The One Year Chronological Study Bible - Flipbook - Page 60
JANUARY 16
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page 56
him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold
chain around his neck. 43 Then he had Joseph
ride in the chariot reserved for his second-incommand. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh
put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 44And Pharaoh
said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a
hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without
your approval.”
45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a new Egyptian
name, Zaphenath-paneah.* He also gave him
a wife, whose name was Asenath. She was the
daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On.* So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt. 46 He
was thirty years old when he began serving in the
court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when
Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he inspected the
entire land of Egypt.
47As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops. 48 During those years, Joseph
gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored
the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities.
49 He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on
the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records
because there was too much to measure.
50 During this time, before the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his
wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the
priest of On. 51 Joseph named his older son Manasseh,* for he said, “God has made me forget all
my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.”
52 Joseph named his second son Ephraim,* for he
said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of
my grief.”
53At last the seven years of bumper crops
throughout the land of Egypt came to an end.
54 Then the seven years of famine began, just as
Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all
the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt
there was plenty of food. 55 Eventually, however,
the famine spread throughout the land of Egypt
as well. And when the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told them, “Go to Joseph, and do
whatever he tells you.” 56 So with severe famine
everywhere, Joseph opened up the storehouses
and distributed grain to the Egyptians, for the
famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt.
57And people from all around came to Egypt to
buy grain from Joseph because the famine was
severe throughout the world.
D A I LY D I S C O V E R Y
• How must Joseph have felt
when the cup-bearer forgot
about him and he continued
just waiting in prison?
Day 16 •
• What lesson does Joseph learn
about God’s timing when
Pharaoh’s cup-bearer finally
remembers him?
• In what ways does Joseph
see God’s big picture? How
does Joseph partially fulfill the
blessing of Abraham when he
distributes food to all nations?
JANUARY 16
The famine provides a character test for Joseph’s brothers. The challenges they face in Egypt help them
acknowledge their guilt in the betrayal of Joseph years earlier. Their words (which they don’t realize Joseph
understands) reveal the pain of guilt they have been experiencing and their understanding of God’s law
about the shedding of blood (see Genesis 4:10; 9:5-6).
When Joseph threatens to enslave Benjamin (another test), Judah— who has lost two adult sons and
can identify with Jacob’s grief over the loss of Joseph— offers himself as a substitute for Benjamin. Joseph
makes himself known to his brothers and recognizes the providential hand of God in sending him ahead
to preserve his family. The later Israelites would learn from this story how God, in His grace, protected,
strengthened, and transformed the progenitors of their ancestral tribes.
DIVIDED
KINGDOM
KINGDOM
EXODUS
PATRIARCH
PATRIARCH
CREATION
41:45a Zaphenath-paneah probably means “God speaks and
lives.” 41:45b Greek version reads of Heliopolis; also in 41:50.
41:51 Manasseh sounds like a Hebrew term that means “causing
to forget.” 41:52 Ephraim sounds like a Hebrew term that means
“fruitful.”
JUDGES
When Jacob heard that grain was available in
Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? 2 I have heard
there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy
enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.”
1
3 So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down
to Egypt to buy grain. 4 But Jacob wouldn’t let
Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, go with
them, for fear some harm might come to him.
CONQUEST
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt •
GENESIS 42:1-38 / ca. 1877 or 1711 BC
