Joseph in Charge of Egypt

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”(A) 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring(B) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes(C) of fine linen(D) and put a gold chain around his neck.(E) 43 He had him ride in a chariot(F) as his second-in-command,[a](G) and people shouted before him, “Make way[b]!”(H) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.(I)

44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”(J) 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph(K) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest(L) of On,[c](M) to be his wife.(N) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old(O) when he entered the service(P) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance(Q) the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.(R) In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;(S) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.(T) 51 Joseph named his firstborn(U) Manasseh[d](V) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim[e](W) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful(X) in the land of my suffering.”

53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine(Y) began,(Z) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine,(AA) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”(AB)

56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,(AC) for the famine(AD) was severe throughout Egypt.(AE) 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,(AF) because the famine was severe everywhere.(AG)

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,(AH) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,(AI) so that we may live and not die.”(AJ)

Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain(AK) from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin,(AL) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.(AM) So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,(AN) for there was famine in the land of Canaan(AO) also.(AP)

Now Joseph was the governor of the land,(AQ) the person who sold grain to all its people.(AR) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.(AS) As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.(AT) “Where do you come from?”(AU) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.(AV) Then he remembered his dreams(AW) about them and said to them, “You are spies!(AX) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(AY)

10 “No, my lord,(AZ)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.(BA) 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants(BB) are honest men,(BC) not spies.(BD)

12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(BE)

13 But they replied, “Your servants(BF) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.(BG) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”(BH)

14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!(BI) 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,(BJ) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.(BK) 16 Send one of your number to get your brother;(BL) the rest of you will be kept in prison,(BM) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.(BN) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!(BO) 17 And he put them all in custody(BP) for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:(BQ) 19 If you are honest men,(BR) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,(BS) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.(BT) 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me,(BU) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.(BV) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress(BW) has come on us.”

22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?(BX) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting(BY) for his blood.”(BZ) 23 They did not realize(CA) that Joseph could understand them,(CB) since he was using an interpreter.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 41:43 Or in the chariot of his second-in-command; or in his second chariot
  2. Genesis 41:43 Or Bow down
  3. Genesis 41:45 That is, Heliopolis; also in verse 50
  4. Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for forget.
  5. Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for twice fruitful.

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