Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Excellency of Brotherly Unity.

A Song of ^[a]Ascents. Of David.

⁸ When Israel [who was almost blind] 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 [in Egypt].” So he said, “Please bring them to me, so that I may bless them.” ¹⁰ Now Israel’s eyes were so dim from age that he could not see [clearly]. Then Joseph brought them close to him, and he kissed and embraced them. ¹¹ Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, but see, God has shown me your children as well.” ¹² Then Joseph took the boys [from his father’s embrace], and he bowed [before him] with his face to the ground. ¹³ Then Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. ¹⁴ But Israel reached out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, ^[a]crossing his hands [intentionally], even though Manasseh was the firstborn. ¹⁵ Then Jacob (Israel) blessed Joseph, and said,

¹⁷ When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him [because he was not the firstborn]; and he grasped 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; place your right hand on Manasseh’s head.” ¹⁹ But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; Manasseh also will become a people and he will be great; but his younger brother shall be ^[c]greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” ²⁰ Then Jacob blessed them that day, saying,

And he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ²¹ Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to [Canaan] the land of your fathers. ²² Moreover, I have given you [the ^[d]birthright,] one portion [Shechem, one mountain ridge] more than any of your brothers, which I took [reclaiming it] from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”^(A)

²³ By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree.^{(A) 24} By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,^{(B) 25} because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He considered the reproach of the ^[a]Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen.^{(C) 28} By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel).^{(D) 29} By faith the people [of Israel] crossed the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.^(E)