Old/New Testament
The Move to Egypt
46 Later, Israel began his journey, taking along everything that he owned, and arrived at Beer-sheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel through night visions, addressing him, “Jacob! Jacob!”
“Here I am!” Jacob[a] replied.
3 “I’m God, your father’s God. Don’t be afraid to move down to Egypt, because I’m going to turn you into a mighty nation there. 4 I’m going down with you to Egypt, and I’m certainly going to bring you back again. And Joseph himself will be with you when you die.”[b] 5 So Jacob got up and left Beer-sheba, and Israel’s sons carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives in the transport wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry them. 6 They took their livestock and their household property that they had acquired in the land of Canaan and traveled to Egypt. Jacob and all of his descendants went with him— 7 including his sons, his grandsons, his daughters, and his granddaughters—every one of his descendants accompanied him to Egypt.
List of Those who Went to Egypt(A)
8 Here’s a list of the names of Israel’s sons, that is, of Jacob and his sons who moved to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn; 9 Reuben’s sons Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; 10 Simeon’s sons Jemuel,[c] Jamin, Ohad, Jachin,[d] Zohar,[e] and Shaul, who was the son of a Canaanite woman; 11 Levi’s sons Gershon,[f] Kohath, and Merari; 12 and Judah’s sons Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (Technically,[g] Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.) Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul. 13 Also included were Issachar’s sons Tola, Puvvah,[h] Job,[i] and Shimron; 14 along with Zebulun’s sons Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These were all sons from Leah, whom she bore for Jacob in Paddan-aram,[j] along with his daughter Dinah. He had 33 sons and daughters.
16 Also included were Gad’s sons Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli; 17 Asher’s sons Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons Heber and Malchiel were also included.[k] 18 These were all sons from Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah. She bore these sixteen children for Jacob.
19 Jacob’s wife Rachel’s sons were Joseph and Benjamin.
20 Joseph’s sons born in the land of Egypt were Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, bore for him. 21 Benjamin’s sons included Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These were all the sons of Rachel, who were born for Jacob—fourteen in all.
23 Also included were Dan’s son Hushim; 24 Naphtali’s sons Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These were sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel. She bore these children for Jacob—seven in all.
26 All of these people, who belonged to Jacob’s family, traveled to Egypt. All of Jacob’s[l] direct descendants, not including his sons’ wives, numbered 66 persons in all. 27 Joseph had two sons born to him in Egypt, and all of Jacob’s household who went to Egypt numbered 70.
Jacob Arrives in Goshen
28 Jacob[m] sent Judah ahead of them to meet with Joseph, who would be guiding them to Goshen, and so they arrived. 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Jacob[n] appeared in his presence, he embraced him[o] and wept for a long time as he held on to him.[p] 30 “Now let me die,” Israel told Joseph, “since I’ve seen your face and confirmed that you’re still alive!”
31 But Joseph addressed his brothers and his father’s household and told them, “I’ll go up and tell Pharaoh that my brothers and my father’s household have arrived from Canaan to be with me. 32 I’ll mention that[q] the men are shepherds. Because they’ve been taking care of livestock, they brought along their flocks, their herds, and everything else that they own. 33 When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you ‘What’s your occupation?’ 34 you are to tell him, ‘Your servants have been taking care of livestock since we were youths. We and our ancestors have taken care of livestock.’ That way, you’ll be able to live in the Goshen territory, since shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
Joseph’s Family Settles in Goshen
47 After this, Joseph went to inform Pharaoh. “My father and brothers have come here from Canaan,”[r] he said, “and they’ve come with their flocks, herds, and everything else they have. I settled them in the Goshen territory!” 2 He brought along five of his brothers to present before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What are your occupations?”
“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our ancestors. 4 We’ve come to live for a while[s] in this region, since there is no pasture back in Canaan[t] for your servants’ flocks. May your servants please live in the Goshen territory?”
5 Then Pharaoh replied to Joseph, “Now that your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 Egypt[u] is at your disposal,[v] so settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land! Let them live in the Goshen territory. If you learn that any of them are especially skilled, put them in charge of my livestock.”
7 Later, Joseph brought his father Jacob to Pharaoh and introduced him. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 “How old are you?”[w] Pharaoh asked Jacob.
9 “I’m 130 years old,” Jacob replied. “My years have turned out to be few and unpleasant, but I haven’t yet reached the age my ancestors did during their travels on earth.”[x] 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and then left the throne room.[y]
11 Joseph settled his father and brothers, assigning them their own land in the best part of Egypt (in the territory of Rameses), just as Pharaoh had ordered. 12 Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household, proportionate to the number of young children.
The Famine Continues
13 Meanwhile, there continued to be no food throughout the land, because the famine remained very severe. As a result, both Egypt and Canaan languished under the effects of the famine. 14 So Joseph kept on accumulating all the money that was to be found throughout Egypt and Canaan in exchange for the grain that was being purchased. He stored the money in Pharaoh’s palace.
15 After all the money had been spent throughout Egypt and Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and demanded, “Give us food! Why should we die right in front of you? Our money is spent!”
16 “You can surrender your livestock,” Joseph replied. “I’ll feed them in exchange, since your money is gone.”
17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph traded food in exchange for horses, various flocks and herds, and donkeys. He fed them with food in exchange for their livestock during that year.
18 The following year, they came to him and reminded him, “We won’t hide from you, your Excellency, that we’ve spent all of our money, and that our livestock all belong to you. There’s nothing left to trade with you, your Excellency, except our bodies and our territories. 19 So why should we and our land die right in front of you? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed, so we can survive and not die, and so the land won’t stay desolate.”
Pharaoh Gains Control of All of Egypt
20 So Joseph purchased all of the Egyptian territory for Pharaoh. Every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine’s effect was so severe. That’s how Pharaoh came to own the land. 21 Then Joseph transported the people to cities from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not purchase land belonging to the priests, because the priests held an allotment, previously provided to them by Pharaoh, from which they lived. That’s why they did not sell their land.
23 After this, Joseph addressed the people. “Pay attention,” he said. “I’ve bought you and your land for Pharaoh today, in exchange for seed for you. Now go sow the land. 24 When harvest season arrives, you are to provide a fifth of the harvest to Pharaoh. The remaining four fifths are to be for your use, for seed, and to feed you, your households, and your little ones.”
25 “You’ve saved our lives,” they replied. “If it pleases you, your Excellency, we’ll be Pharaoh’s slaves.”
26 So Joseph crafted a statute concerning Egypt that remains valid to this day that Pharaoh should own a fifth of the produce, excluding the land belonging to the priests, which remained outside of Pharaoh’s control.
27 Israel remained in Egypt’s Goshen territory, acquired land there, became prosperous, and his descendants[z] grew very numerous. 28 He lived for seventeen more years in Egypt, until he was 147 years old. 29 As the time approached for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and addressed him. “Please,” he asked, “if you’re happy with me, make a solemn promise[aa] that you’ll treat me fairly and kindly by not burying me in Egypt. 30 Instead, when I’ve died, as my ancestors have, you are to carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their tomb.”[ab]
“I’ll do what you’ve asked,” Joseph[ac] replied.
31 “Promise me,” Israel[ad] insisted. So Joseph promised. Then Israel collapsed[ae] on his bed.
Joseph Visits His Ill Father
48 Some time later, somebody informed Joseph, “Your father is ill!” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him to visit Jacob.[af]
2 As soon as Jacob was informed, “Look! Your son Joseph has come to visit you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.
3 Jacob reminded Joseph, “God Almighty revealed himself to me at Luz in Canaan and blessed me. 4 He told me, ‘Pay attention! I’m going to make you fruitful and numerous. I’m going to build you into a vast nation of people and then I’ll give this land to your descendants[ag] for an eternal possession.’ 5 You have two sons who were born to you in Egypt before I came to be with you, whom I now take as my own. Ephraim and Manasseh are mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 Your descendants[ah] are to be reckoned as yours, but are to be referred to among the names of their brothers in their respective[ai] inheritances.
7 “Now as for me, Rachel died after I arrived in Canaan from Paddan, much to my sorrow. While I was on my journey to Ephrathah (also known as Bethlehem), I buried her there.”
Joseph Seeks Blessings for His Sons
8 Just then, Israel saw Joseph’s sons and asked, “Who are these?”
9 “These are my sons,” Joseph replied.[aj] “God gave them to me here in Egypt.”[ak]
“Please bring them close to me,” Jacob[al] said, “so I can bless them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyesight had become poor[am] from age. Because he couldn’t see well, Joseph brought them close to him, and Israel[an] kissed them both and embraced them. 11 Then he told Joseph, “I never thought I’d see you again, and now God has allowed me to see your children as well!”
12 Joseph took them off his knees and then bowed low with his face to the ground. 13 Then he brought them both close to his father,[ao] placing Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right. 14 But Israel stretched out his right hand, laying it on Ephraim’s head (he was the younger son) and laying his left hand on Manasseh’s head (even though Manasseh was the firstborn).
Israel Blesses Joseph’s Sons
15 Then Israel blessed Joseph by saying:
“May the God in whose presence
my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has continued shepherding me
my whole life even until today,
16 the angel who has been rescuing[ap] me
from all sorts of evil,
bless these young men.
May my name continue to live on within them,
including the names
of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac,
and may they grow into a vast multitude
throughout the earth.”
17 But Joseph observed that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head. That displeased him, so he grabbed his father’s hand and started to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 “No, father, this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused. “I know,” he said. “I know. He’s going to produce a large nation, and he’s going to be very great. However, his younger brother will become even greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
20 That very day, Jacob[aq] blessed them with this blessing:[ar]
“By you Israel will extend this blessing:
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”
By doing this, he placed Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel told Joseph, “Pay attention! I’m about to die, but God will be with you. He’ll bring you back to the land that belongs to your ancestors. 22 I’m assigning you one portion more than your brothers from the land that I confiscated from the control[as] of the Amorites in battle.”[at]
The Parable about a Farmer(A)
13 That day Jesus left the house and sat down beside the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the entire crowd stood on the shore. 3 Then he began to tell them many things in parables. He said, “Listen! A farmer went out to sow. 4 As he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, and birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on stony ground, where they did not have a lot of soil. They sprouted at once because the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched. Since they did not have any roots, they dried up. 7 Other seeds fell among thorn bushes, and the thorn bushes grew higher and choked them out. 8 But other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop, some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown.[a] 9 Let the person who has ears[b] listen!”
The Purpose of the Parables(B)
10 Then the disciples came and asked Jesus,[c] “Why do you speak to people[d] in parables?”
11 He answered them, “You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom from[e] heaven, but it hasn’t been given to them, 12 because to anyone who has something, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who doesn’t have anything, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 That’s why I speak to them in parables, because
‘they look but don’t see,
and they listen but don’t hear or understand.’
14 “With them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says:
‘You will listen and listen but never understand.
You will look and look but never comprehend,
15 for this people’s heart has become dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing.[f]
They have shut their eyes
so that they might not see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn,
and I would heal them.’[g]
16 “How blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear! 17 I tell all of you[h] with certainty, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but did not see them, and to hear the things you hear but did not hear them.”
Jesus Explains the Parable about the Farmer(C)
18 “Listen, then, to the parable about the farmer. 19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom yet doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on the stony ground, this is the person who hears the word and accepts it joyfully at once, 21 but since he doesn’t have any root in himself, he lasts for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can’t produce a crop. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word, understands it, and produces a crop that yields 100, 60, or 30 times what was sown.”[i]
The Parable about the Weeds among the Wheat
24 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom from[j] heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 When the crop came up and bore grain, the weeds appeared, too.
27 “The owner’s servants came and asked him, ‘Master, you sowed good seed in your field, didn’t you? Then where did these weeds come from?’
28 “He told them, ‘An enemy did this!’
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them out?’
29 “He said, ‘No! If you pull out the weeds, you might pull out the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles for burning, but bring the wheat into my barn.”’”
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