Study Desk

"But we said to my lord, 'The young man cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

"But we said, 'We cannot go down [to Egypt]. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down [there]; for we [were sternly told that we] cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers were speechless, for they were stunned and dismayed by [the fact that they were in] Joseph's presence.

"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 household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

To each of them Joseph gave changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.

and they said to him, "Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." But Jacob was stunned and his heart almost stopped beating, because he did not believe them.

The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah—but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

When that year was ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord [the fact] 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.

but when I lie down with my fathers [in death], you will carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place [at Hebron in the cave of Machpelah]." And Joseph said, "I will do as you have directed."

"But other sons who were born to you after them shall be your own; they shall be called by the names of their [two] brothers in their inheritance.

Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face, but see, God has shown me your children as well."

But Israel reached out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands [intentionally], even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know; Manasseh also will become a people and he will be great; but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."

Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to [Canaan] the land of your fathers.

"But unstable and reckless and boiling over like water [in sinful lust], you shall not excel or have the preeminence [of the firstborn], Because you went up to your father's bed [with Bilhah]; You defiled it—he went up to my couch.

"As for Gad—a raiding troop shall raid him, But he shall raid at their heels and assault them [victoriously].

"But his bow remained firm and steady [in the Strength that does not fail], For his arms were made strong and agile By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (By the name of the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? [Vengeance is His, not mine.]

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive [as they are this day].

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up out of this land to the land which He promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob [to give you]."