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Previous Story - INDEX - Next Story Joseph 1. Jacob's Love For Joseph Causes Problems 2. Joseph's Dreams 3. Jacob Sends Joseph To Find His Brothers 4. Joseph's Brothers Plot Against Him 5. Joseph's Brothers Sell Him To The Ishmaelites 6. The Brothers Send Joseph's Blood Soaked Coat To Jacob 7. Joseph Is Sold To Potiphar 8. Potiphar's Wife Tempts Joseph 9. Joseph Goes To Prison 10. The King's Cupbearer And Baker Are Placed In Prison 11. Joseph Interprets The Cupbearer's Dream 12. Joseph Interprets The Baker's Dream 13. Joseph's Interpretations Prove To Be True 14. Pharaoh Has Two Dreams 15. Joseph Is Brought To Pharaoh 16. Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams 17. Pharaoh Puts Joseph In Charge 18. Joseph Begins To Gather Grain 19. Joseph Has Two Sons 20. Seven Years Of Famine Begin 21. Jacob Sends His Sons To Buy Grain In Egypt 22. Joseph Recognizes His Brothers 23. Joseph Keeps Simeon In Prison And Asks Them To Bring Benjamin Next Time 24. Joseph Sends His Brothers Home With Grain 25. The Brothers Go For Grain A Second Time 26. Joseph Sends The Brothers Including Simeon To His House 27. Joseph Comes Home To Eat With Them 28. The Brothers Are Accused Of Stealing Joseph's Cup 29. Joseph Proposes To Make Benjamin His Servant 30. Judah Speaks With Joseph 31. Joseph Makes Himself Known To His Brothers 32. Pharaoh Hears The News 33. The Brothers Go Home To Get Their Families 34. Jacob And His Family Head For Egypt 35. Jacob Send Judah To Joseph 36. Joseph Introduces His Brothers To Pharaoh 37. Joseph Introduces His Father To Pharaoh 38. How The Egyptians Paid For Food 39. Israel (Jacob) Made Joseph Promise To Bury Him In Caanan 40. Israel Blesses Joseph's Sons 41. Jacob Blesses His Twelve Sons 42. Joseph Buries His Father In Canaan 43. Joseph Assures His Brothers He Will Not Take Revenge 44. Joseph And His Brothers Remain In Egypt 1. Jacob's Love For Joseph Causes Problems - Back to Page Index Genesis 37:1-4 Jacob lived in Canaan where his father Isaac had resided. When Joseph was seventeen, he pastured his father's flock with his brothers. And he sometimes brought a bad report about his brothers to their father. Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because he was the son of his old age. So he made him a multicolored tunic. His brothers could not help noticing that their father loved him more than them. Because of this they hated him and could say nothing good to him.
2. Joseph's Dreams - Back to Page Index Genesis 37:5-11 Joseph had a dream. And when he related the dream to his brothers they hated him even more. On one occasion he said to them, "Please listen to a dream I had. Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field and my sheaf stood upright, and your sheaves gathered around my sheaf and bowed down to it." His brothers said, "Do you imagine that you are going to reign over us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and his words. Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. He said, "In my dream the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to me." He even told his father the dream, and his father rebuked him, saying, "What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually bow ourselves to the earth before you?" This made his brothers jealous of him, but his father continued to think about his dream.
3. Jacob Sends Joseph To Find His Brothers - Back to Page Index Genesis 37:12-17 It was after this that his brothers took the sheep to Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers are pasturing the flock in Shechem, aren't they? I want you to go see them." And Joseph said, "I will go." Jacob said to him, "See how they are doing and how the flock is doing, and bring me word." So Joseph went from the valley of Hebron to Shechem. A man noticed Joseph wandering in the field and asked what he was looking for? He said, "I am looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are pasturing the flock?" The man said, "They have moved from here. I heard them say they were going to Dothan." So Joseph went to Dothan to find his brothers.
4. Joseph's Brothers Plot Against Him - Back to Page Index Genesis 37:18-24 When his brothers saw him coming, while he was some distance away, they plotted to put him to death. They muttered to one another, "Here comes the dreamer. Let's kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We will say that a wild beast devoured him. Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams." But Reuben, hearing this, rescued him by saying, "Let's not take his life. Rather than shed his blood let's just throw him in a pit here in the wilderness." Reuben was planning to come back and take Joseph out of the pit and send him home to his father. So it happened, when Joseph reached his brothers they stripped him of his multicolored tunic. They threw him into a pit that had no water. 5. Joseph's Brothers Sell Him To The Ishmaelites - Back to Page Index Genesis 37:25-28 Then they sat down to a meal. While they were eating they looked up and saw a caravan of Ismaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels carried aromatic gum, balm and myrrh, and they were headed for Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, "How will it profit us to kill our brother and try to conceal his death? Instead, let's sell him to the Ismaelites. We don't want to kill him. He is our brother, our own flesh." and his brothers listened to what he said. As the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled him out of the pit and sold him to them for twenty shekels of silver. Thus Joseph was brought down to Egypt.
6. The Brothers Send Joseph's Blood Soaked Coat To Jacob - Back to Page Index Genesis 37:29-36 When Reuben returned to the pit and Joseph was not in it, he tore his garments. Finding his brothers he said, "The boy is not there. What am I to do?" So they slaughtered a male goat and dipped Joseph's tunic in its blood. Then they took it to their father and said, "We found this. Can you tell us if it is your son's tunic?" Jacob examined it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Surely he has been torn to pieces!" So Jacob tore his clothes and put on sackcloth, and mourned for his son many days. His sons and daughters tried to console him but he would not be comforted. He said, "Without doubt, I will go down to my grave mourning for my son." And he continued to weep for him. Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer and captain of his bodyguard. 7. Joseph Is Sold To Potiphar - Back to Page Index Genesis 39:1-6 So Joseph was brought to Egypt by the Ishmaelites and sold to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard. The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered in his Egyptian master's house. His master took note that the LORD caused all Joseph did to prosper. So Joseph found favor with Potiphar and he became his personal servant. Eventually he was placed in charge of his household and everything he owned. He could see that the LORD blessed his house and his fields because of Joseph, and he left everything in Joseph's charge. He did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was a handsome man. 8. Potiphar's Wife Tempts Joseph - Back to Page Index Genesis 39:7-18 Potiphar's wife began looking at Joseph with desire and asked him to lie with her. But Joseph refused, saying, "My master trusts me with everything. There is no one he trusts more than me. He has put everything in my charge except you, his wife. I cannot do this great evil and sin against God." However, she continued to ask Joseph day after day, but he would not consent to lie with her. One day he went into the house to do some work and none of the men of the house were there. Catching him by his garment, she said, "Lie with me." Leaving his garment in her hand, he fled outside. When she saw that Joseph had left his garment, she called the men of the household and said, "See, my husband bought a Hebrew slave and he has made sport of us. He came to me wanting to lie with me, and I screamed. When he heard me scream he left his garment beside me and fled." Keeping Joseph's garment as evidence, she waited for her husband to come home. Then she told him that the Hebrew slave he had brought into the house had made sport of her. She said, "I screamed and he fled from the house and left his garment behind." 9. Joseph Goes To Prison - Back to Page Index Genesis 39:19-23 When Pharaoh heard his wife's accusation he burned with anger. So Joseph's master had him put in the king's prison. But the LORD was with Joseph even in prison and he found favor with the chief jailer. He put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners, making him responsible for whatever was done there. The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge, for the LORD made him prosperous in everything he did. 10. The King's Cupbearer And Baker Are Placed In Prison - Back to Page Index Genesis 40:1-8 Sometime after this the king's baker and cupbearer were placed in prison, because Pharaoh was angry with them. They ended up in the house of the captain of the guard where Joseph was imprisoned, and they were placed in his charge for a time. During their confinement they each of them had a dream. Joseph came to them in the morning and saw that they were both dejected. He asked them, "Why are you so sad today?" They said, "We each had a dream and there is no one to tell us the meaning." Joseph said, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Please, tell me your dreams."
11. Joseph Interprets The Cupbearer's Dream - Back to Page Index Genesis 40:9-15 So the chief cupbearer said, "In my dream there was a vine in front of me. It had three branches and each one budded and produced blossoms. Ripe grapes developed while I watched. Pharaoh's cup was in my hand I squeezed the grapes into his cup and placed the cup in his hand." Joseph said, "Here is the interpretation. The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will restore you to your office and you will once more put his cup into his hand. But please keep me in mind when it goes well with you. Do me the kindness of telling Pharaoh about my imprisonment. I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and I have done nothing for which I should be in this prison."
12. Joseph Interprets The Baker's Dream - Back to Page Index Genesis 40:16-19 When the chief baker heard the favorable interpretation of the cupbearer's dream, he told Joseph his dream. He said, "In my dream I had three white baskets on my head. In the top basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh. Then the birds came and ate the food out of the basket on my head." Joseph gave the interpretation, saying, "The three baskets are three days. In three days Pharaoh will hang you and the birds will eat your flesh."
13. Joseph's Interpretations Prove To Be True - Back to Page Index Genesis 40:20-23 And that is what happened on the third day. It was Pharaoh's birthday. He made a feast for all his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position and he hanged the chief baker, and the chief cupbearer placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand once again. And Joseph's interpretation concerning the chief baker also came true. But the chief cupbearer forgot about Joseph. 14. Pharaoh Has Two Dreams - Back to Page Index Genesis 41:1-13 It was two years later that Pharaoh had a dream. In his dream he stood by the Nile. He watched as seven cows came up out of the river. They were beautiful as they grazed on marsh grass. They were followed by seven more cows that were ugly and gaunt. These came and stood by the fat cows on the bank of the river. Then the ugly gaunt cows ate up the sleek fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. He went back to sleep and dreamed again. This time he saw seven plump grains of wheat growing on a single stalk. As he watched, another stalk came up with seven withered grains of wheat, scorched by the east wind. The withered grains swallowed up the seven plump full grains of wheat. Then Pharaoh awoke and thought about the dream. The next morning Pharaoh was troubled by the dreams, so he sent for all his magicians and wise men. He told them his dreams but no one could interpret them. It was then that the chief cupbearer spoke up, saying, "I am at fault. You remember when you were furious with your servants, and put both me and the chief baker in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard? We each had a dream on the same night. There was a Hebrew youth in the prison with us who gave us the meaning of each of our dreams." It came about just as he interpreted each dream. I was restored to my office and you hanged the chief baker.
15. Joseph Is Brought To Pharaoh - Back to Page Index Genesis 41:14-24 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph and he was hurriedly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes he stood before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said, "I have had a dream and no one can interpret it. I was told that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a correct answer." So Pharaoh related his dream. He said, "In my dream I stood on the bank of the Nile. As I watched, seven fat cows came up out of the river and grazed on the marsh grass. Then seven other cows came up after the fat cows. These were ugly and gaunt. They were the worst I have ever seen. Then these ugly lean cows ate up the seven fat ones. After the ugly lean cows had eaten the fat cows, they didn't seem any fatter. Then I woke up. Then I dreamed a second dream. There were seven full grains of wheat on a single stalk. Then seven withered, thin and wind scorched grains of wheat sprouted up beside the first plump grains of wheat. The thin grains swallowed the seven good grains. I told the dreams to the magicians but no one could explain them to me."
16. Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams - Back to Page Index Genesis 41:25-36 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Both dreams are about the same thing. God has told you what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years. And the seven good grains of wheat are seven years. Each dream is about the same thing. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after are seven years. The seven thin grains of wheat scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine. It will be just as I have said. God has shown you what He is about to do. Seven years of great abundance will come everywhere in Egypt. After seven good years will come seven years of famine. It will be so bad that the seven good years will not be remembered. The former abundance will be nowhere to be seen because of the seven years of famine will be so severe. Since you had two dreams, it means that the matter is certain and that God will bring it to pass quickly." "Pharaoh should find a man who is discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Pharaoh can appoint officers to oversee the produce of the land. A fifth of the crop should be collected during the years of abundance. The grain collected during the good years must be securely guarded in cities under Pharaoh's authority. This food can then be kept in reserve for the seven years of famine. This way the land will not perish."
17. Pharaoh Puts Joseph In Charge - Back to Page Index Genesis 41:37-45 Joseph's proposal seemed reasonable to Pharaoh and his servants. Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find another man like this, who has the Spirit of God?" So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you this, there is no one as wise and discerning as you. You shall be over my house. Whatever you say the people will do. Only on the throne I will be greater than you." Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am setting you over all the land of Egypt." He took off his signet ring and placed it on Joseph's hand. He clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold necklace around his neck. He made Joseph to ride in his second chariot. And as they moved along someone cried out, bow the knee. And so Joseph was given power over the land of Egypt. In addition to this, Pharaoh told Joseph that nothing would be done in Egypt without his permission. And Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name: Zaphenath-Paneah. He also gave him a wife. She was Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On. So Joseph began his rule over Egypt.
18. Joseph Begins To Gather Grain - Back to Page Index Genesis 41:46-49 At this time Joseph was thirty years old as he went out to review the entire kingdom. During the next seven years the land brought forth abundantly. During these years Joseph gathered food and placed it in each city from the surrounding fields. Thus Joseph stored up grain in such abundance that he stopped measuring it.
19. Joseph Has Two Sons - Back to Page Index Genesis 41:50-52 Now before the first year of the famine, Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore two sons to Joseph. He named the first son Manasseh because, he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and my father's household." He named the second son Ephraim, for, he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." 20. Seven Years Of Famine Begin - Back to Page Index Genesis 41:53-57 When the seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt had passed, the seven years of famine came to all the lands, just as Joseph had said, but Egypt had bread. When the people of Egypt cried out for lack of food on account of the famine, Pharaoh told them, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he says." The famine spread over the face of the earth. And Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Then the people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain. 21. Jacob Sends His Sons To Buy Grain In Egypt - Back to Page Index Genesis 42:1-7 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he asked his sons, "Why are you just sitting here? I have heard that Egypt has grain. Go buy some for us so that we will not starve." So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. Jacob did not send Benjamin because he was afraid some harm might come to him. Jacob's sons arrived in Egypt among many others from Canaan for the famine was severe everywhere. Joseph ruled over the land was in charge of all the grain being sold. His brothers came and bowed to the ground before him. When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he did not reveal himself to them. Instead, he spoke harshly, asking, "Where have you come from?" They said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food." 22. Joseph Recognizes His Brothers - Back to Page Index Genesis 42:8-17 They did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams of them bowing down to him. Next, he accused them of being spies looking for the undefended parts of Egypt. They answered him, saying, "Oh no my lord. We have only come to buy food. We are all sons of one man. Your servants are telling the truth when we say that we are not spies." Still he pressed the point that they had come to spy out the land. Then they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all. We are sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest stayed home with our father and one is no longer living." Joseph said, "It is as I have said. You are spies. Here is how I will test you. As sure as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place until your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number back to get your brother while the rest remained confined. Let's see if what you have said is indeed true. But if it is not as you have said, then you are surely spies." He then placed them all in prison for three days. 23. Joseph Keeps Simeon In Prison And Asks Them To Bring Benjamin Next Time - Back to Page Index Genesis 42:18-24 On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and live, for I fear God. If you are, as you say, honest men, let one of your brothers remain here in prison. The rest of you may return with grain for your families. Then bring your youngest brother to me. If your words are verified, you will not die." So they agreed to his proposal. Speaking among themselves they said, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother because we saw the anguish of his soul and we would not listen. Now this distress has come upon us." Reuben then said, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy, but you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood." They did not know that Joseph understood their words because he had always spoken to them through an interpreter. Turning away from them he went out and wept. When he returned he had Simeon bound and taken away.
24. Joseph Sends His Brothers Home With Grain - Back to Page Index Genesis 42:25-38 Joseph gave orders to have their bags filled with grain and to put every man's money in his sack. He also gave orders that they be given provisions for the journey. And so it was done for them. They loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed. Later when they stopped at lodging place one of them opened his sack to give his donkey some fodder. When he did this he found his money in the mouth of his sack. He said to his brothers, "My money is in my sack." Their hearts sank. They trembled as they asked each other, "What has God done to us?" When they got home to Canaan they told their father all that had happened. The lord of the land spoke harshly with us, taking us for spies of his country. We told him we were honest men and not spies. We explained that we were twelve brothers, sons of one man. One is no longer alive and one is with our father in the land of Canaan. The lord of the land tested our story by keeping one of us and sending the rest of us home with the grain. He told us to bring our youngest brother back to him and he will give us back the one he kept. Then we will be allowed to trade in the land. As they emptied their sacks every man found his money in his sack. Then they and their father were dismayed. Jacob said to his sons, you have bereaved me of my children. Joseph is no more. Simeon is no more. And now you are asking to take Benjamin. All of this is against me. Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Put Benjamin in my care and you may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you." But Jacob said, "Benjamin shall not go down with you. His brother is dead. He alone is left. If harm should come to him it will bring my gray hair down to the grave." 25. The Brothers Go For Grain A Second Time - Back to Page Index Genesis 43:1-15 The famine continued to be very severe in the land. When Jacob's family had finished eating the grain brought from Egypt, he said, "Go back to Egypt and buy us a little food." Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us that we would not see his face unless we brought our brother with us." If you send Benjamin with us, then we will go and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go down. The man told us we will not see his face unless our brother is with us. Then Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling him that you had another brother?" They said, "The man questioned us about our relatives, asking if our father was still alive and did we have another brother. So we answered his questions. How could we know he would ask us to bring our brother to him?" Judah then said to his father Israel, send the lad with me, so that we can go, that we, and our little ones, may live and not die of hunger. I will be surety for him. You may hold me responsible forever if I do not bring him back to you. If we had not waited so long we would have already returned with the grain by now. Then their father Israel said, "If it must be so, then let it be. Take some of the best fruits of the land in your bags as a present to the man. Also take a little balm and honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the money in order to return the money you found in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother also, and go again to the man. May God Almighty grant you compassion in the man's sight so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin come home. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." So the men took the present and double the money with them and Benjamin went also. When they got to Egypt they stood once more before Joseph. 26. Joseph Sends The Brothers Including Simeon To His House - Back to Page Index Genesis 43:16-25 When he saw that Benjamin was with them, he told his steward to take the men to his house and slay an animal in preparation for a meal at noon. So his steward did as directed and brought the men to Joseph's house. Joseph's brothers were afraid when they were brought to his house. They said among themselves, "It is because of the money that we found in our sacks. He may be seeking an occasion against us. Perhaps he will take our donkeys and make us his slaves." So they approached Joseph's house steward at the entrance of the house, and said, "My lord, the first time we came down to buy food, as we were returning home we opened our sacks in the evening and each man found his money in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought that money back with us. We brought additional money to buy grain this time. We do not know who put the money in our sacks." The steward said, "Do not worry about it. Your God and the God of your father put treasure in your sacks. I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them, and brought them into Joseph's house. He gave them water to wash their feet and fodder for their donkeys. They prepared their present for Joseph who was coming home at noon. They had heard that they were to eat a meal at his house.
27. Joseph Comes Home To Eat With Them - Back to Page Index Genesis 43:26-34 When Joseph came home they brought him the present with their heads bowed to the ground. He asked them about their welfare and the welfare of their father."Is he well? Is he still alive?" They answered him, saying, "Your servant, our father, is alive and well." And they bowed their heads in homage. As he looked up and saw Benjamin, his own mother's son, he said, "Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke? May God be gracious to you my son." Then Joseph hurried from the room for he was deeply stirred at seeing his brother. He entered his chamber and wept. Then he washed his face and came out. Controlling himself he said, "Serve the meal." He was served by himself and his brothers by themselves. And the Egyptians who ate with him ate by themselves, for they would not eat with Hebrews. His brothers were seated before him in the order of their birth, from the firstborn down to the youngest. They looked at each other in astonishment. He sent portions to them from his own table. But to Benjamin he sent five times as much. They ate and drank happily with him. 28. The Brothers Are Accused Of Stealing Joseph's Cup - Back to Page Index Genesis 44:1-13 Then Joseph commanded the steward of his house to fill the men's sacks with grain and to put every man's money back in his sack. He told his steward to put his silver cup in the sack of the youngest along with his money. And his steward did this. As soon as it was light the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had just left the city when Joseph told his steward to overtake them and ask them why they had repaid good with evil? Why had they taken his special cup used for divination. You have done an evil thing. So the steward over took them and spoke these words. They responded by saying, "Why do you accuse us of this? We would never do such a thing. We returned the money we found in our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your lord's house? Whoever is found with the cup, let him die. And we will be my lord's slaves." The steward said, "Let it be just as you have said. Only let the one who has the cup be my slave and the rest of you shall be without blame." Each man hurriedly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. The steward searched each sack, beginning with the eldest and finishing with the youngest. And he found the cup in Benjamin's sack. Then the brothers tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
29. Joseph Proposes To Make Benjamin His Servant - Back to Page Index Genesis 44:14-17 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there. They fell to the ground before him. Joseph said to them, "What have you done? Do you not realize that a man such as myself can know what you have done?" Judah said, "What can we say in reply to my lord? How can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. We are my lord's slaves, both we and the one who had the cup." Joseph replied, "Far be it from me to make all of you slaves. Only the one who had the cup. The rest of you may go in peace to your father."
30. Judah Speaks With Joseph - Back to Page Index Genesis 44:18-34 Then Judah approached him and said, "O my lord, may your servant speak a word in your ear. Do not be angry with your servant. For you are equal to Pharaoh. My lord asked if we had a father or brother. We told you that we have an old father and brother who is the child of his old age. The child's brother is dead so this one is the only one left of his mother, and his father loves him. You told us to bring our brother down so you could see him with your own eyes. We explained that the lad cannot leave his father lest his father should die. You said to us that if we did not bring him down we would not see your face again. So when we went home and told your servant our father what you said, and our father told us to go buy more grain, we explained to him that you said you would not see us unless we brought our youngest brother with us. Your servant, my father said to us, you know that my wife bore me two sons. One was lost to me. I thought surely he was torn by an animal, and I have never seen him since. If you take this one and harm befalls him, you will bring my gray hair in sorrow to the grave. So if I go home to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the life of the lad, when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will be responsible for sending our father to the grave. I became surety for the lad to my father. I told him if I did not bring the lad back I would bear the blame before my father forever. For this reason, please let your servant remain as a slave instead of the lad. Let him go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me. I am afraid of what it will do to my father." 31. Joseph Makes Himself Known To His Brothers - Back to Page Index Genesis 45:1-15 No longer able to control his emotions, Joseph cried out to his servants, telling them to leave the room. So there was no one but his brothers present when he made himself known to them. He wept so loud the Egyptians reported it to Pharaoh. Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is it true that my father is still alive?" But his brothers were speechless with fear. Then Joseph said them, "Please come closer to me." They came closer. Once more he said, "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me to preserve your lives. The famine has been going on for two years and there are still five more years without crops. God sent me ahead of you to keep you alive. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of his household, even ruler over the land of Egypt." "Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, 'God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.' You shall live in the land of Goshen and be near me, you and your children and your children's children as well as your flocks and herds. Bring all that you have. When you get here I will provide for you, for there are still five more years of famine. If you do not come you will be impoverished. You can see, and my brother Benjamin can see that is me, Joseph, speaking to you. You must go and tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt. Hurry and bring my father down." Then he fell on Benjamin's neck and wept. And Benjamin wept on his neck. He kissed all his brothers weeping on each of them. Then his brothers began to talk with him. 32. Pharaoh Hears The News - Back to Page Index Genesis 45:16-20 When Pharaoh heard that Joseph's brothers had come, he and his servants were pleased. He told Joseph, "Tell your brothers to load their beasts and go to the land of Canaan. They must bring their father and all their households down to the best land in Egypt. Here they will eat the fat of the land. Take wagons up from Egypt for their little ones to ride in, and for their wives and your father. All of them must come down. Tell them not to be concerned about every little thing. When they get here they will have the best of what Egypt has to offer." 33. The Brothers Go Home To Get Their Families - Back to Page Index Genesis 45:21-28 Then the children of Israel did as instructed. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had commanded, and provisions for the journey. To each one he gave a change of garments. But to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. And to his father he sent ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread and other things for the journey down to Egypt. So he sent them away and as they left he said, "Do not quarrel on the way home." So they went up from Egypt to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. They told him, "Joseph is still alive, and is ruler of all the land of Egypt." Jacob was stunned and did not believe them. "Then they told him everything about Joseph, and when he saw the wagons that had been sent to carry him, his spirit was revived." Then Israel said, "It is enough. My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die." 34. Jacob And His Family Head For Egypt - Back to Page Index Genesis 46:1-7 Israel went with everything he had to Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel through a vision of the night, saying, "Jacob, Jacob." And he answered, "Here am I." And God said, "I am the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt. There I will make you a great nation. I will be with you as you go down to Egypt. And I will bring you up again. Joseph will close your eyes." So Jacob left Beersheba and his sons carried their father, their wives and little ones in the wagons Pharaoh had sent. The entire family brought their livestock and property they had acquired in Canaan. No one from Jacob's family was missing.
35. Jacob Send Judah To Joseph - Back to Page Index Genesis 46:28-34 Judah was sent ahead to Joseph to learn of where they were to go in the land of Goshen. Joseph prepared his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. When he saw him he fell on his neck and wept a long time. Then Israel said, "Now that I have seen your face I am ready to die, because I know you are still alive." Joseph said to all of them, "I will go and tell Pharaoh that you have arrived from Canaan. I will explain to him that you are shepherds, keepers of livestock and that you have brought your flocks and herds. When Pharaoh asks you what your occupation is, say to him, 'Your servants have always kept livestock, just as our fathers did.' Then you will be able to live in Goshen, for every shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians." 36. Joseph Introduces His Brothers To Pharaoh - Back to Page Index Genesis 47:1-6 So Joseph told Pharaoh that his father and brothers had come to Goshen from the land of Canaan with their flocks and herds. He brought five of his brothers to present to Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked his brothers, "What is your occupation?" They answered, "Your servants are shepherds just like our fathers." They added, "We have come to sojourn in the land because there is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan on account of the severe famine. For this reason please allow us live in the land of Goshen." Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is at your disposal. Settle them in the best of the land. Let them live in the land of Goshen. And if you know of capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."
37. Joseph Introduces His Father To Pharaoh - Back to Page Index Genesis 47:7-12 After this Joseph presented his father, Jacob, to Pharaoh and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many years have you lived?" Jacob answered, saying, "The years of my life are one hundred and thirty. They have been few and unpleasant and have not compared well with those of my fathers." And Jacob blessed Pharaoh before going out from his presence. So Joseph settled his father and his brothers, giving them a possession in the best land of Egypt, the land of Rameses as Pharaoh had ordered. And Joseph provided food for his father and his brothers, according the needs of each of the families.
38. How The Egyptians Paid For Food - Back to Page Index Genesis 47:13-26 No food was being grown in all the land because the famine was so severe in Egypt and Canaan. Joseph gathered all the money in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan that he had received for the grain that was sold, and brought it to Pharaoh. When everyone's money was gone, the Egyptians came asking for food. So Joseph said, "Give me your livestock and I will give you food." So they exchanged their livestock for food. They sold their horses, flocks, herds and donkeys in exchange for food. The next year they came asking for food saying they had no money or livestock. All they had was their bodies and their land. They said, "We do not want to die. Buy us and our land so that we may have food. We and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. Just give us seed so that we will not die and leave the land desolate." So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. And he moved the people all over Egypt into the cities. Only the land of the priests he did not buy because they had an alotment from Pharaoh and lived off of it and did not sell their land. Then Joseph said to the people, "I have bought your land for Pharaoh. I will give you seed so that you may raise a crop. At harvest time you are to give a fifth of your crop to Pharaoh and keep four-fifths for yourselves and your families. And you are to keep seed for the following year." The people were grateful, and said, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in your sight and we will be Pharaoh's slaves." Joseph made it a statute in Egypt and the rule remained. Pharaoh was to have a fifth of each crop. Only the priest's land did not become Pharaoh's.
39. Israel (Jacob) Made Joseph Promise To Bury Him In Caanan - Back to Page Index Genesis 47:27-31 So Israel lived in Egypt in Goshen. They acquired property and were fruitful and became many in number. Jacob lived there for seventeen years. So the total years of his life were one hundred and forty-seven. When his time drew near that he should die, he called Joseph and said, "Please, if I have found favor with you, place your hand under my thigh as an oath, and promise me that in kindness and faithfulness you will not bury me in Egypt. When I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and place me in my father's burial place." And Joseph said, "I will do as you have said." Israel said, "Swear to me." So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed. 40. Israel Blesses Joseph's Sons - Back to Page Index Genesis 48:1-22 After this Joseph was told that his father was sick. So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim with him to his father. When Jacob was told that his son Joseph had come to see him, he gathered his strength and sat up in bed. Then Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me in Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. He said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you to a company of peoples. I will give this land to your descendants as an everlasting possession.' Even your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh shall be just as much mine as Reuben and Simeon. Your offspring born after them shall be yours. Their inheritance shall be with their brothers. When I came from Paddan and Rachel died I suffered great sorrow. There was still some distance to go to get to Ephrath (Bethlehem), where I buried her." When Israel saw Joseph's two sons, he said, "Whose are these?" Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons whom God has given me here." So Israel said, "Please bring them close to me that I may bless them." Israel's eyes were dim with age and he could not see very well. Joseph brought them close and Israel kissed them. Then he said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, but now God has let me see your children." Then Joseph took them from his knees and bowed with his face to the ground. Joseph brought his sons close to his father, placing Ephraim to his father's left hand Manasseh to his right hand. But Israel stretched out his right hand reaching across to Ephraim's head on his left and placing his left hand on Manasseh's head at his right side, even though Manessah was the firstborn. He blessed Joseph and said, "The God before Whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac walked, has been my Shepherd for all of my life. May the One who has redeemed me from all evil bless these lads. May my name live on in them, as well as the names of their fathers, Abraham and Isaac. May they become a multitude in the midst of the earth." When Joseph saw that his father had crossed his hands laying his right hand on Ephraim's head, it displeased him. He tried to move his father's hand from Ephraim's head to Manessah's head. Joseph said to his father, this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on him. But his father refused, saying, "I know. He will also be a people and be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater and his descendants a multitude of nations." He blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will measure blessing when they say, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!'" Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you. He will bring you back to the land of your fathers. I am giving you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the Amorite with my sword and my bow." 41. Jacob Blesses His Twelve Sons - Back to Page Index Genesis 49:1-33 |