Study Desk

And the forty days needed for making the body ready went by: and there was weeping for him among the Egyptians for seventy days.

And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph said to the servants of Pharaoh, If now you have love for me, say these words to Pharaoh:

My father made me take an oath, saying, When I am dead, put me to rest in the place I have made ready for myself in the land of Canaan. So now let me go and put my father in his last resting-place, and I will come back again.

And they came to the grain-floor of Atad on the other side of Jordan, and there they gave the last honours to Jacob, with great and bitter sorrow, weeping for their father for seven days.

For they took him into the land of Canaan and put him to rest in the hollow rock in the field of Machpelah, which Abraham got with the field, for a resting-place, from Ephron the Hittite at Mamre.

Now after the death of their father, Joseph's brothers said to themselves, It may be that Joseph's heart will be turned against us, and he will give us punishment for all the evil which we did to him.

As for you, it was in your mind to do me evil, but God has given a happy outcome, the salvation of numbers of people, as you see today.

So now, have no fear: for I will take care of you and your little ones. So he gave them comfort with kind words.

Let us take care for fear that their numbers may become even greater, and if there is a war, they may be joined with those who are against us, and make an attack on us, and go up out of the land.

So they put overseers of forced work over them, in order to make their strength less by the weight of their work. And they made store-towns for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses.

And the king of Egypt sent for the women, and said to them, Why have you done this, and let the male children go on living?

And they said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are strong, and the birth takes place before we come to them.

And she became with child and gave birth to a Son; and when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she kept him secretly for three months.

And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take the child away and give it milk for me, and I will give you payment. And the woman took the child and gave it milk at her breast.

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came to get water for their father's flock.

And the keepers of the sheep came up and were driving them away; but Moses got up and came to their help, watering their flock for them.

And they said, An Egyptian came to our help against the keepers of sheep and got water for us and gave it to the flock.

And she gave birth to a son, to whom he gave the name Gershom: for he said, I have been living in a strange land.

Now after a long time the king of Egypt came to his end: and the children of Israel were crying in their grief under the weight of their work, and their cry for help came to the ears of God.

And he said, Do not come near: take off your shoes from your feet, for the place where you are is holy.