Pharaoh’s Dreams

41 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream:^(A) He was standing by the Nile,^{(B) 2} when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat,^(C) and they grazed among the reeds.^{(D) 3} After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. ⁴ And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.^(E)

⁵ He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,^(F) healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. ⁶ After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind.^{(G) 7} The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up;^(H) it had been a dream.

⁸ In the morning his mind was troubled,^(I) so he sent for all the magicians^(J) and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.^(K)

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.^{(L) 10} Pharaoh was once angry with his servants,^(M) and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.^{(N) 11} Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.^{(O) 12} Now a young Hebrew^(P) was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard.^(Q) We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.^{(R) 13} And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.^(S)”

¹⁴ So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.^(T) When he had shaved^(U) and changed his clothes,^(V) he came before Pharaoh.

¹⁵ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it.^(W) But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”^(X)

¹⁶ “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”^(Y)

¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,^{(Z) 18} when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.^{(AA) 19} After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. ²⁰ The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. ²¹ But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

²² “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. ²³ After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. ²⁴ The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.^(AB)”

²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same.^(AC) God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.^{(AD) 26} The seven good cows^(AE) are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. ²⁷ The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.^(AF)

²⁸ “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.^{(AG) 29} Seven years of great abundance^(AH) are coming throughout the land of Egypt, ³⁰ but seven years of famine^(AI) will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.^{(AJ) 31} The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. ³² The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided^(AK) by God, and God will do it soon.^(AL)

³³ “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man^(AM) and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.^{(AN) 34} Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners^(AO) over the land to take a fifth^(AP) of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.^{(AQ) 35} They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.^{(AR) 36} This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt,^(AS) so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

³⁷ The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.^{(AT) 38} So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God^[a]?”^(AU)

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you,^(AV) there is no one so discerning and wise as you.^{(AW) 40} You shall be in charge of my palace,^(AX) and all my people are to submit to your orders.^(AY) Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.^(AZ)”

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

⁴¹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”^{(BA) 42} Then Pharaoh took his signet ring^(BB) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes^(BC) of fine linen^(BD) and put a gold chain around his neck.^{(BE) 43} He had him ride in a chariot^(BF) as his second-in-command,^[b](BG) and people shouted before him, “Make way^[c]!”^(BH) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.^(BI)

⁴⁴ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”^{(BJ) 45} Pharaoh gave Joseph^(BK) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest^(BL) of On,^[d](BM) to be his wife.^(BN) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old^(BO) when he entered the service^(BP) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. ⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance^(BQ) the land produced plentifully. ⁴⁸ Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.^(BR) In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. ⁴⁹ Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;^(BS) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

⁵⁰ Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.^{(BT) 51} Joseph named his firstborn^(BU) Manasseh^[e](BV) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” ⁵² The second son he named Ephraim^[f](BW) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful^(BX) in the land of my suffering.”

⁵³ The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, ⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine^(BY) began,^(BZ) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. ⁵⁵ When all Egypt began to feel the famine,^(CA) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”^(CB)

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,^(CC) for the famine^(CD) was severe throughout Egypt.^{(CE) 57} And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,^(CF) because the famine was severe everywhere.^(CG)

The Plague on the Firstborn

11 Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go^(A) from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely.^{(B) 2} Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”^{(C) 3} (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed^(D) toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded^(E) in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)

⁴ So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight^(F) I will go throughout Egypt.^{(G) 5} Every firstborn^(H) son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill,^(I) and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. ⁶ There will be loud wailing^(J) throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. ⁷ But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction^(K) between Egypt and Israel. ⁸ All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go,^(L) you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.”^(M) Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

⁹ The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen^(N) to you—so that my wonders^(O) may be multiplied in Egypt.” ¹⁰ Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart,^(P) and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.

The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread^(A)

12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, ² “This month is to be for you the first month,^(B) the first month of your year. ³ Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb^[a](C) for his family, one for each household.^{(D) 4} If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. ⁵ The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect,^(E) and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. ⁶ Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month,^(F) when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.^{(G) 7} Then they are to take some of the blood^(H) and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. ⁸ That same night^(I) they are to eat the meat roasted^(J) over the fire, along with bitter herbs,^(K) and bread made without yeast.^{(L) 9} Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs.^{(M) 10} Do not leave any of it till morning;^(N) if some is left till morning, you must burn it. ¹¹ This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste;^(O) it is the Lord’s Passover.^(P)

¹² “On that same night I will pass through^(Q) Egypt and strike down^(R) every firstborn^(S) of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods^(T) of Egypt. I am the Lord.^{(U) 13} The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over^(V) you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.^(W)

¹⁴ “This is a day you are to commemorate;^(X) for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance.^{(Y) 15} For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast.^(Z) On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off^(AA) from Israel. ¹⁶ On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work^(AB) at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do.

¹⁷ “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(AC) because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt.^(AD) Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.^{(AE) 18} In the first month^(AF) you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. ¹⁹ For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner^(AG) or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off^(AH) from the community of Israel. ²⁰ Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live,^(AI) you must eat unleavened bread.”^(AJ)

²¹ Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover^(AK) lamb. ²² Take a bunch of hyssop,^(AL) dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood^(AM) on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. ²³ When the Lord goes through the land to strike^(AN) down the Egyptians, he will see the blood^(AO) on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over^(AP) that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer^(AQ) to enter your houses and strike you down.

²⁴ “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance^(AR) for you and your descendants. ²⁵ When you enter the land^(AS) that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. ²⁶ And when your children^(AT) ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ ²⁷ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover^(AU) sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”^(AV) Then the people bowed down and worshiped.^{(AW) 28} The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded^(AX) Moses and Aaron.

²⁹ At midnight^(AY) the Lord^(AZ) struck down all the firstborn^(BA) in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock^(BB) as well. ³⁰ Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing^(BC) in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

The Exodus

³¹ During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship^(BD) the Lord as you have requested. ³² Take your flocks and herds,^(BE) as you have said, and go. And also bless^(BF) me.”

³³ The Egyptians urged the people to hurry^(BG) and leave^(BH) the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”^{(BI) 34} So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs^(BJ) wrapped in clothing. ³⁵ The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold^(BK) and for clothing.^{(BL) 36} The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed^(BM) toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered^(BN) the Egyptians.

³⁷ The Israelites journeyed from Rameses^(BO) to Sukkoth.^(BP) There were about six hundred thousand men^(BQ) on foot, besides women and children. ³⁸ Many other people^(BR) went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. ³⁹ With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out^(BS) of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

⁴⁰ Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt^[b] was 430 years.^{(BT) 41} At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions^(BU) left Egypt.^{(BV) 42} Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come.^(BW)

Balak Summons Balaam

22 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab^(A) and camped along the Jordan^(B) across from Jericho.^(C)

² Now Balak son of Zippor^(D) saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, ³ and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread^(E) because of the Israelites.

⁴ The Moabites^(F) said to the elders of Midian,^(G) “This horde is going to lick up everything^(H) around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.^(I)”

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, ⁵ sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor,^(J) who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River,^(K) in his native land. Balak said:

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.^(O) When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

⁸ “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.^(P)” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

⁹ God came to Balaam^(Q) and asked,^(R) “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: ¹¹ ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”

¹² But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.^(S)”

¹³ The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

¹⁴ So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵ Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. ¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said:

¹⁸ But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.^{(V) 19} Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.^(W)”

²⁰ That night God came to Balaam^(X) and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”^(Y)

Balaam’s Donkey

²¹ Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. ²² But God was very angry^(Z) when he went, and the angel of the Lord^(AA) stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword^(AB) in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it^(AC) to get it back on the road.

²⁴ Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

²⁶ Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry^(AD) and beat it with his staff. ²⁸ Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,^(AE) and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?^(AF)”

²⁹ Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.^(AG)”

³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

³¹ Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes,^(AH) and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

³² The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.^{[a] 33} The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now,^(AI) but I would have spared it.”

³⁴ Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned.^(AJ) I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

³⁵ The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

³⁶ When Balak^(AK) heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon^(AL) border, at the edge of his territory. ³⁷ Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

³⁸ “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”^(AM)

³⁹ Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. ⁴⁰ Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep,^(AN) and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. ⁴¹ The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,^(AO) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.^(AP)

¹⁷ The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away^(A) from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.^(B)”

Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument

¹⁸ In that day^(C) the Lord will whistle^(D) for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.^{(E) 19} They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices^(F) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes^(G) and at all the water holes. ²⁰ In that day^(H) the Lord will use^(I) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River^(J)—the king of Assyria^(K)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard^(L) also.^(M)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree

Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return^(A)

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,^(B) the Lord moved the heart^(C) of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: