Readings for Celebrating Advent

² God said to Israel in a vision at night, “Jacob! Jacob!” and he said, “I’m here.” ³ He said, “I am El,^[a] your father’s God. Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt because I will make a great nation of you there. ⁴ I will go down to Egypt with you, and I promise to bring you out again. Joseph will close your eyes when you die.” ⁵ Then Jacob left Beer-sheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob, their children, and their wives on the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him.