Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
8 Even those people at the ends of the earth fear your miracles.
You are praised from where the sun rises to where it sets.
9 You take care of the land and water it.
You make it very fertile.
The rivers of God are full of water.
Grain grows because you make it grow.
10 You cause rain to fall on the plowed fields.
You soak them with water.
You soften the ground with rain.
And then you bless it.
11 You give the year a good harvest.
You load the wagons with many crops.
12 The desert is covered with grass.
The hills are covered with happiness.
13 The pastures are full of sheep.
The valleys are covered with grain.
Everything shouts and sings for joy.
2 During the night God spoke to Israel in a vision. He said, “Jacob, Jacob.”
And Jacob answered, “Here I am.”
3 Then God said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt. I will make your descendants a great nation there. 4 I will go to Egypt with you. And I will bring you out of Egypt again. Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes when you die.”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba. The sons of Israel loaded their father, their children and their wives. They put them in the wagons the king of Egypt had sent. 6 They also took their farm animals and everything they had gotten in Canaan. So Jacob went to Egypt with all his descendants. 7 He took his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters. He took all his family to Egypt with him.
Jacob’s Family
8 Now these are the names of the children of Israel who went into Egypt. (They are Jacob and his descendants.)
Reuben was Jacob’s first son. 9 Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
10 Simeon’s sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul. (Shaul was Simeon’s son by a Canaanite woman.)
11 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
12 Judah’s sons were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah. (But Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.) Perez’s sons were Hezron and Hamul.
13 Issachar’s sons were Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.
14 Zebulun’s sons were Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
15 These are the sons of Leah and Jacob born in Northwest Mesopotamia. His daughter Dinah was also born there. There were 33 persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
16 Gad’s sons were Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17 Asher’s sons were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malkiel.
18 These are Jacob’s sons by Zilpah. She was the slave girl whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. There were 16 persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 In Egypt, Joseph became the father of Manasseh and Ephraim by his wife Asenath. She was the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
21 Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
22 These are the sons of Jacob by his wife Rachel. There were 14 persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
23 Dan’s son was Hushim.
24 Naphtali’s sons were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
25 These are Jacob’s sons by Bilhah. She was the slave girl whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. There were 7 persons in this part of Jacob’s family.
26 So the total number of Jacob’s direct descendants who went to Egypt was 66. (The wives of Jacob’s sons were not counted in this number.) 27 Joseph had 2 sons born in Egypt. So the total number in the family of Jacob in Egypt was 70.
Jacob Arrives in Egypt
28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to see Joseph in Goshen. Then Jacob and his people came into the land of Goshen. 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Joseph saw his father, he hugged his neck. And he cried there for a long time.
30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die. I have seen your face. And I know that you are still alive.”
31 Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s family, “I will go and tell the king you are here. I will say, ‘My brothers and my father’s family have left the land of Canaan. They have come here to me. 32 They are shepherds and take care of farm animals. And they have brought their flocks and their herds and everything they own with them.’ 33 When the king calls you, he will ask, ‘What work do you do?’ 34 This is what you should tell him: ‘We, your servants, have taken care of farm animals all our lives. Our ancestors did the same thing.’ Then the king will allow you to settle in the land of Goshen. This is away from the Egyptians. They don’t like to be near shepherds.”
Jacob Settles in Goshen
47 Joseph went in to the king and said, “My father and my brothers have arrived from Canaan. They have their flocks and herds and everything they own with them. They are now in the land of Goshen.” 2 Joseph chose five of his brothers to introduce to the king.
3 The king said to the brothers, “What work do you do?”
And they said to him, “We, your servants, are shepherds. Our ancestors were also shepherds.” 4 They said to the king, “We have come to live in this land. There is no grass in the land of Canaan for our animals to eat. The hunger is very terrible there. So please allow us to live in the land of Goshen.”
5 Then the king said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 You may choose any place in Egypt for them to live. Give your father and your brothers the best land. Let them live in the land of Goshen. And if any of them are skilled shepherds, put them in charge of my sheep and cattle.”
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and introduced him to the king. And Jacob blessed the king.
8 Then the king said to Jacob, “How old are you?”
9 Jacob said to him, “My life has been spent wandering from place to place. It has been short, filled with trouble. I have lived only 130 years. My ancestors lived much longer than I.” 10 Then Jacob blessed the king and left.
11 Joseph obeyed the king. He gave his father and brothers the best land in Egypt. It was near the city of Rameses. 12 And Joseph gave his father, his brothers and everyone who lived with them the food they needed.
A Story About Mustard Seed
30 Then Jesus said, “How can I show you what the kingdom of God is like? What story can I use to explain it? 31 The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. The mustard seed is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32 But when you plant this seed, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants. It produces large branches. Even the wild birds can make nests in it and be protected from the sun.”
33 Jesus used many stories like these to teach them. He taught them all that they could understand. 34 He always used stories to teach them. But when he and his followers were alone together, Jesus explained everything to them.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.