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Genesis 43-50
Revised Standard Version
Genesis 43-50
Revised Standard Version
The Brothers Come Again, Bringing Benjamin
43 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And when they had eaten the grain which they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food; 5 but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so ill as to tell the man that you had another brother?” 7 They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions; could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will be surety for him; of my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever; 10 for if we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”
11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you; carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man; 14 may God Almighty[a] grant you mercy before the man, that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15 So the men took the present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Joseph bade him, and brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, to make slaves of us and seize our asses.” 19 So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house, and spoke with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food; 21 and when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was every man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it again with us, 22 and we have brought other money down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 He replied, “Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house, and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their asses provender, 25 they made ready the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which they had with them, and bowed down to him to the ground. 27 And he inquired about their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well, he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and made obeisance. 29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” 30 Then Joseph made haste, for his heart yearned for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, “Let food be served.” 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Joseph Detains Benjamin
44 Then he commanded the steward of his house, “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 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him. 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their asses. 4 When they had gone but a short distance from the city, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you returned evil for good? Why have you stolen my silver cup?[b] 5 Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he divines? You have done wrong in so doing.’”
6 When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! 8 Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; how then should we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 With whomever of your servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” 10 He said, “Let it be as you say: he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be blameless.” 11 Then every man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and every man opened his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they rent their clothes, and every man loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there; and they fell before him to the ground. 15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed divine?” 16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
Judah Pleads for Benjamin’s Release
18 Then Judah went up to him and said, “O my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are like Pharaoh himself. 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 a young brother, the child of his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children; and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.’ 22 We said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’ 24 When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. 25 And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’ 26 we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. 29 If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to Sheol.’ 30 Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame in the sight of my father all my life.’ 33 Now therefore, let your servant, I pray you, remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord; and let the lad go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the lad is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would come upon my father.”
Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers
45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him; and he cried, “Make every one go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, I pray you.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Make haste 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 tarry; 10 you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have; 11 and there I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come; lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty.’ 12 And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Make haste and bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
16 When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan; 18 and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ 19 Command them[c] also, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Give no thought to your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
21 The sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To each and all of them he gave festal garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five festal garments. 23 To his father he sent as follows: ten asses loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.” 25 So they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. 26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart fainted, for he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived; 28 and Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive; I will go and see him before I die.”
Jacob Brings His Whole Family to Egypt
46 So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” 5 Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 They also took their cattle and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, 7 his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.
8 Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s first-born, 9 and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10 The sons of Simeon: Jemu′el, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanitish woman. 11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merar′i. 12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Is′sachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zeb′ulun: Sered, Elon, and Jah′leel 15 (these are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three). 16 The sons of Gad: Ziph′ion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Aro′di, and Are′li. 17 The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beri′ah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beri′ah: Heber and Mal′chi-el 18 (these are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons). 19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20 And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manas′seh and E′phraim, whom As′enath, the daughter of Poti′phera the priest of On, bore to him. 21 And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Na′aman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard 22 (these are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all). 23 The sons of Dan: Hushim. 24 The sons of Naph′tali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem 25 (these are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all). 26 All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own offspring, not including 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; all the persons of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were seventy.
Jacob Settles in Goshen
28 He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to appear[d] before him in Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29 Then Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” 31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; 32 and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you, and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
47 So Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; they are now in the land of Goshen.” 2 And from among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.” 4 They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land; for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan; and now, we pray you, let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” 5 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen; and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my cattle.”
7 Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” 9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.” 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. 11 Then Joseph settled 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 Ram′eses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their dependents.
The Famine in Egypt
13 Now there was no food in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. 14 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 And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us food; why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” 16 And Joseph answered, “Give your cattle, and I will give you food in exchange for your cattle, if your money is gone.” 17 So they brought their cattle to Joseph; and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the asses: and he supplied them with food in exchange for all their cattle that year. 18 And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my lord’s; 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 food, and we with our land will be slaves to Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh’s; 21 and as for the people, he made slaves of them[e] from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh, and lived on the allowance which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” 25 And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be slaves to Pharaoh.” 26 So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s.
The Last Days of Jacob
27 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were a hundred and forty-seven years.
29 And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh, and promise to deal loyally and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers; carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” 31 And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.
Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons
48 After this Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill”; so he took with him his two sons, Manas′seh and E′phraim. 2 And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you”; then Israel summoned his strength, and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[f] appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.’ 5 And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; E′phraim and Manas′seh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 And the offspring born to you after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 For when I came from Paddan, Rachel to my sorrow died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, I pray you, that I may bless them.” 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him; and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; and lo, God has let me see your children also.” 12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, E′phraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manas′seh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon the head of E′phraim, who was the younger, and his left hand upon the head of Manas′seh, crossing his hands, for Manas′seh was the first-born. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said,
“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has led me all my life long to this day,
16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads;
and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of E′phraim, it displeased him; and he took his father’s hand, to remove it from E′phraim’s head to Manas′seh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this one is the first-born; put your right hand upon his head.” 19 But his father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; nevertheless his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,
‘God make you as E′phraim and as Manas′seh’”;
and thus he put E′phraim before Manas′seh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope[g] which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”
Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons
49 Then Jacob called his sons, and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in days to come.
2 Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob,
and hearken to Israel your father.
3 Reuben, you are my first-born,
my might, and the first fruits of my strength,
pre-eminent in pride and pre-eminent in power.
4 Unstable as water, you shall not have pre-eminence
because you went up to your father’s bed;
then you defiled it—you[h] went up to my couch!
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers;
weapons of violence are their swords.
6 O my soul, come not into their council;
O my spirit,[i] be not joined to their company;
for in their anger they slay men,
and in their wantonness they hamstring oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
and their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
and scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
9 Judah is a lion’s whelp;
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down, he couched as a lion,
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him up?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs;[j]
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
11 Binding his foal to the vine
and his ass’s colt to the choice vine,
he washes his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes;
12 his eyes shall be red with wine,
and his teeth white with milk.
13 Zeb′ulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea;
he shall become a haven for ships,
and his border shall be at Sidon.
14 Is′sachar is a strong ass,
crouching between the sheepfolds;
15 he saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant;
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a slave at forced labor.
16 Dan shall judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
a viper by the path,
that bites the horse’s heels
so that his rider falls backward.
18 I wait for thy salvation, O Lord.
19 Raiders[k] shall raid Gad,
but he shall raid at their heels.
20 Asher’s food shall be rich,
and he shall yield royal dainties.
21 Naph′tali is a hind let loose,
that bears comely fawns.[l]
22 Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.
23 The archers fiercely attacked him,
shot at him, and harassed him sorely;
24 yet his bow remained unmoved,
his arms[m] were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel),
25 by the God of your father who will help you,
by God Almighty[n] who will bless you
with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that couches beneath,
blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
are mighty beyond the blessings of the eternal mountains,[o]
the bounties of the everlasting hills;
may they be on the head of Joseph,
and on the brow of him who was separate from his brothers.
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
in the morning devouring the prey,
and at even dividing the spoil.”
Jacob’s Death and Burial
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel; and this is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. 29 Then he charged them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field at Mach-pe′lah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah— 32 the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
50 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel; 3 forty days were required for it, for so many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.
4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 My father made me swear, saying, ‘I am about to die: in my tomb which I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.’ Now therefore let me go up, I pray you, and bury my father; then I will return.” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household; only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; it was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named A′bel-mizraim;[p] it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them; 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field at Mach-pe′lah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite, to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
Joseph Forgives His Brothers
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died, 17 ‘Say to Joseph, Forgive, I pray you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, we pray you, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him, and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Fear not, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he reassured them and comforted them.
Joseph’s Last Days and Death
22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. 23 And Joseph saw E′phraim’s children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manas′seh were born upon Joseph’s knees. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die; but God will visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph took an oath of the sons of Israel, saying, “God will visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Footnotes
- Genesis 43:14 Heb El Shaddai
- Genesis 44:4 Gk Compare Vg: Heb lacks Why have you stolen my silver cup?
- Genesis 45:19 Compare Gk Vg: Heb you are commanded
- Genesis 46:28 Sam Syr Compare Gk Vg: Heb to show the way
- Genesis 47:21 Sam Gk Compare Vg: Heb he removed them to the cities
- Genesis 48:3 Heb El Shaddai
- Genesis 48:22 Heb shekem, shoulder
- Genesis 49:4 Gk Syr Tg: Heb he
- Genesis 49:6 Or glory
- Genesis 49:10 Syr Compare Tg: Heb until Shiloh comes or until he comes to Shiloh
- Genesis 49:19 Heb gedud, a raiding troop
- Genesis 49:21 Or who gives beautiful words
- Genesis 49:24 Heb the arms of his hands
- Genesis 49:25 Heb El Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 Compare Gk: Heb of my progenitors to
- Genesis 50:11 That is meadow (or mourning) of Egypt
Genesis 43-50
New International Version
Genesis 43-50
New International Version
The Second Journey to Egypt
43 Now the famine was still severe in the land.(A) 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt,(B) their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”(C)
3 But Judah(D) said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’(E) 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.(F) 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.(G)’”
6 Israel(H) asked, “Why did you bring this trouble(I) on me by telling the man you had another brother?”
7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’(J) he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’(K) We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”(L)
8 Then Judah(M) said to Israel(N) his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.(O) 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him.(P) If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame(Q) before you all my life.(R) 10 As it is, if we had not delayed,(S) we could have gone and returned twice.”
11 Then their father Israel(T) said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products(U) of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift(V)—a little balm(W) and a little honey, some spices(X) and myrrh,(Y) some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount(Z) of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks.(AA) Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.(AB) 14 And may God Almighty[a](AC) grant you mercy(AD) before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.(AE) As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”(AF)
15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver,(AG) and Benjamin also. They hurried(AH) down to Egypt and presented themselves(AI) to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin(AJ) with them, he said to the steward of his house,(AK) “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal;(AL) they are to eat with me at noon.”
17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.(AM) 18 Now the men were frightened(AN) when they were taken to his house.(AO) They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks(AP) the first time. He wants to attack us(AQ) and overpower us and seize us as slaves(AR) and take our donkeys.(AS)”
19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward(AT) and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.(AU) 21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.(AV) 22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father,(AW) has given you treasure in your sacks;(AX) I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.(AY)
24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house,(AZ) gave them water to wash their feet(BA) and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts(BB) for Joseph’s arrival at noon,(BC) because they had heard that they were to eat there.
26 When Joseph came home,(BD) they presented to him the gifts(BE) they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.(BF) 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father(BG) you told me about? Is he still living?”(BH)
28 They replied, “Your servant our father(BI) is still alive and well.” And they bowed down,(BJ) prostrating themselves before him.(BK)
29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son,(BL) he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?”(BM) And he said, “God be gracious to you,(BN) my son.” 30 Deeply moved(BO) at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept(BP) there.
31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself,(BQ) said, “Serve the food.”(BR)
32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews,(BS) for that is detestable to Egyptians.(BT) 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn(BU) to the youngest;(BV) and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s.(BW) So they feasted(BX) and drank freely with him.
A Silver Cup in a Sack
44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house:(BY) “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.(BZ) 2 Then put my cup,(CA) the silver one,(CB) 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.(CC) 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward,(CD) “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?(CE) 5 Isn’t this the cup(CF) my master drinks from and also uses for divination?(CG) 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(CH) to do anything like that!(CI) 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan(CJ) the silver(CK) we found inside the mouths of our sacks.(CL) So why would we steal(CM) silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If any of your servants(CN) is found to have it, he will die;(CO) and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.(CP)”
10 “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it(CQ) will become my slave;(CR) the rest of you will be free from blame.”(CS)
11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward(CT) proceeded to search,(CU) beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest.(CV) And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.(CW) 13 At this, they tore their clothes.(CX) Then they all loaded their donkeys(CY) and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house(CZ) when Judah(DA) and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.(DB) 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done?(DC) Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?(DD)”
16 “What can we say to my lord?(DE)” Judah(DF) replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence?(DG) God has uncovered your servants’(DH) guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves(DI)—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.(DJ)”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing!(DK) Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave.(DL) The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”(DM)
18 Then Judah(DN) went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,(DO) let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry(DP) with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants,(DQ) ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’(DR) 20 And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age.(DS) His brother is dead,(DT) and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’(DU)
21 “Then you said to your servants,(DV) ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’(DW) 22 And we said to my lord,(DX) ‘The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.’(DY) 23 But you told your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’(DZ) 24 When we went back to your servant my father,(EA) we told him what my lord(EB) had said.(EC)
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy a little more food.’(ED) 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.’(EE)
27 “Your servant my father(EF) said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.(EG) 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.”(EH) And I have not seen him since.(EI) 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(EJ) in misery.’(EK)
30 “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father,(EL) and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life,(EM) 31 sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die.(EN) Your servants(EO) will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave(EP) 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!’(EQ)
33 “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave(ER) in place of the boy,(ES) 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(ET) that would come on my father.”(EU)
Joseph Makes Himself Known
45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself(EV) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”(EW) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept(EX) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.(EY)
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”(EZ) But his brothers were not able to answer him,(FA) because they were terrified at his presence.(FB)
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”(FC) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!(FD) 5 And now, do not be distressed(FE) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,(FF) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.(FG) 6 For two years now there has been famine(FH) 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(FI) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[b](FJ)
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.(FK) He made me father(FL) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.(FM) 9 Now hurry(FN) 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.(FO) 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen(FP) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.(FQ) 11 I will provide for you there,(FR) because five years of famine(FS) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’(FT)
12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,(FU) that it is really I who am speaking to you.(FV) 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt(FW) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.(FX)”
14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin(FY) embraced him,(FZ) weeping. 15 And he kissed(GA) all his brothers and wept over them.(GB) Afterward his brothers talked with him.(GC)
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,(GD) Pharaoh and all his officials(GE) were pleased.(GF) 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals(GG) and return to the land of Canaan,(GH) 18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt(GI) and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’(GJ)
19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts(GK) from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Never mind about your belongings,(GL) because the best of all Egypt(GM) will be yours.’”
21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,(GN) as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.(GO) 22 To each of them he gave new clothing,(GP) but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels[c] of silver and five sets of clothes.(GQ) 23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys(GR) loaded with the best things(GS) of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.(GT) 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”(GU)
25 So they went up out of Egypt(GV) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.(GW) 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”(GX) Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.(GY) 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts(GZ) Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced!(HA) My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”(HB)
Jacob Goes to Egypt
46 So Israel(HC) set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,(HD) he offered sacrifices(HE) to the God of his father Isaac.(HF)
2 And God spoke to Israel(HG) in a vision at night(HH) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”
“Here I am,”(HI) he replied.
3 “I am God, the God of your father,”(HJ) he said. “Do not be afraid(HK) to go down to Egypt,(HL) for I will make you into a great nation(HM) there.(HN) 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.(HO) And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.(HP)”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba,(HQ) and Israel’s(HR) sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts(HS) that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,(HT) taking with them their livestock and the possessions(HU) they had acquired(HV) in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt(HW) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.(HX)
8 These are the names of the sons of Israel(HY) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:
Reuben the firstborn(HZ) of Jacob.
9 The sons of Reuben:(IA)
Hanok, Pallu,(IB) Hezron and Karmi.(IC)
10 The sons of Simeon:(ID)
Jemuel,(IE) Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar(IF) and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi:(IG)
Gershon,(IH) Kohath(II) and Merari.(IJ)
12 The sons of Judah:(IK)
Er,(IL) Onan,(IM) Shelah, Perez(IN) and Zerah(IO) (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).(IP)
The sons of Perez:(IQ)
Hezron and Hamul.(IR)
13 The sons of Issachar:(IS)
Tola, Puah,[d](IT) Jashub[e](IU) and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun:(IV)
Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,[f](IW) besides his daughter Dinah.(IX) These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
16 The sons of Gad:(IY)
Zephon,[g](IZ) Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher:(JA)
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,(JB) whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah(JC)—sixteen in all.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:(JD)
Joseph and Benjamin.(JE) 20 In Egypt, Manasseh(JF) and Ephraim(JG) were born to Joseph(JH) by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.[h](JI)
21 The sons of Benjamin:(JJ)
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.(JK)
22 These were the sons of Rachel(JL) who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.
25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah,(JP) whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel(JQ)—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.(JR) 27 With the two sons[i] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,(JS) the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[j] in all.(JT)
28 Now Jacob sent Judah(JU) ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.(JV) When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot(JW) made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.(JX) As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[k] and wept(JY) for a long time.(JZ)
30 Israel(KA) said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”(KB)
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,(KC) have come to me.(KD) 32 The men are shepherds;(KE) they tend livestock,(KF) and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’(KG) 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’(KH) 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants(KI) have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’(KJ) Then you will be allowed to settle(KK) in the region of Goshen,(KL) for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.(KM)”
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(KN) and are now in Goshen.”(KO) 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them(KP) before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”(KQ)
“Your servants(KR) are shepherds,(KS)” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while,(KT) because the famine is severe in Canaan(KU) and your servants’ flocks have no pasture.(KV) So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”(KW)
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle(KX) your father and your brothers in the best part of the land.(KY) Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability,(KZ) put them in charge of my own livestock.(LA)”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him(LB) before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[l] Pharaoh,(LC) 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty.(LD) My years have been few and difficult,(LE) and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.(LF)” 10 Then Jacob blessed[m] Pharaoh(LG) 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,(LH) the district of Rameses,(LI) 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.(LJ)
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.(LK) 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying,(LL) and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.(LM) 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone,(LN) all Egypt came to Joseph(LO) and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes?(LP) Our money is all gone.”
16 “Then bring your livestock,(LQ)” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.(LR)” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses,(LS) their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys.(LT) 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(LU) and our livestock belongs to you,(LV) there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes(LW)—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food,(LX) and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.(LY) Give us seed so that we may live and not die,(LZ) 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(MA) for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[n](MB) from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests,(MC) because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment(MD) 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(ME) for you so you can plant the ground.(MF) 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth(MG) 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;(MH) we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”(MI)
26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth(MJ) of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.(MK)
27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen.(ML) They acquired property there(MM) and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.(MN)
28 Jacob lived in Egypt(MO) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.(MP) 29 When the time drew near for Israel(MQ) to die,(MR) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(MS) put your hand under my thigh(MT) and promise that you will show me kindness(MU) and faithfulness.(MV) Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers,(MW) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”(MX)
“I will do as you say,” he said.
31 “Swear to me,”(MY) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,(MZ) and Israel(NA) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[o](NB)
Manasseh and Ephraim
48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim(NC) along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel(ND) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.
3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[p](NE) appeared to me at Luz(NF) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me(NG) 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.(NH) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land(NI) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’(NJ)
5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt(NK) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,(NL) just as Reuben(NM) and Simeon(NN) are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. 7 As I was returning from Paddan,[q](NO) to my sorrow(NP) Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).(NQ)
8 When Israel(NR) saw the sons of Joseph,(NS) he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,”(NT) Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless(NU) them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.(NV) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them(NW) and embraced them.(NX)
11 Israel(NY) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(NZ) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(OA)
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(OB) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(OC) 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand,(OD) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(OE) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(OF) though he was the younger,(OG) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(OH)
15 Then he blessed(OI) Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(OJ)
the God who has been my shepherd(OK)
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(OL) who has delivered me from all harm(OM)
—may he bless(ON) these boys.(OO)
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(OP)
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”(OQ)
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(OR) on Ephraim’s head(OS) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”(OT)
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.(OU) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(OV) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(OW)” 20 He blessed(OX) them that day(OY) and said,
“In your[r] name will Israel(OZ) pronounce this blessing:(PA)
‘May God make you like Ephraim(PB) and Manasseh.(PC)’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[s](PD) and take you[t] back to the land of your[u] fathers.(PE) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[v](PF) than to your brothers,(PG) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword(PH) and my bow.”
Jacob Blesses His Sons(PI)
49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.(PJ)
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,(PM)
my might, the first sign of my strength,(PN)
excelling in honor,(PO) excelling in power.
4 Turbulent as the waters,(PP) you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.(PQ)
5 “Simeon(PR) and Levi(PS) are brothers—
their swords[w] are weapons of violence.(PT)
6 Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,(PU)
for they have killed men in their anger(PV)
and hamstrung(PW) oxen as they pleased.
7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury,(PX) so cruel!(PY)
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.(PZ)
8 “Judah,[x](QA) your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck(QB) of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.(QC)
9 You are a lion’s(QD) cub,(QE) Judah;(QF)
you return from the prey,(QG) my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,(QH)
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[y]
until he to whom it belongs[z] shall come(QI)
and the obedience of the nations shall be his.(QJ)
11 He will tether his donkey(QK) to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;(QL)
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.(QM)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.[aa](QN)
13 “Zebulun(QO) will live by the seashore
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend toward Sidon.(QP)
14 “Issachar(QQ) is a rawboned[ab] donkey
lying down among the sheep pens.[ac](QR)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
and how pleasant is his land,(QS)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden(QT)
and submit to forced labor.(QU)
16 “Dan[ad](QV) will provide justice for his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.(QW)
17 Dan(QX) will be a snake by the roadside,
a viper along the path,(QY)
that bites the horse’s heels(QZ)
so that its rider tumbles backward.
22 “Joseph(RJ) is a fruitful vine,(RK)
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches(RL) climb over a wall.[ag]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(RM)
they shot at him with hostility.(RN)
24 But his bow remained steady,(RO)
his strong arms(RP) stayed[ah] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(RQ)
because of the Shepherd,(RR) the Rock of Israel,(RS)
25 because of your father’s God,(RT) who helps(RU) you,
because of the Almighty,[ai](RV) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,(RW)
blessings of the breast(RX) and womb.(RY)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than[aj] the bounty of the age-old hills.(RZ)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(SA)
on the brow of the prince among[ak] his brothers.(SB)
27 “Benjamin(SC) is a ravenous wolf;(SD)
in the morning he devours the prey,(SE)
in the evening he divides the plunder.”(SF)
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,(SG) and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing(SH) appropriate to him.
The Death of Jacob
29 Then he gave them these instructions:(SI) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(SJ) Bury me with my fathers(SK) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(SL) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(SM) near Mamre(SN) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(SO) as a burial place(SP) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(SQ) and his wife Sarah(SR) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(SS) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(ST) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[al](SU)”
33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.(SV)
50 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.(SW) 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him,(SX) 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.(SY)
4 When the days of mourning(SZ) had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,(TA) “If I have found favor in your eyes,(TB) speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath(TC) and said, “I am about to die;(TD) bury me in the tomb I dug for myself(TE) in the land of Canaan.”(TF) Now let me go up and bury my father;(TG) then I will return.’”
6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials(TH) accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court(TI) and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household.(TJ) Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen.(TK) 9 Chariots(TL) and horsemen[am] also went up with him. It was a very large company.
10 When they reached the threshing floor(TM) of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly;(TN) and there Joseph observed a seven-day period(TO) of mourning(TP) for his father.(TQ) 11 When the Canaanites(TR) who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.”(TS) That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.[an]
12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them:(TT) 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah,(TU) near Mamre,(TV) which Abraham had bought along with the field(TW) as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.(TX) 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.(TY)
Joseph Reassures His Brothers
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge(TZ) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”(UA) 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions(UB) before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins(UC) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’(UD) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.(UE)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.(UF)
18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.(UG) “We are your slaves,”(UH) they said.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?(UI) 20 You intended to harm me,(UJ) but God intended(UK) it for good(UL) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.(UM) 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.(UN)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly(UO) to them.
The Death of Joseph
22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years(UP) 23 and saw the third generation(UQ) of Ephraim’s(UR) children.(US) Also the children of Makir(UT) son of Manasseh(UU) were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.[ao](UV)
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die.(UW) But God will surely come to your aid(UX) and take you up out of this land to the land(UY) he promised on oath to Abraham,(UZ) Isaac(VA) and Jacob.”(VB) 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath(VC) and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones(VD) up from this place.”(VE)
26 So Joseph died(VF) at the age of a hundred and ten.(VG) And after they embalmed him,(VH) he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Footnotes
- Genesis 43:14 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- 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
- Genesis 48:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Genesis 48:7 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
- Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
- Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
- Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
- Genesis 48:22 The Hebrew for ridge of land is identical with the place name Shechem.
- Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
- Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
- Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
- Genesis 49:14 Or strong
- Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
- Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
- Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
- Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
- Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
- Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
- Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
- Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
- Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth
- Genesis 50:9 Or charioteers
- Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.
- Genesis 50:23 That is, were counted as his
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