Bible in 90 Days
12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent[a] three days. 13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you[b] and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before[c] when you were cupbearer. 14 But remember me[d] when it goes well for you, and show[e] me kindness.[f] Make mention[g] of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison,[h] 15 for I really was kidnapped[i] from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable,[j] he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread[k] on my head. 17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”
18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent[l] three days. 19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you[m] and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up”[n] the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position[o] so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted.[p] 23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph—he forgot him.[q]
Joseph’s Rise to Power
41 At the end of two full years[r] Pharaoh had a dream.[s] As he was standing by the Nile, 2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile,[t] and they grazed in the reeds. 3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile,[u] and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river.[v] 4 The bad-looking, thin cows ate the seven fine-looking, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing[w] on one stalk, healthy[x] and good. 6 Then[y] seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream.[z]
8 In the morning he[aa] was troubled, so he called for[ab] all the diviner-priests[ac] of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams,[ad] but no one could interpret[ae] them for him.[af] 9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.[ag] 10 Pharaoh was enraged with his servants, and he put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guards—me and the chief baker. 11 We each had a dream one night; each of us had a dream with its own meaning.[ah] 12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant[ai] of the captain of the guards,[aj] was with us there. We told him our dreams,[ak] and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us.[al] 13 It happened just as he had said[am] to us—Pharaoh[an] restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.”[ao]
14 Then Pharaoh summoned[ap] Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream,[aq] and there is no one who can interpret[ar] it. But I have heard about you, that[as] you can interpret dreams.”[at] 16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power,[au] but God will speak concerning[av] the welfare of Pharaoh.”[aw]
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing[ax] by the edge of the Nile. 18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds.[ay] 19 Then[az] seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows[ba] as these in all the land of Egypt! 20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven[bb] fat cows. 21 When they had eaten them,[bc] no one would have known[bd] that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 22 I also saw in my dream[be] seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Then[bf] seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this[bg] to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.”[bh]
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning.[bi] God has revealed[bj] to Pharaoh what he is about to do.[bk] 26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning.[bl] 27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent[bm] seven years of famine. 28 This is just what I told[bn] Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 30 But seven years of famine will occur[bo] after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate[bp] the land. 31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered[bq] because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe.[br] 32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh[bs] because the matter has been decreed[bt] by God, and God will make it happen soon.[bu]
33 “So now Pharaoh should look[bv] for a wise and discerning man[bw] and give him authority[bx] over all the land of Egypt. 34 Pharaoh should do[by] this—he should appoint[bz] officials[ca] throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt[cb] during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should gather all the excess food[cc] during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority[cd] they should store up grain so the cities will have food,[ce] and they should preserve it.[cf] 36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.”[cg]
37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials.[ch] 38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph,[ci] one in whom the Spirit of God is present?”[cj] 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning[ck] as you are! 40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands.[cl] Only I, the king, will be greater than you.[cm]
41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place[cn] you in authority over all the land of Egypt.”[co] 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen[cp] clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 Pharaoh[cq] had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command,[cr] and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!”[cs] So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission[ct] no one[cu] will move his hand or his foot[cv] in all the land of Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah.[cw] He also gave him Asenath[cx] daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,[cy] to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of[cz] all the land of Egypt.
46 Now Joseph was 30 years old[da] when he began serving[db] Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by[dc] Pharaoh and was in charge of[dd] all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests.[de] 48 Joseph[df] collected all the excess food[dg] in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities.[dh] In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it. 49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea,[di] until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.
50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came.[dj] Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother.[dk] 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh,[dl] saying,[dm] “Certainly[dn] God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 52 He named the second child Ephraim,[do] saying,[dp] “Certainly[dq] God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 54 Then the seven years of famine began,[dr] just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt,[ds] “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
56 While the famine was over all the earth,[dt] Joseph opened the storehouses[du] and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 57 People from every country[dv] came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.
Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt
42 When Jacob heard[dw] there was grain in Egypt, he[dx] said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?”[dy] 2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us[dz] so that we may live[ea] and not die.”[eb]
3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers,[ec] for he said,[ed] “What if some accident[ee] happens[ef] to him?” 5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers,[eg] for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.
6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country.[eh] Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down[ei] before him with[ej] their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger[ek] to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered,[el] “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.”[em]
8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies;[en] you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!”[eo]
10 But they exclaimed,[ep] “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! 11 We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”
12 “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”[eq] 13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers.[er] We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time,[es] and one is no longer alive.”[et]
14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you:[eu] You are spies! 15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives,[ev] you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 One of you must go and get[ew] your brother, while[ex] the rest of you remain in prison.[ey] In this way your words may be tested to see if[ez] you are telling the truth.[fa] If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 He imprisoned[fb] them all for three days. 18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say[fc] and you will live,[fd] for I fear God.[fe] 19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison[ff] while the rest of you go[fg] and take grain back for your hungry families.[fh] 20 But you must bring[fi] your youngest brother to me. Then[fj] your words will be verified[fk] and you will not die.” They did as he said.[fl]
21 They said to one another,[fm] “Surely we’re being punished[fn] because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was[fo] when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress[fp] has come on us!” 22 Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!”[fq] 23 (Now[fr] they did not know that Joseph could understand them,[fs] for he was speaking through an interpreter.)[ft] 24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again,[fu] he had Simeon taken[fv] from them and tied up[fw] before their eyes.
25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill[fx] their bags with grain, to return each man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out.[fy] 26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.[fz]
27 When one of them[ga] opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place,[gb] he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.[gc] 28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed;[gd] they turned trembling to one another[ge] and said, “What in the world has God done to us?”[gf]
29 They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us[gg] as if we were[gh] spying on the land. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies! 32 We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father.[gi] One is no longer alive,[gj] and the youngest is with our father at this time[gk] in the land of Canaan.’
33 “Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain[gl] for your hungry households and go. 34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know[gm] that you are honest men and not spies.[gn] Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’”[go]
35 When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. 36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone.[gp] Simeon is gone.[gq] And now you want to take[gr] Benjamin! Everything is against me.”
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may[gs] put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care[gt] and I will bring him back to you.” 38 But Jacob[gu] replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left.[gv] If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair[gw] in sorrow to the grave.”[gx]
The Second Journey to Egypt
43 Now the famine was severe in the land.[gy] 2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”
3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned[gz] us, ‘You will not see my face[ha] unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send[hb] our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble[hc] on me by telling[hd] the man you had one more brother?”
7 They replied, “The man questioned us[he] thoroughly[hf] about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’[hg] So we answered him in this way.[hh] How could we possibly know[hi] that he would say,[hj] ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately.[hk] Then we will live[hl] and not die—we and you and our little ones. 9 I myself pledge security[hm] for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.[hn] 10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back[ho] twice by now!”
11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you;[hp] you must take back[hq] the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks—perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother too, and go right away[hr] to the man.[hs] 14 May the Sovereign God[ht] grant you mercy before the man so that he may release[hu] your other brother[hv] and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.”[hw]
15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt[hx] and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, “Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.” 17 The man did just as Joseph said; he[hy] brought the men into Joseph’s house.[hz]
18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of[ia] the money that was returned in our sacks last time.[ib] He wants to capture us,[ic] make us slaves, and take[id] our donkeys!” 19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down[ie] the first time[if] to buy food. 21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money—the full amount[ig]—in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it.[ih] 22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!”
23 “Everything is fine,”[ii] the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks.[ij] I had your money.”[ik] Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 The servant in charge[il] brought the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival[im] at noon, for they had heard[in] that they were to have a meal[io] there.
26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside,[ip] and they bowed down to the ground before him. 27 He asked them how they were doing.[iq] Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility.[ir]
29 When Joseph looked up[is] and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”[it] 30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother[iu] and was at the point of tears.[iv] So he went to his room and wept there.
31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said,[iw] “Set out the food.” 32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers,[ix] and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting[iy] to do so.)[iz] 33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest.[ja] The men looked at each other in astonishment.[jb] 34 He gave them portions of the food set before him,[jc] but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk.[jd]
The Final Test
44 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put[je] my cup—the silver cup—in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed.[jf]
3 When morning came,[jg] the men and their donkeys were sent off.[jh] 4 They had not gone very far from the city[ji] when Joseph said[jj] to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once![jk] When you overtake[jl] them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup[jm] and use it for divination?[jn] You have done wrong!’”[jo]
6 When the man[jp] overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things?[jq] Far be it from your servants to do such a thing![jr] 8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If one of us has it,[js] he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”
10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment![jt] The one who has it will become my slave,[ju] but the rest of[jv] you will go free.”[jw] 11 So each man quickly lowered[jx] his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the man[jy] searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers[jz] came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there,[ka] and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing?[kb] Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?”[kc]
16 Judah replied, “What can we say[kd] to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves?[ke] God has exposed the sin of your servants![kf] We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of[kg] you may go back[kh] to your father in peace.”
18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you.[ki] Please do not get angry with your servant,[kj] for you are just like Pharaoh.[kk] 19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old.[kl] The boy’s[km] brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left,[kn] and his father loves him.’
21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see[ko] him.’[kp] 22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father[kq] will die.’[kr] 23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there.[ks] If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go,[kt] for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’
27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons.[ku] 28 The first disappeared[kv] and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 29 If you take[kw] this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair[kx] in tragedy[ky] to the grave.’[kz]
30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us—his very life is bound up in his son’s life.[la] 31 When he sees the boy is not with us,[lb] he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 32 Indeed,[lc] your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’
33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see[ld] my father’s pain.”[le]
The Reconciliation of the Brothers
45 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants,[lf] so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained[lg] with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept loudly;[lh] the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.[li]
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here,[lj] for God sent me[lk] ahead of you to preserve life! 6 For these past two years there has been famine in[ll] the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me[lm] ahead of you to preserve you[ln] on the earth and to save your lives[lo] by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser[lp] to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Now go up to my father quickly[lq] and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 10 You will live[lr] in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11 I will provide you with food[ls] there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor—you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you.[lt] 13 So tell[lu] my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”[lv]
14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
16 Now it was reported[lw] in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased[lx] Pharaoh and his servants. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go[ly] to the land of Canaan! 18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you[lz] the best land in Egypt and you will eat[ma] the best[mb] of the land.’ 19 You are also commanded to say,[mc] ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 20 Don’t worry[md] about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”
21 So the sons of Israel did as he said.[me] Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed,[mf] and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them,[mg] but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five sets of clothes.[mh] 23 To his father he sent the following:[mi] ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”[mj]
25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.[mk] 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned,[ml] for he did not believe them. 27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them,[mm] and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
The Family of Jacob goes to Egypt
46 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had.[mn] When he came to Beer Sheba[mo] he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night[mp] and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 3 He said, “I am God,[mq] the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there.[mr] Joseph will close your eyes.”[ms]
5 Then Jacob started out[mt] from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt.[mu] 7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons,[mv] his daughters and granddaughters—all his descendants.
8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt—Jacob and his sons: Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.
9 The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).
11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).
The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah,[mw] Jashub,[mx] and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all.[my]
16 The sons of Gad: Zephon,[mz] Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.
The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.
18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.
19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob: Joseph and Benjamin.
20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,[na] bore them to him.
21 The sons of Benjamin:[nb] Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.
23 The son of Dan: Hushim.[nc]
24 The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.
26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.)[nd] 27 Counting the two sons[ne] of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy.[nf]
28 Jacob[ng] sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen.[nh] So they came to the land of Goshen. 29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him,[ni] he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.
30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”[nj] 31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh,[nk] ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds;[nl] they take care of livestock.[nm] They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle[nn] from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen,[no] for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting[np] to the Egyptians.”
Joseph’s Wise Administration
47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of Canaan. They are now[nq] in the land of Goshen.” 2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.[nr]
3 Pharaoh said to Joseph’s[ns] brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.”[nt] 4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents[nu] in the land. There is no[nv] pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”
5 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 region of the land. They may live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any highly capable men[nw] among them, put them in charge[nx] of my livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him[ny] before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed[nz] Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?”[oa] 9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All[ob] the years of my travels[oc] are 130. All[od] the years of my life have been few and painful;[oe] the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.”[of] 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.[og]
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them territory[oh] in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the land, the land of Rameses,[oi] just as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Joseph also provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household, according to the number of their little children.
13 But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away[oj] because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment[ok] for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace.[ol] 15 When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians[om] came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die[on] before your very eyes because our money has run out?”
16 Then Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food[oo] in exchange for[op] your livestock.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their horses, the livestock of their flocks and herds, and their donkeys.[oq] He got them through that year by giving them food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our[or] lord that the money is used up and the livestock and the animals belong to our lord. Nothing remains before our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become[os] Pharaoh’s slaves.[ot] Give us seed that we may live[ou] and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.”[ov]
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each[ow] of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe.[ox] So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 Joseph[oy] made all the people slaves[oz] from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it. 22 But he did not purchase the land of the priests because the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh and they ate from their allotment that Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
23 Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Cultivate[pa] the land. 24 When the crop comes in, give[pb] one-fifth of it to Pharaoh. The remaining four-fifths will be yours for seed for the fields and for you to eat, including those in your households and your little children.” 25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor,[pc] and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”[pd]
26 So Joseph made it a statute,[pe] which is in effect[pf] to this day throughout the land of Egypt: One-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.
27 Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they owned land there. They were fruitful and increased rapidly in number.
28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; the years[pg] of Jacob’s life were 147 in all. 29 The time[ph] for Israel to die approached, so he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh[pi] and show me kindness and faithfulness.[pj] Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest[pk] with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph[pl] said, “I will do as you say.”
31 Jacob[pm] said, “Swear to me that you will do so.”[pn] So Joseph[po] gave him his word.[pp] Then Israel bowed down[pq] at the head of his bed.[pr]
Manasseh and Ephraim
48 After these things Joseph was told,[ps] “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When Jacob was told,[pt] “Your son Joseph has just[pu] come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The Sovereign God[pv] appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 4 He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful[pw] and will multiply you.[px] I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants[py] as an everlasting possession.’[pz]
5 “Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine.[qa] Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 Any children that you father[qb] after them will be yours; they will be listed[qc] under the names of their brothers in their inheritance.[qd] 7 But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died—to my sorrow[qe]—in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the[qf] sons God has given me in this place.” His father[qg] said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”[qh] 10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing[qi] because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph[qj] brought his sons[qk] near to him, and his father[ql] kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected[qm] to see you[qn] again, but now God has allowed me to see your children[qo] too.”
12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees[qp] and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 Joseph positioned them;[qq] he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father.[qr] 14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger.[qs] Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked—
the God who has been my shepherd[qt]
all my life long to this day,
16 the angel[qu] who has protected me[qv]
from all harm—
bless these boys.
May my name be named in them,[qw]
and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.
May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him.[qx] So he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude[qy] of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you[qz] will Israel bless,[ra] saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.[rb]
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[rc] and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 As one who is above your[rd] brothers, I give to you the mountain slope,[re] which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
The Blessing of Jacob
49 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you[rf] what will happen to you in future days.[rg]
2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.
3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might and the beginning of my strength,
outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.
4 You are destructive[rh] like water and will not excel,[ri]
for you got on your father’s bed,[rj]
then you defiled it—he got on my couch![rk]
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,
weapons of violence are their knives![rl]
6 O my soul, do not come into their council,
do not be united to their assembly, my heart,[rm]
for in their anger they have killed men,
and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce,
and their fury, for it was cruel.
I will divide them in Jacob,
and scatter them in Israel![rn]
8 Judah,[ro] your brothers will praise you.
Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies,
your father’s sons will bow down before you.
9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He crouches and lies down like a lion;
like a lioness—who will rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[rp]
until he comes to whom it belongs;[rq]
the nations will obey him.[rr]
11 Binding his foal to the vine,
and his colt to the choicest vine,
he will wash[rs] his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes will be red[rt] from wine,
and his teeth white from milk.[ru]
13 Zebulun will live[rv] by the haven of the sea
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend to Sidon.
14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey
lying down between two saddlebags.
15 When he sees[rw] a good resting place,
and the pleasant land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
and become a slave laborer.[rx]
16 Dan[ry] will judge[rz] his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 May Dan be a snake beside the road,
a viper by the path,
that bites the heels of the horse
so that its rider falls backward.[sa]
18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord.[sb]
19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands,
but he will attack them at their heels.[sc]
20 Asher’s[sd] food will be rich,[se]
and he will provide delicacies[sf] to royalty.
21 Naphtali is a free running doe,[sg]
he speaks delightful words.[sh]
22 Joseph is a fruitful bough,[si]
a fruitful bough near a spring
whose branches[sj] climb over the wall.
23 The archers will attack him,[sk]
they will shoot at him and oppose him.
24 But his bow will remain steady,
and his hands[sl] will be skillful;
because of the hands of the Powerful One[sm] of Jacob,
because of[sn] the Shepherd, the Rock[so] of Israel,
25 because of the God of your father,
who will help you,[sp]
because of the Sovereign God,[sq]
who will bless you[sr]
with blessings from the sky above,
blessings from the deep that lies below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.[ss]
26 The blessings of your father are greater
than[st] the blessings of the eternal mountains[su]
or the desirable things of the age-old hills.
They will be on the head of Joseph
and on the brow of the prince of his brothers.[sv]
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
in the morning devouring the prey,
and in the evening dividing the plunder.”
28 These[sw] are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing.[sx]
29 Then he instructed them,[sy] “I am about to go[sz] to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 30 It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were acquired from the sons of Heth.”[ta]
33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went[tb] to his people.
The Burials of Jacob and Joseph
50 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face.[tc] He wept over him and kissed him. 2 Joseph instructed the physicians in his service[td] to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming.[te] The Egyptians mourned for[tf] him seventy days.[tg]
4 When the days of mourning[th] had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s royal court,[ti] “If I have found favor in your sight, please say to Pharaoh,[tj] 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said,[tk] “I am about to die. Bury me[tl] in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’” 6 So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father, just as he made you swear to do.”[tm]
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; all Pharaoh’s officials went with him—the senior courtiers[tn] of his household, all the senior officials of the land of Egypt, 8 all Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. But they left their little children and their flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him, so it was a very large entourage.[to]
10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad[tp] on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there with very great and bitter sorrow.[tq] There Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very sad occasion[tr] for the Egyptians.” That is why its name was called[ts] Abel Mizraim,[tt] which is beyond the Jordan.
12 So the sons of Jacob did for him just as he had instructed them. 13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the field Abraham purchased as a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After he buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, along with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to bury his father.
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay[tu] us in full[tv] for all the harm[tw] we did to him?” 16 So they sent word[tx] to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave these instructions before he died: 17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept.[ty] 18 Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.” 19 But Joseph answered them, “Don’t be afraid. Am[tz] I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant to harm me,[ua] but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day.[ub] 21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly to them.[uc]
22 Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s family.[ud] Joseph lived 110 years. 23 Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation.[ue] He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph.[uf]
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you[ug] and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give[uh] to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. After[ui] they embalmed him, his body[uj] was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
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