Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 70
64
Genesis 42
PG 62
DIRECT
PG 62
SCENIC
42:1-38
42:1–43:34
24
34
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS GO TO EGYPT
Pharaoh frees Joseph from prison, and Joseph’s interpretation of the dream
begins to come true. At the same time, famine hits Canaan again, along with
other nations. Only Egypt, with its large grain reserves, is prepared to endure
the famine. Out of desperation, Joseph’s brothers travel to Egypt to buy grain for
their starving families.
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.”
53
At 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. 57 And
people from all around came to Egypt to buy
grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS GO TO EGYPT
42
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.”
3
So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down
to Egypt to buy grain. 4 But Jacob w
ouldn’t let
Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, go with
them, for fear some harm might come to him.
5
So Jacob’s* sons arrived in Egypt along with
others to buy food, for the famine was in Ca
naan as well.
6
Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and
in charge of selling grain to all the people, it
was to him that his brothers came. When they
arrived, they bowed before him with their faces
to the ground. 7 Joseph recognized his brothers
instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger
and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you
from?” he demanded.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied.
“We have come to buy food.”
8
Although Joseph recognized his brothers,
they d
idn’t recognize him. 9 And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many
years before. He said to them, “You are spies!
You have come to see how vulnerable our land
has become.”
10
“No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food. 11 We are
all brothers—members of the same family. We
are honest men, sir! We are not spies!”
12
“Yes, you are!” Joseph insisted. “You have
come to see how vulnerable our land has
become.”
13
“Sir,” they said, “there are actually twelve
of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons
of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our
youngest brother is back there with our father
right now, and one of our brothers is no longer
with us.”
14
But Joseph insisted, “As I said, you are
spies! 15 This is how I will test your story. I swear
by the life of Pharaoh that you will never leave
Egypt unless your youngest brother comes
here! 16 One of you must go and get your brother. I’ll keep the rest of you here in prison. Then
we’ll find out whether or not your story is true.
By the life of Pharaoh, if it turns out that you
don’t have a younger brother, then I’ll know
you are spies.”
17
So Joseph put them all in prison for three
41:51 Manasseh sounds like a Hebrew term that means “causing
to forget.” 41:52 Ephraim sounds like a Hebrew term that means
“fruitful.” 42:5 Hebrew Israel’s. See note on 35:21.
