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Genesis 41:41-42:23
New International Version
Genesis 41:41-42:23
New International Version
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”(A) 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring(B) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes(C) of fine linen(D) and put a gold chain around his neck.(E) 43 He had him ride in a chariot(F) as his second-in-command,[a](G) and people shouted before him, “Make way[b]!”(H) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.(I)
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”(J) 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph(K) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest(L) of On,[c](M) to be his wife.(N) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old(O) when he entered the service(P) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance(Q) 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.(R) 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;(S) 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.(T) 51 Joseph named his firstborn(U) Manasseh[d](V) 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[e](W) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful(X) 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(Y) began,(Z) 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,(AA) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”(AB)
56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,(AC) for the famine(AD) was severe throughout Egypt.(AE) 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,(AF) because the famine was severe everywhere.(AG)
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,(AH) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2 He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,(AI) so that we may live and not die.”(AJ)
3 Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain(AK) from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin,(AL) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.(AM) 5 So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,(AN) for there was famine in the land of Canaan(AO) also.(AP)
6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land,(AQ) the person who sold grain to all its people.(AR) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.(AS) 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.(AT) “Where do you come from?”(AU) he asked.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.(AV) 9 Then he remembered his dreams(AW) about them and said to them, “You are spies!(AX) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(AY)
10 “No, my lord,(AZ)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.(BA) 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants(BB) are honest men,(BC) not spies.(BD)”
12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(BE)
13 But they replied, “Your servants(BF) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.(BG) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”(BH)
14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!(BI) 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,(BJ) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.(BK) 16 Send one of your number to get your brother;(BL) the rest of you will be kept in prison,(BM) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.(BN) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!(BO)” 17 And he put them all in custody(BP) for three days.
18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:(BQ) 19 If you are honest men,(BR) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,(BS) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.(BT) 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me,(BU) 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.(BV) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress(BW) has come on us.”
22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?(BX) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting(BY) for his blood.”(BZ) 23 They did not realize(CA) that Joseph could understand them,(CB) since he was using an interpreter.
Footnotes
- Genesis 41:43 Or in the chariot of his second-in-command; or in his second chariot
- Genesis 41:43 Or Bow down
- Genesis 41:45 That is, Heliopolis; also in verse 50
- Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for forget.
- Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for twice fruitful.
Genesis 41:41-42:23
King James Version
Genesis 41:41-42:23
King James Version
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?
2 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.
3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 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.
7 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.
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9 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.
New International Version (NIV) 
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