How God Created Everything

1:1-2:3

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the deep waters, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good. Then God separated between the light and the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. Then there was evening, and there was morning, one day.

6 Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 So God made the expanse and separated between the waters that were under the expanse and the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heavens. Then there was evening, and there was morning, the second day.

9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered to one place, and let the dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 And God called the dry ground Land, and the gathered waters he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

11 Then God said, “Let the land sprout vegetation: every plant yielding seed, every fruit tree bearing fruit according to its kind, that has its seed inside it, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 So the land brought out vegetation, every plant yielding seed according to its kind, and every tree bearing fruit that has its seed inside it, according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 Then there was evening, and there was morning, the third day.

14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate between the day and the night. And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years. 15 And let them be as lights in the expanse of the heavens to shine on the earth.” And it was so. 16 So God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to shine on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate between the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 Then there was evening, and there was morning, the fourth day.

20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the expanse of the sky.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves which the waters swarm with according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” 23 Then there was evening, and there was morning, the fifth day.

24 Then God said, “Let the land bring forth every living creature according to its kind: livestock and every crawling creature and every living thing of the earth, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 So God made every creature of the earth according to its kind, and the livestock according to its kind, and every crawling creature of the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every moving creature moving on the earth.” 27 Then God created man in his image. In the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. And rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 Then God said, “Behold, I have given to you every plant that yields seed that is on the surface of the whole earth and every tree that has tree fruit that yields seed inside it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to every living thing of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything moving on the earth that has living breath in it, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

31 Then God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Then there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.

2 So the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2 And by the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it he rested from all his work of creating that God had done.

Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden

2:4-25

4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day when Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens, 5 and every shrub of the field had not yet appeared on the earth, and every plant of the field had not yet sprung up, because Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to work the ground. 6 But mist came up from the earth and watered all of the surface of the ground. 7 Then Yahweh God formed the man out of dust from the ground, and he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now Yahweh God had planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And Yahweh God had made to grow from the ground every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 And a river was going out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is Pishon. It winds through all of the land of Havilah, where gold is. 12 And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon. It winds through all of the land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is Tigris. It goes east of Asshur. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

15 And Yahweh God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and tend it. 16 Then Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “From every tree of the garden you may freely eat, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because on the day you eat from it you will surely die.”

18 Then Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him.” 19 Now Yahweh God had formed from the ground every living thing of the field and every bird of the sky. So he brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 And the man gave names to all the livestock and to the birds of the sky and to every living thing of the field, but for the man a suitable helper was not found.

21 So Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man. And while he was sleeping, then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 Then Yahweh God built the rib which he had taken from the man into a woman, and he brought her to the man. 23 And the man said,

“This one now is bone from my bones

and flesh from my flesh!

She will be called ‘woman,’

because it was from a man that she was taken.”

24 For that reason a man will leave his father and his mother, and he will cling to his wife, and they will become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.

The First Sin and God’s Judgment

3:1-24

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than every living thing of the field that Yahweh God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 Then the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden, 3 except from the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die!’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that on the day you eat from it, then your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God in knowing good and evil.” 6 And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. Then she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made aprons for themselves.

8 Then they heard the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, but the man and his wife hid from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden. 9 So Yahweh God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard your sound in the garden, but I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” 11 Then he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 Then the man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 Then Yahweh God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, so I ate it.”

14 Then Yahweh God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

you are cursed above all the livestock

and above every living thing of the field.

You will move on your belly,

and you will eat dust

all the days of your life.

15 I will also put hostility

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring.

He will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel.”

16 To the woman he said,

“I will greatly multiply your pain and your childbearing;

in pain you will bear children.

Yet your desire will be for your husband,

and he will rule over you.”

17 Then to the man he said, “Since you listened to the voice of your wife and ate from the tree that I commanded you, saying, ‘You must not eat from it,’

the ground is cursed because of you.

By painful toil you will eat from it

all the days of your life.

18 And it will produce thorns and thistles for you,

and you will eat the plants of the fields.

19 By the sweat of your nose

you will eat bread,

until you return to the ground,

since from it you were taken.

For you are dust,

and to dust you will return.”

20 Then the man called the name of his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. 21 Then Yahweh God made garments of animal skins for Adam and his wife, and he clothed them.

22 Then Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. And now he must not reach out his hand and also take fruit from the tree of life and eat it and live forever!” 23 So Yahweh God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to work the ground which he had been taken from. 24 And after he drove the man out, then he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim angels and a flaming sword that was turning in every direction to guard the way of the tree of life.

Cain and Abel — the First Murder

4:1-16

4 Then the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain. And she said, “I have obtained a man with Yahweh!” 2 Then she continued on to bear his brother Abel. Now Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain became a worker of the ground. 3 And it happened in the course of days that Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground as an offering to Yahweh. 4 And Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flocks and some of their fat. And Yahweh looked favorably on Abel and his offering. 5 But he did not look favorably on Cain and his offering. So Cain burned with intense anger, and his face fell. 6 Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you burning with anger? And why is your face fallen? 7 If you do right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do right, sin is crouching at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Then Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And it happened while they were in the field, then Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

9 Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he replied, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 Then he said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11 So now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will not continue to yield its strength for you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13 Then Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, today you are driving me from the surface of the ground, and I will be hidden from your presence. And I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and it will be that everyone who finds me will kill me!” 15 Then Yahweh said to him, “For that reason, anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over!” Then Yahweh put a mark on Cain so that everyone who found him would not strike him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of Yahweh and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Cain’s Descendants

4:17-24

17 Then Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he was building a city, so he called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch. 18 Then to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.

19 Then Lamech took for himself two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 20 And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and own livestock. 21 And the name of his brother was Jubal. He was the father of all who play harps and flutes.

22 And Zillah also bore Tubal Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal Cain was Naamah.

23 And Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice.

Wives of Lamech, give ear to my words:

For I killed a man for my wound,

even a young man for my bruise.

24 If Cain is avenged seven times,

then Lamech is avenged seventy-seven times!”

Seth and His Son Enosh

4:25-26

25 Then Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son, and she called his name Seth, because she had said, “God has appointed for me another offspring in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 And to Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh.

Then people began to call on the name of Yahweh.

The Descendants of Adam to Noah

5:1-32

1 Chronicles 1:1-4

5 This is the written account of the generations of Adam: On the day God created mankind, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female, and he blessed them and called their name “mankind” on the day they were created.

3 And Adam lived 130 years, then he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he called his name Seth. 4 And the days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 5 So all the days of Adam that he lived were 930 years, and he died.

6 And Seth lived 105 years, then he fathered Enosh. 7 Then after he fathered Enosh, Seth lived 807 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 8 So all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

9 And Enosh lived ninety years, then he fathered Kenan. 10 Then after he fathered Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 11 So all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

12 And Kenan lived seventy years, then he fathered Mahalalel. 13 Then after he fathered Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 14 So all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.

15 And Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then he fathered Jared. 16 Then after he fathered Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 17 So all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.

18 And Jared lived 162 years, then he fathered Enoch. 19 Then after he fathered Enoch, Jared lived 800 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 20 So all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.

21 And Enoch lived sixty-five years, then he fathered Methuselah. 22 Then after he fathered Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 And Enoch walked with God, and then he was not there, because God took him away.

25 And Methuselah lived 187 years, then he fathered Lamech. 26 Then after he fathered Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 27 So all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.

28 And Lamech lived 182 years, then he fathered a son, 29 and he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us from our labors and from the toil of our hands because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed.” 30 Then after he fathered Noah, Lamech lived 595 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 31 So all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

32 And Noah was a son of 500 years, then Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The Worldwide Flood

chapters 6:1-9:29

Evil Increases on the Earth

6:1-8

6 And it happened when mankind began to multiply on the surface of the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 then the sons of God saw the daughters of mankind, that they were beautiful, so they took wives for themselves from any of them that they chose. 3 Then Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with mankind forever, because they are indeed flesh. Therefore their days will be 120 years.”

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also after that, when the sons of God went to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children for them. They were the mighty ones who were from long ago, the men of renown.

5 And Yahweh saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil all day long. 6 So Yahweh was sorry that he had made mankind on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart. 7 Then Yahweh said, “I will wipe away mankind whom I created off the surface of the ground, both mankind and animals, and crawling creatures and the birds of the sky, because I am sorry that I made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.

Noah Prepares for the Flood

6:9-22

9 These are the generations of Noah: He was a righteous man. He was without blemish in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupted, because all flesh on the earth had corrupted its way. 13 So God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, because the earth is filled with violence because of them. So behold, I am destroying them with the earth. 14 Make an ark for yourself out of gopher wood. Make the ark with rooms, and cover it inside and outside with a covering. 15 And this is how you must make it: the length of the ark must be 300 cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 Make a window for the ark and finish it to within one cubit from the top. And put the door of the ark in its side. Make a lower, a second, and a third deck. 17 And I, behold, I am bringing floodwaters on the earth to destroy all flesh that has the breath of life in it from under the heavens. Everything that is on the earth will expire! 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, so you must go into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and the wives of your sons with you. 19 And from every living creature, from all flesh, you must bring two from each kind into the ark to keep alive with you. They must be male and female. 20 From the birds according to their kinds, and from the animals according to their kinds, from every moving creature of the ground according to its kind, two from every kind will come to you to keep alive. 21 And you must take with you some of every food that is eaten and store it with you, and it will be food for you and for them.” 22 And Noah did that; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.

Yahweh Sends the Flood

7:1-23

7 Then Yahweh said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 From every clean animal take with you seven pairs, a male and its female, and from every animal that is not clean take two, a male and its female, 3 also from every bird of the sky take seven pairs, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the surface of the whole earth, 4 because in seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe every living thing that I have made off the surface of the ground.” 5 Then Noah did all that Yahweh had commanded him.

6 Now Noah was a son of 600 years when the floodwaters came on the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and the wives of his sons went with him into the ark from the presence of the waters of the flood. 8 Pairs from the clean animals and from the animals that are not clean and from the birds and everything that moves on the ground 9 went two by two to Noah into the ark, male and female, just as God had commanded Noah.

10 And it happened, after the seven days, then the waters of the flood came on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the windows of the heavens were opened, 12 so that the rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

13 On that same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and the wife of Noah and the three wives of his sons with them, went into the ark, 14 they and every living thing according to its kind, and every livestock according to its kind, and every moving creature moving on the earth according to its kind, and every bird according to its kind, every bird of every wing. 15 So they went to Noah into the ark, two by two from all flesh which has in it the breath of life. 16 And those that went in were male and female from all flesh; they went in just as God had commanded him. Then Yahweh shut him in.

17 Then the flood came on the earth for forty days, and the waters increased and lifted the ark so that it rose up off the earth. 18 And the waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark went on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters rose very greatly on the earth, so that all the high mountains that were under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose fifteen cubits above them, so that the mountains were covered. 21 Then all flesh that moved on the earth expired, including the birds and the livestock and the living things and all the swarming things swarming on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything that had the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils, everything that lived on dry land, died. 23 So he wiped away every living thing that was on the surface of the ground, including mankind and livestock and crawling creatures and also the birds of the sky. So they were wiped off the earth, and only Noah was left and those who were with him in the ark.

God Ends the Flood

7:24-8:19

24 And the waters prevailed over the earth for 150 days.

8 But God remembered Noah and all the living things and all the livestock that were with him in the ark, and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 And the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, and the rain from the heavens was stopped. 3 Then the waters receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of the 150 days the waters had decreased, 4 so that in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters continued to decrease until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first of the month, the tops of the mountains could be seen.

6 Then it happened at the end of forty days that Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made, 7 and he sent out the raven, and it kept flying out and returning until the waters dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out the dove from him to see if the waters had subsided from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove did not find a resting place for the sole of its feet, so it returned to him in the ark, because the waters were over the surface of the entire earth. And he reached out his hand and took it and brought it to him into the ark. 10 Then he waited another seven days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 Then the dove returned to him at evening time, and behold, there was a freshly picked olive leaf in its mouth. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days, and he sent out the dove, but it did not return to him again.

13 So it happened in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were drying up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was drying. 14 Then in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.

15 Then God said to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and the wives of your sons with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you, all flesh, including the birds and the livestock and every moving creature moving on the earth, so that they will abound on the earth and be fruitful and multiply over the earth.” 18 Then Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and the wives of his sons with him. 19 Every living thing, every crawling thing and every bird, everything moving on the earth, went out of the ark by their families.

Yahweh Establishes His Covenant with Noah and His Descendants

8:20-9:17

20 Then Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and he took from every clean animal and from every clean bird, and he offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma, and Yahweh said in his heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of mankind, though the inclination of mankind’s hearts is evil from their youth. And never again will I strike every living thing as I have done.

22 While all of the days of the earth continue,

seed time and harvest,

and cold and heat,

and summer and winter,

and day and night

will not cease.”

9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you will be on every living thing of the earth, including on every bird of the sky, on everything that moves on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are given. 3 Every moving creature that lives will be for you for food. Just as the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you must not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And surely I will demand your blood for your lives. From the hand of every living thing I will demand it, and from the hand of mankind; from the hand of a man who kills his brother, I will demand the life of the man.

6 The one shedding the blood of a man,

by mankind his blood must be shed,

because in the image of God

he made mankind.

7 “And you, be fruitful and multiply. Abound on the earth and multiply on it.”

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, 9 “And I, behold, I am establishing my covenant with you and with your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: with the birds, with the livestock, and with every living thing of the earth with you, from all that came out of the ark to every living thing of the earth. 11 And I am establishing my covenant with you that never again will all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 Then God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for generations forever: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 And it will be when I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow is seen in the clouds, 15 then I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and never again will waters become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 So the rainbow will be in the clouds, and I will see it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature, with all flesh that is on the earth.”

17 Then God said to Noah, “That is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Noah and His Three Sons After the Flood

9:18-29

18 And the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham, he was the father of Canaan. 19 Those three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was overspread.

20 Now Noah, a man of the soil, began and planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank some of the wine, and he became drunk, and he uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Then Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and he told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it across the shoulders of the two of them and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were turned away, so that they did not see the nakedness of their father.

24 Then Noah woke up from his wine, and he learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 and he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!

He will be a slave of slaves for his brothers.”

26 Then he said,

“Praised be Yahweh, the God of Shem!

And may Canaan be a slave for him.

27 May God enlarge Japheth,

and may he live in the tents of Shem.

And may Canaan be a slave for him.”

28 And after the flood, Noah lived 350 years. 29 So all the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

A List of the Seventy People Groups in the World

10:1-32

1 Chronicles 1:4-23

10 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and sons were born to them after the flood.

Japheth’s Descendants

2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras.

3 And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah.

4 And the sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, the Kittim and the Dodanim.

5 From those the coastland peoples spread out into their lands, each with its own language, according to their clans, in their nations.

Ham’s Descendants

6 And the sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan.

7 And the sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca. And the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush also fathered Nimrod, who began to be mighty on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. For that reason it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh.” 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Akkad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Asshur, and he built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah 12 and Resen, between Nineveh and Calah, which is the great city.

13 And Mizraim fathered the Ludim and the Anamim and the Lehabim and the Naphtuhim 14 and the Pathrusim and the Casluhim (whom the Philistim came from) and the Caphtorim.

15 And Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn, then Heth 16 and the Jebusites and the Amorites and the Girgashites 17 and the Hivites and the Arkites and the Sinites 18 and the Arvadites and the Zemarites and the Hamathites. And afterward the clans of the Canaanites scattered, 19 so the borders of the Canaanites were from Sidon, then you go toward Gerar as far as Gaza, then you go to Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

20 Those are the sons of Ham according to their clans, according to their languages, in their lands, in their nations.

Shem’s Descendants

21 And sons were also born to Shem; he was the father of all the sons of Eber and the brother of Japheth the elder. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram.

23 And the sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash.

24 And Arpachshad fathered Shelah, then Shelah fathered Eber. 25 Then two sons were born to Eber. The name of the one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided. And the name of his brother was Joktan. 26 And Joktan fathered Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah 28 and Obal and Abimael and Sheba 29 and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab. All those were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, then you go to Sephar, the mountains of the east.

31 Those are the sons of Shem according to their clans, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations.

32 Those are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations. And from those the nations spread out on the earth after the flood.

The Tower of Babel

11:1-9

11 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And it happened as they migrated from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 Then they said to each other, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them with fire.” And they had bricks for stones, and they had tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, so that we are not scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

5 Then Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of mankind had built. 6 And Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language. So this is what they have begun to do, and now everything that they plan to do will not be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand each other’s language.” 8 Then Yahweh scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 For that reason they called its name Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth, and from there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

The History of Abraham

chapters 11:10-25:18

Shem’s Descendants down to Abram

11:10-26

1 Chronicles 1:24-27

10 These are the generations of Shem:

Shem was the son of 100 years, then he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11 Then after he fathered Arpachshad, Shem lived 500 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

12 And Arpachshad lived thirty-five years, then he fathered Shelah. 13 Then after he fathered Shelah, Arpachshad lived 403 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

14 And Shelah lived thirty years, then he fathered Eber. 15 Then after he fathered Eber, Shelah lived 403 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

16 And Eber lived thirty-four years, then he fathered Peleg. 17 Then after he fathered Peleg, Eber lived 430 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

18 And Peleg lived thirty years, then he fathered Reu. 19 Then after he fathered Reu, Peleg lived 209 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

20 And Reu lived thirty-two years, then he fathered Serug. 21 Then after he fathered Serug, Reu lived 207 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

22 And Serug lived thirty years, then he fathered Nahor. 23 Then after he fathered Nahor, Serug lived 200 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

24 And Nahor lived twenty-nine years, then he fathered Terah. 25 Then after he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years, and he fathered other sons and daughters.

26 And Terah lived seventy years, then he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Terah’s Children, including Abram

11:27-32

27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. 28 And Haran died in the presence of Terah his father, in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Kasdim. 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she did not have a child.

31 Then Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, Haran’s son, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of his son Abram, and they went out together from Ur of the Kasdim to go to the land of Canaan. But they came to Haran, and they settled there. 32 And the days of Terah were 205 years, then Terah died in Haran.

God Calls Abram

12:1-9

12 Then Yahweh said to Abram, “You yourself must go from your land and from your relatives and from the house of your father, to the land that I will show you.

2 And I will make you into a great nation,

and I will bless you,

and I will make your name great,

and you must be a blessing.

3 And I will bless those who bless you,

but whoever curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

4 Then Abram went, just as Yahweh had told him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was the son of seventy-five years when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot the son of his brother and all their possessions that they had accumulated and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. Then they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Then Abram passed through the land as far as the place of Shechem, to the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were in the land at that time. 7 Then Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

8 Then from there he went on to the mountains to the east of Bethel and pitched his tents, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to Yahweh, and he called on the name of Yahweh. 9 Then Abram set out and continued to travel toward the Negev.

Abram and Sarai Go to Egypt

12:10-20

10 Then there was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there because the famine was heavy in the land. 11 And it happened that as he was about to enter Egypt, then he said to Sarai his wife, “Behold please, I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance. 12 So it will happen when the Egyptians see you, then they will say, ‘This is his wife,’ and they will kill me but let you live. 13 Please say that you are my sister so that it will go well for me for your sake and my life will live because of you.”

14 Then it happened, when Abram came into Egypt, then the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15 And the officials of Pharaoh saw her, so they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 Then he treated Abram well for her sake, so that he had flocks and herds and male donkeys and male slaves and female slaves and female donkeys and camels.

17 But Yahweh struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues on account of Sarai the wife of Abram. 18 So Pharaoh called for Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to me as a wife? Now then, behold your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him, and they sent him away and his wife and everything that belonged to him.

Abram and Lot Go Separate Ways

13:1-13

13 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and everything that belonged to him, and Lot with him, to the Negev. 2 And Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 Then he went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tents had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar that he had made there at first, and there Abram called on the name of Yahweh.

5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, because their possessions were great so that they were not able to stay together. 7 Then there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. And the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land then.

8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please do not let there be strife between me and you, or between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, because we are men, brothers. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you go to the left, then I will go right, or if you go to the right, then I will go left.”

10 Then Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of the Jordan as you go toward Zoar, that all of it was well-watered, like Yahweh’s garden, like the land of Egypt, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 11 So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot traveled to the east, and they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled in the cities of the plain and moved his tents as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against Yahweh.

God Blesses Abram Again

13:14-18

14 Then Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes please from the place where you are, and look northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 because all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 And I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, which if anyone were able to count the dust of the earth, your offspring could also be counted. 17 Get up and walk through the land, through its length and through its width, because to you I am giving it.” 18 So Abram moved his tents and went and settled by the terebinth trees of Mamre that were near Hebron, and there he built an altar to Yahweh.

Abram Rescues Lot from Four Kings

14:1-16

14 Now it happened in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of the Goiim, 2 they made war against Bera king of Sodom, and against Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim, which is now the Sea of Salt.

4 For twelve years they had served Kedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 Then in the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him went and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth-Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat, which is Kadesh, and they struck the entire territory of the Amalekites and also the Amorites, who were living in Hazezon Tamar. 8 Then the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went out into the Valley of Siddim and arranged themselves for battle 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against the five.

10 Now the Valley of Siddim had many tar pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there. And those who remained fled to the hill country. 11 Then they took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and left. 12 And they took Lot and his possessions, the son of Abram’s brother, when they left, since he was living in Sodom.

13 Then someone who escaped came and reported to Abram the Hebrew. And he was living by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner, and they were owners of a covenant with Abram. 14 And when Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, then he led out his 318 trained men who had been born in his house, and he pursued his enemies as far as Dan. 15 Then he divided against them during the night, he and his servants, and struck them and pursued them to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the possessions, and he also brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, and also the women and the other people.

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

14:17-24

17 Then the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, which is the King’s Valley, after he returned from striking Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine. And he was a priest to God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said,

“May Abram be blessed by God Most High,

the Possessor of heaven and earth.

20 And praised be God Most High,

who delivered your enemies into your hand!”

Then he gave to him a tenth of everything. 21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give to me the people, but the possessions take for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I raise my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 if from a thread even to the strap of a sandal, or if I take from anything that belongs to you, so that you will not say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing, except what the young men have eaten and the share of the other men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”

God Promises Abram a Son, Many Descendants and Land

15:1-21

15 After those things, the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying,

“Do not be afraid, Abram!

I am a shield for you;

your reward will be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “My Lord Yahweh, what will you give to me, since I go childless, and the son of the inheritance of my house is the Damascan, Eliezer?” 3 Then Abram said, “Behold, you have not given a child to me, so that behold, a servant of my house is my heir!” 4 Then behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, “That man will not be your heir, but rather a son who comes from your bowels, he will be your heir.” 5 Then he brought him outside and said, “Please look at the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So will your offspring be.”

6 And he trusted in Yahweh, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 7 Then he said to him, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Kasdim to give to you this land to possess it.” 8 Then he said, “My Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will possess it?” 9 Then he said to him, “Bring to me a three-year-old heifer and a three-year-old she-goat and a three-year-old ram and a turtledove and a young pigeon.” 10 So he brought all those to him. Then he cut them in two down the middle and laid the halves opposite to each other, but the birds he did not cut in two. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12 Then it happened, the sun was setting and a deep sleep fell on Abram, and behold, terror and great darkness fell on him. 13 Then he said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be strangers in a land that does not belong to them, and they will serve them, and they will afflict them 400 years. 14 But also, the nation that they serve I will judge, and after that they will come out with great possessions. 15 And you, you will go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they will come back here, because the sin of the Amorites will not be complete until then.”

17 Then it happened, the sun went down and darkness came, and behold, there was a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch that passed between those pieces. 18 On that day Yahweh cut a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River, 19 the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites 20 and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim 21 and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

Abram and Hagar Have Ishmael

16:1-16

16 Now Sarai, the wife of Abram, had not born children for him, but she had an Egyptian maidservant, and her name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Behold please, Yahweh has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant. Perhaps I can be built up from her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So Sarai, the wife of Abram, took Hagar, her Egyptian maidservant, at the end of ten years that Abram had lived in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife for him. 4 Then he went to Hagar, and she conceived. And she saw that she had conceived, and her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong is on you! I myself put my maidservant into your arms, but she sees that she has conceived, and I am despised in her eyes! May Yahweh judge between me and you!” 6 Then Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maidservant is in your hand. Do to her what is good in your eyes.” Then Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from her face.

7 Then the angel of Yahweh found her at a spring of water in the wilderness, at the spring beside the road of Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, maidservant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the face of Sarai, my mistress.” 9 Then the angel of Yahweh said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit under her hands.”

10 Then the angel of Yahweh said to her, “I will greatly increase your offspring, so that they cannot be counted because of their abundance.”

11 Then the angel of Yahweh said to her,

“Behold, you are pregnant,

and you will bear a son,

and you will call his name Ishmael,

because Yahweh has listened to your misery.

12 And he will be a wild donkey of a man,

his hand against everyone

and the hand of everyone against him,

and he will live in the faces

of all of his brothers.”

13 Then she called the name of Yahweh who had spoken to her, “You are El Roi,” because she said, “Have I really seen here the back of the one who sees me?” 14 For that reason they call the well Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 Then Hagar bore a son for Abram, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 And Abram was a son of 86 years when Hagar bore Ishmael for Abram.

More Details about God’s Covenant with Abram, including Circumcision

17:1-27

17 Then Abram was a son of ninety-nine years, and Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be without blemish. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you very greatly.”

3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God spoke with him, saying, 4 “As for me, behold, my covenant with you is that you will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 And your name will not be called Abram anymore, but your name will be Abraham, because I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 And I will make you very, very fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings will come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations as an eternal covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, as an eternal possession, and I will be God to them.”

9 Then God said to Abraham, “And you, you must keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant which you must keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you must be circumcised. 11 Indeed, you must be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 So a son of eight days must be circumcised, every male among you throughout your generations, the one born in your house and the one bought with money from any son of a foreigner, who is not your offspring. 13 He must surely be circumcised, the one born in your house and the one bought with your money. So my covenant will be in your flesh as an eternal covenant. 14 And as for an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, indeed that person must be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her name Sarai, because her name will be Sarah. 16 And I will bless her, and I will also give to you a son from her. Indeed I will bless her and she will become nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

17 Then Abraham fell on his face, and he laughed and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a son of 100 years? And will Sarah who is a daughter of ninety years bear a child?” 18 Then Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live before you!” 19 Then God said, “No, Sarah your wife is bearing a son for you, and you will call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him as an eternal covenant for his offspring after him.

20 “And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I will bless him, and I will make him fruitful and multiply him very greatly. He will father twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 However, my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear for you by this time in the next year.” 22 Then he finished speaking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house and everyone bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins on that very day, just as God had told him. 24 And Abraham was a son of 99 years when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, 25 and Ishmael his son was a son of thirteen years when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 On that very day Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the males of his house, the one born in his house and the one bought with money from the son of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

Yahweh Announces to Abraham and Sarah That They Will Have a Son

18:1-15

18 Then Yahweh appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, and he was sitting at the opening of the tent in the heat of the day. 2 And he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing nearby him. And when he saw them, then he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them. Then he bowed to the ground, 3 and he said, “My lords, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought. Then you can wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread so that you can refresh your hearts before you go away, since you have come to your servant.” And they said, “Alright, do as you have said.”

6 Then Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Hurry! Prepare three seahs of fine flour. Knead it and make loaves.” 7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and selected a tender and choice calf. Then he gave it to a servant and he hurried to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and he set it before them. Then he stood by them under the tree and they ate.

9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Behold, in the tent.” 10 Then he said, “I will surely return to you at the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the opening of the tent, and it was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in days; the way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed within herself and said, “After I am worn out, will I have pleasure? And my lord is old!” 13 Then Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why is it that Sarah laughed, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the appointed time I will return to you, at the time of life, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it by saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes with Yahweh for the City of Sodom

18:16-33

16 Then the men got up from there and looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to send them off. 17 And Yahweh said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am doing? 18 And Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 19 For I have known him so that he will command his children and his house after him, and they will keep the way of Yahweh by doing righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh will bring about for Abraham what he has said to him.”

20 Then Yahweh said, “Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, 21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to its outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before Yahweh. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous in the city? Will you really sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do something like that, killing the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous are like the wicked! Far be it from you! Will the one who judges all the earth not do justice?” 26 Then Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

27 Then Abraham spoke up and said, “Behold, please, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord, although I am dust and ashes. 28 Suppose the fifty righteous lack five? Will you destroy the whole city because of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

29 Then he continued again to speak to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

30 Then he said, “Please do not let my Lord be angry, and let me speak: Suppose thirty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 Then he said, “Behold, please, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord. Suppose twenty are found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

32 Then he said, “Please do not let my Lord be angry, and let me speak just once more: Suppose ten are found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” 33 Then Yahweh left as soon as he finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Yahweh Destroys the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah

19:1-29

19 Then the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. And Lot saw them, and he got up to meet them and bowed down with nose to the ground. 2 Then he said, “Behold, please, my lords: Please turn aside to the house of your servant and spend the night, and wash your feet. Then you can get up early and go on your way.” But they said, “No, rather we will spend the night in the street.” 3 But he urged them strongly, so that they turned aside with him and entered into his house. Then he prepared a feast for them, and he baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

4 Before they lay down, then the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young and to the old, all the people from the edges. 5 Then they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can know them!” 6 Then Lot went out to them at the entrance and shut the door behind him, 7 and he said, “Please, my brothers, do not do evil! 8 Behold, please: I have two daughters who have not known a man. Please let me bring them out to you, and you do to them as is good in your eyes. But do not do anything to these men, because for that reason they have come under the shadow of my rafters.” 9 But they said, “Get back!” Then they said, “This one came to sojourn, and now he is judging us! We will treat you worse than them!” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot and came near to break down the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house to them and shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men who were at the entrance of the house with blindness, from the small and to the great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.

12 Then the men said to Lot, “Who else belongs to you here, a son-in-law or your sons or your daughters or anyone else who belongs to you in the city? Take them out from this place, 13 because we are destroying this place. For their outcry before Yahweh is great, so Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.” 14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were to take his daughters, and he said, “Get up, get out of this place, because Yahweh is destroying the city!” But it seemed like he was joking in the eyes of his sons-in-law.

15 Then when the dawn came, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, so that you are not swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered, so the men grabbed his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, because of Yahweh’s mercy for him, and brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And it happened when they had brought them out to the outside, then he said, “Flee for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stop anywhere in the plain! Escape to the mountains so that you are not swept away!” 18 Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords! 19 Behold, please: Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have magnified your mercy that you have shown to me by saving my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains, because the disaster will overtake me and I will die. 20 Behold, please: That town there is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Please let me escape there. Is it not a little one? Then my life will live.” 21 Then he said to him, “Behold, I have also lifted up your face concerning this thing, so I will not overthrow the town that you are talking about. 22 Hurry up, escape there, because I am not able to do a thing until you go there.” For that reason they called the name of the town Zoar.

23 The sun rose over the land and Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then Yahweh rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Yahweh out of the heavens, 25 and he overthrew those cities and all of the plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation of the ground. 26 But his wife from behind him looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before Yahweh, 28 and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the surface of the land of the plain. And he saw that, behold, smoke was rising from the land like smoke from a furnace. 29 So it was, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities which Lot had lived in.

Lot’s Descendants from His Daughters

19:30-38

30 Then Lot went up from Zoar and settled in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him, because he was afraid to settle in Zoar. So he lived in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31 Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on the earth to come to us as is the way of all the earth. 32 Come on, let us get our father to drink wine, and let us lie with him so that we will give life to offspring through our father.” 33 So they got their father to drink wine on that night, and the firstborn went and lay with her father, but he did not know when she lay down or when she got up.

34 Then it happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, last night I lay with my father. Let us get him to drink wine again tonight. Then you go lie with him so that we will give life to offspring through our father.” 35 So on that night also they got their father to drink wine. Then the younger went and lay with him, but he did not know when she lay down or when she got up.

36 So both of the daughters of Lot conceived from their father. 37 Then the firstborn bore a son, and she called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 Then the younger, she also bore a son, and she called his name Ben-Ammi. He is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day.

King Abimelech Takes Sarah to Be His Wife

20:1-18

20 Then Abraham traveled from there to the land of the Negev, and he settled between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech the king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night and said to him, “Behold, you are dead because of the woman whom you have taken, because she is married to a husband!” 4 Now Abimelech had not gone near to her, so he said, “My Lord, will you kill a nation even though it is righteous? 5 Did not he himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself also said, ‘He is my brother.’ I did this in the integrity of my heart and in the innocence of my hands!” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you did this, and indeed I kept you from sinning against me. For that reason I did not allow you to touch her. 7 So now, return the wife of the man because he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will surely die, you and all who belong to you!”

8 So Abimelech got up early in the morning and called for all of his servants, and he told all those things in their ears, and the men were very afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called for Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you so that you brought a great sin on me and on my kingdom? You have done deeds to me that should not be done!” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What were you looking for when you did this thing?” 11 And Abraham answered, “Because I said, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place, so they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 And also she truly is my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 And it happened when God caused me to wander from the house of my father, then I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you can do for me: At every place where we go, say about me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”

14 Then Abimelech took flocks and herds and men slaves and women slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 Then Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Settle wherever is good in your eyes.”

16 And to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given 1, 000 shekels of silver to your brother. Behold, that is for you a covering of the eyes before all who are with you, so that you are vindicated for everything.” 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his slave women, so that they bore children, 18 because Yahweh had completely closed up every womb in the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, the wife of Abraham.

Isaac’s Birth and Circumcision

21:1-7

21 Then Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did for Sarah as he had said, 2 so that Sarah conceived and bore a son for Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time which God had told him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore for him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, a son of eight days, just as God had commanded him.

5 And Abraham was a son of 100 years when Isaac his son was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has brought laughter to me! Everyone who hears will laugh with me!” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born a son in his old age!”

Sarah Has Abraham Send Hagar and Ishmael Away

21:8-21

8 Then the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw that the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had born for Abraham, was mocking. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Drive away that slave woman and her son, because the son of that slave woman will not inherit with my son, with Isaac!” 11 And the matter was very distressing in the eyes of Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed in your eyes because of the boy and because of your slave woman. All that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice, because in Isaac, offspring will be called yours. 13 And the son of the slave woman I will also make into a nation, because he is your offspring.”

14 Then Abraham got up early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder. Then he gave her the child and sent her away, and she left and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And when the water from the skin was gone, then she threw the child under one of the bushes, 16 and she went and sat down by herself at a distance, as far away as they shoot a bow, because she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child!” And as she sat at a distance, then she lifted her voice and sobbed.

17 And God heard the voice of the boy, so the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, because God has listened to the voice of the boy where he is there. 18 Get up, lift the boy, and hold on to him with your hand, because I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. And he lived in the wilderness and became a great bowman. 21 And while he was living in the wilderness of Paran, then his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

King Abimelech Makes a Covenant with Abraham

21:22-34

22 And it happened at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 So now, swear to me here by God if you will deal falsely with me or with my children or with my descendants. According to the kindness that I have done to you, do to me and to the land which you are sojourning in.” 24 And Abraham said, “I swear.”

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech on account of the well of water that the servants of Abimelech had seized. 26 Then Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing. And also you did not tell me, and also I have not heard about it until today.”

27 Then Abraham took sheep and cattle, and he gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them cut a covenant. 28 Then Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 So Abimelech said to Abraham, “What are they, these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart by themselves?” 30 And he said, “Because you must take the seven ewe lambs from my hand, so that it can be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 31 For that reason he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath.

32 So they cut the covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, got up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then he planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of Yahweh, the God of eternity. 34 Then Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.

God Tests Abraham’s Faith

22:1-19

22 Then it happened after those things that God tested Abraham. And he said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Behold me.” 2 Then he said, “Please take your son, your only son whom you love, Isaac, and go yourself to the land of Moriah, and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell to you.”

3 So Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. Then he took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son, and he cut wood for the burnt offering. Then he got up and left for the place that God had told to him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and he saw the place from a distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here by yourselves with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there and bow down. Then we will come back to you.”

6 Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hands the fire pot and the knife. Then the two of them went on together, 7 and Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father?” And he said, “Behold me, my son.” Then he said, “Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 And Abraham said, “God will see for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them went on together.

9 Then they came to the place that God had told to him, and there Abraham built the altar and arranged the wood. Then he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But an angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” And he said, “Behold me.” 12 Then he said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy! And do not do anything to him, because now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a ram was behind him, caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh-Yireh, as it is said to this day, “On the mountain of Yahweh it will be seen.”

15 Then the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “I swear by myself, a declaration of Yahweh, that it is because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 that I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your offspring as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the shore of the sea, and your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies. 18 And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you listened to my voice.”

19 Then Abraham returned to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham stayed at Beersheba.

Abraham’s Brother Nahor’s Twelve Sons

22:20-24

20 Then it happened after those things that it was told to Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah, she too, has born sons for Nahor your brother: 21 Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel, the father of Aram, 22 and Kesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.” 23 And Bethuel fathered Rebekah. Those are the eight sons Milcah bore for Nahor, the brother of Abraham. 24 And his concubine, and her name was Reumah, and she also bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.

Sarah Dies and Abraham Buys a Cave to Bury Her

23:1-20

23 Now the life of Sarah was 127 years; the years of the life of Sarah. 2 Then Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 Then Abraham got up from beside his dead one, and he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, 4 “I am a foreigner and a sojourner among you. Give to me property for a burial place among you, so that I can bury my dead from before me.” 5 Then the sons of Heth replied to Abraham, saying to him, 6 “Listen to us, my lord. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. Each of us will not withhold from you his burial place to bury your dead.”

7 Then Abraham got up and bowed to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth, 8 and he said to them, saying, “If it is your will to bury my dead from before me, listen to me and intercede for me with Ephron, the son of Zohar, 9 so that he will give to me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him, which is at the end of his field. For full price let him give it to me among you as property for a burial place.” 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth, so Ephron the Hittite responded to Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, for everyone who had come to the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord. Listen to me: I give to you the field, and I give to you the cave that is in it. I give it to you before the eyes of the sons of my people. Bury your dead.”

12 Then Abraham bowed before the people of the land, 13 and he spoke to Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, “But if you would, please listen to me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.” 14 Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me. Land worth 400 shekels of silver, between me and you, what is that? So bury your dead.” 16 So Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the price that he had mentioned in the ears of the sons of Heth, 400 shekels of silver, the currency among the merchants.

17 So the field of Ephron that was in Machpelah which was before Mamre, the field and the cave that was in it, and every tree that was in the field, that was within all of its surrounding borders, was deeded 18 to Abraham as his possession before the eyes of the sons of Heth, before everyone who had come to the gate of his city. 19 Then after that, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave that was in it were deeded to Abraham as property for a burial place from the sons of Heth.

Abraham Gets a Wife for Isaac

24:1-67

24 Now Abraham was old, advanced in days, and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 Then Abraham said to his oldest servant of his house, who was in charge of everything that belonged to him, “Please put your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will have you swear by Yahweh, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites whom I am living among, 4 but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son, for Isaac.”

5 Then the servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to come with me to this land? Should I take your son back to the country that you came from?” 6 Then Abraham said to him, “Be sure that you do not take my son back there. 7 Yahweh, the God of the heavens, who took me from the house of my father and from the land of my relatives and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to come with you, then you are clear from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there!”

9 Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter. 10 Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master and left, and all kinds of good things from his master were in his hand, and he got up and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor. 11 Then he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, at the time the women who draw water come out.

12 Then he said, “Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please cause it to happen before me today that you show kindness toward my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by this spring of water, and the daughters of the people of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 And let it be that the young woman whom I say to her, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also water your camels,’ let her be the one you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac. And by her I will know that you have shown kindness toward my master.”

15 Then it happened before he had finished speaking, then behold, Rebekah was coming out, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham. And her water jar was on her shoulder. 16 And the young woman was a very beautiful-looking virgin, and a man had not known her. And she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” 18 And she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she hurried and lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 And after she finished giving him a drink, then she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they have finished drinking.” 20 Then she hurried and emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, and she drew water for all his camels. 21 And the man watched her silently to know whether Yahweh had made his journey succeed or not.

22 Then it happened, when the camels had finished drinking, then the man took out a gold nose ring, its weight a beka, and two gold bracelets for her arms, their weight ten shekels. 23 And he said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there a place at the house of your father for us to lodge?” 24 Then she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore for Nahor.” 25 Then she said to him, “Plenty of both straw and fodder are with us. There is also a place to lodge.” 26 Then the man bowed down and prostrated himself before Yahweh, 27 and said, “Praised be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me on the road to the home of the relatives of my master!”

28 Then the young woman ran and announced to the household of her mother about those things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban, and Laban ran to the man outside at the spring. 30 And it was when he had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister, and when he had heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” then he went to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 Then he said, “Come, blessed of Yahweh. Why are you standing out here? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

32 So the man went to the house. Then he unloaded the camels and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Then food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have spoken my words.” So he said, “Speak.”

34 Then he said, “I am a servant of Abraham. 35 And Yahweh has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become great. And he has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men slaves and women slaves, and camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah, the wife of my master, bore a son for my master after her old age, and he has given to him everything that belongs to him. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, ‘You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites whose land I am living in, 38 but rather you must go to the house of my father, and to my clan, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 Then I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman will not come with me?’ 40 And he said to me, ‘Yahweh, whom I walk before, will send his angel with you and make your journey succeed, so that you will take a wife for my son from my clan, and from the house of my father. 41 Then you will be clear from my oath: When you go to my clan, and if they will not give her to you, then you will be clear from my oath.’

42 “Then today I came to the spring, and I said, ‘Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, if it is your will, please make my journey succeed that I have come on. 43 Behold, I am standing by this spring of water. And let it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar,” 44 and she says to me, “Both you drink and I will also draw water for your camels,” let her be the wife whom Yahweh has chosen for the son of my master.’

45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, then behold, Rebekah was coming out and her jar was on her shoulder. And she went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 And she hurried and lowered her jar from her and said, ‘Drink and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. 47 Then I asked her and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, a son of Nahor whom Milcah bore for him.’ Then I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 And I bowed down and prostrated myself before Yahweh, and I praised Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 And now if it is your will to show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me, so that I will turn to the right or to the left.”

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from Yahweh; we are not able to tell you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, and let her be the wife of the son of your master, as Yahweh has spoken.” 52 Then it happened, when the servant of Abraham heard their words, then he bowed down to the ground before Yahweh. 53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver and jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. And he gave valuable things to her brother and to her mother.

54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and lodged. Then in the morning they got up, and he said, “Send me to my master.” 55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not detain me, since Yahweh has made my journey succeed. Send me off so that I will go to my master.” 57 Then they said, “Let’s call for the young woman and ask her mouth.”

58 So they called for Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59 Then they sent off Rebekah their sister and her nurse and the servant of Abraham and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

“Our sister, may you become

thousands of myriads,

and may your offspring possess

the gates of those hating them!” 61 Then Rebekah got up and her maids, and they mounted the camels and went with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

62 Meanwhile Isaac came from going to Beer Lahai Roi, and he was living in the land of the Negev. 63 And Isaac went to meditate in the field as it was turning toward evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw that, behold, camels were coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted her eyes and saw Isaac. Then she dismounted from the camel, 65 and she said to the servant, “Who is that man in the field who is coming to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” So she took the veil and covered herself.

66 Then the servant reported to Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebekah, and she became a wife to him. And Isaac loved her, and he was comforted after his mother.

Abraham and Keturah’s Descendants

25:1-6

1 Chronicles 1:32-33

25 Then Abraham added and took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore for him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. And the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurim and the Letushim and the Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian were Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abida and Eldaah. All of those were the descendants of Keturah.

5 And Abraham gave everything that belonged to him to Isaac. 6 And to the sons of the concubines who belonged to Abraham, Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still alive he sent them eastward to the land of Kedem, away from Isaac his son.

Abraham’s Death and Burial

25:7-11

7 And these are the days of the years of the life of Abraham that he lived: 175 years. 8 Then Abraham exhaled and died at a good old age, elderly and full, and he was gathered to his people. 9 Then Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which was before Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife. 11 And it happened after the death of Abraham, then God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

Ishmael’s Descendants

25:12-18

12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sarah, had born for Abraham. 13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names according to their births: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam 14 and Mishma and Dumah and Massa, 15 Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedermah. 16 Those were the sons of Ishmael, and those are their names by their settlements and by their camps, twelve rulers according to their tribes. 17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. Then he exhaled and died, and he was gathered to his people. 18 And they settled from Havilah to Shur that is near Egypt as you go toward Asshur. He fell in the face of all his brothers.

The Birth of Isaac’s Sons Jacob and Esau

25:19-26

19 And these are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 then Isaac was a son of forty years when he took Rebekah for himself as a wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 And Isaac entreated Yahweh on behalf of his wife because she was barren. So Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 And the children struggled against each other inside her, so she said, “Why is this so? Why am I like this?” And she went to inquire of Yahweh. 23 And Yahweh said to her,

“Two nations are inside your womb,

and two peoples will be divided from inside your womb.

And one people will be stronger than the other people,

and the older will serve the younger.”

24 Then her days were fulfilled to deliver, and behold, twins were inside her womb. 25 And the first came out red; all of him was like a garment of hair, so they called his name Esau. 26 Then after that, his brother came out, and his hand was grabbing on to the heel of Esau, so he called his name Jacob. And Isaac was a son of sixty years when she bore them.

Esau Sells His Birthright to Jacob

25:27-34

27 Then the boys grew up, and Esau became a man who knew hunting, a man of the field, and Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he liked game meat in his mouth, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Now Jacob was cooking stew, and Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 Then Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me devour some of that very red stuff because I am exhausted!” For that reason they called his name Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “On this day sell your birthright to me.” 32 And Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die! So for what use is that to me, a birthright?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me on this day!” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave to Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

God Establishes His Covenant with Isaac

26:1-5

26 Then there was a famine in the land, besides the earlier famine that was in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2 Then Yahweh appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land that I tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. For to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the heavens, and I will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees, and my laws.”

Isaac Lies about His Wife Rebekah to the Philistines

26:6-11

6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar. 7 Then the men of the place asked about his wife, and he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “Lest the men of the place kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful of appearance.” 8 Then it happened, when the days had been long for him there, then Abimelech the king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw that, behold, Isaac was laughing with Rebekah his wife. 9 So Abimelech called for Isaac and said, “Behold, she is really your wife! So how could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘I might die because of her.’ ” 10 Then Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!” 11 Then Abimelech ordered all the people by saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife will surely be killed!”

Isaac Has Conflict with the Philistines over His Wells

26:12-33

12 Then Isaac sowed seeds in that land, and in that year he obtained a hundredfold, and Yahweh blessed him. 13 And the man became great, and he continued to become even greater until he was exceedingly great. 14 And he had possession of flocks and possession of herds and many servants. So the Philistines envied him, 15 and the Philistines stopped up all the wells that the servants of his father had dug in the days of Abraham his father and filled them with dirt.

16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, because you are more powerful than we are.” 17 So Isaac went from there and camped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 Then Isaac returned and dug out the water wells that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father and that the Philistines had stopped up after the death of Abraham, and he called them names like the names that his father had called them.

19 Then the servants of Isaac dug in the valley and found a well of living water there. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so he called its name Sitnah. 22 Then he moved from there and he dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it, so he called its name Rehoboth, and he said, “Because now Yahweh has made space for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23 Then from there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And Yahweh appeared to him during that night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, because I am with you. And I will bless you and multiply your offspring for the sake of Abraham my servant.” 25 Then he built an altar there and called on the name of Yahweh. And he pitched his tents there, and the servants of Isaac dug a well there.

26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the commander of his army. 27 And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and you sent me away from you?” 28 And they said, “We have clearly seen that Yahweh has been with you, so we said, ‘There should be an oath between us’—between us and you. So let us cut a covenant with you, 29 that you will not do evil against us, just as we did not touch you, and just as we did only good to you and sent you away in peace. Now you are blessed by Yahweh.” 30 Then he made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Then they got up early in the morning and swore to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left from him in peace.

32 Then it happened on that day, the servants of Isaac came and told him about the matter of the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water!” 33 So he called it Shibah. For that reason the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.

Esau’s Hittite Wives

26:34-35

34 And Esau was a son of forty years, and he took as a wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.

Jacob Steals Esau’s Blessing from Their Father Isaac

27:1-29

27 Then it happened, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, then he called Esau, his older son, and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Behold me.” 2 Then he said, “Behold, please, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 So now, please take your weapons, your quiver, and your bow, and go out in the field and hunt game for me. 4 Then prepare tasty food for me such as I love, and bring it to me so I can eat it, so that my soul can bless you before I die.”

5 And Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Then Esau went to the field to hunt game to bring it back. 6 Then Rebekah said to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speaking to Esau your brother, saying, 7 ‘Bring game for me and prepare tasty food for me so that I can eat it and I can bless you in the presence of Yahweh, before my death.’ 8 So now, my son, listen to my voice, to what I command you. 9 Please go to the flock and bring to me from there two good kids of the goats so that I will prepare from them tasty food for your father such as he loves. 10 Then you take it to your father, and he will eat it, so that he will bless you before his death.”

11 Then Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, but I am a smooth man. 12 Suppose my father touches me? Then I will be in his eyes as a deceiver, and I will bring a curse on me and not a blessing.” 13 But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Just listen to my voice, and go get them for me.” 14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother. Then his mother prepared tasty food such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son that were with her in the house and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the kid goats over his hands and over the smooth part of his neck.

17 Then she gave the tasty food and the bread that she had made into the hands of Jacob her son, 18 and he went to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Behold me. Who are you, my son?” 19 Then Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please get up, sit and eat some of my game, so that your soul will bless me.” 20 Then Isaac said to his son, “How is this you were quick to find it, my son?” And he said, “Because Yahweh your God caused it to happen before me.”

21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, so that I can touch you, my son, and know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went close to Isaac his father, and he touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 So he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like the hands of Esau his brother, and he was about to bless him. 24 But he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring the food to me, and I will eat some of my son’s game, so that my soul will bless you.” Then he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought wine to him, and he drank.

26 Then Isaac his father said to him, “Please come close and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he went close and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his clothes, so he blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son

is like the smell of a field

that Yahweh has blessed!

28 And may God give to you from the dew of the heavens

and from the fatness of the earth,

and an abundance of grain and wine.

29 May peoples serve you,

and may nations bow down to you.

Be master over your brothers,

and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.

May those who curse you be cursed,

and may those who bless you be blessed.”

Esau Gets “Blessed” Too by Isaac

27:30-40

30 Then it happened, just as Isaac finished blessing Jacob, and it happened, scarcely had Jacob just left from the presence of Isaac his father, then Esau his brother came in from his hunt. 31 Then he too prepared tasty food, and he brought it to his father and said to his father, “Let my father get up and eat from his son’s game so that your soul can bless me.” 32 But Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, your firstborn Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled a very great tremble, and he said, “Then who was it that hunted game and brought it to me? And I ate from it all just before you came, and I blessed him. Indeed, he will be blessed.” 34 When Esau heard the words of his father, then he cried out a great and exceedingly bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, me too, my father!” 35 And he said, “Your brother came in deceit and took your blessing.” 36 Then he said, “Is it because his name is called Jacob that he has defrauded me these two times? He took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing!”

Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 But Isaac responded and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him master over you, and I have given all his brothers to him as servants. And I have sustained him with grain and wine. So then, what can I do for you, my son?” 38 But Esau said to his father, “Is there one blessing that you have, my father? Bless me, me too, my father!” Then Esau lifted his voice and sobbed. 39 Then Isaac his father responded and said to him,

“Behold, your dwelling will be

away from the fatness of the earth

and away from the dew of the heavens from above.

40 And you will live by your sword,

and you will serve your brother.

But it will happen when you become restless,

then you will break his yoke

off of your neck.”

Jacob Flees from Esau

27:41-28:5

41 Then Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing that his father had blessed him with, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of the mourning of my father are near; then I will kill Jacob my brother.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah, so she sent and called for Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, Esau your brother is consoling himself about you, planning to kill you. 43 So now, my son, listen to my voice and get up, flee for yourself to Laban my brother in Haran! 44 And stay with him for a few days until the fury of your brother turns away, 45 until the anger of your brother turns away from you and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and get you from there. Why should I also lose both of you in one day?”

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am disgusted with my life because of the daughters of Heth! If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth like these, from daughters of the land, what would life be to me?”

28 Then Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him, and commanded him and said to him, “Do not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. 2 Get up, go to Paddan Aram, to the home of Bethuel the father of your mother, and take a wife for yourself from there, from the daughters of Laban the brother of your mother. 3 And may God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you so that you become a community of peoples. 4 And may he give the blessing of Abraham to you, to you and to your offspring with you, so that you possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean and the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Esau Takes Another Wife

28:6-9

6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife for himself from there, and that when he blessed him, then he commanded him, saying, “Do not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” 7 and that Jacob listened to his father and to his mother and went to Paddan Aram. 8 Then Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan were displeasing in the eyes of Isaac his father. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael and he took as a wife Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, in addition to his wives who belonged to him.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

28:10-22

10 And Jacob left from Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 Then he reached a certain place, and he stopped there because the sun had gone. And he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and he lay down in that place. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, a stairway was set up on the earth and its top reached to the heavens, and behold, angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, Yahweh was standing above it, and he said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your grandfather and the God of Isaac. The land that you are lying on I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 And your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south. And in you and in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed. 15 And behold, I am with you, and I will watch over you in every place that you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” 16 Then Jacob woke up from his sleep and said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, but I did not know it!” 17 So he was afraid and said, “How awesome this place is! This is nothing other than the house of God, and this is the gateway of heaven!”

18 Then in the morning Jacob got up early, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and stood it up as a pillar, and he poured oil on its top. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel, even though Luz had been the name of the town at first.

20 Then Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this road that I am walking on and give to me bread to eat and clothes to wear, 21 and if I return in peace to the home of my father, then Yahweh will be God to me, 22 and this stone that I have stood up as a pillar will be the house of God, and all that you give to me I will tithe a tenth to you.”

Jacob Meets Rachel and Laban in Haran

29:1-14

29 Then Jacob lifted his feet and went to the land of the sons of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold, a well was in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there near it, because from that well the flocks were watered, and the stone over the mouth of the well was large. 3 And all the flocks would be gathered there, then they would roll the stone from over the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

4 Then Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 Then he said to them, “Are things well for him?” And they said, “Things are well. And behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep.” 7 Then he said, “Behold, the day is still large. It is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered and they roll the stone from over the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”

9 He was still talking with them when Rachel came with the sheep that belonged to her father, because she was tending them. 10 Then it happened, when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, then Jacob went over and rolled the stone from over the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted his voice and cried. 12 Then Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was a son of Rebekah. Then she ran and told her father.

13 And it happened, when Laban heard the news about Jacob the son of his sister, then he ran to meet him. Then he embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “You are indeed my bone and my flesh!”

Jacob Works for Laban to Marry Rachel and Leah

29:14b-30

Then he stayed with him a month of days. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you then serve me for nothing? Tell me, what are your wages?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 And the eyes of Leah were delicate, but Rachel was lovely of form and beautiful of appearance. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” 19 And Laban said, “It is better for me to give her to you than for me to give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but in his eyes they were like a few days because of his love for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, because my days are completed, so that I may go to her.” 22 Then Laban gathered all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But it happened in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went to her. 24 And Laban gave to her Zilpah his maidservant, to Leah his daughter, to be a maidservant.

25 Then it happened in the morning, that behold, she was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? So why have you deceived me?” 26 But Laban said, “It is not done so in our place to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the week of this one, then we will also give you this one for service that you will serve with me for another seven years.”

28 So Jacob did so, and he fulfilled the week for that one. Then he gave to him Rachel his daughter as a wife for him. 29 And Laban gave Bilhah his maidservant to Rachel his daughter as a maidservant for her. 30 Then he also went to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served him for another seven years.

Jacob’s Children

29:31-30:24

31 Now Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, so he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Then Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, because she said, “Because Yahweh has looked on my misery, surely now my husband will love me.”

33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “Because Yahweh heard that I am hated, then he gave to me this son also.” So she called his name Simeon.

34 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “This time now my husband will be joined to me, because I have born three sons for him.” For that reason he called his name Levi.

35 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” For that reason she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

30 Now Rachel saw that she was not bearing children for Jacob, so Rachel envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, and if not, I will die!” 2 And Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept the fruit of the womb from you?” 3 Then she said, “Behold my slave woman Bilhah. Go to her so that she will bear children on my knees, and I also will be built up from her.” 4 And she gave to him Bilhah her maidservant as a wife, and Jacob went to her.

5 Then Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob, 6 and Rachel said, “God has vindicated me, and indeed, he has listened to my voice and given to me a son!” For that reason she called his name Dan.

7 Then Bilhah the maidservant of Rachel conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob. 8 So Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister. Indeed I have prevailed!” And she called his name Naphtali.

9 Now Leah saw that she had ceased from bearing children, so she took Zilpah her maidservant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Zilpah the maidservant of Leah bore a son for Jacob, 11 and Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she called his name Gad.

12 Then Zilpah the maidservant of Leah bore a second son for Jacob, 13 and Leah said, “How blessed I am! For women will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher.

14 Then in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found mandrakes in the field, and he brought them to Leah his mother. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give to me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter you have taken my husband? And would you also take my son’s mandrakes?” Then Rachel said, “Therefore he may lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 Then Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come to me, because I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her during that night, 17 and God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son for Jacob. 18 Then Leah said, “God has given me my reward because I gave my maidservant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.

19 Then Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son for Jacob. 20 And Leah said, “God has presented me a good present. This time my husband will honor me because I have born six sons for him.” So she called his name Zebulun.

21 Then later she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 Then she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “God has taken away my disgrace!” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May Yahweh add another son to me.”

Jacob Becomes Very Rich Working for Laban

30:25-43

25 Then it happened, after Rachel bore Joseph, then Jacob said to Laban, “Send me off, so that I may go to my place and to my land. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, so that I may go. For you yourself know my service that I have served you.”

27 Then Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes. I have learned by divination that Yahweh has blessed me because of you.” 28 Then he said, “Name your wages to me, and I will give them.” 29 And he said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you and how your livestock have been with me. 30 For there was little that was yours before me, and it has prospered to abundance, and Yahweh has blessed you at my feet. But now, when will I also do something for my household?”

31 Then he said, “What should I give to you?” And Jacob said, “Do not give anything to me. If you will do this thing for me, I will continue tending your flocks watching over them: 32 I will pass through all your flocks today to remove from there every speckled and spotted lamb and every dark-colored lamb among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled young among the goats. And that will be my wages. 33 So my righteousness will testify for me in future days when you go over my wages in front of you: any that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and dark-colored among the sheep, it was stolen if it is with me.”

34 And Laban said, “Behold, let it be according to your word.” 35 Then on that day he removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, any that had white on it, and all the dark-colored ones among the lambs. Then he gave them into the hand of his sons, 36 and he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob. And Jacob was tending the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Then Jacob took for himself fresh-cut branches of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white that was inside the branches. 38 Then he put the branches that he had peeled in the troughs, in the water troughs where the flocks came to drink, in front of the flocks. And they were in heat when they came to drink, 39 and the flocks would mate by the branches, and the flocks would bear streaked, speckled, and spotted young. 40 Then Jacob set apart the lambs, and he made the faces of the flocks look at the streaked and all the dark-colored animals in the flocks of Laban. And he put flocks for himself by themselves, and he did not put them with the flocks of Laban.

41 So it happened whenever the strong animals were in heat, then Jacob put the branches in the troughs before the eyes of the flocks so that they would mate by the branches. 42 But when the animals were weak, he did not put them in. So it was the weak ones went to Laban, and the strong ones to Jacob, 43 so that the man prospered very greatly, and he owned large flocks, and maidservants and menservants and camels and donkeys.

Jacob and His Family Flee from Laban

31:1-21

31 Then he heard the words of the sons of Laban, who were saying, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father, and from what belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth!” 2 And Jacob saw the face of Laban, and behold, he was not with him as yesterday and three days ago. 3 Then Yahweh said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

4 Then Jacob sent and called for Rachel and Leah to the field to his flocks. 5 Then he said to them, “I have seen the face of your father, that he is not toward me as yesterday and three days ago, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 And you know that with all my might I have served your father, 7 but your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. 8 If he said like this: ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled young. But if he said like this: ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God took away the livestock of your father and gave them to me.

10 “And it happened in the season the flocks were in heat, and I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream that, behold, the he-goats that were mounting the flocks were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 11 Then an angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ and I said, ‘Behold me.’ 12 Then he said, ‘Please lift up your eyes and see all the he-goats that are mounting the flocks are streaked, speckled, and spotted, because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now get up, go out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’ ”

14 Then Rachel replied, and Leah, and they said to him, “Is there still for us a portion or inheritance in the house of our father? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he sold us, and he has indeed completely eaten up our silver. 16 For all the wealth that God took from our father belongs to us and to our children. So now, do all that God has said to you.”

17 So Jacob got up and put his sons and his wives on the camels. 18 Then he drove all his livestock and all his property that he had acquired, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.

19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, so Rachel stole the idols that belonged to her father, 20 and Jacob stole the heart of Laban the Aramean by not informing him that he was fleeing. 21 And he fled and all that belonged to him. And he got up and crossed the River and set his face toward the mountains of Gilead.

Laban Pursues Jacob and His Family

31:22-42

22 And on the third day it was told to Laban that Jacob had fled. 23 So he took his relatives with him and pursued after him a seven-day journey and overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream that night and said to him, “Watch yourself that you do not speak with Jacob either good or bad.”

25 And Laban overtook Jacob, and Jacob had pitched his tents in the mountains, so Laban with his relatives pitched theirs in the mountains of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? And you have stolen my heart and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword! 27 Why did you secretly flee and deceive me and not tell me? For I would have sent you with joy and with songs, with tambourines and with lyres! 28 And you did not let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters! Now you have acted foolishly by doing that! 29 It is in the power of my hand to do harm to you, but last night the God of your father said to me, saying, ‘Keep yourself from speaking with Jacob either good or bad.’ 30 So now, you have surely gone because you greatly long for the house of your father. Why did you steal my gods?”

31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, because I said that perhaps you would seize your daughters from me. 32 Whomever you find your gods with will not live! In front of our relatives, observe for yourself what is with me, and take what belongs to you.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 Then Laban went into the tent of Jacob and into the tent of Leah and into the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find anything. Then he came out of Leah’s tent and went into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside the camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. And Laban felt throughout the entire tent, but he did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Do not let it burn in the eyes of my lord that I am not able to stand up in your presence, because the way of women is on me.” So he searched, but he did not find the idols.

36 Then it burned within Jacob, and he disputed with Laban, and Jacob responded and said to Laban, “What is my crime? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued after me? 37 Since you have felt through all my things, what have you found from any of the things of your house? Put it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, and let them judge between the two of us!

38 “These twenty years I have been with you! Your ewes and your she-goats did not miscarry, and I have not eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring torn animals to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it from my hand, those stolen by day and those stolen by night. 40 There I was: In the day, heat devoured me, and in the night the frost, so that my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 That is how it was for me twenty years in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my palms, and he judged you last night.”

Jacob and Laban Cut a Covenant

31:43-55

43 And Laban responded and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my grandchildren, and the flocks are my flocks. And everything that you see belongs to me! But what can I do today about these daughters of mine or about their children whom they have born? 44 So now, come, let us cut a covenant, I and you, and let it be a witness between me and you.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Then Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap. Then they ate there by the heap. 47 And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between me and you today.” For that reason he called its name Galeed. 49 It is also Mizpah, because he said, “May Yahweh watch between me and you when we are hidden one from the other. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, even though there is not someone with us, behold, God is a witness between me and you.”

51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap, and behold the pillar which I set up between me and you. 52 This heap is a witness and the pillar is a witness that I will not pass by this heap to you, and that you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm. 53 May the God of Abraham and the gods of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us!” Then Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob sacrificed a sacrifice on the mountain. Then he called his relatives to eat bread. Then they ate bread and spent the night on the mountain.

55 Then in the morning Laban got up early and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters, and he blessed them. Then Laban left and returned to his place.

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32:1-21

32 Then Jacob went on his way, and angels of God met him. 2 And when he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, “This is what you will say to my lord, to Esau: ‘This is what your servant Jacob says, “I have been sojourning with Laban and have remained there until now. 5 And I have cattle and donkeys, flocks, and menservants and maidservants. And I have sent messengers to speak with my lord, so that I will find favor in your eyes.” ’ ”

6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to your brother, to Esau. And also, he is coming to meet you, and 400 men with him!” 7 And Jacob was exceedingly afraid, and it was distressing for him, so he divided the people who were with him and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two camps. 8 And he said, “If Esau comes to one camp and strikes them, then the camp that is left will escape.”

9 Then Jacob said, “God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives, and I will cause things to prosper with you,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the kindnesses and of all the faithfulness that you have shown your servant. For I crossed this Jordan with my staff, but now I have become two camps. 11 Please save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, because I am afraid of him, that he will come and strike me and the mothers with the children! 12 But you said, ‘I will surely cause things to prosper with you, and I will make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted from their abundance.’ ”

13 Then he stayed there for that night, and he took gifts from what was in his hand for Esau his brother: 14 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty nursing camels and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 And he gave them into the hands of his servants, each herd by itself. And he said to his servants, “Go before me, and put space between each herd.” 17 And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘Whom do you belong to, and where are you going? And whom do these animals belong to that are before you?’ 18 then you say, ‘They belong to your servant, to Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord, to Esau. And behold, he is also behind us.’ ”

19 Then he also commanded the second servant, also the third, also all who followed behind the herds, saying, “Say the same thing to Esau when you find him. 20 And also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will cover his face with the gift that is going before me, and after that, when I see his face, perhaps he will receive my face.” 21 Then the gift went before him, and he himself stayed for that night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles with God, Who Names Him Israel

32:22-32

22 Then during that night he got up and took his two wives and his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed over the ford of the Jabbok. 23 So he took them and had them cross over the stream, and he sent what belonged to him across. 24 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the dawn came up. 25 And he saw that he was not prevailing over him, so he touched him on the socket of his hip, so that the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Release me, because the dawn has come up!” But he said, “I will not release you unless you bless me!” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name will not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”

29 Then Jacob asked and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is this you are asking for my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, because he said, “I saw God face to face, but my life was preserved!”

31 And the sun rose on him as he passed Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 For that reason, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the muscle of the tendon that is on the socket of the hip, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the muscle of the tendon.

Jacob Reconciles with Esau and Settles in Shechem

33:1-20

33 Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and with him 400 men. Then he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maidservants. 2 And he put the maidservants and their children first, and Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph after them. 3 Then he himself went before them, and he bowed to the ground seven times as he came near to his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and he fell on his neck and kissed him, and they cried. 5 Then he lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and he said, “Who are these with you?” And he said, “The children whom God has graciously given to your servant.” 6 Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and they bowed down. 7 Then Leah also came near and her children, and they bowed down. Then after that, Joseph came near and Rachel, and they bowed down.

8 Then he said, “What to you are all these groups that I met?” And he said, “To find favor in the eyes of my lord.” 9 Then Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Let what belongs to you be yours.” 10 But Jacob said, “No, please. If, please, I have found favor in your eyes, then take my gift from my hand. For indeed I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have received me. 11 Please take my blessing that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me, and because I have everything.” And he urged him, so he took it.

12 Then he said, “Let’s travel and go, and I will go in front of you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and the flocks and the herds that are nursing are with me. And if they drive them one day, then all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord go on before his servant, and I will lead them on at my gentle pace, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 And Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.” 16 So on that day Esau went on his way back to Seir. 17 And Jacob traveled to Succoth, and he built a house for himself, and for his livestock he made shelters. For that reason he called the name of the place Succoth. 18 Then Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which was in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram, and he camped before the city. 19 And he bought the portion of the field where he pitched his tents from the hands of the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred kesitahs. 20 And there he set up an altar, and he called it El Elohe Israel.

Shechem Rapes Dinah, and Jacob’s Sons Take Revenge

34:1-31

34 Then Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she had born for Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 And Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of the land, saw her, and he took her and lay with her and violated her. 3 And his soul was attached to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke to the heart of the young woman. 4 Then Shechem said to Hamor his father, saying, “Get this girl for me as a wife.”

5 Then Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter, and his sons were with his livestock in the fields, so Jacob kept quiet until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem came out to Jacob to talk with him. 7 Then the sons of Jacob came from the fields. When they heard, then the men were grieved and it burned within them greatly, because he had done something disgraceful to Israel by lying with the daughter of Jacob, and such a thing should not have been done! 8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “Shechem my son, his soul is attached to your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9 And intermarry with us: Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves, 10 and settle with us. And the land is before you. Settle and trade in it, and acquire property in it.”

11 Then Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and what you say to me I will give. 12 Increase greatly the dowry and gift for me, and I will give according to what you say to me. Then give the young woman to me as a wife.”

13 Then the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with deceit when they spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We are not able to do this thing, to give our sister to a man who has a foreskin, because that is a disgrace to us! 15 Only on this condition will we consent with you: if you become like us by every male among you being circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for us. And we will settle with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.”

18 And their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with the daughter of Jacob, and he was honored more than all of the house of his father. 20 So Hamor and Shechem his son went to the gate of their city, and they spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are peaceful with us, so let them settle in the land, and let them trade in it. And behold, the land is broad of hands before them. We can take their daughters for ourselves as wives, and we can give our daughters to them. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent with us to settle with us, to become one people: when every male among us is circumcised just as they are circumcised. 23 Their livestock and their property and all their animals, will they not belong to us? Only let us consent with them, and they will settle with us!”

24 And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to Shechem his son, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25 Then it happened on the third day, when they were in pain, then two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, brothers of Dinah, each took his sword and went upon the city boldly and killed every male. 26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the mouth of the sword, and they took Dinah from the house of Shechem and left. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and what was in the city and what was in the fields. 29 And all their wealth and all their little ones and their women they took captive, and they also plundered everything that was in the houses.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and to Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink among those who live in the land, among the Canaanites and among the Perizzites! And I am few of number, and if they gather together against me and attack me, then I will be destroyed, I and my house!” 31 But they said, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

God Blesses Jacob at Bethel

35:1-15

35 Then God said to Jacob, “Get up, go up to Bethel and settle there, and make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from the presence of Esau your brother.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Remove the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 Then let us get up and go up to Bethel, and there I will make an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress. And he has been with me in the way that I have gone.” 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands and the rings that were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was by Shechem.

5 Then they set out, and the dread of God was on the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6 Then Jacob came to Luz, which is Bethel, which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 And there he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from the presence of his brother.

8 Then Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, died and was buried below Bethel, under the oak tree. So he called its name Allon Bacuth.

9 Then God appeared to Jacob again when he had come from Paddan Aram, and he blessed him, 10 and God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name will not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel will be your name!” So he called his name Israel.

11 Then God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a community of nations will be from you, and kings will come from your loins. 12 And the land that I gave to Abraham and to Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.” 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he spoke with him.

14 Then Jacob set up a pillar at the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him Bethel.

Rachel Dies Giving Birth to Benjamin

35:16-20

16 Then they set out from Bethel, and there was still a distance of land to come to Ephrath. Then Rachel started giving birth but was having great difficulty while she was giving birth. 17 And it happened when she was in hard labor, then the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, because this is also a son for you!” 18 Then it happened as her soul was leaving her—for she was dying, then she called his name Ben-oni, but his father called him Benjamin.

19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 20 And Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.

Jacob’s Twelve Sons

35:21-26

21 Then Israel set out and pitched his tents beyond Migdal Eder. 22 And it happened while Israel was living in that land, then Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, the concubine of his father, and Israel heard.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 25 And the sons of Bilhah, the maidservant of Rachel, were Dan and Naphtali. 26 And the sons of Zilpah, the maidservant of Leah, were Gad and Asher. Those are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

Isaac’s Death

35:27-29

27 Then Jacob came to Isaac his father in Mamre, Kiriath Arba, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.

28 And the days of Isaac were 180 years. 29 Then Isaac exhaled and died, and he was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

Esau’s Descendants

36:1-19

1 Chronicles 1:34-54

36 And these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau had taken his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael and the sister of Nebaioth.

4 And Adah bore Eliphaz for Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah. Those were the sons of Esau who were born for him in the land of Canaan.

6 Then Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all the people of his house, and his livestock and all his animals and all his possessions that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and he went to a land from the presence of Jacob his brother, 7 because their possessions were too great for them to remain together, and the land of their sojournings was not able to support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau settled in the mountains of Seir; Esau, who is Edom.

9 Now these are the generations of Esau, the father of the Edomites in the mountains of Seir. 10 These are the names of the sons of Esau: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho and Gatam and Kenaz. 12 And Timna was a concubine for Esau’s son Eliphaz, and she bore Amalek for Eliphaz. Those were the grandsons of Adah, the wife of Esau.

13 And these were the sons of Reuel: Nahath and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. Those were the grandsons of Basemath, the wife of Esau.

14 And these were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon: and she bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah for Esau.

15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, Chief Amalek. Those were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. Those were the grandsons of Adah.

17 And these were the sons of Reuel, the son of Esau: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, Chief Mizzah. Those were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. Those were the grandsons of Basemath, the wife of Esau.

18 And these were the sons of Oholibamah, the wife of Esau: Chief Jeush, Chief Jalam, Chief Korah. Those were the chiefs of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 19 Those were the sons of Esau, and those were their chiefs. He is Edom.

Seir’s Descendants

36:20-30

20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite who were inhabiting the land: Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah 21 and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan. Those were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom.

22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and the sister of Lotan was Timna.

23 And these were the sons of Shobal: Alvan and Manahath and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

24 And these were the sons of Zibeon: both Aiah and Anah. He is Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness when he was pasturing the donkeys for Zibeon his father. 25 And these were the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 26 And these were the sons of Dishon: Hemdan and Eshban and Ithran and Keran.

27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan and Zaavan and Akan.

28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, 30 Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, Chief Dishan. Those were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their clans in the land of Seir.

The Kings and Chiefs of Edom

36:31-43

1 Chronicles 1:43-54

31 And these were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before a king reigned for the sons of Israel. 32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 Then Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 Then Jobab died, and Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 Then Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad reigned in his place, who struck the Midianites in the field of Moab. And the name of his city was Avith. 36 Then Hadad died, and Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 Then Samlah died, and Shaul from Rehoboth on the river reigned in his place. 38 Then Shaul died, and Baal-Hanan the son of Acbor reigned in his place. 39 Then Baal-Hanan the son of Acbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, and the name of his city was Pau. And the name of his wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and the granddaughter of Me-Zahab.

40 And these are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their clans, according to their places, by their names: Chief Timna, Chief Alvan, Chief Jetheth, 41 Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, 42 Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, 43 Chief Magdiel, Chief Iram. Those were the chiefs of Edom, according to their dwellings in the land of their possession. That was Esau, the father of the Edomites.

Joseph’s Dreams Anger His Brothers

37:1–11

37 And Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph, a son of seventeen years, was shepherding the flocks with his brothers, and he was a young man with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and Joseph brought a bad report about them to their father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all of his sons because he was a son of his old age. So he made a multicolored tunic for him. 4 And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all of his brothers, so they hated him and were not able to speak to him peaceably.

5 Then Joseph dreamed a dream and told it to his brothers, and they continued to hate him even more. 6 And he said to them, “Please hear this dream that I dreamed: 7 And behold, we were binding sheaves in the middle of a field, and behold, my sheaf got up and also stood upright, and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 Then his brothers said to him, “Will you really reign over us? Will you really rule over us?” And they continued to hate him even more because of his dreams and because of his words.

9 Then he dreamed yet another dream, and he related it to his brothers. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed another dream, and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 And he related it to his father and to his brothers, but his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you dreamed? Will your mother and I and your brothers really come to bow down to the ground to you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Joseph’s Brothers Sell Him as a Slave

37:12-36

12 Then his brothers went to shepherd the flocks of their father near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers shepherding near Shechem? Come and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Behold me.” 14 Then he said to him, “Please go and see the well-being of your brothers and the well-being of the flocks, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. 15 And a man found him, and behold, he was wandering around in the fields. So the man asked him, saying, “What are you looking for?” 16 And he said, “I am looking for my brothers. Please tell me where they are shepherding.” 17 Then the man said, “They set out from here. For I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ”

Then Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18 But they saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, then they conspired against him to kill him. 19 And they said each to his brother, “Behold, that master of dreams is coming! 20 So now, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns. Then we will say an evil animal devoured him, and we will see what his dreams become!”

21 But Reuben heard, and he rescued him from their hands and said, “Let us not strike his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Do not shed blood. Throw him into this cistern which is in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him,” in order to rescue him from their hands, to return him to his father.

23 Then it happened when Joseph came to his brothers, then they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the multicolored tunic that was on him. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. And the cistern was empty; there was not water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted their eyes and looked, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead. And their camels were carrying spices and balm and myrrh that they were going to take down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What gain is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites so that our hands will not be on him. For he is our brother, our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28 Then the Midianite men, traders, passed by, and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Then they brought Joseph to Egypt.

29 Then Reuben returned to the cistern, but behold, Joseph was not in the cistern, so he tore his clothes. 30 Then he returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! And I, where am I going?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s tunic and slaughtered a kid of the goats and dipped the tunic in the blood.

32 Then they sent the multicolored tunic and had it brought to their father and said, “We found this. Please examine whether it is your son’s tunic or not.” 33 And he examined it and said, “It is my son’s tunic! An evil animal has devoured him! Surely Joseph was torn to pieces!” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his loins, and he mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters got up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “For I will go down to my son in Sheol mourning.” So his father wept for him.

36 And the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh, the chief of the guards.

Judah and Tamar

38:1-30

38 And it happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and settled near an Adullamite man, and his name was Hirah. 2 And there Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man, and his name was Shua, and he took her. Then he went to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 Then she continued further and bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. And he was in Kezib when she bore him.

6 Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, so Yahweh killed him.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go to the wife of your brother and perform your duty to her and produce offspring for your brother.” 9 However, Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so it happened when he went to the wife of his brother, then he spilled it on the ground so that he would not give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, so he killed him also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in the house of your father until Shelah my son grows up.” For he said, “So that he does not also die like his brothers!” So Tamar went and lived in the house of her father.

12 Then the days were many, and Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Then Judah was comforted, and he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told to Tamar, saying, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 So she took off her widow’s clothes from her and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself. Then she sat at the entrance of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah, because she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she had not been given to him as a wife.

15 Then Judah saw her, and he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face. 16 So he turned to her beside the road and said, “Please come, let me come to you,” because he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give to me if you will come to me?” 17 And he said, “I will send a kid goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you will give a pledge until you send it.” 18 Then he said, “What is the pledge that I should give to you?” And she said, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she got up and left, and she took off her veil from her and put on her widow’s clothes.

20 Then Judah sent the kid goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite to get back the pledge from the hand of the woman, but he did not find her. 21 So he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the temple prostitute who was at Enaim beside the road?” But they said, “There has not been a temple prostitute in this place.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her. And also, the men of the place said, ‘There has not been a temple prostitute in this place.’ ” 23 And Judah said, “Let her take the things for herself so that we do not become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this kid, but you did not find her.”

24 Then it happened about three months later that it was told to Judah, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has prostituted herself, and also, behold, she is pregnant by her prostitutions!” So Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned!” 25 She was being brought out, and she sent a message to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man whom these things belong to, I am pregnant.” Then she said, “Please identify whose signet and cords and staff these are.” 26 And Judah identified the things and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I did not give her to Shelah my son!” And he did not continue to know her more.

27 Then it happened when it was time for her to give birth, then behold, twins were inside her womb! 28 And it happened, as she was giving birth, then one put out a hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But it happened, when he drew his hand back in, then behold, his brother came out. Then she said, “How have you breached for yourself a breach?” So he called his name Perez. 30 And afterwards, his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and he called his name Zerah.

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39:1-23

39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an Egyptian man, an official of Pharaoh, the chief of the guards, had bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 2 And Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 And his master saw that Yahweh was with him and that Yahweh made all that he was doing successful in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his eyes, and he served him. And he put him in charge over his house and gave into his hand all that was his. 5 And it happened from the time he put him in charge in his house and over all that was his, then Yahweh blessed the house of the Egyptian because of Joseph. So the blessing of Yahweh was on all that was his, in the house and in the fields. 6 And he left all that belonged to him in the hand of Joseph, and he did not think to himself about anything except for the bread that he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and handsome in appearance. 7 And it happened after those things, then the wife of his master lifted her eyes toward Joseph and said, “Lie with me!” 8 But he refused and said to the wife of his master, “Behold, with me here, my master does not think about what is in the house, and all that is his he has given into my hand. 9 He is not greater than me in this house, and he has not withheld anything from me except for you, because you are his wife. So how can I do this great evil, and sin against God?” 10 Then it happened even though she kept speaking to Joseph day after day, yet he did not listen to her to lie beside her, to be with her.

11 Then it happened on such a day that he went into the house to do his work, and there were no other men of the house there in the house. 12 So she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside. 13 Then it happened when she saw that he had left his garment in her hands and had fled outside, 14 then she called for the men of her house and said to them, saying, “Look! He brought to us a Hebrew man to laugh at us! He came to me to lie with me, but I called out with a loud voice! 15 Then it happened when he heard that I raised my voice and called out, then he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside!”

16 Then she kept his garment beside her until his master came to his house. 17 Then she spoke to him according to those words, saying, “The Hebrew slave whom you brought to us came to me to laugh at me! 18 Then it happened when I raised my voice and called out, then he left his garment beside me and fled outside!” 19 And it happened when his master heard the words of his wife that she spoke to him, saying, “Such are the things your slave did to me!” then his anger burned. 20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him in the round-house, the place where the prisoners of the king were bound.

So he was there in the round-house, 21 but Yahweh was with Joseph and showed kindness to him and gave him favor in the eyes of the chief of the round-house. 22 And the chief of the round-house gave into the hand of Joseph all the prisoners who were in the round-house, and all that they were doing there, he was the one doing it. 23 The chief of the round-house did not look at anything in his hand, because Yahweh was with him, and Yahweh made what he was doing successful.

The Chief Cupbearer’s and Chief Baker’s Dreams

40:1-23

40 Then it happened after those things that the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and the baker sinned against their lord, against the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh broke out in anger against his two officials, against the chief of the cupbearers and against the chief of the bakers, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the chief of the guards, in the round-house, the place where Joseph was bound. 4 And the chief of the guards assigned Joseph to them, so he attended them, and they were in custody for days.

5 Then the two of them dreamed a dream. Each had his own dream in the same night, and each man’s dream had its own interpretation. They were the cupbearer and the baker who belonged to the king of Egypt, who were bound in the round-house. 6 And Joseph came to them in the morning and saw them, and behold, they were upset. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in custody in the house of his master, saying, “Why are your faces sad today?” 8 And they said to him, “We dreamed a dream, but there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

9 Then the chief of the cupbearers told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “And behold, in my dream a grapevine was before me, 10 and on the grapevine were three branches. Then while it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Then the cup of Pharaoh was in my hand and I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup of Pharaoh. Then I put the cup into the hand of Pharaoh.”

12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, according to the former custom when you were his cupbearer. 14 But if you remember me with you, when it goes well for you, then please show kindness to me, and mention me to Pharaoh, and get me out from this house. 15 For indeed, I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews. And also here I did not do anything that they should put me in the pit.”

16 And the chief of the bakers saw that he interpreted favorably, so he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head. 17 And in the top basket were all kinds of food for Pharaoh, baker’s goods, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

18 Then Joseph responded and said, “This is its interpretation: The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

20 Then it happened on the third day, the day Pharaoh was born, that he made a feast for all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief of the cupbearers and the head of the chief of the bakers in the presence of his servants. 21 Then he restored the chief of the cupbearers to his position, and he put the cup into the hand of Pharaoh, 22 but the chief of the bakers he hanged, just as Joseph had interpreted for them.

23 However, the chief of the cupbearers did not remember Joseph but forgot him.

Pharaoh’s Two Dreams

41:1-36

41 Then it happened at the end of two years of days that Pharaoh was dreaming and behold, he was standing beside the river. 2 Then behold, from the river came up seven cows, fine-looking and fat-fleshed, and they grazed among the reeds. 3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the river, ugly-looking and thin-fleshed, and they stood beside the other cows on the bank of the river. 4 Then the ugly-looking and thin-fleshed cows ate the seven fine-looking and fat cows, and Pharaoh woke up.

5 Then he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, fat and good. 6 Then behold, seven heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted after them. 7 Then the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven fat and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up, and behold, it was a dream.

8 Then it happened in the morning that his spirit was agitated, so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Then Pharaoh told his dreams to them, but no one could interpret them for Pharaoh. 9 Then the chief of the cupbearers spoke with Pharaoh, saying, “Today I remember my offenses. 10 Pharaoh broke out in anger against his servants, and he put me in custody in the house of the chief of the guards, me and the chief of the bakers. 11 And we dreamed a dream in the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his dream. 12 Now there with us was a young Hebrew man, a servant for the chief of the guards. And we told our dreams to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. He interpreted for each according to his dream. 13 And it happened, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened: me he restored to my position, and him he hanged.”

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph. So they quickly brought him from the pit. Then he shaved and changed his clothes and came to Pharaoh. 15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I dreamed a dream, but no one could interpret it. But I heard about you, saying that you hear a dream and are able to interpret it.” 16 And Joseph responded to Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will answer with Pharaoh’s peace.”

17 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the river. 18 Then behold, from the river came up seven cows, fat-fleshed and of fine form, and they grazed among the reeds. 19 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly of form and thin-fleshed. I have not seen cows as ugly as those in all the land of Egypt! 20 Then the thin and ugly cows ate the first seven fat cows. 21 So they went into their bellies, but it could not be known that they had gone into their bellies, and their appearance was just as ugly as at the beginning. Then I woke up.

22 “Then I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good. 23 Then behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin and scorched by the east wind sprouted after them. 24 Then the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. And I told this to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one. What God is doing he has shown to Pharaoh. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dreams are one. 27 And the seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven thin heads of grain scorched by the east wind. There will be seven years of famine. 28 That is the word that I have spoken to Pharaoh: What God is doing he has shown to Pharaoh. 29 Behold, seven years are coming of great abundance in all the land of Egypt. 30 But seven years of famine will rise up after them, so that all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will consume the land. 31 And the abundance in the land will not be remembered because of that famine after it, because it will be very heavy. 32 And as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it is because the matter has been established by God, and God will soon do it.

33 “And now let Pharaoh seek a man who is discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this: Let him set supervisors over the land, and let him take a fifth of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. 35 And they should gather all the food of the good years that are coming. And they should store that grain under Pharaoh’s hand for food in the cities and guard it. 36 And the food should be in reserve for the land for the seven years of famine that will come on the land of Egypt, so that the land will not be cut off by the famine.”

Joseph Is Appointed as the Governor of Egypt and Stores Up Grain

41:37-57

37 And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this who has the Spirit of God in him?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown all this to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You will be over my house, and all my people will kiss on your mouth. Only I on the throne will be greater than you.” 41 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have put you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand. And he dressed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain on his neck. 43 Then he had him ride in the second chariot that belonged to him, and they shouted before him, “Bow down!” So he put him over all the land of Egypt.

44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without you a person will not lift his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt!” 45 Then Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah, and he gave to him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, as a wife. Then Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46 Now Joseph was a son of thirty years when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and passed through all the land of Egypt. 47 And in the seven years of abundance, the land produced grain by the handfuls. 48 So he gathered all the food of the seven years that were in the land of Egypt, and he put the food in the cities. The food of the fields that surrounded each city he put inside it. 49 So Joseph stored up grain like the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped measuring it because it was without number.

50 And before the years of the famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, bore for him. 51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn son Manasseh, because he said, “God has made me forget all my toil and all of my father’s house.” 52 And the name of the second son he called Ephraim, because he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53 Then the seven years of abundance that was in the land of Egypt ended, 54 and the seven years of famine started to come, just as Joseph had said. And there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 Then all the land of Egypt became famished, and the people cried to Pharaoh for the bread. So Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Whatever he says to you, do it.” 56 And the famine was over all the face of the land, so Joseph opened all the buildings that had grain in them and sold grain to the Egyptians. And the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Then all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.

Joseph’s Brothers Come to Egypt to Buy Grain

42:1-38

42 Then Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, so Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” 2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us from there so that we will live and not die.” 3 Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, the brother of Joseph, with his brothers, because he said, “So that harm does not meet him!”

5 And the sons of Israel came among those who came to buy grain, because the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Now Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who was selling grain to all the people of the land. So the brothers of Joseph came and bowed down to him with their noses to the ground. 7 And Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted like a stranger to them, and he spoke with them harshly and said to them, “Where did you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.” 8 And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!” 10 But they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 All of us are sons of one man. We are honest. Your servants are not spies.”

12 But he said to them, “No, indeed you have come to see the nakedness of the land!” 13 But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers. We are sons of one man in the land of Canaan. And behold, the youngest is with our father today, and the one is not alive.”

14 Then Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’ 15 By this you will be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, and you will be bound. Then your words will be tested as to whether the truth is in you. And if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!” 17 Then he put them together in custody for three days.

18 Then Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, because I fear God: 19 If you are honest, let one of your brothers be bound in your prison house, and you go take grain back for the famine of your households. 20 Then you will bring your youngest brother to me so that your words will be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so.

21 Then each man said to his brother, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, but we did not listen. For that reason this distress has come upon us.” 22 Then Reuben responded to them, saying, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the lad’? But you did not listen, so now behold, his blood is being accounted for!” 23 And they did not know that Joseph understood them, because the interpreter was between them. 24 And he turned away from them and cried. Then he turned back toward them and spoke to them. Then he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph ordered his servants and they filled their bags with grain. And he ordered them to return each man’s silver to his sack and to give provisions to them for the road. And he did that for them. 26 Then they loaded their grain onto their donkeys and went from there.

27 Then one of them opened his sack to give fodder to his donkey at the lodging place, and he saw his silver, and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack! 28 So he said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned! And indeed behold, it is in my sack!” Then their hearts went out, and each man trembled to his brother, saying, “What is this God has done to us?”

29 Then they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, and they reported to him all that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke to us harshly and treated us as if we were spying out the land! 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest. We are not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, the sons of our father. The one is not alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’

33 “Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest: Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households and go. 34 Then bring your youngest brother to me so that I will know that you are not spies, that you are honest. Then I will give your brother to you, and you can trade in the land.’ ”

35 Then it happened they were emptying their sacks, and behold, each man’s pouch of his silver was inside his sack! And they and their father saw the pouches of their silver, and they were afraid. 36 Then Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me! Joseph is not here! And Simeon is not here! And you will take Benjamin! All these things are against me!”

37 Then Reuben said to his father, saying, “You may kill my two sons if I do not bring him to you. Put him in my hand, and I will return him to you.” 38 But he said, “My son will not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he alone is left. And if harm were to meet him on the road that you are going on, then you would bring my gray head down in sorrow to Sheol!”

Joseph’s Brothers, including Benjamin, Return to the Country of Egypt

43:1-34

43 Now the famine was heavy in the land. 2 So it happened when they finished eating the grain that they had brought from Egypt, then their father said to them, “Return, buy a little food for us.” 3 But Judah said to him, saying, “The man strongly warned us, saying, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you!’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you!’ ”

6 Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me badly by telling the man you have yet another brother?” 7 And they said, “The man asked persistently about us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him according to those words. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the young man with me, and we will get up and go so that both we and you and our little ones will live and not die. 9 I myself will guarantee him. From my hand you can require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then I will have sinned against you all the days. 10 Surely if we had not delayed, surely we could have returned here twice by now.” 11 Then Israel their father said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the choice produce of the land in your bags, and take it down to the man as a gift: a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 And take double the silver in your hands, because you must return in your hands the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 So take your brother and get up, return to the man. 14 And may God Almighty give you mercies before the man, and may he send your other brother and Benjamin with you. And I, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15 Then the men took that gift, and they took double the silver in their hands, and Benjamin. Then they got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. 16 And Joseph saw Benjamin with them. Then he said to the one who was over his house, “Take the men to the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare a meal, because the men will eat with me at noon.”

17 So the man did just as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 And the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “Because of the matter of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time, we have been brought. He wants to roll himself over us and throw himself on us and take us as slaves, and our donkeys!”

19 Then they went near to the man who was over Joseph’s house and spoke to him at the entrance of the house. 20 And they said, “Please, my lord, we surely came down here the first time to buy food. 21 But it happened when we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks and behold, each man’s silver was in the mouth of his sack; our silver was there in its full weight! So we have brought it back in our hands. 22 And we have brought down other silver in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.” 23 But he said, “Peace be to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you hidden treasure in your sacks; your silver came to me.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24 Then the man took the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave fodder to their donkeys. 25 And they prepared the gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they would eat bread there.

26 Then Joseph came to the house, and they brought to him the gift that was in their hands into the house, and they bowed down to him to the ground. 27 Then he asked them about their wellbeing, and he said, “Are things well for your aged father whom you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 28 And they said, “Things are well for your servant our father. He is still alive.” Then they bowed and bowed down.

29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, the son of his mother, and he said, “Is this your youngest brother whom you spoke to me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Then Joseph hurried out, because his emotions boiled over for his brother, and he sought to cry, and he went to the inner room and cried there.

31 Then he washed his face and came out. Then he controlled himself and said, “Serve the bread.” 32 So they served to him by himself, and to them by themselves, and to the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians cannot eat bread with Hebrews, because that is an abomination to Egyptians. 33 And they were sitting before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men were astonished each to his neighbor. 34 Then he served to them servings of food from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times larger than any of their servings. And they drank and became drunk with him.

Joseph’s Cup

44:1-17

44 Then he commanded the one who was over his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they are able to carry, and put the silver of each one in the mouth of his sack. 2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest one, and his grain’s silver.” So he did according to Joseph’s word that he spoke.

3 The morning became light, and the men were sent off, they and their donkeys. 4 They had left the city, they had not gone far, and Joseph said to the one who was over his house, “Get up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, then say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Is this not what my lord drinks from and what he indeed divines with? You have done evil in what you have done!’ ”

6 Then he overtook them and spoke those words to them. 7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord speak words like those? Far be it from your servants to do something like that! 8 Behold, the silver that we found in the mouth of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. So how would we steal silver or gold from the house of your lord? 9 Whoever of your servants is found with it, then he will die, and we also will be slaves for my lord.”

10 And he said, “Indeed now, according to your words, so it will be: Whoever is found with it will be a slave for me, but you others will be blameless.” 11 Then they each hurried and lowered his sack to the ground, and they each opened his sack. 12 Then he searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 13 Then they tore their clothes, and each one loaded up his donkey, and they returned to the city.

14 Then Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there, so they fell to the ground before him. 15 Then Joseph said to them, “What is this deed that you have done? Did you not know that a man who is like me indeed divines?” 16 And Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the sin of your servants. Behold, we are slaves for my lord, both we and the one in whose hand the cup was found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me to do that! The man in whose hand the cup was found, he will be a slave for me. But you, go up in peace to your father.”

Judah Pleads for Benjamin’s Freedom

44:18-34

18 Then Judah went near to him and said, “Please, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not let your anger burn against your servant, since you are like Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Do you have a father or another brother?’ 20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father and the youngest son of his old age. But his brother is dead, so he is left by himself from his mother, and his father loves him.’

21 “Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, and I will set my eyes on him.’ 22 And we said to my lord, ‘The young man is not able to leave his father, because if he leaves his father, then he will die.’ 23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’

24 “Then it happened when we went up to your servant my father, then we related to him the words of my lord. 25 Then our father said, ‘Return, buy a little food for us.’ 26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down. But if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go. For we are not able to see the man’s face and our youngest brother not be with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore two sons for me. 28 And the one went away from me, and I have said, “He was surely torn to pieces,” and I have not seen him until now. 29 So if you also take this one from my presence, and harm were to meet him, then you would bring my gray head down in misery to Sheol.’

30 “And now, when I go to your servant my father and the young man is not with us, since his soul is bound to his soul, 31 then it will happen when he sees that the young man is not there, then he will die! And your servants will bring the gray head of your servant our father down in sorrow to Sheol! 32 For your servant guaranteed the young man to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will have sinned against my father all the days.’

33 “And now, please let your servant stay as a slave for my lord instead of the young man, and let the young man go up with his brothers. 34 For how will I go up to my father if the young man is not with me? I fear to see the misery that would find my father!”

Joseph Reveals His Identity to His Brothers

45:1-28

45 Then Joseph was not able to control himself before all who were standing by him, and he called out, “Have every man leave from beside me!” So no man stood with him when Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. 2 And he gave his voice in crying, and the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come close to me.” So they came close, and he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now, do not be grieved and do not let it burn in your eyes that you sold me here, because God sent me ahead of you for the preservation of life. 6 For this is two years the famine has been in the midst of the land, and there are still five years in which there will not be plowing and harvesting. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve a remnant for you on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it was not you who sent me here, but God. And he has made me father to Pharaoh, and lord over all his house and the ruler in all the land of Egypt.

9 “Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord over all Egypt. Come down to me, do not delay. 10 And you will live in the land of Goshen so that you will be near to me—you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that belongs to you. 11 And I will provide for you there, because there are still five years of famine, so that you will not become impoverished, you and your household and all that belongs to you.” ’

12 “And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that is speaking to you. 13 So report to my father all my glory in Egypt and all that you have seen. Then hurry and bring my father down here.”

14 Then he fell on the neck of Benjamin his brother and cried, and Benjamin cried on his neck. 15 Then he kissed all his brothers and cried over them. And after that his brothers talked with him.

16 And the report was heard in the house of Pharaoh, saying, “The brothers of Joseph have come.” And it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants. 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and leave; go to the land of Canaan. 18 Then get your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give to you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’

19 “And you are commanded, ‘Do this: Take carts with you from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and get your father and come. 20 And do not let your eyes grieve over your belongings, because the best of all the land of Egypt belongs to you.’ ”

21 Then the sons of Israel did so. And Joseph gave to them carts according to the mouth of Pharaoh, and he gave provisions to them for the road. 22 To all of them, to each one, he gave changes of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave 300 shekels of silver and five changes of clothes. 23 And to his father he sent this: ten he-donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten she-donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father for the road. 24 Then he sent his brothers, and as they left, then he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the road.”

25 Then they went up from Egypt and came to the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father. 26 And they reported to him, saying, “Joseph is still alive! And in fact, he is the ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But his heart went numb because he did not believe them. 27 Then they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and he saw the carts that Joseph had sent to carry him, then the spirit of Jacob their father revived. 28 And Israel said, “Enough! Joseph my son is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”

Jacob and His Family Move to Egypt

46:1-27

46 Then Israel set out and all that belonged to him. Then he came to Beersheba, and he sacrificed sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” And he said, “Behold me.” 3 And he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, because I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I myself will also surely bring you up. And Joseph will put his hand over your eyes.”

5 Then Jacob got up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father and their little ones and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 And they took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Then they came to Egypt, Jacob and all of his offspring with him, 7 his sons and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters and his sons’ daughters. So all his offspring he brought with him to Egypt.

8 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt, Jacob and his sons: the firstborn of Jacob was Reuben. 9 And the sons of Reuben were Hanoch and Pallu and Hezron and Carmi. 10 And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jakin and Zohar and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11 And the sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 And the sons of Judah were Er and Onan and Shelah and Perez and Zerah, but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 And the sons of Issachar were Tola and Puvah and Job and Shimron. 14 And the sons of Zebulun were Sered and Elon and Jahleel. 15 Those were the sons of Leah, whom she bore for Jacob in Paddan Aram, and Dinah his daughter. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.

16 And the sons of Gad were Ziphion and Haggi, Shuni and Ezbon, Eri and Arodi and Areli. 17 And the sons of Asher were Imnah and Ishvah and Ishvi and Beriah and Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel. 18 Those were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban had given to Leah his daughter. And she bore those sixteen souls for Jacob.

19 The sons of Rachel, the wife of Jacob, were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 And Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore for him. 21 And the sons of Benjamin were Bela and Beker and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim and Ard. 22 Those were the sons of Rachel, whom she bore for Jacob; all the souls were fourteen.

23 And the sons of Dan were Hushim. 24 And the sons of Naphtali were Jahziel and Guni and Jezer and Shillem. 25 Those were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to Rachel his daughter. And she bore those for Jacob; all the souls were seven.

26 All the souls who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came out of his thigh, apart from the wives of Jacob’s sons; all the souls were sixty-six. 27 And the sons of Joseph who were born for him in Egypt were two souls. All the souls belonging to the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.

Jacob Reunites with His Son Joseph and Meets Pharaoh

46:28-47:12

28 And he sent Judah before him to Joseph to show the way before him to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen. 29 Then Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. And he appeared to him, and he fell on his neck and cried on his neck a long time. 30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I can die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive!”

31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to the household of his father, “I will go up and report to Pharaoh, and I will say to him, ‘My brothers and the household of my father who were living in the land of Canaan have come to me. 32 And the men are herders of sheep, for they are livestock men, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and everything that belongs to them.’ 33 Then it will be, when Pharaoh calls for you and says, ‘What is your work?’ 34 then you should say, ‘Your servants have been livestock men from our youth and until now, both we and also our fathers,’ so that you can settle in the land of Goshen, because every herder of sheep is an abomination to Egyptians.”

47 Then Joseph went and reported to Pharaoh and said, “My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that belongs to them have come from the land of Canaan, and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” 2 Then he took five men from among his brothers, and he presented them before Pharaoh. 3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your work?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are herders of sheep, both we and our fathers.” 4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, because there is not pasture for the flocks that belong to your servants, because the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen.”

5 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best land; let them settle in the land of Goshen. And if you know that there are men of ability among them, then appoint them overseers of livestock over those that belong to me.”

7 Then Joseph brought Jacob his father and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Then Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” 9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojournings are 130 years. The days of the years of my life have been few and difficult, and they have not reached the days of the years of my fathers’ lives in the days of their sojournings.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left from the presence of Pharaoh.

11 Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and he gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all the household of his father with bread, according to the mouths of the little ones.

How Joseph Ruled Egypt During the Rest of the Famine

47:13-26

13 Now there was no bread in all the earth, because the famine was very heavy, and the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were languishing because of the famine. 14 And Joseph collected all the silver that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain which they were buying, and Joseph brought the silver to the house of Pharaoh. 15 So the silver was consumed from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan, and all Egypt came to Joseph, saying, “Give us bread! And why should we die before you? For the silver is gone!” 16 And Joseph said, “Bring your livestock and I will give grain to you in exchange for your livestock, since the silver is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave bread to them in exchange for the horses and for the herds of sheep and for the herds of cattle and for the donkeys. So he provided them with bread in that year in exchange for all their livestock.

18 And when that year had ended, then they came to him in the second year and said to him, “We cannot hide it from my lord that since the silver is consumed and the herds of livestock belong to my lord, there is nothing left before my lord except our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for the bread, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we will live and not die, and the land will not be desolate!”

20 Then Joseph bought all the farmland of Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was heavy for them. So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 And as for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt to its other end. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, because there was an allotment for the priests from Pharaoh, and they ate from their allotment that Pharaoh gave to them. For that reason they did not sell their land.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you so that you can sow the ground. 24 And it will happen in the harvests that you must give a fifth to Pharaoh, and the four parts will be for you as seed of the field and as your food and for those in your houses and for your little ones to eat.” 25 And they said, “You have kept us alive! Let us find favor in the eyes of my lord, and we will be slaves for Pharaoh.” 26 And Joseph established it as a law to this day concerning the farmland of Egypt, that the fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests by itself did not become Pharaoh’s.

Jacob’s Last Wishes

47:27-31

27 And Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they acquired possessions in it. And they were fruitful and multiplied greatly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years, 29 and the days of Israel drew near for him to die. So he called for his son, for Joseph, and said to him, “If, please, I have found favor in your eyes, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt. 30 And when I lie down with my fathers, then carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their tomb.” And he said, “I will do according to your word.” 31 Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed.

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons Ephraim and Manasseh

48:1-22

48 Then it happened after those things that someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons with him, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And someone announced to Jacob and said, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel gathered his strength and sat up on the bed. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and he blessed me 4 and said to me, ‘Behold, I am making you fruitful, and I will multiply you and make you into a community of peoples. And I will give this land to your offspring after you as an everlasting possession.’

5 “And now, your two sons, who were born for you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they are mine, Ephraim and Manasseh, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 But your children whom you father after them will be yours. They will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 And I, as I was coming from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still a distance of land to go to Ephrath. And I buried her there beside the road of Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.”

8 Then Israel saw the sons of Joseph and said, “Who are these?” 9 And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons whom God has given to me in this place.” Then he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” 10 Now the eyes of Israel were heavy from age, so that he was not able to see. So he brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I did not expect to see your face, but behold, God has let me see also your offspring!” 12 Then Joseph removed them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his nose to the ground.

13 Then Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right, and brought them near to him. 14 But Israel extended his right hand and placed it on the head of Ephraim, and he was the younger, and he placed his left hand on the head of Manasseh. He guided his hands, because Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“May the God whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked before,

the God who has been shepherding me from since I was born until this day,

16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,

may he bless these boys,

and may my name be called in them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,

and may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17 And Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and it was displeasing in his eyes, so he took hold of the hand of his father to move it from the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasseh. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, because that one is the firstborn son. Put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He will also become a people, and he will also be great. Nevertheless his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.” 20 And he blessed them on that day, saying,

“By you Israel will bless people, saying,

‘May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’ ”

So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, and God will be with you, and he will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And I give you Shechem, one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”

Jacob Blesses His Twelve Sons

49:1-28

49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together, and I will reveal to you what will meet you in the end of days.

2 Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob,

and listen to Israel your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might and the first of my strength,

excelling in rank and excelling in power.

4 Turbulent like waters, you will not excel,

because you went up onto your father’s bed,

and you defiled it. He went up onto my couch!

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers.

Their swords are weapons of violence.

6 Do not let my soul enter into their council!

Do not let my glory join in their assembly,

because in their anger they killed a man,

and for their pleasure they hamstrung an ox.

7 Cursed be their anger because it is strong,

and their fury because it is cruel!

I will divide them in Jacob,

and I will scatter them in Israel.

8 “Judah, it is you your brothers will praise.

Your hand will be on the neck of those opposing you.

The sons of your father will bow down to you.

9 Judah is the cub of a lion.

From the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He crouches and lies down like a lion.

And like a lioness, who will rouse him?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,

nor the staff from between his feet,

until Shiloh comes

and to him belongs the obedience of the peoples.

11 He will tether his donkey to the grapevine,

and the son of his donkey to the choice branch.

He will wash his garments in wine

and his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes will be brilliant from wine,

and his teeth will be white from milk.

13 “Zebulun will settle at the shore of the sea,

and he will live at the shore of ships,

and his border will reach to Sidon.

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey

lying down between two saddlebags.

15 And he sees his resting place that it is good

and the land that it is pleasant.

Then he will bend his shoulder to bear the loads,

and he will be a forced labor servant.

16 “Dan will judge his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan will be a snake beside the road,

a viper beside the path,

that bites the heels of a horse,

and its rider falls off backward.

18 “I am waiting for your salvation, Yahweh!

19 “As for Gad, raiders will attack him,

but he will attack their heels.

20 “From Asher, his bread will be fat,

and he will provide king’s delicacies.

21 “Naphtali is a doe that is let loose.

He gives words of beauty.

22 “Joseph is the son of a fruit-bearing vine,

the son of a fruit-bearing vine beside a spring,

whose daughters go up over a wall.

23 And masters of arrows will attack him

and shoot and harass him.

24 But his bow will remain in strength

and the arms of his hands will be made limber

by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

25 by the God of your father, and he will help you,

and with the Almighty, and he will bless you

with blessings of the heavens above,

blessings of the deep that lies below,

blessings of breasts and womb.

26 The blessings of your father have surpassed

the blessings of my ancestors,

even to the bounties of the eternal hills.

May they rest on the head of Joseph,

even on the top of the head of the one consecrated from among his brothers.

27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf.

In the morning it devours its prey,

and in the evening it divides the plunder.”

28 All those are the twelve tribes of Israel, and that is what their father said to them. And he blessed them, each one, according to his blessing he blessed them.

Jacob’s Death and Burial

49:29-50:14

29 Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am being gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah that is in front of Mamre in the land of Canaan, that Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. 32 The purchase of the field and the cave that is in it was from the sons of Heth.” 33 Then Jacob finished commanding his sons, and he drew his feet into the bed and exhaled and was gathered to his people.

50 Then Joseph fell on the face of his father, and he wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel, 3 and they completed forty days for him, for so they complete the days of embalmings. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.

4 And the days of his mourning passed, then Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying. In my grave that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you must bury me.” So now, please let me go up there and bury my father, then I will return.’ ” 6 And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father just as he made you swear.”

7 So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house and all elders of the land of Egypt 8 and all of the house of Joseph and his brothers and the house of his father. Only their little ones and their flocks and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. 9 And with him went up both chariots and horsemen, and the company was very great.

10 Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they lamented there with a very great and heavy lamentation. And he did seven days of mourning for his father. 11 And the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, and they said, “This is a heavy mourning for the Egyptians!” For that reason they called its name Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.

12 And his sons did for him just as he had commanded them: 13 And his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham had bought with the field as property for a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, in front of Mamre. 14 Then after he buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

Joseph Calms His Brothers’ Fears

50:15-21

15 And the brothers of Joseph saw that their father was dead, and they said, “What if Joseph hates us? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him!” 16 Then they ordered a messenger to go to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before his death, saying, 17 ‘This you must say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the crime of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ So now, please forgive the crime of the servants of your father’s God.” And Joseph cried when they spoke to him.

18 Then his brothers also came and fell before him and said, “Behold us, we belong to you as slaves!” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid. For am I in place of God? 20 And as for you, you intended evil against me, but God intended it for good in order to do as he is doing this day, to save many people. 21 So now, do not be afraid. I will support you and your little ones.” So he comforted them, and he spoke to their hearts.

Joseph’s Death in Egypt

50:22-26

22 Then Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and the house of his father. And Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation. Also, the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on the knees of Joseph.

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, and God will surely visit you and take you up from this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, saying, “Surely God will visit you, and you must take my bones up from this place.”

26 Then Joseph died, a son of 110 years. Then they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.