Chapter 21 references:
a Gn 17:16,21; 18:10,14; b Gl 4:22; Hb 11:1; c Gn 17:21; 18:10,14; d Gn 17:19,21; e
Gn 17:12; At 7:8; f Gn 17:17; g Gn 18:13; Is 54:1; h Gn 18:13; i Gn 15:16;
j Gl 4:30; k Gn 17:18; l Rm 9:7; Hb 11:18; m vs 18; Gn 16:10; 25:12-18; n vs 31;
o Jr 6:26; Am 8:10; p Ex 3:7; Dt 26:7; Ps 6:8; q Gn 26:24; r vs 13;
Gn 16:10; 25:12; s Gn 16:7,14; t Gn 28:15;
Chapter 22 — Testing of Abraham
1 ¶
Now it came to pass after these things that a God tested b Abraham. And He said to him, “Abraham.” And he said, “Behold, here I am.”
2
Then He said, “Take now your son, c your only son Isaac whom you love, and go into the land of d Moriah and offer him there as a e burnt offering upon one of the mountains that I will tell you.”
3 ¶
Then Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. And he took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son, and split the wood for the burnt offering. Then he rose up and went to the place of which God had told him.
4
Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off.
5
And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. I and the lad will go there and worship. And we will come again to you.”
6
So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and f laid it upon Isaac his son. Then he took the fire in his hand and a knife, and both of them went together.
7
And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the g lamb for a burnt offering?”
8
Then Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” So both of them went together.
9 ¶
Then they came to the h place that God had told him. And Abraham built an i altar there and laid the wood in order. And he bound Isaac his son and j laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10
And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11
Then k the angel of the LORD called to him out of heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham.” And he said, “Here I am.”
12
And he said, “Do not lay your hand upon the lad, nor do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, l your only son from Me.”
13
Then Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
14
So Abraham called the name of that place “The LORD-Will-Provide,” as it is said to this day, “In the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
15
Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham out of heaven a second time.
16
And He said, n “By Myself I have sworn,” says the LORD, “because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17
“that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the o stars of heaven and as the p sand that is upon the seashore. And q your descendants will possess the gate of their enemies.
18
“And r in your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have s obeyed My voice.”
19
t So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham settled at Beersheba.
20 ¶
Then it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, u Milcah, she has also borne children to your brother Nahor:
21
“Huz his firstborn and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram
22
“and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.”
23
And Bethuel begot v Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24
And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore also Tebah and Gaham and Thahash and Maachah.
Chapter 22 references:
a Dt 8:2,16; b vs 11; c vss 12,16; Jn 3:16; 1 Jn 4:9;
d 2 Ch 3:1; e Gn 8:20; f Jn 19:17; g Ex 29:38-42; Jn 1:29,36; Rv 13:8;
h vs 2; i Gn 12:7,8; 13:18; j Hb 11:17-19; k Gn 16:7-11;
21:17,18; l vss 2,16; m vs 7; n Hb 6:13,14; o Gn 15:5; 26:4; p Gn 32:12;
q Gn 24:60; r Gl 3:8,16; s Gn 18:19; t vs 5; u Gn 11:29; v Gn 24:15
Chapter 23 — Death of Sarah
1 ¶
Now Sarah was one hundred and twenty-seven years old. These were the years of the life of Sarah.
2
Then Sarah died in a Kirjath Arba, the same is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
3
And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of b Heth, saying,
4
“I am c a foreigner and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession for a burial site with you, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
5
Then the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
6
“Hear us, my lord. You are a mighty d prince among us. In the choice of our graves, bury your dead. None of us will withhold from you his grave, so that you may bury your dead.”
7
Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
8
And he communed with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and approach e Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
9
that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, that is at the end of his field. For as much money as it is worth he will give it to me for a possession of a burial site among you.”
10
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even f of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11
“No, my lord, hear me. The field I give to you, and the cave that is therein, I give it to you. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
12
Then Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
13
And he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
14
Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
15
“My lord, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred g shekels of silver. What is that between me and you? Bury therefore your dead.”
16
So Abraham listened to Ephron. And Abraham h weighed to Ephron the silver that he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
17 ¶
So the i field of Ephron that was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave that was therein, and all the trees that were in the field that were in the territory all around, were made sure
18
to Abraham for a possession in the j presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
19
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
20
And the field and the cave that was therein were made sure to Abraham for a possession of a burial place by the sons of Heth.
Chapter 23 references:
a Jos 14:15; 15:13; 21:11 b Gn 10:15; 15:20 c Lv 25:23; 1 Ch 29:15; Ps 39:12; Hb 11:9,13
d Gn 14:14; 20:7 e Gn 25:9 f vs 18; Gn 34:20,24; Rt 4:1,11
g Ex 30:13 h 2 Sm 14:26; Jr 32:9; Zc 11:12 i Gn 25:9; 49:29,30; 50:13
j vs 10
Chapter 24 — Isaac and Rebekah
1 ¶
Now Abraham was old and well stricken in age. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2
So Abraham said to his eldest servant of his house who ruled over all that he had, b “Please put your hand under my thigh,”
3
“and I will make you swear by the LORD, the c God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the d Canaanites among whom I live.
4
“But you will go to e my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5
Then the servant said to him, “Suppose the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from where you came?”
6
And Abraham said to him, f “Beware that you do not take my son back there.
7
“The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my relatives, and who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, h ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send i His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.
8
“And if the woman will not be willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; j only do not take my son back there.”
9
And the servant k put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning that matter.
10 ¶
Then the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master and departed, for l all the goods of his master were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the m city of Nahor.
11
And he made his camels to kneel down outside the city by a n well of water at the time of the evening, even the o time when women go out to draw water.
12
And he said, p “O LORD God of my master Abraham, q please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.”
13
“Behold, r I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.”
14
“So let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and she will say, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also,’ let the same be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
15 ¶
Now it came to pass s before he had finished speaking, that behold, t Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her jar on her shoulder.
16
And the girl was very u beautiful to look upon, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her. And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up.
17
Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.”
18
And v she said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly lowered her jar to her hand and gave him a drink.
19
And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they have finished drinking.”
20
Then she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water. And she drew for all his camels.
21
x And the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not.
22 ¶
Then it came to pass when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a y golden ring of half a shekel in weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of gold.
23
And said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge in?”
24
And she said to him, “z I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
25
She said again to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.”
26
Then the man a bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD.
27
And he said, b “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. For me, the c LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s brethren.”
28
Then d the girl ran and told her mother’s house about these things.
29 ¶
And Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. And e Laban ran out to the man, to the well.
30
And it came to pass when he saw the ring and bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “Thus spoke the man to me,” that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels at the well.
31
And he said, f “Come in, blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For g I have prepared the house and room for the camels.”
32 ¶
Then the man came into the house. And he unloaded his camels and gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the men’s feet who were with him.
33
And there was food set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”
34
Then he said, “I am h Abraham’s servant.”
Chapter 24 references:
a vs 35; Gn 12:2; b Gn 47:29; c Gn 14:19,22; d Gn 10:18,19; 26:34,35; 28:1,2,8; e Gn 12:1; Hb 11:15;
f vs 8; g vs 3; h Gn 12:7; 13:15; 15:18; i Gn 16:7; 21:17; 22:11; Ex 23:20,23; j vs 6; k vs 2; l vss 22,53; m Gn 11:31,32;
n vs 42; o 1 Sm 9:11; p vss 27,42,48; q Gn 27:20; r vs 43; s vs 45; t Gn 22:20,23; u Gn 12:11; 29:17; v vss 14,46;
w vs 14; x vss 12–14,27,52; y vs 47; z vs 15; a vss 48,52; b vss 12,42,48; c vs 21; d Gn 29:12; e Gn 29:13; f Gn 29:14;
g Gn 18:2–5; 19:2,3; h vs 2; i vs 1; j Gn 13:2; k Gn 21:1–7; l Gn 25:5; m vss 2–4; n vs 5; o vs 7; p vs 8; q vss 11,12;
r vs 13; s vs 14; t 1 Sm 1:13; u vs 15; v vs 17; w vs 18; x vss 23,24; y vss 26,52; z vs 27; a Gn 47:29; Ja 2:14;
b Gn 31:24,29; c vss 26,48; d vss 10,22; e vs 56; Gn 30:25; f Jg 19:4; g Gn 35:8; h Gn 17:16; i Gn 22:17; j Gn 25:11;
k Gn 20:1; l Ps 119:15,27,48; m Gn 18:2; n Gn 29:18; o Gn 23:1,2; 25:20
Chapter 25 — Death of Abraham, Ishmael’s Sons, and Jacob & Esau
1 ¶
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
2
a She bore him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah.
3
Now Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim.
4
And the sons of Midian were Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abidah and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5
b So Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.
6
But to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he still lived, eastward, to the land of the east.
7 ¶
And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, c one hundred and seventy-five years.
8
Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a d good old age, an old man and full of years. And he was e gathered to his people.
9
And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the f cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, that is before Mamre,
10
The field that Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife.
11
Now it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that g God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt by the h well Lahairoi.
Ishmael’s Sons
12 ¶
Now these are the generations of i Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bore to Abraham.
13
And these are the names of the j sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: Nebajoth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam,
14
And Mishma and Dumah and Massa,
15
Hadar and Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah.
16
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns and by their camps; k twelve princes according to their nations.
17
And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, l one hundred and thirty-seven years. And he breathed his last and died, and was m gathered to his people.
18
And they settled from Havilah to n Shur, that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. And he died o in the presence of all his brethren.
Jacob and Esau
19 ¶
Now these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac.
20
And Isaac was forty years old when he took p Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
21
And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the q LORD answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22
And the children struggled together within her. And she said, “If it be so, why am I this way?” And she went to inquire from the LORD.
23
Then the LORD said to her, r “Two nations are in your womb, and two manner of people will be separated from your body. s And the one people will be stronger than the other. And the t elder will serve the younger.”
24
Now when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25
And the first came out red all over like a hairy garment. And they called his name Esau.
26
Then after that his brother came out, and u his hand took hold on Esau’s heel. And his name was called Jacob. Now Isaac was v sixty years old when she gave birth to them.
27 ¶
And the boys grew. And Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field. And Jacob was a perfect man, dwelling in tents.
28
And Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29
Now Jacob cooked w pottage, and Esau came from the field. And he was famished.
30
Then Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that red pottage, for I am famished.” Therefore, his name was called Edom.
31
Then Jacob said, “Sell me this day your x birthright.”
32
And Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die, so what profit will this birthright be to me?”
33
Then Jacob said, “Swear to me this day.” And he swore to him. And he y sold his birthright to Jacob.
34
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. And he ate and drank, and rose up and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Chapter 25 references:
a 1 Ch 1:32–33; b Gn 24:35–36; c Gn 12:4; d Gn 15:15; e Gn 25:29; 49:29,33;
f Gn 23:17–18; g Gn 12:2–3; 22:17; 26:3; h Gn 24:62; i Gn 16:15; j 1 Ch 1:29–31;
k Gn 17:20; l Gn 16:16; m Gn 25:8; n Gn 20:1; o Gn 16:12; p Gn 24:15,29;
q Ps 127:3; 1 Sm 1:17; r Gn 17:4–6,16; Nm 20:14; Dt 2:4,8; s Gn 27:29;
t Gn 27:40; Ml 1:2–3; Rm 9:12; u Hs 12:3; v Gn 25:20; w 2 Kg 4:38; x Dt 21:16–17; 1 Ch 5:1–2; y Hb 12:16
Chapter 26 — Isaac and Abimelech
1 ¶
Now there was a a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to b Abimelech king of the Philistines to Gerar.
2
And the LORD c appeared to him, and said, “Do not go down into Egypt. d Dwell in the land that I will tell you.”
3
“Sojourn in this land and e I will be with you, and will bless you, for f to you and to your descendants I will give all these countries. And I will perform the g oath that I swore to Abraham your father.”
4
“And h I will make your descendants to multiply as the stars of heaven. And I will give to your descendants all these countries, and i in your descendants will all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
5
“Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
6 ¶
So Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
7
Then the men of the place asked him about his wife. And he said, j “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” thinking, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she was k beautiful to look upon.”
8
Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out through a window and saw, and behold, Isaac was caressing his wife Rebekah.
9
Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, of a surety she is your wife. So how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’”
10
Then l Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
11
So Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
12 ¶
Then Isaac sowed in that land and received in the same year a hundredfold. And the m LORD blessed him.
13
And the man became great, and went forward and grew until he became very great.
14
For n he had possessions of flocks and herds, and a great household. And the Philistines envied him.
15
For all o the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with earth.
16
Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go from us, for you are much greater than us.”
17 ¶
So Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and settled there.
18
And Isaac dug again the wells of water that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19
Now Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of springing water.
20
And the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” And he called the name of the well Esek, because they strove with him.
21
And they dug another well, and they quarreled for that also. And he called its name Sitnah.
22
So he moved from there and dug another well, and for that they did not quarrel. And he called its name Rehoboth. And he said, p “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”
23 ¶
Then he went up from there to q Beersheba.
24
And the LORD r appeared to him the same night, and said, s “I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not fear, for I am with you and t will bless you, and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.”
25
So he built an u altar there, and called on the name of the LORD. And he pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
26 ¶
Then v Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.
27
And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing you hate me and have sent me away from you?”
28
And they said, “We saw plainly that the w LORD was with you. And we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you,’
29
‘so that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.’”
30
So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
31
Then in the morning they arose early and x swore to one another. And Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32
Now it came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him concerning the well that they had dug. And they said to him, “We have found water.”
33
So he called it y Shebah. Therefore, the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
34 ¶
And Esau was forty years old when z he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
35
And a they brought grief to Isaac and to Rebekah.
Chapter 26 references:
a Gn 12:10; b Gn 20:1,2; c Gn 12:7; 17:1; 18:1; d Gn 12:1; e vs 24; Gn 28:15; 31:3;
f Gn 12:7; 13:15; 15:18; g Gn 22:16–18; h Gn 15:5; 22:17; Ex 32:13;
i Gn 22:18; Gl 3:8; j Gn 12:13; 20:2,12; k Gn 12:11; 29:17; l Gn 20:9;
m vs 3; n Gn 24:35; 25:5; o Gn 21:25,30; p Ps 4:1; Is 54:2; q Gn 22:19;
r vs 2; s Gn 17:7,8; 24:12; Ex 3:6; t vs 3; Gn 22:17; u Gn 12:7,8; 13:4;
v Gn 21:22; w Gn 21:22; x Gn 31:44–54; y Gn 21:31; z Gn 36:2; a Gn 27:46
Chapter 27 — Isaac Blesses Jacob
1 ¶
Now it came to pass when a Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his b eldest son and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.”
2
c And he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.”
3
“Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt d game for me.”
4
“And prepare savory meat for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that e my soul may bless you before I die.”
5 ¶
Now Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for game and to bring it.
6
Then f Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
7
‘Bring me venison and prepare me savory meat so that I may eat and bless you before the LORD before my death.’”
8
“Now therefore, my son, g obey my voice according to what I command you.”
9
“Go now to the flock and bring me from there two good kids of the goats, and I will make them savory meat for your father, such as he loves.”
10
“Then you will bring it to your father so that he may eat, and that he may bless you before his death.”
11
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a h hairy man, and I am a smooth man.”
12
“Perhaps i my father will feel me, and I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I will bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.”
13
Then his mother said to him, “Upon me be your curse, my son; only j obey my voice, and go, get them for me.”
14
So he went and got them, and brought them to his mother. And his mother made savory meat, such as his father loved.
15
And Rebekah took the best k clothes of her elder son Esau, that were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.
16
Then she put the skins of the goats on his hands and on the smooth of his neck.
17
And she gave the savory meat and the bread that she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob.
18 ¶
Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”
19
And Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done according as you asked me. Please l get up, sit and eat of my game, so that m your soul may bless me.”
20
And Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, n “Because the LORD your God brought it to me.”
21
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near so that o I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”
22
So Jacob went near to Isaac his father. And he felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”
23
And he did not recognize him because his hands were p hairy as his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him.
24
And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.”
25
And he said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that q my soul may bless you.” And he brought it near to him, and he ate. And he brought him wine, and he drank.
26
Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.”
27
So he came near and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his clothes, and r blessed him and said, “See, s the smell of my son is as the smell of a field t that the LORD has blessed.”
28
“Therefore, u God give you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine.”
29
“v Let people serve you, and nations bow down to you. w Be lord over your brethren, and x let your mother’s sons bow down to you. y Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you.”
30 ¶
Now it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
31
And he also had made savory meat and brought it to his father. And he said, z “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, so that a your soul may bless me.”
32
And Isaac his father said to him, b “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, your c firstborn, Esau.”
33
Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? d Where then is the one who hunted game and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? e Yes, and he will be blessed.”
34
When Esau heard the words of his father, f he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father.”
35
Then he said, g “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.”
36
And he said, “Is not he rightly named h Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now he has taken away my blessing.”
37
And Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him i your lord, and all his relatives I have given to him for servants. With grain and wine I have sustained him; and what shall I do now for you, my son?”
38
Then Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and j wept.
39 ¶
Then Isaac his father answered and k said to him, “Behold, your dwelling will be the l fertility of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above.”
40
“And by your sword you will live, and will m serve your brother. And it will come to pass, n when you become restless, that you will break his yoke from off your neck.”
Jacob Flees to Laban
41 ¶
So Esau o hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
42
Now these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau is consoling himself concerning you by planning to kill you.”
43
“Now therefore, my son, p obey my voice, arise, flee to Haran to q Laban my brother.”
44
“And stay with him r a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away.”
45
“Until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets s what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”
46
Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am tired of living because of the t daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are of the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”
Chapter 27 references:
a Gn 48:10; 1 Sm 3:2; b Gn 25:25,33,34; c Gn 47:29; d Gn 25:28; e vss 19,25,31;
f Gn 25:28; g vss 13,43; h Gn 25:25; i vss 21,22; j vs 8; k vs 27; l vs 31; m vs 4;
n Gn 24:12; o vs 12; p vs 16; q vs 4; r Hb 11:20; s Ss 4:11; t Ps 65:10; u vs 39;
v Gn 25:23; w vs 37; x Gn 37:7,10; y Gn 12:3; z vs 19; a vs 4; b vs 18; c Gn 25:33,34;
d vs 35; e Gn 25:23; f Hb 12:17; g vs 19; h Gn 25:26,32–34; i vss 28,29; j Hb 12:17;
k Hb 11:20; l vs 28; m vs 29; n 2 Kg 8:20–22; o Gn 32:3–11; p vss 8,13; q Gn 24:29;
r Gn 31:41; s vss 12,19,35; t Gn 26:34,35
Chapter 28 — Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
1 ¶
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him. And he said to him, a “You will not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”
2
“Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of b Bethuel, your mother’s father. And from there take for yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.”
3
“May c God Almighty d bless you and e make you fruitful and f multiply you so that you may be a multitude g of people.”
4
“And may He give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, so that you may h inherit the land wherein you are a foreigner, which God gave to Abraham.”
5 ¶
So i Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Padanaram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.
6
Then Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan-aram to take for himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, j “You will not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”
7
And Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan-aram.
8
So Esau saw that the k daughters of Canaan did not please Isaac his father.
9
Then Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife l in addition to the wives he had.
10 ¶
So Jacob went out from m Beersheba and went toward n Haran.
11
And he came to a o certain place and stayed there all night because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and placed it under his head. And he lay down in that place to sleep.
12
Then p he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth. And the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, q the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
13
And behold, r the LORD stood above it and said, “I am s the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will t give it to you and to u your descendants.”
14
“And your descendants will be as v the dust of the earth. And you will spread out w to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south. And in you and in your x descendants will all the families of the earth be blessed.”
15
“And behold, y I am with you and z will keep you in all places where you go. And a I will bring you again into this land, for b I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken to you.”
16
And Jacob c awoke out of his sleep and said, d “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”
17
So he was afraid and said, e “How awesome is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 ¶
Then Jacob rose up early in the morning and took f the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar. And he poured oil on the top of it.
19
Then he called the name of that place Bethel. But at the first the name of that city was called g Luz.
20
Then Jacob vowed a h vow, saying, i “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothes to put on,
21
so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then will the LORD be my God.
22
And this stone that I have set for a pillar will be j God’s house. k And of all that You will give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
Chapter 28 references:
a Gn 24:3,4; b Gn 25:20; c Gn 17:1; 35:11; 48:3; d Gn 22:17; e Gn 17:6,20; f Gn 17:2; 26:4,24; g Gn 35:11; 48:4;
h Gn 15:7,8; i Gn 27:43; j vs 1; k Gn 26:34,35; 27:46; l Gn 26:34; 36:2; m Gn 26:23; n Gn 12:4,5; 27:43; o vs 19; p Nm 12:6;
q Jn 1:51; r Gn 35:1; Am 7:7; s Gn 26:3,24; t Gn 13:15,17; 26:3; u Gn 12:7; 15:18; v Gn 13:16; 22:17; w Gn 13:14,15; x Gn 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; y Gn 26:3; z Nm 6:24; a Gn 48:21; b Dt 7:9; 31:6,8; c 1 Kg 3:15; Jr 31:26; d Ps 139:7-12; e Ps 68:35; f vs 11; Gn 35:14; g Gn 35:6; 48:3; h Gn 31:13; i vs 15; j Gn 35:7; k Dt 14:22
Chapter 29 — Jacob in Padan-aram
1 ¶
Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of a the people of the east.
2
And he looked and saw a b well in the field. And behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well they watered the flocks. And a great stone was on the well’s mouth.
3
So when all the flocks were gathered there, they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the sheep. And then they put the stone back on the well’s mouth in its place.
4 ¶
Then Jacob said to them, “My brothers, from where did you come?” And they said, “We are from c Haran.”
5
And he said to them, “Do you know Laban the d son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”
6
And he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And behold, e Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep.”
7
Then he said, “Behold, it is still high day. It is not time that the flocks should be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, and feed them.”
8
And they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
9 ¶
Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
10
Now it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
12
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her f father’s relative, and that he was Rebekah’s son. And g she ran and told her father.
13 ¶
Now it came to pass when h Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him. And he i embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
14
Then Laban said to him, “Surely you are j my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
15 ¶
Now Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will k your wages be?”
16
Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was l lovely in form and beautiful.
18
Now Jacob m loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19
Then Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
20
So Jacob n served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
21 ¶
Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed, so that I may go in to her.”
22
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
23
Now it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him. And he went in to her.
24
Then Laban gave to his daughter, Leah, Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
25
Now it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, o “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you p deceived me?”
26
Then Laban said, “It must not be practiced in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.”
27
“Complete her week, and we will give you this one also for the service that r you will serve with me for another seven years.”
28
So Jacob did so and completed her week. And he gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife.
29
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
30
Then he went in also to Rachel, and s he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban for another seven years.
The Children of Jacob
31 ¶
Now when the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb. But Rachel was barren.
32
Then Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Surely the LORD has t looked upon my affliction. Now therefore my husband will love me.”
33
Then she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, u “Because the LORD has heard that I was unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.
34
And she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore, he was named v Levi.
35
And she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, “Now I will w praise the LORD.” Therefore, she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Chapter 29 references:
a Jg 6:3,33; b Gn 24:10,11; Ex 2:15,16; c Gn 28:10; d Gn 24:24,29; e Ex 2:16; f Gn 28:5; g Gn 24:28; h Gn 24:29-31; i Gn 33:4;
j Jg 9:2; k Gn 31:41; l Gn 12:11,14; 26:7; m Gn 24:67; n Hs 12:12; o Gn 12:18; 20:9; 26:10; p 1 Sm 28:12; q Jg 14:12; r Gn 31:41;
s vss 17,18; t Gn 16:11; 31:42; u Dt 21:15; v Gn 49:5; w Gn 49:8; Mt 1:2
Chapter 30 — Children of Jacob and Increase of His Flocks
1 ¶
Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, a “Give me children, or else I die.”
2
Then Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel. And he said, “Am I in God’s place, who has b withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”
3
And she said, c “Behold my maid Bilhah, go in to her and she will bear on my knees so that I too may have children by her.”
4
So d she gave him Bilhah her handmaid as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.
5
And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.
6
Then Rachel said, “God has judged me and has also heard my voice. And He has given me a son.” Therefore, she called his name Dan.
7
And Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
8
And Rachel said, “With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed.” And she called his name Naphtali.
9 ¶
When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her Jacob as a wife.
10
And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob a son.
11
And Leah said, “What good fortune.” And she called his name Gad.
12
Then Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob a second son.
13
And Leah said, “Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed.” And she called his name Asher.
14 ¶
Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found e mandrakes in the field. And he brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15
And she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? And would you also take away my son’s mandrakes?” And Rachel said, “Therefore, he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”
16
And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him. And she said, “You must come in to me, for surely I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night.
17
And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob the fifth son.
18
Then Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I have given my maiden to my husband.” And she called his name Issachar.
19
Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob the sixth son.
20
And Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will dwell with me because I have borne him six sons.” And she called his name Zebulun.
21
And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
22 ¶
And f God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her and opened her womb.
23
So she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
24
And she called his name Joseph, and said, “The g LORD will add to me another son.”
Increase of Jacob’s Flocks
25 ¶
Now it came to pass when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, h “Send me away so that I may go to my own place and to my own country.
26
“Give me my wives and my children i for whom I have served you, and let me go, for you know my service that I have done for you.”
27
But Laban said to him, “If it pleases you and I have found favor in your eyes, stay with me, for I have learned by experience j that the LORD has blessed me for your sake.”
28
Then he said, k “Name me your wages, and I will give it.”
29
And he said to him, “You know how I have served you, and how your livestock has been with me.
30
“For it was little that you had before I came, and it is now increased to a multitude. And the LORD has blessed you since my coming. And now, when will I provide for my own house also?”
31
So he said, “What will I give you?” And Jacob said, “You will not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flock.
32
“I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the l speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such will be my wages.
33
“So my honesty will testify for me in the future when you come to check concerning my wages. Everyone that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that will be counted stolen with me.”
34
Then Laban said, “Behold, let it be according to your word.”
35
So he removed that day the male goats that were ringstreaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white on it, and all the brown among the sheep. And he gave them into the hand of his sons.
36
And he set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob. And Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
37 ¶
Then Jacob took rods of green poplar and of the hazel and chestnut tree, and peeled white strips in them, and made the white appear that was in the rods.
38
And he set the rods that he had peeled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink so that they should conceive when they came to drink.
39
So the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth striped, speckled and spotted.
40
Then Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the brown in the flock of Laban. And he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s livestock.
41
Now it came to pass whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters so that they might conceive among the rods.
42
But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in. So the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s.
43
So m the man increased exceedingly. And he had much livestock, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
Chapter 30 references:
a 1 Sm 1:5,6; b Gn 20:18; 29:31; c Gn 16:2; d Gn 16:3,4; e Ss 7:13;
f 1 Sm 1:19,20; g Gn 35:17; h Gn 24:54,56; i Gn 29:18,27; Hs 12:12;
j Gn 39:5; k Gn 29:15; 31:7,41; l Gn 31:8; m Gn 12:16; 13:2,24,35; 26:13,14
Chapter 31 — Jacob Flees from Laban
1 ¶
Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and of that which was our father’s he has acquired all this glory.”
2
And Jacob beheld the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not toward him as before.
3 ¶
And the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and a I will be with you.”
4
Then Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock.
5
And he said to them, “I see your father’s attitude, that it is not toward me as before, but b the God of my father has been with me.
6
And you know that with all my power I have served your father.
7
“Your father has c deceived me and d changed my wages ten times. But e God did not allow him to hurt me.
8
“If he said thus, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. And if he said thus, ‘The striped will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped.
9
“Thus God has taken away the flock of your father and given them to me.”
10
“Now it came to pass at the time when the flock conceived, that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams that leaped upon the flock were streaked, speckled and spotted.
11
“And the f angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’
12
“And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes now and see all the rams that leap upon the flocks are streaked, speckled and spotted. For I have seen all that Laban does to you.
13
‘I am g the God of Bethel, where you h anointed the pillar, and where you vowed a vow to Me. Now arise and get out of this land and i return to the land of your relatives.’”
14
Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15
“Are we not considered by him as foreigners? For j he has sold us and has also entirely consumed our money.
16
“For all the riches that God has taken from our father is ours and our children’s. Now then, do whatever God has said to you.”
17 ¶
Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and his wives on camels.
18
And he carried away all his livestock and all his goods that he had gathered, his acquired livestock that he had gathered in Paddan-aram, k to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19
Now Laban went to shear his sheep. And Rachel had stolen the l idols that were her father’s.
20
So Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian by not telling him that he was fleeing.
21
So he fled with all that he had. And he rose up and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mountains of m Gilead.
22 ¶
Then it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23
Then he took his brothers with him and pursued after him seven days’ journey. And they overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
24
Now n God came to Laban the Syrian in a o dream by night. And He said to him, p “Take heed that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”
25 ¶
Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain. And Laban, with his brothers, camped in the mountains of Gilead.
26
And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have gone away unaware to me, and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword?
27
“Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with q timbrel and with r lyre;
28
“and have not allowed me s to kiss my sons and my daughters? You have now done foolishly in doing this.
29
“It is in the power of my hand to do you harm. But t the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, u ‘Take heed that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.’
30
“And now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly after your father’s house. But why have you stolen v my gods?”
31
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.
32
w “With whomever you find your gods, let him not live; in the presence of our kinsmen point out what is yours with me, and take it for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 ¶
And Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents. But he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered into Rachel’s tent.
34
Now Rachel had taken the images and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but did not find them.
35
And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” And he searched, but did not find the images.
36 ¶
Now Jacob was angry and contended with Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued after me?
37
“Though you have searched all my goods, what have you found of all my household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen so that they may judge between us both.
38
“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
39
“That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
40
“This was my situation: In the day the drought consumed me and the frost by night. And my sleep departed from my eyes.
41
“Thus I have been twenty years in your house. x I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock. And you have y changed my wages ten times.
42
“If z the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely you would have now sent me away empty. a God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, so He b rendered judgment last night.”
43 ¶
Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and c these flocks are my flocks. And all that you see is mine. And what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
44
“Now therefore come, let us d make a covenant, you and I, and let it be for a witness between you and me.”
45
And Jacob took a e stone and set it up for a pillar.
46
Then Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap. And they ate there by the heap.
47
And Laban f called it Jegarsahaduth, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48
And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore, the name of it was called Galeed,
49
and g Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me when we are absent from one another.
50
“If you will mistreat my daughters, or if you will take other wives beside my daughters, although no man is with us, see, h God is witness between you and me.”
51 ¶
And Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap, and behold this pillar that I have cast between you and me.
52
“This heap is a witness and this pillar is a witness so that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
53
“The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the j fear of his father Isaac.
54
k Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mountain, and called his kinsmen to eat the meal. And they ate the meal and tarried all night in the mountain.
55
And early in the morning Laban rose up and l kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Chapter 31 references:
a Gn 28:15; b vss 29,42,53; Gn 28:13-15; c Gn 29:25; d vs 41; e vs 29; f vs 13;
Gn 16:7-11; 22:11,15; g Gn 28:13; h Gn 28:18,20; i Gn 28:15; j Gn 29:20,23,27; k Gn 35:27-29;
l vss 30,34; Jg 17:5; 1 Sm 19:13; Hs 3:4; m Gn 37:25; n vs 29; o vs 11; Gn 20:3,6; p vss 7,29; q Ex 15:20;
r Gn 4:21; s vs 55; t vss 5,42,53; u vs 24; v vs 19; w Gn 44:9; x Gn 29:27,30; y vs 7; z vss 5,29,53;
a Gn 29:32; b vss 24,29; c vs 1; d Gn 21:27,32; e Gn 28:18; Ja 24:26,27;
f Ja 22:34; g Jg 11:29; h Jr 29:23; 42:5; i Gn 28:13; j vs 42; k Ex 18:12; l vss 28,43
Chapter 32 — Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau
1 ¶
So Jacob went on his way, and a the angels of God met him.
2
And when Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s host.” And he called the name of that place b Mahanaim.
3 ¶
Then Jacob c sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of d Seir, the country of e Edom.
4
And he commanded them, saying, “Thus will you speak to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob said thus, “I have sojourned with Laban, and f stayed there until now.
5
“And g I have oxen and donkeys, flocks and male and female servants. And I have sent to tell my lord so that I may find favor in your sight.”’”
6 ¶
Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is also coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him.”
7
Then Jacob was h greatly afraid and distressed. And he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and the camels, into two bands.
8
And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and smites it, then the other company that is left will escape.”
9 ¶
Then Jacob said, “O i God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, j ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will deal well with you,’
10
“I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and k of all the truth that You have showed to Your servant, for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.
11
“Please deliver me l from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me and the mothers with the children.
12
“And You said, m ‘I will surely prosper you and n make your descendants as the sand of the sea that cannot be numbered for multitude.’”
13 ¶
So he lodged there that same night. And he selected from what he had with him a present for his brother Esau:
14
two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
15
thirty milking camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
16
Then he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me and put a space between droves.”
17
And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going? And whose are these before you?’
18
“Then you will say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. It is a present sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he is also behind us.’”
19
And he also commanded the second and the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “On this manner you will speak to Esau when you find him.
20
“Now you will also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. And afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept it from me.”
21
So the present went over before him, while he himself lodged that night in the camp.
Jacob Wrestles With God
22 ¶
And he rose up that night and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the o Jabbok.
23
Then he took them and sent them over the stream. And he sent over whatever he had.
24
So Jacob was left alone and there a man p wrestled with him until daybreak.
25
And when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his thigh. And the socket of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him.
26
Then he said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27
Then he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
28
And q he said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.”
29
Then r Jacob asked him, and said, “Please tell me your name.” And he said, “Why is it that you ask for my name?” And he blessed him there.
30
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, s “for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
31
Now as he passed over t Penuel, the sun rose upon him and he was limping on his thigh.
32
Therefore, to this day the children of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.
Chapter 32 references:
a 2 Kg 6:16,17; Ps 34:7; b Ja 21:38; 2 Sm 2:8; c vss 7,11; Gn 27:41,42; d Gn 14:6;
e Gn 25:30; 26:8,9; f Gn 31:41; g Gn 30:43; h vs 11; i Gn 31:42; j Gn 28:15; 31:13;
k Gn 24:27; l Gn 27:41,42; m Gn 28:14; n Gn 22:17; o Dt 3:16; Ja 12:2; p Hs 12:3; q Gn 35:10; 1 Kg 18:31;
r Jg 13:17,18; s Gn 16:13; Ex 33:20; Nm 12:8; Jg 6:22
Chapter 33 — Jacob Meets Esau
1 ¶
Then Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids.
2
And he put the maids and their children in front and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph last.
3
And he passed over ahead of them and b bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 ¶
Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him. And he fell on his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
5
And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children. Then he said, “Who are those with you?” And he said, c “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
6
Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children. And they bowed themselves.
7
Then Leah also with her children came near and bowed themselves, and afterward came Joseph near with Rachel. And they bowed themselves.
8
And he said, “What do you mean by d all this company that I have met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.”
9 ¶
Then Esau said, e “I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have to yourself.”
10
And Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably.
11
“Please take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and f because I have enough.” And he urged him and he took it.
12 ¶
And he said, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.”
13
Then he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and the flocks and herds with young are with me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die.
14
“Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to g Seir.”
15 ¶
And Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” And he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
16
So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
17
And Jacob journeyed to h Succoth. And he built for himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore, the name of the place is called Succoth.
18 ¶
Then Jacob came to the city of i Shechem that is in the land of Canaan, when he came from j Padanaram. And he pitched his tent before the city.
19
And k he bought the parcel of a field where he had spread his tent from the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.
20
And he erected there an altar and called it Elelohe-Israel.
Chapter 33 references:
a Gn 32:6; b Gn 45:14,15; c Gn 48:9; d Gn 32:14-16; e Gn 27:39,40;
f Gn 30:43; g Gn 32:3; h Jg 8:5,14; Ps 60:6; i Gn 12:6;
j Ja 24:1; Jg 9:1; k Ja 24:32; Jn 4:5
Chapter 34 — Dinah and Shechem
1 ¶
Now a Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
2
And when Shechem the son of b Hamor, the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her by force and lay with her, and defiled her.
3
And he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. And he loved the girl and spoke kindly to her.
4
So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young girl for a wife.”
5
And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter, but his sons were with his livestock in the field. So Jacob held his peace until they came.
6
Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.
7
And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. And the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a c disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing which ought not to be done.
8 ¶
But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife,
9
“and make marriages with us, and give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves.
10
“And you will dwell with us. And d the land will be before you. Dwell and trade in it and acquire possessions in it.”
11
Then Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find grace in your eyes and I will give whatever you say to me.
12
“Ask of me whatever dowry and gift and I will give according as you will say to me. But give me the girl as a wife.”
13 ¶
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully. And they spoke deceitfully because he had defiled Dinah their sister.
14
So they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to e one that is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us.
15
“But on this condition we consent to you. If you will be as we are, in that every male of you be circumcised,
16
“then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves. And we will dwell with you and we will become one people.
17
“But if you will not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and we will be gone.”
18
¶ And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem Hamor’s son.
19
Now the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. And he was more honorable than all the house of his father.
20
And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city and spoke with the men of their city, saying,
21
“These men are friendly with us. Therefore, let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives and let us give them our daughters.
22
“Only on this condition will the men consent to us to dwell with us, to be one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised.
23
“Will not their livestock and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them and they will dwell with us.”
24
And f all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem. And every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
25 ¶
Now it came to pass on the third day when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, g Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took each man his sword and came upon the city unaware. And they slew all the males.
26
Then they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went out.
27
The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister.
28
They took their sheep and their oxen and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field.
29
And all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives they took captive, and even looted all that was in the houses.
30 ¶
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have h brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the i Canaanites and the Perizzites. And since j I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and slay me. And I will be destroyed, I and my house.”
31
And they said, “Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?”
Chapter 34 references:
a Gn 30:21; b vs 30; c Dt 22:21; Jg 20:6; 2 Sm 13:12; d Gn 13:9; 20:15;
e Gn 17:14; f Gn 23:10; g Gn 49:5-7; h Ex 5:21;
2 Sm 10:6; i vs 2; Gn 13:7; j Gn 46:26,27; 1 Ch 16:19
Chapter 35 — Returns to Bethel & Deaths of Rachel and Isaac
1 ¶
Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to a Bethel and dwell there. And make there an altar to b God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
2
Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the c foreign gods that are among you and d be clean, and change your garments.
3
“And let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an e altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and f was with me in the way that I went.”
4
So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands and all their earrings that were in their ears. And Jacob hid them under the oak that was by Shechem.
5
Then they journeyed. And the g terror of God was upon the cities that were around them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
6
So Jacob came to h Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
7
And he i built an altar there. And he called the place Elbethel, because God appeared to him there when he fled from the face of his brother.
8 ¶
But j Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died. And she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak. And the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.
9
Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came out of Padan-aram, and k blessed him.
10
And l God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel will be your name.” And He called his name Israel.
11
Then God said to him, “I am m God Almighty. n Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a o company of nations will be from you. And p kings will come out of your body.
12
“And q the land that I gave Abraham and Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your descendants after you I will give the land.”
13
And r God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
14
Then Jacob set up a s pillar in the place where he talked with Him, even a pillar of stone. And he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it.
15
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.
16 ¶
So they journeyed from Bethel, and there was but a little distance to go to t Ephrath. And Rachel began to give birth, and she had hard labor.
17
Then it came to pass when she was in hard labor that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear. u You will have this son also.”
18
Now it came to pass as her soul was departing (for she died) that she called his name Benoni. But his father called him Benjamin.
19
So v Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
20
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave, which is the w pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.
21 ¶
Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
22
Now it came to pass when Israel dwelt in that land, that x Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
23
The y sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun.
24
The z sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
25
And the a sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid were Dan and Naphtali.
26
And the b sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan-aram.
27 ¶
And Jacob came to Isaac his father at c Mamre of Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
28
Now the days of Isaac were d one hundred and eighty years.
29
And Isaac breathed his last and died and was e gathered to his people, being f old and full of days. Then his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Chapter 35 references:
a Gn 28:19; b Gn 28:13; c Gn 31:19,30; d Ex 19:10,14; e Gn 28:20-22; f Gn 28:15;
g Ex 15:16; Dt 2:25; h Gn 28:19; 48:3; i vs 3; j Gn 24:59;
k Gn 32:29; l Gn 32:28; m Gn 17:1; 28:3; n Gn 9:1,7; o Gn 48:4; p Gn 17:6,16;
q Gn 13:15; 26:3; 28:13; r Gn 17:22; 18:33; s Gn 28:18,19,31,45; t vs 19; Rt 4:11; u Gn 30:24; v
Gn 48:7; w 1 Sm 10:2; x Gn 49:4; 1 Ch 4:1; y Gn 29:31-35; 30:18-20; z Gn 30:22-24; a Gn 30:5-8; b Gn 30:10-13;
c Gn 18:1; 23:19; d Gn 25:26; e Gn 25:8; f Gn 15:15
Chapter 35 — Returns to Bethel & Deaths of Rachel and Isaac
1 ¶
Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to a Bethel and dwell there. And make there an altar to b God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”
2
Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the c foreign gods that are among you and d be clean, and change your garments.
3
“And let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an e altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and f was with me in the way that I went.”
4
So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands and all their earrings that were in their ears. And Jacob hid them under the oak that was by Shechem.
5
Then they journeyed. And the g terror of God was upon the cities that were around them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
6
So Jacob came to h Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
7
And he i built an altar there. And he called the place Elbethel, because God appeared to him there when he fled from the face of his brother.
8 ¶
But j Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died. And she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak. And the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.
9
Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came out of Padan-aram, and k blessed him.
10
And l God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel will be your name.” And He called his name Israel.
11
Then God said to him, “I am m God Almighty. n Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a o company of nations will be from you. And p kings will come out of your body.
12
“And q the land that I gave Abraham and Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your descendants after you I will give the land.”
13
And r God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
14
Then Jacob set up a s pillar in the place where he talked with Him, even a pillar of stone. And he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it.
15
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.
Deaths of Rachel and Isaac
16 ¶
So they journeyed from Bethel, and there was but a little distance to go to t Ephrath. And Rachel began to give birth, and she had hard labor.
17
Then it came to pass when she was in hard labor that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear. u You will have this son also.”
18
Now it came to pass as her soul was departing (for she died) that she called his name Benoni. But his father called him Benjamin.
19
So v Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
20
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave, which is the w pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.
21 ¶
Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
22
Now it came to pass when Israel dwelt in that land, that x Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
23
The y sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun.
24
The z sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
25
And the a sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid were Dan and Naphtali.
26
And the b sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan-aram.
27 ¶
And Jacob came to Isaac his father at c Mamre of Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
28
Now the days of Isaac were d one hundred and eighty years.
29
And Isaac breathed his last and died and was e gathered to his people, being f old and full of days. Then his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Chapter 35 references:
a Gn 28:19; b Gn 28:13; c Gn 31:19,30; d Ex 19:10,14; e Gn 28:20-22;
f Gn 28:15; g Ex 15:16; Dt 2:25; h Gn 28:19; 48:3; i vs 3;
j Gn 24:59; k Gn 32:29; l Gn 32:28; m Gn 17:1; 28:3; n Gn 9:1,7; o Gn 48:4; p Gn 17:6,16; q Gn 13:15;
26:3; 28:13; r Gn 17:22; 18:33; s Gn 28:18,19,31,45; t vs 19; Rt 4:11; u Gn 30:24; v Gn 48:7; w 1 Sm 10:2; x Gn 49:4;
1 Ch 4:1; y Gn 29:31-35; 30:18-20; z Gn 30:22-24; a Gn 30:5-8; b Gn 30:10-13; c Gn 18:1; 23:19; d Gn 25:26; e Gn 25:8; f Gn 15:15
Chapter 36 — Descendants of Esau & Rulers of Edom
1 ¶
Now these are the generations of a Esau, who is Edom.
2
Esau took b his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;
3
and Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth.
4
And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Bashemath bore Reuel.
5
And Aholibamah bore Jeush and Jaalam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
6
And c Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle and all his beasts, and all his possessions that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob.
7
For their riches were too great for them to dwell together. d And the land wherein they were foreigners could not sustain them because of their livestock.
8
Thus Esau dwelt in e Mount Seir; Esau is f Edom.
9 ¶
And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir:
10
These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.
11
And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12
And Timna was a concubine to Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife.
13
And these are the sons of Reuel: Nahas and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.
14
And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife. And she bore to Esau, Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah.
15 ¶
These were the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, are chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,
16
chief Korah, chief Gatam, and chief Amalek. These are the chiefs who came from Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Adah.
17
And these are the sons of Reuel Esau’s son: chief Nahas, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs who came from Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.
18
And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau’s wife: chief Jeush, chief Jaalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs who came from Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife.
19
These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their chiefs.
20 ¶
These are the sons of Seir the g Horite, who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
21
and Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.
22
And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. And Lotan’s sister was Timna.
23
And the children of Shobal were these: Alvan, Manahas, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24
And these are the children of Zibeon: both Ajah and Anah—he was the Anah who found the donkeys in the wilderness as he fed the donkeys of Zibeon his father.
25
And the children of Anah were these: Dishon and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
26
And these are the children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
27
The children of Ezer are these: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28
The children of Dishan are these: Uz and Aran.
29 ¶
These are the chiefs who came from the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah,
30
chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These are the chiefs that came from Hori, among their chiefs in the land of Seir.
Rulers of Edom
31 ¶
And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any h king reigned there over the children of Israel.
32
And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom. And the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33
And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place.
34
And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his place.
35
And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith.
36
And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.
37
And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his place.
38
And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
39
And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
40 ¶
And these are the names of the chiefs who came from Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names: chief Timnah, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth,
41
chief Aholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon,
42
chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar,
43
chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession. Esau was the father of the Edomites.
Chapter 36 references:
a Gn 25:30; b Gn 26:34; 28:9; c Gn 12:5; d Gn 13:6; e Gn 32:3;
f vss 1,19; g Gn 14:6; Dt 2:12,22; 1 Ch 1:38-42; h Gn 17:6,16; 35:11; 1 Ch 1:43
Chapter 37 — Dreams of Joseph & Selling of Joseph
1 ¶
Now Jacob dwelt in a the land wherein his father was a sojourner, in the land of Canaan.
2
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when b seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the c sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report to his father.
3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he had been born to him d in his old age. And he made for him a e coat of many colors.
4
And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him. And they could not speak peaceably to him.
5 ¶
Then Joseph f dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers. And they hated him even more.
6
And he said to them, “Please listen to this dream that I have dreamed;
7
“for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose and also stood erect. And behold, your sheaves stood around about and g bowed down to my sheaf.”
8
And his brothers said to him, h“Will you actually reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” And they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 ¶
Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers. And he said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. And behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
10
And he told it to his father and to his brothers. And his father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and i your brothers actually come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth?”
11
And j his brothers envied him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Selling of Joseph
12 ¶
And his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in k Shechem.
13
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Do not your brothers feed the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.”
14
So he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring me word again.” l So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15
Now a certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”
16
And he said, “I seek my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.”
17
Then the man said, “They have moved from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to m Dothan.’” And Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.
18 ¶
Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
19
And they said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer is coming.
20
“Come now therefore and let us kill him and cast him into some pit. And n we will say, ‘Some evil beast has devoured him.’ And we will see what will become of his dreams.”
21
But o Reuben heard it and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.”
22
And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. But cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him.” He said this so that he might rescue him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
23 ¶
So it came to pass when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him.
24
Then they took him and cast him into a pit. Now the pit was empty, for there was no water in it.
25
Then they sat down to eat bread. And they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a caravan of p Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead with their camels bearing q spicery and r balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26
And Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and s conceal his blood?
27
“Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and do not let our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened.
28
Then some u Midianite traders passed by. And they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit. And they v sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they w brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 ¶
Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit. And he x tore his clothes.
30
Then he returned to his brothers and said, y “The child is not there. And I, where will I go?”
31
And z they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.
32
Then they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father. And they said, “This we have found. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s coat or not.”
33
And he recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An a evil beast has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.”
34
And Jacob b tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
35
And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him. But he refused to be comforted. And he said, “For I will go down into the c grave to my son mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.
36 ¶
Now the Midianites d sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
Chapter 37 references:
a Gn 17:8; 28:4; b Gn 41:46; c Gn 35:25,26; d Gn 44:20;
e vss 23,32; f Gn 28:12; 31:10,11; g Gn 42:6,9; 43:26;
44:14 h Gn 49:26; Dt 33:16 i Gn 27:29 j At 7:9 k Gn 33:18-20 l
Gn 35:27 m 2 Kg 6:13 n vs 32 o Gn 42:22 p vs 28; Gn 16:12;
39:1 q Gn 43:11 r Jr 8:22; 46:11 s vs 20 t Gn 42:21 u vs 25;
Jg 6:1; 8:22,24 v Gn 45:4; At 7:9 w Gn 39:1 x vs 34; Gn 44:13 y
Gn 42:13,36 z vss 3,23 a vs 20 b vs 29 c vs 33, Gn 25:8; 35:29;
42:38; 44:29,31 d Gn 39:1
Chapter 38 — Judah and Tamar
1 ¶
Now it came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain a Adullamite whose name was Hirah.
2
And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shuah. And he took her and went in to her.
3
So she conceived and bore a son. And he called his name b Er.
4
Then she conceived again and bore a son. And she called his name Onan.
5
And still again she conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Shelah. And he was at Chezib when she bore him.
6
Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn whose name was Tamar.
7
And c Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD slew him.
8
So Judah said to Onan, d “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”
9
And Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted it on the ground in order not to give offspring for his brother.
10
And the thing that he did displeased the LORD. Therefore, He slew him also.
11
Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, e “Remain a widow at your father’s house until Shelah my son is grown.” For he said, “Lest perhaps he also die as his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.
12 ¶
Now in the process of time the daughter of Shuah, Judah’s wife, died. And Judah was comforted and went up to his sheepshearers to f Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13
And it was told Tamar, saying, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnath to shear his sheep.”
14
So she took off her widow’s garments and g covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself. And she sat in h an open place that is by the way to Timnath, for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she had not been given to him as a wife.
15
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.
16
So he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you.” For he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me so that you may come in to me?”
17
Then he said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?”
18
And he said, “What pledge will I give you?” And she said, i “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” And he gave it to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
19
Then she arose and departed. And she removed her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20
And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand. But he did not find her.
21
Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot that was openly by the wayside?” And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.”
22
So he returned to Judah, and said, “I cannot find her. And also, the men of the place said that there was no harlot in this place.”
23
Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, lest we are shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”
24 ¶
Now it came to pass about three months after that it was told Judah, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot. And also, behold, she is with child by harlotry.” And Judah said, “Bring her out and j let her be burned.”
25
When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man whose these are, am I with child.” And she said, “Please discern whose are these, the signet and cords and staff.”
26
Then Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he did not have relations with her again.
27 ¶
Now it came to pass in the time of her giving birth, that behold, k twins were in her womb.
28
And it came to pass while she was giving birth that the one put out his hand. And the midwife took and bound on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, “This one came out first.”
29
Then it came to pass as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. And she said, “How have you broken through? This breach is on you.” Therefore, his name was called l Perez.
30
And afterward came out his brother who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zarah.
Chapter 38 references:
a Ja 15:35; 1 Sm 22:1; b Gn 46:12; Nm 26:19; c 1 Ch 2:3; d Dt 25:5,6;
Mt 22:24; e Rt 1:12,13; f Ja 15:10,57; g Gn 24:65; h Ja 15:34; i Gn 41:42;
j Lv 21:9; k Gn 25:25-26; l Gn 46:12; Rt 4:12
Chapter 39 — Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
1 ¶
Now Joseph was brought down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hands of the a Ishmaelites, who had brought him down there.
2
And the b LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man. And he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3
Now his master c saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD d made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4
So Joseph found favor in his sight, and he served him. And he made him overseer over his house, and e all that he had he put into his hand.
5
Now it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD f blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. And g the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house and in the field.
6
So he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. And he did not know what he had, except the bread that he ate. And Joseph was a h handsome person, and well favored.
7 ¶
Now it came to pass after these things i that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph. And she said, “Lie with me.”
8
But j he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.
9
k “There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and l sin against God?”
10
Now it came to pass as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not listen to her, to lie by her or to be with her.
11
Now it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business. And there was none of the men of the house inside.
12
And she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” And he left his garment in her hand and fled and ran out.
13
So it came to pass when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had fled outside,
14
that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.
15
“And it came to pass when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled, and went outside.”
16
So she left his garment beside her until his lord came home.
17
And she spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me.
18
“And it came to pass as I lifted up my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled outside.”
19 ¶
Now it came to pass when his master heard the words of his wife that she spoke to him, saying, “After this manner your servant did to me,” that his wrath was kindled.
20
And Joseph’s master took him and m put him in prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound. And he was there in the prison.
21 ¶
But the n LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy. And He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22
And the keeper of the prison o committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison. And whatever they did there, he was responsible for it.
23
The p keeper of the prison did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the q LORD was with him. And that which he did, the r LORD made it prosper.
Chapter 39 references:
a Gn 37:25,28,36; Ps 105:17; b vss 3,21,23; c Gn 21:22; 26:28; d Ps 1:3
; e vss 8,22; f Gn 30:27; g Dt 28:3,4,11; h Gn 29:17; i Pv 7:15-20; j Pv 6:23,24;
k Gn 41:40; l Gn 42:18; 2 Sm 12:13; m Ps 105:18; n vs 2; Ps 105:19; At 7:9;
o vs 4; p vss 3,8; q vs 2; r vs 3
Chapter 40 — The Cupbearer and the Baker
1 ¶
Now it came to pass after these things that the a butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt.
2
And Pharaoh was furious with his two officers, against the chief of the butlers and against the chief of the bakers.
3
So he put them in confinement in the house of the b captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
4
And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he took care of them. And they were in confinement for some time.
5 ¶
Then both of them dreamed a dream, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
6
And Joseph came in to them in the morning and observed them, and behold, they were sad.
7
Then he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, c “Why are your faces so sad today?”
8
And they said to him, d “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter for it.” And Joseph said to them, e “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”
9 ¶
Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was before me.
10
“And in the vine there were three branches. And it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters of it brought forth ripe grapes.
11
“And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand. And I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.”
12
Then Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.
13
“Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place. And you will deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, according to the former manner when you were his butler.
14
“But think of me when it goes well with you. And please show kindness to me and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.
15
“For indeed f I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews. And here also I have done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon.”
16 ¶
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also saw in my dream, and behold, I had three white baskets on my head.
17
“And in the uppermost basket there was all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh. And the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”
18
Then Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.
19
“Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat your flesh off you.”
20 ¶
So it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast to all his servants. And he g lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
21
And he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he h gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
22
But he i hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23
However, the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Chapter 40 references:
a vss 11,13; b Gn 39:1,20; c Ne 2:2; d Gn 41:15; e Gn 41:16; Dn 2:27,28;
f Gn 37:26-28; g 2 Kg 25:27; Jr 52:31; h vs 13; i vs 19
Chapter 41 — Pharaoh’s Dreams
1 ¶
Now it came to pass at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river.
2
And behold, there came up out of the river seven cows sleek and fat. And a they fed in a meadow.
3
And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt. And they stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.
4
Then the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5
Then he slept and dreamed the second time. And behold, seven ears of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good.
6
And behold, seven thin ears and scorched with the east wind sprang up after them.
7
Then the seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
8
Then it came to pass in the morning that b his spirit was troubled. And he sent and called for all the c magicians of Egypt and all the wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but d there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9 ¶
Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I do remember my e offenses this day.
10
Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker.
11
And we had dreamed a dream in one night, he and I. Both of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.
12
Now there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, a servant to the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted for us our dreams. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream.
13
And just as he f interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.
14 ¶
Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they g hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon. And he h shaved himself and changed his clothes. And he came in to Pharaoh.
15
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and i there is no one who can interpret it. And I have heard about you, that you can understand a dream in order to interpret it.”
16
Then Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, j “It is not in me. k God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
17
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood on the bank of the river.
18
And behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, fat and fine looking. And they fed in a meadow.
19
And behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such as I have never seen for ugliness in all the land of Egypt.
20
Then the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.
21
Yet when they had eaten them up, it could not be detected that they had eaten them, for they were still ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22
Then I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up on one stalk, full and good.
23
And behold, seven ears, withered, thin and scorched with the east wind, sprang up after them.
24
Then the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.
25 ¶
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. l God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
26
The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years. The dream is one.
27
And the seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years. And the seven empty ears scorched with the east wind will be m seven years of famine.
28
This is the thing that I have spoken to Pharaoh. n God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29
Behold, o seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt.
30
And there will arise after them p seven years of famine, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. And the famine will consume the land.
31
The abundance will not be known in the land by reason of that subsequent famine, for it will be very severe.
32
Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33
Now therefore, let Pharaoh look out for a r discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34
Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up a fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.
35
Let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 ¶
Then that food will be for reserve for the land for the seven years of famine that will be in the land of Egypt, that the land not perish during the famine.
37
And the proposal was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38
Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man t in whom the Spirit of God is?”
39
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has showed you all this, u there is no one so discreet and wise as you are.
40
“You will be over my house, and according to your word will all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be greater than you.”
41
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you w over all the land of Egypt.”
42
So Pharaoh x took off his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand. And he clothed him in clothes of fine linen, and y put a gold chain around his neck.
43
And he made him ride in the second chariot that he had. And they cried before him, “Bow the knee!” And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44 ¶
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and z without you no man will lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
45
And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah priest of a On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46 ¶
Now Joseph was b thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47
Then in the seven abundant years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years that were in the land of Egypt, and stored the food in the cities. He stored in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.
49
Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.
50 ¶
And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bore to him.
51
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For God,” he said, “has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.”
52
And the name of the second he called Ephraim, “For c God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53 ¶
Now the seven years of abundance that were in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54
And the d seven years of famine began to come according as Joseph had said. And the famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55
And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Whatever he says to you, do.”
56
And the famine was over all the face of the earth. And Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.
57
And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph in order to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.
Chapter 41 references:
a Jb 8:11; Is 19:6,7; b Dn 2:1,3; c Ex 7:1,22; d Dn 2:27; 4:7; e Gn 40:23;
f Gn 40:21,22; g Ps 105:20; h Dn 2:25; i vs 8; j Dn 2:30; Zc 4:6; At 3:12;
2 Co 3:5; k vss 25,28,32; Gn 40:8; l vss 28,32; m 2 Kg 8:1; n vss 25,32;
o vs 47; p vss 54,56; q vss 25,28; r vs 39; s vs 48; t Dn 4:8,9,18; 5:11,14;
u vs 33; v Ps 105:21,22; w Gn 42:6; x Et 3:10; y Dn 5:7,16,29; z Ps 105:22;
a Jr 43:13; Ez 30:17; b Gn 37:2; c Gn 17:6; 28:3; 49:22; d vs 30; Ps 105:16; At 7:11
Chapter 42 — Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
1 ¶
Now when Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you looking at one another?”
2
Then he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from that place so that we may live and not die.”
3
So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
4
But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some harm come upon him.”
5
And the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 ¶
Now Joseph was the governor over the land. And he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves down before him with their faces to the earth.
7
And Joseph saw his brothers, and he knew them. But he made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them. And he said to them, “From where do you come?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”
8
And Joseph knew his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9
And Joseph remembered the dreams that he dreamed of them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!”
10
Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
11
We are all one man’s sons. We are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”
12
And he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
13
And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. And behold, the youngest is this day with our father. And one is not.”
14
Then Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies.
15
By this you will be tested. By the life of Pharaoh you will not go forth from here except your youngest brother comes here.
16
Send one of you and let him bring your brother, and you will be kept in prison so that your words may be proved, whether there is any truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.”
17
And he put them all together into prison for three days.
18 ¶
Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God.
19
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be bound in the house of your prison, but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.
20
But bring your youngest brother to me, so will your words be verified and you will not die.” And they did so.
21
And they said to one another, “We are guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear. Therefore, this distress has come upon us.”
22
Then Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the child,’ and you would not listen? Therefore, behold, his blood is now required of us.”
23
And they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them by an interpreter.
24
Then he turned himself away from them and wept. And he returned to them again and communed with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
25 ¶
Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provision for the way. And thus he did to them.
26
So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there.
27
Now as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed in the inn, he saw his money, for behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.
28
And he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts sank, and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”
29 ¶
So they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that happened to them, saying,
30
“The man who is the lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
31
And we said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are not spies.
32
We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no longer alive and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
33
Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me and take food for the famine of your households, and go.
34
And bring your youngest brother to me so that I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will deliver your brother to you and you will trade in the land.’”
35 ¶
Now it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
36
Then Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”
37
So Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I do not bring him to you. Deliver him into my hand and I will bring him to you again.”
38
And he said, “My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If harm befall him by the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.”
Chapter 42 references:
a Gn 43:8; b Gn 43:8; c Gn 35:24; d Gn 41:57; e Gn 41:41,55; f Gn 37:8-10, 41:43;,
g vs 30; h Gn 37:2, 41:46,53; i Gn 37:6-9; j Gn 37:8; k vss 16,19,31,34; l Gn 43:7;
m vs 32, Gn 37:30, 44:20; n vs 11; o Gn 40:4,7; p vs 9; q vs 34; r Gn 37:26-28, 45:3; s Gn 37:22;
t Gn 43:30, 45:14,15; u Gn 43:14,23; v Gn 44:1; w Gn 43:23; x vs 11; y Gn 43:12,15; z Gn 37:35, 44:29
Chapter 43 — Second Journey to Egypt
1 ¶
And the famine was severe in the land.a
2
Now it came to pass when they had eaten up the grain that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy for us a little food.”
3
And Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man did solemnly warn us, saying, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’b”
4
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5
But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’
6
Then Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me by telling the man whether you still had another brother?”
7
And they said, “The man asked us directly of our state, and of our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’c And we told him according to the nature of these questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 ¶
Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go so that we may live, and not die, both we and you, and also our little ones.d”
9
“I will be surety for him. You may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.e”
10
“For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned this second time.”
11
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so now, then do this. Take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man, a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds.f,g”
12
“And take double money in your hand, and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand.h Perhaps it was a mistake.”
13
“Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.”
14
“And God Almightyi,j give you mercy before the man, so that he may release your other brother and Benjamin.k,l If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 ¶
Then the men took this present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin. And they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.m
16
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, “Bring these men to my house, and slay an animal. And make ready, for these men will dine with me at noon.”
17
So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men into Joseph’s house.
18
Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house. And they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we are brought in so that he may seek occasion against us, and fall on us and take us for slaves with our donkeys.”
19
Then they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house. And they communed with him at the door of the house,
20
and said, “Oh sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
21
And it came to pass when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight.n,o And we have brought it back in our hand.
22
And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
23
And he said, “Peace be to you. Do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.p,q
24
Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. And he gave their donkeys feed.r
25
And they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.s
26 ¶
Now when Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that was in their hand, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.t
27
Then he asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”u
28
And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health. He is still alive.” And they bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves.v
29
Then he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke to me?”w And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”x
30
Then Joseph hurried out for he was deeply moved over his brother. And he sought somewhere to weep. So he entered into his room and wept there.y
31
Then he washed his face, and went out and controlled himself. And he said, “Serve the meal.”z
32
So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.a
33
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked in astonishment at one another.b
34
Then he took servings to them from before him. But Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.c
References: a Gn 41:56,57; b vs 5, Gn 44:23; c vs 27, Gn 42:13;
d Gn 42:3; e Gn 42:37; f vss 25,26; g Gn 37:25; h vss 21,22; i Gn 17:1, 28:3, 35:11;
j Ps 106:46; k Gn 42:24; l Gn 42:36; m vs 11; n Gn 42:35; o vss 12,15; p Gn 42:28; q Gn 42:24;
r Gn 18:4, 19:2, 24:32; s vss 11,15; t Gn 37:7,10; u vs 7, Gn 45:3; v Gn 37:7,10; w Gn 42:13;
x Nm 6:25, Ps 67:1; y Gn 42:24, 45:2,14,15, 46:29; z Gn 45:1; a Gn 46:34; b Gn 42:7; c Gn 35:24
Chapter 44 — The Silver Cup in the Sack
1 ¶
Then he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.a”
2
“Then put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3
As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
4
And when they had gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. And when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?’b”
5
“Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination?c You have done evil in doing this.”
6 ¶
And he overtook them and he spoke to them these same words.
7
And they said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? God forbid that your servants should do according to this thing.
8
Behold, the money that we found in our sacks’ mouths we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver and gold out of your lord’s house?d”
9
“With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.e,f”
10
And he said, “Now let it also be according to your words. He with whom the cup is found will be my slave and you will be innocent.”
11
Then every man speedily took down his sack to the ground, and every man opened his sack.
12
And he searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.g
13
Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.h,i
14 ¶
Then Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, for he was still there. And they fell before him on the ground.j
15
Then Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?k”
16
And Judah said, “What will we say to my lord? What will we speak? Or, how will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup has been found.l”
17
And he said, “God forbid that I should do this. But the man in whose hand the cup has been found, he will be my slave. And as for you, get you up in peace to your father.”
18 ¶
Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh.”
19
“My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’n”
20
“And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one, and his brother is dead. And he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.o,p’”
21
“And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I may set my eyes on him.’”
22
“And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’”
23
“And you said to your servants, ‘Except your youngest brother come down with you, you will not see my face again.’q”
24
“Then it came to pass when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.”
25
“And our father said, ‘Go again, and buy us a little food.’”
26
“And we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down, for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’”
27
“And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.’”
28
“And the one went out from me, and I said, ‘Surely he is torn in pieces,’ and I have not seen him since.r’”
29
“And if you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.s’”
30
“Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life;
31
it will come to pass when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. Thus your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.t”
32
“For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’u”
33
“Now therefore, please let your servant abide instead of the lad a slave to my lord. And let the lad go up with his brothers.”
34
“For how will I go up to my father, and the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that will come on my father?”
References: a Gn 42:25; b vs 13; c vs 15, Gn 30:27, Lv 19:26, Dt 18:10-14;
d Gn 43:21; e Gn 31:32; f vs 16; g vs 2; h Gn 37:29,34; i vs 4; j Gn 37:7,10; k vs 5; l vs 9;
m Gn 37:7,8, 41:40-44; n Gn 43:7; o vs 30, Gn 43:8; p Gn 37:33, 42:13,38; q Gn 43:3; r Gn 37:31-35;
s vs 31, Gn 42:38; t vs 29; u Gn 43:9
Chapter 45 — Joseph Reveals Himself
1 ¶
Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. And he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.a
2
Then he wept aloud. And the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.b
3
And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”c,d And his brothers could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence.
4
And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And they came near. And he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.”
5
“Now therefore do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.e,f”
6
“For the famine has been in the land these two years, and still there are five years in which there will neither be plowing nor harvest.g”
7
“And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.h”
8
“So now it was not you who sent me here, but God. And He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”
9
“Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus said your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me, do not delay.’i”
10
“And you will dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you and your children, and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have.j”
11
“And there I will provide for you, for there are still five years of famine; lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty.k”
12
“And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that is speaking to you.”
13
“And you will tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. And you will hurry and bring down my father here.l”
14
Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept. And Benjamin wept on his neck.m
15
Moreover, he kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. And after that his brothers talked with him.
16 ¶
Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.n
17
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘This do: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan,
18
‘and take your father and your households, and come to me. I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.o’”
19
“Now you are commanded—do this. Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come.p”
20
“Also do not regard your goods, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.”
21 ¶
And the children of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.q
22
To all of them he gave each one changes of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.r,s
23
And to his father he sent after this manner: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and meat for his father on the journey.
24
So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. And he said to them, “See that you do not quarrel on the journey.”
25 ¶
And they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan to Jacob their father.
26
And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he did not believe them.t
27
Then they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them. And when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.u
28
And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Chapter 45 references:
a At 7:13; b vss 14,15; Gn 46:29; c Gn 43:27; d Gn 37:20-28; 42:21,22;
e Gn 37:28; 44:20; f vs 7,8; Gn 50:20; g Gn 37:2; 41:46,53; h vs 5; i At 7:14; j Gn 46:28,34; k Gn 47:12; l At 7:14; m vs 2;
n At 7:13; o Gn 27:28; p vs 21,27; Gn 46:5; Nm 7:3-8; q vs 19; r 2 Kg 5:5; s Gn 43:34; t Gn 37:31-35; u vs 19
Chapter 46 — Jacob Moves to Egypt
1 ¶
Then Israel set out on his journey with all that he had. And he came to Beersheba and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.a,b
2
And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”c,d
3
And He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will there make of you a great nation.e”
4
“I will go down with you into Egypt. And I will also surely bring you up again. And Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.f,g,h”
5
Then Jacob rose up from Beersheba. And the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father and their little ones and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.i
6
And they took their cattle and their goods that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob, and all his descendants with him.j
7
His sons and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
8
Now these are the names of the children of Israel that came to Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
9
And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10
And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.a
11
And the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohas, and Merari.
12
And the sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Pharez, and Zarah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.
13
And the sons of Issachar: Tola, Phuvah, Job, and Shimron.
14
And the sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15
These are the sons of Leah whom she bore to Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter Dinah; all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.
16 ¶
And the sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17
And the sons of Asher: Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.
18
These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. And these she bore to Jacob: sixteen souls.
19 ¶
The sons of Rachel Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
20
And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore to him.
21
And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
22
These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; all the souls were fourteen.
23
¶ And the sons of Dan: Hushim.
24
And the sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25
These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob; all the souls were seven.
26
¶ All the souls that came with Jacob to Egypt, who came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six.
27
And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.k
28
¶ And he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to direct his way to Goshen. And they came into the land of Goshen.l
29
Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself to him. And he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time.m
30
And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.”
31 ¶
Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s house, “I will go up and show Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.n’”
32
“And the men are shepherds, for their trade has been to feed livestock. And they have brought their flocks and their herds, and all that they have. And it will come to pass when Pharaoh will call you, and will say, ‘What is your occupation?’
33
“You will say, ‘Your servants’ trade has been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and also our fathers,’ so that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.o,p”
Chapter 46 references:
a Gn 28:10; b Gn 26:24; 28:13; c Nm 12:6; Jb 33:14,15; d Gn 22:11; 31:11;
e Gn 17:1; 28:13; f Gn 28:15; g Gn 50:24; h Gn 50:1; i Gn 45:21; j At 7:15;
k Ex 1:5; Dt 10:22; At 7:14; l Gn 45:10; m Gn 45:14,15; n Gn 47:1; o Gn 13:7,8; 26:20; 37:2;
p Gn 45:10,18; 47:6,11; Ex 8:26
Chapter 47 — Joseph in Egypt During the Famine
1 ¶
Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan. And behold, they are in the land of Goshen.”
2
Then he took some of his brothers, even five men, and presented them to Pharaoh.
3
And Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.”a
4
They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, for your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”
5
Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you.
6
“The land of Egypt is at your disposal. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them live in the land of Goshen. And if you know any capable men among them, then make them rulers over my livestock.”b,c
7 ¶
So Joseph brought in Jacob his father and set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh.d
8
Then Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”
9
And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. And I have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”e
10
Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.f
11 ¶
So Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.g
12
Then Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with bread according to their families.h
13 ¶
Now there was no bread in all the land, for the famine was severe, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine.
14
So Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain that they bought. And Joseph brought the money to Pharaoh’s house.
15
And when money was spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money is gone.”
16
Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, if the money is gone.”
17
So they brought their livestock to Joseph. And Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses and for the flocks and for the livestock of the herds and for the donkeys. And he fed them with bread for all their livestock for that year.
18
When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, “We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent. My lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies and our lands.”
19
“Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. And give us seed, so that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.”
20 ¶
Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them. So the land became Pharaoh’s.
21
And as for the people, he moved them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end.
22
Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a portion assigned to them by Pharaoh. And they ate their portion that Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they did not sell their land.
23
Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have today bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you and you will sow the land.”
24
“And it will come to pass in the increase, that you will give a fifth part to Pharaoh and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and for food for your little ones.”i
25
And they said, “You have saved our lives. Let us find grace in the sight of my lord and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”
26
So Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have a fifth part, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s.
27 ¶
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen. And they had possessions therein and grew and multiplied exceedingly.j,k
28
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the whole age of Jacob was one hundred and forty-seven years.l
29
Now the time drew near that Israel must die. So he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,”m,n
30
“But I will lie with my fathers, and you will carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.o,p” And he said, “I will do as you have said.”
31
And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. And Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.q
Chapter 47 references:
a Gn 46:34; b vs 11; Gn 45:10,18; c Ex 18:21,25; d vs 10; 2 Sm 14:22; 1 Kg 8:66;
e Gn 25:7; 35:28; f vs 7; g vs 6,27; h Gn 45:11; i Gn 41:34; j vs 11; k Gn 35:11;
Ex 1:7; l vs 9; m Gn 24:2; n Gn 24:49; o Gn 15:15; Dt 31:16; p Gn 23:17-20; 49:29-32;
q Gn 21:23,24; 24:3; 31:53; 50:25
Chapter 48 — Manasseh and Ephraim
1 ¶Now it came to pass after these things that one told Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.a
2 And one told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph is coming to you.” And Israel strengthened himself and sat up in the bed.
3 And Jacob said to Joseph, b“God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.c”
4 “And He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you. And I will make of you a multitude of people, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.’”
5 “And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they will be mine.”
6 “But your offspring that have been born after them will be yours, and will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.”
7 “And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was but a little way to go to Ephrath. And I buried her there in the way of Ephrath. The same is Bethlehem.”
8 ¶When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”
9 And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.” And he said, “Please bring them to me and I will bless them.”
10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim from age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near to him and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not expected to see your face. And behold, God has showed me also your offspring.”
12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground.j
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand. And he brought them near to him.
14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.k
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who fed me all my life to this day,l,m
16 the angel who redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads. And let my name be named on them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.n,o”
17 ¶And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. And he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 And his father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. But truly his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.p”
20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “In you will Israel bless, saying, ‘God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’” And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I die. But God will be with you and bring you again to the land of your fathers.q,r”
22 “Moreover, I have given to you one portion above your brothers which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”s
Chapter 48 references:
a Gn 41:51,52; b Gn 35:9-12; c Gn 28:19; 35:6; d vs 1; e Gn 33:18;
f Gn 35:19,20; g vs 10; h Gn 33:5; i Gn 27:1; j Gn 42:6; k Gn 41:51,52;
l Gn 17:1; m Gn 49:24; n Gn 22:11,15-18; 28:13-15; 31:11; o Gn 28:14; 46:3;
p Gn 28:14; 46:3; q Gn 26:3; r Gn 28:15; s Ja 24:32; Jn 4:5
Chapter 49 — Jacob Blesses His Sons
1 ¶Then Jacob called to his sons, and said, “Assemble yourselves together so that I may tell you that which will befall you in the last days.a”
2 “Gather yourselves together, and hear, you sons of Jacob. And hearken to Israel your father.”
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.b”
4 “Unstable as water, you will not excel because you went up to your father’s bed, to my couch, and then you defiled it.c”
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers, instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.d”
6 “Let not my soul come into their council. Let not my glory be united with their assembly, for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.e”
7 “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.f”
8 “Judah, you are he whom your brothers will praise. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s children will bow down before you.g”
9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp. From the prey, my son, you are gone up. He couches. He lies down as a lion. And as an old lion, who will rouse him up?h”
10 “The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. And to Him will the obedience of the people be.i,j”
11 “He ties his foal to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine. He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.k,l”
12 “His eyes will be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.”
13 “Zebulun will dwell at the seashore. And he will be for a haven of ships. And his border will be to Sidon.m”
14 “Issachar is a strong donkey, couching down between two burdens.n”
15 “And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant. And he bowed his shoulder to bear and became a slave at forced labor.”
16 “Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.o”
17 “Dan will be a serpent in the way, a snake in the path that bites the horse’s heels, so that his rider will fall backward.”
18 “I have waited for your salvation, O LORD.p”
19 “Gad, raiders will overcome him. But he will raid at their heels.q”
20 “Out of Asher his food will be rich, and he will yield royal dainties.r”
21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose. He gives beautiful words.s”
22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine, even a fruitful vine by a well, whose branches run over the wall.t”
23 “The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him.”
24 “But his bow remained firm, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),u,v,w,x”
25 “by the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.y,z,a”
26 “The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of my ancestors to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of the one who was separate from his brothers.b”
27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey and at night he will divide the spoil.”
28 ¶All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. And this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, everyone according to his blessing he blessed them.
29 ¶Then he charged them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,c”
30 “in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burial place.d”
31 “There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife. And there I buried Leah.e,f,g”
32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
33 ¶And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
Chapter 49 references:
a Nm 24:14; b Dt 21:17; Ps 78:51; 105:36; c Gn 35:22; Dt 27:20; d Gn 34:25-30; e Ps 64:2; f Ja 19:1,9;
21:1-42; g Gn 27:29; 1 Ch 5:2; h Ez 19:5-7; Mc 5:8; i Nm 24:17; Ps 60:7; 108:8; j Ps 2:6-9; 72:8-11;
k Dt 8:7,8; 2 Kg 18:32; l Is 63:2; m Dt 33:18,19; n Jg 5:16; Ps 68:13; o Dt 33:22; Jg 18:26,27;
p Ex 15:2; Ps 25:5; 40:1-3; 119:166,174; Is 24:9; Mc 7:7; q Dt 33:20; r Dt 33:24,25; s Dt 33:23;
t Dt 33:13-17; u Ps 18:34; 73:23; Is 41:10; v Ps 132:2,5; Is 1:24; 49:26; w Ps 23:1; 80:1; x Ps 118:22;
Is 28:16; 1 Pt 2:6-8; y Gn 28:13; 32:9; z Gn 28:3; a Gn 27:28; b Dt 33:15,16; c Gn 25:8; d Gn 23:16-20;
e Gn 25:9; f Gn 23:19; g Gn 35:29; h Gn 25:8; At 7:15; i vs 29
Chapter 50 — Death of Joseph
1 ¶And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept on him, and kissed him.
2 Then Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. And the physicians embalmed Israel.a
3 Now forty days were required for it, for such is the period required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.b
4 ¶And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I die. In my grave that I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you will bury me.” Now therefore please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.’”c
6 And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father according as he made you swear.”
7 ¶Then Joseph went up to bury his father. And with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
8 and all the house of Joseph, and his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones and their flocks and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. And it was a very great company.
10 Then they came to the threshingfloor of Atad that is beyond Jordan. And there they mourned with a great and very sorrowful lamentation. And he made a mourning for his father seven days.
11 Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore, the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
12 ¶And his sons did to him according as he commanded them,
13 for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burial place.d
14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned into Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who went up with him to bury his father.
15 ¶Now when Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Joseph will perhaps hate us, and will certainly pay us back all the evil that we did to him.”e
16 And they sent a messenger to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying,
17 ‘So will you say to Joseph, “Please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin, for they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 And his brothers also went and fell down before his face. And they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”f
19 And Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?
20 But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring to pass as it is this day, to preserve many people alive.g”
21 “Now therefore, do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.h
22 ¶So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s house. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.
23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.i
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. And God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.j,k,l,m”
25 And Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you and you will carry up my bones from here.n”
26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old. And they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Chapter 50 references:
a vs 26; b vs 10; Nm 20:29; Dt 34:8; c Gn 47:29-31; d Gn 23:16-20;
e Gn 37:28; 42:21,22; f Gn 37:8-10; 41:43; g Gn 37:26,27; 45:5,7;
h Gn 45:11; 47:12; i Gn 30:3; j Gn 48:21; Hb 11:22; k Gn 13:15,17;
l Gn 15:7,8; m Gn 28:13; 35:12; n Ex 13:19; Ja 24:32; Hb 11:22; o vs 2