Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 103^[a]

Praise of God’s Providence

¹ Of David.

⁵³ The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt ended, ⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine over the whole earth, but there was food in Egypt.

⁵⁵ Then the whole land of Egypt began to feel the hunger, and the people cried out to Pharaoh to have food. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you.”

⁵⁶ The famine spread throughout the entire land. So Joseph opened up the storehouses in which he had placed the grain, and he sold it to the Egyptians. The famine kept getting worse in Egypt. ⁵⁷ People came to Egypt from every country to buy grain from Joseph, for the famine was severe over the whole earth.

Chapter 42

The Sons of Jacob Seek Food in Egypt.^{[a] 1} When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at each other?” ² He continued, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may stay alive and not die.”

³ So ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain in Egypt. ⁴ But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with the others, for he said, “Some misfortune might befall him.” ⁵ The sons of Israel, therefore, arrived to buy grain along with all the others who had also come, for there was famine in Canaan.

⁶ Joseph had authority over the land, and he sold grain to all the people of the land. Therefore, the brothers of Joseph came to him and bowed down to the earth. ⁷ Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he hid his identity from them. He spoke harshly and said, “Where do you come from?”

They answered, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

⁸ Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. ⁹ Joseph remembered the dreams he had concerning them, and he said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

¹⁰ They answered, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. ¹¹ We are all sons of one man. We are honest. Your servants are not spies.”

¹² But he said to them, “No, you have come to spy out the nakedness of the land.”

¹³ They said, “Your servants are twelve in all. We are brothers, sons of one man from the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with his father, and one is no more.”

¹⁴ Joseph said to them, “Things are just as I have said: you are spies. ¹⁵ This is how you shall be put to the test. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave here until your youngest brother has arrived. ¹⁶ Send one of your number to bring your brother; the rest will remain as prisoners. You will thus be put to the test concerning what you have said, to see if you have told the truth. If not, by the life of Pharaoh, you are spies.” ¹⁷ And he then held them in prison for three days.

⁹ “The patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and they sold him into Egypt, but God was with him ¹⁰ and rescued him from all his afflictions. He gave Joseph wisdom and the favor of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who appointed him governor of Egypt and his entire household.

¹¹ “Then a severe famine struck all of Egypt and Canaan, causing severe affliction, and our ancestors could find no food. ¹² However, when Jacob learned that there was grain available in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit. ¹³ During their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and his ancestry became known to Pharaoh. ¹⁴ Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his entire family, seventy-five people in all.

¹⁵ “Jacob migrated to Egypt, and after he and our ancestors had died there, ¹⁶ they were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had purchased from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a sum of money.