and great glory.[d] 31 And he will send his angels(P) with a loud trumpet call,(Q) and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11
  2. Matthew 24:29 Isaiah 13:10; 34:4
  3. Matthew 24:30 Or the tribes of the land
  4. Matthew 24:30 See Daniel 7:13-14.

24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, (A)you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, (B)most excellent Festus, but I am speaking (C)true and (D)rational words. 26 For (E)the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be (F)a Christian?”[a] 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day (G)might become such as I am—except for (H)these chains.”

30 Then the king rose, and (I)the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, (J)“This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, (K)“This man could have been set (L)free if he had not appealed (M)to Caesar.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:28 Or In a short time you would persuade me to act like a Christian!

24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,(A) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning(B) is driving you insane.”

25 “I am not insane, most excellent(C) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things,(D) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”(E)

29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”(F)

30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice(G) and those sitting with them. 31 After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”(H)

32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free(I) if he had not appealed to Caesar.”(J)

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