038:021 Then he asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is
the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?" They said,
"There has been no prostitute here."
038:022 He returned to Judah, and said, "I haven't found her;
and also the men of the place said, 'There has been
no prostitute here.'"
038:023 Judah said, "Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent
this kid, and you haven't found her."
038:024 It happened about three months later, that it was told Judah,
saying, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute;
and moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution."
Judah said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."
038:025 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law,
saying, "By the man, whose these are, I am with child."
She also said, "Please discern whose are these--the signet,
and the cords, and the staff."
038:026 Judah acknowledged them, and said, "She is more righteous
than I, because I didn't give her to Shelah, my son."
He knew her again no more.
038:027 It happened in the time of her travail, that behold,
twins were in her womb.
038:028 When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied
a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This came out first."
038:029 It happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother
came out, and she said, "Why have you made a breach for yourself?"
Therefore his name was called Perez.{Perez means "breaking out."}
038:030 Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet
thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.{Zerah
means "scarlet" or "brightness."}
039:001 Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer
of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian,
bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought
him down there.
039:002 Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man.
He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
039:003 His master saw that Yahweh was with him, and that Yahweh made
all that he did prosper in his hand.
039:004 Joseph found favor in his sight. He ministered to him,
and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had
he put into his hand.
039:005 It happened from the time that he made him overseer in his house,
and over all that he had, that Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's
house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of Yahweh was on
all that he had, in the house and in the field.
039:006 He left all that he had in Joseph's hand. He didn't concern
himself with anything, except for the food which he ate.
Joseph was well-built and handsome.
039:007 It happened after these things, that his master's wife cast
her eyes on Joseph; and she said, "Lie with me."
039:008 But he refused, and said to his master's wife, "Behold, my master
doesn't know what is with me in the house, and he has put
all that he has into my hand.
039:009 He isn't greater in this house than I, neither has he kept
back anything from me but you, because you are his wife.
How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
039:010 As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn't listen to her,
to lie by her, or to be with her.
039:011 About this time, he went into the house to do his work,
and there were none of the men of the house inside.
039:012 She caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!"
He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside.
039:013 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand,
and had run outside,
039:014 she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them,
saying, "Behold, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us.
He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
039:015 It happened, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried,
that he left his garment by me, and ran outside."
039:016 She laid up his garment by her, until his master came home.
039:017 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,
039:018 and it happened, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left
his garment by me, and ran outside."
039:019 It happened, when his master heard the words of his wife,
which she spoke to him, saying, "This is what your servant
did to me," that his wrath was kindled.
039:020 Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison,
the place where the king's prisoners were bound, and he was
there in custody.
039:021 But Yahweh was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him,
and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
039:022 The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all
the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever they did there,
he was responsible for it.
039:023 The keeper of the prison didn't look after anything that was under
his hand, because Yahweh was with him; and that which he did,
Yahweh made it prosper.
040:001 It happened after these things, that the butler of the king
of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
040:002 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer
and the chief baker.
040:003 He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,
into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
040:004 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took
care of them. They stayed in prison many days.
040:005 They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night,
each man according to the interpretation of his dream,
the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were
bound in the prison.
040:006 Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw
that they were sad.
040:007 He asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his
master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"
040:008 They said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there
is no one who can interpret it." Joseph said to them,
"Don't interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me."
040:009 The chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him,
"In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me,
040:010 and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded,
its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters of it brought
forth ripe grapes.
040:011 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."
040:012 Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it:
the three branches are three days.
040:013 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head,
and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh's cup
into his hand, the way you did when you were his cupbearer.
040:014 But remember me when it will be well with you, and show
kindness, please, to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh,
and bring me out of this house.
040:015 For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews,
and here also have I done nothing that they should put me
into the dungeon."
040:016 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good,
he said to Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and behold,
three baskets of white bread were on my head.
040:017 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."
040:018 Joseph answered, "This is the interpretation of it.
The three baskets are three days.
040:019 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from
off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat
your flesh from off you."
040:020 It happened the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday,
that he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up
the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief
baker among his servants.
040:021 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position again,
and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand;
040:022 but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
040:023 Yet the chief cupbearer didn't remember Joseph, but forgot him.
041:001 It happened at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed:
and behold, he stood by the river.
041:002 Behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, sleek and fat,
and they fed in the marsh grass.
041:003 Behold, seven other cattle came up after them out of the river,
ugly and thin, and stood by the other cattle on the brink
of the river.
041:004 The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle.
So Pharaoh awoke.
041:005 He slept and dreamed a second time: and behold, seven heads
of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good.
041:006 Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind,
sprung up after them.
041:007 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears.
Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
041:008 It happened in the morning that his spirit was troubled,
and he sent and called for all of Egypt's magicians and wise men.
Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could
interpret them to Pharaoh.
041:009 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I remember
my faults today.
041:010 Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in
the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker.
041:011 We dreamed a dream in one night, I and he. We dreamed each man
according to the interpretation of his dream.
041:012 There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain
of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams.
To each man according to his dream he interpreted.
041:013 It happened, as he interpreted to us, so it was:
he restored me to my office, and he hanged him."
041:014 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily
out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothing,
and came in to Pharaoh.
041:015 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there
is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you,
that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
041:016 Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It isn't in me.
God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
041:017 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I stood on
the brink of the river:
041:018 and behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle,
fat and sleek. They fed in the marsh grass,
041:019 and behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and
very ugly and thin, such as I never saw in all the land
of Egypt for ugliness.
041:020 The thin and ugly cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle,
041:021 and when they had eaten them up, it couldn't be known that they
had eaten them, but they were still ugly, as at the beginning.
So I awoke.
041:022 I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up
on one stalk, full and good:
041:023 and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted
with the east wind, sprung up after them.
041:024 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain.
I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could
explain it to me."
041:025 Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dream of Pharaoh is one.
What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh.
041:026 The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads
of grain are seven years. The dream is one.
041:027 The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are
seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted
with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine.
041:028 That is the thing which I spoke to Pharaoh. What God is about
to do he has shown to Pharaoh.
041:029 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout
all the land of Egypt.
041:030 There will arise after them seven years of famine,
and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt.
The famine will consume the land,
041:031 and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that
famine which follows; for it will be very grievous.
041:032 The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established
by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
041:033 "Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man,
and set him over the land of Egypt.
041:034 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land,
and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt's produce
in the seven plenteous years.
041:035 Let them gather all the food of these good years that come,
and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities,
and let them keep it.
041:036 The food will be for a store to the land against the seven
years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt;
that the land not perish through the famine."
041:037 The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes
of all his servants.
041:038 Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this,
a man in whom is the Spirit of God?"
041:039 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Because God has shown you all of this,
there is none so discreet and wise as you.
041:040 You shall be over my house, and according to your word
will all my people be ruled. Only in the throne I will be
greater than you."
041:041 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, I have set you over all
the land of Egypt."
041:042 Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it
on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen,
and put a gold chain about his neck,
041:043 and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had.
They cried before him, "Bow the knee!" He set him over all
the land of Egypt.
041:044 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without you shall
no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt."
041:045 Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-Paneah; and he gave
him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife.
Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
041:046 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king
of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh,
and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
041:047 In the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth abundantly.
041:048 He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were
in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities:
the food of the field, which was round about every city,
he laid up in the same.
041:049 Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much,
until he stopped counting, for it was without number.
041:050 To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came,
whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On,
bore to him.
041:051 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh,{"Manasseh"
sounds like the Hebrew for "forget."} "For," he said, "God has
made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house."
041:052 The name of the second, he called Ephraim{"Ephraim"
sounds like the Hebrew for "twice fruitful."}: "For God has
made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."
041:053 The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt,
came to an end.
041:054 The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said.
There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt
there was bread.
041:055 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh
for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph.
What he says to you, do."
041:056 The famine was over all the surface of the earth.
Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians.
The famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
041:057 All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain,
because the famine was severe in all the earth.
042:001 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said
to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"
042:002 He said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt.
Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live,
and not die."
042:003 Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
042:004 But Jacob didn't send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers;
for he said, "Lest perhaps harm happen to him."
042:005 The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came,
for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
042:006 Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold
to all the people of the land. Joseph's brothers came,
and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.
042:007 Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted
like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them.
He said to them, "Where did you come from?" They said,
"From the land of Canaan to buy food."
042:008 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.
042:009 Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them,
and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see
the nakedness of the land."
042:010 They said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come
to buy food.
042:011 We are all one man's sons; we are honest men. Your servants
are not spies."
042:012 He said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness
of the land."
042:013 They said, "We, 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 no more."
042:014 Joseph said to them, "It is like I told you, saying, 'You are spies.'
042:015 By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh,
you shall not go forth from here, unless your youngest
brother comes here.
042:016 Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound,
that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you,
or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies."
042:017 He put them all together into custody for three days.
042:018 Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this, and live,
for I fear God.
042:019 If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound
in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine
of your houses.
042:020 Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified,
and you won't die." They did so.
042:021 They said one to another, "We are certainly guilty concerning
our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul,
when he begged us, and we wouldn't listen. Therefore this
distress has come upon us."
042:022 Reuben answered them, saying, "Didn't I tell you, saying,
'Don't sin against the child,' and you wouldn't listen?
Therefore also, behold, his blood is required."
042:023 They didn't know that Joseph understood them; for there was
an interpreter between them.
042:024 He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned
to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them,
and bound him before their eyes.
042:025 Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain,
and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give
them food for the way. So it was done to them.
042:026 They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.
042:027 As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the
lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth
of his sack.
042:028 He said to his brothers, "My money is restored! Behold, it is
in my sack!" Their hearts failed them, and they turned
trembling one to another, saying, "What is this that God has
done to us?"
042:029 They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan,
and told him all that had happened to them, saying,
042:030 "The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us,
and took us for spies of the country.
042:031 We said to him, 'We are honest men. We are no spies.
042:032 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more,
and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'
042:033 The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know
that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me,
and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way.
042:034 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know
that you are not spies, but that you are honest men.
So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade
in the land.'"
042:035 It happened as they emptied their sacks, that behold, every man's
bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father
saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
042:036 Jacob, their father, said to them, "You have bereaved me
of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more,
and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things
are against me."
042:037 Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Kill my two sons,
if I don't bring him to you. Entrust him to my care,
and I will bring him to you again."
042:038 He said, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother
is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along
the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray
hairs with sorrow to Sheol."
043:001 The famine was severe in the land.
043:002 It happened, when they had eaten up the grain which they had
brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again,
buy us a little more food."
043:003 Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying,
'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'
043:004 If you'll send our brother with us, we'll go down and buy you food,
043:005 but if you'll not send him, we'll not go down, for the man
said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother
is with you.'"
043:006 Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man
that you had another brother?"
043:007 They said, "The man asked directly concerning ourselves,
and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive?
Have you another brother?' We just answered his questions.
Is there any way we could know that he would say,
'Bring your brother down?'"
043:008 Judah said to Israel, his father, "Send the boy with me,
and we'll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die,
both we, and you, and also our little ones.
043:009 I'll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him.
If I don't bring him to you, and set him before you,
then let me bear the blame forever,
043:010 for if we hadn't delayed, surely we would have returned a second
time by now."
043:011 Their father, Israel, said to them, "If it must be so, then do this.
Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry
down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey,
spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
043:012 and take double money in your hand, and take back
the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks.
Perhaps it was an oversight.
043:013 Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
043:014 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man,
that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin.
If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
043:015 The men took that present, and they took double money in
their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt,
and stood before Joseph.
043:016 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of
his house, "Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal,
and make ready; for the men will dine with me at noon."
043:017 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men
to Joseph's house.
043:018 The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house;
and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our
sacks at the first time, we're brought in; that he may seek
occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves,
along with our donkeys."
043:019 They came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they
spoke to him at the door of the house,
043:020 and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time
to buy food.
043:021 When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks,
and behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack,
our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
043:022 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food.
We don't know who put our money in our sacks."
043:023 He said, "Peace be to you. Don't be afraid. Your God,
and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks.
I received your money." He brought Simeon out to them.
043:024 The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water,
and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
043:025 They made ready the present for Joseph's coming at noon,
for they heard that they should eat bread there.
043:026 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was
in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to him
to the earth.
043:027 He asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well,
the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?"
043:028 They said, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive."
They bowed the head, and did homage.
043:029 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother,
his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother,
of whom you spoke to me?" He said, "God be gracious