And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,

But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.

“I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.

Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.

And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also.

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

“No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.

So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

“We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.

We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

“Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy a little more food.’

And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.

“Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.”

Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

Hebrew Servants

“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.