Pharaoh Welcomes Jacob

47 So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.”^(A)

² He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.^{(B) 3} And Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants, both we and our ancestors, are shepherds.”^{(C) 4} And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to stay in the land for a while because there is no grazing land for your servants’ sheep, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe.^(D) So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen.”

⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you, ⁶ the land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land.^(E) They can live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”^(F)

⁷ Joseph then brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. ⁸ Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many years have you lived?”

⁹ Jacob said to Pharaoh, “My pilgrimage^(G) has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard,^(H) and they have not reached the years of my ancestors during their pilgrimages.”^{(I) 10} So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh’s presence.

¹¹ Then Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses,^(J) as Pharaoh had commanded. ¹² And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s family with food for their dependents.^(K)

The Land Becomes Pharaoh’s

¹³ But there was no food in the entire region, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted by the famine. ¹⁴ Joseph collected all the silver to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were purchasing, and he brought the silver to Pharaoh’s palace.^{(L) 15} When the silver from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die here in front of you? The silver is gone!”

¹⁶ But Joseph said, “Give me your livestock. Since the silver is gone, I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” ¹⁷ So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks of sheep, the herds of cattle, and the donkeys. That year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.

¹⁸ When that year was over, they came the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our lord that the silver is gone and that all our livestock belongs to our lord. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. ¹⁹ Why should we die here in front of you—both us and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. Then we with our land will become Pharaoh’s slaves. Give us seed so that we can live and not die, and so that the land won’t become desolate.”

²⁰ In this way, Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, ²¹ and Joseph made the people servants^[a] from one end of Egypt to the other. ²² The only land he did not acquire belonged to the priests, for they had an allowance from Pharaoh. They ate from their allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land.

²³ Joseph said to the people, “Understand today that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you. Sow it in the land. ²⁴ At harvest, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh,^(M) and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your households, and your dependents.”

²⁵ “You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor with our lord and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” ²⁶ So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.

Israel Settles in Goshen

²⁷ Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous.^{(N) 28} Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years, and his life span was 147 years. ²⁹ When the time approached for him to die,^(O) he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor with you, put your hand under my thigh^(P) and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness.^(Q) Do not bury me in Egypt. ³⁰ When I rest with my ancestors, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”^(R)

Joseph answered, “I will do what you have asked.”

³¹ And Jacob said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed in thanks at the head of his bed.^[b](S)

The Dedication to Theophilus

1 Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled^[a] among us,^{(A) 2} just as the original eyewitnesses^(B) and servants of the word^(C) handed them down to us. ³ So it also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable^(D) Theophilus,^{(E) 4} so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.^[b](F)

Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth

⁵ In the days of King Herod^(G) of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division^(H) named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ Both were righteous in God’s sight,^(I) living without blame^(J) according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.^(K)

⁸ When his division was on duty^(L) and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ it happened that he was chosen by lot,^(M) according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.^{(N) 10} At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. ¹¹ An angel of the Lord^(O) appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.^{(P) 12} When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.^{(Q) 13} But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid,^(R) Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.^(S) Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.^{(T) 14} There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer.^(U) He will be filled with the Holy Spirit^(V) while still in his mother’s womb.^{(W) 16} He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.^{(X) 17} And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children,^(Y) and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”^(Z)

¹⁸ “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹ The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel,^(AA) who stands in the presence of God,^(AB) and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. ²⁰ Now listen. You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. ²² When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was making signs to them^(AC) and remained speechless. ²³ When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.

²⁴ After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace^(AD) among the people.”

Gabriel Predicts Jesus’s Birth

²⁶ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel^(AE) was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,^{(AF) 27} to a virgin engaged^[c](AG) to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.^(AH) The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”^{[d] 29} But she was deeply troubled^(AI) by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. ³⁰ Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,^(AJ) for you have found favor with God.^{(AK) 31} Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.^{(AL) 32} He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High,^(AM) and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.^{(AN) 33} He will reign over the house of Jacob^(AO) forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” ^(AP)

³⁴ Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” ^[e]

³⁵ The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,^(AQ) and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.^{(AR) 36} And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.”^(AS)

³⁸ “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth

³⁹ In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.^{(AT) 42} Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed!^{[f] 43} How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”

Mary’s Praise

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

⁵⁶ And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.

The Birth and Naming of John

⁵⁷ Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. ⁵⁸ Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy,^(BH) and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹ When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day,^(BI) they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. ⁶⁰ But his mother responded, “No. He will be called John.”^(BJ)

⁶¹ Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” ⁶² So they motioned to his father^(BK) to find out what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened^(BL) and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶ All who heard about him^(BM) took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

⁶⁷ Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit^(BN) and prophesied:^(BO)

⁸⁰ The child grew up and became strong in spirit,^[h](CC) and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Psalm 97

The Majestic King