Study Desk

‘My father had me make a promise to him. He said, "See, I am about to die. Bury me in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan." So let me go and bury my father. Then I will return.'"

They came to the grain-floor of Atad on the other side of the Jordan. There they cried with much sorrow. Joseph cried in sorrow for his father for seven days.

When those who lived in the land, the Canaanites, saw the people crying in sorrow at the grain-floor of Atad, they said, "This is a great sorrow for the Egyptians." So the place was given the name Abel-mizraim. It is on the other side of the Jordan.

They carried him to the land of Canaan. They buried him in the grave of the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre, which Abraham had bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burying place.

When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be now that Joseph will hate us, and pay us in return for all the wrong that we did to him!"

‘You say to Joseph, "Forgive the wrong-doing of your brothers and their sin. For they did a bad thing to you."' Now we beg you, forgive the wrong-doing of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph cried when they spoke to him.

You planned to do a bad thing to me. But God planned it for good, to make it happen that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

He said to his people, "See, the people of Israel are too many and too powerful for us.

So they put men in power over them to make them work hard. And they built the store-cities Pithom and Raamses for Pharaoh the king.

She was going to have a baby, and she gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months.

Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Should I go and call a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"

Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me. And I will pay you." So the woman took the child and nursed him.

But the man said, "Who made you a ruler and a judge among us? Do you plan to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid. He thought, "For sure the thing I have done is known."

They answered, "An Egyptian saved us from the shepherds. He even got the water for us and gave water to the flock."

She gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Gershom. For he said, "I have been a stranger in a strange land."

Now after a long time, the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel were sad in their spirit because of being servants. They cried for help. And because of their hard work their cry went up to God.

God said, "Do not come near. Take your shoes off your feet. For the place where you are standing is holy ground."

He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face. For he was afraid to look at God.

Now the cry of the people of Israel has come to Me. I have seen what power the Egyptians use to make it hard for them.

God said, "But I will be with you. And this will be something special for you to see to know that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this mountain."