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Genesis 44-47
New King James Version
Genesis 44-47
New King James Version
Joseph’s Cup
44 And he commanded [a]the (A)steward of his house, saying, (B)“Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you (C)repaid evil for good? 5 Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’ ”
6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. 7 And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing. 8 Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan (D)the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 With whomever of your servants it is found, (E)let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
10 And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.” 11 Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. 12 So he searched. He began with the oldest and [b]left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they (F)tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they (G)fell before him on the ground. 15 And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?”
16 Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has (H)found out the iniquity of your servants; here (I)we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”
17 But he said, (J)“Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
Judah Intercedes for Benjamin
18 Then Judah came near to him and said: “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s hearing, and (K)do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ 20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and (L)a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is (M)dead, and he (N)alone is left of his mother’s children, and his (O)father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, (P)‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22 And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 But you said to your servants, (Q)‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’
24 “So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. 25 And (R)our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that (S)my wife bore me two sons; 28 and the one went out from me, and I said, (T)“Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since. 29 But if you (U)take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’
30 “Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since (V)his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, (W)‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ 33 Now therefore, please (X)let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would [c]come upon my father?”
Joseph Revealed to His Brothers
45 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him (Y)while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he (Z)wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, (AA)“I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. 4 And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, (AB)whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; (AC)for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the (AD)famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 And God (AE)sent me before you to preserve a [d]posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but (AF)God; and He has made me (AG)a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a (AH)ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not [e]tarry. 10 (AI)You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will (AJ)provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.” ’
12 “And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is (AK)my mouth that speaks to you. 13 So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and (AL)bring my father down here.”
14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 Moreover he (AM)kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
16 Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. 18 Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat (AN)the [f]fat of the land. 19 Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. 20 Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them (AO)carts,[g] according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave to all of them, to each man, (AP)changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and (AQ)five changes of garments. 23 And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. 24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”
25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” (AR)And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit (AS)of Jacob their father revived. 28 Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Jacob’s Journey to Egypt(AT)
46 So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to (AU)Beersheba, and offered sacrifices (AV)to the God of his father Isaac. 2 Then God spoke to Israel (AW)in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
3 So He said, “I am God, (AX)the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will (AY)make of you a great nation there. 4 (AZ)I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely (BA)bring you up again; and (BB)Joseph [h]will put his hand on your eyes.”
5 Then (BC)Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the [i]carts (BD)which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, (BE)Jacob and all his descendants with him. 7 His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
8 Now (BF)these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: (BG)Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. 9 The (BH)sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10 (BI)The sons of Simeon were [j]Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, [k]Jachin, [l]Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11 The sons of (BJ)Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 The sons of (BK)Judah were (BL)Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). (BM)The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, [m]Puvah, [n]Job, and Shimron. 14 The (BN)sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These were the (BO)sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad were [o]Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, [p]Ezbon, Eri, [q]Arodi, and Areli. 17 (BP)The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. 18 (BQ)These were the sons of Zilpah, (BR)whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.
19 The (BS)sons of Rachel, (BT)Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 (BU)And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 21 (BV)The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, (BW)Ehi, Rosh, (BX)Muppim, [r]Huppim, and Ard. 22 These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all.
23 The son of Dan was [s]Hushim. 24 (BY)The sons of Naphtali were [t]Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and [u]Shillem. 25 (BZ)These were the sons of Bilhah, (CA)whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all.
26 (CB)All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, (CC)besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. 27 And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. (CD)All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
Jacob Settles in Goshen
28 Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, (CE)to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came (CF)to the land of Goshen. 29 So Joseph made ready his (CG)chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and (CH)fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30 And Israel said to Joseph, (CI)“Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.”
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, (CJ)“I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 And the men are (CK)shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, (CL)‘What is your occupation?’ 34 that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ (CM)occupation has been with livestock (CN)from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is (CO)an[v] abomination to the Egyptians.”
Joseph Is Governor of Egypt
47 Then Joseph (CP)went and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in (CQ)the land of Goshen.” 2 And he took five men from among his brothers and (CR)presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, (CS)“What is your occupation?”
And they said to Pharaoh, (CT)“Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.” 4 And they said to Pharaoh, (CU)“We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, (CV)for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants (CW)dwell in the land of Goshen.”
5 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 (CX)The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell (CY)in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob (CZ)blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, (DA)“The days of the years of my [w]pilgrimage are (DB)one hundred and thirty years; (DC)few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and (DD)they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” 10 So Jacob (DE)blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
11 And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of (DF)Rameses, (DG)as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Then Joseph provided (DH)his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families.
Joseph Deals with the Famine
13 Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, (DI)so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14 (DJ)And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.
15 So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for (DK)why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.”
16 Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he [x]fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.
18 When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may (DL)live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.”
20 Then Joseph (DM)bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 And as for the people, he [y]moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end. 22 (DN)Only the land of the (DO)priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands.
23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.”
25 So they said, “You have saved (DP)our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, (DQ)except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s.
Joseph’s Vow to Jacob
27 So Israel (DR)dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and (DS)grew and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years. 29 When the time (DT)drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please (DU)put your hand under my thigh, and (DV)deal kindly and truly with me. (DW)Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but (DX)let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and (DY)bury me in their burial place.”
And he said, “I will do as you have said.”
31 Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So (DZ)Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.
Footnotes
- Genesis 44:1 Lit. the one over
- Genesis 44:12 finished with
- Genesis 44:34 Lit. find
- Genesis 45:7 remnant
- Genesis 45:9 delay
- Genesis 45:18 The choicest produce
- Genesis 45:21 wagons
- Genesis 46:4 Will close your eyes when you die
- Genesis 46:5 wagons
- Genesis 46:10 Nemuel, 1 Chr. 4:24
- Genesis 46:10 Jarib, 1 Chr. 4:24
- Genesis 46:10 Zerah, 1 Chr. 4:24
- Genesis 46:13 Puah, Num. 26:23; 1 Chr. 7:1
- Genesis 46:13 Jashub, Num. 26:24; 1 Chr. 7:1
- Genesis 46:16 Sam., LXX Zephon and Num. 26:15
- Genesis 46:16 Ozni, Num. 26:16
- Genesis 46:16 Arod, Num. 26:17
- Genesis 46:21 Hupham, Num. 26:39
- Genesis 46:23 Shuham, Num. 26:42
- Genesis 46:24 Jahziel, 1 Chr. 7:13
- Genesis 46:24 Shallum, 1 Chr. 7:13
- Genesis 46:34 loathsome
- Genesis 47:9 Lit. sojourning
- Genesis 47:17 supplied
- Genesis 47:21 So with MT, Tg.; Sam., LXX, Vg. made the people virtual slaves
Genesis 44-47
New International Version
Genesis 44-47
New International Version
A Silver Cup in a Sack
44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house:(A) “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.(B) 2 Then put my cup,(C) the silver one,(D) in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.
3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.(E) 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward,(F) “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?(G) 5 Isn’t this the cup(H) my master drinks from and also uses for divination?(I) This is a wicked thing you have done.’”
6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants(J) to do anything like that!(K) 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan(L) the silver(M) we found inside the mouths of our sacks.(N) So why would we steal(O) silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If any of your servants(P) is found to have it, he will die;(Q) and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.(R)”
10 “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it(S) will become my slave;(T) the rest of you will be free from blame.”(U)
11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward(V) proceeded to search,(W) beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest.(X) And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.(Y) 13 At this, they tore their clothes.(Z) Then they all loaded their donkeys(AA) and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house(AB) when Judah(AC) and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.(AD) 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done?(AE) Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?(AF)”
16 “What can we say to my lord?(AG)” Judah(AH) replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence?(AI) God has uncovered your servants’(AJ) guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves(AK)—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.(AL)”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing!(AM) Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave.(AN) The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”(AO)
18 Then Judah(AP) went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,(AQ) let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry(AR) with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants,(AS) ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’(AT) 20 And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age.(AU) His brother is dead,(AV) and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’(AW)
21 “Then you said to your servants,(AX) ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’(AY) 22 And we said to my lord,(AZ) ‘The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.’(BA) 23 But you told your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’(BB) 24 When we went back to your servant my father,(BC) we told him what my lord(BD) had said.(BE)
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy a little more food.’(BF) 26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’(BG)
27 “Your servant my father(BH) said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.(BI) 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.”(BJ) And I have not seen him since.(BK) 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(BL) in misery.’(BM)
30 “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father,(BN) and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life,(BO) 31 sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die.(BP) Your servants(BQ) will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave(BR) in sorrow. 32 Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’(BS)
33 “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave(BT) in place of the boy,(BU) and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery(BV) that would come on my father.”(BW)
Joseph Makes Himself Known
45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself(BX) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”(BY) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept(BZ) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.(CA)
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”(CB) But his brothers were not able to answer him,(CC) because they were terrified at his presence.(CD)
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”(CE) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!(CF) 5 And now, do not be distressed(CG) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,(CH) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.(CI) 6 For two years now there has been famine(CJ) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant(CK) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a](CL)
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.(CM) He made me father(CN) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.(CO) 9 Now hurry(CP) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.(CQ) 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen(CR) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.(CS) 11 I will provide for you there,(CT) because five years of famine(CU) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’(CV)
12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,(CW) that it is really I who am speaking to you.(CX) 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt(CY) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.(CZ)”
14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin(DA) embraced him,(DB) weeping. 15 And he kissed(DC) all his brothers and wept over them.(DD) Afterward his brothers talked with him.(DE)
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,(DF) Pharaoh and all his officials(DG) were pleased.(DH) 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals(DI) and return to the land of Canaan,(DJ) 18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt(DK) and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’(DL)
19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts(DM) from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Never mind about your belongings,(DN) because the best of all Egypt(DO) will be yours.’”
21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,(DP) as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.(DQ) 22 To each of them he gave new clothing,(DR) but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels[b] of silver and five sets of clothes.(DS) 23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys(DT) loaded with the best things(DU) of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.(DV) 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”(DW)
25 So they went up out of Egypt(DX) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.(DY) 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”(DZ) Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.(EA) 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts(EB) Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced!(EC) My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”(ED)
Jacob Goes to Egypt
46 So Israel(EE) set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,(EF) he offered sacrifices(EG) to the God of his father Isaac.(EH)
2 And God spoke to Israel(EI) in a vision at night(EJ) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”
“Here I am,”(EK) he replied.
3 “I am God, the God of your father,”(EL) he said. “Do not be afraid(EM) to go down to Egypt,(EN) for I will make you into a great nation(EO) there.(EP) 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.(EQ) And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.(ER)”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba,(ES) and Israel’s(ET) sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts(EU) that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,(EV) taking with them their livestock and the possessions(EW) they had acquired(EX) in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt(EY) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.(EZ)
8 These are the names of the sons of Israel(FA) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:
Reuben the firstborn(FB) of Jacob.
9 The sons of Reuben:(FC)
Hanok, Pallu,(FD) Hezron and Karmi.(FE)
10 The sons of Simeon:(FF)
Jemuel,(FG) Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar(FH) and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi:(FI)
Gershon,(FJ) Kohath(FK) and Merari.(FL)
12 The sons of Judah:(FM)
Er,(FN) Onan,(FO) Shelah, Perez(FP) and Zerah(FQ) (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).(FR)
The sons of Perez:(FS)
Hezron and Hamul.(FT)
13 The sons of Issachar:(FU)
Tola, Puah,[c](FV) Jashub[d](FW) and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun:(FX)
Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,[e](FY) besides his daughter Dinah.(FZ) These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
16 The sons of Gad:(GA)
Zephon,[f](GB) Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher:(GC)
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah.
Their sister was Serah.
The sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malkiel.
18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah,(GD) whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah(GE)—sixteen in all.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:(GF)
Joseph and Benjamin.(GG) 20 In Egypt, Manasseh(GH) and Ephraim(GI) were born to Joseph(GJ) by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.[g](GK)
21 The sons of Benjamin:(GL)
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.(GM)
22 These were the sons of Rachel(GN) who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.
25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah,(GR) whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel(GS)—seven in all.
26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons.(GT) 27 With the two sons[h] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,(GU) the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[i] in all.(GV)
28 Now Jacob sent Judah(GW) ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.(GX) When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot(GY) made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.(GZ) As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[j] and wept(HA) for a long time.(HB)
30 Israel(HC) said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”(HD)
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan,(HE) have come to me.(HF) 32 The men are shepherds;(HG) they tend livestock,(HH) and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’(HI) 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’(HJ) 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants(HK) have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’(HL) Then you will be allowed to settle(HM) in the region of Goshen,(HN) for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.(HO)”
47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan(HP) and are now in Goshen.”(HQ) 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them(HR) before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”(HS)
“Your servants(HT) are shepherds,(HU)” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while,(HV) because the famine is severe in Canaan(HW) and your servants’ flocks have no pasture.(HX) So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”(HY)
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle(HZ) your father and your brothers in the best part of the land.(IA) Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability,(IB) put them in charge of my own livestock.(IC)”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him(ID) before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[k] Pharaoh,(IE) 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty.(IF) My years have been few and difficult,(IG) and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.(IH)” 10 Then Jacob blessed[l] Pharaoh(II) and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land,(IJ) the district of Rameses,(IK) as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.(IL)
Joseph and the Famine
13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine.(IM) 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying,(IN) and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.(IO) 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone,(IP) all Egypt came to Joseph(IQ) and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes?(IR) Our money is all gone.”
16 “Then bring your livestock,(IS)” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.(IT)” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses,(IU) their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys.(IV) And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone(IW) and our livestock belongs to you,(IX) there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes(IY)—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food,(IZ) and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.(JA) Give us seed so that we may live and not die,(JB) and that the land may not become desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe(JC) for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[m](JD) from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests,(JE) because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment(JF) Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed(JG) for you so you can plant the ground.(JH) 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth(JI) of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”
25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord;(JJ) we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”(JK)
26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth(JL) of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.(JM)
27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen.(JN) They acquired property there(JO) and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.(JP)
28 Jacob lived in Egypt(JQ) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.(JR) 29 When the time drew near for Israel(JS) to die,(JT) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(JU) put your hand under my thigh(JV) and promise that you will show me kindness(JW) and faithfulness.(JX) Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers,(JY) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”(JZ)
“I will do as you say,” he said.
31 “Swear to me,”(KA) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,(KB) and Israel(KC) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[n](KD)
Footnotes
- Genesis 45:7 Or save you as a great band of survivors
- Genesis 45:22 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
- Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Puvah
- Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Num. 26:24 and 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Iob
- Genesis 46:15 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 46:16 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Num. 26:15); Masoretic Text Ziphion
- Genesis 46:20 That is, Heliopolis
- Genesis 46:27 Hebrew; Septuagint the nine children
- Genesis 46:27 Hebrew (see also Exodus 1:5 and note); Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14) seventy-five
- Genesis 46:29 Hebrew around him
- Genesis 47:7 Or greeted
- Genesis 47:10 Or said farewell to
- Genesis 47:21 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Vulgate); Masoretic Text and he moved the people into the cities
- Genesis 47:31 Or Israel bowed down at the head of his bed
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.