Readings for Celebrating Advent

² During the night God spoke to Israel in a vision and 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, because I will make ·your descendants [^Lyou] a great nation there [12:1–3]. ⁴ I will go to Egypt with you, and I will bring you ·out of Egypt [^Lup] 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 [little ones], and their wives in the wagons ·the king of Egypt [^LPharaoh] had sent.