37 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.

14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.

22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.

33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

38 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.

And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

10 And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?

18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.

21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.

22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.

23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

39 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,

14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:

15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.

16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.

17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:

18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.

19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.

40 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.

And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.

And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.

And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.

And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?

And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;

10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:

11 And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:

13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:

15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:

17 And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:

19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.

20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

41 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.

And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.

And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:

10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:

11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.

13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.

25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.

32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

42 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.

28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?

29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:

34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

Joseph’s Dreams

37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed,(A) the land of Canaan.(B)

This is the account(C) of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph,(D) a young man of seventeen,(E) was tending the flocks(F) with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah(G) and the sons of Zilpah,(H) his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report(I) about them.

Now Israel(J) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,(K) because he had been born to him in his old age;(L) and he made an ornate[a] robe(M) for him.(N) When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him(O) and could not speak a kind word to him.

Joseph had a dream,(P) and when he told it to his brothers,(Q) they hated him all the more.(R) He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves(S) of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”(T)

His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?”(U) And they hated him all the more(V) because of his dream and what he had said.

Then he had another dream,(W) and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars(X) were bowing down to me.”(Y)

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers,(Z) his father rebuked(AA) him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”(AB) 11 His brothers were jealous of him,(AC) but his father kept the matter in mind.(AD)

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem,(AE) 13 and Israel(AF) said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem.(AG) Come, I am going to send you to them.”

“Very well,” he replied.

14 So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers(AH) and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.(AI)

When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”

17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.(AJ)’”

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.(AK)

19 “Here comes that dreamer!(AL)” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns(AM) and say that a ferocious animal(AN) devoured him.(AO) Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”(AP)

21 When Reuben(AQ) heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.(AR) 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern(AS) here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.(AT)

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe(AU) he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern.(AV) The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites(AW) coming from Gilead.(AX) Their camels were loaded with spices, balm(AY) and myrrh,(AZ) and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.(BA)

26 Judah(BB) said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?(BC) 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother,(BD) our own flesh and blood.(BE)” His brothers agreed.

28 So when the Midianite(BF) merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern(BG) and sold(BH) him for twenty shekels[b] of silver(BI) to the Ishmaelites,(BJ) who took him to Egypt.(BK)

29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.(BL) 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”(BM)

31 Then they got Joseph’s robe,(BN) slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.(BO) 32 They took the ornate robe(BP) back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”

33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal(BQ) has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”(BR)

34 Then Jacob tore his clothes,(BS) put on sackcloth(BT) and mourned for his son many days.(BU) 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him,(BV) but he refused to be comforted.(BW) “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son(BX) in the grave.(BY)” So his father wept for him.

36 Meanwhile, the Midianites[c](BZ) sold Joseph(CA) in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.(CB)

Judah and Tamar

38 At that time, Judah(CC) left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam(CD) named Hirah.(CE) There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua.(CF) He married her and made love to her; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.(CG) She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.(CH) She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah.(CI) It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.(CJ) But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight;(CK) so the Lord put him to death.(CL)

Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.”(CM) But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.(CN)

11 Judah then said to his daughter-in-law(CO) Tamar,(CP) “Live as a widow in your father’s household(CQ) until my son Shelah(CR) grows up.”(CS) For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household.

12 After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua,(CT) died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah,(CU) to the men who were shearing his sheep,(CV) and his friend Hirah the Adullamite(CW) went with him.

13 When Tamar(CX) was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,”(CY) 14 she took off her widow’s clothes,(CZ) covered herself with a veil(DA) to disguise herself, and then sat down(DB) at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.(DC) For she saw that, though Shelah(DD) had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute,(DE) for she had covered her face. 16 Not realizing(DF) that she was his daughter-in-law,(DG) he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.”(DH)

“And what will you give me to sleep with you?”(DI) she asked.

17 “I’ll send you a young goat(DJ) from my flock,” he said.

“Will you give me something as a pledge(DK) until you send it?” she asked.

18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?”

“Your seal(DL) and its cord, and the staff(DM) in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.(DN) 19 After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes(DO) again.

20 Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite(DP) in order to get his pledge(DQ) back from the woman, but he did not find her. 21 He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute(DR) who was beside the road at Enaim?”

“There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said.

22 So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’”

23 Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has,(DS) or we will become a laughingstock.(DT) After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”

24 About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.”

Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”(DU)

25 As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”(DV)

26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I,(DW) since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.(DX)” And he did not sleep with her again.

27 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.(DY) 28 As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife(DZ) took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist(EA) and said, “This one came out first.” 29 But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out,(EB) and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez.[d](EC) 30 Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist,(ED) came out. And he was named Zerah.[e](EE)

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39 Now Joseph(EF) had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard,(EG) bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.(EH)

The Lord was with Joseph(EI) so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him(EJ) and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,(EK) Joseph found favor in his eyes(EL) and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household,(EM) and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.(EN) From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household(EO) of the Egyptian because of Joseph.(EP) The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.(EQ) So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care;(ER) with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,(ES) and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”(ET)

But he refused.(EU) “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.(EV) No one is greater in this house than I am.(EW) My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”(EX) 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused(EY) to go to bed with her or even be with her.

11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties,(EZ) and none of the household servants(FA) was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak(FB) and said, “Come to bed with me!”(FC) But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.(FD)

13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants.(FE) “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew(FF) has been brought to us to make sport of us!(FG) He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed.(FH) 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”(FI)

16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story:(FJ) “That Hebrew(FK) slave(FL) you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger.(FM) 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison,(FN) the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him;(FO) he showed him kindness(FP) and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.(FQ) 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.(FR) 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s(FS) care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.(FT)

The Cupbearer and the Baker

40 Some time later, the cupbearer(FU) and the baker(FV) of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry(FW) with his two officials,(FX) the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,(FY) in the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard(FZ) assigned them to Joseph,(GA) and he attended them.

After they had been in custody(GB) for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream(GC) the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.(GD)

When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody(GE) with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”(GF)

“We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”(GG)

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God?(GH) Tell me your dreams.”

So the chief cupbearer(GI) told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed,(GJ) and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”

12 “This is what it means,(GK)” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days.(GL) 13 Within three days(GM) Pharaoh will lift up your head(GN) and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.(GO) 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me(GP) and show me kindness;(GQ) mention me to Pharaoh(GR) and get me out of this prison. 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews,(GS) and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”(GT)

16 When the chief baker(GU) saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation,(GV) he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets(GW) of bread.[f] 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days.(GX) 19 Within three days(GY) Pharaoh will lift off your head(GZ) and impale your body on a pole.(HA) And the birds will eat away your flesh.”(HB)

20 Now the third day(HC) was Pharaoh’s birthday,(HD) and he gave a feast for all his officials.(HE) He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker(HF) in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer(HG) to his position,(HH) so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand(HI) 22 but he impaled the chief baker,(HJ) just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.(HK)

23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.(HL)

Pharaoh’s Dreams

41 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream:(HM) He was standing by the Nile,(HN) when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat,(HO) and they grazed among the reeds.(HP) After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.(HQ)

He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain,(HR) healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind.(HS) The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up;(HT) it had been a dream.

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

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.(HX) 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants,(HY) and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.(HZ) 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.(IA) 12 Now a young Hebrew(IB) was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard.(IC) We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream.(ID) 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.(IE)

14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.(IF) When he had shaved(IG) and changed his clothes,(IH) he came before Pharaoh.

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

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

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile,(IL) 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.(IM) 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.(IN)

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same.(IO) God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.(IP) 26 The seven good cows(IQ) 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.(IR)

28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.(IS) 29 Seven years of great abundance(IT) are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine(IU) will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.(IV) 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(IW) by God, and God will do it soon.(IX)

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man(IY) and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.(IZ) 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners(JA) over the land to take a fifth(JB) of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.(JC) 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.(JD) 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,(JE) so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

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

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you,(JH) there is no one so discerning and wise as you.(JI) 40 You shall be in charge of my palace,(JJ) and all my people are to submit to your orders.(JK) Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.(JL)

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”(JM) 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring(JN) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes(JO) of fine linen(JP) and put a gold chain around his neck.(JQ) 43 He had him ride in a chariot(JR) as his second-in-command,[h](JS) and people shouted before him, “Make way[i]!”(JT) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.(JU)

44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”(JV) 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph(JW) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest(JX) of On,[j](JY) to be his wife.(JZ) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old(KA) when he entered the service(KB) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance(KC) 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.(KD) 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;(KE) 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.(KF) 51 Joseph named his firstborn(KG) Manasseh[k](KH) 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[l](KI) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful(KJ) 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(KK) began,(KL) 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,(KM) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”(KN)

56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,(KO) for the famine(KP) was severe throughout Egypt.(KQ) 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,(KR) because the famine was severe everywhere.(KS)

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,(KT) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,(KU) so that we may live and not die.”(KV)

Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain(KW) from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin,(KX) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.(KY) So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,(KZ) for there was famine in the land of Canaan(LA) also.(LB)

Now Joseph was the governor of the land,(LC) the person who sold grain to all its people.(LD) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.(LE) As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.(LF) “Where do you come from?”(LG) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.(LH) Then he remembered his dreams(LI) about them and said to them, “You are spies!(LJ) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(LK)

10 “No, my lord,(LL)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.(LM) 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants(LN) are honest men,(LO) not spies.(LP)

12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(LQ)

13 But they replied, “Your servants(LR) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.(LS) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”(LT)

14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!(LU) 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,(LV) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.(LW) 16 Send one of your number to get your brother;(LX) the rest of you will be kept in prison,(LY) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.(LZ) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!(MA) 17 And he put them all in custody(MB) for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:(MC) 19 If you are honest men,(MD) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,(ME) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.(MF) 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me,(MG) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.(MH) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress(MI) has come on us.”

22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?(MJ) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting(MK) for his blood.”(ML) 23 They did not realize(MM) that Joseph could understand them,(MN) since he was using an interpreter.

24 He turned away from them and began to weep,(MO) but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.(MP)

25 Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain,(MQ) to put each man’s silver back in his sack,(MR) and to give them provisions(MS) for their journey.(MT) After this was done for them, 26 they loaded their grain on their donkeys(MU) and left.

27 At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey,(MV) and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.(MW) 28 “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”

Their hearts sank(MX) and they turned to each other trembling(MY) and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”(MZ)

29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan,(NA) they told him all that had happened to them.(NB) They said, 30 “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us(NC) and treated us as though we were spying on the land.(ND) 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.(NE) 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’(NF)

33 “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.(NG) 34 But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men.(NH) Then I will give your brother back to you,(NI) and you can trade[m] in the land.(NJ)’”

35 As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver!(NK) When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.(NL) 36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,(NM) and now you want to take Benjamin.(NN) Everything is against me!(NO)

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,(NP) and I will bring him back.”(NQ)

38 But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead(NR) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him(NS) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(NT) in sorrow.(NU)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verses 23 and 32.
  2. Genesis 37:28 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams
  3. Genesis 37:36 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also verse 28); Masoretic Text Medanites
  4. Genesis 38:29 Perez means breaking out.
  5. Genesis 38:30 Zerah can mean scarlet or brightness.
  6. Genesis 40:16 Or three wicker baskets
  7. Genesis 41:38 Or of the gods
  8. Genesis 41:43 Or in the chariot of his second-in-command; or in his second chariot
  9. Genesis 41:43 Or Bow down
  10. Genesis 41:45 That is, Heliopolis; also in verse 50
  11. Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for forget.
  12. Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for twice fruitful.
  13. Genesis 42:34 Or move about freely

Joseph's Dreams

37 Jacob lived in (A)the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought (B)a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was (C)the son of his old age. And he made him (D)a robe of many colors.[a] But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, (E)my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and (F)bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and (G)your mother and your brothers indeed come (H)to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And (I)his brothers were jealous of him, (J)but his father kept the saying in mind.

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near (K)Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of (L)Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to (M)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at (N)Dothan.

18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them (O)they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, (P)let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.[b] Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when (Q)Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—(R)that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, (S)the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and (T)threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a (U)caravan of (V)Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing (W)gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it (X)if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and (Y)let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then (Z)Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and (AA)sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels[c] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he (AB)tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy (AC)is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took (AD)Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son's robe. (AE)A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters (AF)rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, (AG)I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile (AH)the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, (AI)the captain of the guard.

Judah and Tamar

38 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and (AJ)turned aside to a certain (AK)Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was (AL)Shua. He took her and went in to her, and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name (AM)Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name (AN)Onan. Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name (AO)Shelah. Judah[d] was in Chezib when she bore him.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, (AP)was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to (AQ)your brother's wife and (AR)perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, (AS)“Remain a widow in your father's house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained (AT)in her father's house.

12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died. When Judah (AU)was comforted, he went up to (AV)Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow's garments (AW)and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to (AX)Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, (AY)and she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, (AZ)“Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off (BA)her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her. 21 And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute[e] who was at (BB)Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’” 23 And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”

24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law (BC)has been immoral.[f] Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.”[g] And Judah said, “Bring her out, and (BD)let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, (BE)the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, (BF)“She is more righteous than I, since (BG)I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.

27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. 28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called (BH)Perez.[h] 30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called (BI)Zerah.

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife

39 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and (BJ)Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, (BK)had bought him from the (BL)Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. (BM)The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord (BN)caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph (BO)found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house (BP)and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house (BQ)for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.

Now Joseph was (BR)handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and (BS)he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and (BT)sin against God?” 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he (BU)would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 (BV)she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph's master took him and (BW)put him into the (BX)prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But (BY)the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love (BZ)and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison (CA)put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because (CB)the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners' Dreams

40 Some time after this, the (CC)cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, (CD)and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, (CE)“Why are your faces downcast today?” They said to him, (CF)“We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, (CG)“Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, (CH)“This is its interpretation: (CI)the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will (CJ)lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For (CK)I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and (CL)here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, (CM)“This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 (CN)In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and (CO)hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's (CP)birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and (CQ)lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 (CR)He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and (CS)he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he (CT)hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams

41 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and (CU)blighted by the east wind. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. So in the morning (CV)his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the (CW)magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh was (CX)angry with his servants (CY)and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 (CZ)we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, (DA)he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And (DB)as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

14 (DC)Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they (DD)quickly brought him (DE)out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. (DF)I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, (DG)“It is not in me; (DH)God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”[i] 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, (DI)in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And (DJ)I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; (DK)God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also (DL)seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; (DM)God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come (DN)seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise (DO)seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. (DP)The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the (DQ)thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land[j] of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And (DR)let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Joseph Rises to Power

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, (DS)in whom is the Spirit of God?”[k] 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 (DT)You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command.[l] Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, (DU)I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh (DV)took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and (DW)clothed him in garments of fine linen (DX)and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. (DY)And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!”[m] Thus he set him (DZ)over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and (EA)without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he (EB)entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, 48 and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, (EC)like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

50 Before the year of famine came, (ED)two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.”[n] 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has (EE)made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”[o]

53 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and (EF)the seven years of famine began to come, (EG)as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”

56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses[p] and (EH)sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe (EI)over all the earth.

Joseph's Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When (EJ)Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may (EK)live and not die.” So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, (EL)Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for (EM)he feared that harm might happen to him. Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

Now Joseph was governor (EN)over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and (EO)bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and (EP)spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. And Joseph (EQ)remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. (ER)And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”

12 He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.” 13 And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one (ES)is no more.” 14 But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. 15 By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 And he put them all together in custody for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, (ET)for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry (EU)grain for the famine of your households, 20 and (EV)bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, (EW)“In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” 22 And Reuben answered them, (EX)“Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now (EY)there comes a reckoning for his blood.” 23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and (EZ)wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 (FA)And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

26 Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. 27 And as (FB)one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at (FC)the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29 When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, (FD)spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One (FE)is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, (FF)‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take (FG)grain for the famine of your households, and go your way. 34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall (FH)trade in the land.’”

35 (FI)As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob their father said to them, “You have (FJ)bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.” 37 Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill (FK)my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” 38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for (FL)his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. (FM)If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, (FN)you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:3 See Septuagint, Vulgate; or (with Syriac) a robe with long sleeves. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain; also verses 23, 32
  2. Genesis 37:20 Or cisterns; also verses 22, 24
  3. Genesis 37:28 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
  4. Genesis 38:5 Hebrew He
  5. Genesis 38:21 Hebrew sacred woman; a woman who served a pagan deity by prostitution; also verse 22
  6. Genesis 38:24 Or has committed prostitution
  7. Genesis 38:24 Or by prostitution
  8. Genesis 38:29 Perez means a breach
  9. Genesis 41:16 Or (compare Samaritan, Septuagint) Without God it is not possible to give Pharaoh an answer about his welfare
  10. Genesis 41:34 Or over the land and organize the land
  11. Genesis 41:38 Or of the gods
  12. Genesis 41:40 Hebrew and according to your command all my people shall kiss the ground
  13. Genesis 41:43 Abrek, probably an Egyptian word, similar in sound to the Hebrew word meaning to kneel
  14. Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like the Hebrew for making to forget
  15. Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for making fruitful
  16. Genesis 41:56 Hebrew all that was in them